Black & Published
Black & Published features interviews with writers, poets, playwrights, and storytellers, exploring their creative journeys and the writing process. The podcast demystifies the path from concept to publication, offering insights into what it means to be a writer.
Episodes
Black. Country. Love. with Regina Black
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Regina Black, author of the country romance novel, August Lane. The book recontexutalizes the narrative around who can be a country star as well as expands the perspective of who lives a country, read: rural, life.In our conversation, Regina explains how fanfiction and live journal became her M
Black Women Deserve Beach Reads with Kristina Forest
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Kristina Forest, author of the romance novel The Summer Girlfriend.In our conversation, Kristina discusses an enraging trip to the bookstore that sparked the idea for the novel, the plotting tools she uses to create meaningful stakes, and why she wanted to put her heroine definitively in her "s
People Over Place with Toni Ann Johnson
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Toni Ann Johnson author of the new short story collection, But Where's Home. The collection dives even further into the world she’s built with previous publications of a middle class Black family, in a majority white enclave in upstate New York.In our conversation, Toni Ann explains why she kee
Living Cheek by Jowl with Lisa Smith
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Lisa Smith, author of the novel, Jamaica Road. It’s a coming of age story that spans 12 years in the lives of Connie and Daphne, who wrestle with their identity as British and Jamaican at a time of great racial unrest in the UK.In our conversation, Lisa explains why she decided to write a novel
The Psychology of Romance with Ashley Jordan
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Ashley Jordan, the author of the romance novel, Once Upon a Time in Dollywood.In our conversation, Ashley explains how going to grad school helped her finish her novel, plus the zombie apocalypse television show that sparked Ashley’s writing career.Mahogany BooksMentioned in this episode:Rate &
Water's at the Root with Gwendolyn Wallace and Tonya Engel
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Gwendolyn Wallace and Tonya Engel, the author and illustrator of the new picture book, Dancing with Water. It's a story about a young queer child and their love for their grandfather who is a water diviner.In our conversation, Gwendolyn explains why she believes stories are truly born at the in
Every Which Way But Loose with Rickey Fayne
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Rickey Fayne, author of the novel The Devil Three Times. A multi-generational story about one family, their spiritual gifts, and how they see they’re calling in life as either from God or Satan.In our conversation, Rickey reveals who gave him the push he needed to take his work seriously. Plus,
A Character Study with Christina Dotson
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Christina Dotson, author of the novel Love You to Death. The story is billed as a Black Thelma and Louise who go on a murderous romp throughout the south.In our conversation, Christina explains how the complex characters she works with in real life help as a social worker, help her craft the im
Not for Your Entertainment with Helena Haywoode Henry
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Helena Haywoode Henry, author of the YA novel, Last Chance Live!The book looks at the price of eternity through the eyes of an 18-year-old girl on death row, who decides to try to win her freedom on a reality show.In our conversation, Helena discusses the legal papers she read during her time a
You Gotta Win Joy with Reginald Dwayne Betts
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Reginald Dwayne Betts, author of the poetry collection, Doggerel, which he says is his most joyous to date.In our conversation, Dwayne explains how he became intentional about singing a different song after realizing he’d become a long suffering Black man. Plus, why he believes identity is alwa
Take a Second Chance with Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Lizzie Damilola Blackburn about her second novel, The Re-Write. A second chance romance between a full-figured woman and a reality TV star who’s struggling to decide exactly what kind of man he wants to be.In our conversation, Lizzie explains why she wanted to tackle toxic masculinity and fat p
Where There is Grief, There is Love with Ashley M. Jones
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Ashley M. Jones, author of the poetry collection, Lullaby for the Grieving. A deeply personal look at what it means to find and lose love at the same time of unprecedented political turmoil.At 31-years-old, Ashley became the poet Laureate of Alabama, becoming both the youngest and the first per
Stepping into the Spotlight with Lauren Morrow
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Lauren Morrow. Author of the novel, Little Movements. A book that explores what it means to leave behind the life you know and take a risk on what you love without the guarantee of reward.In our conversation, Lauren explains why she's not turned off by her book being characterized as auto-ficti
