Written In Melanin

This episode features a discussion with author Tatiana Obey, known for her action-packed, character-driven stories featuring diverse characters. In it, C. M. Lockhart and Tatiana discuss various themes relevant to Black and indie authors, such as the importance of visibility, the challenge of receiving and giving honest reviews, and the significance of community in the indie author space. 00:00 We...

In this episode of the Written In Melanin podcast, host C.M. Lockhart chats with Brittney Morris, author of 'SLAY' and video game writer. Morris shares her journey from being inspired by the Black Panther movie to becoming a bestselling author and transitioning into video game writing, with projects like Marvel's Spider-Man. She discusses the challenges of writing, the importance of...

Written In Melanin: Spotlighting Melanated Creativity, A Conversation with Indie Author Tamara Jerée In this episode of the 'Written In Melanin' podcast, host C. M. Lockhart welcomes indie author, Tamara Jerée to discuss their experiences and writing journey, including a detailed look at their experiences with creative writing academic programs (MFA). As a black indie author, Tamara shar...

In this episode of the Written In Melanin podcast, C. M. Lockhart, chats with Celeste Harte, a fantasy writer and expert on ChatGPT. They delve into their experiences as Black, independent authors, highlighting the challenges, evolution, and inspirations along the journey. Discussing everything from online writing platforms, the process of world building, the significance of knowing your audience,...

In this episode of Written In Melanin podcast, host CM Lockhart speaks with special guest DeAndréa Johnson, an educator, writer and the Writing Programs Manager at the Hurston Wright Foundation. The discussion offers an in-depth introduction to the foundation, its mission, and the many resources it provides to support Black authors. Besides sharing her own career journey from teacher to editor and...

In this episode of the Written In Melanin Podcast, host C. M. Lockhart interviews Antwan Floyd Sr., an author and publisher of Crime Fiction Media. Lockhart discusses Floyd’s journey from writing urban fiction to crime fiction, as well as the decision to establish his publishing company. Asking Floyd about his sources of inspiration, both touch on the importance of creativity and originality in a...

In this episode of the Written In Melanin podcast, host C. M. Lockhart engages in a discussion with Amanda B. Weaver (previously published under the name "Amanda Ross"), an indie author known for her work in Indie Fantasy and Horror. They discuss representation in horror and Amanda's upcoming novel, No One's Gonna Take her Soul Away. The conversation touches on the experiences...

In this episode of the 'Written In Melanin' Podcast, host C.M. Lockhart engages in a deep and meaningful conversation with Omari Richards, a debut fantasy author. As they discuss Richards' newly published novel, 'The Kimoni Legacy', they explore the writing process, storytelling techniques, importance of diversity in literature, and the intricacies of creating a believable...

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. E. M. Lacey is a coffee loving author who uses caffeine to generate dark urban, dystopian, and speculative stories with diverse adult and young adult characters. She enjoys posting and collecting coffee memes, watching horror movies, anime, and reading. And when she's not nerding out, she loves to connect with readers and a...

Dana L. Davis joins me for this episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. She is an author, actress, and voice-over artist who lives and works in Los Angeles. She has starred in Heroes , Coach Carter, Franklin & Bash, Veronica Mars , and countless other film and TV productions. A few of her animation credits include Star vs. the Forces of Evil, Craig of the Creek , and She-Ra and the Princess...

Tatiana writes badass characters slaying dragons. She is the author of “A Forging of Age,” duology, and she enjoys combining action with character-driven stories that feature diverse heroes and heroines. Her debut novel, Bones to the Wind, is a 2022 BBA Award Winner and a 2022 Indie Ink Award Finalist. She once taught English in South Korea, studied abroad in Japan, and worked as a marketing speci...

 Joelle Wellington grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where her childhood was spent wandering the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. Her love of the written word led her to a B.A. in Creative Writing and International Studies. When she isn’t writing, she’s reading and when she’s not doing that, she’s attempting to bake bread with varying degrees of success or strengthening her encyclopedia-li...

