August 4, 2025 • 41 mins
"The grave has so much potential in it." Those powerful words from Allaina Maria 360 capture the essence of this riveting conversation about refusing to leave this world with your gifts still inside you.
When multi-hyphenate author Allaina Maria 360 steps into the ListenLinda Book Club Live space, the energy shifts immediately. As number five on our 25 Awesome Authors of 2025 list and a familiar voice to our listeners from previous appearances, Allaina brings both warmth and wisdom to this discussion of her raw urban novel "Fat Baby."
The title itself—drawn from Black cultural experiences where childhood nicknames stick for life—creates an immediate connection with readers. Allaina masterfully balances authentic street storytelling with redemptive perspectives, explaining that "when you write in truth, there's not much room for error." This commitment to honesty without exploitation guides her approach to difficult subject matter, creating a space where readers facing similar circumstances can find themselves represented with dignity.
The conversation takes an unexpectedly personal turn when Allaina shares about her healing journey after losing her sister to murder just over a year ago. In a haunting twist, Allaina had unknowingly written aspects of her sister's story into her previous book before her passing. Despite this profound loss, she remains anchored in faith, frequently returning to Psalm 23 during difficult creative moments.
For writers and creative spirits, Allaina offers practical wisdom about self-publishing through KDP, from formatting challenges to marketing strategies. Her advice blends nuts-and-bolts knowledge with inspirational perspective: "It's going to cost you something, but if there's anybody worth investing in, it's you, because nobody can do you like you."
The most powerful moments come when both women discuss refusing to dim their light despite criticism. As Allaina puts it, "Decorate your own house... I build my house and I decorate my house, and then I'm very selective of who I allow in." This perfect metaphor for authentic living reminds us all to pursue excellence without seeking approval.
Grab "Fat Baby" on Amazon today and leave a review! And don't miss Allaina's upcoming projects including her poetry collection "Beauty for Ashes" and new musical EP. Follow her journey at allainamaria.com or @allainamaria on social media.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hey there, I'm Jacqueline Cox, but you might
know me as ListenLinda.
Um, where do I even begin?
I guess you could say I wearmany hats Podcast host,
entrepreneur, Mrs Illinois, usa,and so much more but it all
started with a simple passion totell stories and empower others
(00:26):
.
Building a platform wasn't easy.
There were days when I wonderedif anyone was even listening.
But then something amazinghappened.
I realized the power of myvoice.
Suddenly, my words werereaching people, touching lives,
making a difference.
Now I see my mission clearly tocreate spaces where every voice
(00:58):
can be heard, thank you, andtogether we can make our voices
echo far and wide.
To be a guest on Listen Linda.
Contact Jacqueline Cox onFacebook Messenger.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Hey, hey, friends, Welcome back to Listen Linda
Book Club Live.
I am your host, Dr JacquelineCox, and today feels like family
because our guest is a dearfriend of mine and a friend of
this show the multi-giftedauthor, creator and truth teller
(01:33):
, Elena Maria 360.
You know her voice from thewomen of the waiting room
takeover and her powerfulsurvivor testimony on our feed,
and you definitely know her fromthe book fat baby.
When the streets call, answerokay.
She's also number four on our25 awesome authors of 2025 and
(01:56):
was featured in our very ownlisten linda magazine, the july
Family.
Help me welcome Elena Maria tothe stage, honey.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
How you doing.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
I'm all right Now.
Before we get started,everybody know me.
No, we have to start with ouropening prayer.
Okay so, father God, thank youfor gathering us in community.
Bless Elena, bless everylistener under the sound of my
voice.
Bless this conversation to heal, equip and point us towards
your hope.
Guide our words, lord.
(02:32):
God, get glory from this hourin Jesus' mighty name.
Amen, amen, amen.
Welcome back.
Welcome back Now as a friend ofthe show.
What does it feel like to behere as our Arthur number four
in the 2025 Awesome Arthurslineup?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
What does it feel like?
It feels absolutely amazing.
You know, when you have friends, you know Jackie is like a
woman of integrity and sometimeswe get close to people they'll
lose that.
Oh, that's just my friend.
But it's so nice to know she'sjust a friend.
She's actually a mentor, awoman who's on a mission, and to
(03:14):
be a part of what she has goingon, to know me personally and
still include me, that is very,very humbling and I'm always
honored and the caliber ofpeople that she's connected with
.
To be listed amongst those 25makes my heart glad.
So thank you so much.
Always humble.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Now, for those who you, for those new to you, give
us the one minute.
Who is Elena Maria?
Writer, actress, singer,survivor, however you want to
frame.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Well, I'm Elena Maria At my core.
I'm a mom of two beautifulgirls, I'm a daughter, I'm a
sister, a woman who loves God,family, community.
I'm a woman of femininity,beauty and grace, and that's the
core of me, and I love God.
But as a multi-hyphenate, I ama multi-genre author, a singer,
songwriter, actress,screenwriter, poet, oh God,
(04:08):
entrepreneur, and the list goeson and on.
But above all, I'm a woman wholoves God and loves his people,
and that's Elena.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Amen, elena 360.
Okay, she's full circle.
She does it all, honey, and shedoes it with grace and humility
.
That's why I love you so, so,very much.
Now she's full circle.
She does it all, honey, and shedoes it with grace and humility
.
That's why I love you so so,very much.
Now let's get into this book.
Honey, fat baby, hold it up forpeople to see.
Even a cover had me shook.
Honey, yes, yes, now, fat baby,fat Baby.
(04:43):
That title, it stops you inyour tracks.
What did it come from?
And who is Fat Baby at her core?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
It came from just black experience, like I said,
who doesn't have a cousin whosename is Tyrone but their grandma
called him that man.
We have named an arrowhead, afat, fat a juju, so it's
something that our culture canrelate to right off the bat.
Because obviously we know hergovernment isn't Fat Baby, right
(05:15):
, her government is Tina Posner.
So automatically, like Fat Baby, that's got to be somebody's
nickname.
So it automatically grabs youand like wait, what is that all
about?
What is the culture?
What is the story?
What, what does that even mean?
Like, how do you name a bookfat baby?
So it came.
It came from a place, like Isaid, of just um being relevant
to our culture, um, but alsosomething to grab you, because
(05:38):
you just don't see books calledfat baby.
You want to know what I never,what's under that?
um, but the, the actual Tina.
Her nickname was Fat Baby,literally because she was a fat
baby and they, you know, pickedit up and it just ran with it,
which is synonymous with ourculture.
I'll say my sister, her name isShauna, but her nickname is
(06:00):
Humpy because when she was ababy my uncle sat around and she
humped over.
And here she is to be 49, andher nickname is still Humphrey
to this day.
So it is so true to our culture.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Absolutely, and with this book it holds.
Hard realities, guys, Trauma,exploitation, survival.
Yet you write when you write,you write with dignity and fight
.
What guardrails did you keep?
To honor real pain withoutreally glorifying it in this
book?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Well, when I was writing, I remembered that there
is somebody out there who'sthat's their story.
It's easy to write to get theshock value oh my God, did you
read that?
That was so but to rememberthat someone's story who's not
bold enough to speak, or theycan pick it up and see.
They may have to see the pain,but they realize they're not
alone.
A lot of times when you'regoing through the amount of
(06:53):
trauma that fat baby wentthrough and those generational
curses, the enemy or your mindwould trick you to think you're
alone.
And you know, no oneunderstands that God doesn't
love me.
And why be?
You know what I mean.
It's easy to get caught up in.
You know those emotions andthey are valid.
I'm not invalidating anyfeelings because they're valid.
When you're hurting, you'rehurting.
(07:14):
If you're sad, you're sad andyou have a right to feel them.
But sometimes being able to seesomeone else, know there is
someone else out there and theysurvived or they did not survive
, and what takeaways can you asan individual use to survive?
You know, what can I take awayfrom Fat Baby?
What can I learn from some ofthe choices she made?
(07:36):
Are these the outcomes I wantfor my life.
You know, and a lot of timesit's not even maybe an
individual who went through it.
They live vicariously throughsomeone else.
So you know, just becauseyou're not actually caring that
way, you're caring the outsideway and you care for the loved
one who went through what shewent through.
You care for the one who'sburdened, you care for the one
who's been abused and you don'treally know how to help care.
(07:58):
So reading a book such as thisreminds you that people are not
alone Others.
This reminds you that thatpeople are not alone.
Others are struggling and thatbaby is a harsh book, but it is
a reality and it's one of thosethings you don't want to talk
about.
And when I wrote it I had somemoments.
I was like man, this I don'twant to be seen as I'm trying to
provide shock value, but at thesame time, they have those
(08:19):
resources in place where fatbaby was living because of those
real situations and you have tobe in depth with it and that's
what I loved about it, becauseyou didn't glorify it, you
didn't um the way that you toldit.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
It was so raw and it was so real.
