May 1, 2023 • 36 mins
The LA Time Festival of Books was explosive! And Malik Books has been named a special seller for the Children’s Stage!
And Malik went on an interview spree talking with…
- Aaron Becker, Author/ Illustrator of The Tree and the River
- Aida Salazar, Author of Jovita Wore Pants
- Amerie, author of You Will Do Great Things
- Raissa Figueroa, illustrator of You Will Do Great Things
- Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt, author of Goodnight Sister
- Kwame Alexander, author of How to Write a Poem
- Actor Leslie Odom Jr. and Nicolette Robinson authors of I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know
- Actor Max Greenfield, author of I Don’t Want to Read This Book Aloud
- Michael Sampson, author of The Story of Ukraine and Bing! Bang! Chugga! Beep!
- Nic Stone, author of Clean Getaway and Chaos Theory
- Peloton Head Instructor Robin Arzón, author of Strong Mama and Strong Baby
E-mail Malik at RealMalikMuhammad@gmail.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
My league books has all the knowledge you want.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
My league has all the knowledge you needle Yet.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
They have all the books that.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
The whole wild world one of read Malague Books.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to Malik's Bookshelf, bringing a world together
with books, culture and community.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Woo.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
The La Times Festival of Books was explosive, high energy, enlightening, informative.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
People came by the thousands.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
We curated Malie Books was the children's stage special seller.
We also had a couple of booths out there that
was a hit and we got so many compliments. I mean,
Leak's Bookshelf was about community. This was a community event
(01:02):
and book lovers came out by the thousand. It was
extraordinary and I had a wonderful time. It was a
lot of work, Don't get me wrong. I mean we worked,
we worked, we worked. I had volunteers. They came through
and we put on a very smooth, seamlessly business that day.
(01:27):
The authors had a wonderful experience and we had a
lot of authors. You know, last week, well two weeks ago,
I did an intro to what was going on at the.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
La Times Festival Book. So this week.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
I'm going to feature all the interviews that I was
able to get. Now, it's a lot of noise sometimes
in the background, it is what it is. But I
was I could not resist the opportunity to interview all
these wonderful authors. And now at my own booth out there,
I had around seventeen authors that were signing between my
(02:09):
two booths. Now some of them are already had featured
and some I didn't.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
But on the.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Children's stage as a special seller, there were there were
authors like Kwame Alexander that I was able to interview.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
There were other.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
And Marie and a very very gifted illustrator by the
name Araza.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
I was able to out of Salazar. I was able
to say, if you if.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
I was around there, I was bouncing between booths and booths,
going back and forth because you know, we had a
lot going on, and our volunteers stepped up and made
it possible so that I could be free to go
to each booth and handle you know, different situations. But
primarily I need did to get these interviews, and I
(03:01):
needed to be free and roll up, you know, because
it ain't every day that I have these type of
you know, best sellers, best selling authors right here right now,
where I can just interview why they signing, And so
I was able to interview Max Greenfield, and I interviewed
Robin Alison, who's the vit VP of Poloton and you know,
(03:26):
and you know, everybody was receptive. It was some hiccups,
don't get me wrong, but hey, most for the most
part took pictures. I interview and we had a wonderful time.
And that's why I'm a feature on this episode. I
think that, you know, this is a great opportunity to
(03:48):
focus right on the books community and how the world
is brought together, bringing a world together with books, culture.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
And community, and that was the type of event.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
This, I believe one of the biggest, if not the
biggest book festival in America. I'm not sure, but I
know one thing.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
It was huge. It was a success. It was.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Quite well attended, in thousands, I will say, Man, over
one hundred thousand people between Saturday and Sunny came out.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
And so I'm gonna.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Go ahead and bring on, you know, my interviews at
this point because I didn't said enough. Now I'm gonna
let you hear from them. This is Malik Muhammad, your
host of Malik's Bookshelf.
Speaker 5 (04:46):
Aaron Becker, the author of the Tree and the River
and a whole host of other books.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Can you tell me a little bit about your.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Work, Aaron, Well, most of the books that I do
are wordless book These ones are for younger, the younger crowd.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
And if you hold it up to the light, it glows,
it glows.
Speaker 6 (05:10):
Yeah, and uh I saw that, yes, and so wordless
and toddler books and lots of adventure and thought provoking discussions,
all that.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Stuff, Okay, And what inspired you to become a children author?
Speaker 6 (05:24):
I had wanted to be a kid's book author since
I was a kid, and I made my own books
and the rest was history. I just like put one
foot in front of the other until I made my
dream happen manifest.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Well, you know, it all start with a dream, and
it all start with belief, and it all start with desire.
You had a combination all that. Now you got about
how many books you.
Speaker 6 (05:47):
Probablish, Well, I don't know. I'm up to be like
maybe seven, eight nine. I don't even know, because there's
ones coming out, there's ones that just came out, and uh,
I just keep working, keep working.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
So what's in the store for you?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Now?
Speaker 1 (05:58):
What what's coming out next spring.
Speaker 6 (06:01):
I have another wordless picture book called The Last Zookeeper,
and that's like a Noah's Ark parable about the future
and where we're headed with the climate, but also a
total adventure story with a gigantic robot the size of
Godzilla who saves the forgotten animals of a zoo.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Wow. Wow.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
So what's your favorite out of all the books she read?
What's your favorite?
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Oh? My gosh.
Speaker 6 (06:24):
My favorite book that I've done is called A Stone
for Sasha, and that is a book about a rock
that falls to the earth and like over thousands and
thousands of years, changes form. People find it, they use
it in their buildings, their civilizations, and it ends up
washed up on a beach as a polished stone that
(06:45):
a girl finds and puts on the top of a
grave of her dog who's just passed. So she finds
solace in like the grand nature of history and big ideas.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Man, I do big ideas. I love it.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
I love you gotta be imaginative, you gotta be creative.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
And I'm just talking to you just a few minutes.
I can tell you have all of that.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
And that's a good thing, because that's what makes children
books so pop out and so lively. You know, you
know how to connect, you know how to relate, and
I just love that and you and I love the passion.
I love you excitement. I love how you describe your books.
That was outstanding, Aaron. This has been a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
We out here at the.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Lost Angy Toimes Festival Books and Aaron just spoke on
the main children's stage.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
He did his thing.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Now he's signing books for the public, and he's signing
books for the bookstore, and so any last word thoughts
for us? Aaron?
Speaker 6 (07:35):
Oh yes, get out there, read, find your imagination and
remember hold on to wonder.
Speaker 7 (07:41):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
There you heard it straight from Aaron Becker. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Okay, this is Malie's bookshelf, bringing the world together with books,
culture and community. I'm with Aita sellers are that's right
at the La Times Festival book She just wrote a
new book, Jovita war Pants, the story of she Ca
in Freedom Fighter. She also got a gang other books
in the Spirit of a Dream, Thirteen Stories of Africa,
(08:05):
Immigration of Color, that's Land of the Cranes, The Moon Within,
Calling the Moon, sixteen Piers, sixteen Piers Stories from Bobbing authors.
I got to stand right here. Tell me about your inspiration.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
What made you write?
Speaker 8 (08:21):
Ah?
Speaker 7 (08:22):
Well, actually, I've been a storyteller since I was a
little girl. But the first person to ever give me
a book to read was my fifth grade teacher, mister Clark,
and he also gave me a pen, and I used
that pen to write stories and bad poetry. And but
when I was in it was eighteen, I went to
college and it was the first time I saw myself reflected.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
In a book.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
That's amazed.
Speaker 7 (08:45):
I read Elena Maria Viramontez Sandrasis, Rodolfo Yo and all
of these authors, and I said, wait a minute, you
mean all things that I've been writing with my Parker
pen all these years could be in a book. That's
when I decided you said.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Something very important. You said, I'm very important.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
And I repeated that twice, because representation matters. You have
to see yourself in books to believe in yourself and
love yourself. And so that was a major awakening for you.
Speaker 7 (09:13):
Oh absolutely, it transformed my life. It set me in
the path that I am now. It took me a
long time, took me about twenty five years to get
to publish because it's not easy to publish with your
Mexican immigrant, you know, and our stories are not valued
in the same way. So now I kicked the door
open here and I have you.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Do you know how many kids, youth have been inspired
because they pick up your book and they see themselves.
