Episode 58 is the final episode of our special Behind the Book season. And we're going out with an inspirational bang. In order to inspire you to rise up in defense of the book, we're sharing two exciting examples of literary activists from history. We're going from Civil War era Spain, to the island of Puerto Rico. We're going from wartime, to story time, to showcase how many different ways we can all support a thriving literary ecosystem. Tune in to get educated and inspired by Spain's Allianc...
Jul 07, 2025•24 min•Ep. 130
On episode 57 we’re going Behind the Book with legendary literary agent, Regina Brooks. Regina is the founder and CEO of Serendipity Literary Agency in New York, the largest African American–owned agency in the US. She has represented and established a diverse base of award-winning clients in adult and young adult fiction, nonfiction, and children’s literature. Currently the president of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA), Brooks is also a founding member of Literary Agents of Ch...
Jun 30, 2025•47 min•Ep. 129
On episode 56 of the podcast, we’re going Behind the Book with Stephanie Lim. Stephanie is the co-founder of Third State Books, a new publishing house that amplifies the voices, stories, and issues of Asian America and the Pacific Islands. They publish fiction and nonfiction for both adults and children. Stephanie Lim is a publisher and marketing executive who brings an abiding love of literary classics, guilty-pleasure genre fiction, fanfic, and children’s books to her work at Third State Books...
Jun 23, 2025•45 min•Ep. 128
We’re going Behind the Book with someone who plays a critical role in the literary ecosystem, you! On episode 55 we’re replaying my short but important pep talk about why writers need a reading habit and not just a reading hobby. Even if you heard this episode last year when it first aired, I encourage you to listen again to remind yourself why it’s so important for you as a writer, to develop a consistent reading habit in order to up-level your writing skills. And, of course, to contribute to t...
Jun 16, 2025•26 min•Ep. 127
On episode 54 we’re going Behind the Book with bookseller Jeannine A. Cook, founder of Harriett’s Bookshop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jeannine A. Cook is a self-described word worker. In 2020, she opened Harriett’s Bookshop in the Fishtown section of North Philadelphia with the mission to celebrate women authors, women artists, and women activists. In 2021, she opened Ida’s Bookshop in Collingswood, NJ, and Josephine’s Bookshop (a bookshop installation in Paris). Jeannine’s work as a literar...
Jun 09, 2025•42 min•Ep. 126
On episode 53 of the podcast, we’re going Behind the Book and back in time, to meet David Ruggles, the first Black American to own and operate a bookstore for Black people. David Ruggles was a revolutionary thinker, a bibliophile, a healer, and a radical abolitionist who believed that reading and the written word would set his people free. He opened the first Black-owned bookstore, D. Ruggles Books, in 1834 in New York City. On this episode you’ll hear all about David Ruggles' incredible life, h...
Jun 02, 2025•27 min•Ep. 125
On episode 52 we’re going Behind the Book with Sylvia Arthur, the founder of the Library of Africa and the African Diaspora in Accra, Ghana. Remember, for Season Five of the podcast, we’re going behind the book to talk to people whose livelihood and careers depend on the free flowing circulation of books in society. Sylvia Arthur is the Founder of the Library Of Africa and The African Diaspora (LOATAD) , a library, archive, writing residency, and research institute in Accra, Ghana, dedicated to ...
May 26, 2025•40 min•Ep. 124
For Season Five of the podcast, we’re going behind the book and talking to people and reviewing the lives of our literary ancestors whose livelihood and life missions require(d) the free circulation of books in society. On episode 51, we’re going back in time to talk about literary ancestor, Arturo Schomburg. Schomburg was a bad-ass bibliophile who dedicated his life to collecting proof of global Black excellence. The majority of his collection was, of course, books. “Schomburg is arguably the m...
May 19, 2025•34 min•Ep. 123
For Season Five of the podcast, we’re going behind the book to talk to people whose livelihood and careers depend on the free flowing circulation of books in society. On episode 50, our guest is Emely Rumble, LCSW. Emely is a distinguished licensed clinical social worker, school social worker, and a bibliotherapist. Committed to making mental health services more accessible, Emely specializes in the transformative practice of bibliotherapy. Emely is also the author of the exciting new book, Bibl...