And I'm gonna tell yousomething, it really took me
back to um, not as far as likeum real, like x rated, like the
coldest winter was, because itwas really raw, right.
But with Fat Baby it put me inthat mind frame of winter.
(08:53):
Winter went through somesimilar things in that book.
And Fat Baby, though it wasbetter to me because in the
coldest winter ever, it wasbetter to me because in in, in
the coldest winter ever, it wasmore so glorifying that life in
in fat baby, it gave a wholedifferent perspective.
But what I'm saying, as far asthe rawness, the realness, how
(09:14):
you kept it real, it really andand I you know, the coast once
ever is one of my favorite booksof all time.
I am you already know I'm afangirl, christina babe, okay,
for miss dane, honey, that is mygirl.
So when I read this book I wasthat immediately it drew you
already know how I feel aboutyour books too so immediately it
(09:36):
drew me in.
I was like mariah, who girl?
What is fat baby?
I loved it.
I loved it.
I loved.
Now, while you were writing thebook, what scripture or truth
kept you steady?
What kept you focused whilewriting this book Because a lot
of times I know with myself aswell, and that's why I always
(09:58):
have to end up getting likesomebody else to read it,
because I kind of go off scriptwhat kept you steady and focused
on the end goal of the book?
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Well, you know, I know it's going to sound cliche.
You know because everybodyknows this particular passage.
The Lord is my shepherd.
I shall not want he's making melie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside the sea ofwaters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me to the path ofrighteousness.
For his name's sake, he ain'tgoing to walk through the battle
of shadow and death.
I feel no evil, for God with me, thy rod and thy staff.
(10:28):
They comfort me.
Thy prepared the paper beforeme to present to mine enemies.
Thou anointed my head with oil.
My cup runneth over Surelygoodness and mercy shall follow
me all the days of my life and Ishall dwell in the house of the
Lord.
Well, when you're talking truthsand when you're writing,
sometimes you pick up and youfeel it.
(10:48):
You know what I mean.
You're carrying the burden ofthe character.
You know what I mean.
And I worked in social work fora very long time with different
people from differentbackgrounds, with a lot going on
.
And then I also have a sisterwho you know, who passed away.
That was her calling in thecommunity, touching, feeling
(11:10):
these people.
In the story she would tell meof the people that she's touched
, you know, and the horrors thatthese young girls go through in
the system, and the horrors ofmolestation and rape and X, y, z
, and sometimes you, when you'rewriting and expressing those
things, you have to stop andpray because you get heavy, you
(11:33):
know, you get, you reallyimmerse yourself into the
character and sometimes it's alot.
I have two children of my own,two girls.
I couldn't imagine if they wentthrough some of the things that
that baby went through.
I couldn't imagine, couldn'tfathom.
So there were moments wheretears were shed and in that
point I go back to my safe place, which is the word of God.
(11:56):
That scripture always comfortsme, no matter what, and it's
applicable to everything.
People think oh, people comingagainst me, no, no, no.
It's applicable to everything.
People think oh, people comingagainst me.
No, no, no.
It's more than that.
If you listen, god comes to mein the present.
He is north as my head, withall Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days ofmy life.
So even after I'm finishedwriting this, god is still with
me.
You know what I mean.
(12:17):
I go to get comfort, to letthat heaviness off of me, to go
with my day Because you.
To go with my day because youthink you read some things that
sit with you, certain movies.
You see, it sit with you allday long.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
You have to pray that thing off for you because you
feel so heavy, but it was astory that needed to be told,
absolutely, absolutely.
And one thing that I could, Icould really um get with,
because you know I love me alittle street lit.
You know storytelling I reallyreally do.
That is, if you see, I got, Igot my Alicia Keys baby, I got
my dead girl walking, I got likeI really love these type of
(12:54):
books and um, with fat baby.
That's that's kind of what itgave me.
It gave me like a street litpulse in the storytelling.
Um, how did you balance, youknow, authenticity with that
redemption, um peak, uh truth,absolutely that's the answer.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
In short, when you write in truth, there's not much
room for error, there's nofallacy, it's truth.
And when you write in truth,people, when they read the pages
, they can feel the truth comingthrough the pages.
So so, if you stay with thetruth, you're always going to
win Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Absolutely Now.
My listeners first met you, myhome listeners first met you
with your book Mirage yeah, andthat powerful conversation on on
everything and surviving lossand everything.
So what has healing looked likefor you since?
(13:53):
Um, getting past everythingthat you've been going through
this year?
Just this?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
alone.
I don't know what it looks likeit.
It it has many masks.
You know, one day it feels liketriumph because I, you know, as
I don't know what it looks likeit.
It it has many masks.
You know, one day it feels liketriumph because I, you know, as
I don't know, if you know, mysister was unfortunately, uh,
brutally murdered, um, and itjust passed.
August 2nd was a year, um, andon facebook I didn't do this
elaborate, I just put long live,long to 365.
It was the one full turn.
(14:21):
Elena, 360, 360, and I left itat that because her life was
worth celebrating, right?
But so many notes in Mariah wasso true to my sister's life and
I didn't realize I was writingpart of her story.
The book came out and waswritten way before she passed
away, so that's one of thethings I asked you.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
It's many masses.
I was like did she write this?
You know?
Speaker 3 (14:48):
I was like I can just imagine, you know, wow it's
crazy, and my sister was the onethat helped edit the book, so
go figure right.
So she read the.
It's really crazy how lifeimitated art.
So it was a lot of emotional,which is why I was saying, like,
(15:09):
also about that baby.
You know you have to say thosescriptures to arm yourself
because you know it gets.
It gets very real when you'rewriting emotion.
You attach to the character,especially if they die or are
injured, or you know you'reattached to that person like
their living, breathing thing.
And then I'm also, you know, ascreenwriter too.
(15:29):
So in the process of bringingthese characters to life,
especially Mariah, that's goingto be a heavy undertaking for me
because, like I said, a lot ofthat is my sister's story that I
did not know that I was writing, you know.
But it comes with many masks.
Some days there are smiles,some days there are tears, some
days, you know, there's despair.
(15:50):
You know we like to wrapeverything up in beauty.
You know sometimes there is,there are ashes, but then also
God also gives us beauty forashes, which is a poetry book
that I have coming out laterthis year.
So things in my life the lane of360 is literally infinity
circled around my life, mywriting, how I'm moving, but I
stay anchored in God,remembering he is always with me
(16:12):
.
And I again that scripture Ishall dwell in the house of the
Lord forever Amen.
And that Selah, that's it,that's the end of the story.
When my journey is over, all ofthe writing, all of the singing
, the acting, whatever, and thenI, the vessel, shall dwell in
the house of love, forever Amen.
So I paint my hopes on thateternity and that's how I get
(16:33):
through the day-to-day and theblows of you know life Okay.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
So we're going to take a quick break, we're going
to hear a word from our sponsorand then we will be right back
with Elena Movesh.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
Sis, have you ever survived something that was
supposed to take you out?
Have you walked throughsomething so heavy, so painful,
that you didn't even recognizeyourself after, but somehow you
made it through?
Through the Rain is for womenwho've been through the storms,
all women who face uniquechallenges and triumphs.
This is about what we wentthrough and how God pulled us
(17:12):
through.
This ain't just another book.
This is real talk, real healingand real ministry For all women
who've been through it andstill got the strength to speak.
Your tears, your triumphs, yourtestimony they all matter.
You don't have to be a writer,sis.
I got you From ghostwriting toone-on-one consults.
I'll help you get your storyout the way it's meant to be
(17:34):
told with grace and power.
Your story has power.
Let it do the ministry.
Come join us through the rain.
We're waiting on you, sis.
Spots are limited.
Payment plans are available.
Dm me today and let's walk thisjourney together.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
It's time to turn your pain into purpose, your
struggle into strength.
Yes, so that is the commercialfor Through the Rain, the
devotional, and I am searchingfor some authors or some writers
or somebody who just has atestimony.
So if you want to tell yourstory, hit the inbox.
I think it's on this side ofyour screen.
Ok, hit the inbox over here andcontact me today to find out
(18:17):
how you can be featured in theThrough the Rain devotional.
So back to Miss Elena Maria,speaking of where we kind of
left off, what do you wantsurvivors that are tuning in
right now to know before they goto sleep tonight?
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Well, there's more.
That's what I want you to know.
There's more if the fact thatyou survive that simply mean
that there's more, that meanit's not the end.
So, since it's not the end,continue to push.
You know, keep going, dig deep,pray or let me, whoever you
connect to I'm a christian,everybody's not a christian find
(18:54):
that higher power.
You know, because everybodydoes it.
You know it's a 360 world.
We have to be considerate ofall.
So find that place.
