Why Black Women Aren’t Your Metaphor! -- Tia Williams

00;00;00;00 - 00;00;37;16 Speaker 1 Nu kan du bare vente packages og sende en tiger over bogen. Kom! Ham når du først tager ham her. McCree kom til. Fri og tog. Mod til at køre hjem til en færge og en kompensation for at kaste sin steddatter op ad en. 00;00;37;19 - 00;00;40;10 Speaker 1 Tom McKinley. 00;00;40;12 - 00;00;43;29 Speaker 1 Til New York. 00;00;44;02 - 00;00;50;19 Speaker 1 Hun er en af de værste mænd, der kan. 00;00;50;21 - 00;01;01;19 Speaker 1 Opstå i ferie s a r sæt til dag i forhold til en høj. 00;01;01;21 - 00;01;11;28 Speaker 1 Black Hawk og mad er en kamp, sagde han til at åbne sit spind. 00;01;12;01 - 00;01;22;07 Speaker 1 En, der har og i dag har sove indtil. 00;01;22;09 - 00;01;36;15 Speaker 1 Et til og tak til Gud. Sep 12, 12 børn arvet af en mor til Spanien har åbne en. 00;01;36;17 - 00;01;39;14 Speaker 1 Til at. 00;01;39;17 - 00;01;52;29 Speaker 1 Bekæmpe hiv texas ind i et sind og fantasi kamp, at se sagen og. 00;01;53;01 - 00;02;06;00 Speaker 1 S til at. Vi har fantasi til. At skal den 12 Enjoy! 00;02;06;00 - 00;02;07;24 Speaker 2 Hello. Okay. 00;02;07;26 - 00;02;09;24 Speaker 3 Yes. All right. 00;02;09;25 - 00;02;11;29 Speaker 1 You know what this is? Wait, this is Google. 00;02;11;29 - 00;02;13;21 Speaker 3 This. Oh. 00;02;13;23 - 00;02;15;09 Speaker 2 I told you. I told. 00;02;15;09 - 00;02;16;11 Speaker 3 Her. 00;02;16;13 - 00;02;22;15 Speaker 1 This. I feel like, has anyone gotten married here? I don't know, because this would be a cute. Yeah, but you see. 00;02;22;15 - 00;02;23;18 Speaker 2 Yeah. It's like, this. 00;02;23;18 - 00;02;24;02 Speaker 3 Is this is. 00;02;24;02 - 00;02;25;02 Speaker 1 Beautiful. 00;02;25;02 - 00;02;29;19 Speaker 2 Yeah, I told you. And there's the one I was telling you about. Oh, right. Yeah. 00;02;29;19 - 00;02;32;06 Speaker 3 Okay, okay, okay. 00;02;32;06 - 00;02;53;14 Speaker 2 If we start just chatting like this too much, do like a timeout. Y'all get back to the questions because it can totally get like, absolutely. So I'm going to try to be my most professional self. I even came with questions I did my homework for it. So we are going to get started. Okay. I know we're here to talk about a love song for Ricky. 00;02;53;14 - 00;02;55;06 Speaker 1 Well, yes. 00;02;55;08 - 00;03;11;05 Speaker 2 Was just came out in paperback. I'm sure you all have them. But that's not where I found out about you. And I'm actually going to go back to even earlier than that. So your first book was about 20 years ago. 00;03;11;07 - 00;03;12;17 Speaker 1 I mean. 00;03;12;19 - 00;03;15;17 Speaker 3 I know did not even. 00;03;15;21 - 00;03;17;21 Speaker 1 I was in seventh grade. 00;03;17;23 - 00;03;19;04 Speaker 3 Yeah, it's been. 00;03;19;04 - 00;03;24;19 Speaker 2 A while. You know, a lot of people look at that. She's got it. Has she? Yeah. 00;03;24;20 - 00;03;25;18 Speaker 3 Oh. 00;03;25;21 - 00;03;50;05 Speaker 2 My first baby. There you go. You know, but you started it. Well, you have been an editor in, like, the print magazine arena. So first talk about which came first writing the fiction or doing the nonfiction and how did that transition happen? Because I'm always fascinated by people. I know. It's two very different parts of the brain. 00;03;50;11 - 00;03;52;18 Speaker 2 Yeah. So how did that come about? 00;03;52;18 - 00;04;14;01 Speaker 1 So it's funny, there was never a transition. I feel like I'm screaming. I always knew growing up that I had these two things that I wanted to do for a living. One, I was obsessed with fashion magazines growing up. And I was obsessed with writing fiction. And so I always knew that I was going to do these two things and I was going to make it work. 00;04;14;04 - 00;04;43;20 Speaker 1 And, so after college, I moved to Brooklyn in 1997. Yes. And, started working at does anyone Remember Who I am magazine? Yeah. Young miss. Yes. And I was the beauty editorial assistant there, and, went on to glamor and Elle and lots of magazines from there, but I was like, okay, but where's my book dream, you know? 00;04;43;20 - 00;05;12;26 Speaker 1 And I was always writing on the side, and I never really felt like I, I was like, okay, I have, I lived do I have enough material to write fiction? I don't know, and then I started dating this very charming psychopath, and I was, the first black beauty editor at glamor magazine. And this. Has anyone ever read or seen Devil Wears Prada? 00;05;12;28 - 00;05;41;00 Speaker 1 Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was giving that, like, really stressful really. You know, like it was tough. So I'm dating this crazy person. I'm, you know, have a high pressure job. I broke up with the guy, quit the job, put all my stuff in storage, moved to Spain. Oh, you know, I was like, I'm on sabbatical, and I taught English to Spanish third graders for six months. 00;05;41;05 - 00;06;06;14 Speaker 1 I was just taking a break. This is an extremely 2001 story. Like, I would not suggest that anyone quit their job and run off and do that today because you can't. But and while I was there, I started rewriting my toxic as hell relationship in my favor, like, as therapy. So I would write it and make him fabulous and give us a happy ending. 00;06;06;21 - 00;06;25;26 Speaker 1 You know, in the spirit of healing myself. Yeah. And when I got back to New York six months later, I was like, oh, that's my first novel. There it is. And that was The Accidental Diva that is us. And so ever since then, I've been doing both until, three years ago, when I published Seven Days in June and I finally was able to to. 00;06;25;26 - 00;06;26;06 Speaker 2 Quit the. 00;06;26;06 - 00;06;27;21 Speaker 1 Date so quick. That's okay. It's a. 00;06;27;21 - 00;06;41;21 Speaker 2 Great feeling. Yeah, but the day job. Yeah. I think I'm going to Spain to write my next book. I think I can do that. That sounds good. It's love. So the book that I actually found you with was the perfect five. 00;06;43;04 - 00;07;08;28 Speaker 2 Have you. All right. Amazing. Right. But the thing about the perfect find. I love the older woman. Younger man saying. Especially when I'm, you know, closer to 50 than 40 now. So, I was like, all right, girl, I love that part of that. But you got to do the thing that every author, even if they say they don't dream of it, you know, they really do. 00;07;09;01 - 00;07;35;10 Speaker 2 You got the chance to see your book on the screen. I did, and I just need to know. Yeah. How that felt. Gabrielle Union I don't know you. You have to know Gabrielle Union brought that book to the screen. And I still remember how I felt when you announced that. Yeah, I was like, I think this is going to really happen because books get optioned all the time. 00;07;35;10 - 00;07;37;10 Speaker 1 Oh, all the time. They never. Yeah. 00;07;37;10 - 00;07;49;19 Speaker 2 Yes. So many books get optioned, and you never get to that point that you got to. Not only did you get to see it, you were a cameo in it. I was screaming like we were best friends. So I want to know. 00;07;49;19 - 00;07;50;18 Speaker 1 It's on Netflix. 