between the reads podcast

Audra Russell chats with authors and poets Chyrel Jackson and Lyris Wallace.

Chyrel J. Jackson and Lyris D. Wallace are avid lovers, readers and writers of African American Literature. They grew up in a Southern Suburb of Chicago, IL. Country Club Hills. As young girls they read Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, and Judy Blume novels. College was the real scholastic awakening introducing these two Literary Enthusiasts to the Literary works of their great ancestors: James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou and others. These writers influenced Chyrel and Lyris so much, it only makes sense that they would now be writing in the Spirit of these ancestors and giving a voice to social issues that plague our modern time.
Their latest self-published work a book of poetry is Different Sides of the Same Coin. It is a modern and sassy collage of poetry as experienced from the Black female perspective of two sisters and authors. This timeless collection of poems is a refreshing, soul-searing and heartwarming work of new age black voice and spoken word. Black Expression has never been more vibrant, relevant and real. In this anthology of poems it is Harlem Renaissance revisited as it collides with 2020 social struggles and conditions of our current time.

Writers are born when life intersects with time and chance. You will always find them doing what they love reading, and writing. Writing, and telling stories is how they fulfill their divine purpose. You can’t ignore what is so visible and undeniable. Writing saved us at our lowest points in living. We hope to provide healing through our writing. We want to uplift others through their pain as writing has uplifted us and provided great healing in time of profound despair and hurt. Throughout the passage of time words remain.

We have a heartfelt talk about their book of poetry, Different Sides of the Same Coin. We laugh, I cry, and we bond.

You can learn more about these beautiful sistahs, buy their books, and get their social media info at www.sistersrocnrhyme.com.

So grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and enjoy...and maybe grab some tissues.

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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell speaks with author Crystal Ann Mitchell.

With her love of helping people, Crystal Ann Mitchell works as a nurse aide. She believes everyone is born with a gift. While working for others, she was also certain to pursue her own goals and dreams. From childhood, Mitchell dreamed of being a writer. She has always loved to write. She also enjoys spending time with her children, family, and friends. Mitchell is from Lexington, Kentucky. Beginning of Her Story is her debut novel. 

We talk about the inspiration behind her book, the power of choices, and dish the drama about her characters.

So sit back, relax, 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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell speaks with author  and poet Katchouscia Apollon.

Katchouscia was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  During her birth the doctor accidentally damaged the nerves on the side of her face resulting in her having a speech impediment.  Katchouscia moved permanently to the United States, Brooklyn, NY, to be exact, at the age of 3 yrs old.  She spent years feeling different and unable to express herself.  During her pre-teen years her family relocated to N.J.  It was there that she met her classmate Gloria who introduced her to poetry.

 Katchouscia, who would describe herself as a hopeless romantic and a retired freedom fighter, uses her poems to speak about love, injustice, and her faith in Jesus. She recently self-published her first book of poetry, Shades of Me.  Katchouscia lives in N.J. with her loving husband, Claude.

We talk about her poetry, the inspiration behind her writing, and even get a little taste of her poetic prowess!

So sit back, relax, 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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell talks with sci-fi author Chase Bolling.

This segment of 'Anything Goes' talks about Black authors in sci-fi. We've been in these spaces since BEFORE the genre began, with the first book dating back to 1859...even before Jules Verne and his Journey to the Center of the Earth. 

I speak with author Chase Bolling about Blacks in speculative fiction and his popular Vanguard series, which includes the increasingly popular books,  The Road of Resistance and The War We Make.

So sit back, relax, 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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell chats with author and professor Dr. Regina Bradley.

Dr. Bradley is the author of Chronicling Stankonia: the Rise of the Hip-Hop South. Chronicling Stankonia explores how Atlanta, GA hip hop duo OutKast influences the culture of the Black American South in the long shadow of the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Bradley is also the editor of a collection of essays about OutKast for the University of Georgia Press titled An OutKast Reader. 

In this episode, we talk about the rap group, OutKast, and how they made room for the South in hip hop's previously bicoastal terrain. 

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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell speaks with author Alicia Nunn.

Alicia Nunn is the author of Amazon best-seller, Ashira's World, and a contributor for Reflection magazine, Face 2 Face Africa, Chicago Tribune and Huffington Post. She has been recognized as an Athena Award and Leaders as Heroes finalist for her work as a fierce advocate for justice which is an underlying theme of her writing. Alicia uses the power of words as a force to move the reader and change the world.

In this episode, we talk about African goddesses, magical swords, and feminine power.

So sit back, relax, 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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell speaks with author and poet Tommy Gates. 