You know where you I call itbeing in love with the altar.
Find the altar.
Find that place, whether it bethe shower, the car, I don't
know the park, wherever it is,and find a place to allow
yourself to cry, allow yourselfyourself to feel, allow yourself
(19:16):
to think, allow yourself tospeak, allow yourself to say,
allow yourself to feel valid, tovalidate yourself.
People are not going to alwayssupport and validate you.
Get comfortable giving yourselfvalidation while you walk
through and navigate the ebbsand flows of life, feelings,
emotions because they arecomplex.
We are complex human beings andalso you're doing fine.
(19:37):
I am proud of you.
I am proud of you.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
I'm proud of you too.
I love that.
I love that Now I'm doing aArthur Bootcamp right now.
You know about it, the 21st day, arthur Bootcamp, and I'm
pretty sure that those ladiesare going to be listening in.
So I want to kind of get yourperspective on this, on nuts and
bolts, when you wrote, can you,can you hold up our fat baby
(20:02):
right now for me?
Ok, turn it to the left so theycan.
Yeah, you see that book, yousee, I think it is OK.
How long did fat baby take fromfirst page to publish?
And what did the KDPself-publishing teach you?
Yes, yes, oh Lord.
(20:23):
You know some people bethinking it's easy, breezy, I
got to be somebody on here thatis a vet baby.
Please, please, please.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
It takes a little while so for writing it.
It was a couple of months forme.
Of course you want your storyto be complete, you know.
So that's a given right.
But once you upload the KDPthey may reject it.
The settings are off, themargins are off.
If you do your own book coveroh no, it's too big, you upload
it.
You view it.
Somebody's book cover oh no,it's too big.
(20:56):
You upload it.
You view it.
Somebody's face cut off.
You got to send it back through.
Oh, it can get tricky.
It can get tricky.
And then you got to deal withthe pricing and determining.
Do you want to do expandeddistribution, which gives you
less income, versus just Amazon,say, here in the States?
(21:16):
We're in the States, so if youjust want, you know the Amazon
distribution, so that plays withthe financial margin of what
you receive.
So you have those questions todetermine which route do I go?
How do I price the book?
When is the best day to releasethe book?
What are other books in thismarket doing?
What do I label the book when Iam in there trying to determine
(21:36):
is it an urban fiction?
How do I put the best label toget the best results if you're
aiming for bestseller Now, ifyou just want to label the book,
you know you can do that.
But there are other nuancesthat go into picking the correct
category for the maximumexposure to get that in that top
20, that top five, whateveryour goals are.
(21:59):
Then there's the marketing piece.
Do you want to use Amazonmarketing?
Do you use Facebook marketing?
So it gets.
It can be.
A lot of.
This is not to discourage, but alot of time people think oh,
I'm an author.
There's more to the story.
You got to put in the work,absolutely.
So it's up to you to brandyourself, to the way you want to
brand yourself and what type ofproduct.
(22:19):
So you got to put in the workand it is doable because I have
multiple books.
Dr Cox has multiple books, soyou're not talking to novices
who are just doing something.
We're not new to this, we'retrue to this.
You know putting out qualitywork, so it's going to cost you
something.
You know, which is one of thethings I speak on as a
motivational speaker.
You know it's going to cost yousomething, but if there's
(22:41):
anybody worth investing in, it'syou, because nobody can do you
like you.
So just take the time, dr Cox.
I know she offers all kind ofclasses, resources.
She does one-on-oneconsultation.
It's going to cost yousomething but you got to seed
into yourself and you'll makesure that you're seeding into
good ground.
So once you put a little wateron it, your money paid to Dr
(23:04):
Coffey will start seeing theplants to grow.
So you know.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Amen, yeah, now, thank you for that.
Okay, because I want them tohear from a well-known, esteemed
author who get in there anindie author who get in there?
And kind of get that meat andpotatoes.
You know the process.
Oh yeah.
She said oh yeah.
(23:28):
What's next?
Any projects we can pray overand anticipate from you?
Speaker 3 (23:33):
Oh well, absolutely.
As far as an author, I haveagain my poetry book coming out
the December.
I'm really excited about thatand it's actually labeled
Beauty's Wear Ashes poetry forthe whole meet and it is a nod
to the Black women.
(23:54):
Now, any woman can be empoweredand, you know, love this book
and find themselves in it.
But it is a nod to the Blackwoman and her beauty and her
prowess and her strength and hermajesty.
So just want to show a littlelove to people like me, you know
, but I love all people, butagain, all women of any hue,
(24:17):
color, shape.
You can find yourself in thepages of Beauty for Ashes,
because women, we already knowwhat time it is just to be a
woman, from the day we were born, the organs we were assigned,
the things that once you hitpuberty, the things that come
with it.
We are just built differentfrom real.
So this is just to empower thebeautiful women of the world.
(24:38):
As far as a singer-songwriter, Iam in the lab working on my EP.
I'm really excited about that.
That will be also called 360.
So I'm really, really excited.
I'm really particular aboutcontinuity across my brand.
So if you see it, you know whoit is, it's me.
And then, acting, I ameverywhere.
(25:00):
As you see, I have so manyprojects lined up, so within the
next year or two, you'll see meon your TV screen a lot more
than you would think.
I'm really excited about what'shappening in my life and I'm so
grateful to God for all thewonderful opportunities that are
coming my way.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
I make sure I tell people all the time.
I think I've said in the lastthree shows I quote you on this
when you say you will not letthe grave get any of your
potential.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
I always say my girl.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Elena say my girl, because I ain't going to steal
your stuff.
I ain't no destiny robber, okay, so I ain't going to steal your
stuff, but I always make sure Isay that because I love how you
live in that.
You make sure that before youleave here, you don't have a
drop of oil left.
And I love that about you.
(25:54):
I love that love that.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
So much about you.
That's why he gave us thevessel.
He poured it in for support out, it's not for the shelf to look
pretty.
You know what I mean.
When the pastor has oil at thechurch, they take it and put it
on the hand and anoint themembers and pray for them.
Our job is to pour it out pourit out, pour it, out, pour it
out, pour it out, and I want toleave a legacy for my children.
What good is it to have allthese gifts?
And I died and my mama couldhave known my mom did.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
I tell people all the time.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
You know, I tell people that all the time, elena,
I'm 36 years old and a lot ofpeople that are in my circle or
even like on my timeline areolder than me, and so I get all
of these things on my timelineall the time Like, oh, y'all so
caught up in accolades,accolades, accolades,
accomplishments, accomplishments.
And I'm like, well, yeah, I'm36 years old, I have kids that
(26:41):
are looking up to me.
So, yes, I'm doing the work,but, yes, I'm also achieving my
goals and I am going to grab myaccolades and I am going to grab
my titles and I am going tograb my achievements.
That don't mean that they makeme, but just because you see me
living in my now, you had yourturn, you had your opportunity,
(27:06):
let me be great.
I'm not going to say, and theyused to discourage me and make
me not want to reach for things,and I think that's really what
the devil, you know, the spiritis.
That spirit is disguised up inthat Like, let me throw that on
the timeline and try to throwher off or make her.
Because when I used to seepeople say, oh, accolades don't
matter, or you think you gotthis title, and I'm just like,
maybe I shouldn't, but I'm like,no, maybe I should, maybe I
(27:27):
should, because when my kids getolder, they're gonna say, oh,
my mama got her honorary doctor.
Oh, my mom at 35 got thelifetime achievement Achievement
Award from the president, oryou know, and these types of, oh
, this bestseller and thatbestseller, when my mom did it,
she got people that never, it'sgoing to always be on Beyonce
internet, that you have peopleon here that say, oh, when
(27:48):
Jacqueline Cox does it, she doesit and she does it with grace,
she does it with excellence.
That is going to carry overbecause of the seeds that we sow
in the ground.
So, as you can remember, I usedto be like, no, I don't think
I'm going to do no podcast.
No, I don't think I'm going todo this because of people.
But now you see me and becauseof what you said, it lit a fire
(28:13):
in me.
That's why I say you, you havepurpose, everybody has purpose.
Because when you said that,like I'm not gonna get a great
my potential, I got so muchstuff I can do.
I'm not worried about whatnobody said, and that made me
like you know what.
She is absolutely right,because listening to people who
are behind their keyboards anddon't really have, you know,
(28:35):
ambition or anything like that.
That's no longer going to stopme, because I'm worried about
what they think about me andwhat I'm doing.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
So I just want to do that.
They make up kind of places forpeople to live.
Right, you have barns, you havetrailers, you have tiny homes,
you have mansions.
Move into your house anddecorate it how you want.
Decorate your own house.
That's how I live.
I don't desire to be in a tinyhome.
I'm living in a whole mansionand I'm going to decorate every
(29:05):
room the way I want to, becausewhen the journey is over, my
journey is over.