That's why many books exist, because representation matters. Kids are
one hundred percent of a few that we need to
see ourselves. And I didn't grow up seeing myself, but
I see myself now, and I'm helping trim to the
(09:55):
cell of books with black and brown people because that's important.
You know, there's gonna be more minorities in America. It's
gonna be the majority, all right. So in a few
more years, we gonna be the majority. So hey, this
is wonderful. Tell me all about your next steps in life,
(10:16):
what you got working on, and where we going from here?
Speaker 7 (10:19):
Okay, So I've got a few things coming down the pike.
I got a board book series coming start in the fall,
and then next year I got another novel in Verse
called Ultra Violence, about a little boy who falls in
love and gets his heart broken. And so but it's
it's it's a story that's hopefully gonna teach children how
(10:40):
to not be toxic. Right when you get, when you lose,
or when you have your heartbroken.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Yeah, I've been there. I've been there, but I brought
it upon myself. I take the blame for my heartbreak.
I can't put the blame on nobody else but myself.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Put here.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
A lot of that happens, you know why, because really
it takes years for us to know ourselves, discover ourselves.
So then once we find out who we are, then
we can make a better relationship. But until then, guess what,
you know, we like a baby with a hammer. Everything
is a nail.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. And that's the thing.
Speaker 7 (11:10):
I think black and brown boys in particular have not
been given the space to love and to feel lost,
and to grieve and to cry and to go through
all the emotions.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
So we have.
Speaker 7 (11:21):
We have these really sad people in the world, and
a lot of hurt happens because of that. So to
themselves and.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Others, keep up the good work. We appreciate you. This
is amazing. Best of love. Thank you, thank you man.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
I missed my injoke. I gotta start it all over.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
From Leak's bookshelf, Bringing the world together with books, coach
and community. Listen, I got this wonderful book, You Will
Do Great Things just came out and I got both
for the author and illustrator. Now, I don't want to
get your names wrong, so hey, I'm gonna start with
the author.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Tell them your name.
Speaker 9 (12:00):
That's a really good one, mister, I'm gonna use that.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
I'm gonna get your name wrong.
Speaker 9 (12:05):
My name is Amory, and I am the Amory and
I am the writer of You Will Do Great Things.
Speaker 10 (12:11):
And this is I am right as a figure out,
and I am the illustrator, illustrator.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
And the author right here o Ma Lee's folks show.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Now you got to tell him about the book, and
then you're gonna tell me about the inspiration behind the illustrations.
Speaker 9 (12:24):
Well, you know, ultimately I created You Will Do Great
Things because you know, my son River was born and
I really wanted to, but she suggested it put into
words everything that I feel for him, everything that I
wanted to prepare him for. You know, I really wanted
him to know that he is here to do something
(12:45):
great and that the world is amazing and it's wonderful,
but it doesn't mean it's everything's.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Going to be easy.
Speaker 9 (12:50):
But even if it's not easy, I wanted him to
know that he is equipped with everything that he needs
and he may pick up supplies along the way, but
his backpack does have the essentials. That's kind of like
the thing I was thinking, and I want. I wanted
him to have that message.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
But it was also important to me that when he.
Speaker 10 (13:07):
Was looking at a book, he saw someone who looked
like himself.
Speaker 9 (13:09):
That was very important to me because I do believe
that kids need to have all people featured on their bookshelves,
and but there was I felt that this was something
in particular, that there was space for that, this message,
because I was like, I was looking for it on
Amazon actually, and I couldn't find this. This is also
three years ago. I couldn't find this message. Everything that
(13:31):
I wanted to say number one and number two someone
that featured him. You know, I wanted him to see him.
Somebody didn't want her to bed it matters. I didn't,
you know, I didn't didn't.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Grow up with these books looking like me. I didn't,
and I just me.
Speaker 9 (13:44):
I grew up in a very in a very diverse situation.
So I honestly didn't really think about like the differences
between races or ethnicities, even though I grew up around
people who were Guamanian, Mexican, Mexican and white, Korean and white, Black,
German and white everything. But I said, I didn't really
think about difference as much I saw it. But I
didn't think about it. But I didn't realize that even
(14:05):
though I had a very diverse upbringing surrounding me, because
so many of the books that when I was a
kid did feature Caucasian children, I didn't realize until I
was a teenager writing.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
I was like, why am I not writing.
Speaker 9 (14:20):
Anyone that looks like me? Because you internalized the message
that yes, everything's mixed, everyone's represented, But when when we
have stories, you don't.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
You don't have a place here, absolutely.
Speaker 9 (14:32):
And I didn't.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
And that was a sad realization.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
So it took you having a child to have an awakening,
or you got it just before I.
Speaker 9 (14:40):
Got that awakening when I was a teenager, when I
was looking at my own stories and realizing that I
wasn't putting myself in my own stories because somehow it's
just like, oh, that's they're never We're never in stories
like not the stories I read about the magic and
this and that we're just not really in them. I mean,
I did read Rainbow Jordan, I hear ain't nothing about
a sandwich. But when it's just a girl about writing
a horror I don't. I don't really see that. A
(15:02):
kid who has magic, I didn't see that. And so
you know, sometimes we internalize those things without realizing, and
I think the best way, just like that's subconscious. The
best way to let kids know that the world is diverse,
that they belong, that we all have a place is
again on a subconscious level, where it's just them seeing
themselves and seeing everyone and that that was important.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
That's why they mattered. That's why.
Speaker 9 (15:28):
It's a subconscious and so you don't want to be
careful what you're feeding. So that's also why I think
like You Will Do Great Things is great for graduates,
but also for adults too, Like I think everybody needs
to be reminded sometimes that whatever we're going through in life,
we do have the answers in us, and we might
call to ask for advice, but at the end of
the day, we kind of know what we need to do.
We just we are just waiting for someone to be like, girl,
(15:51):
you're right that's what you need to do. And I
think we just have to remember that we don't have
to do that.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Listen, you gave up in shun motivation, you gave the
front story to backstory.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Oh why your book exists? That was outstanding. Wow.
Speaker 9 (16:09):
But that's only half of it. Because of course we
have an amazing illustrator, rice A Figaroa, who was able
to take all of that, everything that I just said,
and put it into such beautiful.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Imagery, and that matters.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
That matters because look, when I'm reading, I need to
see the images, and here we go.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
I don't get the.
Speaker 10 (16:26):
Name wrong, it's right, it was right, and I did
the images for you'll do great things. My inspiration, I guess,
was just I had free range to kind of do
whatever it was that came to mind, and I got
honed and I'm just very blessed to be able to
(16:49):
work on this project because it was really freeing.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
So you get the manuscript first, and then you brought
a pictures from the manuscript.
Speaker 10 (16:56):
Yeah, yeah, okay, and then they look it and they're like, okay,
this is what we want. This is maybe not along
the lines, but we.
Speaker 6 (17:01):
Were thinking.
Speaker 10 (17:05):
It's like three times to get it right, I.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Think, okay, okay, but it was, yeah, here it is.
And you you also have illustrated so many other books,
and you have another one that just is about to
come out.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
And tell us about that.
Speaker 10 (17:21):
I have which you talk about what.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
My daddy loves.
Speaker 10 (17:32):
It's like an ode to black fathers and their kids.
And that just came about just because on Instagram I
was drying. I didn't know how to draw men really
and I wanted to practice, and so an editor saw
and They're like, this could make a good book.
Speaker 11 (17:45):
And I'm like, all right, wow, just doing something you
already love and just trying to work on your craft
and your perfection and another book just popped up out
of you.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
I know, that's amazing. What's What's something else? Probably don't know,
but you can share with my audience.
Speaker 7 (18:06):
That I can share.
Speaker 10 (18:08):
I don't know if I can share anything.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
I know y'all be doing all them secret things.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
Man.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
I said, Oh, I can't talk about that right now,
but you got to wait a year. It's gonna come
out boom and there it is. Any tips, any ship
give us a clue. I mean, we know my books is.