May 12, 2025•32 min•Ep. 122
Welcome to Season 5 of the Podcast! On this brief episode, Loril will provide a quick recap about her time living in a library in Ghana, followed by a sneak peek into what we have planned for this special season of the podcast. For Season 5, we’re going Behind the Book, bringing you interviews and stories about people who depend on the free circulation of books in the world. From librarians, to agents, to activists and entrepreneurs, this season we're pulling back the curtain on the people who k...
May 05, 2025•18 min•Ep. 121
Tune in to this brief episode for updates about the Reed, Write, and Create podcast, and some exciting news from host, Lori L. Tharps. Links for more resources and information. The Reed, Write, and Create Website Find Out More about The Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary for BIPOC women writers. Apply to The Sanctuary HERE The Blog Post About Lori's Upcoming Trip to Ghana The Literary Lori YouTube Channel . Don't forget to subscribe by February 13....
Feb 10, 2025•11 min•Ep. 120
On episode 46 of the podcast, I’m replaying my inspiring, 2023 conversation with award-winning author, journalist, professor, and poet, Jabari Asim. Jabari Asim is the Distinguished Professor of Multi-Disciplinary Letters at Emerson College. He is the author of 23 books, including Yonder, the essay collection We Can’t Breathe , and Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis . His awards include a Guggenheim fellowship and a Pushcart Prize. His work has been included in Best America...
Dec 23, 2024•54 min•Ep. 118
This is our last episode of Season 4! On episode 46 of the podcast, I am so excited to share my conversation with Rebecca Carroll, whose new book, I Know What the Red Clay Looks Like: The Voice & Vision of Black Women Writers ( Haymarket ) was re-released on December 3, 2024. Rebecca is a writer, cultural critic, and host of the podcasts Come Through with Rebecca Carroll and the award-winning Billie Was a Black Woman . Her 2021 memoir, Surviving the White Gaze , where she shares her experien...
Dec 16, 2024•53 min•Ep. 119
On episode 45 of the podcast, I’m giving you a pep talk about writing as resistance. About how you can push back against oppressive systems, defy stereotypes and limitations, and leave a lasting legacy, all with the power of the written word. And I will be using the life and work of literary ancestor, Arturo Schomburg as my source material. Arturo Schomburg is most known as the founder of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York City, but he was also a writer, a revolutiona...
Dec 09, 2024•35 min•Ep. 117
As much as it pains me to write this, I decided now is the right time to revisit this episode of the podcast featuring two dynamic journalists, Akiba Solomon and Kenyra Rankin. Akiba and Kenrya are the co-authors of the book, How We Fight White Supremacy . How We Fight White Supremacy was published in 2019, at the tail end of the first Orange Dust presidency and it was a balm for the soul. The book is an anthology of essays, illustrations, comics and stories about how to fight white supremacy wi...
Dec 02, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 115
On episode 43 of the podcast, I’m going to be giving you a pep talk about how BIPOC writers can use Oral Storytelling traditions to up-level their writing practice. And I’m going to use the life and work of award-winning poet and author, N. Scott Momaday as my source material. N. Scott Momaday was the first Native American to ever win a Pulitzer Prize when he won the award for his 1968 novel, House Made of Dawn . During this episode you’ll learn: Why N. Scott Momaday is considered the founder of...
Nov 25, 2024•27 min•Ep. 114
On episode 42 of the podcast, we have award-winning author Laila Lalami on the show, discussing her powerful novel, The Other Americans . The Other Americans was a finalist for the National Book Awards. Laila is the author of several award-winning novels including, The Moor's Account and Secret Son . A native of Morocco, Laila is a professor of creative writing at the University of California Riverside. On the show Laila talks about her rigorous research and writing process for her novels, why s...
Nov 18, 2024•43 min•Ep. 113
On episode 41 of the podcast, I’m going to be giving you a quick but important pep talk about reading, because you may be doing it all wrong. You see, writers, need an intentional reading habit, not just a reading hobby. I’m going to break down the important difference between the two, and then share five easy steps, and a message from James Baldwin, to help you cultivate a sustainable reading habit that I promise will make you a better writer. RESOURCES FOR YOU: If you're looking for a inexpens...
