Nana Malone:
My name is Nana Malone and my Content is Queen.

Layla Nielsen:
All right. All right. I’m super excited about this episode of content is Queen because we have a author, a comedian, a fellow African, best seller, author, my friend, my laughing partner, Miss Nana Malone. Welcome, welcome, welcome. Happy me, oh my gosh, I’m already laughing because I know this is gonna be a fun interview. With Content is Queen, we are celebrating the female content creator and you, a romance author, who happens to be African. I need some explanations around that. So what inspired you to become an author and specifically a romance author? Because I don’t see those two together. Because I know I was raised in an African household. So I’m trying to figure all that out.

Nana Malone:
You know what, I mean I think I’ve always been fascinated by relationships. So I’m African, I’m a Ghanaian I am a Ga specifically. In the Ga language, there’s no real word for love. There’s “like,” and Ghanaian’s are like salt of the earthy kind of people it’s like, Ah, it’s like foolish things. There’s another language Twi, there’s the word for love. But Twi is also like when you speak Twi it’s kind of like a beautiful flowing language. And so in Ga there’s no word for love. And so it’s like, I was always kind of fascinated by, like, why people pick people, you know, like, when we first came back to the states, you know, I knew watching TV, and you’re like, I knew that people I would want people to be like, you know, like, like, “Oh, he’s so nice. And he’s smart. And he goes to school. And he studies hard,” because the African was bred in me, right? And so I would want those see that they would pick someone else who’s on a motorcycle and dangerous. I’m like, “that makes no sense.” So I’ve always been fascinated by that nervous relationship, but also, like, with two equal playing partners, why this person and not that person, and that was always fascinating. And so and I think that, you know, I’ve always loved stories, all kinds of stories, like I was that kid, you know, it was like reading Reader’s Digest, like if it arrived, I was like, What’s this? And I would just kind of jump in, you know, I love thrillers as well. And it was really one summer and I went home to Ghana and my cousin, you know, she slipped me [inaudible] she’s like Nana, kissing [inaudible]. And just like slugged me in old Mills and Boons, you know, lavender covers circular inset in the front. And it was like a Greek shipping tycoon something something. And I was like, I read it. And I was like, Oh, what am I missing? Because with African parents, you are not getting any romance novels. I mean, my mom did have some romance. It was like, you know, like, all like the dead no steels and like they’re very kind of like, you couldn’t tell what was in them. There were no Bodice Ripper type covers. So it was like, Oh, well, yes. And I think gothic romance. But like, all those are like, kind of slow moving and creepy. And so like, I never really like I read one of them and I was like, oh okay, they kissed but this was a harlequin or Mills and Boon rather I was like, Oh my God there’s sex, my God. From then on I was like, Oh, I am reading romance and so much my mother should grin. It’s so funny considering how like, conservative my parents were as I was growing up, and now I’m like, I write romance now, sorry, but they’re like, they’re really both of them are really proud. It’s surprising dad, like tells his business associates he’s like, Oh my daughter, she’s a romance writer. You should check her out and join her newsletter. And I’m like no Dad no.

Layla Nielsen:
He’s going to come back like what kind of stuff is this. You know, that is hilarious because I can only imagine your parents, like when you decided to make a career out of this. You’re not a doctor. Because listen, as an Ethiopian, you’re not a doctor, you’re not an engineer, not a lawyer. What are you doing? So it takes a big leap of faith and confidence and understanding yourself to really take charge and really step into this. So now that you’re talking about sex, you’re talking about all these fun topics, but you have a deeper mission now that you are what 100 books under your belt now. And you do this really cool thing called the brown nipple challenge. Like when I heard that name, I was like, What is this? So let’s tell the audience what is the brown nipple challenge?