Speaker 10 (18:25):
Coming, Okay. The one I can tell you about the
coming out of me. There's real to me that comes
up May second, along with what my daddy loves. I'm sorry, sorry,
it's her to do this.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
This is amazing. Listen, listen.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
I'm enjoying the conversation, you know, and I thank you
for sharing with my audience on Malice Bookshelf bringing the
World Together with.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Books, Culture and Community. Thank you, Thank.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
You the author good Night Sister, Catherine Schwassernagger Pratt. She
in the special selling booth and I got the interview
for a Malice Bookshelf bringing the World Together, Books, Culture
and Community.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Tell us about your book, good Night Sister.
Speaker 12 (19:07):
Oh wow, such passion. It's a book about sisterhood called
good Night's Sister. I wrote it based on the relationship
I have with my sister Christina, and I'm really excited
to be here today and talking about sisterhood.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Overwhelmed response, because that's all we got left because we
ordered a lot of books.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
That is amazing. I know you probably on book number two.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
This is the first book you autographed. Oh hey, hello,
learn something about Katherine. Listen, give me a shout out
and let me my fans on Malice's Bookshelf give them
something about what can inspire them, motivate them, become author.
Speaker 12 (19:39):
Just be excited and passionate about what you want to
write about and put it out in the world. No
one will be as excited as you are, So keep
up that passion and keep up that excitement about it,
and just work, work, work, hard, hard, heart to get
it all done.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
She on her fit going on her six books.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
So hey, you heard it personally from Catherine Swalking to Pratt,
Thank you, You're welcome. While you signed a quirer, I
know you multitask. I'm going to ask a few questions from.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
A podcast release's.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Bookshelf bringing the world together with books, culture and community.
My brother, is a pleasure meeting you for the first time.
I love your work. What's next for you?
Speaker 1 (20:15):
My brother? What's next?
Speaker 13 (20:18):
Writing book two of the Door of No Return trilogy,
writing a picture book on the history of black music,
and a memoir that's coming out on May twenty third,
called Wife Father's Crest Night Man?
Speaker 2 (20:27):
How do you find the time to write all the
book you just you just release? How to write a poem?
That's what you spoke here today at the La Times
Festival Books.
Speaker 13 (20:36):
I have no idea how I find the time. If
I took the time to think about it, I'd probably
go crazy because it's a bit much.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
So I don't think about it. Well, you know you
probably put you do it. You just do it.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Do you pray for success, You pray for all this work,
You pray for this level of opportunity.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
So now that you have it, do you enjoy it?
I love it.
Speaker 13 (20:55):
I love my job, you know. I love being able
to write books, tell my stories and come out and
share stories like the ones I shared today at the
La Times Book Festival. So I'm very passionate about it.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Amazing.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
The energy was high, the passion was great, and I
could eat love what you do. And you know, I'm
going to feed on that energy because I love to
bring that kind of passion to Malice bookshelf. You know,
books are important, and I see that you have a
passion to elevate our voice.
Speaker 13 (21:22):
Yeah, I mean, I believe the words matter, and I
believe that we got our responsibility as children's assors, as teachers,
as librarians to help young people imagine a better world.
And what better way to do that than through books?
Speaker 2 (21:33):
When did you first dream of this glorious career you
have now.
Speaker 13 (21:38):
I don't know if I dreamt about it. I tell
people all the time, I didn't find poetry, I didn't
find books.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
They found me.
Speaker 13 (21:44):
So wow, I was probably my parents probably I'm like
the man train candidate of books.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
And what some of the challenges that you had to
overcome to get, you know, to be successful? You know
here you have a cumative amount of books that you read,
but you started out with that first one. And how
the challenges he came and proceeded after that?
Speaker 13 (22:06):
Yeah, I mean it's always you're writing books, so the
idea is just a very subjective thing.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Who's gonna like it?
Speaker 13 (22:13):
And so when publishers weren't really into my books, I
published them myself. So there were definitely challenges, but I'll
figure out how to overcome them because I really believed
in this, in this thing that I was.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Doing, absolutely absolutely.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
And I know that how to write a book? Now
you got how to write a poem? I'm sure you're
going to continue that title how to what.
Speaker 13 (22:35):
How to Sing a Song? Comes out in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
I knew it. I do how to sing a song? Now?
Have you sang a song? My brother?
Speaker 12 (22:42):
No?
Speaker 1 (22:42):
I can't sing no me either. I leave that to song.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
What else what I'm singing may says keep you daytime job,
But I would love to know how So what's your
inspiration for writing that upcoming?
Speaker 13 (22:57):
I have a friend who is a singer and a
guitarist and we wanted to work on a book together
and it seemed like the right book for both of us,
and it seemed like the right way to end this trilogy.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
So soon to come is you're working with Disney. I
think what crossover.
Speaker 13 (23:17):
Crossover the TV series on Disney Plus and it's out
now and it's you know, we've been working on it
for three years, so it's good to see it on
the spreads.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Absolutely absolutely, Well, you definitely have contributed to the magnification
of our voice and we look you know, we want
you to continue that journey and inspire along the way
the next generation of great writers. And uh and I
know you you were part of some campaign one time
to write to write a writing campaign? How did that
end up?
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Which campaign was a.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Campaign where you on Instagram you was telling people about
an opportunity.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
For the America's next great author. Yeah, it's a reality.
Speaker 13 (23:55):
Show and producing, Yeah, trying to trying to help other
writers in America do this thing that took me twenty
three years to do, and that is figure out how
to make a living writing your books, telling your stories,
and so hopefully other writers won't have to go through
those twenty three years I went through.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
So that's what the reality show is about. That's amazing.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
And when do you think project it is going to
come out?
Speaker 13 (24:15):
Probably twenty twenty four or twenty five.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Okay, so you already finished, you just doing the editing.
Speaker 13 (24:20):
No, in the middle of shooting.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Okay, okay, okay, any last thoughts you'd like to share
with Melie's Books show.
Speaker 13 (24:25):
I'm just, you know, really thankful that independent bookstores you know,
are here to share the books that writers you know,
spend their lives working on. That you all are here
to support us, and we want to support you. So
keep the good work.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Thank you, Thank you, kawan appreciate that was Kawmi Alexander,
you heard it first hand interview for Malik's Bookshew bringing
the world together with books, culture and community.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Okay, Okay, I just want.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
To just ask them real quick question for the fans
of Malik's Book show and the fans a Malik's bookstore.
I got Leslie Odham Junior, Nikola Robinson right here. What
do you have to say inspiration for the next generation?
Speaker 9 (25:08):
Keep reading period, absolutely and get your books from Aleik's bookstore.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
You heard it personally from two authors that just wrote
a new book.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
Leslie Man, this is great.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
You know what I like to do is just tell
me what was your inspiration for writing this wonderful children's book?
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Reading wonderful children's books. You know the fact that we
read so many to our kids made us want to contribute.
You know, it's it's an offering and we hope it's
worthy to sit on the shelves. You know, a wonderful
library we have at home and at your bookstore.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
At my bookstore, and I'm in you know the books
that you've written before the children book we carried at
the bookstore.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Now you'd end up in what.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
I call children a one hundred percent of our future.
Nico Let, what'd you think about that?
Speaker 10 (25:58):
That's amazing. I'm all for it.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
I support it.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Max Max Max Malik from Elgue Books. I know you
didn't bounce from one booth to another. The lines were long.
I walk listen at the special selling Children's State booth
Jumping booth Jump.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
It is funny because I.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
Walked sixty seconds over there at the Children's State and
the line still was going.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
That's how long it was to get.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Your autographed, your popular what's your secret?
Speaker 1 (26:35):
I wish I knew?
Speaker 6 (26:37):
I just show up.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Well, hey, between this year last year, they come out
by the numbers. I always try to get a chance
out here to get some interviews from podcasts. Malice bookshell
bring the world together through books, culture and community. I
just want to get some you know, for you to
give my audience something they can hold on too. In
(27:01):
your miraculous career as a children booked author.
Speaker 14 (27:06):
This is write what you know now and have fun
with that. These books are really fun and it feels
like people have fun with them, have fun reading them.
And uh, you know, it's it's a personal experience. It's
based on a personal experience with that I've had it
not only as a writer.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
But as a as a.
Speaker 14 (27:25):
As a parent, and as a reader myself. And uh,
as long as you keep it honest and real, it
feels like, you know, people seem to enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Thank you, Mike appreciate much success.
