Reed, Write, and Create Lori L Tharps

On episode 31 of the podcast, I have saved the best for last. Our final author interview this season is with the incomparable, American-Book-Award-winning author, Bernice L. McFadden.
Bernice L. McFadden is the author of over a dozen books, including Sugar and Glorious.  Her latest novel, Praise Song for the Butterflies, was long listed for the 2019 Women's Prize in Fiction.
McFadden’s novel, The Book of Harlan won the 2017 American Book Award and the 2017 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work. The New York Times selected her novel Gathering of Waters as one of the 100 Notable Books of 2012 and as an Editor's Choice pick. Glorious was a finalist for the NAACP Image Award and featured in O, The Oprah Magazine.
Currently, McFadden is an Assistant Professor of English at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. 
During our conversation, Bernice and I discuss:
The highs and lows of her decades-long literary career.
How she kept writing when faced with multiple rejections and editors telling her that there was no market for Black authors writing literary fiction. 
Why she decided to start writing “humorous erotica”  under the pen name Geneva Holliday. 
How Toni Morrison impacted her early career.
The roles spirit and synchronicity have played in her writing practice.
If you’re looking for a dynamite episode that will keep you  motivated to keep writing, then press play and enjoy!
 
To learn more about Bernice McFadden, follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Her website is currently under construction, in anticipation of her new memoir, First Born Girls due on shelves in 2025.
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If you are a BIPOC woman writer looking for even more literary inspiration and motivation, not to mention a highly supportive community of BIPOC sister scribes, then you should apply to be a member of the RWC Sanctuary. 
 
The Sanctuary is a private writing community specifically  for BIPOC women writers, who take their writing seriously. Novelists, poets, memoirists, short story writers and nonfiction writers, are welcome to apply. Inside the Sanctuary we help our members get paid, get published, and reach all of their writing goals.
 
For more information, visit The Sanctuary page on the Reed Write and Create website. But don’t delay, because we’ll be closing our doors to new members on June 1 for the summer, and they won’t be opening again until the fall. Prices will increase for membership in the fall. 
 
If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, visit ReedWriteandCreate.com.
 
Sign up for the monthly, Reed, Write, & Create newsletter for literary resources and opportunities delivered right  to your inbox.
 
Don’t buy your books on Amazon, support indie booksellers and shop online at the Reed, Write, & Create bookshop for a list of curated titles by BIPOC authors. 
 
Sharing is caring, so please share the name of this podcast with all of your BIPOC writer friends. 
 

On episode #30 of the Reed, Write, & Create podcast, we’re doing two things; we’re honoring the late, great James Baldwin, who would be turning 100 years old in 2024, and I'm giving you a pep talk about being an American writer abroad. Yes, I’m sharing the life and times of Mr. James Baldwin to offer you the opportunity to consider what travel can mean for your writing life.
And by the way, if you think we’re going to mostly be talking about Baldwin’s life in Paris, think again. On this episode, we’re talking Turkey. Istanbul, that is. Yes, the country where Baldwin wrote the majority of his most important works, and the country that he said on more than one occasion “saved him,” was none other than Turkey. 
 
During this inspiring episode you’ll hear:
Why James Baldwin left the United States to write.
Why Baldwin spent a decade living and writing in Turkey.
What made Baldwin an “American writer” despite his many years abroad.
Multiple reasons why BIPOC writers should consider traveling or living abroad to enhance their writing life.
What a writer should look for in a location when trying to find a new country where she can write.
 
MORE BALDWIN
Try reading The Fire Next Time, it’s quintessential Baldwin, and a perennial bestseller.
There are many organizations and institutions celebrating the life and work of James Baldwin this year in honor of his 100th birthday. Here are some for your consideration:
Morgan State University is having a year-long celebration of Baldwin’s life. 
Even in the UK, they’re celebrating Baldwin. Check out Baldwin in Bristol
Check out La Maison Baldwin, an American-led organization based in France. They are planning a big centennial celebration honoring Baldwin in September of 2024, but they have programming for writers all year long. 
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More Writing Resources
BIPOC women writers, come join us at our upcoming Open House for The Sanctuary, on May 19, 2024. (Please RSVP for the Open House here. )
The fun starts at 3pmEST and you’ll learn all about what we offer our members; community, accountability, professional development, and resources to help you get published and get paid for your work.
Our members are both emerging writers and authors with multiple titles published.
At the Open House, you’ll get to hear from current members who are crushing their writing goals, and we’re going to play #Lit game of literary trivia. With Prizes!
 
