The SC BOOKGAL & FRIENDS PODCAST, hosted by librarian specialist and literary advocate Patrice Grimball, airs live on the Da Crew Podcast & Media Network every Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST.
The podcast serves as a platform for independent and diverse authors, featuring interviews, book reviews, and literary resources. Episodes are available for replay on various platforms, including iHeartRadio, Audacy, Amazon Music, and Spreaker.
You can connect with the podcast through the website scbookgalandfriends.com or via email at scbookgalandfriends@gmail.com. Patrice Grimball is also active on Instagram at @scbookgalandfriends and @scbookgal843.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/da-crew-podcast--5763835/support.
The podcast serves as a platform for independent and diverse authors, featuring interviews, book reviews, and literary resources. Episodes are available for replay on various platforms, including iHeartRadio, Audacy, Amazon Music, and Spreaker.
You can connect with the podcast through the website scbookgalandfriends.com or via email at scbookgalandfriends@gmail.com. Patrice Grimball is also active on Instagram at @scbookgalandfriends and @scbookgal843.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/da-crew-podcast--5763835/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Legs and gentlemen, may I have your attention leaks to
the show starts in set my.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Shool.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Hey everyone, this is your girl sci Bookyard eight four three,
And it is another Tuesday night and it is freezing
hand jelusn y'all. It's like I want to say, it's
like maybe forty five degrees outside. Last night it was
twenty nine heat full blast and I'm so cold. But
(01:38):
I gotta book the night. It's gonna warm you up
to get ready, y'all. I am so honored to have
this guest with me tonight. See, y'all know, I'm a
cover girl, but there is something by a black and
white book cover. I'm not saying that it's like black
and white outline, but the essence of I'll let y'all
(02:06):
see for y'rself. I'm sorry, I'm a coup of girl.
If your cover draws me in, that is it I have.
I'm pretty sure that she said that I'm her first podcast,
and I am so honored to have her. So tonight
we are going to bring up miss Creasia little come
(02:28):
on up, Girley, come on up, Hey, Hey, how are
you good? That's good? That's good. Welcome to Ssie Book,
Gallas and Friends, and we are so honored to have
you here tonight.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Thank you for having me. I'm so excited.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
So before we go any further, you gotta tell us
a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Okay, So my name is Quash. I'm from Bridge Work, Connecticut.
I've been writing urban fiction about six years now. I
work full time, full time college student, mom of three girls,
and then I have my fiance here helping me out.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
I just been, like I said, writing stories, bringing relatable
stories to life and seeing like sometimes I add like
a little bit of myself into into the character. So
you read about some of my like mishaps as a teenager.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Okay, cool, you have three girls? How do you do it?
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Well?
Speaker 4 (03:35):
Old this is very helpful. She's she's gonna be twelve,
and then I have my middle child, who's gonna be
nine December thirteenth. And then I have my little one, Cameron.
She's we call our sunshine, but she's like a tornado.
She runs through this house. It's her road, word is
living in it. So she keeps me busy. But like
(03:55):
they're they're pretty good girls.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
So you're a full time i'm student. You also said
you you work correct.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Yep, forty hours and your mom.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
And you have your beautiful tea Onceay, how in the
world do you find time to write?
Speaker 4 (04:19):
I'm always just like so I work at home, so
my laptop's here, or like sometimes I'll have my phone
and just taking notes and wherever I'm I'm in a
car writing and just trying to get it done like whenever, whenever,
like something pops into my head, like I have to
write it down or I'll forget it.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Are you like other authors and they have their characters
like talking them in the head?
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Yes, So, like sometimes it takes me a while to
finish a book because it's like I'm going back between
two and three different characters from different books. So it's
always something going on in my head.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Understandable. So what started your journey to becoming an author?
Speaker 4 (05:02):
So I've always loved reading, Like as a child, my
mom would bring me to the bookstore every Friday and
pick out a book. So from like the age of four,
I've always had my head in a book. And then
I wrote my first short story in twenty nineteen, no,
not twenty eighteen, in high school, so like twenty eleven,
(05:23):
just a short story for my teacher. And then twenty
nineteen is when I started taking it serious.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Okay, so let's see, as a young child, what would
you say was one.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Of your favorite books. I would say maybe like Junie B. Jones,
like one of those like I've read so much books
like I can't like pick a favorite, but I want
to say, like I started reading urban fiction when I
was like ten eleven, so I started like What Ride
with Me? I think that's by Joy Deja King.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Was like.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
It was like wards younger, like a younger generation. So
I started off with that and then I just went
straight to like Keisha Irvin, Guns and Roses and torn.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Ooh so you were in that Triple Crown area. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
Yeah. My godmother had like a whole library, so I've
been speaking at her in her in her stacks of books.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Okay, I see it. I see. I remember my one
of my favorite children's book where I have to and
I still read them for I used to read them
to my kids was the Monster in the back of
the book. And then it was the Five Chinese Brothers.