Speaker 14 (27:39):
Which book you're working on, nixt I don't want to
read this book aloud.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Hello, you heard it, Louve from mix Greenfield, Thank you,
thank you, thank you. Malik's bookshelf got Michael Sampei. I'm
gonna let him talk to you about all the beautiful
work he's doing trying to inspire youth, the children, and
he even had Katherine Kate. I get you're creatian for Kathany, right,
So they got a book I'll call you on Ukraine
(28:03):
in what's the complete title.
Speaker 8 (28:04):
It's the Story of Ukraine, an Anthem of Glory and Freedom.
It's a book that we wrote to be able to
help the world understand what Ukraine is going through with
the invasion of Russia and so much propaganda was coming out.
So the books set in three parts. The first part,
the first eight pages tell about the history and geography
and the people of Ukraine. The second eight pages we
(28:25):
go through the national anthem, where we go line by
line what the language means. And then the third section
we cover the symbols of Ukraine, things like the flag,
the national flower which is sunflower, the tree zoop which
is our symbol which you find on some of the
old coins and flags, and then we wrap up talking
about some of the great Ukrainians in history, the great writers,
(28:46):
the great inventors, the great poets, and the great painters.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
So it's a really moving book.
Speaker 8 (28:51):
When people ask me what my favorite book is I've
written out of the fifty, I have to say the
Story of Ukraine because it's meaningful. It's impacting children's lives,
because it gives which back for Ukrainian kids, refugees when
their colleagues here about what a great country they are
living in or we're living in. And also I think
it just says something about democracy that we're helping support Ukraine.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
Wow wow, Wow, that was a great book. Description, amazing.
In fact, you travel around and you even speak the
book in Ukraine.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Correct, right, Sometimes I'm speaking in the Ukrainian Why in.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
English is different? You were born in Ukraine and you
came here as a result of the war.
Speaker 6 (29:34):
Yes, he came here after the war in my country.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Wow wow wow wow. Well you just heard Michael Samby.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
He said he wrote fifty books and he got a
new one called I.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
Believe What's Bing Bang chugg a beet? Hello, tell us
about that book.
Speaker 8 (29:48):
So it's a fun book for prescooters and talking about
their favorite toy. In this case, the little boy's name is
Charlie and a car is this old car is his
favorite toy. Rewrote it to the rhythm of this so man,
but this called this little car, and we called it
being banged chucking because that's the sound the truck of
the car makes, is just bouncing around. And so we
think it's going to be a great gift for children.
(30:11):
And they talk about their favorite toys were.
Speaker 1 (30:12):
In the book.
Speaker 8 (30:13):
Actually the kids what their favorite toy is. And we
have all kinds of things to choose from or they
can make up through on you.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Heard it live, Michael simp appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
This is Malik's bookshelf, bringing a world together with books,
culture and community. I'm at the La Times Festival Books.
I'm getting wonderful authors who are representing the voice of
blackness in America. Books that can be read Black kids,
White clips, Asian clip, Mason kids. And guess who I
got standing right here, Nick Stone, the author of Getaway
(30:46):
and a Whole.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
And she could tell you all the other ones.
Speaker 15 (30:48):
I mean there's a few, only a few, a few. Yeah,
dear Martin, Dear Justice, Been Get Away Fast, bitching on
and on and on on and.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
On and on. So when I'm traveling to.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
Schools, I like to carry your books because you all
your books kind of you know, they chapter books and
it deals with all the grade levels. And so what
inspired you to write and do the things that you're
doing to make an impact and giving voice to.
Speaker 15 (31:12):
The voice not seeing the kind of things I'm making
when I was a kid and needing them. So really
just wanting to give my kids a different experience than
the one I had. Ryan never saw myself in books.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
Wow, wow wow.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
And so when did this journey start and what was
the first title you published?
Speaker 1 (31:28):
And what's the latest title you published.
Speaker 15 (31:30):
So the first title was Dear Martin that published in
twenty seventeen, and Chaos Theory is the thirteenth and it
published in February twenty twenty three, So February twenty eighth,
twenty twenty three was the most recent one.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Right, right, that's the venture sci fi Chaos Theory.
Speaker 15 (31:49):
No, actually, it's a book about mental health. But one
of the protagonists is obsessed with astrophysics.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Okay, okay, wonderful, you know, deal Martin and Deal Justice.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
My daughter was fourteen. She read both of your books.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
She recommended her older brother read it. She Uh, I
think she was touched by it. She reads a lot.
And uh so what's new? What's upcoming? And uh talk
about films that are being produced.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
From your books?
Speaker 15 (32:19):
I mean technically I'm not allowed to. And honestly, I
don't know what's upcoming. I'm in a very interesting space
where I haven't written anything new, and so I'm trying
to figure out what we're doing next.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Are you thinking about like a novel?
Speaker 15 (32:31):
Oh, probably a novel, I'm sure.
Speaker 6 (32:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 15 (32:33):
I don't know what about though, So we'll see.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
Talking about a picture book, we'll see.
Speaker 15 (32:37):
All I know is I got to write something when
you're young.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
So.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
We'll figure it out.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
You got time, you young, beautiful talent, did gifted, you know,
giving voice to the voiceless, anything.
Speaker 1 (32:49):
That I left out raising the roof.
Speaker 15 (32:51):
You know, I showed you I'm not actually that young.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
I I'm raising the roof.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
Okay, she shown Look, Yeah, so she got them God.
Speaker 15 (32:58):
Jeans, STEP's melanin Melody.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Yes, thank you, Nick Stone, Safe Travels. You know we
at the Los Ange Times Books. She disappeared at the
why stage. Okay, And what's some of the things you
talked about.
Speaker 15 (33:13):
I mean, we talked a lot about mental health. We
talked a lot about telling stories that aren't frequently told,
and the power of making sure kids are able to
see themselves reflected in what they're reading.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
Yes, yet, representation matter, always, absolutely matters, and our voice matter.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
We've been silent too long.
Speaker 15 (33:32):
Yes, that's why I'm not shutting up.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
Thank you, Nick.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
Keep the journey, keep the elevation, keep the prosperity, do
your thing.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
Thank you Malik.
Speaker 15 (33:42):
You keep up what you're doing as well, because it
is killer.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Thanks.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Robin Ella's on right here at the La Times Festival
book she didn't autograph Strong Baby, Strong.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
Mama out here line was down.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
I took me fifty sixty seconds to.
Speaker 1 (33:59):
Walk right to the front to see what she was signing.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
That's how the outpoint of love and the purchase of
books came across. So listen is for the Malik's Bookshelf,
bringing the world together with books, culture and community. How
you doing give me a shout out from my podcast
Malak's Bookshelf? So what inspired I know you work with Palanthon.
Tell me your position and roll there.
Speaker 10 (34:24):
I'm vice president of fitness programming and head instructor.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Wow, wow, wow, you only got means and means of
people to sign on peloton.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
Right, Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 9 (34:33):
People moving.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
So you're off to both of these books? And what's
your inspiration?
Speaker 10 (34:39):
That movement is medicine and that self care is not selfish.
Speaker 9 (34:43):
It's a really important thing to prioritize so we can be,
you know, stronger for our communities.
Speaker 10 (34:48):
And our families.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
Absolutely, And so how long you been in the fitness
almost ten years?
Speaker 5 (34:55):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (34:56):
Was it through high school?
Speaker 8 (34:58):
No?
Speaker 15 (34:58):
It wasn't.
Speaker 6 (34:59):
No that adulthood, adulthood.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
You found fitness and its changed you mentally.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Inspiracy, that's right?
Speaker 9 (35:05):
Yeah, yes?
Speaker 2 (35:07):
And and what what what's next for you?
Speaker 1 (35:11):
What's next?
Speaker 10 (35:12):
I'm I'm working on an empowerment journal that will be
releasing this song.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Okay, okay, And I'm assuming that you're expecting Hello Hello?
Speaker 1 (35:24):
Was that dance person by a strong baby?
Speaker 6 (35:26):
Plan was already written before I was pregnant, but.
Speaker 10 (35:31):
Yeah, it certainly still applies.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Right right, right? Right?
Speaker 2 (35:36):
So what what are some of the keys to uh
to get a person motivated to want to work out?
