Reed, Write, and Create

Behind the Book with Bookseller Jeannine A. Cook: Founder of Harriett's Bookshop in Philly

On episode 54 we’re going Behind the Book with bookseller Jeannine A. Cook, founder of Harriett’s Bookshop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Jeannine A. Cook is a self-described word worker. In 2020, she opened Harriett’s Bookshop in the Fishtown section of North Philadelphia with the mission to celebrate women authors, women artists, and women activists. In 2021, she opened Ida’s Bookshop in Collingswood, NJ, and Josephine’s Bookshop (a bookshop installation in Paris). 

Jeannine’s work as a literary activist has been recognized by several national and international news outlets including The New York Times, Vogue Magazine, Google, and  Forbes, Inc.

Jeannine is also a writer and author who writes about the complex intersections of motherhood, globalism, activism, and the arts. Her delicious debut novel, It’s Me They Follow will be released in September, 2025.

During our conversation, Jeannine shares:

• How magic, synchronicity, and obedience to spirit play a part in her success as a bookseller. 
• The history of word working and miracles in her own family that inspire her own literary work.
• Why she doesn’t worship money.
• The challenges she faces as a bookseller who is also a writer.
• What she’s working on next in honor of the late Kenyan environmental activist and Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathii.

This is a magical and motivating episode.

To learn more about the amazing Jeannine A. Cook and what she’s up to, visit her website.

To Follow all the fun at Harriett’s Bookstore and her sister shop, Ida’s Bookstore, visit their website and/or Follow on Instagram.

You can pre-order Jeanine’s debut novel, It’s Me The Follow at the Reed, Write & Create bookstore.

 

Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee.

 

If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. 

 

Follow Reed, Write, & Create on Instagram at ReedWriteandCre8

 

Sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter.

 

Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori

 

 

Behind the Book with David Ruggles: The First Black Man in America to Open a Bookstore

On episode 53 of the podcast, we’re going Behind the Book and back in time, to meet David Ruggles, the first Black American to own and operate a bookstore for Black people.

David Ruggles was a revolutionary thinker, a bibliophile, a healer, and a radical abolitionist who believed that reading and the written word would set his people free. 

He opened the first Black-owned bookstore, D. Ruggles Books, in 1834 in New York City.

On this episode you’ll hear all about David Ruggles' incredible life, his revolutionary bookstore, and the extraordinary career pivot he was forced to make after losing his eyesight as a young man. 

I promise, you will love this story. And you will feel even more motivated to get your stories out into the world after listening.

David Ruggles was living proof that a bookstore is a powerful weapon against oppression.

 

To learn more about David Ruggles, visit the David Ruggles Center for History and Education website. 

If you want to read a complete biography of Ruggles, try this well regarded biography  by Graham Russell Gao Hodges.

Grab a copy of Prose to the People, an excellent book about the history of Black bookstores in the United States.

 

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Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee.

If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. 

Sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter.

Follow Lori and her global literary life on YouTube at LiteraryLori

 

Behind the Book with Sylvia Arthur, Founder of the the Library of Africa and the African Diaspora

On episode 52 we’re going Behind the Book with Sylvia Arthur, the founder of the Library of Africa and the African Diaspora in Accra, Ghana.

Remember, for Season Five of the podcast, we’re going behind the book to talk to people whose livelihood and careers depend on the free flowing circulation of books in society.

Sylvia Arthur is the Founder of the Library Of Africa and The African Diaspora (LOATAD), a library, archive, writing residency, and research institute in Accra, Ghana, dedicated to the work of African and Diaspora writers from the late 19th century to the present day. 

Sylvia started LOATAD using 1,300 of her own books in 2017 and she has since curated six libraries in Ghana, including school, community, and corporate libraries. She is an advocate for the restitution of African literary archives to the continent,  and she is a 2024 Ford Global Fellow.

On this episode, Sylvia shares:

• How and why she started the Library of Africa and the African Diaspora.
• What are the unique challenges of running a library in Ghana.
• Why she wanted to launch a residency for Diasporic writers.
• Why she thinks books are transformational in the lives of marginalized people.
• What keeps her motivated as a one-woman show to make sure LOATAD continues to thrive.
• Besides reading, what kinds of activities happen in the library.

I hope you enjoy this inspiring episode and you consider visiting or supporting The Library of Africa and the African Diaspora.

Follow LOATAD on Instagram to see what kind of events and offerings they have.

Sylvia’s last favorite read was The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Sylvia’s suggestion for a book by a Ghanaian author everyone should read, Our Sister Killjoy by Ama Ata Aidoo, one of Ghana’s most famous female authors.

Check out Lori's video about her experience as a resident at LOATAD on her YouTube channel, Literary Lori.

Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee.

 

If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. 

Follow Reed, Write, & Create on Instagram at ReedWriteandCre8

Sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter.

Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori

Behind the Book with Bad-Ass Bibliophile Arturo Schomburg

For Season Five of the podcast, we’re going behind the book and talking to people and reviewing the lives of our literary ancestors whose livelihood and life missions require(d) the free circulation of books in society. 

On episode 51, we’re going back in time to talk about literary ancestor, Arturo Schomburg. Schomburg was a bad-ass bibliophile who dedicated his life to collecting proof of global Black excellence. The majority of his collection was, of course, books. 

“Schomburg is arguably the most iconic Black bibliophile in American and African diasporic history,” said author Laura Helton.

During the episode, you’ll hear what inspired Schomburg to start searching for “proof” of Black excellence, why he believed so strongly in the written word, and how he used books and writing to disseminate the knowledge he was collecting. 

I hope that by listening to Schomburg’s incredible story, you are reminded of just how important books written by and about Black people really are. We have to write them, and keep them safe.

If you’d like to read more about the fascinating life and work of Arturo Schomburg, get your hands on a copy of Diasporic Blackness: The Life and Times of Arturo Alfonso Schomburg by Vanessa K. Valdés. 

Also, you can see the fruits of Schomburg’s lifelong labor by visiting The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, New York.

FYI, March 2025 marked the 100th anniversary of Schomburg’s iconic essay, “The Negro Digs Up His Past.” Here is an article from the New York Public Library revisiting its importance and impact. 

 

Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee.

If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. 

Sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter.

Follow Lori and her global literary life on YouTube at LiteraryLori

Behind the Book with Bibliotherapist Emely Rumble

For Season Five of the podcast, we’re going behind the book to talk to people whose livelihood and careers depend on the free flowing circulation of books in society.

On episode 50, our guest is Emely Rumble, LCSW. Emely is a distinguished licensed clinical social worker, school social worker, and a bibliotherapist. Committed to making mental health services more accessible, Emely specializes in the transformative practice of bibliotherapy. Emely is also the author of the exciting new book, Bibliotherapy in the Bronx.

During our conversation, Emely explains: 

• What is bibliotherapy?
• Why bibliotherapy works for people struggling with mental health issues.
• Who is the African-American ‘Hidden Figure’ of bibliotherapy.
• Why she wants more BIPOC authors to be aware of this powerful modality. 
• How her experience as an Afro-Puerto Rican child who spent time in the foster care system influenced her decision to become a bibliotherapist. 

I hope listening to Emely’s story and her fascinating explanations about the intersections of racial identity, literature, and mental health, leave you lit.

 

Buy a copy of Emely’s book, Bibliotherapy in the Bronx at the Reed, Write, & Create Online bookstore. Support Emily and the Podcast at the same time!

Follow Emely on Instagram at Literapy_NYC

If you’re interested in getting credentialed as a bibliotherapist, visit the International Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy.

Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee.

If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. 

Sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter.

Join the Tell Me More email list to get your invite to join the Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary at the end of May, 2025.

Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori

Get Ready for Something New! On Season 5 We're Going Behind the Book

Welcome to Season 5 of the Podcast! On this brief episode, Loril will provide  a quick recap about her time living in a library in Ghana, followed by a sneak peek into what we have planned for this special season of the podcast. 

For Season 5, we’re going Behind the Book, bringing you interviews and stories about people who depend on the free circulation of books in the world. From librarians, to agents, to activists and entrepreneurs, this season we're pulling back the curtain on the people who keep the book business flowing and growing.

 

To learn more about the Library of African and the African Diaspora, visit their website. 

 

If you want to read more about Lori’s experience in Ghana, read this blog post about her experience.

 

If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com. 

 

Sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter.

 

Join the Tell Me More email list to find out when we start taking new applicants to the Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary. 

 

Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori

 

Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee.

What's Happening with the Reed, Write, & Create Podcast in 2025?

Tune in to this brief episode for updates about the Reed, Write, and Create podcast, and some exciting news from host, Lori L. Tharps.

 

Links for more resources and information.

The Reed, Write, and Create Website

Find Out More about The Reed, Write, & Create Sanctuary for BIPOC women writers. 

Apply to The Sanctuary HERE

The Blog Post About Lori's Upcoming Trip to Ghana

The Literary Lori YouTube Channel. Don't forget to subscribe by February 13.

 

Ignore the Experts: You Can Write All the Things with Jabari Asim

On episode 46 of the podcast, I’m replaying my inspiring,  2023 conversation with award-winning author, journalist, professor, and poet, Jabari Asim.

Jabari Asim is the Distinguished Professor of Multi-Disciplinary Letters at Emerson College. He is the author of 23 books, including Yonder, the essay collection We Can’t Breathe, and Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis. His awards include a Guggenheim fellowship and a Pushcart Prize.

His work has been included in Best American Essays and Best American Poetry. The former editor-in-chief of the NAACP’s Crisis magazine, he has published journalism in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The New Republic, American Prospect, Essence, and elsewhere. Forthcoming books include Wall of Respect, a picture book, and American Struggle: Essays on Race, Culture, and Imagination. Jabari lives in the Boston area and has 5 adult children.