(06:48):
I was weird. But when I started working at the library,
Triple Crown is where it started. Yeah, it was I
had a conversation with a lady and she was looking
for the book B and I thought she was calling
me that she was the title of the book. So
(07:08):
you know, we had a little interruption. So yeah, we
would go back and forth to tell the manager I
needed to get this moment. She explained it to me.
So what caught your eye? Is it the fact that
African Americans were writing or the fact that, oh god,
(07:29):
they actually put this in books? What made you go
in that direction?
Speaker 4 (07:34):
I think that's noticing the different genres of books. So
it's not just reading, you know, like The Babysitters Club
or something like that. This is reading about stuff that
you know, I'm growing up in this not like not
so much of the like the drama of it, but
this is like I grew up in the urban area,
(07:55):
so this is what I hear, so I want to
read about it. So that's what kind of drawing me
to the genre and stuff.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Totally understand. So you said you started when we were
talking on stage, you said you started writing or you
started writing this one in twenty twenty one. During that
COVID period, I started to notice that there's a lot
of books that were either created thought about published during
(08:24):
that COVID error. So I've always wanted to ask authors,
how did COVID affect your writing? Was it, oh my god,
I have all this time on my hand, or hey,
I think I can write a good book if I
put these thoughts on paper.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
I think it was more so of the time. So
like when I first started writing, I was still working
full time, so from and then I was working in
a busy office. So from the time I clocked then
from the time I clocked out, I was like working
and then I was still going to school like back then. Still,
so during COVID, someone have put led to do like
(09:06):
a writing challenge, like see if you could do ten
thousand words to day. So with me having all this time,
I was writing ten thousand birds a day. And then
like I like earlier I mentioned that I released one
book a month for four months straight. So that was
(09:27):
all during COVID.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Awesome. So what is the biggest challenge of being an author?
Speaker 4 (09:39):
I think it's the writer's blog because sometimes I can
just sit and write for hours. But like if I'm
like going through something in life, then it's like a
kind of like I'm like I'm burnt out, and I
can't write, so like I feel like that's the only
challenging thing. But you don't have like such a big imagination.
And like I go through things, and my friends and
(10:02):
family go through things, so it's like I could put
this in a book, and it's like I don't know,
I could write for like and when I'm in a
good mood and everything's going good, I could write for
hour for hours.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Oh so you're the opposite of some authors because some
authors say, well they're in a good mood, they they
don't write as much as if they're in a bad mood,
like I do. Hear a lot of authors say that
writing is their therapy. Do you consider that for you?
Speaker 4 (10:35):
Sometimes it depends. But when I write, I like to
like light a candle, maybe have like a glass of wine.
I then my lights and I'm just like vibing listening
to like R and B, burnt fis whatever, So like
I like to just I don't know, like that's right
is my happy place and it's more of like I
like to do it when I'm happy.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
All right, Remember that R and B part that you say,
because you don't want to need that later on in
the show, just keep that in the back of your mind.
So this book of yours. First of all, I have
the access question. I'll use you like every off of this.
(11:18):
Do you publishing house or independent? Which role did you
take and why?
Speaker 4 (11:30):
So I signed with the publisher because like I didn't know,
like back then, I didn't know about like editing and
where to find your covers and things like that. So
I had sent the first four chapters of my manuscript
to a few publishers. It was when jock Quel had
(11:53):
her Urban Chapters publications, and then I sent it to
Keisha Irvin and I ended up signing with Jacquel. Okay,
So I feel like signing helped me understand the writing
process because I knew how to open up Microsoftward and
pype it out, but I didn't know like the editing
(12:16):
part and how to publish through KDP at the time.
But if I knew what I knew, like if I
knew what I knew now, I would probably just stay
independent maybe, Okay.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Okay, So starting out with a publishing house to have
all those questions answered that you didn't know, but do you?
And then you said that if you knew what you
knew now, you would go an independent route. Do you
ever think about publishing something independent or you're like, you
know what, I'm just going to stay in the publishing house.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
So I think eventually I do want to branch out
and be independent. So I said, just want to finished
that my series up now. So I do have the
book I'm working on now, and then I have one
that I released a few years ago. So I just
want to finish those up and see you know how I'm
feeling after that.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Okay, So let's bring up this book cover of yours.
Please tell me about this book.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
So I just wanted something like, just something simple because
the story's soface is wild and crazy. So this just
captures the two characters, Choe and Killer. So I don't know.
I just told my publisher just something nice and simple.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
That's nice and simple. Oh no, no, no, I see,
I see passion. I see.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
So for my other book covers, it's it's it's a
little simple.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Okay, all right, So tell us Legal Love and Street Ties.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Yes, So the story is about Chloe. She's an inspiring attorney.
So one night out she meets a guy and they
have like this one night and she just leaves it
at that because of what happened during their encounter, and
(14:25):
a few years later there they run into each other
and they just have to It's just I don't know,
I just can't really explain it without giving to much. Ways,
she just gotta take some risk and it might interrupt
her career, her current relationship, and it's just a lot
of secrets in there as well.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
So in the book, who has more to lose?
