Diane McKinney-Whetstone’s 8th Novel now available in hardback.
Family Spirit
Diane McKinney-Whetstone’s latest character-rich, page-turner blends her signature style with a little magic in her depiction of the Maces, a vibrant family of Philadelphia clairvoyants with issues.
Ayana has inherited the Knowing gene that the Maces believe has been passed down to at least one girl child in every generation from as far back as they can trace. But her mother has tried to convince her that she is nothing like those weird Mace women. To keep the peace, Ayana lies to everyone–to the Maces, insisting she’s never felt a Knowing; to her mother about participating in the rituals, and to herself about her relationship with a man who helps her recover time and time again from the mania she experiences after seeing into the future. Ayana’s aunt Lil, banned from the Mace home decades ago after violating a sacred vow, has returned to Philadelphia for a medical procedure. She settles into the chaos of her brother’s home where Ayana, a failing college senior, has also returned.
After a harrowing premonition, Ayana must decide whether to deepen family schisms by enlisting her aunt’s help, even as she learns the shocking details of Lil’s breech.
Meanwhile Nona, the woman writing the novel, becomes more of a participant than creator as her own drama is deftly interspersed throughout, as she too yields to the power of the Mace family and its indomitable spirit.
Praise for Family Spirit
“Sparkles with authenticity…a vibrant look into the power and spirituality of a multigenerational Black family.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Crisp, detailed prose makes every story line feel lived-in and real, with a particular highlight being the complex but realistic family dynamics and dialogue. This layered fantasy feels almost fairy tale–esque,comfortable and cozy in its own mythology.” — Publishers Weekly
“McKinney-Whetstone explores legacy, intuition, and family through her lyrical prose and vivid characters…a thoughtful and beautifully told novel with both emotional depth and a touch of the uncanny.” — Booklist
Also by Diane McKinney-Whetstone
Tumbling
Tempest Rising
Blues Dancing
Leaving Cecil Street
Trading Dreams At Midnight
Lazaretto
Our Gen
Family Spirit
Diane McKinney-Whetstone
Diane McKinney-Whetstone is the author of eight novels. The latest — Family spirit—will be published August 12, 2025. She mines the city of Philadelphia for her material. The blocks and neighborhoods themselves become characters as she tells stories of everyday people existing in families and communities; characters faltering, yielding to their desires, falling, fighting, climbing, reaching for their better selves. Twice awarded the American Library Association Black Caucus Literary Award for Fiction, she is also a recipient of a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts grant.
Her work has appeared in the Atlantic, Essence Magazine, Philadelphia Magazine, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. She is a past lecturer in the writing program at the University of Pennsylvania. She lives with her husband Greg in Philadelphia.
