...But Make It Books

Join Niccara as she welcomes Sedona Rose, indie romance author and booktuber celebrating Black love on every page, to the pod! We talk about her small-town rom-com Cute, Meet, Love , Kataleah asking her neighbor for a bag of sugar at midnight (and the sparks that followed), grief and legacy as she honors her grandmother's memory through Frosted Feelings, why some Black women brace for the other sh...

Join Niccara as she sits down with the Dr. Jen Jackson - award-winning political science professor at Syracuse University, Teen Vogue columnist, and author of Black Women Taught Us - for a conversation that is equal parts history lesson, love letter, and call to action. And y'all, this one was personal. We get into: How Dr. Jackson's Black feminism didn't start in a classroom: it started with Aunt...

Join Niccara as she welcomes Unoma Nwankwor, author of faith-filled Black romance with African spice, to the pod! We talk about her Rental Bae series, writing love stories rooted in diaspora identity and African cultural depth, and why her books aren't about converting anyone — they're about giving hope back to readers who've been doing life on their own for a little too long. Plus, she gives us t...

Join Niccara as she welcomes author, filmmaker, and storyteller Phill to the pod for a conversation that starts with a little boy in Newark who just wanted to jump Double Dutch, and ends up somewhere deeply, beautifully human. We talk about his debut memoir The Double Dutch Fuss , an unflinching exploration of Black masculinity, imagination, and survival, and what it costs when the world decides w...

Join Niccara as she welcomes Baltimore-born columnist, author, and truth teller Leslie Gray Streeter to the pod! We talk about her debut novel Family & Other Calamities — a sharp, funny, and deeply human story about a journalist who returns home to Baltimore to bury her late husband's ashes and discovers that the friend who stole her story 30 years ago is now making it into a movie, and she's...

Join Niccara as she welcomes award-winning author, journalist, and two-time Emmy Award-winning television producer Nikesha Elise Williams to the pod! We talk about her sweeping debut with Simon & Schuster, Seven Daughters of Dupree : a multigenerational saga tracing seven generations of Black women from 1860 to the present day, bound together by legacy, love, loss, and a curse that only a daug...

Join Niccara as she links up with Lana and Samra of She Well Read for a conversation that starts with a book and ends up saying everything. We dig into Amy DuBois Barnett's If I Ruled the World — a 90s New York story following a Black editor navigating ambition, power, and survival at the intersection of hip hop and high fashion — and we don't let it go without pulling the thread all the way throu...

Season 3 is officially HERE, and we are opening the doors with the collab you didn't know you needed. Join Niccara as she welcomes the dynamic duo behind Refined & Ratchet — Charlee and Nisha — to the pod for a conversation that's equal parts unfiltered and essential. We get into what it really means to be a reader in the age of the algorithm, the real difference between community building and...

She's back. We're back. And this season? We are not playing around. Welcome to Season 3 of ...But Make It Books — the podcast that makes reading cool, celebrates diverse voices, and brings the culture to the literary world. This trailer gives you a taste of everything we've been cooking up, and the lineup is stacked. This season we're sitting down with authors, podcasters, and creatives including...

Join Niccara as she welcomes Paula Chase, co-founder of The Brown Bookshelf and author of the Heights series, to the pod! We talk about her novel The Balancing Act , the power of reclaiming language around grief, and how young people navigate invisibility within communities fighting over scarce resources in their own neighborhoods. Perfect for readers who appreciate stories centered on Black youth...

Join Niccara as she welcomes Sunday Times Bestselling author Analeigh Sbrana to the pod! We talk about her duology "Lore of the Wilds" and "Lore of the Tides", the power of Black heroines discovering their own magic, and how courage, stewardship of the land, and community create opportunities for freedom and belonging. Fantasy and romantasy lovers, especially those who appreciate stories centered...

Join Niccara as she welcomes Addie E. Citchens, inaugural recipient of the Farrar, Straus and Giroux Writer's Fellowship and debut author, to the pod! We talk about her novel Dominion , the cost of maintaining false narratives, and how women become the custodians of family reputation and community silence in the Black church. Perfect for readers who appreciate stories centered on Black womanhood,...