Nov 11, 2024•25 min•Ep. 112
Press play on this fan-favorite, rewind episode with award-winning author, Tracey Lewis-Giggetts. Tracey Lewis-Giggetts has written over 30 books in multiple genres. She writes fiction, nonfiction, poetry and screenplays. She is the author of the award-winning, Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration and Then They Came For Mine: Healing from the Trauma of Racial Violence . Tracey is also an award-winning, celebrity ghostwriter and has penned best-selling books for several p...
Oct 28, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 111
On episode 39 of the podcast, I am so excited to share my conversation with memoirist, journalist, editor, celebrity collaborator, novelist and all around literary icon, Veronica Chambers. Based in London, Veronica Chambers is a New York Times best selling author of over 25 books, and is currently the editor of narrative projects at The New York Times . Born in Panama and raised in Brooklyn, her work often reflects her Afro-Latina heritage. Her first book, the acclaimed memoir, Mama’s Girl is re...
Oct 21, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 110
Are you trying to write a memoir and don’t know where to start? Are you worried about oversharing, or writing about people you know and love getting mad at you for spilling their secrets? Is the idea of getting the essence of your own life down on paper overwhelming? Then stick around for this inspiring and informative rewind episode with actress-turned-author, Tembi Locke. Tembi wrote the best-selling, Reese Witherspoon anointed, From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home . During...
Oct 14, 2024•51 min•Ep. 109
On episode 37 of the 'Reed, Write & Create' podcast, you’re getting a pep talk about what can happen when we truly commit ourselves to our writing life. And I am using the life and work of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a renowned 17th-century Mexican nun, as my source material. Be clear, Sor Juana was no ordinary nun. She was a renegade and a revolutionary who used #NunLife to create the literary life she desperately desired. Sor Juana, known for her poetic prowess, and advocacy for the educati...
Oct 07, 2024•32 min•Ep. 108
On episode 36 of the podcast, get the actual blueprint for a happy, healthy, productive literary life. Enjoy this episode from our archives with Marita Golden, award-winning author, journalist, writing coach, and living, literary legend. Marita Golden is an award-winning author of over twenty works of fiction and nonfiction. Her books include the novels The Wide Circumference of Love, and After and the memoirs Migrations of the Heart, Saving Our Sons and Don’t Play in the Sun One Woman’s Journey...
Sep 30, 2024•45 min•Ep. 107
Get ready for a pep talk that explains how perseverance, persistence and pain can lead to productivity, fame and fortune in a writer's life. When you hear about the life and work of African-American crime writer, Chester B. Himes, you will overstand what’s possible for a writer, even when confronting the worst things life can throw at you. Racism, violence, prison, poverty, chronic pain. Chester Himes experienced all of those things and more, and yet still managed to write award-winning novels, ...
Sep 23, 2024•29 min•Ep. 106
We’re back for the fourth season of the Reed, Write and Create podcast! On this short episode, find out what you can expect on this season of the podcast, and some exciting personal and professional updates about the literary life of your host, Lori L. Tharps. ******************************** If you want more information, inspiration and resources for your literary life, visit the Reed, Write, and Create website. If you would like a literary pep talk + resources carefully curated for BIPOC autho...
Sep 09, 2024•11 min•Ep. 105
SURPRISE! It’s a Bonus Episode. Yes, I am officially on summer vacation, working on my novel, and the podcast is on a summer hiatus. So, why am I back in your podcast feed? Because I have a special bonus episode for you! I want to introduce you to a literary podcast I love to listen to called Black & Published . Hosted by author Nikesha Elise Williams, Black & Published features interviews with novelists, nonfiction writers, poets and playwrights every week. For today’s bonus episode, I’...
Jun 17, 2024•52 min•Ep. 104
On episode 32 of the podcast, our final episode of Season 3, I’m going to share a final pep talk meant to get you to stop thinking that you have to do this writing thing all alone. On today's show, I’m going to dispel the myth of the solitary writer, sharing why it’s a myth, how it got started, why it’s a dangerous myth, who the myth actually benefits, and how we should be handling our writing lives instead. My hope is that by breaking down the faulty logic behind the solitary writer myth, you w...
Jun 10, 2024•21 min•Ep. 103
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 Lite...
May 27, 2024•51 min•Ep. 102
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 epis...
May 13, 2024•25 min•Ep. 101
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 Lite...
Apr 29, 2024•53 min•Ep. 100
