Intimate Conversation with Nakia R. Laushaul
Ella: Nakia, introduce us to your book of poetry, The Truth As I See It: In Poetry & Prose. My book is called, The Truth As I See It: In Poetry & Prose. It's an inspirational collection of poetry and essays about everyday life from my point of view. Although I absolutely love poetry, I am a storyteller to the depths of my soul. So, you will see a complete story in every poem.
Every chapter tells a poetic story about You and Me, Love, God, Life, and how I came to be free in a way that every reader, no matter their favorite genre, will enjoy.
Ella: What makes you powerful as a person and a writer?
The God in me makes me feel powerful. I have overcome so many obstacles in my life that tried, yet failed each time to break me. I woke up one day and felt like yeah I finally got this, I got me. I am no longer ashamed of where I come from, who I am, what I lack, what I have, or where I'm going. All I know is that I am writing with the authority of God and that makes me a powerful woman.
Ella: Finish this sentence- My writing offers the following legacy to future readers...
My hope is to inspire for generations to come. I want future readers to know- if you follow the hollow ground I've walked on, it will take you generations to be free. Learn from the past and take the shortcut, young one - here, take this shortcut.
Ella: What specific situation or revelation prompted you to write your book?
I have been (and still am) working on a novel for many years. I won't even tell you exactly how many years it has been, not just yet (smile). All those years, I was afraid to write because I feared what I would come out of my pen and the impact it would have on others.
I knew that whatever I wrote would be so drenched in truth that some people were bound to get their feelings hurt. In the process of avoiding what I was born to do, I was disobedient to God's purpose, and my life was a mess. I woke up before dawn one day feeling distressed because God fills my head with so many thoughts, I don't sleep well. I found underneath my desk, a beautiful journal that I had never opened. Inside was an inscription by Picasso that read, "Everything you can imagine is real." I wrote underneath, Then I imagine I love myself. I turned the page and wrote down all the reasons I loved myself. Those reasons turned into the first poem I wrote for this collection, "I Am A Tree." By that evening I had a title for the entire book, The Truth As I See It. It was all poetry in the beginning, but I got hooked on blogging; hence prose entered the book.
Ella: Who do you want to reach with your book and the message within?
Initially, The Truth As I See It was God's attempt to reach me. God was calling out to me through my own voice, God to Nakia. Come in Nakia. I discovered so much about myself during the writing process. Now I know I can't force anyone else to change. However, my goal is to encourage a positive and willing acceptance of what is true and right.
Ella: How will reading your book shape the readers lives?
When my readers put my book down, I want them to imagine me saying personally to them, "You are strong, you are beautiful, you can make it, and you are uniquely fashioned in His image. You are A Tree!" I want my readers to concentrate more on being who they are and not what others want them to be. I would like them to feel empowered enough to break away from generational curses and self defeat, find their purpose, and truly live.
Ella: What are some of their specific issues, needs or problems addressed in this book?
The thing with writing poetry is that others always assume every poem is about the poet. I can't tell you how many poems are actually about you and what you are going through in your life, what I've read, or what I've overheard. I am a thief of juicy conversations. I wrote a poem about abortion, "Liberated," that spawned from reading a Gwendolyn Brooks poem called "The Mother." I heard the testimony of a famous gospel singer and wrote "Happy Mother's Day." I wrote a poem that deals with what will surely happen to our future if we don't do something called, "Deuteronomy."
Many of my messages are a bit taboo and I wrestled intensely with writing them, but either I stand up for what I believe in, or I should have called my book, The Lies I Tell Myself. That was not going to happen because I'm done with lying to myself just to make someone else feel comfortable.
Ella: What was the most powerful poem in the book?
I cannot pick a most powerful poem as each one tells a story that is special to me. I would very much appreciate if my readers would send me an email letting me know which poem affected them the most and why. On the other hand, my novel, Running From Solace is my baby waiting patiently to get here. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on the excerpt I included at the end of The Truth As I See It.
Ella: What do you think makes your book different from others?
Ecclesiastes 1:9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Since there is nothing new to be done, the only difference between my book and others' is the way I choose to offer my poetic stories. I give them in a page-turning, here's the truth, now deal with it-in a plain and simple sort of way. You will not need a decoder to decipher the message because I give it straight up-no chaser, so be ready.
Ella: Share with us your latest news, awards or upcoming book releases.
Presently, you can purchase and autographed copy of The Truth As I See It: In Poetry & Prose on my website. It will soon be available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and through other Internet sources where books are sold. I am currently working on my novel, Running From Solace.
Ella: How can our readers reach you online?
I am a real life Social Butterfly, so I welcome you to rant it up with me on my blog, Random Rants of Truth of a Social Butterfly:
http://nakialaushaul.blogspot.com
Friend me and get chatty on FaceBook, or stop by my website anytime you like to see what I'm up to and what's new: www.nakiarlaushaul.com . You never know, I may be headed to your town very soon! I also welcome your emails, so share your thoughts about my work:
Nakia@nakiarlaushaul.com
Nakia Laushaul...is making the best of today!
Author of The Truth As I See It: In Poetry & Prose
Website:
www.nakiarlaushaul.com
