The new work marks a new creative chapter for a fearless multi-hyphenate writer breaking boundaries in literature and life
NEW HAVEN, CT (June 19, 2025) — Celebrated filmmaker, author, playwright, disability advocate and now novelist Crystal R. Emery has released her first novel, Without a Trace — a contemporary coming-of-age story that blends emotional honesty, subtle suspense and lyrical storytelling.
Known nationally for her award-winning documentaries Black Women in Medicine and The Deadliest Disease in America and acclaimed nonfiction works on Black achievement in STEM, Emery’s new book expands her creative universe into literature — with a personal, provocative tale centered on love, memory and the secrets we carry.
In Without a Trace, Emery introduces readers to the young teen, Tanya, as she navigates familial relationships and friendships, including an enigmatic one with a handsome, older man, JohnL. When things get complicated, he disappears. Eighteen years later, when she is a successful filmmaker happily preparing for her upcoming nuptials, a phone call will bring back memories, upending her life and leaving her questioning everything.
But this isn’t just a compelling story — it’s a creative rebirth. For Emery, Without a Trace is both an artistic leap and a deeply personal success. A quadriplegic who triumphs in each field she turns her sights to — she recently took to the stage as a comedian for the first time, brought on by popular comic Michelle Buteau — she is proof of the power of the human spirit. Her next scheduled gig is this September at the Bregamos Community Theater in New Haven, Connecticut.
Emery enters the literary world with the same visionary force that has guided her work in film, education and social justice. Her background as a documentarian brings a keen sense of emotional realism to her fiction.
“Writing fiction freed me to explore emotion and memory in a different register,” said Emery. “And even as it’s Tanya’s story, it’s also a reflection of how we all carry unresolved questions — and how our pasts rise to meet us.”
A public celebration of the novel’s release takes place on Saturday at Kehler Liddell Gallery (873 Whalley Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut). The free event opens at 5:30 p.m. with a reading and discussion beginning at 6:30 p.m. Hosted by Michael Morand (Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library) and Maryann Ott (NewAlliance Foundation), the evening will feature remarks from the author and a musical performance by percussionist Michael Mills. Those interested may attend with registration at: https://bit.ly/WithoutaTraceBookLaunch.
Emery’s nonfiction works include Against All Odds: Black Women in Medicine and Master Builders of the Modern World: Reimagining the Face of STEM. She also is a children’s author, having completed the first two volumes of her Little Man children’s book series. She helms the New Haven-area nonprofit URU: The Right to Be, Inc., where she has spearheaded programs to introduce students to careers in STEM, ultimately being named an American Association for the Advancement of Science AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador.
ABOUT CRYSTAL R. EMERY
Crystal R. Emery is a prolific writer. In addition to her four books, she has been a guest writer for TIME.com, Variety, Ms. Magazine and HuffPost.
Emery is known for producing narratives aimed at creating a more equitable society. She is the Founder and CEO of URU The Right to Be, Inc., a nonprofit content production company that addresses issues at the intersection of humanities, arts and sciences.
Emery’s film Black Women in Medicine had its theatrical run in 2016 and later aired on American Public Television. It was screened in Ethiopia and Germany in 2018 as part of the American Film Showcase, considered the premier American film diplomacy program in the world. She is a member of the Producers Guild of America and New York Women in Film and Television. She is the recipient of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust Leadership in Journalism Award and the BronzeLens Film Festival Spirit Award.
Hailed as “inspiring” by the Los Angeles Times, she was called a “leader in science and technology” by Good Housekeeping in its feature story “50 over 50: Women Who Are Changing the World.”
She was featured on the CBS program Mission Unstoppable for her virtual reality project “You Can’t Be What You Can’t See.” The game aims to close the identification gap for young, marginalized students in STEM by allowing them to experience different careers in VR.
Emery has been a keynote speaker at distinguished institutions including the National Academy of Science, National Institute of Health, the National Organization on Disability, RespectAbility, TEDx Beacon Street, the National Security Agency, and Kaiser Permanente.
She believes the road to success is comprised of perseverance, faith and trust in a power greater than oneself. Emery continues to shape a successful, fulfilling personal and professional life while triumphing over two chronic diseases as a quadriplegic.
A New Haven area resident, Emery received her B.A. from the University of Connecticut, her M.A. in Media Studies from The New School of Public Engagement. She was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters from UConn in 2018, on which occasion she spoke to an audience of over 20,000 and became the first Black female commencement speaker at UConn’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
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