00;07;50;18 - 00;07;51;19 Speaker 3 Yes. 00;07;51;21 - 00;07;53;27 Speaker 1 Man. Oh, I thought you said, oh, you have to. 00;07;53;27 - 00;08;04;06 Speaker 2 Go rewatch it. Yeah, she doesn't make a cameo, so, you know, tell us about what it felt like to see your characters come to life on the screen. 00;08;04;10 - 00;08;24;29 Speaker 1 It was wild. The whole thing is. Well, I still can't believe it. Yeah. So the perfect fine was rejected by every publishing house in New York. It was just no after no. And it was always like, love this. So fun, so sexy. We don't think that people will really believe that a black woman could be a fashion editor. 00;08;24;29 - 00;08;26;04 Speaker 1 Wow. 00;08;26;07 - 00;08;27;12 Speaker 2 Something to tell. A black. 00;08;27;12 - 00;08;29;10 Speaker 3 Fashion. That's. 00;08;29;12 - 00;08;31;12 Speaker 1 Yeah. Like this is about me. 00;08;31;20 - 00;08;31;27 Speaker 3 Oh. 00;08;31;27 - 00;08;46;17 Speaker 1 Like, Or can you change the industry so it's more believable or, you know, can you talk a little bit more about Jenna's struggles with oppression as a black woman and a mainly white? And I'm like, 00;08;46;19 - 00;08;47;27 Speaker 3 Why? Why? 00;08;47;28 - 00;09;09;00 Speaker 1 Yeah. Like, this has nothing to do. Like, why can't we just exist in a story for the sake of existing in a in a story, everything is not a struggle. We are not symbols of oppression for you. And so they everyone wanted me to change it, and I didn't. And I stuck to my guns and basically published, you know, with a very indie publisher. 00;09;09;00 - 00;09;30;25 Speaker 1 It was almost like self-publishing. And so I never I, and I didn't know how to do that. And I was like, no one's ever going to read this. And we were just talking about social media. Somebody, I don't know how to use Snapchat. I don't feel that it's intuitive. It's not user friendly. I it's so confusing. Somebody sent me a snap. 00;09;30;27 - 00;09;31;14 Speaker 1 No, a. 00;09;31;14 - 00;09;40;24 Speaker 2 Snapchat, that's another one that my niece and nephew won't let me get on. So. Okay. Yeah, they asked me. They made me promise I wouldn't write. And I kept that promise. So I have no idea how it works. 00;09;40;24 - 00;09;47;15 Speaker 1 Okay. But somebody sent me a snap and it was Gabrielle Union on vacation reading the perfect. Fine. 00;09;47;18 - 00;09;48;10 Speaker 2 Wow. 00;09;48;10 - 00;09;51;20 Speaker 3 Okay. I was like, I'm sorry. What? Like, how'd. 00;09;51;20 - 00;10;22;18 Speaker 1 She get it? Like, crazy? And so, yeah, she reached out to me. And long story short, it had, I because Hollywood, you know, is a totally different industry. And I was very nervous. I didn't have anything to do with the production, so I was just like, be good to my baby, kind of a vibe. And, so, yeah, I wasn't in on the production, but I got to the set a couple of times and that was insane. 00;10;22;20 - 00;10;29;15 Speaker 1 Just like seeing people walking around like in characters that, you know, I thought of. 00;10;29;15 - 00;10;31;03 Speaker 2 Yeah, that came from your brain. 00;10;31;03 - 00;10;35;29 Speaker 1 Or even seeing, like the perfect fine on the back of the director's chair. 00;10;35;29 - 00;10;37;11 Speaker 3 Is like. 00;10;37;13 - 00;10;39;27 Speaker 2 It's what we all dream of. She got swag. And I was. 00;10;39;27 - 00;10;49;12 Speaker 1 Like, oh yeah, this is very surreal. Yeah. And Keith Powers so cute. Exactly. He called me ma'am. 00;10;49;14 - 00;10;53;00 Speaker 3 Oh, no, don't ruin it. 00;10;53;03 - 00;10;53;25 Speaker 2 How dare. 00;10;53;25 - 00;10;56;13 Speaker 1 You! I know, so silly. 00;10;56;15 - 00;11;14;02 Speaker 2 Yeah, but I just think, you know everybody. I remember the weekend it came out. Everybody was watching it. Everybody was rooting for you. And it's still so cool because we just don't see it happen. Yeah. You know, so it was great to see a black romance author get her story on the screen. I love that for you. 00;11;14;06 - 00;11;15;11 Speaker 1 Thank you. 00;11;15;14 - 00;11;24;29 Speaker 2 So we are going to get to Ricky Wilde's, I promise you. But we have to start off for about seven days. And you, I know. 00;11;25;01 - 00;11;25;26 Speaker 3 Oh. 00;11;25;28 - 00;11;30;09 Speaker 2 Gosh. Okay, okay, bear with me. 00;11;32;11 - 00;11;54;11 Speaker 2 Because this is yet another to you has had like, these things that authors you can only dream of. It got picked by Reese Witherspoon. It was a Reese pick. It's again one of those things that you feel like twice for you. Lightning has struck twice as well because that's huge. 00;11;54;12 - 00;11;55;12 Speaker 1 Yes. Yeah. 00;11;55;13 - 00;12;16;26 Speaker 2 That's huge. So first I do want to know how did it feel? Does Reese call you this like this? If I could ask her, you know, like, did she call you? I want to know everything about it. Because, again, that does not happen. I think you and Jasmine Guillory are the only two. Yeah. Black romance writers who have had their books picked for it. 00;12;16;26 - 00;12;17;19 Speaker 1 Yes. 00;12;19;07 - 00;12;38;05 Speaker 1 Yeah. She doesn't call, but she makes a whole video. Yeah. You know, talking about why she loves your book, which is wild. Yeah. It's one of those moments where I'm just like, how did I get here? What is even happening? Okay, like a pinch yourself? Yeah. Kind of a thing. I still can't believe it. 00;12;38;11 - 00;12;39;25 Speaker 3 Yeah. 00;12;39;27 - 00;12;44;20 Speaker 1 And you have no warning. And when you're told you're not allowed to tell anyone. 00;12;44;20 - 00;12;48;18 Speaker 2 Wow. See, I didn't know insider stuff, y'all. This is insider stuff. 00;12;48;18 - 00;13;10;29 Speaker 1 Yeah, because the because the whole thing is like, the big celebrity book clubs, you know, there's, Jenna Bush, she's married. There's Reese, there's Oprah. Like, those are the big three that everyone is hoping to get. And they do. Each of them do. Like a social media lead up to announcing who that month's pick is going to be. 00;13;11;01 - 00;13;23;11 Speaker 1 And so if people already know what it is, it's like a big spoiler. So the my editor was like, don't tell your mother, wow, it's so hard for me to keep a secret. And I didn't tell my mom, oh. 00;13;23;11 - 00;13;26;00 Speaker 2 My gosh, I wouldn't have to tell my dog. That's probably the. 00;13;26;00 - 00;13;28;00 Speaker 3 Only one that. 00;13;28;03 - 00;13;32;26 Speaker 2 Yeah. So I would have to tell somebody, right. Wall something. Yeah, I know, I. 00;13;32;26 - 00;13;35;23 Speaker 1 Want to show the rooftops. Yeah. 00;13;35;25 - 00;13;37;00 Speaker 2 That is so cool. 00;13;37;03 - 00;13;57;12 Speaker 1 It was really cool. It continues to be cool because, you know, when you're talking about a book club like that, like there's an international reach, like it goes further than I. I got further faster than I could have organically. Yeah. You know, so it is there's a blessing. 