So I build my house and Idecorate my house, and then I'm
very selective of who I allow inmy house.
And there it is.
So once you think about it inthose terms my house, my
furniture you ain't got to livehere, right, my house, my
(29:25):
furniture, my bill, my hands, myhandiwork and that's how I do
it You'll be surprised.
Well, dang, you're saying tooyes, I am, and I would love you
to purchase an album, but it'snot to share on Facebook.
Listen, I'm going to tell youright now.
I'm too old to be worried aboutwhat people are thinking about.
(29:48):
Elena.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
I can't, you can't be around people jealous of you.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
You got to love them like this yes.
You can't.
The grave has so much potentialin it.
That's one of the places withthe most talent the grave.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Yeah, and they never used it because they were too
afraid of what other people made.
Worried about people.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
I refuse.
If you look at my page one day,I'm posting my books, I'm
posting my shops, I'm postingthat I'm going to act somewhere.
I'm about to startscreenwriting.
So if you're following myjourney, you're going to always
see me doing things and I'mgoing to keep doing things.
And if those things aggravateyour spirits or demons or what
(30:34):
have you, or your lack ofambition, that's unfortunate.
But I pray that god provides mewith people who want to support
me.
They'll come.
They'll come.
Yeah, just stay comfortable.
That's the main thing.
You can be as great as you wantto be, but I promise you
humility of closed doors, uh,before you even get a chance to
(30:54):
open them, because you could begifted, as ever.
But your humility can reallyslam some doors and lock them.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
I was saying people, your title doesn't give you
entitlement, because I hadsomebody and I'm just going to
go ahead, I'm going to speak onit because you know me, I'm
going to speak on it.
Somebody inboxed me the otherday and was like hey, can you?
You know, I would really likeif you would join this anthology
.
And I didn't know the person.
But they said the guy had ledthem to me and I said, well, you
(31:24):
know, right now I'm doing likefive anthologies at one time.
And then I I'm managing socialmedia, managing like three
visionaries who are working ontheirs right now.
So I'm doing their booktrailers, their like I just I
didn't get along with thispodcast, I just didn't have the
time.
So I'm saying, well, right now,you know, I'm kind of swamp
doing, you know, spearheading, alot of my own and I got all
(31:47):
this other stuff.
I said, but, um, make sure youkeep me in mind for your next
one.
They went completely off on me,told me, oh, oh, well, mine's a
national, international and allof this and that, well, it just
goes to say like they were veryrude about it.
It was a pastor, you know, andI was just like OK, pastor, you
be blessed.
And I and I knew right then andthere, elena, you know me, you
(32:12):
are a friend of mine, so you seethe growth.
You see the growth because Ijust want, like are you kidding
me?
And but right there to me itwas like okay, I passed the test
, because I honestly believethat it was a test, because it
(32:32):
was like I'm not saying no, whatI'm saying is not right now,
and if that's not okay for you,it ain't nothing I can do about
that.
It ain't nothing I can do aboutthat?
Speaker 3 (32:46):
People like to talk about that, but sometimes it's
uncomfortable.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
Making other people uncomfortable even though you're
uncomfortable, it gets weirdbecause you want to say yes, yes
, you don't want to hurtpeople's feelings and it makes
you feel uncomfortable, but theycan be okay, they will be,
they'll be okay yeah, you knowme, I'm so used to just saying
yes and then over overbearingmyself and I just this year
(33:09):
start putting up boundaries andborders and like, okay, I'm not
doing nothing after five on thisday, I'm not working after
eight o'clock ever.
You get what I'm saying like Ihave to set boundaries if
there's anything over 30 minutes.
You got to book a console withme because I'm just swamped.
And the moment I say no, I gotbacklash.
And I was also afraid becausethe title said minister, she's a
(33:34):
pastor.
And I was like I don't want tobe disrespectful, I'm trying to
be as as, as, as.
Sometimes we just have to thinkbefore we speak, pray before we
speak.
And I was like every you know,I saw something else really
quick.
I was like every you know.
I saw something else reallyquick.
I saw something else onFacebook on my timeline, that
said something about how crowsare the only thing that's in,
(34:00):
like the air or the atmospherethat's brave enough to attack an
eagle, but the eagle does notfight back.
Because what does an eagle looklike?
Kind of flap, flap, flap, flap,flap, and fight a crow?
No, he just goes higher andhigher and higher until that
crow falls out and I say I'mgoing to be that eagle from now
(34:21):
on.
I'm just going to be the eagle.
I'm not even going to, becauseI know that a lot of times that
those are my tests and I clog myblessings that way, you know.
So I have to be very careful inthese days because it's always
spiritual warfare everywhere andyou have to really be careful
at how you handle certainsituations.
(34:43):
And I'm learning that now.
Like I'm so glad I'm learningthat early, because a lot of
people don't don't learn it whenI do.
I mean, like right now, at 36,a lot of people don't get it
till later in life.
But I'm glad that God has givenme these lessons and surrounded
me with people like you, likewith Dr Belmont, like with
Laquita Parks and CarolynColeman, audrey Ann and Melanie
(35:04):
Johnson and just like, just likemy little tribe and Leanne
Hendrick and Tanya Vincent, youknow, and LaShawn and anybody I
did name.
Y'all know who y'all is.
Honey, it's me, but you knowthey surround me and you guys
really pour into me and give methe wisdom that I don't have,
and then, on the other end, I'mgiving y'all my marketing and
(35:26):
just whatever I know and it justit all comes together full
circle.
So especially you, my Maria,you know I it, just it all comes
together full circle.
So especially you, my Maria,you know I love you, my girl.
But yes, yes, go high end.
You know exactly what I wasgoing to say Go high end, high
end, high end.
So, going back into just thelast little portion of our
(35:48):
interview, I want you to, I wantto do a round robin, which you
kind of saw it, so I want you tofinish the sentence Writing is
my outlet.
A line from fat baby that stillconvict you is.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
Oh God, life didn't love me and I didn't love it
back.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
One boundary that you keep to protect your peace
while you're creating.
Do not disturb.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
On my cell phone.
Say it one more time D and D onmy cell phone.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
Amen, I heard you, but I want the end, okay.
So, family, what I want you todo, hold your book up.
What I want you to do is grabfat baby on amazon tonight and
leave a review, because itmatters okay, and flip through
our list of linda um julymagazine.
(36:42):
Um, so, uh, the feature tolearn more about elena's journey
.
And I have to correct myself.
I will not do myself justiceand and they will read me down
in the comments chat Elena Mariais the fifth author because
Lakeisha Williams was the fourth.
So I have to make sure that Icorrect that, because I said
fourth last week, I said fourththis past week.
(37:03):
Okay, charge it to my head andnot my heart.
Elena is number five and Angelawill be on at noon.
She is number six.
Okay, so, elena, number five,awesome authors of 2025 for the
best selling, the internationalbestselling magazine.
(37:24):
Let me beat the horn on them.
Greg, listen to the magazine,okay, elena.
Beep, listen Linda MagazineOkay, elena.
Thank you, thank you so muchfor trusting me again.
You're not just a guest, youare my family love and, on
behalf of Listen Linda, bookClub Live.
We honor your courage and yourcraft.
(37:46):
Doors here, you already knowthey stay open for you, girl.
Love you like God.
Love the church.
Baby, love you too.
On that note, I want you topray us out.
Speaker 3 (37:57):
Okay, alright.
Heavenly Father, we thank youfor this day.
We thank you for the beauty ofbeing alive, for the breath that
you've given us today.
We ask you, god, to let us nottake any breaths anymore in our
life for granted, but we willuse every breath to become and
to do everything you instilledin us to do, to bind the spirit
(38:17):
of fear of the listener, whofeel they're not enough, they're
not big enough, they're notsmart enough, they're not bold
enough, they're not talentedenough.
And I say now you are more thanenough.
Through Christ Jesus, we askyou, lord, to cover each and
every listener right now, god.
Whatever's broken, whatever'shurting, provide a balm.
Right now, god, in the name ofJesus, cover us and let this be
an amazing day, and we thank youin Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
Now, I already have your website here, but tell
people how they can get incontact with you and how they
can reach you.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
Yeah, it's elanamariacom, spelled
A-L-L-A-I-N-A-M-A-R-I-Acom mymom got a little fancy with the
spelling.
But also on social media,across all of them, it's
Elanamaria.
You'll find me everywhere.
And, as a shameless plug, happy, happy, happy birthday to my
big girl, holland Miles.
(39:07):
She's 13 today.
Mommy loves you, big girl.
Happy 13th birthday.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
Sorry, I stole your mama for an hour, okay, holly,
but I love you.
Happy birthday, holly, and Godbless it.
And run your mama pocket.
She been saving up for twoyears for this day.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
You see my face?