The Power in Poetics with Camonghne Felix
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Camonghne Felix, author of Let The Poets Govern: A Declaration of Freedom.It’s a treatise on the inherent harm of political power and an entreaty for people to seek collective and communal good from a praxis of poetics.In our conversation, Camonghne explains why the erasure poems she included i
Unruly with Jodi-Ann Burey
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Jodi-Ann Burey, author of the book Authentic: The Myth of Bringing Your Full Self to Work.Part memoir, part sociological study of how women, queer, disabled, and minoritized people are discriminated against in the workplace, the book is an outgrowth of Jodi-Ann’s 2020 Ted Talk on the same subje
BONUS: Surrendering to the Story with Tayari Jones
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Tayari Jones, author of the novel Kin.Kin, is Tayari’s fifth novel and her second Oprah’s book club pick after 2018’s An American marriage.In our conversation, she explains why she’s grateful for her “slow burn career" and how she surrendered to the story that wanted to be written … even though
Love and Reverence with Donika Kelly
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Donika Kelly, author of the poetry collection, The Natural Order of Things.It’s a collection of poems paying homage to Donika’s wife, her friends, and especially her family. In our conversation, we discuss how she uses poetry to imagine a future that doesn’t feel possible, the comfort she finds
The Limitlessness of Black Humor with Damon Young
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Damon Young, author and editor of That’s How They Get You: An Unruly Anthology of Black American Humor.The anthology features essays and stories from 24 acclaimed Black writers whose words do work on the page but are also funny AF.In our conversation, we discuss how humor is a vehicle to explor
Black in Love with Ebony LaDelle
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Ebony LaDelle, editor of the YA Romance Collection: You’ve Got a Place Here too: An Anthology of Black Love Storie set at HBCUs.The collection provides a gathering place for 11 authors to share stories of all representations of love within the HBCU ecosystem.In our conversation, we discuss why
Free Puerto Rico with Dorsía Smith Silva
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black and Published, Nikesha speaks with Dorsía Smith Silva, author of the poetry collection, In Inheritance of Drowning.The collection was born out of Dorsía’s experience of living through Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017, becoming a mother, and witnessing the racial reckoning of 2020.In our conversation, we discuss the reason sh
The Truthtellers - Season 6
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This season on Black & Published, guests help answer the question: What does it mean to be a Black writer?Mahogany BooksMentioned in this episode:Rate & ReviewThanks for listening, family! Please do us a solid and take a quick moment to rate and/or leave a review for this podcast. It will go a long way to making sure content featuring our storie
A "Transcendent" Experience with Jamise Harper and Edrick Scarver
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha celebrates the publication of her latest novel, The Seven Daughters of Dupree, with Bookstagram and Book Tok favorites, Jamise Harper (@diversespines, @spinesvines) and Edrick Scarver (@edrickreadit).They discuss the original title of the novel that informed the whole story line, the greatest takeaway Nikesha wants readers to have when they finish the no
The Eye of an Editor with Alison Callahan
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with her editor, Alison Callahan who has been working as an editor for 20+ years. They discuss why their editor-author relationship was always destined to be. Plus, the deep dive Alison and her team did into Nikesha's background before making the deal. And why she feels intimidated every time she takes off her editorial hat and tries to approach t
Agent of Record with Peter Steinberg
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with her literary agent, Peter Steinberg. An agent since 1996, Peter explains the one thing that remains true in publishing even after all these years. Plus, the importance of rejection to an author's career, and what he thinks is the death of good fiction.Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!See Nikesha on TourMahogany BooksMentioned
The Seven Daughters of Dupree and Me
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha dives into how she wrote her forthcoming novel The Seven Daughters of Dupree. From starting the book for a publishing contest just days before she gave birth, to writing and revising as her life fell apart Nikesha breaks down how her novel kept her from a break down, and the kismetic happenstance that occurred between she, her agent, and editor.Order You
Introducing The Seven Daughters of Dupree
Black & Published is back for season 6, but before we dive into our regularly scheduled episodes, we're having a mini series all about Nikesha's forthcoming novel The Seven Daughters of Dupree. Over these next four weeks she'll discuss:the writing processhow she got her agenthow the novel sold in a weekthe themes already resonating with early readers.Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of D
