Audra Russell laughs and argues with author Janee' Thompson as they chat up ALL the drama in Janee's debut novel, Looking Beyond the Ordinary. Janee' Thompson writes realistic young adult and new adult novels that capture the unique experiences of young black men and women taking it day by day through their own personal struggles. While many popular novels for this target audience focus on racial tension and navigating racial oppression through a youthful perspective, Janee' intentionally create...
May 05, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Audra Russell chats with author Rod Palmer. Rod Palmer is from a Charleston, SC Gullah Geechee community where storytelling is the lifeblood of the culture. He received his creative writing degree at the University of South Carolina. What defines Rod’s writing is clever plotting, punchy phrasing, and a very organic layering of black feminist themes. He has authored five novels: A Pimp In The Pulpit, The Work-Husband Caper, The Harvest series, Karma Wears Versace, and The Waymaker. We have an int...
May 05, 2020•45 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Audra Russell chats with romance author DL White. For as long as she can remember, romance author DL White would much rather be in her room reading and writing than doing anything else, but she only began seriously pursuing a writing career in 2011. She writes romantic women’s fiction featuring Black men and women. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, DL loves coffee and Sunday Brunch, especially on a patio, but her true obsession is water— lakes, rivers, oceans, waterfalls! And sand… dig your toes in, so...
Apr 28, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Audra Russell chats with author Courtney Marie about her debut novel, Love, Lies, and Blood Ties. Courtney Marie can usually be found reading or watching an action or horror-based movie in her spare time. Writing a novel was always one of her dreams, and with Love, Lies, and Blood Ties , it became a reality. After serving in the US Army and going back to college to obtain a degree in radiology, it was time to work on her dream, and she became a radiographer by day and writer in the wee hours of ...
Apr 14, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Audra Russell chats with author, publisher, and fellow podcaster C.W. Burnett. C.W. Burnett is an African American novelist, publisher, and screenwriter from Oakland, California. His bold and unique writing style is a reflection of his keen ability to bring words to life with impeccable precision. The anticipation of his 2019 debut novel, What's Wrong With M.E.N., took the urban community by storm. Join Audra as she keeps it real with Calvin and finds out the inspiration behind his book, finds o...
Apr 13, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Audra Russell chats with three of the co-authors of Passing As Straight: Amanda, NikoJoe, and Sarina. Sarina Mack hails from East New York, Brooklyn, the only child of a strict correctional officer. She holds her masters in Education and LMSW and is a mental health clinician. The mother of 3 young kings, she takes pride in raising them to be productive men. NikoJoe is a native of Opa-locka Florida, and currently resides in Atlanta. She is a mother of three and the proud owner of My Organic Skyn ...
Apr 07, 2020•56 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Audra Russell chats with author and community activist Siekiem-Kontom. Siekiem-Kontom, a native of Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, is founder of the MSKM Presents Foundation, most popularly known for its Finding Your Future Scholarship Fund and Giving Back to Help Others Get Ahead initiatives, as well as its Christmas/Kwanzaa book and toy give away. He is a 20-year retired veteran of the New York City Department of Corrections, Rikers Island. He is the author of Just My Thoughts and The Man Comman...
Apr 06, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Audra Russell chats with Sienna Mynx, author of over 30 multicultural romance novels. Sienna Mynx is the naughty writer of dark and sensual romance novels that provoke laughter, soft sighs, and even gratifying tears. In 2010, Romantic Times nominated her for the Erotic Romance E-book Writer of the Year Award, for a fast-paced exciting read about a young black hooch dancer in a traveling carnival during the Great Depression who meets a Sicilian bootlegger and goes on a Bonnie and Clyde ride of pa...
Mar 31, 2020•57 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Audra Russell spills the tea with Mahzi Kane. Born and raised in North Philadelphia, Mahzi Kane is an author and book publisher. She is the owner of Mahzi Kane Books, LLC, a self publishing company dedicated to creating literary works that communicate the wide spectrum of the Black experience with the highest artistic quality. Her book, Tea Leaves, is her debut novel and we spill all the tea about Iris, Clarke, Ila, Rashida, Sage, and Toya. Well...not ALL...because we don't want to spoil the boo...
