On episode #30 of the Reed, Write, & Create podcast, we’re doing two things; we’re honoring the late, great James Baldwin, who would be turning 100 years old in 2024, and I'm giving you a pep talk about being an American writer abroad. Yes, I’m sharing the life and times of Mr. James Baldwin to offer you the opportunity to consider what travel can mean for your writing life.

And by the way, if you think we’re going to mostly be talking about Baldwin’s life in Paris, think again. On this episode, we’re talking Turkey. Istanbul, that is. Yes, the country where Baldwin wrote the majority of his most important works, and the country that he said on more than one occasion “saved him,” was none other than Turkey.

During this inspiring episode you’ll hear:

• Why James Baldwin left the United States to write.
• Why Baldwin spent a decade living and writing in Turkey.
• What made Baldwin an “American writer” despite his many years abroad.
• Multiple reasons why BIPOC writers should consider traveling or living abroad to enhance their writing life.
• What a writer should look for in a location when trying to find a new country where she can write.

MORE BALDWIN

Try reading The Fire Next Time, it’s quintessential Baldwin, and a perennial bestseller.

There are many organizations and institutions celebrating the life and work of James Baldwin this year in honor of his 100th birthday. Here are some for your consideration:

Morgan State University is having a year-long celebration of Baldwin’s life.

Even in the UK, they’re celebrating Baldwin. Check out Baldwin in Bristol

Check out La Maison Baldwin, an American-led organization based in France. They are planning a big centennial celebration honoring Baldwin in September of 2024, but they have programming for writers all year long.

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More Writing Resources

BIPOC women writers, come join us at our upcoming Open House for The Sanctuary, on May 19, 2024. (Please RSVP for the Open House here. )

The fun starts at 3pmEST and you’ll learn all about what we offer our members; community, accountability, professional development, and resources to help you get published and get paid for your work.

Our members are both emerging writers and authors with multiple titles published.

At the Open House, you’ll get to hear from current members who are crushing their writing goals, and we’re going to play #Lit game of literary trivia. With Prizes!

Visit the Reed, Write, & Create website for more information, inspiration, and resources to optimize your writing life.

Please don’t support online retailers who don’t care about authors or the future of books. Please consider supporting the Reed, Write, & Create podcast and indie bookstores across the United States, by doing your online book shopping at the Reed, Write, & Create bookstore. We have a wonderful collection of books by BIPOC authors for adults, teens, and kids.

On episode #29, New York Times bestselling author Sadeaqa Johnson is on the show sharing her inspiring author journey and her practical strategies to living a successful literary life.

Sadeqa Johnson is the New York Times bestselling author of five novels, including Yellow Wife and her latest, The House of Eve, which was the February 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick. Sadeqa’s accolades include being a NAACP Image Award nominee, a 2022 Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy finalist, a BCALA Literary Honoree, and the Library of Virginia’s Literary People’s Choice Award winner. She is a Kimbilio Fellow and teaches in the M.F.A. program at Drexel University. Originally from Philadelphia, she currently lives near Richmond, VA with her husband and three teens.

Before she was topping the bestseller charts, Sadeqa was hand-selling her self-published novel, determined to prove herself to a publishing industry who wouldn’t give her a book deal. During our conversation, Sadeqa shares how she went from that frustrating place, to where she is today, working on her sixth novel, winning multiple literary awards, and teaching in a MFA program, all with no signs of slowing down.

This is the episode you need to listen to for inspiration, actionable strategies for your writing life, and motivation to keep writing!

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To learn more about Sadeqa Johnson, visit her website at Sadeqa.net

To follow Sadeqa on Instagram, her favorite online hangout, find her @Sadeqasays

Purchase your copy of Sadeqa’s latest book, the New York Times bestseller, The House of Eve from the Reed, Write, & Create Bookshop. You’ll be supporting this podcast and Sadeqa!

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BIPOC women writers, come join us at our upcoming Open House for The Sanctuary, on May 19, 2024. The fun starts at 3pmEST and you’ll learn all about what we offer our members; community, accountability, professional development, and resources to help you get published and get paid for your work.

Our members are both emerging writers and authors with multiple titles published. At the Open House, you’ll get to hear from current members who are crushing their writing goals, and we’re going to play #Lit game of literary trivia. Please RSVP for the Open House here.

• If you’re looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, visit ReedWriteandCreate.com.
• Sign up for the monthly, Reed, Write, & Create newsletter for literary resources and opportunities delivered right to your inbox.
• If you’re a BIPOC woman writer looking for a supportive writing community that will help you stay accountable to your writing goals, not to mention provide carefully curated opportunities to get published and get paid, apply to join the Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary.
• Don’t buy your books on Amazon, support indie booksellers and shop online at the Reed, Write, & Create bookshop for a list of curated titles by BIPOC authors.

Sharing is caring, so please share the name of this podcast with all of your BIPOC writer friends. Thanks!

Episode #28 of the podcast is dedicated to the literary life and legacy of Jessie Redmon Fauset, the most prolific novelist of the Harlem Renaissance, and also, sadly, the most overlooked and under-appreciated.

On this episode of the Reed, Write, & Create podcast, I will be sharing Fauset’s fascinating life story, as well as four reasons why she is often sidelined and left in the shadows when it comes to conversations about the literary greats of the Harlem Renaissance. Spoiler alert: Having an affair with W.E.B. Dubois, may or may not have had something to do with it. (I'm pouring the tea, so be ready.)

Tune in for a little literary history, some literary lessons you can apply to your own writing life, and the pep talk you need right now.

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BIPOC women writers, come join us at our upcoming Open House for The Sanctuary, on May 19, 2024. The fun starts at 3pmEST and you’ll learn all about what we offer our members; community, accountability, professional development, and resources to help you get published and get paid for your work.

Our members are both emerging writers and authors with multiple titles published. At the Open House, you’ll get to hear from current members who are crushing their writing goals, and we’re going to play #Lit game of literary trivia. Please RSVP for the Open House here.

Visit the Reed, Write, & Create blog for more content and resources to up-level your writing life.

If you’re a BIPOC woman writer who is looking for community and accountability to help you get published and get paid, apply to join the Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary. Our members stay winning.

Don’t support an online retailer who doesn’t support writers or the longevity of the publishing industry. Buy your books from independent bookstores. You can support this podcast and independent bookstores everywhere, by making your online book purchases at the Reed, Write, & Create bookstore.

If you want to be the first to know what new classes, retreats, and workshops I’m offering, plus other literary opportunities to brighten your life, sign up for the monthly Reed, Write, & Create newsletter.

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