Authors & Espresso

Minerva Honkala, poet, devotional writer, and humanitarian, shares her motto "Live, Love, Give," her 365-day devotional Boost Me Up, and her long-standing scholarship work supporting students. The episode explores faith, purpose, daily practices (Pause, Ponder, Pray), and her community impact.

Listeners will hear about her nonprofit FASFOS, volunteer work, writing and publishing journey, and practical encouragement to build self-wo...

This episode breaks down what an ISBN is, why it matters for distribution and discoverability, and how it differs from copyright.

Nadia explains the pros and cons of free ISBNs from retailers versus buying your own through Bowker, covers costs and formats, and explains why ISBN ownership matters for branding and long-term control.

Practical advice: consider buying a 10-pack to cover multiple formats and future editions, register yo...

Welcome to Authors & Espresso with Nadia Gilkes featuring Tiana Tee, a licensed marriage and family therapist, Amazon bestselling author, and mother of a nonverbal autistic son. In this episode Tiana discusses her new book, What? A 90-Day Devotional for When Life Changes Everything, and shares lived experience on autism parenting, early warning signs, stigma in Black and brown communities, and practical advocacy tips for IEPs a...

Hello and welcome to Authors and Espresso with Nadia Gilkes, who announces the launch of Author Status .. Loading, her new on-demand self-publishing course, and explores audiobook options.

This episode explains ways to create audiobooks — record yourself, hire a narrator or studio, or use AI narration like Amazon KDP's Virtual Voice and Riverside's AI — and gives practical tips: start with one chapter, listen with headphones, and c...

This episode re-airs Nadia Gilkes’ guest interview on the Sunday Morning Chat Series with Jesse Oakley III. Nadia discusses her bestselling comedic novel Woke Up Dead, the inspiration behind it, and her upcoming book Before Forever — a divorce-attorney’s take on premarital conversations.

She shares the emotional story behind her book cover, practical end-of-life planning advice, encouragement for aspiring authors,...

In this episode of Authors & Espresso, host Nadia Gilkes interviews Sheryl Green, a bestselling author and expert on setting boundaries. Sheryl shares her personal journey of hitting rock bottom due to overcommitment and burnout, leading her to discover the importance of boundaries. The conversation explores various aspects of boundary-setting, including the Goldilocks principle, the clash question as a decision-making tool, an...

Host Nadia Gilkes talks with Dr. Otito Iwuchukwu — organizational psychologist, editor, and author of The Belonging Paradox — about her multi‑hyphenate career, the psychology of belonging, and the power of words.

They cover practical tips for writers and self‑publishers, the pillars of belonging (orientation, empathy, grace, boundaries), and how Dr. Otito’s editing and consulting work helps people find authentic communities and str...

Host Nadia Gilkes gives a candid behind-the-scenes account of the emotional, messy, and ultimately rewarding process of designing book covers for self-published authors. She shares personal failures, lessons learned, and the choices that helped her land on a cover she loves.

Filled with practical tips—use stock photos smartly, play with Canva, set a clear concept before hiring designers, check thumbnail readability, and be ca...

Host Nadia Gilkes recaps Authors & Espresso’s February episodes featuring three independent Black authors: Rhonda Green (Behind the Smile), James Jeffley (Un-FEC'd and more), and Jesse Oakley, III (Greetings, Happy People). Each interview explores personal journeys, leadership, mental health, and practical writing and publishing tips.

Nadia also shares a personal highlight —moderating a Black History Month panel at the new West...

In this episode host Nadia interviews Jesse Oakley, III — a civil engineer, longtime Toastmaster and former Toastmasters International Director, Red Cross volunteer, author of Greetings, Happy People, and host of the Sunday Morning Chat Series. They discuss leadership growth, the power of positivity, service, lifelong learning, and practical stories that reveal how to show up and lead with purpose.

Listeners will hear personal anec...

Host Nadia Gilkes interviews award-winning speaker, coach, author, minister, and musician James Jeffley about leadership, change, and the human side of organizations. They discuss his latest books, including Misdiagnosed and Un-FEC'd, the FEC framework (Fear, Ego, Culture), the importance of listening and diagnostics in solving organizational problems, and the role of creativity, spirituality, and Toastmasters in his leadership jou...

Host Nadia Gilkes interviews author and engineer Rhonda Green about her Sunrises and Sunsets trilogy and her new memoir Behind the Smile: Depression is Real. They discuss storytelling, mental health, leadership in STEM, and how personal honesty can heal and inspire.

Rhonda shares candid moments from her life, practical resources for recognizing and responding to depression, and lessons from Toastmasters and a 45-year aviation caree...

In this episode Nadia Gilkes interviews Len Tran about his escape from Vietnam, 21 days at sea as a refugee, and the path that led him to the United States. Len shares the memories behind his memoir "Split Up by the Sea" and why he decided to record his family’s legacy.

They also discuss Len’s career as a chemical engineer and supervisor at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, his self-help book "Br...

Host Nadia Gilkes walks through her step-by-step editing process—from resting the draft and reading it like a novel, to big-picture revisions (story, characters, pacing), then line edits and formatting. She explains using beta readers, text-to-speech, writing groups, or hired editors to catch what you miss.

Practical tips include printing and redlining, selecting thoughtful beta readers, vetting editors, and setting deadlines...

Host Nadia Gilkes interviews Joi A. McMillon about her 30-plus year healthcare journey from bedside CNA to healthcare executive and author. They discuss Joi’s new book, Survey Ready Every Day, which blends memoir, practical leadership tools, and reflective exercises designed to help caregivers and leaders lead with compassion, accountability, and resilience.

The episode covers mentorship, building and retaining teams, self-care pra...

Host Nadia Gilkes celebrates the first chapter of Authors & Espresso with a year-end recap: the podcast launch on her authorversary, twice-monthly author interviews, and festival flashbacks. She spotlights featured guests, their books, and practical publishing and writing tips shared throughout the year.

The episode highlights memorable interviews (including Angela Findley, Sheila Kennedy, Cheryl Baker, Joel Plummer, Liz Del Si...

Host Nadia Gilkes revisits her 2020 Virtual Festival interview with June Dillinger, author of The Benefit of the Ex: Making Love Visible When Everything Changes. June shares her divorce-to-purpose journey, practical invitations for healing, and how she transformed pain into service as a speaker and Hawaii-based wedding officiant.

This hopeful episode covers accountability, reflective exercises from the book, tips for recording audi...