Editor Note: I had the pleasure of meeting Nakia at the Fall Into Books Literary Conference this past weekend. I loved her personality and she blew me away at the poetry recital, she recited a poem that gave me goose bumps. Make sure you pick her first book, The Truth As I See It, for some deep poetry.
It is always a pleasure to meet someone who is excited about their craft and sharing their experiences.
Running from Solace is the author's second work followed by her literary debut, . She is currently working on third book, "Do You Know Daisy McCloud?"
Nakia truly believes that by doing what you love, you become happy! She hopes that you will go find your happiness.
For more information about Nakia visit her website: http://www.nakiarlaushaul.com/ or blog, Random Rants of Truth of a Social Butterfly: http://nakialaushaul.blogspot.com/
How did you start out your writing career?
My love of reading led to my love of writing. Once I learned my ABC’s … it was on from there (smile). I’ve always known that I could write, that I loved to tell stories and that I wanted to be a writer. But, back then, I always thought it was by magic or some unknown stroke of luck that people actually authored books and that it would never happen to somebody like me. In an attempt to quench the desire for a book with my name on it, I kept trying to live what I thought was a normal life. There’s something about that thing called purpose, it began to gnaw at my spirit, it became an incessant itch and the only way to satisfy its hold on my life was to take one tiny little step forward, despite not knowing what to do. I began to organize all the works that I had ever written into one place. Then, I wrote more, if I wasn’t at work or taking care of my son—I was writing. Finally, I began to seek knowledge about writing as an industry and publishing. And do you know what happened? Doors just blew open and a path cleared in this world just for me. I said all of that to say, that I never had a choice because at birth, writing chose me.
What did you learn while writing this book?
How to listen to myself and trust what my heart told me to do. The process of writing can be filled with so much self-inflicted doubt that it makes you want to stop. At those times, I would ask God to lead me in His will before I would peck out another word. I learned how to see and hear God through my words.
What did you hope to accomplish with this book?
Besides just wanting to finally have a novel with my name on it, I also hoped it would spark interest with readers. That the one person that was meant to read it would find it out of the millions of other books out there and be blessed by Running from Solace.
Which character did you have the most fun writing about?
All of them! Running from Solace was told from the perspective of three interesting characters and they were all so different from each other. However, if I had top pick just one, it would be Mona. She wasn’t my favorite character, but she was quite a persona to write. There were times when she made me laugh out loud with her antics. She was so foolish that I almost felt sorry for her at times. Mona was for sure was an emotional rollercoaster of a ride to write.
What has surprised you most about becoming a published author?
The feedback from readers has been absolutely unreal. As a new author, I never expected for people to be so supportive of me. I love it. Also, on my journey I meet many of the authors that I follow and they are so real and supportive as well. I absolutely love the lit life!
What aspect of writing do you love the best, and which do you hate the most?
I love the writing part. I love transforming the eccentric stories taking place in my head into books that people read and relate to. Writing is a love, like a reward for me, but because I have so many other obligations, like work, I hate not having the time to write as much as I’d like to.
What are three things you wish you’d known before you reached where you are now?
I wish I had known how much criticism would hurt, that writing would take over my entire life, and that I really could have done this sooner had I listened to the little voice in my head.
Can you give us one do and one don’t for those aspiring to be a writer?
Do your own research and spend time learning as much as you can about the craft of writing and the publishing industry. Don’t give up. I repeat, don’t ever give up.
What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?
That it is not possible to write a book that 100% of the people will be satisfied with. A writer will spin their wheels forever trying to make everybody happy. I learned that from experience.
If you could be a character from any book you’ve read, who would you be?
I love this question. I would be Davidia (Davie) Jones from 32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter. I related to Davie’s character in so many ways.
When you're not writing, what do you like to do in your spare time?
I like to spend time with the funniest dude on the planet—my fifteen year-old son. Since he doesn’t have a license yet, I play Mom-Taxi for fun.
What do you do to interact with your readers?
I am a real life social butterfly so I do a lot of social media. Everybody is welcome to connect with me online. I also try to make my way to various literary events around the country to meet as many readers as I can.
Our theme for this month is Online Marketing. What online marketing have you found works well for you?
I would have to say Facebook works very well for me. It’s one of the best resources out there for writers. When readers get a chance to really know me as a person, they seem to jump behind me and we push together. I’m a grassroots kind of author.
This is SORMAG’s 11th Anniversary online. Would you like to offer us anniversary congrats?
Happy Anniversary! Keep doing what you do best and that’s bringing authors and readers closer together. I wish you many more years to come. Thank you for sharing my literary journey with me.
Oprah always asks, What do you know for sure?
That I was born for the write life and if I’m not sure about anything else, I’m sure about that.
Can you give us a sneak peek of your next book?
My next book is titled, Do You Know Daisy McCloud? I’m still writing through some of the details, but in short Daisy is a seventeen year old girl. A tragic event lands Daisy in the hospital life where she meets up with a young Polish immigrant that has been around the block a few times. The two unlikely friends embark on a journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and tolerance. I’ll be posting a chapter excerpt to my website very soon.
How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)
Mail: 12620 FM 1960 W. Ste. A #121 Houston, TX 77065
Website: http://www.nakiarlaushaul.com/
Blog: http://nakialaushaul.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/nakiarl
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Nakia-R-Laushaul-presents-The-Truth-As-I-See-It-In-Poetry-Prose/346645442878
Running from Solace
“She passed a hard candy over her shoulder as though whatever was in the tiny wrapper was supposed to make it all better. I clutched the peppermint in my hand and buried my face in the hard leather seat while she explained what was going to happen to me. She promised that I’d be safe from then on.”
And so begins the journey of Naomi, whose amazing story picks up where the past and future intersect. As Naomi struggles to hide the ugly physical and emotional reminders that insist on haunting her dreams, she crosses paths with a young boy, Xavier and his bad-tempered mother, Mona, who share an interesting story much like her own.
Running from Solace is an emotional tale that will send you catapulting on a breathless journey beyond breaking points and will lead you to believe in the power of accepting what is to be.
Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VIqKdzMoAA
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