Black & Published
Nikesha Elise Williams
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Top 10 Black & Published Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Black & Published episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Black & Published for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Black & Published episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
You Should be Horrified with Zakiya Dalila Harris
Black & Published
06/28/22 • 45 min
On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Zakiya Dalila Harris, author of the novel, The Other Black Girl. Zakiya spent nearly three years in editorial at Knopf/Doubleday before leaving to write her debut novel. Prior to working in publishing, Zakiya received her MFA in creative writing from The New School. Her essays and book reviews have appeared in Cosmopolitan, Guernica, and The Rumpus.
During the conversation, Zakiya discusses how the main setting of her novel is really a placeholder for any white/male dominated industry. The liberation she found in her big chop and how those feelings of hair tangled themselves in her fiction, and why she believes some of the circumstances of Black life in America are still absolutely horrifying.
Follow the Show:
IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished
Follow Me:
IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com
1 Listener
Deeply Profound with Honorée Fannone Jeffers
Black & Published
02/08/22 • 47 min
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.
Episode Notes
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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.
During the conversation, Honorée discusses why she never wanted to world to see her fiction, building her confidence in the craft, and recognizing the profound brilliance she carries as a Black woman no matter how she shows up in the world.
Follow the Show:
IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished
Follow Me:
IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com
1 Listener
No More Nice Girls with C.M. Lockhart
Black & Published
01/10/23 • 48 min
This week on Black and Published, Nikesha speaks with C.M. Lockhart, author of the novel, We Are the Origin. C.M. (also known as Chelsea) is a Black writer of fantasy. She loves creating worlds, exploring relationships, and writing stories about Black girls who aren't all that nice. She is the founder of Written in Melanin LLC — which encompasses a weekly podcast and YouTube channel as well as an online database of books written by Black authors.
In our conversation C.M. discusses the reprieve she finds in writing high fantasy. How creating a world run by a goddess and four god lovers helped her work out her own questions of faith, spirituality, and religion. And how she returned to writing at the lowest point in her life.
Follow the Show:
IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished
Follow Me:
IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com
1 Listener
Love Notes to Children with Amber McBride
Black & Published
02/25/25 • 47 min
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 mother is slowly succumbing to early onset dementia. And Onyx, a dreamer and lover of magic believes he must be the one to save her.
In our conversation, Amber explains how this novel has finally given her both personal and professional freedom after overcoming significant challenges in the early days of her writing and publishing career. She explains, how she keeps stretching herself as a writer to level up and never fit in a box. And, the spiritual practices she believes helps her characters arrive fully formed in her mind.
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Finding Freedom with Rahman Johnson
Black & Published
03/22/22 • 45 min
On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Rahman Johnson, author of the poetry collection, Living, Loving, Letting Go. Rahman is a Jacksonville native. A trained journalist and news anchor, Rahman is also an actor. Currently, he's a professor at Edward Waters University. His poetry collection earned the 2021 Poetry eBook Literary Award from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association.
Episode Notes
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On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Rahman Johnson, author of the poetry collection, Living, Loving, Letting Go. Rahman is a Jacksonville native. A trained journalist and news anchor, Rahman is also an actor. Currently, he's a professor at Edward Waters University. His poetry collection earned the 2021 Poetry eBook Literary Award from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association.
During the conversation, Rahman discusses how losing his mother gave him the freedom to release his poems to the world. He also reminisces on the advice he received from his A.P. English teacher that's carried him throughout his career. Rahman also wants you to know that he's not just a Black man or a Black writer but so much more.
Follow the Show:
IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished
Follow Me:
IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com
I Felt Like Quitting with Jayne Allen
Black & Published
02/22/22 • 46 min
On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Jayne Allen, author of the Tabitha Walker novel series, Black Girls Must Die Exhausted and Black Girls Must be Magic. Originally from Detroit, Jayne writes fiction from her life experiences. Her desire is to bring both multiculturalism and multidimensionality to contemporary women’s fiction with dynamic female protagonists who also happen to be black.
Episode Notes
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On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with Jayne Allen, author of the Tabitha Walker novel series, Black Girls Must Die Exhausted and Black Girls Must be Magic. Originally from Detroit, Jayne writes fiction from her life experiences. Her desire is to bring both multiculturalism and multidimensionality to contemporary women’s fiction with dynamic female protagonists who also happen to be black.
During the conversation, Jayne details the advice she wished she would've gotten in her late 20s and early 30s about motherhood and fertility. The "problems" gatekeepers initially had with her novel when she first tried to publish traditionally and the answers she received about worth and validation as a writer she received in community with her readers.