00;13;57;15 - 00;14;03;18 Speaker 2 It's wonderful. Okay, so with this book. 00;14;03;21 - 00;14;32;00 Speaker 2 I don't get a chance to read a lot of books. Not like I used to do when I wasn't writing for several publishers and such. But I remember even. Shame. Okay, they're having this conversation, and Eva tells him, stop writing about me. You. Right, right. And he looks at her and he's like, you first. 00;14;32;02 - 00;14;32;21 Speaker 3 Oh my. 00;14;32;21 - 00;14;49;07 Speaker 2 Gosh. That's when I knew I was not getting sleep. It was like the moments that I didn't care what the book was do. And I don't do that anymore. I try to be, you know, professional and nothing. 00;14;49;12 - 00;14;52;25 Speaker 3 Yeah. After that long after. 00;14;52;25 - 00;15;22;09 Speaker 2 That line, I was like, no sleep for me. Wow. That was my point. So my question to you, like, what point in this book that, you know, you had like banter magic? Because that's what got me with this book. The banter between them. That's my catnip. Yeah. And it's one of the books that like when I, when the person says they just want, like, good angsty banter between, you know, characters. 00;15;22;16 - 00;15;30;03 Speaker 2 That's the book I point them to because it's so well done. So what is the point when you. 00;15;30;05 - 00;15;30;29 Speaker 3 Just knew. 00;15;31;06 - 00;15;34;24 Speaker 2 This is it. That's a that's in that's it. 00;15;34;24 - 00;15;43;23 Speaker 1 And what's funny is I was going through my so I don't write anything like in, you know what what do you write in Google Docs. 00;15;43;23 - 00;15;45;15 Speaker 2 Scrivener I do Scrivener okay. 00;15;45;16 - 00;16;03;06 Speaker 1 I have a Google Docs lady, but that feels so real to me. So I don't when I'm just like researching and taking notes. It's all in my notes app on my on my phone. Oh my gosh. Because then when you sit down to write, write, it's like, okay, this is this is official. 00;16;03;06 - 00;16;03;28 Speaker 3 Okay. 00;16;03;28 - 00;16;07;18 Speaker 1 Yeah. Because I don't like to take notes on my laptop. 00;16;07;21 - 00;16;12;24 Speaker 2 I mean, I'm a big plotter. I do like sticky notes and things like, okay, I love those people. 00;16;12;24 - 00;16;52;06 Speaker 1 You're you're sticky notes. Yeah. So I'm notes app. And I was going through it looking for something the other day. And I found 2017 just you first. Like all it says is you first. And I was trying to put myself in that, you know, what was I thinking that day that that I thought of that, and I think I've, I've always loved the idea of users and like artists and their muses and, you know, the muses behind song as the muses, you know, that inspired, you know, movies or, you know, great art, anything. 00;16;52;08 - 00;17;25;04 Speaker 1 I'm like, I have a whole bookshelf just devoted to. Like the muses behind pop songs like, like groupies and like, just like shit. Like the wives of of old bluesmen and like, stuff that, like, inspired these, these, like, classic songs that we all know, but we don't know where they came from. And so I thought that it's a cool idea to have these two writers who can't communicate with each other, you know, IRL. 00;17;25;11 - 00;17;32;07 Speaker 1 Yeah, kind of pour it all into their art and their following it over the years. But, you. 00;17;32;07 - 00;17;38;19 Speaker 2 Know, just the fact that they recognize each other. Yeah. Was just like this. You know I got like tingles down. 00;17;38;22 - 00;17;42;29 Speaker 1 They both know. They knew immediately like who the other is talking about. Yeah. 00;17;43;02 - 00;17;59;11 Speaker 2 But brilliant, brilliant. But I didn't want to know because it is I know it's not necessarily I saw it as a romance. It was more they published it as more of was it women's fiction or just mainstream fictional? 00;17;59;12 - 00;18;15;14 Speaker 1 Oh, publish it. It's as romance, but with, like, contemporary fiction kind of cover to what? Okay. So people were confused a lot of the time, you know, like, what am I getting with this book? Or like, they were surprised that it was a love story or. Yeah. 00;18;15;17 - 00;18;33;20 Speaker 2 Which I thought was I thought that actually helped it. I think it like brought it to more people who people who won't necessarily admit that they read romance will read a book like that. And I just wondered, was that a hard sell for you or was it. Yeah, just. 00;18;33;21 - 00;18;54;16 Speaker 1 Well, it's interesting, like, I have people tell me all the time that that was their gateway drug to romance like that because, like, toppling down. Yeah. A rabbit hole of romance. Like, it felt sick, you know, that there's people that take, like, the cover, the the dust jacket off their book when they're reading. Yeah. Romance in public. 00;18;54;17 - 00;18;58;04 Speaker 1 Yeah. Like you do it. Yes. 00;18;58;06 - 00;18;59;15 Speaker 3 Things that are really funny. 00;18;59;18 - 00;19;04;27 Unknown Why not change your mind? Come on. 00;19;05;00 - 00;19;08;03 Speaker 3 I get, I, 00;19;08;05 - 00;19;15;09 Speaker 1 Oh, like, you have a no go read. Yeah. You have a practical reason, but, like. Like she, like, a lot of people don't want, you know. 00;19;15;12 - 00;19;16;11 Speaker 2 Embrace your smut. 00;19;16;19 - 00;19;16;27 Speaker 1 Yeah. 00;19;16;27 - 00;19;20;18 Speaker 2 Embrace. Like, say, embrace. I get it, though. I get it. 00;19;20;22 - 00;19;23;23 Speaker 1 But I think because the cover, you know. 00;19;23;23 - 00;19;25;20 Speaker 2 It wasn't that. 00;19;25;23 - 00;19;39;07 Speaker 1 It wasn't illustrated or wasn't, you know, like, it wasn't giving, you know, romance. It made people feel more comfortable that weren't, you know, well versed in romance or nervous about dipping their toe. 00;19;39;07 - 00;20;03;26 Speaker 2 And yeah, I mean, it was gorgeous. It's a gorgeous cover. I saw it, really. I thought it captured the book beautifully. But I wasn't sure how they positioned it in the market. So interesting. I'm going to try not to get very wonky like publishing thing, but I want to know, yeah. Okay, so let's get into Ricky. 