That's how my bank accountlooking at me, ma'am, ma'am
ma'am, she gonna bag youwherever you want.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
All you gotta do is ask her.
She gonna take you wherever youwant.
You wanna go to Paris?
You wanna go to Greece?
Okay, those big countries, okay, I'm putting it in the
atmosphere for you cause I loveyou, tt.
Jackie, love you girl.
She love the kids ton well, I'mher 16th.
Speaker 3 (39:48):
We're taking Holland to Holland for the 16th birthday
, so yes, see, she already gotit.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
You just gotta put it in the uniform.
All right, and I got that fromLeanne.
When she say sprinkle, sprinkle, so sprinkle, sprinkle, I like
that girl, but I love you, elena.
Um, happy birthday to your baby.
Once again, get ice cream,wasted honey, and I will talk
with you soon.
(40:15):
Thank you Y'all.
At noon we'll be having AngelaAnderson and her book the Power
of I Am, so I will be right back.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
I'm out Smile.
Hey there, I'm Jacqueline Cox, but you might
know me as ListenLinda.
Um, where do I even begin?
I guess you could say I wearmany hats Podcast host,
entrepreneur, Mrs Illinois, usa,and so much more but it all
started with a simple passion totell stories and empower others
(00:26):
.
Building a platform wasn't easy.
There were days when I wonderedif anyone was even listening.
But then something amazinghappened.
I realized the power of myvoice.
Suddenly, my words werereaching people, touching lives,
making a difference.
Now I see my mission clearly tocreate spaces where every voice
(00:58):
can be heard, thank you, andtogether we can make our voices
echo far and wide.
To be a guest on Listen Linda.
Contact Jacqueline Cox onFacebook Messenger.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Hey, hey, friends, Welcome back to Listen Linda
Book Club Live.
I am your host, Dr JacquelineCox, and today feels like family
because our guest is a dearfriend of mine and a friend of
this show the multi-giftedauthor, creator and truth teller
(01:33):
, Elena Maria 360.
You know her voice from thewomen of the waiting room
takeover and her powerfulsurvivor testimony on our feed,
and you definitely know her fromthe book fat baby.
When the streets call, answerokay.
She's also number four on our25 awesome authors of 2025 and
(01:56):
was featured in our very ownlisten linda magazine, the july
Family.
Help me welcome Elena Maria tothe stage, honey.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
How you doing.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
I'm all right Now.
Before we get started,everybody know me.
No, we have to start with ouropening prayer.
Okay so, father God, thank youfor gathering us in community.
Bless Elena, bless everylistener under the sound of my
voice.
Bless this conversation to heal, equip and point us towards
your hope.
Guide our words, lord.
(02:32):
God, get glory from this hourin Jesus' mighty name.
Amen, amen, amen.
Welcome back.
Welcome back Now as a friend ofthe show.
What does it feel like to behere as our Arthur number four
in the 2025 Awesome Arthurslineup?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
What does it feel like?
It feels absolutely amazing.
You know, when you have friends, you know Jackie is like a
woman of integrity and sometimeswe get close to people they'll
lose that.
Oh, that's just my friend.
But it's so nice to know she'sjust a friend.
She's actually a mentor, awoman who's on a mission, and to
(03:14):
be a part of what she has goingon, to know me personally and
still include me, that is very,very humbling and I'm always
honored and the caliber ofpeople that she's connected with
.
To be listed amongst those 25makes my heart glad.
So thank you so much.
Always humble.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Now, for those who you, for those new to you, give
us the one minute.
Who is Elena Maria?
Writer, actress, singer,survivor, however you want to
frame.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Well, I'm Elena Maria At my core.
I'm a mom of two beautifulgirls, I'm a daughter, I'm a
sister, a woman who loves God,family, community.
I'm a woman of femininity,beauty and grace, and that's the
core of me, and I love God.
But as a multi-hyphenate, I ama multi-genre author, a singer,
songwriter, actress,screenwriter, poet, oh God,
(04:08):
entrepreneur, and the list goeson and on.
But above all, I'm a woman wholoves God and loves his people,
and that's Elena.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Amen, elena 360.
Okay, she's full circle.
She does it all, honey, and shedoes it with grace and humility
.
That's why I love you so, so,very much.
Now she's full circle.
She does it all, honey, and shedoes it with grace and humility
.
That's why I love you so so,very much.
Now let's get into this book.
Honey, fat baby, hold it up forpeople to see.
Even a cover had me shook.
Honey, yes, yes, now, fat baby,fat Baby.
(04:43):
That title, it stops you inyour tracks.
What did it come from?
And who is Fat Baby at her core?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
It came from just black experience, like I said,
who doesn't have a cousin whosename is Tyrone but their grandma
called him that man.
We have named an arrowhead, afat, fat a juju, so it's
something that our culture canrelate to right off the bat.
Because obviously we know hergovernment isn't Fat Baby, right
(05:15):
, her government is Tina Posner.
So automatically, like Fat Baby, that's got to be somebody's
nickname.
So it automatically grabs youand like wait, what is that all
about?
What is the culture?
What is the story?
What, what does that even mean?
Like, how do you name a bookfat baby?
So it came.
It came from a place, like Isaid, of just um being relevant
to our culture, um, but alsosomething to grab you, because
(05:38):
you just don't see books calledfat baby.
You want to know what I never,what's under that?
um, but the, the actual Tina.
Her nickname was Fat Baby,literally because she was a fat
baby and they, you know, pickedit up and it just ran with it,
which is synonymous with ourculture.
I'll say my sister, her name isShauna, but her nickname is
(06:00):
Humpy because when she was ababy my uncle sat around and she
humped over.
And here she is to be 49, andher nickname is still Humphrey
to this day.
So it is so true to our culture.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Absolutely, and with this book it holds.
Hard realities, guys, Trauma,exploitation, survival.
Yet you write when you write,you write with dignity and fight
.
What guardrails did you keep?
To honor real pain withoutreally glorifying it in this
book?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Well, when I was writing, I remembered that there
is somebody out there who'sthat's their story.
It's easy to write to get theshock value oh my God, did you
read that?
That was so but to rememberthat someone's story who's not
bold enough to speak, or theycan pick it up and see.
They may have to see the pain,but they realize they're not
alone.
A lot of times when you'regoing through the amount of
(06:53):
trauma that fat baby wentthrough and those generational
curses, the enemy or your mindwould trick you to think you're
alone.
And you know, no oneunderstands that God doesn't
love me.
And why be?
You know what I mean.
It's easy to get caught up in.
You know those emotions andthey are valid.
I'm not invalidating anyfeelings because they're valid.
When you're hurting, you'rehurting.
(07:14):
If you're sad, you're sad andyou have a right to feel them.
But sometimes being able to seesomeone else, know there is
someone else out there and theysurvived or they did not survive
, and what takeaways can you asan individual use to survive?
You know, what can I take awayfrom Fat Baby?
What can I learn from some ofthe choices she made?
(07:36):
Are these the outcomes I wantfor my life.
You know, and a lot of timesit's not even maybe an
individual who went through it.
They live vicariously throughsomeone else.
So you know, just becauseyou're not actually caring that
way, you're caring the outsideway and you care for the loved
one who went through what shewent through.
You care for the one who'sburdened, you care for the one
who's been abused and you don'treally know how to help care.
(07:58):
So reading a book such as thisreminds you that people are not
alone Others.
This reminds you that thatpeople are not alone.
Others are struggling and thatbaby is a harsh book, but it is
a reality and it's one of thosethings you don't want to talk
about.
And when I wrote it I had somemoments.
I was like man, this I don'twant to be seen as I'm trying to
provide shock value, but at thesame time, they have those
(08:19):
resources in place where fatbaby was living because of those
real situations and you have tobe in depth with it and that's
what I loved about it, becauseyou didn't glorify it, you
didn't um the way that you toldit.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
It was so raw and it was so real.
And I'm gonna tell yousomething, it really took me
back to um, not as far as likeum real, like x rated, like the
coldest winter was, because itwas really raw, right.
But with Fat Baby it put me inthat mind frame of winter.
(08:53):
Winter went through somesimilar things in that book.
And Fat Baby, though it wasbetter to me because in the
coldest winter ever, it wasbetter to me because in in, in
the coldest winter ever, it wasmore so glorifying that life in
in fat baby, it gave a wholedifferent perspective.
But what I'm saying, as far asthe rawness, the realness, how
(09:14):
you kept it real, it really andand I you know, the coast once
ever is one of my favorite booksof all time.
I am you already know I'm afangirl, christina babe, okay,
for miss dane, honey, that is mygirl.
So when I read this book I wasthat immediately it drew you
already know how I feel aboutyour books too so immediately it
(09:36):
drew me in.
I was like mariah, who girl?
What is fat baby?
I loved it.
