Your BIPOC Writing Coach

THE DOORS TO THE REED, WRITE, & CREATE SANCTUARY ARE OFFICIALLY OPEN: NOV. 21 - 28, 2025. GET ON THE LIST TO GET AN APPLICATION. On episode 68, get ready to go behind the scenes of the world of book influencing. My guest is one of my favorite BIPOC book influencers, Jananie K. Velu, YouTube star and literary tastemaker. I invited Jananie on the show to share everything she’s learned from the influencing world about getting strangers to get excited about a book. Jananie has built a massive following of over 100,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel, “This Story Ain’t Over,” and she runs her own publishing imprint, Boundless Press, which is a part of the new start-up publishing company, Bindery Books. During our conversation, Jananie shares: How she built her audience of BIPoC book lovers. How she selects the books she’s going to feature on her social channels. How authors should approach influencers to get their books on their radar. How she runs her publishing imprint at Bindery Books and who should submit their work. Why stickers are part of her community building strategy. LIT LINKS to Learn More You can follow Jananie on YouTube, and across all of her social platforms at ThisStoryAin’tOver. You can also buy her bookish merch at her store This Story Ain’t Over.com. Jananie’s imprint Boundless Press is part of Bindery Books Some of Jananie’s Favorite BIPOC authors: Alexis Henderson Sylvia Moreno Garcia Olivie Blake Visit the website, to learn more about The Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary, and add your name to the Tell Me More List to get an application. Remember doors to the Sanctuary are open from November 21 - 28, 2025. After that, they stay closed until May 2026. Stop waiting on your writing life. If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, visit the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandcreate.com. For literary inspiration and opportunities delivered right to your inbox, sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee.

On episode 66, we're talking about how to use the power of community, connection, and conscious marketing to sell more books and have a more successful and satisfying career as an author. My guest on the show is Tamela J. Gordon. Tamela Gordon is a literary activist, the author of the critically acclaimed 2024 memoir, Hood Wellness, and she is an acquisitions editor at Row House Books. She is also a book critic, self-care coach, and performer. Online, she uses the handle, She Writes to Live to share her wisdom and advice for writers. This isn’t a conversation about algorithms and social media. Expensive publicists and bestseller lists aren’t part of the discussion. You are going to hear about a paradigm-shifting way to view book selling, book marketing, and finding the readers who will support you and read your books. Get ready to lean in and learn. Welcome to Your Famous Author Era. Lit Links to Learn More Follow Tamela Gordon at She Writes to Live on Instagram and Threads. Buy Tamela’s book, Hood Wellness at the Reed, Write, & Create bookshop. WE’RE OPENING THE DOORS TO The Sanctuary at the end of November. If you’ve been looking for a supportive writing community to join, and you are a BIPoC woman who takes your writing seriously, then make sure you’re on the Tell Me More Wait List so you’ll be the first to know when the applications go live. Inside The Sanctuary we provide everything writers need to succeed and thrive in their writing life. Check out the website for more details on all of the resources and activities we offer inside The Sanctuary. If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. For literary inspiration and opportunities delivered right to your inbox, sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee.

On episode 64 of the podcast, you’re going to learn how to successfully strategize, plan and execute a book tour for your first (...second, or third) book that will set you on the road to literary success. My guest on the show, Nadia Alexis, is a poet and writer who created a launch plan and book tour that is still going strong ten months after her debut poetry collection hit the market in March 2025. Nadia Alexis is a poet, writer, and photographer born to Haitian immigrants in Harlem. She is the author of the hybrid poetry and photography collection Beyond the Watershed, which was a finalist for the Ghost Peach Press Prize. You don’t have to be a poet to use the ideas, resources and strategies Nadia shares during this exciting episode. But you do have to be willing to do the work if you want to see the unbelievable results Nadia has seen and continues to see, including getting a second print run on her book before the launch date, and finding her book in the most incredible places that even her publisher couldn’t believe. Press play, get ready to learn, and lean into your Famous Author Era. LIT LINKS FROM THE SHOW Check out Nadia’s comprehensive website ByNadiaAlexis.com Find Nadia on Instagram and Threads at NadiaLovestoCreate The Publicity Incubator Nadia attended is hosted by Poets & Writers. Author Patrice Gopo’s website was an inspiration for Nadia when making her own author website. DOORS ARE OPENING TO THE SANCTUARY AT THE END OF NOVEMBER 2025. Join the Tell Me More email list to be the first to know when we start taking new applicants to the most amazing private community for BIPoC women writers who take their writing seriously. If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. For literary inspiration and opportunities delivered right to your inbox, sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee.

