Acclaimed showrunner, writer, and producer Mara Brock Akil is adding “novelist” to her résumé.
The creator behind television staples like Girlfriends, Being Mary Jane, and Love Is __ will publish her debut novel, The Revelation of Dionne Daphne, on June 30, 2026. The book will be released by Storehouse Voices, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group.
Set in 1990s New York City, The Revelation of Dionne Daphne follows Dionne Daphne, a magnetic thirty-something beauty editor who appears to have it all — a prestigious role at a top magazine, elite social circles, and a boyfriend seemingly pulled from its glossy pages. But when he arrives unexpectedly at her Brooklyn doorstep with life-threatening news, Dionne’s carefully curated world begins to crack.
The moment forces her to confront a dark childhood secret she has long suppressed, launching an emotional journey through buried trauma, fractured relationships, and profound self-revelation. The novel explores themes of isolation, shame, resilience, and the redemptive power of love — hallmarks of Brock Akil’s storytelling across mediums.
“I wrote this novel with the intention of taking the reader through a story that may be familiar,” Brock Akil said in a statement to PEOPLE. “One of isolation, shame, resilience and the redemptive power of love. My hope is that readers will see themselves in Dionne and recognize the weight they’ve been holding and feel permission to release it.”
Publisher Tamira Chapman of Storehouse Voices praised the project, noting that Brock Akil has “shaped the emotional landscape of a generation through television” and now brings that same cultural fluency and vulnerability to literature.
The novel marks a significant expansion of Brock Akil’s creative footprint after more than 25 years in television, where she has introduced audiences to complex characters like Joan Clayton and Mary Jane Paul. Most recently, she created Netflix’s Forever, a contemporary reimagining of the Judy Blume novel, which premiered to strong engagement and has already been renewed for a second season.
With The Revelation of Dionne Daphne, Brock Akil continues her commitment to centering layered, emotionally honest stories — this time inviting readers deeper into the interior life of a heroine navigating love, secrecy, and self-discovery.
The novel will be published on June 30, 2026, and is now available for preorder wherever books are sold.