We're talking about character development this week y'all! Because one of the things I get asked a lot as a developmental editor, is to look at how characters are presented on the page, how they come across, and how they grow throughout the story. So, I figured I'd share some tips on how to create believable characters. Book a session with me: https://calendly.com/writteninmelanin/c...

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Jessica Cage is an International Award Winning and USA Today Best-Selling Author of over thirty published books, host of the More Than a Plot Point Podcast, and mentor to indie authors across the world. Born and raised in Chicago, she's always been in love with writing and the art of crafting worlds. And for over a decade,...

Everyone's Thinking It by Aleema Omotoni   Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Aleema Omotoni is a British-Nigerian author. She writes novels that center Black teens coming of age, falling in love, and navigating all kinds of contemporary and fantasy worlds. She loves musical theatre, astrophysics and rainy autumn days. https://linktr.ee/aleemawrites https://...

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Neka Marie is a speculative fiction author with a love for sugary snacks, too many activities, and is involved with too many fandoms. She is a former army brat, "retired" martial artist, and not-so-former-or-retired horsegirl with an affinity for holding onto random bits of knowledge. Over the years, Neka Marie has wor...

One of the things I've very fortunate to be able to say is that I'm a full time author. It's the dream (and / or goal) for a lot of authors, but I'll be the first to warn (and admit) that working for yourself isn't the easiest thing in the world. With all the time in the world, it becomes difficult to decide how to make the most of it. So, today I'm sharing a few thin...

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Today I am here with the author MultiMind. She writes books that are fairly Black, usually queer, and very much embedded in the world of Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror. Her short fiction has previously appeared in Nightlight Podcast. Her works include Dreamer, Kinetics and The Glassman. MultiMind Publishing The Glassman (melaninli...

I was talking with someone recently, and they brought up the idea of judging a book by its cover. And we've all been warned against doing that but, as I've spent more time in this publishing world, I've learned that I disagree with that statement. As controversial as it may sound, I think you should judge a book by its cover and, when necessary, I think you should DNF books too. Esp...

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Today I am here with the author Celeste Harte, who is out here making worlds and taking names. She writes books, does professional illustrating under her alter ego, Becky Brown, and even makes video games. Today, she joins me on the podcast to discuss a controversial topic in the writing world: the use of AI as a tool to write b...

I asked you guys what you'd prefer the next episode of the podcast to be about and y'all chose to break down the differences between Amazon and IngramSpark, so that's what we're here to discuss! It's a question that a lot of authors ask, so I'll tell you guys what I know. But the short answer is this: you need both. Sponsored book: https://melaninlibrary.com/books/800...

Welcome to episode #38. Lately, I've been focused on my own writing and a large part of that for me right now is rewrites. It's the bane of many writer's existence -- why can't our first drafts just be perfect? But, the reality of it is that writing is, essentially, rewriting. But it can also lead down a rabbit hole of never completing a work. So, today we're talking about...

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast. Today I am here with Michael LaBorn! He is an author, publisher, bookish content creator, and internet thorn in the side of major publishing companies. You may know him from TikTok (that's where our paths crossed!), or from his monthly indie book subscription box, which he uses to fight for indie authors of color by teachin...

Welcome to episode #37. I asked on the internet if y'all wanted to know why I had to fire my editor or if y'all wanted me to break down how to differentiate feedback on your story, and y'all chose the topic of feedback! So, here we are. Let's discuss how you can separate your beta reader feedback into useful criticism vs. a reader's personal taste. Heads up! This episode w...

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Written in Melanin Podcast!  Today I am here with Liselle Sambury. She is the author of Blood Like Magic, Blood Like Fate, and the recently released Delicious Monsters. Her work spans multiple genres from fantasy to sci-fi to horror and more. She also a successful YouTuber, sharing helpful tips for upcoming writers and details of her publishing journey on...