Speaker 5 (35:42):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (35:42):
I think start small and schedule your workouts. Make it
part of your daily schedule.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Yeah, and and any last inspiration you can give to
my Police Bookschef audience.
Speaker 6 (35:54):
Oh well, I.
Speaker 10 (35:55):
Think reading is jet fuel for a hustler, so keep
opening books.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
You heard it live from Robin Alison.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Thanks for listening to Malik's Bookshelf, where topics on the
shelf are books, culture, and community.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
Be sure to subscribe and leave me a review. Check
out my Instagram at Malak Books. See you next time.
My league books has all the knowledge you want.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
My league has all the knowledge you needle Yet.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
They have all the books that.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
The whole wild world one of read Malague Books.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to Malik's Bookshelf, bringing a world together
with books, culture and community.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Woo.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
The La Times Festival of Books was explosive, high energy, enlightening, informative.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
People came by the thousands.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
We curated Malie Books was the children's stage special seller.
We also had a couple of booths out there that
was a hit and we got so many compliments. I mean,
Leak's Bookshelf was about community. This was a community event
(01:02):
and book lovers came out by the thousand. It was
extraordinary and I had a wonderful time. It was a
lot of work, Don't get me wrong. I mean we worked,
we worked, we worked. I had volunteers. They came through
and we put on a very smooth, seamlessly business that day.
(01:27):
The authors had a wonderful experience and we had a
lot of authors. You know, last week, well two weeks ago,
I did an intro to what was going on at the.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
La Times Festival Book. So this week.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
I'm going to feature all the interviews that I was
able to get. Now, it's a lot of noise sometimes
in the background, it is what it is. But I
was I could not resist the opportunity to interview all
these wonderful authors. And now at my own booth out there,
I had around seventeen authors that were signing between my
(02:09):
two booths. Now some of them are already had featured
and some I didn't.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
But on the.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Children's stage as a special seller, there were there were
authors like Kwame Alexander that I was able to interview.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
There were other.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
And Marie and a very very gifted illustrator by the
name Araza.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
I was able to out of Salazar. I was able
to say, if you if.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
I was around there, I was bouncing between booths and booths,
going back and forth because you know, we had a
lot going on, and our volunteers stepped up and made
it possible so that I could be free to go
to each booth and handle you know, different situations. But
primarily I need did to get these interviews, and I
(03:01):
needed to be free and roll up, you know, because
it ain't every day that I have these type of
you know, best sellers, best selling authors right here right now,
where I can just interview why they signing, And so
I was able to interview Max Greenfield, and I interviewed
Robin Alison, who's the vit VP of Poloton and you know,
(03:26):
and you know, everybody was receptive. It was some hiccups,
don't get me wrong, but hey, most for the most
part took pictures. I interview and we had a wonderful time.
And that's why I'm a feature on this episode. I
think that, you know, this is a great opportunity to
(03:48):
focus right on the books community and how the world
is brought together, bringing a world together with books, culture.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
And community, and that was the type of event.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
This, I believe one of the biggest, if not the
biggest book festival in America. I'm not sure, but I
know one thing.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
It was huge. It was a success. It was.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Quite well attended, in thousands, I will say, Man, over
one hundred thousand people between Saturday and Sunny came out.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
And so I'm gonna.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Go ahead and bring on, you know, my interviews at
this point because I didn't said enough. Now I'm gonna
let you hear from them. This is Malik Muhammad, your
host of Malik's Bookshelf.
Speaker 5 (04:46):
Aaron Becker, the author of the Tree and the River
and a whole host of other books.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Can you tell me a little bit about your.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Work, Aaron, Well, most of the books that I do
are wordless book These ones are for younger, the younger crowd.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
And if you hold it up to the light, it glows,
it glows.
Speaker 6 (05:10):
Yeah, and uh I saw that, yes, and so wordless
and toddler books and lots of adventure and thought provoking discussions,
all that.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Stuff, Okay, And what inspired you to become a children author?
Speaker 6 (05:24):
I had wanted to be a kid's book author since
I was a kid, and I made my own books
and the rest was history. I just like put one
foot in front of the other until I made my
dream happen manifest.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Well, you know, it all start with a dream, and
it all start with belief, and it all start with desire.
You had a combination all that. Now you got about
how many books you.
Speaker 6 (05:47):
Probablish, Well, I don't know. I'm up to be like
maybe seven, eight nine. I don't even know, because there's
ones coming out, there's ones that just came out, and uh,
I just keep working, keep working.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
So what's in the store for you?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Now?
Speaker 1 (05:58):
What what's coming out next spring.
Speaker 6 (06:01):
I have another wordless picture book called The Last Zookeeper,
and that's like a Noah's Ark parable about the future
and where we're headed with the climate, but also a
total adventure story with a gigantic robot the size of
Godzilla who saves the forgotten animals of a zoo.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Wow. Wow.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
So what's your favorite out of all the books she read?
What's your favorite?
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Oh? My gosh.
Speaker 6 (06:24):
My favorite book that I've done is called A Stone
for Sasha, and that is a book about a rock
that falls to the earth and like over thousands and
thousands of years, changes form. People find it, they use
it in their buildings, their civilizations, and it ends up
washed up on a beach as a polished stone that
(06:45):
a girl finds and puts on the top of a
grave of her dog who's just passed. So she finds
solace in like the grand nature of history and big ideas.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Man, I do big ideas. I love it.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
I love you gotta be imaginative, you gotta be creative.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
And I'm just talking to you just a few minutes.
I can tell you have all of that.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
And that's a good thing, because that's what makes children
books so pop out and so lively. You know, you
know how to connect, you know how to relate, and
I just love that and you and I love the passion.
I love you excitement. I love how you describe your books.
That was outstanding, Aaron. This has been a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
We out here at the.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Lost Angy Toimes Festival Books and Aaron just spoke on
the main children's stage.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
He did his thing.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Now he's signing books for the public, and he's signing
books for the bookstore, and so any last word thoughts
for us? Aaron?
Speaker 6 (07:35):
Oh yes, get out there, read, find your imagination and
remember hold on to wonder.
Speaker 7 (07:41):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
There you heard it straight from Aaron Becker. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Okay, this is Malie's bookshelf, bringing the world together with books,
culture and community. I'm with Aita sellers are that's right
at the La Times Festival book She just wrote a
new book, Jovita war Pants, the story of she Ca
in Freedom Fighter. She also got a gang other books
in the Spirit of a Dream, Thirteen Stories of Africa,
(08:05):
Immigration of Color, that's Land of the Cranes, The Moon Within,
Calling the Moon, sixteen Piers, sixteen Piers Stories from Bobbing authors.
I got to stand right here. Tell me about your inspiration.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
What made you write?
Speaker 8 (08:21):
Ah?
Speaker 7 (08:22):
Well, actually, I've been a storyteller since I was a
little girl. But the first person to ever give me
a book to read was my fifth grade teacher, mister Clark,
and he also gave me a pen, and I used
that pen to write stories and bad poetry. And but
when I was in it was eighteen, I went to
college and it was the first time I saw myself reflected.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
In a book.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
That's amazed.
Speaker 7 (08:45):
I read Elena Maria Viramontez Sandrasis, Rodolfo Yo and all
of these authors, and I said, wait a minute, you
mean all things that I've been writing with my Parker
pen all these years could be in a book. That's
when I decided you said.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Something very important. You said, I'm very important.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
And I repeated that twice, because representation matters. You have
to see yourself in books to believe in yourself and
love yourself. And so that was a major awakening for you.
Speaker 7 (09:13):
Oh absolutely, it transformed my life. It set me in
the path that I am now. It took me a
long time, took me about twenty five years to get
to publish because it's not easy to publish with your
Mexican immigrant, you know, and our stories are not valued
in the same way. So now I kicked the door
open here and I have you.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Do you know how many kids, youth have been inspired
because they pick up your book and they see themselves.
That's why many books exist, because representation matters. Kids are
one hundred percent of a few that we need to
see ourselves. And I didn't grow up seeing myself, but
I see myself now, and I'm helping trim to the
(09:55):
cell of books with black and brown people because that's important.
You know, there's gonna be more minorities in America. It's
gonna be the majority, all right. So in a few
more years, we gonna be the majority. So hey, this
is wonderful. Tell me all about your next steps in life,
(10:16):
what you got working on, and where we going from here?