I loved it.
I loved.
Now, while you were writing thebook, what scripture or truth
kept you steady?
What kept you focused whilewriting this book Because a lot
of times I know with myself aswell, and that's why I always
(09:58):
have to end up getting likesomebody else to read it,
because I kind of go off scriptwhat kept you steady and focused
on the end goal of the book?
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Well, you know, I know it's going to sound cliche.
You know because everybodyknows this particular passage.
The Lord is my shepherd.
I shall not want he's making melie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside the sea ofwaters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me to the path ofrighteousness.
For his name's sake, he ain'tgoing to walk through the battle
of shadow and death.
I feel no evil, for God with me, thy rod and thy staff.
(10:28):
They comfort me.
Thy prepared the paper beforeme to present to mine enemies.
Thou anointed my head with oil.
My cup runneth over Surelygoodness and mercy shall follow
me all the days of my life and Ishall dwell in the house of the
Lord.
Well, when you're talking truthsand when you're writing,
sometimes you pick up and youfeel it.
(10:48):
You know what I mean.
You're carrying the burden ofthe character.
You know what I mean.
And I worked in social work fora very long time with different
people from differentbackgrounds, with a lot going on
.
And then I also have a sisterwho you know, who passed away.
That was her calling in thecommunity, touching, feeling
(11:10):
these people.
In the story she would tell meof the people that she's touched
, you know, and the horrors thatthese young girls go through in
the system, and the horrors ofmolestation and rape and X, y, z
, and sometimes you, when you'rewriting and expressing those
things, you have to stop andpray because you get heavy, you
(11:33):
know, you get, you reallyimmerse yourself into the
character and sometimes it's alot.
I have two children of my own,two girls.
I couldn't imagine if they wentthrough some of the things that
that baby went through.
I couldn't imagine, couldn'tfathom.
So there were moments wheretears were shed and in that
point I go back to my safe place, which is the word of God.
(11:56):
That scripture always comfortsme, no matter what, and it's
applicable to everything.
People think oh, people comingagainst me, no, no, no.
It's applicable to everything.
People think oh, people comingagainst me.
No, no, no.
It's more than that.
If you listen, god comes to mein the present.
He is north as my head, withall Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days ofmy life.
So even after I'm finishedwriting this, god is still with
me.
You know what I mean.
(12:17):
I go to get comfort, to letthat heaviness off of me, to go
with my day Because you.
To go with my day because youthink you read some things that
sit with you, certain movies.
You see, it sit with you allday long.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
You have to pray that thing off for you because you
feel so heavy, but it was astory that needed to be told,
absolutely, absolutely.
And one thing that I could, Icould really um get with,
because you know I love me alittle street lit.
You know storytelling I reallyreally do.
That is, if you see, I got, Igot my Alicia Keys baby, I got
my dead girl walking, I got likeI really love these type of
(12:54):
books and um, with fat baby.
That's that's kind of what itgave me.
It gave me like a street litpulse in the storytelling.
Um, how did you balance, youknow, authenticity with that
redemption, um peak, uh truth,absolutely that's the answer.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
In short, when you write in truth, there's not much
room for error, there's nofallacy, it's truth.
And when you write in truth,people, when they read the pages
, they can feel the truth comingthrough the pages.
So so, if you stay with thetruth, you're always going to
win Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Absolutely Now.
My listeners first met you, myhome listeners first met you
with your book Mirage yeah, andthat powerful conversation on on
everything and surviving lossand everything.
So what has healing looked likefor you since?
(13:53):
Um, getting past everythingthat you've been going through
this year?
Just this?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
alone.
I don't know what it looks likeit.
It it has many masks.
You know, one day it feels liketriumph because I, you know, as
I don't know what it looks likeit.
It it has many masks.
You know, one day it feels liketriumph because I, you know, as
I don't know, if you know, mysister was unfortunately, uh,
brutally murdered, um, and itjust passed.
August 2nd was a year, um, andon facebook I didn't do this
elaborate, I just put long live,long to 365.
It was the one full turn.
(14:21):
Elena, 360, 360, and I left itat that because her life was
worth celebrating, right?
But so many notes in Mariah wasso true to my sister's life and
I didn't realize I was writingpart of her story.
The book came out and waswritten way before she passed
away, so that's one of thethings I asked you.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
It's many masses.
I was like did she write this?
You know?
Speaker 3 (14:48):
I was like I can just imagine, you know, wow it's
crazy, and my sister was the onethat helped edit the book, so
go figure right.
So she read the.
It's really crazy how lifeimitated art.
So it was a lot of emotional,which is why I was saying, like,
(15:09):
also about that baby.
You know you have to say thosescriptures to arm yourself
because you know it gets.
It gets very real when you'rewriting emotion.
You attach to the character,especially if they die or are
injured, or you know you'reattached to that person like
their living, breathing thing.
And then I'm also, you know, ascreenwriter too.
(15:29):
So in the process of bringingthese characters to life,
especially Mariah, that's goingto be a heavy undertaking for me
because, like I said, a lot ofthat is my sister's story that I
did not know that I was writing, you know.
But it comes with many masks.
Some days there are smiles,some days there are tears, some
days, you know, there's despair.
(15:50):
You know we like to wrapeverything up in beauty.
You know sometimes there is,there are ashes, but then also
God also gives us beauty forashes, which is a poetry book
that I have coming out laterthis year.
So things in my life the lane of360 is literally infinity
circled around my life, mywriting, how I'm moving, but I
stay anchored in God,remembering he is always with me
(16:12):
.
And I again that scripture Ishall dwell in the house of the
Lord forever Amen.
And that Selah, that's it,that's the end of the story.
When my journey is over, all ofthe writing, all of the singing
, the acting, whatever, and thenI, the vessel, shall dwell in
the house of love, forever Amen.
So I paint my hopes on thateternity and that's how I get
(16:33):
through the day-to-day and theblows of you know life Okay.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
So we're going to take a quick break, we're going
to hear a word from our sponsorand then we will be right back
with Elena Movesh.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
Sis, have you ever survived something that was
supposed to take you out?
Have you walked throughsomething so heavy, so painful,
that you didn't even recognizeyourself after, but somehow you
made it through?
Through the Rain is for womenwho've been through the storms,
all women who face uniquechallenges and triumphs.
This is about what we wentthrough and how God pulled us
(17:12):
through.
This ain't just another book.
This is real talk, real healingand real ministry For all women
who've been through it andstill got the strength to speak.
Your tears, your triumphs, yourtestimony they all matter.
You don't have to be a writer,sis.
I got you From ghostwriting toone-on-one consults.
I'll help you get your storyout the way it's meant to be
(17:34):
told with grace and power.
Your story has power.
Let it do the ministry.
Come join us through the rain.
We're waiting on you, sis.
Spots are limited.
Payment plans are available.
Dm me today and let's walk thisjourney together.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
It's time to turn your pain into purpose, your
struggle into strength.
Yes, so that is the commercialfor Through the Rain, the
devotional, and I am searchingfor some authors or some writers
or somebody who just has atestimony.
So if you want to tell yourstory, hit the inbox.
I think it's on this side ofyour screen.
Ok, hit the inbox over here andcontact me today to find out
(18:17):
how you can be featured in theThrough the Rain devotional.
So back to Miss Elena Maria,speaking of where we kind of
left off, what do you wantsurvivors that are tuning in
right now to know before they goto sleep tonight?
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Well, there's more.
That's what I want you to know.
There's more if the fact thatyou survive that simply mean
that there's more, that meanit's not the end.
So, since it's not the end,continue to push.
You know, keep going, dig deep,pray or let me, whoever you
connect to I'm a christian,everybody's not a christian find
(18:54):
that higher power.
You know, because everybodydoes it.
You know it's a 360 world.
We have to be considerate ofall.
So find that place.
You know where you I call itbeing in love with the altar.
Find the altar.
Find that place, whether it bethe shower, the car, I don't
know the park, wherever it is,and find a place to allow
yourself to cry, allow yourselfyourself to feel, allow yourself
(19:16):
to think, allow yourself tospeak, allow yourself to say,
allow yourself to feel valid, tovalidate yourself.
People are not going to alwayssupport and validate you.
Get comfortable giving yourselfvalidation while you walk
through and navigate the ebbsand flows of life, feelings,
emotions because they arecomplex.
We are complex human beings andalso you're doing fine.
(19:37):
I am proud of you.
I am proud of you.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
I'm proud of you too.
I love that.
I love that Now I'm doing aArthur Bootcamp right now.
You know about it, the 21st day, arthur Bootcamp, and I'm
pretty sure that those ladiesare going to be listening in.
So I want to kind of get yourperspective on this, on nuts and
bolts, when you wrote, can you,can you hold up our fat baby
(20:02):
right now for me?