00;20;03;26 - 00;20;05;17 Speaker 2 What? 00;20;06;17 - 00;20;22;28 Speaker 2 So I read, so I will read after the parking. Fine. That's when I decided I will read the Tia Williams book. If she writes it, I will read it. But I do not do woohoo! 00;20;23;05 - 00;20;23;22 Speaker 1 Me neither. 00;20;23;28 - 00;20;44;12 Speaker 2 Okay, so that's so interesting. That's just another question. Just right there, you know, and being from New Orleans area, that is nothing but woo woo. Right. It's interesting. I don't like it normally, and I did not realize that this book had its name in it. Yeah. Are we going to spoil stuff? 00;20;44;15 - 00;20;48;23 Speaker 1 Okay. First let me just, how many people have read it? 00;20;48;25 - 00;20;49;08 Speaker 2 Okay. 00;20;49;09 - 00;20;50;04 Speaker 1 Oh, okay. 00;20;50;05 - 00;20;53;19 Speaker 3 You know, it has been a year. I know, but that's. 00;20;53;22 - 00;21;03;08 Speaker 1 There's there's some people that will not do a hardcover. True. Like, you know, so there's still. Yeah. Yeah. I just want to make sure we don't spoil anything. Yeah. 00;21;03;08 - 00;21;04;25 Speaker 3 Oh, I haven't read. 00;21;04;25 - 00;21;25;06 Speaker 2 I didn't think about it. I thought this, I thought of this more as, like, a book club discussion instead of, like, wait, maybe. Yeah. Oh, we will try, I will try, we'll try change. Some of these are just make sure. Okay. But you kind of know that it's a little woo woo. Yeah. If you read the dust jacket, my problem is I didn't because it was just a Tia Williams. 00;21;25;08 - 00;21;28;07 Speaker 3 Oh. So I didn't even read it. 00;21;28;09 - 00;21;31;26 Speaker 2 And I was listening. I listened to the audio, which was fabulous. 00;21;31;27 - 00;21;33;20 Speaker 1 She's amazing. Yeah. Yeah. 00;21;33;22 - 00;21;35;20 Speaker 2 I love your book. Beautifully. 00;21;35;21 - 00;21;37;09 Speaker 1 There are so good. 00;21;37;12 - 00;21;41;06 Speaker 2 And when it got to the Google part, I was like, wait, what? 00;21;41;09 - 00;21;43;17 Speaker 3 I know this like. And I like. 00;21;43;18 - 00;21;56;09 Speaker 2 Parts, right? But you don't do. But you do Tia Williams. So I had to, like, take a minute and I just decided I'm gonna go with it. And now I don't shy away from Lulu because. 00;21;56;09 - 00;21;57;07 Speaker 3 Of yet. 00;21;57;10 - 00;21;58;17 Speaker 1 Another gateway drug. 00;21;58;17 - 00;22;10;07 Speaker 2 Another gateway. Okay. Because of this book. So my first question about it is, especially now that you haven't made it, you don't do woo woo either. 00;22;10;07 - 00;22;11;14 Speaker 1 I don't know, how. 00;22;11;14 - 00;22;34;23 Speaker 2 Did this come about? What was a departure from just a current contemporary to doing this? The dual tone line, the way you see it, it was I mean, it should be studied because it was I've read dual timelines before. It was seamlessly done. Yeah, it truly was just wonderful. So that's the first question. 00;22;34;24 - 00;22;35;06 Speaker 1 Okay. 00;22;35;08 - 00;22;46;11 Speaker 2 What how did you even decide to have this 100 something year old guy, whatever it is. Yeah. What? Where did that come from? 00;22;48;21 - 00;23;19;27 Speaker 1 Okay. So there's a little bit of magical realism in this book, and this is the way. And. Yeah, I'm not. I love the romantic girl. That's not. That's not my lane. I, sir, I do not pretend to even know my way around that neighborhood. Yeah. Though I was at, I was at, signing in Fort Lauderdale and a book club came and they were like, you have a read at Qatar. 00;23;19;29 - 00;23;31;12 Speaker 1 You haven't read? What's the one? That's a Court of Swords and, yeah, I haven't read them, but there's another one. Red wing fought for it, which. 00;23;31;13 - 00;23;34;28 Speaker 2 I actually have read. The fought wage lagged me. 00;23;35;00 - 00;23;35;25 Speaker 1 Oh. They were. 00;23;35;25 - 00;23;36;25 Speaker 3 Like, you're a romance. 00;23;36;25 - 00;23;41;18 Speaker 1 Writer. You haven't read, so I need to get on it. I mean, in the military. 00;23;41;21 - 00;23;42;23 Speaker 3 You don't have to. 00;23;42;23 - 00;23;44;26 Speaker 1 I thought it was, fourth wing is good. 00;23;44;27 - 00;23;49;11 Speaker 2 Thing was good. I haven't read the other one. That probably. Well, but I don't think you have to. 00;23;49;12 - 00;23;51;24 Speaker 1 I don't think I have to. Okay. 00;23;51;26 - 00;23;57;05 Speaker 2 Yeah. So I've been writing romances long before those authors. You could. Yeah. So I it's. 00;23;57;05 - 00;23;58;02 Speaker 1 Good to know it's out. 00;23;58;03 - 00;24;00;10 Speaker 2 You can do it. But. Yeah. 00;24;00;12 - 00;24;26;04 Speaker 1 So this is the way I see it. Like I loved Game of Thrones. The mood, the show and the books, like, gobbled it up. I'm not a fantasy person the way I looked at it, it was like, you know, a salacious family dynasty, you know, with some dragons in the background, just, like, sprinkled in the background. And I feel like the magical realism and Ricky Wild are just my dragons. 00;24;26;04 - 00;24;26;24 Speaker 2 Gotcha. 00;24;26;25 - 00;24;51;05 Speaker 1 You know, and the reason it's there is because, like, I didn't go after writing a book with magical realism, and it it's only in it because there's voodoo and there's, leap year magic. So there's like, plot stuff that calls for some woo woo. So the plot came first and then. 00;24;51;07 - 00;24;52;14 Speaker 3 Okay. 00;24;52;16 - 00;24;55;25 Speaker 2 Okay. That makes sense. Yeah. Kind of just naturally needed to. 00;24;55;27 - 00;25;21;25 Speaker 1 And my mom is Annie here. Are Annie and Judy here? Oh, I did it because it's. Oh, hey, I was gonna, I was going to say, my mom's family is, from Natchitoches, cane River. And so. And this is, you know, where these cousins are from. You know, they live. Oh, okay. 00;25;21;25 - 00;25;23;27 Speaker 2 I was going to say, oh, they love you. No, no. 00;25;23;27 - 00;25;27;24 Speaker 3 I did it. Our roots. Gotcha. 00;25;27;27 - 00;25;32;21 Speaker 2 See, y'all can talk to my family who won't even, like, come from the West. 00;25;32;23 - 00;25;35;16 Speaker 3 Oh, yeah. Okay. 00;25;35;19 - 00;25;46;14 Speaker 1 So I have some Lulu inside of me. Yes, yes. And I have always wanted to get it in a book and, and so yeah, it landed here. Okay. 00;25;46;17 - 00;26;11;23 Speaker 2 I like okay, I like that. My other question, the other thing about this book that just spoke to me was the time period, the Harlem Renaissance. You brought it to life in such a great way. And it's just always been one of those time periods that, first of all, they don't have a lot of romance written in that time period. 