Tommy Gates, also known as The Realist Writer" is an author/poet from Savanah, Georgia who took his life story and experiences and made them vividly come to life all the while creating an undeniable storm to be reckoned with through social media by selling thousands of copies of his work around the globe. By daring to speak on topics and issues that most people stray away from The Realistic Writer captivated the hearts of readers through his raw delivery and straightforward approach which lead him to public speaking, mentoring, and currently on-stage poetry. In three years he self-published and promoted three books: Why I Don't Smile, Unhappily Ever After, and Free'Dem. The title "The Realist Writer" was adopted after followers and readers said without a doubt his work was the rarest, rawest, poetry they have ever heard.

We chat about topics Black men face like child alienation, toxic mothers, and more! So grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and listen!

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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell speaks with poet and author Kishawna Peck.

Kishawna is a Canadian creative who infuses her island roots of Jamaica into her art. She began writing and singing from a very young age and has rediscovered art as a way to express the process of unbecoming who she never was. She finds inspiration in the small rhythms of life best exemplified in her poems, webs and watering. She is excited to continue exploring her creativity and to share her poetry with a broader audience.

We have a heartfelt chat about therapy, self-care, and how she uses poetry to examine and share her world. 

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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell speaks with Dr. Joy'El Ballard.

Dr. Joy’El Ballard is a board-certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist who encourages women to take a proactive approach to their health. She is deeply passionate about educating and empowering women to initiate and maintain a healthy lifestyle. She is a best-selling author of Loving Me, Myself and “Her”: Through Perimenopause & Beyond, which is a self-affirming guide that enlightens, encourages and empowers women approaching the menopausal transition. She is the host of the Midlife-ish:Slay Menopause through Mindful Living podcast. Dr. Ballard is a Speaker who aims to provide a platform for women in the community to become educated and invigorated about facing different aspects of their health.

In this episode, we talk about all things perimenopause, y'all! Hot flashes, night sweats, masturbating, vaginal dryness and more! You'll laugh while you learn with this one, ladies!

So sit back, relax, 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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell welcomes author Tiff Bella back to Between the Reads.

Tiff Bella is the content creator and founder of The Bella Bunch. She is also a storyteller and author of over a dozen novels. Her best-selling series, Outside the Box, pushes the boundaries of imagination through its passion-filled pages. Tiff writes her stories about women because she believes “that though we may all have different stories and dispositions, we can find a piece of ourselves in every woman.”

In this episode, we dish it up about her steamy short story anthology, The Heaux Chronicles, argue about "cold drinks" (it's SODA!), and dish the dirt on her ideal man.

So sit back, relax, and get ready to laugh!

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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell chats with author Edwina Martin-Arnold.

Edwina Martin-Arnold is the author of several romance books. She is a hopeless romantic, and a true believer in happily ever after. However, Edwina knows that the path to real love is rarely straight forward. To the contrary, it’s often paved with many turns and a peril or two, in real life and in the stories she creates. When Edwina isn’t daydreaming about love, she’s using her law degree to fight for Civil Rights or is coaching basketball.

We chat about her series Chocolate Friday series, her journey from traditional publishing to indie publishing, and that hunk of a man "Flava" in her novel Chocolate Friday. 

So sit back, relax, 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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell speaks on literary blackface in the publishing industry.

Anything Goes is a new monthly segment of Between the Reads. Sometimes fun, sometimes serious, but always informative, these episodes will talk about issues related to Black Indie authors.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy! And if this made you uncomfortable... GOOD!

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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell chats with author Sharita Britten.

SHARITA BRITTEN from Philadelphia Pennsylvania is the author of the urban novel, Bottom Black Beauty. She published her debut coming-of-age novel in October 2020 through her publishing company, Black Beauty Publishing LLC, and it has received rave reviews.

Her other works include a compilation of poems that talk about love, healing and her life experiences, which she plans on releasing later this year. Bottom Black Beauty can be purchased on her website www.blackbeautypublishing.com.

We chat about her novel, her self-publishing journey, and how divine timing played a part in her publishing a novel she wrote more than 20 years ago. 

So grab your favorite beverage, sit back, 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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell chats with author JeanNicole Rivers.

Jean Nicole is a National Black Book Festival award-winner and author of two psychological horror novels, Black Water Tales: The Unwanted and Black Water Tales: The Secret Keepers. She has also garnered awards for her screenplay, If I Die, from multiple film festivals including the Shivers International Film Festival (Canada).

Currently, she is working through the third installment of her Black Water Tales series currently titled To the Moon and Back.

