Black & Published

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with actress, writer and poet Iman N. Milner about her new poetry collection, on breaking back together. The collection on faith, love, loss, and self-preservation is soul-shattering and brutally honest. The work helps fulfill Iman's mission to heal herself in her own work as well as inspire others to prioritize their  own healing. An actress from the age of 8, she sees her work on stage, TV, film, and in print--be it articles she's written or poetry she's penned--as part of the interconnected stories she wants to tell. 

Episode Notes

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with actress, writer and poet Iman N. Milner about her new poetry collection, on breaking back together. The collection on faith, love, loss, and self-preservation is soul-shattering and brutally honest. The work helps fulfill Iman's mission to heal herself in her own work as well as inspire others to prioritize their  own healing. An actress from the age of 8, she sees her work on stage, TV, film, and in print--be it articles she's written or poetry she's penned--as part of the interconnected stories she wants to tell.

In this conversation, Iman explains why she approaches celebrity interviews as an actress, the reason she gets choked up reading her own work in front of an audience, and how starving taught her to know her value and know her worth.   



***
Follow @Nikesha_Elise on Twitter and Instagram and check out her latest novel Beyond Bourbon Street available everywhere books are sold.

Don't forget to subscribe to Black & Published on your podcast platform of choice as well as rate and review. If you have thoughts, feedback, or questions about the episode, hit us up at @blkandpublished on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #blackandpublished. 

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On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with creative, critical writer, poet, and performer Rosamond S. King about her new poetry collection, All The Rage. The collection was inspired by the lack of indictments handed down in the death of Eric Garner who was killed by police officers in New York in 2014. From that singular incident she crafted a collection set in the fictional world of the abattoir to discuss Black joy and Black pain living in tandem. She sees the collection as an extension of her work as a literary scholar and all around writer be it academic, poetic, or for the love of writing. 

Episode Notes

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with creative, critical writer, poet, and performer Rosamond S. King about her new poetry collection, All The Rage. The collection was inspired by the lack of indictments handed down in the death of Eric Garner who was killed by police officers in New York in 2014. From that singular incident she crafted a collection set in the fictional world of the abattoir to discuss Black joy and Black pain living in tandem. She sees the collection as an extension of her work as a literary scholar and all around writer be it academic, poetic, or for the love of writing.

During the discussion, Rosamond revealed how she discovered self-publishing was not for her and the advice she gives all young writers on rejection and making money as a literary artist. She also shares her "A Ha" moment of when she discovered she was a "Writer" and why it is her goal in this life to never repeat herself.   



***
Follow @Nikesha_Elise on Twitter and Instagram and check out her latest novel Beyond Bourbon Street available everywhere books are sold.

Don't forget to subscribe to Black & Published on your podcast platform of choice as well as rate and review. If you have thoughts, feedback, or questions about the episode, hit us up at @blkandpublished on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #blackandpublished. 

Support the show

Follow the Show:

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On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, performer, playwright, and educator Ebony Payne-English,  about her journey as a literary artist that has led her to publish a poetry collection (Secrets of Ma'at), a graphic novel (The Random Happenings), and release six studio albums. Her latest offering, Kuongoza, dropped March 28, 2021 and is available on all streaming platforms. With 17 years of professional experience from Black on Black Rhyme to HBO's Brave New Voices, Ebony, is a nationally acclaimed spoken word artist whose performance credits include the renowned Nuyorican Café in New York and ESSENCE Fest. 

Episode Notes

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, performer, playwright, and educator Ebony Payne-English,  about her journey as a literary artist that has led her to publish a poetry collection (Secrets of Ma'at), a graphic novel (The Random Happenings), and release six studio albums. Her latest offering, Kuongoza, dropped March 28, 2021 and is available on all streaming platforms. With 17 years of professional experience from Black on Black Rhyme to HBO's Brave New Voices, Ebony, is a nationally acclaimed spoken word artist whose performance credits include the renowned Nuyorican Café in New York and ESSENCE Fest.

During the conversation, Ebony courageously discusses her devastating diagnosis with an illness that stifled her creativity for three years, how writing helped save her own life, and how Superman Returns inspired her forthcoming play The Goddess Experience. She also dishes on finding God in art and how she stands whole, complete & empowered in her gift as a spoken word artist and emcee.



***
Follow @Nikesha_Elise on Twitter and Instagram and check out her latest novel Beyond Bourbon Street available everywhere books are sold.

Don't forget to subscribe to Black & Published on your podcast platform of choice as well as rate and review. If you have thoughts, feedback, or questions about the episode, hit us up at @blkandpublished on Twitter and Instag

Support the show

Follow the Show:

IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished

Follow Me:

IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, TaRessa Stovall,  about her memoir, Swirl Girl: Coming of Race in the USA. TaRessa was born a jazz baby in Seattle, Washington and is a self-proclaimed Black Power Flower Child. (All Power to the People). TaRessa identified herself as an author from the age of seven and got her start in the industry by self-publishing her poetry as a young adult. She has gone on to publish independently and traditionally writing a children's book (The Buffalo Soldiers), a novel (The Hot Spot), and several anthologies. 