Let's Talk About Publishing with Deesha Philyaw
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with author Deesha Philyaw about the new writing resource she created with graphic designer Diamonde Williamson, Writer Beware. The 20 page infographic takes a look at the distinctions among different publishing paths in order to dispel misinformation and help writers avoid predatory publishers.&nbs
Everyone Has a Mystery with Rachel Howzell Hall
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published Nikesha speaks with Rachel Howzell Hall, the author of the thriller Fog and Fury. The publication of this books marks twenty three years since Rachel’s publishing debut. In our conversation, Rachel discusses why it’s important for authors to know and lean into their brand. Plus, what she found to be the true s
Keep on Singing with Laura Pegram
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Laura Pegram, the editor of Sing The Truth: The Kweli Journal Short Story Collection. The anthology comes 15 years after Kweli debuted as the premier online literary journal focused on nuturing the voices of emerging writers who identify as Black, indigenous, or as other people of color. I
Different Ways of Being Black with Nancy Johnson
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Nancy Johnson, author of People of Means. It's a dual timeline historical fiction novel about the choices a mother and daughter make as they pursue excellence in a time of intense activism. In our conversation, Nancy discusses what triggered her to start telling stories of her own. Plus, t
Family Values with James Stewart III
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with James Stewart, III, the author of the novel, Defiant Acts. It’s a non linear story about an interracial family that couples the mundanity of everyday life with the incendiary explosiveness of racial reckoning out in the world. In our conversation, James discusses how he recreated his life
Become Your Own Elder with Honorée Fannone Jeffers
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Honorée Fannone Jeffers, the author of Misbehaving at the Crossroads: Essays and Writings. The book blends, history, cultural criticism and memoir seamlessly to weave a story about Black women in America, their worth, their value, and their inherent humanity and equality. In our conversati
Hope for Love with Kristina Forest
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Kristina Forest the author of The Love Lyric. It’s the final installment of Kristina’s romance trilogy about three sisters who are named after flowers. In our conversation, Kristina’s discusses how working on both sides of the aisle in the publishing industry gives her a unique advantage e
We All Cousins with Nikkolas Smith
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Nikkolas Smith about his new picture book The History of We. It's a book he says shows the lineage for every human on Earth beginning with Black people in Africa. In our conversation, Nikkolas discusses why he's grateful for the winding path that led him to his full time role as an illustrator.
Bearing Witness with Mahogany L. Browne
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Mahogany L. Browne, the author of the new YA novel A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe. The story is a real time exploration of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York told through a chorus of young voices and borne out of Mahogany’s own battle with the virus. In our conversation, Mahog
The Intimacy of Black Boys with Kiese Laymon & Alexis Franklin
Order Your Copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupree!This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Kiese Laymon and Alexis Franklin about their new picture book, City Summer, Country Summer. It's a story about an up north city kid who goes down south to visit his country cousins for the summer. In our conversation, Kiese & Alexis discuss how they were able to explore in their own wa
Coming From the Jungle with Dwight Thompson
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Dwight Thompson, author of the novel, My Own Dear People. It’s a story about a young man reflecting on the harm he and his friends caused a young teacher while they were in high school and why even as a spectator the protagonist was still a perpetrator. In our conversation, Dwight explains how his own reflection of his boyhood informed t
Happy to be Here with Denne Michele Norris
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Denne Michele Norris author of the novel, When the Harvest Comes. The story is one Denne has been working on for 14 years but couldn’t unlock until she freed herself first. In our conversation, Denne discusses how she worked through her issues of gender, race, and sexuality using her characters and craft. Plus, the reason she believ
Free Yourself First with W.J. Lofton
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with W.J. Lofton, author of the poetry collection, boy, maybe. The collection explores William’s difficult and at times traumatic childhood, how he survived, and how he’s living now as young, Black queer man in America. In our conversation, Williams explains the reason he says that even though he crosses many identity intersections it’s