Speaker 4 (14:50):
Chloe definitely does because she did blame the college working
at you know, one of the most prestigious law firms
in Connecticut, So she has as everything to lose.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Okay, So what is what is your book trope always
saying good girl, bad guy or it's good girl, good girl,
bad guy? So why you gotta be a bad guy? Tattoo?
Speaker 4 (15:18):
Back when I was writing the story, that's just where
like my head was at. I was listening to like this,
like this mixtape. I'm like, I want to write a
book about about that, something different than what I wrote,
like wrote before, because I think before this I wrote
like more of like a romance. It has something to
do with like domestic violence and the LGBT. So I
just wanted to do something like a little different this time.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Okay, so you don't want to be placed in the
box and known as I only write this type of trope.
Do you like the fact that branching out and you know,
trying other different subject matters.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
Yeah, just like I have another book it's called The
Face Life of Looks. It's like a female assassin. So like,
I just do all different types of stories. Oh I
like that a female assassin.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Yeah, okay, okay. So if I saw your book on
the shelf and it was screaming at me to pick
it up, what would it be streaming?
Speaker 4 (16:28):
If you want to read about secrets and betrayal, just
read this, like that's just what the book gives. It's
just I don't know, Like I send the book to
my best friend and so she's reading it like, oh,
I can't believe you did this, or I know. It's
just a good book. It's just different than anything that
I've ever written. I'm so excited about it.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
So you got a lot of twists and turns in it?
Speaker 4 (16:48):
So, yes, a lot?
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Oh, she said, yes? Okay, So does she have that
best friend on the side who is her rideed Die,
who's trying to give her information? Because I know every
book you got that female who can either be your
best friend or your worst enemy.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Yeah, she has a best friend. She had two best
friends at the beginning of the book, but one of
them like kind of like fell back and then during
the middle of the book you'll find out why and
it's kind of like a like a betrayal.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
So oh snap, okay, So tell me about your male
main carriage. So tell me a little bit about him.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
So his name is Killian, his street name is Kila.
He was just like your neighborhood dope boy. And then
he eventually moved away and started like dispensary and other,
you know, other businesses, and then he the night that
they you know, met or whatever, that brings him back
(17:56):
to Connecticut and so that's when they run into each
other again.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
Oh so your book is actually based on where you live?
Speaker 4 (18:05):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Oh my god. I read a book about author and
it was based where I lived. I would say I
enjoyed the book much more because I can literally visualize
the places that they were talking about in the book.
Is that something that you wanted to do, Yeah, that's
(18:26):
something I do with pretty much all my books. So,
like my first book is called a Bridgeport Love Story
and that's where I live, Bridge Working, Well that's where
you know I'm from is Bridge Work, Connecticutte. So like
I always like to, you know, focus my books around
places I know, because it makes it flow better because
I'm not stopping to Google this and google that. And
(18:47):
then like I noticed too, like with the readers, if
you write a book somewhere and if it's not like
the lingual that they use and they're from there, it's like, oh,
I don't you know, it doesn't really make sense. So
that's why I just write what I know. All right,
I see it. I see it. So who would you
say is your biggest fan? Who is your Now I
(19:15):
want to say fan, who's your biggest cheerleader? Shot out
your biggest cheerleader?
Speaker 4 (19:21):
So I would say my biggest cheerleader would be my
best friend Patrice, because like it could be three o'clock
in the morning, I'm like sending her voice notes like
oh my god, I can't believe I'm going to write
that this character didn't and you know your respond right back,
so like she's through every step of the way. It's
definitely my best friend.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Okay, So let me clarify y'all, it is not me Okay,
I just honored. Her name is Patrice, It's not me.
So remember I told you we had some fun questions
we were going to talk about.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Yes, I remember, I.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Told you remember eighties that the R and B theme
that we were talking about. I don't here it comes sweetheart?
Speaker 2 (20:09):
All right.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
So we are reading your book and the radio is
playing what nineties R and B thong song would be?
The would be the would be on the playlist of
(20:33):
your book A nineties song, A nineties R and B song,
which would be the title track? That's the word I
want to use, would be the title track of the
book Legal Love and Street Ties.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
Nineties. I would have to say I'm breaking my heart
something like that, because there's just a lot of by
Tony Braxton.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
She hitting it with the Tony. Now, that's a that's
a strong song. You know, we've been singing that when
we've been young and they ain't even know what a
true heartbreak. Ben.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
Yes, so that's definitely that.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Oh lo, that's a that's strong right there. Okay, great,
so now that songs on the radio. I have your
book in my hand y'all know the candle sales this
past weekend, she said, she was like candle in a
glass of wine. Now I don't drink wine like I
(21:39):
used to. I can burn a candle. So what candle
flavor or scent would be for your book?
Speaker 4 (21:52):
Fun fact, I make my own candles too.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
So.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
Girl, it would be like a casual like a vanilla cashmere,
something nice and warm.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Okay, so why would we have that one? Why what
part of your book makes that candle the perfect one?