Speaker 7 (10:19):
Okay, So I've got a few things coming down the pike.
I got a board book series coming start in the fall,
and then next year I got another novel in Verse
called Ultra Violence, about a little boy who falls in
love and gets his heart broken. And so but it's
it's it's a story that's hopefully gonna teach children how
(10:40):
to not be toxic. Right when you get, when you lose,
or when you have your heartbroken.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Yeah, I've been there. I've been there, but I brought
it upon myself. I take the blame for my heartbreak.
I can't put the blame on nobody else but myself.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Put here.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
A lot of that happens, you know why, because really
it takes years for us to know ourselves, discover ourselves.
So then once we find out who we are, then
we can make a better relationship. But until then, guess what,
you know, we like a baby with a hammer. Everything
is a nail.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. And that's the thing.
Speaker 7 (11:10):
I think black and brown boys in particular have not
been given the space to love and to feel lost,
and to grieve and to cry and to go through
all the emotions.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
So we have.
Speaker 7 (11:21):
We have these really sad people in the world, and
a lot of hurt happens because of that. So to
themselves and.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Others, keep up the good work. We appreciate you. This
is amazing. Best of love. Thank you, thank you man.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
I missed my injoke. I gotta start it all over.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
From Leak's bookshelf, Bringing the world together with books, coach
and community. Listen, I got this wonderful book, You Will
Do Great Things just came out and I got both
for the author and illustrator. Now, I don't want to
get your names wrong, so hey, I'm gonna start with
the author.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Tell them your name.
Speaker 9 (12:00):
That's a really good one, mister, I'm gonna use that.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
I'm gonna get your name wrong.
Speaker 9 (12:05):
My name is Amory, and I am the Amory and
I am the writer of You Will Do Great Things.
Speaker 10 (12:11):
And this is I am right as a figure out,
and I am the illustrator, illustrator.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
And the author right here o Ma Lee's folks show.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Now you got to tell him about the book, and
then you're gonna tell me about the inspiration behind the illustrations.
Speaker 9 (12:24):
Well, you know, ultimately I created You Will Do Great
Things because you know, my son River was born and
I really wanted to, but she suggested it put into
words everything that I feel for him, everything that I
wanted to prepare him for. You know, I really wanted
him to know that he is here to do something
(12:45):
great and that the world is amazing and it's wonderful,
but it doesn't mean it's everything's.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Going to be easy.
Speaker 9 (12:50):
But even if it's not easy, I wanted him to
know that he is equipped with everything that he needs
and he may pick up supplies along the way, but
his backpack does have the essentials. That's kind of like
the thing I was thinking, and I want. I wanted
him to have that message.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
But it was also important to me that when he.
Speaker 10 (13:07):
Was looking at a book, he saw someone who looked
like himself.
Speaker 9 (13:09):
That was very important to me because I do believe
that kids need to have all people featured on their bookshelves,
and but there was I felt that this was something
in particular, that there was space for that, this message,
because I was like, I was looking for it on
Amazon actually, and I couldn't find this. This is also
three years ago. I couldn't find this message. Everything that
(13:31):
I wanted to say number one and number two someone
that featured him. You know, I wanted him to see him.
Somebody didn't want her to bed it matters. I didn't,
you know, I didn't didn't.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Grow up with these books looking like me. I didn't,
and I just me.
Speaker 9 (13:44):
I grew up in a very in a very diverse situation.
So I honestly didn't really think about like the differences
between races or ethnicities, even though I grew up around
people who were Guamanian, Mexican, Mexican and white, Korean and white, Black,
German and white everything. But I said, I didn't really
think about difference as much I saw it. But I
didn't think about it. But I didn't realize that even
(14:05):
though I had a very diverse upbringing surrounding me, because
so many of the books that when I was a
kid did feature Caucasian children, I didn't realize until I
was a teenager writing.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
I was like, why am I not writing.
Speaker 9 (14:20):
Anyone that looks like me? Because you internalized the message
that yes, everything's mixed, everyone's represented, But when when we
have stories, you don't.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
You don't have a place here, absolutely.
Speaker 9 (14:32):
And I didn't.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
And that was a sad realization.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
So it took you having a child to have an awakening,
or you got it just before I.
Speaker 9 (14:40):
Got that awakening when I was a teenager, when I
was looking at my own stories and realizing that I
wasn't putting myself in my own stories because somehow it's
just like, oh, that's they're never We're never in stories
like not the stories I read about the magic and
this and that we're just not really in them. I mean,
I did read Rainbow Jordan, I hear ain't nothing about
a sandwich. But when it's just a girl about writing
a horror I don't. I don't really see that. A
(15:02):
kid who has magic, I didn't see that. And so
you know, sometimes we internalize those things without realizing, and
I think the best way, just like that's subconscious. The
best way to let kids know that the world is diverse,
that they belong, that we all have a place is
again on a subconscious level, where it's just them seeing
themselves and seeing everyone and that that was important.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
That's why they mattered. That's why.
Speaker 9 (15:28):
It's a subconscious and so you don't want to be
careful what you're feeding. So that's also why I think
like You Will Do Great Things is great for graduates,
but also for adults too, Like I think everybody needs
to be reminded sometimes that whatever we're going through in life,
we do have the answers in us, and we might
call to ask for advice, but at the end of
the day, we kind of know what we need to do.
We just we are just waiting for someone to be like, girl,
(15:51):
you're right that's what you need to do. And I
think we just have to remember that we don't have
to do that.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Listen, you gave up in shun motivation, you gave the
front story to backstory.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Oh why your book exists? That was outstanding. Wow.
Speaker 9 (16:09):
But that's only half of it. Because of course we
have an amazing illustrator, rice A Figaroa, who was able
to take all of that, everything that I just said,
and put it into such beautiful.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Imagery, and that matters.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
That matters because look, when I'm reading, I need to
see the images, and here we go.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
I don't get the.
Speaker 10 (16:26):
Name wrong, it's right, it was right, and I did
the images for you'll do great things. My inspiration, I guess,
was just I had free range to kind of do
whatever it was that came to mind, and I got
honed and I'm just very blessed to be able to
(16:49):
work on this project because it was really freeing.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
So you get the manuscript first, and then you brought
a pictures from the manuscript.
Speaker 10 (16:56):
Yeah, yeah, okay, and then they look it and they're like, okay,
this is what we want. This is maybe not along
the lines, but we.
Speaker 6 (17:01):
Were thinking.
Speaker 10 (17:05):
It's like three times to get it right, I.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Think, okay, okay, but it was, yeah, here it is.
And you you also have illustrated so many other books,
and you have another one that just is about to
come out.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
And tell us about that.
Speaker 10 (17:21):
I have which you talk about what.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
My daddy loves.
Speaker 10 (17:32):
It's like an ode to black fathers and their kids.
And that just came about just because on Instagram I
was drying. I didn't know how to draw men really
and I wanted to practice, and so an editor saw
and They're like, this could make a good book.
Speaker 11 (17:45):
And I'm like, all right, wow, just doing something you
already love and just trying to work on your craft
and your perfection and another book just popped up out
of you.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
I know, that's amazing. What's What's something else? Probably don't know,
but you can share with my audience.
Speaker 7 (18:06):
That I can share.
Speaker 10 (18:08):
I don't know if I can share anything.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
I know y'all be doing all them secret things.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
Man.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
I said, Oh, I can't talk about that right now,
but you got to wait a year. It's gonna come
out boom and there it is. Any tips, any ship
give us a clue. I mean, we know my books is.
Speaker 10 (18:25):
Coming, Okay. The one I can tell you about the
coming out of me. There's real to me that comes
up May second, along with what my daddy loves. I'm sorry, sorry,
it's her to do this.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
This is amazing. Listen, listen.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
I'm enjoying the conversation, you know, and I thank you
for sharing with my audience on Malice Bookshelf bringing the
World Together with.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Books, Culture and Community. Thank you, Thank.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
You the author good Night Sister, Catherine Schwassernagger Pratt. She
in the special selling booth and I got the interview
for a Malice Bookshelf bringing the World Together, Books, Culture
and Community.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Tell us about your book, good Night Sister.