Episode Notes

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, TaRessa Stovall,  about her memoir, Swirl Girl: Coming of Race in the USA. TaRessa was born a jazz baby in Seattle, Washington and is a self-proclaimed Black Power Flower Child. (All Power to the People). TaRessa identified herself as an author from the age of seven and got her start in the industry by self-publishing her poetry as a young adult. She has gone on to publish independently and traditionally writing a children's book (The Buffalo Soldiers), a novel (The Hot Spot), and several anthologies.

During the conversation, TaRessa opens up about the legacy of passing in her own family, going from indie to mainstream to indie again, and why she credits a candid comment from President Obama for giving her the inspiration to write her memoir. Oh, she also shares a little story about the one time the LEGENDARY Ruby Dee, called her up on the house phone in the kitchen with an offer that couldn't be refused.



***
Follow @Nikesha_Elise on Twitter and Instagram and check out her latest novel Beyond Bourbon Street available everywhere books are sold.

Don't forget to subscribe to Black & Published on your podcast platform of choice as well as rate and review. If you have thoughts, feedback, or questions about the episode, hit

Support the show

Follow the Show:

IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished

Follow Me:

IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, Georgia Dawkins,  about her memoir, Everybody Knows: The Power of Being in Position. Georgia is The Purpose Producer. From ABC’s Good Morning America to Will Packer’s Central Ave, Georgia has worked within a multitude of television genres including local news, network news, talk shows, reality television, and entertainment news. In 2018 she published Everybody Knows while at the same time launching Georgia Dawkins Media to cement herself as a young media tycoon in the making. 

Episode Notes

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, Georgia Dawkins,  about her memoir, Everybody Knows: The Power of Being in Position. Georgia is The Purpose Producer. From ABC’s Good Morning America to Will Packer’s Central Ave, Georgia has worked within a multitude of television genres including local news, network news, talk shows, reality television, and entertainment news. In 2018 she published Everybody Knows while at the same time launching Georgia Dawkins Media to cement herself as a young media tycoon in the making.

During the conversation, Georgia and Nikesha discuss how they came to their respective media careers--which is where their paths first crossed some 10 years ago--and why they left. Georgia also shares why she can't help but tell the truth, how she can't help but to seek bigger for herself after years of playing small, and why it's sometimes necessary to burn bridges in your life in the name of self-preservation.



***
Follow @Nikesha_Elise on Twitter and Instagram and check out her latest novel Beyond Bourbon Street available everywhere books are sold.

Don't forget to subscribe to Black & Published on your podcast platform of choice as well as rate and review. If you have thoughts, feedback, or questions about the episode, hit us up at @blkandpublished on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #blackandpublished. 

Support the show

Follow the Show:

IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished

Follow Me:

IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, Wandeka Gayle, about her short story collection, Motherland and Other Stories. Wandeka is an artist in every since of the word. A Jamaican writer, visual artist, pianist, and Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Spelman College, she has received numerous fellowships including from Kimbilio Fiction, Callaloo, and the Hurston/Wright Foundation. She has a Ph.D. in English/Creative Writing. Her work has appeared in Prairie Schooner and The Rumpus and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

Episode Notes

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, Wandeka Gayle, about her short story collection, Motherland and Other Stories. Wandeka is an artist in every since of the word. A Jamaican writer, visual artist, pianist, and Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Spelman College, she has received numerous fellowships including from Kimbilio Fiction, Callaloo, and the Hurston/Wright Foundation. She has a Ph.D. in English/Creative Writing. Her work has appeared in Prairie Schooner and The Rumpus and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

During the conversation, Wandeka shares her experience of what it's like to be triple marginalized as an immigrant, a woman, and a minority, how her procrastination led to her dissertation, and how she crafted an entire story out of watching a woman ride the bus. Wandeka also talks about the time she was falsely arrested, learning to recognize micro aggressions and the invisibility of racism that makes it so insane.


***
Follow @Nikesha_Elise on Twitter and Instagram and check out her latest novel Beyond Bourbon Street available everywhere books are sold.

Don't forget to subscribe to Black & Published on your podcast platform of choice as well as rate and review. If you have thoughts, feedback, or questions about the episode, hit us up at @blkandpublished on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #blackandpublished. 

Support the show

Follow the Show:

IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished

Follow Me:

IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, Monica M. Brown, about her book, Only One: How to Be a Bad Ass Boss in Corporate America. Monica is a deeply-accomplished and results driven senior executive with 20+ years of experience in tech and has worked for several Fortune 500 companies including AT&T, Comcast NBCUniversal, and SiriusXM Pandora. 

Episode Notes

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, Monica M. Brown, about her book, Only One: How to Be a Bad Ass Boss in Corporate America. Monica is a deeply-accomplished and results driven senior executive with 20+ years of experience in tech and has worked for several Fortune 500 companies including AT&T, Comcast NBCUniversal, and SiriusXM Pandora.