Be Loud with Arriel Vinson
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with, Arriel Vinson, author of the YA romance novel, Under the Neon Lights. It’s a story that sets the budding love between Jaelyn and Trey against a backdrop of their shifting community landscape and Jaelyn’s fight to maintain her safe place.In our conversation, Arriel explains the reason she grounded this book in her own good memories as a
Love in the Wide Open World with Cher Terais
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Cher Terais, author of the wanderlust romance novel, Tempest in Tulum. In crafting her novels, Cher says while her settings may be exotic and lush for love, what the characters go through will always be grounded in reality. In our conversation she explains why she was never a fan of Prince Charming, the reason it took her twenty years to
The Sound of Sudan with Hana Baba
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Hana Baba the storyteller on the new podcast Folk Tales from Sudan. The first season will feature 10 stories Hana grew up hearing from her uncle, but was uncertain if she should or could step into his role behind the mic. A radio journalist by trade, Hana fell in love with voice, how it could emote, and its expressiveness at a
Inspiration for Survival with Dolen Perkins-Valdez
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Dolen Perkins-Valdez, about her new historical fiction novel, Happy Land. The books is based on the true story of how a group of Black people founded their own Kingdom on more than 200 acres of mountain land that straddled North and South Carolina. In writing Happy Land, Dolen is correcting the historical record about the origins of the
The Novel Soundtrack with Myah Ariel
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Myah Ariel, author of the novel, No Ordinary Love. Myah, who is a journalist, film enthusiast, and lover of all things pop culture said she decided to try her hand at writing after spending the pandemic reconnecting with her love of reading romance novels. In our conversation she discusses how she managed to write, sell and publish two b
The Conspiracy is Not Always Theory with Esme Addison
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Esme Addison, author of the novel An Intrigue of Witches. The historical mystery novel takes the reader on a treasure hunt with the main character to discover the hidden history of unruly women. In our conversation, Esme discusses who prophesied her writing and publishing career over her life. Plus, the difficulty she faced in securing a
Into the Underground with Jacqueline Crooks
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Jacqueline Crooks, author of the novel, Fire Rush. It's a book that took her 16 years to bring into the world after getting a late start in writing even though it was something she knew she always wanted to do. In our conversation, Jacqueline explains why she considers her upbringing as an outsider because of her identity as a Caribbean
There's More to the Truth with Jill Tew
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Jill Tew, author of the YA dystopian romance novel, The Dividing Sky. It's a book Jill says she hopes disrupts old norms for her young audienceIn our conversation, Jill explains how she fell into the productivity trap in corporate America and the two major life changes that brought her back to the page. Plus, how rejection of her fi
Knowing When You're Ready with Olufunke Grace Bankole
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Olufunke Grace Bankole, author of The Edge of Water. The book began as a short story and Olufunke has been working to bring it to fruition as a novel for the last twenty years. In our conversation she discusses, how she received the gift of patience from an industry insider that relieved the pressure of publishing. Plus, how her lov
What the Daughter Knows with Jodi M. Savage
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Jodi M. Savage, author of the essay collection, Death of a Jaybird: Essays on Mothers and Daughters and the Things They Leave Behind. It’s a collection that reckons with Jodi’s grief before and after the deaths of her mother and grandmother and how she found comfort in the space a blank page provided. In our conversation, she discusses how sh
The National Black Writers Conference with Donna Hill
This week, Nikesha speaks with Donna Hill, the newly named executive director of The Center for Black Literature at Medgar Evers College, right in the heart of Brooklyn. Today, as in Thursday March 27, 2025, kicks off the center’s signature event, the National Black Writer’s Conference. This year is their two-day biennial symposium highlighting middle grade and young adult fiction. Tickets ar
The Sanctity of Solitude with Aaliyah Bilal
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Aaliyah Bilal, author of the short-story collection Temple Folk. The collection is made up of ten short stories about Black Americans who identify as Muslim and who were at one time members of the Nation of Islam. In our conversation, Aaliyah explains why "normalcy" is the main message she wants readers to take away from her collection.