Speaker 12 (19:07):
Oh wow, such passion. It's a book about sisterhood called
good Night's Sister. I wrote it based on the relationship
I have with my sister Christina, and I'm really excited
to be here today and talking about sisterhood.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Overwhelmed response, because that's all we got left because we
ordered a lot of books.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
That is amazing. I know you probably on book number two.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
This is the first book you autographed. Oh hey, hello,
learn something about Katherine. Listen, give me a shout out
and let me my fans on Malice's Bookshelf give them
something about what can inspire them, motivate them, become author.
Speaker 12 (19:39):
Just be excited and passionate about what you want to
write about and put it out in the world. No
one will be as excited as you are, So keep
up that passion and keep up that excitement about it,
and just work, work, work, hard, hard, heart to get
it all done.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
She on her fit going on her six books.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
So hey, you heard it personally from Catherine Swalking to Pratt,
Thank you, You're welcome. While you signed a quirer, I
know you multitask. I'm going to ask a few questions from.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
A podcast release's.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Bookshelf bringing the world together with books, culture and community.
My brother, is a pleasure meeting you for the first time.
I love your work. What's next for you?
Speaker 1 (20:15):
My brother? What's next?
Speaker 13 (20:18):
Writing book two of the Door of No Return trilogy,
writing a picture book on the history of black music,
and a memoir that's coming out on May twenty third,
called Wife Father's Crest Night Man?
Speaker 2 (20:27):
How do you find the time to write all the
book you just you just release? How to write a poem?
That's what you spoke here today at the La Times
Festival Books.
Speaker 13 (20:36):
I have no idea how I find the time. If
I took the time to think about it, I'd probably
go crazy because it's a bit much.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
So I don't think about it. Well, you know you
probably put you do it. You just do it.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Do you pray for success, You pray for all this work,
You pray for this level of opportunity.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
So now that you have it, do you enjoy it?
I love it.
Speaker 13 (20:55):
I love my job, you know. I love being able
to write books, tell my stories and come out and
share stories like the ones I shared today at the
La Times Book Festival. So I'm very passionate about it.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Amazing.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
The energy was high, the passion was great, and I
could eat love what you do. And you know, I'm
going to feed on that energy because I love to
bring that kind of passion to Malice bookshelf. You know,
books are important, and I see that you have a
passion to elevate our voice.
Speaker 13 (21:22):
Yeah, I mean, I believe the words matter, and I
believe that we got our responsibility as children's assors, as teachers,
as librarians to help young people imagine a better world.
And what better way to do that than through books?
Speaker 2 (21:33):
When did you first dream of this glorious career you
have now.
Speaker 13 (21:38):
I don't know if I dreamt about it. I tell
people all the time, I didn't find poetry, I didn't
find books.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
They found me.
Speaker 13 (21:44):
So wow, I was probably my parents probably I'm like
the man train candidate of books.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
And what some of the challenges that you had to
overcome to get, you know, to be successful? You know
here you have a cumative amount of books that you read,
but you started out with that first one. And how
the challenges he came and proceeded after that?
Speaker 13 (22:06):
Yeah, I mean it's always you're writing books, so the
idea is just a very subjective thing.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Who's gonna like it?
Speaker 13 (22:13):
And so when publishers weren't really into my books, I
published them myself. So there were definitely challenges, but I'll
figure out how to overcome them because I really believed
in this, in this thing that I was.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Doing, absolutely absolutely.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
And I know that how to write a book? Now
you got how to write a poem? I'm sure you're
going to continue that title how to what.
Speaker 13 (22:35):
How to Sing a Song? Comes out in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
I knew it. I do how to sing a song? Now?
Have you sang a song? My brother?
Speaker 12 (22:42):
No?
Speaker 1 (22:42):
I can't sing no me either. I leave that to song.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
What else what I'm singing may says keep you daytime job,
But I would love to know how So what's your
inspiration for writing that upcoming?
Speaker 13 (22:57):
I have a friend who is a singer and a
guitarist and we wanted to work on a book together
and it seemed like the right book for both of us,
and it seemed like the right way to end this trilogy.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
So soon to come is you're working with Disney. I
think what crossover.
Speaker 13 (23:17):
Crossover the TV series on Disney Plus and it's out
now and it's you know, we've been working on it
for three years, so it's good to see it on
the spreads.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Absolutely absolutely, Well, you definitely have contributed to the magnification
of our voice and we look you know, we want
you to continue that journey and inspire along the way
the next generation of great writers. And uh and I
know you you were part of some campaign one time
to write to write a writing campaign? How did that
end up?
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Which campaign was a.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Campaign where you on Instagram you was telling people about
an opportunity.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
For the America's next great author. Yeah, it's a reality.
Speaker 13 (23:55):
Show and producing, Yeah, trying to trying to help other
writers in America do this thing that took me twenty
three years to do, and that is figure out how
to make a living writing your books, telling your stories,
and so hopefully other writers won't have to go through
those twenty three years I went through.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
So that's what the reality show is about. That's amazing.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
And when do you think project it is going to
come out?
Speaker 13 (24:15):
Probably twenty twenty four or twenty five.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Okay, so you already finished, you just doing the editing.
Speaker 13 (24:20):
No, in the middle of shooting.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Okay, okay, okay, any last thoughts you'd like to share
with Melie's Books show.
Speaker 13 (24:25):
I'm just, you know, really thankful that independent bookstores you know,
are here to share the books that writers you know,
spend their lives working on. That you all are here
to support us, and we want to support you. So
keep the good work.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Thank you, Thank you, kawan appreciate that was Kawmi Alexander,
you heard it first hand interview for Malik's Bookshew bringing
the world together with books, culture and community.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Okay, Okay, I just want.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
To just ask them real quick question for the fans
of Malik's Book show and the fans a Malik's bookstore.
I got Leslie Odham Junior, Nikola Robinson right here. What
do you have to say inspiration for the next generation?
Speaker 9 (25:08):
Keep reading period, absolutely and get your books from Aleik's bookstore.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
You heard it personally from two authors that just wrote
a new book.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
Leslie Man, this is great.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
You know what I like to do is just tell
me what was your inspiration for writing this wonderful children's book?
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Reading wonderful children's books. You know the fact that we
read so many to our kids made us want to contribute.
You know, it's it's an offering and we hope it's
worthy to sit on the shelves. You know, a wonderful
library we have at home and at your bookstore.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
At my bookstore, and I'm in you know the books
that you've written before the children book we carried at
the bookstore.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Now you'd end up in what.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
I call children a one hundred percent of our future.
Nico Let, what'd you think about that?
Speaker 10 (25:58):
That's amazing. I'm all for it.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
I support it.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Max Max Max Malik from Elgue Books. I know you
didn't bounce from one booth to another. The lines were long.
I walk listen at the special selling Children's State booth
Jumping booth Jump.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
It is funny because I.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
Walked sixty seconds over there at the Children's State and
the line still was going.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
That's how long it was to get.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Your autographed, your popular what's your secret?
Speaker 1 (26:35):
I wish I knew?
Speaker 6 (26:37):
I just show up.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Well, hey, between this year last year, they come out
by the numbers. I always try to get a chance
out here to get some interviews from podcasts. Malice bookshell
bring the world together through books, culture and community. I
just want to get some you know, for you to
give my audience something they can hold on too. In
(27:01):
your miraculous career as a children booked author.
Speaker 14 (27:06):
This is write what you know now and have fun
with that. These books are really fun and it feels
like people have fun with them, have fun reading them.
And uh, you know, it's it's a personal experience. It's
based on a personal experience with that I've had it
not only as a writer.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
But as a as a.
Speaker 14 (27:25):
As a parent, and as a reader myself. And uh,
as long as you keep it honest and real, it
feels like, you know, people seem to enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Thank you, Mike appreciate much success.
Speaker 14 (27:39):
Which book you're working on, nixt I don't want to
read this book aloud.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Hello, you heard it, Louve from mix Greenfield, Thank you,
thank you, thank you. Malik's bookshelf got Michael Sampei. I'm
gonna let him talk to you about all the beautiful
work he's doing trying to inspire youth, the children, and
he even had Katherine Kate. I get you're creatian for Kathany, right,
So they got a book I'll call you on Ukraine
(28:03):
in what's the complete title.
Speaker 8 (28:04):
It's the Story of Ukraine, an Anthem of Glory and Freedom.