Follow the Show:
IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished
Follow Me:
IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com
The Othered Point of View with Andy Rojas
Black & Published
04/05/22 • 45 min
On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha kicks off National Poetry month with Andres "Andy" Rojas, author of the poetry collection, Third Winter in our Second Country. Andy was born in Cuba and came to the U.S. at age 13. He holds an MFA from the University of Florida and currently edits for Poetry Is Currency. By day he's a lawyer who works for the IRS.
Episode Notes
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On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha kicks off National Poetry month with Andres "Andy" Rojas, author of the poetry collection, Third Winter in our Second Country. Andy was born in Cuba and came to the U.S. at age 13. He holds an MFA from the University of Florida and currently edits for Poetry Is Currency. By day he's a lawyer who works for the IRS.
During the conversation, Andy explains why he took a 10 year break from writing poetry. What brought him back to his first love and how writing is a way to give himself a sense of safety and home. He also discusses how he experiences otherness as white-presenting Cuban immigrant.
Follow the Show:
IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished
Follow Me:
IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com
Writing Past Rejection
Black & Published
08/03/21 • 48 min
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 kept going despite lots of rejection to publish four more novels, a poetry collection, and four other authors in addition to doing all the things in life, love, career, and the pursuit of dreams.
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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 Instagramusing the hashtag #blackandpublished.
Follow the Show:
IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished
Follow Me:
IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com
Living Creatively with Dawnie Walton
Black & Published
07/27/21 • 71 min
On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with journalist and author, Dawnie Walton about her debut novel, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev. Dawnie is a Jacksonville native. She worked as an executive-level editor for magazine and multimedia brands including Essence, Entertainment Weekly, Getty Images, and LIFE before she decided to take a leap of faith and pursue her passion for fiction. A MacDowell Colony fellow (2015) and Tin House Scholar (2017), Dawnie earned her MFA from the Iowa Writers's Workshop in 2018. She has been hailed as a "bold new voice in contemporary fiction" with her novel's fictional oral history of a Black punk rocker in 1970s New York.
Episode Notes
On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with journalist and author, Dawnie Walton about her debut novel, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev. Dawnie is a Jacksonville native. She worked as an executive-level editor for magazine and multimedia brands including Essence, Entertainment Weekly, Getty Images, and LIFE before she decided to take a leap of faith and pursue her passion for fiction. A MacDowell Colony fellow (2015) and Tin House Scholar (2017), Dawnie earned her MFA from the Iowa Writers's Workshop in 2018. She has been hailed as a "bold new voice in contemporary fiction" with her novel's fictional oral history of a Black punk rocker in 1970s New York. During the interview, Dawnie discusses the role music has played over the course of her life, not seeing herself reflected in her favorite genre, and making the switch from journalism to fiction writing in her 40s. She also talks about the discipline required as a writer, especially when you don't have a publishing deal and you're making your own deadlines.
***
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 Instagramusing the hashtag #blackandpublished.
Follow the Show:
IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished
Follow Me:
IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com
Doing Language with Kelly Harris-DeBerry
Black & Published
01/18/22 • 43 min
On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with poet Kelly Harris-DeBerry, author of the collection, Freedom Knows My Name. Kelly, originally from Cleveland but now living in New Orleans, said she wanted her collection to be one for her folks and her people.
The Cave Canem fellow works as the New Orleans Literary Coordinator for Poets & Writers. She also freelances and owns a small communications boutique that serves nonprofits and artists.
Episode Notes
On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha speaks with poet Kelly Harris-DeBerry, author of the collection, Freedom Knows My Name. Kelly, originally from Cleveland but now living in New Orleans, said she wanted her collection to be one for her folks and her people.
The Cave Canem fellow works as the New Orleans Literary Coordinator for Poets & Writers. She also freelances and owns a small communications boutique that serves nonprofits and artists. Kelly's collection is described as an electric collection that mixes brilliant poetics with the political. During our chat, Kelly discussed why she prefers to forego the polished for the real and why she says she was pushed into poetry by friends and the ancestors.
Keep Up with Us
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Follow the Show:
IG: @blkandpublished
Twitter: @BLKandPublished
Follow Me:
IG: @nikesha_elise
Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise
Website: www.newwrites.com
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FAQ
How many episodes does Black & Published have?
Black & Published currently has 160 episodes available.
What topics does Black & Published cover?
The podcast is about Podcasts, Books and Arts.
What is the most popular episode on Black & Published?
The episode title 'You Should be Horrified with Zakiya Dalila Harris' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Black & Published?
The average episode length on Black & Published is 47 minutes.
How often are episodes of Black & Published released?
Episodes of Black & Published are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Black & Published?
The first episode of Black & Published was released on Jan 11, 2021.
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