Visit the Reed, Write, & Create website for more information, inspiration, and resources to optimize your writing life. 
Please don’t support online retailers who don’t care about authors or the future of books. Please consider supporting the Reed, Write, & Create podcast and indie bookstores across the United States, by doing your online book shopping at the Reed, Write, & Create bookstore. We have a wonderful collection of books by BIPOC authors for adults, teens, and kids. 

On episode #29, New York Times bestselling author Sadeaqa Johnson is on the show sharing her inspiring author journey and her practical strategies to living a successful literary life.
 
Sadeqa Johnson is the New York Times bestselling author of five novels, including Yellow Wife and her latest, The House of Eve, which was the February 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick. Sadeqa’s  accolades include being a NAACP Image Award nominee, a 2022 Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy finalist, a BCALA Literary Honoree, and the Library of Virginia’s Literary People’s Choice Award winner. She is a Kimbilio Fellow and teaches in the M.F.A. program at Drexel University. Originally from Philadelphia, she currently lives near Richmond, VA with her husband and three teens.
 
Before she was topping the bestseller charts, Sadeqa was hand-selling her self-published novel, determined to prove herself to a publishing industry who wouldn’t give her a book deal. During our conversation, Sadeqa shares how she went from that frustrating place, to where she is today, working on her sixth novel, winning multiple literary awards, and teaching in a MFA program, all with no signs of slowing down. 
 
This is the episode you need to listen to for inspiration, actionable strategies for your writing life, and motivation to keep writing!
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To learn more about Sadeqa Johnson, visit her website at Sadeqa.net
To follow Sadeqa on Instagram, her favorite online hangout, find her @Sadeqasays
Purchase your copy of Sadeqa’s latest book, the New York Times bestseller, The House of Eve from the Reed, Write, & Create Bookshop. You’ll be supporting this podcast and Sadeqa!
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BIPOC women writers, come join us at our upcoming Open House for The Sanctuary, on May 19, 2024. The fun starts at 3pmEST and you’ll learn all about what we offer our members; community, accountability, professional development, and resources to help you get published and get paid for your work.
Our members are both emerging writers and authors with multiple titles published. At the Open House, you’ll get to hear from current members who are crushing their writing goals, and we’re going to play #Lit game of literary trivia. Please RSVP for the Open House here. 
 If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, visit ReedWriteandCreate.com.
Sign up for the monthly, Reed, Write, & Create newsletter for literary resources and opportunities delivered right  to your inbox.
If you’re a BIPOC woman writer looking for a supportive writing community that will help you stay accountable to your writing goals, not to mention provide carefully curated  opportunities to get published and get paid, apply to join the Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary. 
Don’t buy your books on Amazon, support indie booksellers and shop online at the Reed, Write, & Create bookshop for a list of curated titles by BIPOC authors. 
Sharing is caring, so please share the name of this podcast with all of your BIPOC writer friends. Thanks!

Episode #28 of the podcast is dedicated to the literary life and legacy of Jessie Redmon Fauset, the most prolific novelist of the Harlem Renaissance, and also, sadly,  the most overlooked and under-appreciated.
On this episode of the Reed, Write, & Create podcast, I will be sharing Fauset’s fascinating life story, as well as four reasons why she is often sidelined and left in the shadows when it comes to conversations about the literary greats of the Harlem Renaissance. Spoiler alert: Having an affair with W.E.B. Dubois, may or may not have had something to do with it. (I'm pouring the tea, so be ready.)
Tune in for a little literary history, some literary lessons you can apply to your own writing life, and the pep talk you need right now.
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BIPOC women writers, come join us at our upcoming Open House for The Sanctuary, on May 19, 2024. The fun starts at 3pmEST and you’ll learn all about what we offer our members; community, accountability, professional development, and resources to help you get published and get paid for your work.
Our members are both emerging writers and authors with multiple titles published. At the Open House, you’ll get to hear from current members who are crushing their writing goals, and we’re going to play #Lit game of literary trivia. Please RSVP for the Open House here. 
Visit the Reed, Write, & Create blog for more content and resources to up-level your writing life.
 
If you’re a BIPOC woman writer who is looking for community and accountability to help you get published and get paid, apply to join the Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary. Our members stay winning. 
 
