NOVEL PUBLICATION RELEASE: APRIL 2026
Will soon be available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other retailers.
NAOMI L. SHANK
Author and Novelist
WHEN THE UNIVERSE PIVOTS
Is a sweeping, multigenerational novel that bridges two continents and two centuries, exploring love, loss, and the enduring ties of heritage. Perfect for lovers of cultural and historical fiction, and readers drawn to stories of Africa and its diaspora, Naomi L. Shank’s When the Universe Pivots is a lyrical, deeply human story of memory and resilience.
“A wonderful cross-cultural tale of the ties that bind us across time, continents, and kinship…Naomi L. Shank takes the reader on a riveting, page-turning journey.”
—Cheryl Gregory Faye, former Country Director of Peace Corps Senegal
Praise for When the Universe Pivots
“When the Universe Pivots will grab you instantly, expand your understanding and appreciation of Seereer culture, and leave you feeling love for and a personal connection to this community. Naomi holds this subject material with such respect, attention, and care, you can’t help but be drawn into the story and reflect long after turning the last page on the depths of human connection.”
—Jo Anne Yeager Sallah, Country Director for international development organizations in Senegal and The Gambia
“Through an animating and captivating tale that takes the reader on a modern-day journey to Senegal and explores the richness and beauty of its peoples and cultures, Naomi L. Shank has crafted a thought-provoking exposition on the enduring societal links between Africa and America.”
—Ibrahima Seck, Director of Research, The Whitney Plantation
“When the Universe Pivots brings extraordinary intimacy and clarity to a history too often flattened or abstracted…What makes this novel so compelling is not only its historical reach, but its emotional resonance. By grounding sweeping histories in family stories, personal reckonings, and moments of mystery, Shank invites readers to sit with the complexity of belonging—across time and space.”
—Andrew Wilson, Director of Volunteer Intercultural Engagement and Support, International Development Organization
“Naomi L. Shank has written a rich and compelling story that explores empathy of the human heart, love and friendship across cultures…I simply did not want to close When the Universe Pivots.”
—Ousmane Sene, Director, West Africa Research Center
WHEN THE UNIVERSE PIVOTS
In 1811 Louisiana, on the eve of the German Coast Slave Rebellion, Etienne Moreau makes a desperate choice to flee north with Marie and Louis, the enslaved twins he grew up alongside. Marie is carrying his child, and Etienne vows to secure freedom for them all. But their escape will ignite consequences that echo for generations.
Nearly two hundred years later, Alice Fontaine, a researcher haunted by regret, returns to Senegal to trace the origins of those enslaved in Louisiana. For Alice, this is more than academic—it’s personal. The Seereer village she once called home reshaped her life, and now she hopes to heal old wounds by inviting her estranged niece, Sylvie, to join her as a photographer. Yet both women carry secrets that threaten to fracture their fragile reunion.
As Alice and Sylvie attune to the rhythms of village life and navigate love interests—old and new—they uncover a mystery that binds their family to Etienne, Marie, and Louis’ fateful journey. What they learn will force them to confront the meaning of freedom, belonging, and the stories we inherit.
About the Author
Naomi L. Shank grew up in New York’s Finger Lakes and spent two transformative years in Senegal as a United States Peace Corps community development volunteer—a journey that inspired the heart of When the Universe Pivots. After a successful career in designing and developing strategic social change initiatives, Naomi founded SoftEarth Insights Coaching and Consulting, where she specializes in personal leadership and cultural attunement practices for individuals, leaders and groups. Her deep connection to Senegal runs through her life and work: Naomi is married to Diomaye Faye, founder of the Pan African Federalist Movement and uncle of Senegal’s fifth President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
Naomi L. Shank 