On "Stories with Friends", LeVar sits down with National Book Award-winning author Jesmyn Ward (SING, UNBURIED, SING; SALVAGE THE BONES; MEN WE REAPED). Her story selection is "The Brides of Heaven", from N.K. Jemisin's collection HOW LONG 'TIL BLACK FUTURE MONTH?LeVar and Jesmyn talk about how the Bible influenced her storytelling; her memories of childhood literature including THE HERO AND THE CROWN; her decision to return and raise her children in her hometown of DeLisle, Mississippi; the conversation between Black women writers; and whether or not we might see more magical realism someday creep into Jesmyn's fiction.You can find Jesmyn online @jesmimi on Twitter.This week's story selection comes from N.K. Jemisin's collection, linked here: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780316491372