The Thread of Connection with Jamila Minnicks
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Jamila Minnicks, author of the novel, Moonrise Over New Jessup. It's a book written about a small, Black, Alabama enclave in the 1950s facing pressure to integrate despite resistance from the town’s male leaders and the women who make their work possible. A native of Alabama, Jamila says she sees her writing as an extension of her w
Leading with Meaning with Laysha Ward
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Laysha Ward author of the leadership book, Lead Like You Mean It: Lessons on Integrity and Purpose from the C-Suite. Laysha spent more than 30 years in corporate America, most of that time at Target. Our conversation took place before Target announced their roll back of DEI initiatives but we still discuss how her background as a Black g
Family Business with Bernice L. McFadden
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Bernice L. McFadden, the author of several award winning historical fiction novels. She’s out today with her memoir, First Born Girls, a book that weaves the story of her road to publication with her debut novel Sugar, with the story of the women in her family and what they endured. In honoring her family through the pages of First Born
Love Notes to Children with Amber McBride
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with National Book Award Finalist and Corretta Scott King Award Winner, Amber McBride, about her latest novel, Onyx and Beyond. The novel tells the story of 12-year-old Onyx who’s growing up in the DMV area in the tulmutuous times of the late 60s and early 70s. There’s assassinations and moon landings happening in the world, while at home Onyx’s
The Little Spoon with Jason Reynolds
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with author and MacArthur genius Jason Reynolds about his YA romance novel, Twenty-four Seconds from Now: A Love Story. The novel explores the budding relationship between Neon and Aria. High school seniors who’ve been together for two years and are both ready to take their relationship to the next level of love and intimacy.In our conversation, J
The Proof is in the Writing with Victoria Christopher Murray
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with return guest, Victoria Christopher Murray about her latest novel, Harlem Rhapsody. The novel tells the story of Jesse Redmon Faucet. A complex and ambitious woman who moved to New York to be nearer to her lover W.E.B. DuBois, and also to run his magazine, The Crisis. Between the scandal she had to keep quiet and an opportunity she didn’t want
Pursuing Passion with Shanora Williams
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Shanora Williams, about her new romance novel, Beautiful Broken Love. The novel is the second chance love story of Davina Klein-Roberts and Deke Bishop. Reeling from tragedy and trying to rebuild her life, Davina is not prepared for Deke, the NBA star, with his own dark secrets, who takes a sud
Anchored in History with Tara Roberts
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Tara Roberts, author of the memoir, Written in the Waters: A Memoir of History, Home, and Belonging. It’s an epic story of Tara fulfilling her childhood desire of becoming a writer commingled with her active decision to embrace a past she’d always run from.A storyteller, adventurer, and traveler, Tara is now an explorer in residence at Nation
The Power of Belief with Iris Mwanza
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Iris Mwanza, author of the novel The Lion’s Den. It’s a thriller featuring a young lawyer fighting for justice in the case of a queer teen, that has her going up against every oppressive system in Zambia from the President and police to her priest and the doctrine of the Catholic Church. Iris is Zambian-American. She sta
Witnessing From the Empire with Fady Joudah & Lena Khalaf Tuffaha
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Palestinian-American poets, Fady Joudah and Lena Khalaf Tuffaha. Fady is a physician, in addition to being a poet. His latest collection [ . . . ] chronicles the beginning of the genocide in Palestine in late 2023 and was a finalist for the 2024 National Book Award in poetry.Lena is a poet, essayist and translator. She's also the co-founder
What Writing Can Do - Season 5 Trailer
This season on Black & Published . . . It’s time to get real about what writing can do. Whether we write about love or compassion, broken systems or the parallels between the past and the present; writing is active! It is both a portal and an archive. And while publishing is a business, the work on the page is still pure. This season the journeys continue with: Jodi M. Savage, Amber
Bonus: Writing Past Rejection with Nikesha Elise Williams
In this bonus episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is sharing her story about becoming a writer and finding her way in the publishing industry. From exploring and utilizing both traditional and independent avenues, Nikesha discusses when she knew she was a writer, the 7-year-long journey of publishing her debut novel, Four Women, founding her company, NEW Reads Publications, and how she has k
Bonus: Enjoying the Life You've Built with Minda Honey
This week on Black and Published, Nikesha speaks with Minda Honey, author of the memoir, The Heartbreak Years. A retrospective for the twenty-somethings who are ready to stop leaping into the lives of the men they like and instead choose themselves and a life they love. The book is born out of Minda's series of essays for Longreads on dating politics. Her writing has also been featured
BONUS: A Living Language with jarrett hill & Tre'vell Anderson
This week on Black and Published, Nikesha speaks with jarrett hill and Tre'vell Anderson, the authors of, Historically Black Phrases: From "I Ain't One of Your Little Friends" to "Who All Gon Be There?" Tre'vell and jarrett both have backgrounds in journalism and they are the hosts of the award-winning podcast FANTI. Their book chronicles the living language
BONUS: Deeply Profound with Honorée Fanning Jeffers
On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Honorée Fannone Jeffers, author of the epic novel, The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois. Honorée is also the author of five critically acclaimed books of poetry, including the award-winning collection, The Age of Phillis, based on the life and times of Phillis Wheatley Peters.
BONUS: The Doors of the Church are Open with Deesha Philyaw
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with author, Deesha Philyaw, her short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, which was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award.