Speaker 4 (22:12):
It's just like, uh, I don't know. The smell is
just like so natural and like relaxing. I just think
like that book is I don't know, it's just I
don't know at that that's just like the flame, like
the sin that I would burn playing like writing that
book or reading the book.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Well, someone said that's a perfect song. I can't wait
until you release this book. It is so good, Patrice.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
That's Patrice right there.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Hi Patrese.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Girl, Okay, we might have to do a book discussion
on the book. Girl. When does the book come out?
Speaker 4 (22:48):
So, I'm just working on the ending now, so pop
probably December, the beginning of December.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
The beginning of December.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
Yeah, I'm hoping for like I'm trying to get it
off to the editor. This weekend, so it could be
any time before then.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
Okay, if it's December fifth, it would be beautiful. Okay,
it's my birthday, but it'd be beautiful. So we got
the vanilla Cashmere candle. Unbreak my Heart, Tony Braxon, guess
what I took your book? I call a lifetime. They say,
(23:27):
you know what, we love this book. We want to
turn it into a little mini series. Okay, who would
play Killer? And they have to be a nineties rap artist?
Who would play him? And why would they be the one?
Speaker 4 (23:47):
I would have to say, like method Man or something. Oh,
I don't know, that's what he like. He gives like
light skin tatted like that's just him. I could picture him.
I could picture that method Man. Y'all, y'all know me.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
I love me myth Man, meth Man. Okay, well, guess
what we gotta have that leading lady. Let's make her
a two thousand.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
R and B artist.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Who would she be? And why?
Speaker 4 (24:27):
I would say maybe Kelly Kelly Rowland. So she's ninety
two thousands, but I like just like the because Chloe,
she's like a nice, like chocolate petite, like that's just
I could picture Kelly Rowland playing her.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
That would be an interesting mix Kelly Rowling and Method Man,
and I could see bad boy and meets good I
can see that.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Yeah, that's you that I like. I like that.
Speaker 3 (25:05):
So guess what Lifetime said? You know what, this went
through the roof. So now we're going to give a
chance to do a biopic on you.
Speaker 4 (25:16):
Who would you.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Give the honor of playing you? And this can be anyone?
And why did you give them that honor?
Speaker 4 (25:27):
I would probably say, And.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
It doesn't have to be a star. It could be
a family member, it could be a friend, old school teacher. Hey,
it could even be one of the kids.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Then I would probably have to say my daughter, Gaby.
That's made me right there, because oh yeah, she got
like my movement to unpack. She mocks me anyways, so
she knows.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
And which one is that? Is she that?
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Okay, Gabby, I see you, I see you. So we
got method Man, Kelly Rowland, Tony Braxon, I break my Heart,
Vanilla Cash Mayor and Gabby Kurr. You just got it
going on. But now one last thing. You have the
(26:28):
opportunity to write a book with any other author. Who
would it be and what would you guys write?
Speaker 4 (26:37):
About could it be like dead or alive, dead or alive,
whoever's you want? Okay, I would say Maya Angelo, Okay.
I love her like a phenomenal woman. I love her.
I would love to write a book with her about
just the black woman experience growing up, going through life.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
All right, I love that. And then you brought it
full circle. I love that. So we're getting close to
the end of the show. Can you tell us what
we could follow you on social media? Any of your
other books, we should grab any event you have coming up.
Just give us the rundown.
Speaker 4 (27:17):
Okay. So thank you for all the support. Thank you
for having me on the podcast. I was so excited
to join. My books can be purchased on Amazon. My website,
quajaa dot com will be back up in twenty twenty
six with books, merchandise all that. And I would say
(27:39):
check out my Destiny and Destiny and Bashars Silly of Me.
That's like a fan favorite. That was a great series.
And then Legal Love and Street Ties is coming out
pretty soon. And just make sure to follow me on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter at quaja Ita.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
So you got if you notice and look at the
bottom of the Streen. We have all our information out there.
She will announce when her books come out, okay, so
I would go check out all her plages. Make sure
you following her stay up to date. So when Legal
eleventh Street Ties come out, you can get it after me.
(28:22):
Well for the other patrisa get it hurst in me
and then if y'all can get it, y'a don't get
a copy before me. I'm just let you know right now, okay,
But we thank you for being with us tonight. Is
there anything you would like to say to your old readers,
your new readers that you again and the readers you
(28:44):
again once.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
They do the replay. So I just want to say
thank you again for having me. Thank you to all
the readers. I wouldn't like keep going because it's just
one reader. Her name is that Sunshine. She keeps me
like she always checking on me. So thank you to her,
and I hope you get my catalog and Troy it's
(29:06):
available on Amazon.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Well, we thank you for being with us tonight. You
guys should go grab Street Love. I'm sorry Legal Love
and Street Tides wants to come out. Find out what
killer method man man? Now, when I read that book,
I'm a bcing method man. Yes, that would be a
(29:32):
good reason read the book. You know what I'm saying.