00;26;11;23 - 00;26;26;19 Speaker 2 And I think that there should be. Yeah. But just how was it to explore for the Harlem Renaissance, you know, and bring that to readers? What was your research like? What did you do? I want to know it all. 00;26;26;22 - 00;26;47;00 Speaker 1 So what's funny? You know, everybody has their niche interest that if somebody gave you like 15 minutes at a party, you would hold them hostage for four hours just to talk about it. And Harlem Renaissance is one of one of my things that, so I've always I love the 20s anyway. Yeah, I love the 20s in Hollywood. 00;26;47;00 - 00;27;26;04 Speaker 1 I love what was happening in Paris. Like, I love, you know, but Harlem Renaissance was such a, glamorous, inspirational time with all this beautiful black art and sexual freedom and all kinds of freedom up in Harlem. And, I've always been really, like, obsessed with it. I'm collecting books, you know, watching old films and, I guess since I'm not a historical romance writer, like, I, I never really figured out how to write a book totally set in that time period. 00;27;26;07 - 00;27;53;10 Speaker 1 So I came up with this sort of time hopping story where there are flashbacks, where not to spoil or there's like a scandal that goes down during the Harlem Renaissance that affects Ricky and Ezra today. Yeah. And modern day Harlem. And it's funny, I've lived in Brooklyn and my entire adult life. If you're if you don't know New York, this is not going to make any sense. 00;27;53;10 - 00;27;56;25 Speaker 1 But I've been to Harlem maybe four times. 00;27;56;27 - 00;27;59;08 Speaker 3 It's stuck there where it is. 00;27;59;13 - 00;28;07;15 Speaker 1 It's an idea. The guy that lived in Harlem in my 20s, and we broke up because it was a long distance relationship. 00;28;07;18 - 00;28;11;12 Speaker 2 It's difficult to get to it with all the train hopping. 00;28;11;12 - 00;28;16;25 Speaker 1 So many trains. And my general rule is if I have to change trains twice. 00;28;16;27 - 00;28;18;04 Speaker 3 I'll call you. 00;28;18;06 - 00;28;44;14 Speaker 1 Like a can. So I just had never been like and I'd really only been for like the touristy things like hey or something at the Apollo or, you know, something like that. So I didn't really know I knew Harlem Renaissance stuff, but I didn't know, like modern day Harlem, which is where, you know, this book takes place. So I packed up my little notebook and like, got, you know, put on a backpack, like, I'm going to do, like, field research. 00;28;44;14 - 00;28;46;15 Speaker 1 And literally it's 45 minutes. 00;28;46;16 - 00;28;48;10 Speaker 2 I was gonna say, I find this hilarious. 00;28;48;11 - 00;29;13;21 Speaker 1 Oh, no, Israel's like, I'm going to Harlem. And I would just like, walk around and take notes. And what I was noticing was that you could just be walking down any random block, and it'll be like the side of a chick fil A, and it'll be a little plaque. That's like, by the way, Billie Holiday was discovered. Yeah, in 1927, as you were. 00;29;13;28 - 00;29;37;25 Speaker 1 And it's like, oh, you know, you're reminded of what what once was. And it's like time folds over on itself and, you know, the ground under your feet shakes. Yeah. It's like, oh, this was this city, this block, this neighborhood. This town has had so many lives. 00;29;37;26 - 00;29;39;01 Speaker 2 Exactly. 00;29;39;04 - 00;30;00;16 Speaker 1 And what's right underneath the surface, you know, and I would walk around with this map, this 1920s nightlife map from the 20s that has, like, where, you know, the after hours spot is the after after hours spot is where all the fame at and Hughes lives here. Duke Ellington was here like, And I would go to the addresses and be like, oh my God. 00;30;00;16 - 00;30;02;18 Speaker 1 It's a, you know, it's a check. 00;30;02;25 - 00;30;03;12 Speaker 3 Yeah, sure. 00;30;03;13 - 00;30;15;19 Speaker 1 Place now or it's a Walgreens, you know. And so I started thinking about, like the stories within stories. And that's where a lot of the plot came from. 00;30;15;22 - 00;30;42;25 Speaker 2 That is I mean, yeah, because so much history has been lost, you know, to gentrification and just the time. Yeah. You know, I try not to let that annoy me as much as it does, because we know things change. And but I think you did a really great job of capturing, you know, the different iterations of Harlem and of Ezra's lives. 00;30;42;25 - 00;31;01;10 Speaker 2 Yeah. Still trying not to be spoiling. That wasn't spoiling. It was, Yeah. Okay, I did have another. Okay. Am I going to ask this question? Where are we on time? Okay, we've got a few minutes. I'm sorry. I have a hard stop. Guys. 00;31;01;13 - 00;31;04;09 Speaker 1 I think the airport, 00;31;04;12 - 00;31;06;24 Speaker 2 But missed Ella. 00;31;06;27 - 00;31;07;12 Speaker 1 Yes. 00;31;07;16 - 00;31;36;20 Speaker 2 She was one of my favorite characters. And knowing that your family is from Louisiana. I just have. She had that feeling of, you know, just like women in the South that I've been surrounded by all my life. I just wanted to know what she based on someone or just how, her character is so central to the story. 00;31;36;22 - 00;31;45;09 Speaker 2 What made you put her in there? And is she based on, you know, someone or just, like, collection? 00;31;45;11 - 00;32;10;17 Speaker 1 Well, she met she's my grandma. Scrabble, I love it. The way she talks, you know, people have asked me, you know, like, how did you know how to talk, like, you know, and all these, you know, southern women and and it was. Yeah, it's more specifically, she's an all the way Louisiana. Well, exactly. I would think of how my, my grandma would talk and how she would say things. 00;32;10;17 - 00;32;51;06 Speaker 1 And a lot of her like, colloquialisms and, and, you know, sayings, came out in her, but her character, really my for You page on Instagram showed me randomly. It's funny how this happens when you're researching like, and, you know, the universe puts a gift in your lap, but it was the the birthday post for this glamorous woman turning 96, and there was a picture of her in this, like, long red dress with ruffles, and she had these, like, gray waves in her hair. 00;32;51;06 - 00;32;57;06 Speaker 1 And you look so elegant sitting on somebodys porch. Fabulous woman. And I find out it's Jackie Robinson's widow. 00;32;57;09 - 00;32;58;07 Speaker 3 Oh, wow. 00;32;58;07 - 00;33;24;09 Speaker 1 Who is still among us? And I did the, you know, deep dive into her life and she was like, an activist and a teacher and all this stuff, and, like a fashion icon and but lived in the shadow of her iconic husband, which Miss Stella on a different level does with her doctor. Like, picture her on life on hold for her husband. 00;33;24;11 - 00;33;43;08 Speaker 1 Which women did back then? So I was really inspired by her. And and in terms of like, the way she spoke and carried herself was my grandmother. But I thought it was important to have these characters because Ricki leaves her family and starts a whole new life in Harlem and she doesn't know anyone. So I needed to give her a family. 