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This episode features our conversation with Amiya Phillips, which was live-streamed on April 13, 2026 during National Poetry Month.

Amiya Phillips is the author of the recently self-published poetry book "The Heart of the Mat", which showcases her wrestle with anxiety and how God's divine presence steps in. She has also had other pieces of her work included in the 2016 autumn publication of "A Celebration of Poets." Amiya is a native of Springfield, MA, and graduated from Worcester State University in December of 2021 with a degree in Psychology. She is currently working on obtaining her Master's of Social Work so she can work with diverse communities to improve their mental health.

Released in July of 2025, The Heart of the Mat is an unfiltered collection of Christian poems. It highlights the spiritual wrestling between anxiety and faith. Through soul-searching, heartfelt reflections, Amiya Phillips invites readers into her inner struggles, where weakness meets God's perfection. This book explores the emotional and spiritual connection we have with God. In wrestling, the center of the mat is where the real action happens. That’s where Amiya finds herself, face-to-face with anxiety, round after round. But she’s not alone. This book is a reminder that even in our most difficult battles, God is always near.

The Heart of the Mat provides:

• Affirmations about how God's love helps us to heal and conquer our challenges
• Praise breaks - uplifting scriptural verses and prayers
• A bonus interview with a Christian mental health therapist
• A reminder that God's faith will continue to "order our steps", regardless of the struggles we face

The Heart of the Mat is available for purchase on Amazon.

Read more on Amiya Phillips in this article from Bold Journey.

Mentioned during this episode:

Olive Tree Books 'N Voices, a Black woman-owned bookstore based in Springfield, MA: https://olivetreebooksonline.com/

Check out our interview with Dr. Latoya Bosworth, who is also mentioned during this episode!

Find Olive Tree Books 'N Voices on Instagram: @olivetreebooksnvoices

Find Amiya Phillips on Instagram: @amiyaphillips.author

Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread

Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/

Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread

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This episode features our conversation with our 100th guest, children’s book author Nikki McPhetridge, which was live-streamed on March 21, 2026.

Nikki McPhetridge is a first-time author, storyteller, and creator of Maya's Birthday Wish (Bookfox Press, August 2025). As a mother, dreamer, and believer in the power of play. Nikki brings heartfelt stories to life that celebrate kindness and imagination.

As Maya's birthday approaches, she wonders what to wish for - toys, treats, or something even more special? Maya sets off on a whimsical journey through her imagination, discovering that the best wishes come from the heart! Illustrated by Noor Zaki, Maya’s Birthday Wish received the 2025 Book Fest Award.

Learn more about Nikki and Maya’s Birthday Wish by visiting mayastoryland.com. Maya’s Birthday Wish is available for purchase directly from Nikki’s website and also on Amazon.

Watch the recording of the live broadcast here to see the book's illustrations.

Find Maya's Storyland on Instagram: @mayastoryland

Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread

Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/

Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread

Support the show

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This episode features our conversation with Rosemary Esehagu, which was live-streamed on March 14, 2026.

Rosemary Esehagu is a Nigerian-American writer and poet. Her poems have appeared in different journals, including Cool Beans Lit, Genre: Urban Arts, a little poetry, Plum Recruit, African Writer Magazine, and Elephant Journal. Her award-winning novel, The Looming Fog, was published in 2006. Her latest book is the Amazon Bestselling hybrid prose and poetry memoir titled Out of the Cocoon: The Journey to Becoming (Manhattan Book Group, February 2025). She lives in Texas and puts her psychology degree to work to explore minds to discover that which empowers us or cripples us. Her works investigate that delicate interdependent relationship between self and society, becoming and unbecoming. She is a passionate advocate for becoming our best selves by embracing all that we are and have been, both the ugly and the beautiful parts.

During this episode, we talked about Out of the Cocoon.

How would you live your life if you understood that every scar, trauma, or suffering can make you stronger and greater?

In her memoir, Out of the Cocoon: The Journey to Becoming, Rosemary shares her story of posttraumatic growth and offers a radical perspective on abuse. Despite encountering abuse as a child and racism and trauma when she immigrated to the US as a teenager, she has found her place and is living her purpose. She uses prose and poetry to express that we can overpower and repurpose others' harmful actions.

Out of the Cocoon explores healing from trauma from someone with personal experience and expertise.

Learn more about Rosemary by visiting www.rosemaryesehagu.com.

Mentioned during the episode: The Amadou Diallo Foundation ~ https://www.amadoudiallofoundation.org/

Find Rosemary Esehagu on Instagram: @rosemaryesehagu

Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread

Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/

Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread

Support the show