But thank you for being with us tonight. You guys,
it is another Tuesday night in the books, and I
will be back with another author. Remember November fifteen, get
your nominations in for the twenty twenty six Aspiring Authors
(29:57):
sc Book gall Awards. Remember from November fifteenth until the
Sember I wanna say fifteenth, you can nominate authors. The
form will go live on November fifteenth. Again, we thank
this little for being with us tonight and telling us
about her book, Legal Love and Street Ties. Remember, you guys,
(30:21):
there is no such thing as an old book because
not everybody has read every book. See you next Tuesday,
you guys. Bye,
Legs and gentlemen, may I have your attention leaks to
the show starts in set my.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Shool.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Hey everyone, this is your girl sci Bookyard eight four three,
And it is another Tuesday night and it is freezing
hand jelusn y'all. It's like I want to say, it's
like maybe forty five degrees outside. Last night it was
twenty nine heat full blast and I'm so cold. But
(01:38):
I gotta book the night. It's gonna warm you up
to get ready, y'all. I am so honored to have
this guest with me tonight. See, y'all know, I'm a
cover girl, but there is something by a black and
white book cover. I'm not saying that it's like black
and white outline, but the essence of I'll let y'all
(02:06):
see for y'rself. I'm sorry, I'm a coup of girl.
If your cover draws me in, that is it I have.
I'm pretty sure that she said that I'm her first podcast,
and I am so honored to have her. So tonight
we are going to bring up miss Creasia little come
(02:28):
on up, Girley, come on up, Hey, Hey, how are
you good? That's good? That's good. Welcome to Ssie Book,
Gallas and Friends, and we are so honored to have
you here tonight.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Thank you for having me. I'm so excited.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
So before we go any further, you gotta tell us
a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Okay, So my name is Quash. I'm from Bridge Work, Connecticut.
I've been writing urban fiction about six years now. I
work full time, full time college student, mom of three girls,
and then I have my fiance here helping me out.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
I just been, like I said, writing stories, bringing relatable
stories to life and seeing like sometimes I add like
a little bit of myself into into the character. So
you read about some of my like mishaps as a teenager.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Okay, cool, you have three girls? How do you do it?
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Well?
Speaker 4 (03:35):
Old this is very helpful. She's she's gonna be twelve,
and then I have my middle child, who's gonna be
nine December thirteenth. And then I have my little one, Cameron.
She's we call our sunshine, but she's like a tornado.
She runs through this house. It's her road, word is
living in it. So she keeps me busy. But like
(03:55):
they're they're pretty good girls.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
So you're a full time i'm student. You also said
you you work correct.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Yep, forty hours and your mom.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
And you have your beautiful tea Onceay, how in the
world do you find time to write?
Speaker 4 (04:19):
I'm always just like so I work at home, so
my laptop's here, or like sometimes I'll have my phone
and just taking notes and wherever I'm I'm in a
car writing and just trying to get it done like whenever, whenever,
like something pops into my head, like I have to
write it down or I'll forget it.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Are you like other authors and they have their characters
like talking them in the head?
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Yes, So, like sometimes it takes me a while to
finish a book because it's like I'm going back between
two and three different characters from different books. So it's
always something going on in my head.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Understandable. So what started your journey to becoming an author?
Speaker 4 (05:02):
So I've always loved reading, Like as a child, my
mom would bring me to the bookstore every Friday and
pick out a book. So from like the age of four,
I've always had my head in a book. And then
I wrote my first short story in twenty nineteen, no,
not twenty eighteen, in high school, so like twenty eleven,
(05:23):
just a short story for my teacher. And then twenty
nineteen is when I started taking it serious.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Okay, so let's see, as a young child, what would
you say was one.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Of your favorite books. I would say maybe like Junie B. Jones,
like one of those like I've read so much books
like I can't like pick a favorite, but I want
to say, like I started reading urban fiction when I
was like ten eleven, so I started like What Ride
with Me? I think that's by Joy Deja King.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Was like.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
It was like wards younger, like a younger generation. So
I started off with that and then I just went
straight to like Keisha Irvin, Guns and Roses and torn.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Ooh so you were in that Triple Crown area. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
Yeah. My godmother had like a whole library, so I've
been speaking at her in her in her stacks of books.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Okay, I see it. I see. I remember my one
of my favorite children's book where I have to and
I still read them for I used to read them
to my kids was the Monster in the back of
the book. And then it was the Five Chinese Brothers.
(06:48):
I was weird. But when I started working at the library,
Triple Crown is where it started. Yeah, it was I
had a conversation with a lady and she was looking
for the book B and I thought she was calling
me that she was the title of the book. So
(07:08):
you know, we had a little interruption. So yeah, we
would go back and forth to tell the manager I
needed to get this moment. She explained it to me.
So what caught your eye? Is it the fact that
African Americans were writing or the fact that, oh god,
(07:29):
they actually put this in books? What made you go
in that direction?