00;33;43;08 - 00;33;54;15 Speaker 1 So I had her meet Tuesday and that became her best friend, slash, you know, surrogate sister. And then Miss Dell is like her grandma. So she has, you know. Yeah. 00;33;54;17 - 00;34;12;13 Speaker 2 I could feel that's why I put that question in there, because I'm not surprised by that answer at all. Because you just did her way too well to not be based on someone. And I was going to tell you, I'm so lucky we have a little time. I was going to touch on the family dynamic, because she. 00;34;12;13 - 00;34;14;18 Speaker 2 Ricky had, you know. 00;34;14;21 - 00;34;15;19 Speaker 3 That that. 00;34;15;19 - 00;34;20;14 Speaker 2 Family. Was that intentional when you first. That was intentional. 00;34;20;14 - 00;34;43;22 Speaker 1 Yeah. Okay. So I feel it's not I feel like I did like all my other protagonists have been based on some aspect of my personality, and I wanted to write someone so opposite for my age. And I'm the oldest of three girls. I'm extremely Type-A, you know, eldest daughter, energy very by the book, you know. Have you created a to do list? 00;34;43;28 - 00;34;53;04 Speaker 1 So then how do you know what you're doing? Yeah. You know, like, very methodical. By the book, not by the. 00;34;53;04 - 00;34;54;06 Speaker 2 Book, but like, by. 00;34;54;06 - 00;35;17;13 Speaker 1 The by, but also, and I wanted to write about a woman who did whatever she wanted on her own. And then she defined excellence on her own terms, and her family was like, we're gazillionaire as we have a life set up for you. Why don't you want to do this? You're crazy. Like you're, you know, you're going to open a flower shop. 00;35;17;13 - 00;35;36;10 Speaker 1 Who does that? And, you know, she has these, like, prissy big sisters who fell in line. And did you know what they were supposed to do? And they're they feel thwarted and like, you know, one of the sisters is like, well, I want to. I always want to be a dentist. It's like, well, why didn't you just do that? 00;35;36;10 - 00;35;40;23 Speaker 1 Yeah. So I wanted to write about a free spirit, and I. I am not one. 00;35;40;23 - 00;35;43;24 Speaker 3 So, At all. 00;35;43;27 - 00;35;50;04 Speaker 1 Unfortunately, I fear I have more in common with her sisters. But I'm not a bitch. 00;35;50;05 - 00;35;52;06 Speaker 3 You know, I. 00;35;52;10 - 00;36;13;26 Speaker 2 Mean, I, I felt coming from a family of high achievers, you know, and everyone. I've got the doctors, I've got all these people in the family and deciding I'm going to be a romance writer. After finish, I kind of felt like what? Ricky, you know, felt that pressure to live up to the standard that your family has. 00;36;14;01 - 00;36;18;01 Speaker 2 So that was one of the things that really. 00;36;18;04 - 00;36;47;28 Speaker 1 You know, I wanted to like, talk about the how the idea of black excellence can be toxic. Yes. Like excellent. According to who? Like, we needed it for a long time because we were told that we were not excellent. So we needed to like, you know, ground ourselves and, you know, ourselves. Some self-esteem. But I think that can get in black and brown communities, you know, are you going to be a doctor or a lawyer? 00;36;47;28 - 00;37;04;08 Speaker 1 Yeah. Like, so what else is there? So I just like the idea of this woman who broke convention. Yeah. And it's also a youngest daughter thing to. I think a younger sibling has more freedom to do stuff than the older one. 00;37;04;12 - 00;37;22;29 Speaker 2 And the older ones were a little jealous. Yes. It. Yeah. Yeah. I love that dynamic. So I'm going to skip the other question I have because it is two spoiler. And I will not do that to you all, but, what I want to talk about in these last few minutes is what you have coming up next. 00;37;23;01 - 00;37;24;22 Speaker 3 Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. 00;37;24;25 - 00;37;42;23 Speaker 2 That's right. You once again, you are like, changing things up a bit by going into a new genre. Completely. Yes. Yeah. So explain to those who are wondering why these girls are like who explain. 00;37;42;28 - 00;37;47;08 Speaker 1 So if you how many people have read seven Days in June. 00;37;47;11 - 00;37;48;23 Speaker 3 That's great. 00;37;48;24 - 00;38;09;24 Speaker 1 So this is, another the recent book pick novels that I wrote and the, protagonist ever mercy, has a daughter named Audrey who is 12 and is very precocious and, most of the time has more sense than the adults in the room. She also has a therapist. Side hustle. Yes. 00;38;11;08 - 00;38;16;26 Speaker 1 She's like, just bossy and funny and ended up being like, 00;38;16;28 - 00;38;18;05 Speaker 3 The same. 00;38;18;08 - 00;38;42;19 Speaker 1 Like, people loved her. And I got so many questions about, well, what's Audrey doing next? Where do we go to find out more about Audrey? So I have a, young adult romcom coming out in May called Audrey and Bash or Just Friends. And Audrey is now 16, and she is, like, president of her class and captain of the debate team. 00;38;42;19 - 00;38;51;12 Speaker 1 And, you know, just all of the things. But she realizes that she doesn't know how to have fun. So she hires the local bad boy to teach her how to have fun for the summer. Oh my God. 00;38;51;12 - 00;38;53;18 Speaker 3 I love it so much. Yeah. 00;38;53;21 - 00;38;55;16 Speaker 1 I love it so much already. 00;38;55;21 - 00;39;06;22 Speaker 2 Okay, so are you ready for. Because we were talking about this a little while. I just got kind of. It's only been a few years for me. Yeah, the young adults faces kind of different. 00;39;06;23 - 00;39;08;01 Speaker 1 It's so new. Yeah. 00;39;08;04 - 00;39;09;04 Speaker 2 Know it's. Yeah. 00;39;09;06 - 00;39;15;10 Speaker 1 I'm not really sure. Yeah. And it's hard. So I wrote two novels, like a long. 00;39;15;22 - 00;39;19;01 Speaker 1 In 2008, 2009, 00;39;19;03 - 00;39;21;01 Speaker 2 And, yeah, the, 00;39;21;03 - 00;39;52;19 Speaker 1 It's six and 16 candles and the my editor was like, this was the director. She was like, this is a Gossip Girl era. She was like, Gossip Girl, multicultural. Go. Yeah. So they're wild. Yeah. Like, those books are very like, I don't know, today if they would. I mean, their cancelable behavior. Okay. If you guys remember how how wild the gossip, kids got, but, 00;39;52;21 - 00;40;13;20 Speaker 1 Yeah. So it wasn't very 20, 25, but. So I felt like I was doing it for the first time. But what was great is that I have a 16 year old living in my house, and she has friends and they have summer parties, and they would allow me to interview them. I love, I would, I would sit down with them and be like, what's the tea? 00;40;13;20 - 00;40;17;25 Speaker 1 What's good? What's going on? Okay, nope, that's way too much. Okay. So tell me. 00;40;18;01 - 00;40;19;21 Speaker 3 And like, yes. 00;40;19;24 - 00;40;28;06 Speaker 1 And they gave me so much information. And yeah, that helped make the book authentic. 