On Sunday, December 18, 2022, Malik Books, an independent, black-owned bookstore, hosted Devyn
Bakewell’s “Greater Life” book signing inside Westfield Culver City.
The Greater Life book signing attracted a diverse crowd of HBCUs alumni, media, community leaders,
and supporters of black love. April Muhammad and Christopher Sibley welcomed patrons to purchase
Devyn Bakewell’s hardcover of “Greater Life” while supporting other local African-American vendors.
As the granddaughter of civil rights activist Danny Bakewell Sr., it only makes sense that Devyn
advocates for women and her community. While at Howard, she was a part of several sisterhood
groups that advocate for young women.
Devyn Bakewell is the author of Greater Life, the sequel to Greater Love, her first coming-of-age romance novel about a young woman searching for love only to discover true love within herself; both stories are inspired by her time at Howard University. Before attending Howard, Devyn received the prestigious Segal Americorps Education Award for her service teaching social-emotional learning to early-age children. Devyn now holds a Bachelor’s in English with a minor in African studies.
Devyn is currently the Assistant Managing Editor of the L.A. Watts Times. Follow on Instagram @devynbakewellauthor for up-to-date news on #DevynBakewell.
About Greater Life:
When a couple kisses and the credits come up, their love story is just beginning. Falling in love is the
easiest part of the journey, and staying in love is where it gets hard.
In the sequel to Greater Love, Ryan McKnight and Devyn Baker face the end of their freshman year at Truth University with no idea what to do with their summer vacations. Then, Ryan is offered the internship of a lifetime . . . in New York City, which leaves Devyn to spend the summer at home in Garden Heights, where his mother has returned after years away due to a drug addiction.
Both find themselves in stressful situations that they must navigate to succeed on their own. Ryan must
rebuild the tarnished image of a high-maintenance DJ, while Devyn must find a way to navigate his
broken relationship with his mother. The challenges of being in a long-distance relationship make matters worse.
With their relationship being put to a new test, can Ryan and Devyn survive several months apart? How
far will they go not to lose the love of a lifetime? Fans of Greater Love will devour this
emotionally-charged second installment.
About Malik Bookstore:
Malik Bookstore is an independent African American Bookstore that specializes in books, African
American calendars, and African American gifts full of cultural diversity. Our selection of products has
helped create a positive impact on self-reflection, self-esteem, and self-awareness. Malik Bookstore has
two locations, one in Culver City and the other in Baldwin Hills.