Speaker 4 (07:34):
I think that's noticing the different genres of books. So
it's not just reading, you know, like The Babysitters Club
or something like that. This is reading about stuff that
you know, I'm growing up in this not like not
so much of the like the drama of it, but
this is like I grew up in the urban area,
(07:55):
so this is what I hear, so I want to
read about it. So that's what kind of drawing me
to the genre and stuff.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Totally understand. So you said you started when we were
talking on stage, you said you started writing or you
started writing this one in twenty twenty one. During that
COVID period, I started to notice that there's a lot
of books that were either created thought about published during
(08:24):
that COVID error. So I've always wanted to ask authors,
how did COVID affect your writing? Was it, oh my god,
I have all this time on my hand, or hey,
I think I can write a good book if I
put these thoughts on paper.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
I think it was more so of the time. So
like when I first started writing, I was still working
full time, so from and then I was working in
a busy office. So from the time I clocked then
from the time I clocked out, I was like working
and then I was still going to school like back then. Still,
so during COVID, someone have put led to do like
(09:06):
a writing challenge, like see if you could do ten
thousand words to day. So with me having all this time,
I was writing ten thousand birds a day. And then
like I like earlier I mentioned that I released one
book a month for four months straight. So that was
(09:27):
all during COVID.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Awesome. So what is the biggest challenge of being an author?
Speaker 4 (09:39):
I think it's the writer's blog because sometimes I can
just sit and write for hours. But like if I'm
like going through something in life, then it's like a
kind of like I'm like I'm burnt out, and I
can't write, so like I feel like that's the only
challenging thing. But you don't have like such a big imagination.
And like I go through things, and my friends and
(10:02):
family go through things, so it's like I could put
this in a book, and it's like I don't know,
I could write for like and when I'm in a
good mood and everything's going good, I could write for
hour for hours.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Oh so you're the opposite of some authors because some
authors say, well they're in a good mood, they they
don't write as much as if they're in a bad mood,
like I do. Hear a lot of authors say that
writing is their therapy. Do you consider that for you?
Speaker 4 (10:35):
Sometimes it depends. But when I write, I like to
like light a candle, maybe have like a glass of wine.
I then my lights and I'm just like vibing listening
to like R and B, burnt fis whatever, So like
I like to just I don't know, like that's right
is my happy place and it's more of like I
like to do it when I'm happy.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
All right, Remember that R and B part that you say,
because you don't want to need that later on in
the show, just keep that in the back of your mind.
So this book of yours. First of all, I have
the access question. I'll use you like every off of this.
(11:18):
Do you publishing house or independent? Which role did you
take and why?
Speaker 4 (11:30):
So I signed with the publisher because like I didn't know,
like back then, I didn't know about like editing and
where to find your covers and things like that. So
I had sent the first four chapters of my manuscript
to a few publishers. It was when jock Quel had
(11:53):
her Urban Chapters publications, and then I sent it to
Keisha Irvin and I ended up signing with Jacquel. Okay,
So I feel like signing helped me understand the writing
process because I knew how to open up Microsoftward and
pype it out, but I didn't know like the editing
(12:16):
part and how to publish through KDP at the time.
But if I knew what I knew, like if I
knew what I knew now, I would probably just stay
independent maybe, Okay.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Okay, So starting out with a publishing house to have
all those questions answered that you didn't know, but do you?
And then you said that if you knew what you
knew now, you would go an independent route. Do you
ever think about publishing something independent or you're like, you
know what, I'm just going to stay in the publishing house.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
So I think eventually I do want to branch out
and be independent. So I said, just want to finished
that my series up now. So I do have the
book I'm working on now, and then I have one
that I released a few years ago. So I just
want to finish those up and see you know how I'm
feeling after that.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Okay, So let's bring up this book cover of yours.
Please tell me about this book.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
So I just wanted something like, just something simple because
the story's soface is wild and crazy. So this just
captures the two characters, Choe and Killer. So I don't know.
I just told my publisher just something nice and simple.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
That's nice and simple. Oh no, no, no, I see,
I see passion. I see.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
So for my other book covers, it's it's it's a
little simple.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Okay, all right, So tell us Legal Love and Street Ties.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Yes, So the story is about Chloe. She's an inspiring attorney.
So one night out she meets a guy and they
have like this one night and she just leaves it
at that because of what happened during their encounter, and
(14:25):
a few years later there they run into each other
and they just have to It's just I don't know,
I just can't really explain it without giving to much. Ways,
she just gotta take some risk and it might interrupt
her career, her current relationship, and it's just a lot
of secrets in there as well.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
So in the book, who has more to lose?
Speaker 4 (14:50):
Chloe definitely does because she did blame the college working
at you know, one of the most prestigious law firms
in Connecticut, So she has as everything to lose.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Okay, So what is what is your book trope always
saying good girl, bad guy or it's good girl, good girl,
bad guy? So why you gotta be a bad guy? Tattoo?