Ok, turn it to the left so theycan.
Yeah, you see that book, yousee, I think it is OK.
How long did fat baby take fromfirst page to publish?
And what did the KDPself-publishing teach you?
Yes, yes, oh Lord.
(20:23):
You know some people bethinking it's easy, breezy, I
got to be somebody on here thatis a vet baby.
Please, please, please.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
It takes a little while so for writing it.
It was a couple of months forme.
Of course you want your storyto be complete, you know.
So that's a given right.
But once you upload the KDPthey may reject it.
The settings are off, themargins are off.
If you do your own book coveroh no, it's too big, you upload
it.
You view it.
Somebody's book cover oh no,it's too big.
(20:56):
You upload it.
You view it.
Somebody's face cut off.
You got to send it back through.
Oh, it can get tricky.
It can get tricky.
And then you got to deal withthe pricing and determining.
Do you want to do expandeddistribution, which gives you
less income, versus just Amazon,say, here in the States?
(21:16):
We're in the States, so if youjust want, you know the Amazon
distribution, so that plays withthe financial margin of what
you receive.
So you have those questions todetermine which route do I go?
How do I price the book?
When is the best day to releasethe book?
What are other books in thismarket doing?
What do I label the book when Iam in there trying to determine
(21:36):
is it an urban fiction?
How do I put the best label toget the best results if you're
aiming for bestseller Now, ifyou just want to label the book,
you know you can do that.
But there are other nuancesthat go into picking the correct
category for the maximumexposure to get that in that top
20, that top five, whateveryour goals are.
(21:59):
Then there's the marketing piece.
Do you want to use Amazonmarketing?
Do you use Facebook marketing?
So it gets.
It can be.
A lot of.
This is not to discourage, but alot of time people think oh,
I'm an author.
There's more to the story.
You got to put in the work,absolutely.
So it's up to you to brandyourself, to the way you want to
brand yourself and what type ofproduct.
(22:19):
So you got to put in the workand it is doable because I have
multiple books.
Dr Cox has multiple books, soyou're not talking to novices
who are just doing something.
We're not new to this, we'retrue to this.
You know putting out qualitywork, so it's going to cost you
something.
You know, which is one of thethings I speak on as a
motivational speaker.
You know it's going to cost yousomething, but if there's
(22:41):
anybody worth investing in, it'syou, because nobody can do you
like you.
So just take the time, dr Cox.
I know she offers all kind ofclasses, resources.
She does one-on-oneconsultation.
It's going to cost yousomething but you got to seed
into yourself and you'll makesure that you're seeding into
good ground.
So once you put a little wateron it, your money paid to Dr
(23:04):
Coffey will start seeing theplants to grow.
So you know.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Amen, yeah, now, thank you for that.
Okay, because I want them tohear from a well-known, esteemed
author who get in there anindie author who get in there?
And kind of get that meat andpotatoes.
You know the process.
Oh yeah.
She said oh yeah.
(23:28):
What's next?
Any projects we can pray overand anticipate from you?
Speaker 3 (23:33):
Oh well, absolutely.
As far as an author, I haveagain my poetry book coming out
the December.
I'm really excited about thatand it's actually labeled
Beauty's Wear Ashes poetry forthe whole meet and it is a nod
to the Black women.
(23:54):
Now, any woman can be empoweredand, you know, love this book
and find themselves in it.
But it is a nod to the Blackwoman and her beauty and her
prowess and her strength and hermajesty.
So just want to show a littlelove to people like me, you know
, but I love all people, butagain, all women of any hue,
(24:17):
color, shape.
You can find yourself in thepages of Beauty for Ashes,
because women, we already knowwhat time it is just to be a
woman, from the day we were born, the organs we were assigned,
the things that once you hitpuberty, the things that come
with it.
We are just built differentfrom real.
So this is just to empower thebeautiful women of the world.
(24:38):
As far as a singer-songwriter, Iam in the lab working on my EP.
I'm really excited about that.
That will be also called 360.
So I'm really, really excited.
I'm really particular aboutcontinuity across my brand.
So if you see it, you know whoit is, it's me.
And then, acting, I ameverywhere.
(25:00):
As you see, I have so manyprojects lined up, so within the
next year or two, you'll see meon your TV screen a lot more
than you would think.
I'm really excited about what'shappening in my life and I'm so
grateful to God for all thewonderful opportunities that are
coming my way.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
I make sure I tell people all the time.
I think I've said in the lastthree shows I quote you on this
when you say you will not letthe grave get any of your
potential.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
I always say my girl.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Elena say my girl, because I ain't going to steal
your stuff.
I ain't no destiny robber, okay, so I ain't going to steal your
stuff, but I always make sure Isay that because I love how you
live in that.
You make sure that before youleave here, you don't have a
drop of oil left.
And I love that about you.
(25:54):
I love that love that.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
So much about you.
That's why he gave us thevessel.
He poured it in for support out, it's not for the shelf to look
pretty.
You know what I mean.
When the pastor has oil at thechurch, they take it and put it
on the hand and anoint themembers and pray for them.
Our job is to pour it out pourit out, pour it, out, pour it
out, pour it out, and I want toleave a legacy for my children.
What good is it to have allthese gifts?
And I died and my mama couldhave known my mom did.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
I tell people all the time.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
You know, I tell people that all the time, elena,
I'm 36 years old and a lot ofpeople that are in my circle or
even like on my timeline areolder than me, and so I get all
of these things on my timelineall the time Like, oh, y'all so
caught up in accolades,accolades, accolades,
accomplishments, accomplishments.
And I'm like, well, yeah, I'm36 years old, I have kids that
(26:41):
are looking up to me.
So, yes, I'm doing the work,but, yes, I'm also achieving my
goals and I am going to grab myaccolades and I am going to grab
my titles and I am going tograb my achievements.
That don't mean that they makeme, but just because you see me
living in my now, you had yourturn, you had your opportunity,
(27:06):
let me be great.
I'm not going to say, and theyused to discourage me and make
me not want to reach for things,and I think that's really what
the devil, you know, the spiritis.
That spirit is disguised up inthat Like, let me throw that on
the timeline and try to throwher off or make her.
Because when I used to seepeople say, oh, accolades don't
matter, or you think you gotthis title, and I'm just like,
maybe I shouldn't, but I'm like,no, maybe I should, maybe I
(27:27):
should, because when my kids getolder, they're gonna say, oh,
my mama got her honorary doctor.
Oh, my mom at 35 got thelifetime achievement Achievement
Award from the president, oryou know, and these types of, oh
, this bestseller and thatbestseller, when my mom did it,
she got people that never, it'sgoing to always be on Beyonce
internet, that you have peopleon here that say, oh, when
(27:48):
Jacqueline Cox does it, she doesit and she does it with grace,
she does it with excellence.
That is going to carry overbecause of the seeds that we sow
in the ground.
So, as you can remember, I usedto be like, no, I don't think
I'm going to do no podcast.
No, I don't think I'm going todo this because of people.
But now you see me and becauseof what you said, it lit a fire
(28:13):
in me.
That's why I say you, you havepurpose, everybody has purpose.
Because when you said that,like I'm not gonna get a great
my potential, I got so muchstuff I can do.
I'm not worried about whatnobody said, and that made me
like you know what.
She is absolutely right,because listening to people who
are behind their keyboards anddon't really have, you know,
(28:35):
ambition or anything like that.
That's no longer going to stopme, because I'm worried about
what they think about me andwhat I'm doing.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
So I just want to do that.
They make up kind of places forpeople to live.
Right, you have barns, you havetrailers, you have tiny homes,
you have mansions.
Move into your house anddecorate it how you want.
Decorate your own house.
That's how I live.
I don't desire to be in a tinyhome.
I'm living in a whole mansionand I'm going to decorate every
(29:05):
room the way I want to, becausewhen the journey is over, my
journey is over.
So I build my house and Idecorate my house, and then I'm
very selective of who I allow inmy house.
And there it is.
So once you think about it inthose terms my house, my
furniture you ain't got to livehere, right, my house, my
(29:25):
furniture, my bill, my hands, myhandiwork and that's how I do
it You'll be surprised.
Well, dang, you're saying tooyes, I am, and I would love you
to purchase an album, but it'snot to share on Facebook.
Listen, I'm going to tell youright now.
I'm too old to be worried aboutwhat people are thinking about.
(29:48):
Elena.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
I can't, you can't be around people jealous of you.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
You got to love them like this yes.
You can't.
The grave has so much potentialin it.
That's one of the places withthe most talent the grave.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Yeah, and they never used it because they were too
afraid of what other people made.
Worried about people.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
I refuse.
If you look at my page one day,I'm posting my books, I'm
posting my shops, I'm postingthat I'm going to act somewhere.
I'm about to startscreenwriting.