On the show Jabari shares: 

• How an encounter with the poet Gwendolyn Brooks inspired him to be a writer.
• The practical reasons why he is so prolific.
• Why it’s important for writers to write in multiple genres.
• The best education for aspiring and working writers. (Hint: It’s not an MFA)
• How to stay motivated in the face of rejection.
• The  advice he has for BIPOC writers who want to be published by one of the big five publishers. 

It’s an inspiring interview full of actionable advice, writing tips and a little-known fact about Langston Hughes! You don’t want to miss it. So press play.

 

To learn more about Jabari Asim, visit his website.

If you want more information, inspiration and resources for your literary life, visit the Reed, Write, and Create website.

If you would like a literary pep talk + resources carefully curated for BIPOC authors delivered to your inbox,  sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create newsletter. No spam, just inspiration and resources to uplevel your literary life.

Subscribe to  @LiteraryLori on YouTube and help Lori launch her new channel.

Support this independent, award-winning podcast by making an easy one-time donation via Buy Me a Coffee, or in Lori’s case Buy Me a Book.

Telling Black Women's Stories across Platforms with Rebecca Carroll

This is our last episode of Season 4!

On episode 46 of the podcast, I am so excited to share my conversation with Rebecca Carroll, whose new book, I Know What the Red Clay Looks Like: The Voice & Vision of Black Women Writers (Haymarket)  was  re-released on December 3, 2024.

Rebecca is a writer, cultural critic, and host of the podcasts Come Through with Rebecca Carroll and the award-winning Billie Was a Black Woman . Her 2021 memoir, Surviving the White Gaze, where she shares her experiences about growing up in New Hampshire as  a Black adoptee with white parents, was called “gorgeous and powerful” by the New York Times Book Review.  

During our conversation, Rebecca shares why she calls herself a storyteller rather than a writer; she offers advice on writing difficult memoirs with compassion;  and then we dig into the incredible work that is, I Know What the Red Clay Looks Like, a collection of interviews with famous Black women writers including June Jordan, Pearl Cleage, Rita Dove, and Lorene Cary, among others. 

First we talk about how Rebecca wrote the book as a young twenty-something just out of college, and then we discuss  how she got the book reissued 30 years later, with up-and-coming authors like Safiya Sinclair adding their voices to the collection.

 

Stick around until the end of the episode to hear how you can win a free copy of Red Clay. 

 

To keep in touch with Rebecca Carroll, follow her on Instagram @rebeljunemarie

 

To purchase a copy of I Know What the Red Clay Looks Like, please consider supporting the Reed, Write, & Create bookshop and independent bookstores everywhere.

If you want more information, inspiration and resources for your literary life, visit the Reed, Write, and Create website.

If you would like a literary pep talk + resources carefully curated for BIPOC authors delivered to your inbox,  sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create newsletter. No spam, just inspiration and resources to uplevel your literary life.

 

The doors are now closed to the Reed, Write and Create Sanctuary, our private community for BIPOC women writers who take their writing seriously. But you can still add your name to the waiting list so you’ll be the first to know when we’re taking new applications in 2025.

If you’re feeling generous and would like to support this award-winning, Black-woman created podcast, please consider a small, one-time donation via our new Buy Me a Coffee/Book link. 

 

Thank you & Happy Holidays!

Write Yourself Into History with Arturo Schomburg

On episode 45 of the podcast, I’m giving you a pep talk about writing as resistance. About how you can push back against oppressive systems, defy stereotypes and limitations, and leave a lasting legacy, all with the power of the written word. 

And I will be using the life and work of literary ancestor, Arturo Schomburg as my source material. Arturo Schomburg is most known as the founder of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black  Culture in New York City, but he was also a writer, a revolutionary thinker, and activist, who used books and the written word to defy white supremacy and glorify Black excellence and achievement. 

During the show you’ll learn:

• How one racist teacher in Puerto Rico gave Schomburg his life purpose.
• How Schomburg used other people’s racism to help amass his incredible collection of Black memorabilia.
• Why Schomburg became a writer and a collector of the written word.
• Why sometimes it’s necessary to tear down other people’s heroes to make a point.

If you’d like to read more about the fascinating life and work of Arturo Schomburg, get your hands on a copy of Diasporic Blackness: The Life and Times of Arturo Alfonso Schomburg by Vanessa K. Valdés

 

If you want more information, inspiration and resources for your literary life, visit the Reed, Write, and Create website.

If you would like a literary pep talk + resources carefully curated for BIPOC authors delivered to your inbox,  sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create newsletter. No spam, just inspiration and resources to uplevel your literary life.

Subscribe to  @LiteraryLori on YouTube and help Lori launch her new channel.

Support this independent, award-winning podcast by making an easy one-time donation via Buy Me a Coffee, or in Lori’s case Buy Me a Book.