Speaker 4 (15:18):
Back when I was writing the story, that's just where
like my head was at. I was listening to like this,
like this mixtape. I'm like, I want to write a
book about about that, something different than what I wrote,
like wrote before, because I think before this I wrote
like more of like a romance. It has something to
do with like domestic violence and the LGBT. So I
just wanted to do something like a little different this time.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Okay, so you don't want to be placed in the
box and known as I only write this type of trope.
Do you like the fact that branching out and you know,
trying other different subject matters.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
Yeah, just like I have another book it's called The
Face Life of Looks. It's like a female assassin. So like,
I just do all different types of stories. Oh I
like that a female assassin.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Yeah, okay, okay. So if I saw your book on
the shelf and it was screaming at me to pick
it up, what would it be streaming?
Speaker 4 (16:28):
If you want to read about secrets and betrayal, just
read this, like that's just what the book gives. It's
just I don't know, Like I send the book to
my best friend and so she's reading it like, oh,
I can't believe you did this, or I know. It's
just a good book. It's just different than anything that
I've ever written. I'm so excited about it.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
So you got a lot of twists and turns in it?
Speaker 4 (16:48):
So, yes, a lot?
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Oh, she said, yes? Okay, So does she have that
best friend on the side who is her rideed Die,
who's trying to give her information? Because I know every
book you got that female who can either be your
best friend or your worst enemy.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Yeah, she has a best friend. She had two best
friends at the beginning of the book, but one of
them like kind of like fell back and then during
the middle of the book you'll find out why and
it's kind of like a like a betrayal.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
So oh snap, okay, So tell me about your male
main carriage. So tell me a little bit about him.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
So his name is Killian, his street name is Kila.
He was just like your neighborhood dope boy. And then
he eventually moved away and started like dispensary and other,
you know, other businesses, and then he the night that
they you know, met or whatever, that brings him back
(17:56):
to Connecticut and so that's when they run into each
other again.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
Oh so your book is actually based on where you live?
Speaker 4 (18:05):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Oh my god. I read a book about author and
it was based where I lived. I would say I
enjoyed the book much more because I can literally visualize
the places that they were talking about in the book.
Is that something that you wanted to do, Yeah, that's
(18:26):
something I do with pretty much all my books. So,
like my first book is called a Bridgeport Love Story
and that's where I live, Bridge Working, Well that's where
you know I'm from is Bridge Work, Connecticutte. So like
I always like to, you know, focus my books around
places I know, because it makes it flow better because
I'm not stopping to Google this and google that. And
(18:47):
then like I noticed too, like with the readers, if
you write a book somewhere and if it's not like
the lingual that they use and they're from there, it's like, oh,
I don't you know, it doesn't really make sense. So
that's why I just write what I know. All right,
I see it. I see it. So who would you
say is your biggest fan? Who is your Now I
(19:15):
want to say fan, who's your biggest cheerleader? Shot out
your biggest cheerleader?
Speaker 4 (19:21):
So I would say my biggest cheerleader would be my
best friend Patrice, because like it could be three o'clock
in the morning, I'm like sending her voice notes like
oh my god, I can't believe I'm going to write
that this character didn't and you know your respond right back,
so like she's through every step of the way. It's
definitely my best friend.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Okay, So let me clarify y'all, it is not me Okay,
I just honored. Her name is Patrice, It's not me.
So remember I told you we had some fun questions
we were going to talk about.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Yes, I remember, I.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Told you remember eighties that the R and B theme
that we were talking about. I don't here it comes sweetheart?
Speaker 2 (20:09):
All right.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
So we are reading your book and the radio is
playing what nineties R and B thong song would be?
The would be the would be on the playlist of
(20:33):
your book A nineties song, A nineties R and B song,
which would be the title track? That's the word I
want to use, would be the title track of the
book Legal Love and Street Ties.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
Nineties. I would have to say I'm breaking my heart
something like that, because there's just a lot of by
Tony Braxton.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
She hitting it with the Tony. Now, that's a that's
a strong song. You know, we've been singing that when
we've been young and they ain't even know what a
true heartbreak. Ben.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
Yes, so that's definitely that.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Oh lo, that's a that's strong right there. Okay, great,
so now that songs on the radio. I have your
book in my hand y'all know the candle sales this
past weekend, she said, she was like candle in a
glass of wine. Now I don't drink wine like I
(21:39):
used to. I can burn a candle. So what candle
flavor or scent would be for your book?
Speaker 4 (21:52):
Fun fact, I make my own candles too.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
So.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
Girl, it would be like a casual like a vanilla cashmere,
something nice and warm.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Okay, so why would we have that one? Why what
part of your book makes that candle the perfect one?
Speaker 4 (22:12):
It's just like, uh, I don't know. The smell is
just like so natural and like relaxing. I just think
like that book is I don't know, it's just I
don't know at that that's just like the flame, like
the sin that I would burn playing like writing that
book or reading the book.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Well, someone said that's a perfect song. I can't wait
until you release this book. It is so good, Patrice.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
That's Patrice right there.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Hi Patrese.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Girl, Okay, we might have to do a book discussion
on the book. Girl. When does the book come out?