It's a book that we wrote to be able to
help the world understand what Ukraine is going through with
the invasion of Russia and so much propaganda was coming out.
So the books set in three parts. The first part,
the first eight pages tell about the history and geography
and the people of Ukraine. The second eight pages we
(28:25):
go through the national anthem, where we go line by
line what the language means. And then the third section
we cover the symbols of Ukraine, things like the flag,
the national flower which is sunflower, the tree zoop which
is our symbol which you find on some of the
old coins and flags, and then we wrap up talking
about some of the great Ukrainians in history, the great writers,
(28:46):
the great inventors, the great poets, and the great painters.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
So it's a really moving book.
Speaker 8 (28:51):
When people ask me what my favorite book is I've
written out of the fifty, I have to say the
Story of Ukraine because it's meaningful. It's impacting children's lives,
because it gives which back for Ukrainian kids, refugees when
their colleagues here about what a great country they are
living in or we're living in. And also I think
it just says something about democracy that we're helping support Ukraine.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
Wow wow, Wow, that was a great book. Description, amazing.
In fact, you travel around and you even speak the
book in Ukraine.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Correct, right, Sometimes I'm speaking in the Ukrainian Why in.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
English is different? You were born in Ukraine and you
came here as a result of the war.
Speaker 6 (29:34):
Yes, he came here after the war in my country.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Wow wow wow wow. Well you just heard Michael Samby.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
He said he wrote fifty books and he got a
new one called I.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
Believe What's Bing Bang chugg a beet? Hello, tell us
about that book.
Speaker 8 (29:48):
So it's a fun book for prescooters and talking about
their favorite toy. In this case, the little boy's name is
Charlie and a car is this old car is his
favorite toy. Rewrote it to the rhythm of this so man,
but this called this little car, and we called it
being banged chucking because that's the sound the truck of
the car makes, is just bouncing around. And so we
think it's going to be a great gift for children.
(30:11):
And they talk about their favorite toys were.
Speaker 1 (30:12):
In the book.
Speaker 8 (30:13):
Actually the kids what their favorite toy is. And we
have all kinds of things to choose from or they
can make up through on you.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Heard it live, Michael simp appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
This is Malik's bookshelf, bringing a world together with books,
culture and community. I'm at the La Times Festival Books.
I'm getting wonderful authors who are representing the voice of
blackness in America. Books that can be read Black kids,
White clips, Asian clip, Mason kids. And guess who I
got standing right here, Nick Stone, the author of Getaway
(30:46):
and a Whole.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
And she could tell you all the other ones.
Speaker 15 (30:48):
I mean there's a few, only a few, a few. Yeah,
dear Martin, Dear Justice, Been Get Away Fast, bitching on
and on and on on and.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
On and on. So when I'm traveling to.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
Schools, I like to carry your books because you all
your books kind of you know, they chapter books and
it deals with all the grade levels. And so what
inspired you to write and do the things that you're
doing to make an impact and giving voice to.
Speaker 15 (31:12):
The voice not seeing the kind of things I'm making
when I was a kid and needing them. So really
just wanting to give my kids a different experience than
the one I had. Ryan never saw myself in books.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
Wow, wow wow.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
And so when did this journey start and what was
the first title you published?
Speaker 1 (31:28):
And what's the latest title you published.
Speaker 15 (31:30):
So the first title was Dear Martin that published in
twenty seventeen, and Chaos Theory is the thirteenth and it
published in February twenty twenty three, So February twenty eighth,
twenty twenty three was the most recent one.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Right, right, that's the venture sci fi Chaos Theory.
Speaker 15 (31:49):
No, actually, it's a book about mental health. But one
of the protagonists is obsessed with astrophysics.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Okay, okay, wonderful, you know, deal Martin and Deal Justice.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
My daughter was fourteen. She read both of your books.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
She recommended her older brother read it. She Uh, I
think she was touched by it. She reads a lot.
And uh so what's new? What's upcoming? And uh talk
about films that are being produced.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
From your books?
Speaker 15 (32:19):
I mean technically I'm not allowed to. And honestly, I
don't know what's upcoming. I'm in a very interesting space
where I haven't written anything new, and so I'm trying
to figure out what we're doing next.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Are you thinking about like a novel?
Speaker 15 (32:31):
Oh, probably a novel, I'm sure.
Speaker 6 (32:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 15 (32:33):
I don't know what about though, So we'll see.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
Talking about a picture book, we'll see.
Speaker 15 (32:37):
All I know is I got to write something when
you're young.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
So.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
We'll figure it out.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
You got time, you young, beautiful talent, did gifted, you know,
giving voice to the voiceless, anything.
Speaker 1 (32:49):
That I left out raising the roof.
Speaker 15 (32:51):
You know, I showed you I'm not actually that young.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
I I'm raising the roof.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
Okay, she shown Look, Yeah, so she got them God.
Speaker 15 (32:58):
Jeans, STEP's melanin Melody.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Yes, thank you, Nick Stone, Safe Travels. You know we
at the Los Ange Times Books. She disappeared at the
why stage. Okay, And what's some of the things you
talked about.
Speaker 15 (33:13):
I mean, we talked a lot about mental health. We
talked a lot about telling stories that aren't frequently told,
and the power of making sure kids are able to
see themselves reflected in what they're reading.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
Yes, yet, representation matter, always, absolutely matters, and our voice matter.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
We've been silent too long.
Speaker 15 (33:32):
Yes, that's why I'm not shutting up.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
Thank you, Nick.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
Keep the journey, keep the elevation, keep the prosperity, do
your thing.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
Thank you Malik.
Speaker 15 (33:42):
You keep up what you're doing as well, because it
is killer.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Thanks.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Robin Ella's on right here at the La Times Festival
book she didn't autograph Strong Baby, Strong.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
Mama out here line was down.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
I took me fifty sixty seconds to.
Speaker 1 (33:59):
Walk right to the front to see what she was signing.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
That's how the outpoint of love and the purchase of
books came across. So listen is for the Malik's Bookshelf,
bringing the world together with books, culture and community. How
you doing give me a shout out from my podcast
Malak's Bookshelf? So what inspired I know you work with Palanthon.
Tell me your position and roll there.
Speaker 10 (34:24):
I'm vice president of fitness programming and head instructor.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Wow, wow, wow, you only got means and means of
people to sign on peloton.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
Right, Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 9 (34:33):
People moving.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
So you're off to both of these books? And what's
your inspiration?
Speaker 10 (34:39):
That movement is medicine and that self care is not selfish.
Speaker 9 (34:43):
It's a really important thing to prioritize so we can be,
you know, stronger for our communities.
Speaker 10 (34:48):
And our families.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
Absolutely, And so how long you been in the fitness
almost ten years?
Speaker 5 (34:55):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (34:56):
Was it through high school?
Speaker 8 (34:58):
No?
Speaker 15 (34:58):
It wasn't.
Speaker 6 (34:59):
No that adulthood, adulthood.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
You found fitness and its changed you mentally.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Inspiracy, that's right?
Speaker 9 (35:05):
Yeah, yes?
Speaker 2 (35:07):
And and what what what's next for you?
Speaker 1 (35:11):
What's next?
Speaker 10 (35:12):
I'm I'm working on an empowerment journal that will be
releasing this song.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Okay, okay, And I'm assuming that you're expecting Hello Hello?
Speaker 1 (35:24):
Was that dance person by a strong baby?
Speaker 6 (35:26):
Plan was already written before I was pregnant, but.
Speaker 10 (35:31):
Yeah, it certainly still applies.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Right right, right? Right?
Speaker 2 (35:36):
So what what are some of the keys to uh
to get a person motivated to want to work out?
Speaker 5 (35:42):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (35:42):
I think start small and schedule your workouts. Make it
part of your daily schedule.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Yeah, and and any last inspiration you can give to
my Police Bookschef audience.
Speaker 6 (35:54):
Oh well, I.
Speaker 10 (35:55):
Think reading is jet fuel for a hustler, so keep
opening books.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
You heard it live from Robin Alison.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Thanks for listening to Malik's Bookshelf, where topics on the
shelf are books, culture, and community.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
Be sure to subscribe and leave me a review. Check
out my Instagram at Malak Books. See you next time.
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