On episode 62, we’re talking about how to launch a debut memoir in two different countries with journalist and author, Robin Allison Davis. Robin candidly shares everything - from finances to fashion - about how she managed her launch. Robin is an Emmy award-winning producer based in Paris, France. Experienced in all forms of media, she has over 15 years of producing and scriptwriting experience, including a News & Documentary Emmy Award. Her book, Surviving Paris: A Memoir of Healing in the City of Light, was published by HarperCollins/Amistad in September 2025. During our conversation, we discuss: The logistics of how Robin planned book events in France and the USA simultaneously. The financial requirements to launch a book in today’s market, including the extra expenses you might not be aware of but really matter. How to stand out as a memoirist when you’re not a celebrity. The joys and challenges of launching a book with a traditional publisher. And more! Get ready to take notes because this episode is full of tips and advice that can be used by any author getting ready to launch their first (or second) book! LINKS FROM THE SHOW Find all of Robin’s information on her website, RobinADavis.com Follow Robin on Instagram at Robinista. Check out Robin’s Substack and follow all things Surviving Paris: On the Other Side with Robin Allison Davis A fellow 2025 memoirist Robin recommends, Rachel Phan. Her promo plan was fire. Black Women Writers in Europe The Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary for BIPOC Women Writers Try Rent the Runway for your Book Tour Wardrobe in the United States. For literary inspiration and opportunities delivered right to your inbox, sign up for the monthly Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter Join the Tell Me More email list to be the first to know when we start taking new applicants to the Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary. Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee.

When is the right time to start planning your nonfiction book launch? The answer is yesterday, but you can also start today after listening to this masterclass on book promotion with journalist and author, Ernest Owens. Ernest Owens is an award-winning journalist and CEO of Ernest Media Empire, LLC. He is the Editor of Eater Philly, Political Writer at Large for Philadelphia Magazine, President of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists, and Regional Vice President of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Mid-Atlantic Chapter). He is also the executive producer and host of the hit podcast Ernestly Speaking! Ernest’s book, The Case for Cancel Culture was published by St. Martin’s Press in 2023. On the show, Ernest shares his brilliant strategy for marketing and promoting The Case for Cancel Culture including: Critical mindset tips Strategies any author can use to get their book seen by more people, Who to make friends with to sell more books Why your loudest critics can be a boon to book sales Why travel is a necessary part of the promotion process When to cash in your personal IOUs (Note: This episode originally aired during Season two of the podcast.) If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. For literary inspiration and opportunities delivered right to your inbox, sign up for the monthly Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter Join the Tell Me More email list to be the first to know when we start taking new applicants to the Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary. Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee.

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 Alliance of Anti-Fascist Intellectuals, and by New York city librarian, Pura Belpré. *Also, hear Lori's literary updates for the summer. LINKS FROM THE SHOW Mora about the Antifascists Intellectuals in Spain and Langston Hughes Read more about librarian Pura Belpré from the New York Public Library MORE FROM REED WRITE & CREATE We need new equipment for the show. Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation to help Lori buy a new microphone and headphones via Buy Me A Coffee. If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. Follow Reed, Write, & Create on Instagram at ReedWriteandCre8 Sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter. Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori

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. She spent over 15 years in digital marketing and operations, first as a strategist for advertising clients at Google, then leading e-commerce teams and managing multi-million-dollar advertising budgets for retail brands such as ModCloth, Bebe, and Serena Williams’s eponymous fashion label. She co-founded Third State Books in 2023. During this enlightening conversation with Stephanie we discuss: Why she left a career in e-commerce and fashion to run a publishing company. What are the unique challenges Asian-American authors face in the mainstream publishing industry. What new titles Third State Books is putting out next and why. Why she wants to see more Asian Americans getting to play the main character in books and in life. Why she wants to dispel the myth that Asian Americans only read and write literary fiction. To Find out more about Third State Books, visit ThirdStateBooks.com Follow Third State Books on Instagram. Check out these recent and upcoming titles from Third State Books Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee. If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. Follow Reed, Write, & Create on Instagram at ReedWriteandCre8 Sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter. Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori

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 literary activist has been recognized by several national and international news outlets including The New York Times, Vogue Magazine, Google, and Forbes, Inc. Jeannine is also a writer and author who writes about the complex intersections of motherhood, globalism, activism, and the arts. Her delicious debut novel, It’s Me They Follow will be released in September, 2025. During our conversation, Jeannine shares: How magic, synchronicity, and obedience to spirit play a part in her success as a bookseller. The history of word working and miracles in her own family that inspire her own literary work. Why she doesn’t worship money. The challenges she faces as a bookseller who is also a writer. What she’s working on next in honor of the late Kenyan environmental activist and Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathii. This is a magical and motivating episode. To learn more about the amazing Jeannine A. Cook and what she’s up to, visit her website. To Follow all the fun at Harriett’s Bookstore and her sister shop, Ida’s Bookstore, visit their website and/or Follow on Instagram. You can pre-order Jeanine’s debut novel, It’s Me The Follow at the Reed, Write & Create bookstore. Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee. If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. Follow Reed, Write, & Create on Instagram at ReedWriteandCre8 Sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter. Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori

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 the work of African and Diaspora writers from the late 19th century to the present day. Sylvia started LOATAD using 1,300 of her own books in 2017 and she has since curated six libraries in Ghana, including school, community, and corporate libraries. She is an advocate for the restitution of African literary archives to the continent, and she is a 2024 Ford Global Fellow. On this episode, Sylvia shares: How and why she started the Library of Africa and the African Diaspora. What are the unique challenges of running a library in Ghana. Why she wanted to launch a residency for Diasporic writers. Why she thinks books are transformational in the lives of marginalized people. What keeps her motivated as a one-woman show to make sure LOATAD continues to thrive. Besides reading, what kinds of activities happen in the library. I hope you enjoy this inspiring episode and you consider visiting or supporting The Library of Africa and the African Diaspora. Follow LOATAD on Instagram to see what kind of events and offerings they have. Sylvia’s last favorite read was The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates Sylvia’s suggestion for a book by a Ghanaian author everyone should read, Our Sister Killjoy by Ama Ata Aidoo, one of Ghana’s most famous female authors. Check out Lori's video about her experience as a resident at LOATAD on her YouTube channel, Literary Lori. Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee. If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. Follow Reed, Write, & Create on Instagram at ReedWriteandCre8 Sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter. Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori

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, Bibliotherapy in the Bronx. During our conversation, Emely explains: What is bibliotherapy? Why bibliotherapy works for people struggling with mental health issues. Who is the African-American ‘Hidden Figure’ of bibliotherapy. Why she wants more BIPOC authors to be aware of this powerful modality. How her experience as an Afro-Puerto Rican child who spent time in the foster care system influenced her decision to become a bibliotherapist. I hope listening to Emely’s story and her fascinating explanations about the intersections of racial identity, literature, and mental health, leave you lit. Buy a copy of Emely’s book, Bibliotherapy in the Bronx at the Reed, Write, & Create Online bookstore. Support Emily and the Podcast at the same time! Follow Emely on Instagram at Literapy_NYC If you’re interested in getting credentialed as a bibliotherapist, visit the International Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy. Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee. If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. Sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter. Join the Tell Me More email list to get your invite to join the Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary at the end of May, 2025. Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori

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.

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 experiences about growing up in New Hampshire as a Black adoptee with white parents, was called “gorgeous and powerful” by the New York Times Book Review. During our conversation, Rebecca shares why she calls herself a storyteller rather than a writer; she offers advice on writing difficult memoirs with compassion; and then we dig into the incredible work that is, I Know What the Red Clay Looks Like, a collection of interviews with famous Black women writers including June Jordan, Pearl Cleage, Rita Dove, and Lorene Cary, among others. First we talk about how Rebecca wrote the book as a young twenty-something just out of college, and then we discuss how she got the book reissued 30 years later, with up-and-coming authors like Safiya Sinclair adding their voices to the collection. Stick around until the end of the episode to hear how you can win a free copy of Red Clay. To keep in touch with Rebecca Carroll, follow her on Instagram @rebeljunemarie To purchase a copy of I Know What the Red Clay Looks Like, please consider supporting the Reed, Write, & Create bookshop and independent bookstores everywhere. 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 authors delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create newsletter. No spam, just inspiration and resources to uplevel your literary life. The doors are now closed to the Reed, Write and Create Sanctuary, our private community for BIPOC women writers who take their writing seriously. But you can still add your name to the waiting list so you’ll be the first to know when we’re taking new applications in 2025. If you’re feeling generous and would like to support this award-winning, Black-woman created podcast, please consider a small, one-time donation via our new Buy Me a Coffee/Book link. Thank you & Happy Holidays!