00;40;28;06 - 00;40;29;21 Speaker 3 Yeah. I'm so jealous. 00;40;29;21 - 00;40;32;05 Speaker 2 My niece and nephew. What? Never. 00;40;32;07 - 00;40;33;00 Speaker 1 Oh, really? 00;40;33;00 - 00;40;33;07 Speaker 2 Yeah. 00;40;33;08 - 00;40;36;25 Speaker 1 No, my daughter and her friends are hams, so. Yeah. 00;40;36;26 - 00;40;42;19 Speaker 2 Yeah. No, they. Well, But anyway. Okay. Kind of jealous about that. 00;40;42;22 - 00;40;43;06 Speaker 3 But. 00;40;43;06 - 00;40;49;18 Speaker 2 I know we're going to do a question and answer. It was so wonderful to be in college. 00;40;49;23 - 00;40;55;03 Speaker 1 So you have to run. Yes, Sue, I oh, my gosh, I know. Okay, go catch your flight. 00;40;55;03 - 00;41;09;07 Speaker 2 I'm gonna go catch my flight. I actually wasn't supposed to be in Louisiana, but they told me we need somebody with you. And I was like, I don't care what has to happen. I'm coming home. So now I need to get on a flight. I, called. 00;41;09;11 - 00;41;10;12 Speaker 1 Chair hug. 00;41;10;14 - 00;41;11;09 Speaker 3 And. 00;41;11;11 - 00;41;24;14 Speaker 5 I, too. Yeah. Hi. I have an author question. Okay, so seven days in June, all time fave. I talked about it for ten minutes before you got up here because I'm obsessed. But the part I'm obsessed with is how. 00;41;24;14 - 00;41;25;12 Speaker 3 You. 00;41;25;14 - 00;41;27;05 Speaker 2 Weaved the. 00;41;27;05 - 00;41;47;04 Speaker 5 Past and with the present in a seamless way. So for linear thinking authors, how did you maneuver that? Did you did you write it kind of back and forth, or did you write it linear and then insert the past? 00;41;47;04 - 00;41;53;28 Speaker 1 I wrote it back and forth, but the the trick is, are you a pantser or a plotter? 00;41;54;00 - 00;41;56;23 Speaker 3 See, I thought I was a plot. 00;41;56;23 - 00;42;07;08 Speaker 1 Okay. Does everyone know what that is? So a pantser is a writer who flies by the seat of her pants. A plotter is a writer who plots first before they sit down and write. 00;42;07;14 - 00;42;35;06 Speaker 5 So, so in life I am detail oriented strategic thinker. So one would think that I should be a plotter, right? But I'm finding that being a planner stifles my creativity. Okay, which is the whole point of writing fiction. And that's just a side of me that I've wanted to develop. So I, trying to like, unleash and yeah, you know, let go of the reins a little bit. 00;42;35;08 - 00;43;00;06 Speaker 1 The only thing is when you're dealing with a structure, like back and forth, you know, timelines, it really helps to have an idea of what you're writing before you sit down to do it. So it was never really a matter of me being confused or, wait, what am I doing? Because I had it all laid out already. And also it helps to have it helped me to. 00;43;00;06 - 00;43;01;21 Speaker 3 Have a book. 00;43;01;21 - 00;43;04;01 Speaker 1 That I could refer to. 00;43;04;03 - 00;43;07;03 Speaker 3 That did it already. 00;43;07;03 - 00;43;29;00 Speaker 1 So I could use it as a prototype. And this is going to sound weird, but it's it by Stephen King, which is my favorite novel and is Seven Days in June is built just like that. And so it takes place in and present day, which was the 80s when it was written. And then there's flashbacks. This group of friends to when they were kids in the 50s. 00;43;29;02 - 00;43;38;22 Speaker 1 And in the same way, like, you know, what happens in the 50s and forms what's happening in the 80s, and there's like Easter eggs planted, you know, that. 00;43;38;24 - 00;43;40;12 Speaker 3 Helped, 00;43;40;14 - 00;44;01;12 Speaker 1 Propel the novel forward. So it really helped knowing that I had that to, like, go back and look at, like, how did you do this? Yeah. And I find that if a lot of times when I'm stuck writing, I just try to think of an author who did it first and better, so I. Yeah, you know, be taught. 00;44;01;14 - 00;44;03;15 Speaker 2 Got it. Thank you. 00;44;03;17 - 00;44;06;05 Speaker 1 Thank you. 00;44;06;07 - 00;44;16;14 Speaker 3 Hi. Hi. How are you, Wayman? Okay. Well, he told me a book. Okay. Hi. Hi. 00;44;16;17 - 00;44;22;28 Speaker 5 So, like, I was, you know, completely, totally geeking to my parents about being here last night, and I was talking to my dad, and I was like, hey, dad, I want to be here. 00;44;22;28 - 00;44;27;14 Speaker 3 When I grow up. Why? Because you're an author, and. 00;44;27;17 - 00;44;29;12 Speaker 2 You're a migraine girly too, right? 00;44;29;12 - 00;44;34;16 Speaker 3 Oh, yes. How do you do it? I don't know. 00;44;34;18 - 00;44;36;03 Speaker 1 Well, so many drugs. 00;44;36;06 - 00;44;38;19 Speaker 3 Meet you and they're not working. 00;44;38;25 - 00;45;09;19 Speaker 1 Yeah, I know, I know. Oh, I could talk about this forever. The thing is, like most, you know, the ideal situation for a writer is to have a schedule, you know, to have. I write this many words a day, or I write from, 6 to 9 every day and have, like, the consistency. But because my health is not consistent and I'm not reliable in that way, I can't make any sort of schedule. 00;45;09;22 - 00;45;28;28 Speaker 1 I have a migraine every day. Right. And so, you know, I can only write on days where my the pain is manageable. So on those days, everything else is pushed to the side. And I write right, right, right, right as long as I can. Because I'm not really sure when the next time it's going to be. Is that. 00;45;28;28 - 00;45;31;15 Speaker 3 Healthy? No. 00;45;31;17 - 00;45;44;04 Speaker 1 But that's I don't know how. How else to do that, you know? But what I don't do is try to push through when you know the pain. And this is too intense. 00;45;44;07 - 00;45;45;07 Speaker 3 That's really. You have to do what. 00;45;45;07 - 00;46;04;29 Speaker 1 Work you have to do what works. You have to do it works. Yeah. And adapt to, you know, fit your lifestyle like, you know, there's always a thousand, you know, ways of, of, you know, authors will tell you, you have to do this to be a writer. You have to do this to write a book, or you have to. 00;46;05;02 - 00;46;13;27 Speaker 1 But there's, what is the saying? There are a million ways to skin a cat. I don't think that's it. But you get it. You know, whatever works for you. 00;46;14;03 - 00;46;34;02 Speaker 3 Okay. Yeah. Thank you for that. That, after you're done with Audrey. Yes. Maybe you move over to Miss Della. Oh. Oh, that's a great. I'd love to know how she made it from Louisiana to Harlem. How she met her doctor. 