We dish the dirt on the creepy town of Black Water, how she loves having nightmares, and the importance of Black authors in the horror genre.

So grab your favorite beverage, sit back, 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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell chats with author Aryka Nicole Moore. 

Aryka N. Moore, Esq. is an Illinois native who received her Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She then went on to attend Georgia State University’s College of Law to receive her Juris Doctorate. Ms. Moore is admitted to practice law in Missouri and Georgia. She is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and the Mound City Bar Association. Ms. Moore also volunteers with the Ferguson Legal Defense team. Her passion is and will always be writing!

We talk about her love for horror movies, why she writes in the horror genre, her aspirations to permanently scared the bejeezus out of people, and more! 

So grab your favorite beverage, sit back, 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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell chats with author & entrepreneur Leslie Crawford.

Leslie Crawford is a rising literary mogul in her own right.  She is successfully navigating the pages of her own story right before our eyes.  With over 10 years of experience, she has self-published four books of her own while also guiding other authors.  Leslie began Exposed Books Publishing, LLC in 2013 in Baltimore, MD.  In 2018 she was able to turn her passion into her full-time business.  She strives to give authors their literary freedom through their finished book projects.

We talk about her motivational workbook for young Black girls, entitled Dear Future Black Queen, her publishing company, and her mentor program that helps aspiring writers become self-published authors AND entrepreneurs!

So grab your favorite beverage, sit back, 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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell chats with author Keith Kareem Williams. 

Keith Kareem Williams is the author of over 20 books and 7 screenplays. He still resides in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York, where he delicately balances his time between his responsibilities as a single father and the challenges of being a full-time author.

In interviews, one of the most difficult questions he’s been asked is, ‘What genre are your novels?’ because honestly, he never writes with any particular style in mind. He enjoys blending styles and mashing different genres together in interesting ways. Basically, he pens whatever is in his heart and soul. However, if he had to describe his style, he would use musical terms and say that he writes Urban, Hip-Hop fiction with the rhythm of Reggae that crashed into Heavy Metal and then began to bleed Neo-Soul. He calls it Alternative Urban Fiction.©

We discuss his writing career and get in between the pages of Hurricane Love and The War Angel Trilogy. 

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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell chats with author and entrepreneur N.D. Brennan.

In 1998, a successful young entrepreneur, technology innovator, and writer, N.D. Brennan, attempted to purchase a Mercedes Benz from a local dealership in Atlanta, Georgia. It was after he had been credit approved, that this young radical, cornrowed professional African American man was suddenly approached by the owner of the dealership. Mr. Brennan had purposely deviated from his traditional corporate appearance of a low-cropped haircut to a well-groomed braided hairstyle. His reasoning: "I was tired of watching white people assume that every black man with gold teeth, dreadlocks, or braided hair was a gangster or thug and ignorant."

That day lead to a pivotal question raised in his consciousness: "I wonder what America would be like if white people had been slaves; or if our history was theirs?"

In this episode, N.D. and I chat about his debut novel, Reciprocal, where he created this world he wondered about -- and the complex emotions it evokes.

So grab your favorite beverage, sit back, 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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell chats with forensic toxicologist, entrepreneur, and author Tamykah Anthony.

Tamykah Anthony is a passionate and award winning Forensic Toxicologist with a deep love for the community. She is also an entrepreneur and educator. She serves as a mentor, role model, and an inspiration to children and women, specifically those in the Brooklyn community where she grew up.  

Her book, Diary of a MisEducated Baby Mama, is a raw autobiographical poetic memoir that is unapologetically honest about the unspoken realities of being a single mother.

We get raw and real as we talk about the soul-stirring poems in her book, Diary of a Miseducated Baby Mama. 

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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/

Audra Russell chats with author T.H. Moore about his book, I AM.

T.H. Moore is a Southwest Philadelphia native who relocated to Camden, New Jersey at the age of ten. He’s an active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Morgan State University. His career as an Information Technology Consultant and Real-Estate investor has afforded him the opportunity to travel to many countries all over the world as well as the majority of the United States. Blending experience with imagination helped formulate the basis of, and inspired him to write his first novel, The End Justifies the Means.

We talk about his book, I AM, which deals with police brutality as well as the current state of race relations in the U.S.

This episode pulls no punches. So grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and listen. 

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 to amplify and celebrate Black voices. Here are three easy ways to support the show:

1. A one-time donation at https://ko-fi.com/betweenthereadspodcast
2. A recurring monthly donation at https://www.patreon.com/betweenthereads.
3. Purchase Between the Reads swag at https://www.betweenthereads.com/store/