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
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