Romeo Beckham Spotted With German Model Caroline Daur in Paris After Kim Turnbull Split
Miley Cyrus Jokes About Bringing JoJo Siwa ‘Back Out’ of the Closet Amid Chris Hughes Romance
Alex Cooper Accuses Her College Soccer Coach of Sexual Harassment: ‘I Felt So Deeply Uncomfortable’
Jodie Turner-Smith Shares Cryptic Post About People Who ‘Seem So Nice’ Amid Joshua Jackson Drama
Beyonce’s Mom Tina Knowles Opens Up About How They Handle Business Disagreements
Two decades later, Amerie is still widely recognized for her chart-topping track “1 Thing,” yet she has remained active in music and is now branching out to achieve another milestone: becoming a novelist.
At age 45, she is set to release her debut adult novel, This Is Not a Ghost Story, on Tuesday, June 10. Fans who associate her exclusively with her R&B hits may be surprised, but Amerie has been a passionate reader and an advocate for the publishing world. Long before the rise of BookTok as a platform for authors, she operated a YouTube channel dedicated to books and initiated a book club in 2019. Additionally, she contributed to the bestselling young adult anthology Because You Love to Hate Me, published in 2017, which included one of her short stories.
“I always intended to write for adults,” Amerie shared exclusively with Us Weekly prior to the release of her book, revealing that she had been working intermittently on this novel for approximately 11 years. “I had created this story, but it needed to rest in a drawer for a while. It wasn't fully polished. Sometimes, revising something you've already labored over can be more challenging than beginning anew. … This one had such personal significance to me.”
The narrative follows John, a deceased Black man whose tranquil afterlife is disrupted when he unexpectedly returns to contemporary Los Angeles, gaining fame as the world’s first authentic ghost. As he seeks a path back to the afterlife, he unwittingly attracts a mix of followers—some genuinely supportive, while others harbor their own agendas for associating with a ghost.
Amerie explained her vision for the book: “It was really about taking something magical and placing it directly within our very real world, using it as a thought experiment to contemplate what would truly happen.” She continued, “That idea was the foundation, while the broader themes such as found family, celebrity culture, and the dual perspectives of self-perception developed later. I didn’t go in knowing all of that; it started with that singular idea.”
The outcome is a gripping read that merges elements of fantasy with a sharp critique of modern celebrity admiration, alongside some political insights. Amerie’s extensive experience in the entertainment sector, having launched her first album in 2002, evidently influenced her character development, such as Hannah, the pragmatic publicist dedicated to making John a sensation, and Persephone, the ambitious actress who grapples with her feelings about dating John for her own career gain.
"I imagined that this is truly what would unfold if he arrived in Los Angeles," she recounted. "It wouldn’t take long before someone who has the ability to turn this into something would recognize him. … It was just enjoyable for me. I relied heavily on my past experiences, having worked with my own publicists, and simply observing how the entertainment industry operates as a whole."
While Amerie is excited that her book is finally reaching readers, it’s not her only recent endeavor. She’s been busy creating a new album, which she anticipates will be released later this summer or by the early fall. The first track, “Mine,” was released in March.
“I’m just feeling incredibly inspired, and I want to make sure I express everything,” she shared. “The song ‘Mine’ aligns perfectly with the overall theme of the project, which is shaping up to be quite romantic. That’s really important to me. I wanted romance — I was like, ‘Give me all the romance, the sensuality, but also the hopefulness.’ I yearn for the optimism of love. Even when things are challenging, I want to believe that they can be resolved.”
Additionally, she is dedicated to parenting her 7-year-old son, River, whom she has with her husband, Lenny Nicholson. She even managed to make a surprise appearance at Coachella in April alongside Muni Long, where she performed “1 Thing” to an enthusiastic crowd.
Even as Amerie explores new territories and expands her horizons, she still cherishes the song that brought her widespread recognition two decades ago.
“I never grow weary of performing it, which is quite significant,” she shared with Us. “It's thrilling. It always feels new to me.”
And it’s always reassuring to feel the ongoing support from her fans.
"As a musician, it fills you with gratitude to know you can still resonate with people and that they continue to connect with your previous work,” she noted. “[I’m] just truly thankful for that. People often assume that artists are indifferent to these feelings. They might believe we are accustomed to it or lack emotional attachment, but what many don’t understand is that artists often wonder if their work is still valued. So, when someone shows appreciation for what you create, it’s either a pleasant surprise or, even if you were somewhat expecting it, you still feel it in a new and profound way each time.”
This Is Not a Ghost Story is set to be released on Tuesday, June 10.
0 Comments
This space aims to broaden the debate on the subject addressed in the news, democratically and respectfully. Comments that violate laws and ethical and moral principles or that promote illegal or criminal activities will not be accepted. Therefore, slanderous, defamatory, prejudiced, offensive, aggressive comments, those that use foul language, incite violence, express hate speech or contain links will be summarily deleted.