So if you're following myjourney, you're going to always
see me doing things and I'mgoing to keep doing things.
And if those things aggravateyour spirits or demons or what
(30:34):
have you, or your lack ofambition, that's unfortunate.
But I pray that god provides mewith people who want to support
me.
They'll come.
They'll come.
Yeah, just stay comfortable.
That's the main thing.
You can be as great as you wantto be, but I promise you
humility of closed doors, uh,before you even get a chance to
(30:54):
open them, because you could begifted, as ever.
But your humility can reallyslam some doors and lock them.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
I was saying people, your title doesn't give you
entitlement, because I hadsomebody and I'm just going to
go ahead, I'm going to speak onit because you know me, I'm
going to speak on it.
Somebody inboxed me the otherday and was like hey, can you?
You know, I would really likeif you would join this anthology
.
And I didn't know the person.
But they said the guy had ledthem to me and I said, well, you
(31:24):
know, right now I'm doing likefive anthologies at one time.
And then I I'm managing socialmedia, managing like three
visionaries who are working ontheirs right now.
So I'm doing their booktrailers, their like I just I
didn't get along with thispodcast, I just didn't have the
time.
So I'm saying, well, right now,you know, I'm kind of swamp
doing, you know, spearheading, alot of my own and I got all
(31:47):
this other stuff.
I said, but, um, make sure youkeep me in mind for your next
one.
They went completely off on me,told me, oh, oh, well, mine's a
national, international and allof this and that, well, it just
goes to say like they were veryrude about it.
It was a pastor, you know, andI was just like OK, pastor, you
be blessed.
And I and I knew right then andthere, elena, you know me, you
(32:12):
are a friend of mine, so you seethe growth.
You see the growth because Ijust want, like are you kidding
me?
And but right there to me itwas like okay, I passed the test
, because I honestly believethat it was a test, because it
(32:32):
was like I'm not saying no, whatI'm saying is not right now,
and if that's not okay for you,it ain't nothing I can do about
that.
It ain't nothing I can do aboutthat?
Speaker 3 (32:46):
People like to talk about that, but sometimes it's
uncomfortable.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
Making other people uncomfortable even though you're
uncomfortable, it gets weirdbecause you want to say yes, yes
, you don't want to hurtpeople's feelings and it makes
you feel uncomfortable, but theycan be okay, they will be,
they'll be okay yeah, you knowme, I'm so used to just saying
yes and then over overbearingmyself and I just this year
(33:09):
start putting up boundaries andborders and like, okay, I'm not
doing nothing after five on thisday, I'm not working after
eight o'clock ever.
You get what I'm saying like Ihave to set boundaries if
there's anything over 30 minutes.
You got to book a console withme because I'm just swamped.
And the moment I say no, I gotbacklash.
And I was also afraid becausethe title said minister, she's a
(33:34):
pastor.
And I was like I don't want tobe disrespectful, I'm trying to
be as as, as, as.
Sometimes we just have to thinkbefore we speak, pray before we
speak.
And I was like every you know,I saw something else really
quick.
I was like every you know.
I saw something else reallyquick.
I saw something else onFacebook on my timeline, that
said something about how crowsare the only thing that's in,
(34:00):
like the air or the atmospherethat's brave enough to attack an
eagle, but the eagle does notfight back.
Because what does an eagle looklike?
Kind of flap, flap, flap, flap,flap, and fight a crow?
No, he just goes higher andhigher and higher until that
crow falls out and I say I'mgoing to be that eagle from now
(34:21):
on.
I'm just going to be the eagle.
I'm not even going to, becauseI know that a lot of times that
those are my tests and I clog myblessings that way, you know.
So I have to be very careful inthese days because it's always
spiritual warfare everywhere andyou have to really be careful
at how you handle certainsituations.
(34:43):
And I'm learning that now.
Like I'm so glad I'm learningthat early, because a lot of
people don't don't learn it whenI do.
I mean, like right now, at 36,a lot of people don't get it
till later in life.
But I'm glad that God has givenme these lessons and surrounded
me with people like you, likewith Dr Belmont, like with
Laquita Parks and CarolynColeman, audrey Ann and Melanie
(35:04):
Johnson and just like, just likemy little tribe and Leanne
Hendrick and Tanya Vincent, youknow, and LaShawn and anybody I
did name.
Y'all know who y'all is.
Honey, it's me, but you knowthey surround me and you guys
really pour into me and give methe wisdom that I don't have,
and then, on the other end, I'mgiving y'all my marketing and
(35:26):
just whatever I know and it justit all comes together full
circle.
So especially you, my Maria,you know I it, just it all comes
together full circle.
So especially you, my Maria,you know I love you, my girl.
But yes, yes, go high end.
You know exactly what I wasgoing to say Go high end, high
end, high end.
So, going back into just thelast little portion of our
(35:48):
interview, I want you to, I wantto do a round robin, which you
kind of saw it, so I want you tofinish the sentence Writing is
my outlet.
A line from fat baby that stillconvict you is.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
Oh God, life didn't love me and I didn't love it
back.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
One boundary that you keep to protect your peace
while you're creating.
Do not disturb.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
On my cell phone.
Say it one more time D and D onmy cell phone.
Speaker 2 (36:22):
Amen, I heard you, but I want the end, okay.
So, family, what I want you todo, hold your book up.
What I want you to do is grabfat baby on amazon tonight and
leave a review, because itmatters okay, and flip through
our list of linda um julymagazine.
(36:42):
Um, so, uh, the feature tolearn more about elena's journey
.
And I have to correct myself.
I will not do myself justiceand and they will read me down
in the comments chat Elena Mariais the fifth author because
Lakeisha Williams was the fourth.
So I have to make sure that Icorrect that, because I said
fourth last week, I said fourththis past week.
(37:03):
Okay, charge it to my head andnot my heart.
Elena is number five and Angelawill be on at noon.
She is number six.
Okay, so, elena, number five,awesome authors of 2025 for the
best selling, the internationalbestselling magazine.
(37:24):
Let me beat the horn on them.
Greg, listen to the magazine,okay, elena.
Beep, listen Linda MagazineOkay, elena.
Thank you, thank you so muchfor trusting me again.
You're not just a guest, youare my family love and, on
behalf of Listen Linda, bookClub Live.
We honor your courage and yourcraft.
(37:46):
Doors here, you already knowthey stay open for you, girl.
Love you like God.
Love the church.
Baby, love you too.
On that note, I want you topray us out.
Speaker 3 (37:57):
Okay, alright.
Heavenly Father, we thank youfor this day.
We thank you for the beauty ofbeing alive, for the breath that
you've given us today.
We ask you, god, to let us nottake any breaths anymore in our
life for granted, but we willuse every breath to become and
to do everything you instilledin us to do, to bind the spirit
(38:17):
of fear of the listener, whofeel they're not enough, they're
not big enough, they're notsmart enough, they're not bold
enough, they're not talentedenough.
And I say now you are more thanenough.
Through Christ Jesus, we askyou, lord, to cover each and
every listener right now, god.
Whatever's broken, whatever'shurting, provide a balm.
Right now, god, in the name ofJesus, cover us and let this be
an amazing day, and we thank youin Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
Now, I already have your website here, but tell
people how they can get incontact with you and how they
can reach you.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
Yeah, it's elanamariacom, spelled
A-L-L-A-I-N-A-M-A-R-I-Acom mymom got a little fancy with the
spelling.
But also on social media,across all of them, it's
Elanamaria.
You'll find me everywhere.
And, as a shameless plug, happy, happy, happy birthday to my
big girl, holland Miles.
(39:07):
She's 13 today.
Mommy loves you, big girl.
Happy 13th birthday.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
Sorry, I stole your mama for an hour, okay, holly,
but I love you.
Happy birthday, holly, and Godbless it.
And run your mama pocket.
She been saving up for twoyears for this day.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
You see my face?
That's how my bank accountlooking at me, ma'am, ma'am
ma'am, she gonna bag youwherever you want.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
All you gotta do is ask her.
She gonna take you wherever youwant.
You wanna go to Paris?
You wanna go to Greece?
Okay, those big countries, okay, I'm putting it in the
atmosphere for you cause I loveyou, tt.
Jackie, love you girl.
She love the kids ton well, I'mher 16th.
Speaker 3 (39:48):
We're taking Holland to Holland for the 16th birthday
, so yes, see, she already gotit.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
You just gotta put it in the uniform.
All right, and I got that fromLeanne.
When she say sprinkle, sprinkle, so sprinkle, sprinkle, I like
that girl, but I love you, elena.
Um, happy birthday to your baby.
Once again, get ice cream,wasted honey, and I will talk
with you soon.
(40:15):
Thank you Y'all.
At noon we'll be having AngelaAnderson and her book the Power
of I Am, so I will be right back.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
I'm out Smile.
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