00;46;34;02 - 00;46;35;19 Speaker 1 Yes, doctor. Bennett. 00;46;35;20 - 00;46;44;00 Speaker 3 Yeah. I want to know too. Well, you write it up, I'll help. I have some notes. Yes. 00;46;44;02 - 00;46;48;12 Speaker 1 Yes, I know that's a great idea, actually. Yeah. 00;46;48;15 - 00;46;50;03 Speaker 3 She was my favorite. 00;46;50;05 - 00;47;04;19 Speaker 1 She's great. Yeah. I really I really loved her. I actually am writing a book right now that's due in November because she never sleeps. But after November, I will think about that, because I really like that. 00;47;04;21 - 00;47;08;24 Speaker 3 Thank you. 00;47;08;26 - 00;47;16;00 Speaker 3 Any other questions? 00;47;16;02 - 00;47;22;09 Speaker 5 Hi, my name is Priscilla. So excited to meet you. Literally drove from will be able to come here. 00;47;22;12 - 00;47;31;14 Speaker 3 Yeah. Mobile. What? Mobile. Alabama. Are you serious? Yeah. Because you didn't have any mobile dates. Wait, how far away is that? It's only like. 00;47;31;20 - 00;47;34;11 Speaker 5 Two hours and 40. 40 minutes. No. To bed. 00;47;34;18 - 00;47;45;10 Speaker 3 Oh my gosh, I know I got to be in class tomorrow, so. Oh let's. Okay. Let's go okay. No no no okay okay. Wow. So Farrah. 00;47;45;12 - 00;47;51;00 Speaker 5 Asked you a similar question like this, but she was asking about seven days in June. 00;47;51;00 - 00;47;51;16 Speaker 1 Okay. 00;47;51;23 - 00;48;02;05 Speaker 5 So I wanted to know at what point in your writing for a love song for you, how did you just kind of lean back and go, I have another hit on my hands. Oh. 00;48;02;08 - 00;48;18;25 Speaker 1 Well, you know, you can never really think like that because who knows how people are going to receive what you write like. I really don't think about the reception or what, you know, how people are going to take it. I just try to really tickle myself. 00;48;18;28 - 00;48;21;00 Speaker 3 Yeah. 00;48;21;02 - 00;48;36;14 Speaker 1 And I think I got the most tickled when, when Ricky is at the, wedding and hears the music and follows the music and goes downstairs and he's down there. 00;48;36;14 - 00;48;41;06 Speaker 3 Oh, and that dress and that dress and they. 00;48;41;06 - 00;48;58;16 Speaker 1 Have that, you know, very intimate and like, weird and kind of surreal conversation. I was like, oh, like, it made me want to shimmy. I was like, we're on to something here. Yeah, that that would be the I love that scene. Yeah. 00;48;58;19 - 00;49;01;24 Speaker 5 Okay. Hi. Happy publishing day, by the way. 00;49;01;24 - 00;49;05;13 Speaker 3 Thank you. So, with your, 00;49;05;15 - 00;49;10;02 Speaker 5 Themes of Louisiana, was today's location intentional? 00;49;10;04 - 00;49;30;22 Speaker 1 Well, a little secret. Like, authors don't really have that much to do with the tourist schedule. But when I saw it and saw that I was coming here, I was so excited. Yeah. And I haven't been to Louisiana since the family reunion. Is that me? 00;49;30;25 - 00;49;31;15 Speaker 3 Oh, was it. 00;49;31;20 - 00;49;33;21 Speaker 1 Because we're too close? Yeah. 00;49;35;06 - 00;49;56;11 Speaker 1 Yeah. I haven't been here. I think that was 2 or 3 years ago. So, yeah, it feels very special to be here. There's something in the air. You know, the second you step off the plane, the way your hair freezes up. I have a I have a hair elastic because I'm having a situation. I can feel it. 00;49;56;13 - 00;50;19;20 Speaker 1 But, yeah, I, I love every time I'm here, every time I'm in Louisiana at all. I just feel like this ancestral pull and it's unlike anything else. Yeah. Yeah. And I've never had, a book event here, so this feels really special. Yeah. And especially having my cousins here. 00;50;19;23 - 00;50;52;21 Speaker 3 Oh, yeah. First of all, I was noticing how your hair did not freeze. It is not. It's not it's not frizzy at all. It looks great to you, to your hair. Is this. Secondly, I know that, you interviewed my nephew. Well, how could I leave that out? Who's a musician for the part? Yeah. So tell me a little bit about, you know, that and how much time you spent with him and what he really did for you with writing that, that character. 00;50;52;24 - 00;51;21;10 Speaker 1 Thank you. Because I completely forgot to bring that up. Okay. Jason Moran, who is not just a musician, he is like, probably the the most important. He is the most important jazz pianist of our generation. My generation. And so when I was coming up with the character of Ezra, it was clear that I had to interview Jason. 00;51;21;13 - 00;51;47;11 Speaker 1 Now, I've always had a platonic crush on Jason. And so I was like, oh, God, I have to call him. Mind you, he's married with kids. I married with kids. But like, you know, that just kind of like. And then you feel 17 again. But I was like, okay, I'm gonna call Jason. And I just asked him a few questions, and he just talked and I wrote everything down. 00;51;47;13 - 00;52;08;07 Speaker 1 And he is like a Harlem Renaissance scholar. And he gave me one of the most important pieces of the book, which is Carolina Shout, which is the battle song that Ezra I can't, 00;52;08;09 - 00;52;35;28 Speaker 1 It's important to the plot. And he told me where to go to hear it. He told me, you know, the history behind it. He explained to me that, you know, in the 20s, pianists would go to Harlem and go to these speakeasies and, and play this song as a battle because it's like, notoriously a really hard song written by the same guy who wrote the Charleston. 00;52;36;01 - 00;53;02;07 Speaker 1 And they would battle each other and whoever would with whoever sort of take on it was the best would be considered, you know, the best. And so it was like, you know, Frodo rap battles. Really. That's what it was. It was like a cipher. And the way it was explaining it to me was that like back then, the piano player at the party was the deejay. 00;53;02;09 - 00;53;34;28 Speaker 1 He was like the keeper of the vibe, you know? And so they were the ones controlling everything. They were the ones like looking at the crowd, seeing what they, you know, what they probably would want to hear next. And, you know, kind of yeah. The DJ. And so that was such interesting information for me to have because I'm like, you know, for Ezra, for, for someone who was used to being at the center of everything and, and controlling the energy in the room, what happens when no one remembers you? 00;53;35;00 - 00;53;50;24 Speaker 1 Like what happens when you're a cipher all of a sudden and I'm spoiling the hell out of it, so I'm not going to say anything else. Jason was indispensable. I need a cinnamon edible arrangement every day for what he did for me. 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