Mar 23, 2020•57 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Audra Russell chats with author and writing coach LaNette Kincaid. LaNette helps small business owners and aspiring authors write and publish their stories. She is a survivor of domestic violence and sexual abuse. She is also a wife, mother, and grandmother. Her accomplishments include recently producing and recording her first gospel song, creating fundraising events such as Concert 4 Coats, the I Survived Gospel Concert , Hat and Heels, and Women are Roses ceremony. In this episode we talk abo...
Mar 10, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Audra Russell chats with author Michelle Mitchell. Michelle Mitchell, Georgia native, is the author of Truth Is…, INFAMOUS, Bells Will Be Ringin’: A Hilson Family Christmas novella, and Kissing Strangers: Tainted Love. She latest e-book release, Could’ve Been, is available on Amazon now. She is also working on the next installments in the Hilson family and Kissing Strangers series. Michelle is married and shares a dog baby with her husband, Albert. She’s an alumna of Georgia Southern University ...
Feb 25, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Audra chats with author and founder of Paper-Chase Publications, J. Cerrone Smith. We keep it real in this episode as J talks about his turbulent adolescence, serving time in jail and on house arrest, and how he paved a new path for himself as a writer and business owner. J shares some of his favorite authors, why reading is important, and how he uses his stories to dispel the glorification of street life. He is a native of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and spent time as a youth in Phil...
Feb 24, 2020•45 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Audra Russell chats with author Eric Raymond, creator of the sci-fi series, Syndicate 6ix. Eric Raymond started writing at a young age, and continues to stretch his imagination to its limits to this day. He is a graduate of Auburn University, Montgomery, and spends his days laboring away at a keyboard to share his stories with the world. In this episode we chat about the inspiration behind Syndicate 6ix, his young adult novel, Life of a Leo, and the author who inspires him most (Harry Potter, an...
Feb 12, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Audra Russell chats with author Daines Reed, creator of the Trust series novels. Author Daines L. Reed, a wildly optimistic lover of words, resides in a small town just outside of Charlotte, NC with her husband, daughters, and pair of miniature Schnauzers. She is an avid reader, lifelong learner, and emerging storyteller. By trade, Daines L. Reed is a registered dental hygienist. By birth, she is a writer, an observer of people, and a lover of words. She cannot live without books and cannot go a...
Feb 10, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Audra Russell chats with author Delia Pitts, creator of the Ross Agency mystery series featuring detective SJ Rook, a mixed race private detective living in Harlem, New York. In this episode, we chat about her novels, how she learned to think like a man to write in the voice SJ Rook, her time writing fan fiction, and how working at a newspaper was the inspiration for her writing. She also shares a valuable tip for writers that is sure to inspire. Delia is a Chicago girl with a brilliant mind and...
Feb 06, 2020•56 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Audra Russell sits down with Marc Avery, author of Redemption Lost. We chat about his writing process, iced coffee, and the new crime series he's got cooking. For you writers out there, Marc shares some great tips on how to be more productive. Marc and Audra share and keep it real. So grab your favorite beverage, get cozy, and enjoy! Please support this independent podcast. Every little bit helps me continue to bring you new and exciting content. By supporting BTR, you'll be helping me continue ...
Jan 27, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Novelist Tiff Bella chats with Audra Russell. Tiff is a content creator, an entrepreneur, and an author of over 12 novels. We talk about a special community she created just for women called The Bella Bunch, and her best-selling series, Outside the Box. For you writers out there, we'll also be talking craft and inspiration as Tiff shares her new book Got Gumbeaux, which is a blueprint about the craft of storytelling. Audra and Tiff laugh, share, and keep it real. So grab your favorite beverage, ...
Jan 20, 2020•35 min•Season 1Ep. 1