Don’t support an online retailer who doesn’t support writers or the longevity of the publishing industry. Buy your books from independent bookstores. You can support this podcast and independent bookstores everywhere, by making your online book purchases at the Reed, Write, & Create bookstore. 
If you want to be the first to know what new classes, retreats, and workshops I’m offering, plus  other literary opportunities to brighten your life, sign up for the monthly Reed, Write, & Create newsletter.
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On episode 27 of the podcast, award-winning poet and debut novelist, Phillip B. Williams, is on the show. You might have heard about Williams because his brand new novel, Ours, was one of Oprah’s most anticipated books for 2024.
Ours is an epic story about a conjure woman named Saint, who goes around destroying plantations in the south, and then freeing the enslaved workers. She then creates a magical world called Ours where the newly emancipated can live in peace because white people can neither see, nor access Ours. And if they try, they meet with a gruesome ending!
It’s an epic story of Black resistance.
During our conversation, Phillip delivers a full masterclass on creative writing essentials.Topics covered include:
How to use poetry to write better prose.
What MFA programs are actually good for and who should apply
Why writers shouldn’t be worried about word count
What you should be reading to improve your writing
Why we should be reading the works of our literary ancestors
And…
Why He Views Ours as Black Surrealism rather than Magical Realism
Grab your pen and get ready to take notes, because this is an episode with lessons you’ll want to apply to your writing life today!
 
To learn more about Philip B. William, visit his website and find him on Instagram 
Buy a copy of Ours from The Reed, Write, & Create Bookshop. 
Phillip has also written two books of award-winning poetry. Check out Thief in the Interior.  
One of Phillip’s early poetry influences is the legendary Sonia Sanchez. Try her American Book Award winning collection, Homegirls and Hand Grenades to inspire your poetry and prose. 
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BIPOC women writers, come join us at our upcoming Open House for The Sanctuary, on May 19, 2024. The fun starts at 3pmEST and you’ll learn all about what we offer our members; community, accountability, professional development, and resources to help you get published and get paid for your work.
Our members are both emerging writers and authors with multiple titles published. At the Open House, you’ll get to hear from current members who are crushing their writing goals, and we’re going to play #Lit game of literary trivia. Please RSVP for the Open House here. 
If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, be sure to check out all of the amazing content at ReedWriteandCreate.com. 
 
Sign up for the monthly, Reed, Write, & Create newsletter for literary resources and opportunities delivered right  to your inbox.
 
If you’re a BIPOC woman writer looking for a supportive writing community to join, where you’ll find accountability partners, BETA readers for your work, and opportunities to get published and get paid, apply to join the Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary. 
 
Don’t buy your books on Amazon, support indie booksellers and shop online at the Reed, Write, & Create bookshop for a list of curated titles by BIPOC authors. 
 
Sharing is caring, so please share the name of this podcast with all of your BIPOC writer friends. Thanks!
 

On episode #26  of the podcast, I’m using the life of the illustrious Langston Hughes, to give you a pep talk on how to make a living with your writing. Even in hard times.
 
Did you know that Langston Hughes is recognized as the first African-American writer to make a living solely from his writing? Yes, Langston Hughes was definitely the hardest working writer in Harlem, and throughout his life before and after the renaissance. So studying his success and strategies can give us some excellent ideas about crafting a successful writing life.
 
Stay tuned for some innovative, actionable tips and motivation for your writing life. 
 
To learn more about Langston Hughes, especially his life in Spain, enjoy this blog post I wrote for ReedWriteandCreate.com.
 
Read Langston’s wonderful autobiography (the one I read from during the episode) I Wonder as I Wander to stay motivated throughout your writing life. 
 
You might also enjoy this collection of Langston’s short stories called, The Short Stories of Langston Hughes. 

If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, be sure to check out all of the amazing content at ReedWriteandCreate.com. 
 
Sign up for the monthly, Reed, Write, & Create newsletter for literary resources and opportunities delivered right  to your inbox.
 
If you’re a BIPOC woman writer looking for a supportive writing community to join, where you’ll find accountability partners, BETA readers for your work, and opportunities to get published and get paid, apply to join the Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary. 
 
When you’re buying new books, don’t support a massive online retailer that doesn’t pay authors or publishes their fair share, and puts indie booksellers out of business. Shop indie bookstores like the Reed, Write, & Create Bookstore powered by Bookshop.org.