In this conversation, Monica open's up about how she switched from a career in print journalism to tech, code-switching and absorbing micro-aggressions so often that it bled over into her writing, and how she hopes that no matte, she's always remembered as a motivator to help other people go after their dreams. There's also a good keekee about wine, martini's, and red bottoms which helps Monica maintain the balance between her professional persona and her naturally creative character.


***
Follow @Nikesha_Elise on Twitter and Instagram and check out her latest novel Beyond Bourbon Street available everywhere books are sold.

Don't forget to subscribe to Black & Published on your podcast platform of choice as well as rate and review. If you have thoughts, feedback, or questions about the episode, hit us up at @blkandpublished on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #blackandpublished. 

Support the show

Follow the Show:

IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished

Follow Me:

IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, Naima Coster, about the release of her second novel, What's Mine and Yours. (SPOILER ALERT) Naima's stories and essays have appeared in the New York Times, The Sunday Times, The Paris Review Daily and more. She is a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 Honoree for 2020 and her debut novel, Halsey Street, was a finalist for the 2018 Kirkus Prize for Fiction. 

Episode Notes

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, Naima Coster, about the release of her second novel, What's Mine and Yours. (SPOILER ALERT) Naima's stories and essays have appeared in the New York Times, The Sunday Times, The Paris Review Daily and more. She is a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 Honoree for 2020 and her debut novel, Halsey Street, was a finalist for the 2018 Kirkus Prize for Fiction.

Nikesha and Naima chat about what it means to be a woman outside of the titles of wife and mother, how parents can uphold oppressive, racist systems, and how living your dream and doing what you love can come as an affront to those who struggled for your success. The nuances and complexities of marriage, motherhood, race, writing  and more come alive over the course of the conversation as nothing is left off the table.


***
Follow @Nikesha_Elise on Twitter and Instagram and check out her latest novel Beyond Bourbon Street available everywhere books are sold.

Don't forget to subscribe to Black & Published on your podcast platform of choice as well as rate and review. If you have thoughts, feedback, or questions about the episode, hit us up at @blkandpublished on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #blackandpublished. 

Support the show

Follow the Show:

IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished

Follow Me:

IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, Enitan Bereola, II, about how he got the words out of his head and onto the page to turn his lifestyle into brand that took him from social media influencer to global storyteller. Enitan is the author of three bestselling books that the Obama's, Oprah, and the Zuckerburgs own including 2009's Bereolaesque: The Contemporary Gentleman & Etiquette Book for the Urban Sophisticate, 2013's Gentlewoman: Etiquette for a Lady, from a Gentleman, and 2016's The Gray: A Relationship Etiquette Study. 

Episode Notes

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, Enitan Bereola, II, about how he got the words out of his head and onto the page to turn his lifestyle into brand that took him from social media influencer to global storyteller. Enitan is the author of three bestselling books that the Obama's, Oprah, and the Zuckerburgs own including 2009's Bereolaesque: The Contemporary Gentleman & Etiquette Book for the Urban Sophisticate, 2013's Gentlewoman: Etiquette for a Lady, from a Gentleman, and 2016's The Gray: A Relationship Etiquette Study.

During the interview, Enitan opens up about how he tested one of his books on Twitter and Instagram, his experience with depression at the height of his success, and how his faith is currently anchoring his life. He also spills the beans on the next project he's working on, #BlackDad, and what it means to be a husband and father of two. 


***
Follow @Nikesha_Elise on Twitter and Instagram and check out her latest novel Beyond Bour

Support the show

Follow the Show:

IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished

Follow Me:

IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com

In this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, Tamika Newhouse, about how she went from teen mom to CEO by the age of twenty. The author of 17 novels, including her latest romance collection, Suga Hill, Tamika Newhouse opens up about the pros and cons of the publishing industry, her battle with mental illness and depression while fulfilling her dreams, and making sure Black women take agency over their own sexuality by creating characters who aren't afraid to ask, get, or even take exactly what they want. 

Episode Notes

In this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with author, Tamika Newhouse, about how she went from teen mom to CEO by the age of twenty. The author of 17 novels, including her latest romance collection, Suga Hill, Tamika Newhouse opens up about the pros and cons of the publishing industry, her battle with mental illness and depression while fulfilling her dreams, and making sure Black women take agency over their own sexuality by creating characters who aren't afraid to ask, get, or even take exactly what they want.

Tamika  explains why she believes consistency is the  key to making it in publishing after self-publishing her first book in 2009 only to land a major deal through her hard work and tenacity. She also drops gems throughout the episode such as, "Your publisher is not your friend," when talking about the industry and, "I don't believe in monogamy, I believe in loyalty . . . or discipline," when waxing on dating and relationships.


***
Follow @Nikesha_Elise on Twitter and Instagram and check out her latest novel Beyond Bourbon Street available everywhere books are sold.

Don't forget to subscribe to Black & Published on your podcast platform of choice as well as rate and review. If you have thoughts, feedback, or questions about the episode, hit us up at @blkandpublished on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #blackandpublished. 

Support the show

Follow the Show:

IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished

Follow Me:

IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com