Join Niccara as she welcomes Arriel Vinson, Reese's Book Club LitUp Fellow and debut author, to the pod! We talk about her novel-in-verse, "Under the Neon Lights", the power of Black girls with big names, and how change—whether it's gentrification, divorce, or growing up—creates opportunities for freedom and belonging. YA lovers, especially those who appreciate stories centered on Black girlhood,...

Join Niccara as she welcomes Aricka Alexander, Young Adult Romance & Queer Adult Romance writer, to the pod! We talk about her newest release, "Where There's Smoke", growing up in the South, and how love is driving force for what we do and inspiration that we find right in front of us. Romance lovers, especially my sapphic romance lovers, this episode is for you! Make sure you pick up "Where T...

Join Niccara as she welcomes K.Powell, a thriller writer you need to know about! We talk about her newest release, Say I Do and explore the lines between love, obsession, possession, and what it means to be the last woman standing. Thriller lovers, this episode is for you! Make sure you pick up "Say I Do" from where you get your books! Follow us at:  @butmakeitbookspod  @thebookishhottie...

Join Niccara as she welcomes Tanvier Peart, social advocate by day and giving us the feels at night! We talk about her newest release, Tender Offer and explore second chances, redemption, growth, social advocacy layered in romances, and cinnamon role main characters. You won't regret listening to this conversation. Make sure you pick up "Tender Offer" from where you get your books! Follow us at: @...

Join Niccara as she welcomes the masterminds behind one of the biggest Black book festivals, the Black Romance Book Festival. We talk about how this amazing event sold out in 30 minutes (30 MINUTES?!), why Black romance, the healing power of community and love and so much more. Lock in to this amazing conversation. Come for the vibes but stay for the healing. Remember tickets go on sale on August...

Join Niccara as she welcomes USA Today bestselling author Kristina Forest , whose mission centers on writing the books she wished she had as a young Black teenager. In this powerful conversation, we explore how Black romance serves as a source of healing and affirmation for readers across both YA and adult genres. Kristina opens up about her journey of crafting stories that intentionally showcase...

Join Niccara as she welcomes indie thriller writer, Desiree Moodie to discuss her newest novel, "The Perfect Mother". *Some Spoilers* In this conversation, the desperation, the messiness, and the unspoken truths of motherhood through the pages and genre of her newest thriller following Dawn and Evelyn in an idyllic suburban town that hides more within the seemingly perfect lawns and picturesque ho...

Join Niccara as she welcomes a fellow Black book influencer, Lakia Barr at Kia's Korner who mission is focused on how to get people excited about reading, and increasing the visibility and support for Black authors and Black books. In this conversation, we talk hidden truths we find in the pages of our favorite reads, self discovery through literature, and how books have a way to bring squared wit...

Join Niccara as she welcomes a fellow Black book influencer, Alexis Milton at Lex Reads who is a passionate literary advocate dedicated to amplifying Black voices in literature. In this conversation, we talk finding home in the pages of our favorite novels as well as community amongst other bookish folks and nurturing the wells of our communities where we are. If you want to find out how to build...

Join host Niccara as she welcomes the powerful bicoastal friend duo, Sujeiry Gonzalez and Krista Purnell, of Corner of Press as they continue to pioneer the romance genre for women of color. In this conversation, we talk about our favorite tropes, friendship in unlikely places, and how bar conversations can spark big ideas. Romance lovers this is for you but for anyone with big dreams and bigger h...

Join host Niccara as she welcomes Baltimore native, author and publisher, MultiMind to "...But Make It Books." In this conversation, Niccara and MultiMind dive into her love of fountain pens, traveling, creating and owning your own vision and path and how everything you do in life can lead you to your purpose.  With candid reflections on independent publishing, charting your own path, and the...

Join host Niccara as she welcomes acclaimed multi-hyphenate creative force Felicia Pride to "...But Make It Books." In this conversation, Pride discusses her remarkable journey from literature lover to award-winning filmmaker, TV writer, and founder of HONEY CHILE, her production company dedicated to Black women 40+. Pride, whose impressive credits include writing for "Queen Sugar," "Grey's Anatom...

Join Niccara as she delves in with LaDarrion Williams, author of "Blood at the Root" to discuss all things magic, Black people, Black life, and the trusting in your own magic even when you are in doubt. As always, rate, subscribe, and review us wherever you are listening. Follow us at: @butmakeitbookspod @thebookishhottie