BONUS: Reed, Write, and Create Podcast with Lori L. Tharps
This bonus episode of Black & Published features an episode of the Reed, Write and Create podcast hosted by award-winning author and creative writing coach, Lori L. Tharps. On the podcast, Lori offers bite-sized sessions of creative writing coaching based on the lives and times of our BIPOC literary ancestors, and she interviews successful BIPOC authors who share their stories and strategies f
Chicago vs. Everybody with Arionne Nettles
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Arionne Nettles, author of the book, We Are The Culture: Black Chicago's Influence on Everything. A university lecturer at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism as well as a culture reporter, Arionne's book is as much a love letter to her city as it is putting the world on notice… that Chicago is the epicenter
Training Up Champions with Julian Randall
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Julian Randall author of the essay collection The Dead Don't Need Reminding: In Search of Fugitives, Mississippi and Black TV Nerd Shit. Julian, who is also the author of the Cave Canem poetry prize winning collection, Refuse, got their start as a slam poet. In making the transition from the stage to the page they say talking to themselv
The Future is Now with Maura Cheeks
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Maura Cheecks, author of Acts of Forgiveness. The book is an outgrowth of her 2019 article, for the Atlantic, “American Wealth is Broken” which explores the necessity of reparations for Black families. Maura was awarded the 2019 Masthead Reporting Residency for The Atlantic’s first residency program where she worked on that article.In our co
For the Love of Grandmothers with Melissa Mogollon
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Melissa Mogollon, author of the novel, OYE. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Melissa is originally from Colombia and was raised in Florida. She now teaches at a boarding school in Rhode Island, where she lives with her partner and dog.In our conversation, Melissa explains the feedback she received for her experimental form and why sh
It's All Connected with Tomi Adeyemi
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with New York Times Bestselling author Tomi Adeyemi, author of The Children of Anguish and Anarchy, the final installment in the Legacy of Orisha series. As a Nigerian American who came of age in a mostly white community, Tomi says her writing grew out of reckoning with her own internalized self-hatred. In our conversation, she explains how writin
Note to Self with Riss M. Neilson
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Riss M. Neilson, author of the romance novel, A Love Like The Sun. A graduate of the Rhode Island College, Riss won the English department’s Jean Garrigue Award, which was judged by novelist, Nick White. Her debut young adult novel, Deep in Providence, was a 2022 finalist for the New England Book Awards. In our conversation, Riss explains ho
Rising to the Occasion with Shenequa Golding
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Shenequa Golding, author of the essay collection A Black Girl in the Middle: Essays on (Allegedly) Figuring it All Out. Shenequa’s collection is the culmination of what happened after her essay about being Black in the workplace after George Floyd’s murder went viral. So viral, Amazon founder and billionaire, Jeff Bezos, reposted it. In our c
Introducing Reckon True Stories with Deesha Philyaw & Kiese Laymon
This week on Black & Published we're introducing you to a new show that we love, Reckon True Stories hosted by acclaimed authors Deesha Philyaw and Kiese Laymon. Guests for Season One include writers Roxane Gay, Imani Perry, Alexander Chee, Minda Honey, Hanif Abdurraqib, and Samantha Irby. Reckon True Stories is a celebration of new and classic nonfiction – the essays, journalism, and mem
Giving Too Much with Walela Nehanda
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Walela Nehanda, author of, Bless the Blood: A Cancer Memoir. As a Black, non-binary, disability justice advocate and stem-cell transplant survivor, Walela's book is an outgrowth of their time and work as a slam poet. In our conversation, Walela, explains why even though their publishing journey may seem like a Cinderella story, they defi
Joy Before the Message with Antwan Eady & Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with the authors and illustrators of the children's picture book, The Last Stand. Written by Antwan Eady and illustrated by the brothers Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey, The Last Stand is a book that honors the legacy and sacrifices of Black farmers by focusing on the joy found in community. In our conversation, Antwan, Jarrett, and Jerome disc
Don't Doubt Yourself with Avery Cunningham
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Avery Cunningham, author of the novel, The Mayor of Maxwell Street. Avery is a resident of Memphis, TN, and a 2016 graduate of DePaul University’s Master of Arts Writing & Publishing program. She has over a decade of editorial experience with various literary magazines, small presses, and best-selling authors. In our conversation, Avery d
What is Home with Donna Hemans
This week on Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Donna Hemans, author of the novel, The House of Plain Truth. Born in Jamaica and currently residing in the DMV area, Donna is the author of the novels River Woman and Tea by the Sea. Works that all center the Caribbean experience. In our conversation, Donna discusses the book that made her want to be a writer. Plus, the lesson she learned abo
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