Speaker 4 (22:48):
So, I'm just working on the ending now, so pop
probably December, the beginning of December.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
The beginning of December.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
Yeah, I'm hoping for like I'm trying to get it
off to the editor. This weekend, so it could be
any time before then.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
Okay, if it's December fifth, it would be beautiful. Okay,
it's my birthday, but it'd be beautiful. So we got
the vanilla Cashmere candle. Unbreak my Heart, Tony Braxon, guess
what I took your book? I call a lifetime. They say,
(23:27):
you know what, we love this book. We want to
turn it into a little mini series. Okay, who would
play Killer? And they have to be a nineties rap artist?
Who would play him? And why would they be the one?
Speaker 4 (23:47):
I would have to say, like method Man or something. Oh,
I don't know, that's what he like. He gives like
light skin tatted like that's just him. I could picture him.
I could picture that method Man. Y'all, y'all know me.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
I love me myth Man, meth Man. Okay, well, guess
what we gotta have that leading lady. Let's make her
a two thousand.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
R and B artist.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Who would she be? And why?
Speaker 4 (24:27):
I would say maybe Kelly Kelly Rowland. So she's ninety
two thousands, but I like just like the because Chloe,
she's like a nice, like chocolate petite, like that's just
I could picture Kelly Rowland playing her.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
That would be an interesting mix Kelly Rowling and Method Man,
and I could see bad boy and meets good I
can see that.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Yeah, that's you that I like. I like that.
Speaker 3 (25:05):
So guess what Lifetime said? You know what, this went
through the roof. So now we're going to give a
chance to do a biopic on you.
Speaker 4 (25:16):
Who would you.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Give the honor of playing you? And this can be anyone?
And why did you give them that honor?
Speaker 4 (25:27):
I would probably say, And.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
It doesn't have to be a star. It could be
a family member, it could be a friend, old school teacher. Hey,
it could even be one of the kids.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Then I would probably have to say my daughter, Gaby.
That's made me right there, because oh yeah, she got
like my movement to unpack. She mocks me anyways, so
she knows.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
And which one is that? Is she that?
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Okay, Gabby, I see you, I see you. So we
got method Man, Kelly Rowland, Tony Braxon, I break my Heart,
Vanilla Cash Mayor and Gabby Kurr. You just got it
going on. But now one last thing. You have the
(26:28):
opportunity to write a book with any other author. Who
would it be and what would you guys write?
Speaker 4 (26:37):
About could it be like dead or alive, dead or alive,
whoever's you want? Okay, I would say Maya Angelo, Okay.
I love her like a phenomenal woman. I love her.
I would love to write a book with her about
just the black woman experience growing up, going through life.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
All right, I love that. And then you brought it
full circle. I love that. So we're getting close to
the end of the show. Can you tell us what
we could follow you on social media? Any of your
other books, we should grab any event you have coming up.
Just give us the rundown.
Speaker 4 (27:17):
Okay. So thank you for all the support. Thank you
for having me on the podcast. I was so excited
to join. My books can be purchased on Amazon. My website,
quajaa dot com will be back up in twenty twenty
six with books, merchandise all that. And I would say
(27:39):
check out my Destiny and Destiny and Bashars Silly of Me.
That's like a fan favorite. That was a great series.
And then Legal Love and Street Ties is coming out
pretty soon. And just make sure to follow me on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter at quaja Ita.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
So you got if you notice and look at the
bottom of the Streen. We have all our information out there.
She will announce when her books come out, okay, so
I would go check out all her plages. Make sure
you following her stay up to date. So when Legal
eleventh Street Ties come out, you can get it after me.
(28:22):
Well for the other patrisa get it hurst in me
and then if y'all can get it, y'a don't get
a copy before me. I'm just let you know right now, okay,
But we thank you for being with us tonight. Is
there anything you would like to say to your old readers,
your new readers that you again and the readers you
(28:44):
again once.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
They do the replay. So I just want to say
thank you again for having me. Thank you to all
the readers. I wouldn't like keep going because it's just
one reader. Her name is that Sunshine. She keeps me
like she always checking on me. So thank you to her,
and I hope you get my catalog and Troy it's
(29:06):
available on Amazon.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Well, we thank you for being with us tonight. You
guys should go grab Street Love. I'm sorry Legal Love
and Street Tides wants to come out. Find out what
killer method man man? Now, when I read that book,
I'm a bcing method man. Yes, that would be a
(29:32):
good reason read the book. You know what I'm saying.
But thank you for being with us tonight. You guys,
it is another Tuesday night in the books, and I
will be back with another author. Remember November fifteen, get
your nominations in for the twenty twenty six Aspiring Authors
(29:57):
sc Book gall Awards. Remember from November fifteenth until the
Sember I wanna say fifteenth, you can nominate authors. The
form will go live on November fifteenth. Again, we thank
this little for being with us tonight and telling us
about her book, Legal Love and Street Ties. Remember, you guys,
(30:21):
there is no such thing as an old book because
not everybody has read every book. See you next Tuesday,
you guys. Bye,
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