Nana Malone:
Yeah, so the radical challenge look, first of all, it’s meant to be a little titillating. See what I did there? But listen and everyone had nipples, everyone, but when you read romance novels, right, so at least back in the day when I was inappropriately reading them at the age of 13. All the nipples were pink, they would get down to like it’s getting good. You’re like, Oh, we’re about to find out why I have these feelings low on my belly. And then all the nipples are pink. They were pink, they were rosey, they were dusky. And even though there’s like, you know, you just keep reading and you’re enjoying yourself like subliminally, it was telling me that women who looked like me women without pink nipples, were not the objects of love. And they were not deserving of love, because you just never saw it. And they weren’t, that just wasn’t something that happened for you. And that was like a subliminal message that was just like eating directly into my soul. As I inhaled book after book after book after book. They were blonde redhead brunette, never had brown skin. And so for me, when I got into the space, I was like, No, I’m writing these very marketable, fun, enjoyable books. But they’re going to have so many women of color, not just black women, not just African woman, like myself, but like, like, all my friends and family. And just, you know, I once chased this poor Middle Eastern woman down the street, because she’s like, the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen in my life. Just to get her story. I was like, Excuse me. I mean, she had this hair big and curly. And just like this warm, tan skin. Like I chased her down. And she was like, this Iranian Jew. And it’s like, I was like, wow, tell me your life story as I had left my computer at Starbucks, just to chase her down. And so like, I wanted to write about, like, what the world looks like. And so for me, the brown nipple challenge is in my career, I’ve been really lucky. I mean, I’ve worked my butt off. But I’ve had the opportunity to have mentors and friends who’ve helped along the way and that have helped push. And what happens, you know, in entertainment in any space in entertainment, what people do is like, well, there’s one or two, so that’s fine. And so when people will be like, Oh, I don’t know where to find, especially after the uprisings of 2020 people, like, I have no idea where to find, you know, black romance or black woman who write romance or like, I don’t know where they are. And I was like, you Google is broken. Because if you type black romance author, you get all these, but no one wanted to do that. And so what I wanted to do is really uplift women of color writing romance, and give them some shine. And women who like authors who haven’t had the same exposure, and same ability to like really kind of like pay it forward. So I mean, it’s basically a book club, it’s super easy, you know, because at the end of the day, it’s like, well, I have an audience who do turn up for things, hopefully, um, and so I can share that. It’s the very least I can do. And I pick a book written by an author of color, specifically writing romance. And then I say, Hey, we’re reading this. So go buy it, not just go buy it. But then what we also do is we read it, and we discuss the book, but we discuss it with the author, because I think one of the keys to it is when you can meet someone, well, sort of face to face, it’s on Instagram, meet someone face to face and interact with them and get to know them even a little bit like you feel like you know them. So then you’re like, oh, ???, she’s Brazilian. That’s amazing. And as you laugh, and like, then you’re like, well I’m not just going to buy it, because she said too, but she has all these other books. And she’s really funny. She talks about family, she talks about being resilient, and all the food. And then like, all of a sudden, you like know them a little bit. So they’re sort of like your friends. So you’re more inclined, that takes down the barriers to entry and to meeting their books. And so like, that was a little thing that I could do. And so I just, you know, it was It started as like, you know, I wanted to do something in response to the 2020 uprisings that, like, I felt like I could do and sustain. And so I was like, Well, let me take my corner of the world and do something to make it a little bit better, a little bit easier for, you know, readers who are readers of color, but also authors of color, who, like, there are 1000s of us doing our thing running great books, 1000s that people always need the same vibe. They’re like, oh, this person and that person is and I’m like, there’s more than that. There’s more. So that’s how it came about.

Layla Nielsen:
I love that because that I mean, it really speaks to what we have been saying forever that representation matters. Whether you are brown nipples, our hair, our breasts, the variety of our skin or body shapes. It truly matters. And I was really intrigued when we talked about the lack of representation on the covers. How you had to step in and become your own model. Tell us about that. That, first of all, kudos to you. Like let me tell you, I will drop every filter every photo shop cinch I will have the body of you know, an hourglass, but how did you come to that conclusion? Like, listen, I can’t find representation. So I’m going to be that.

Nana Malone:
Yeah, no, I mean, for years, you know, my early career, I would put black women on covers all the time, I just didn’t even like think of it as a thing. I was like, well, the heroines black there on the cover, moving right along. And that was great for my audience. That was like a small set of like, you know, like, black women who were reading romance, who like really wanted to see themselves represented great. But I realized that I hit a plateau when I was not growing. And so you know, you look around to other books that are doing well. And I was like well, I’m not gonna hide it. Well, I said I’m not going to change what’s in the book, because that’s a part of my core, my mission statement, but I can market it differently. And so you’re like, okay, like, I want to put some pretty Latin dudes on the covers, and pretty white boys on the cover, or like objects in the cover, I’m just going to make it so like, someone’s not going to get to it and go, Oh, it’s not for me, and immediately run away. Because let’s face it, there’s all this internalized biases, especially people who were reading romance. And, like, to my shock and horror, I started performing so much better. And it was really frustrating and upsetting at the time. And so, and I managed to go for a few years like that, but you know, really, around 2020, you know, I was talking to my publicist, and she’s like, it’s time to go back. And I was like, I think so too. And she’s like, no, we’re going back. And so we started looking, and I was like, oh, the drugs??? a stock photography, because I was like, for a specific series I had, I was like, ah, they’re royal, they’re going to marry princes. So I need beautiful, and they were dark skinned and beautiful, dark skinned women in ballgowns, to, you know, indicate princess. Um, yeah, let’s, let’s find that. It did not exist. I mean, like, when you go to stock photography, even if you get, like, god help you for looking for black couples, because then they look like your mom and dad. And they’re standing next to each other. And they’re doing this. For anyone who’s just listening to this, like, I’m making that like strange smile face, like you see on stock photos, you know, like the photos that come in the middle of like, you buy a photo frame, and it’s in that and their smiles are not genuine, not reaching their eyes, and they’re kind of like stiff, like, so even if it’s a black couple, they’re standing next to each other like, only this stiff smile, right? And like, nevermind, if it’s like an interracial couple or something in your life, that’s just not, you’re not going to find them in like in a romance ready pose, right? Where the couples are, like, clearly look like they’re intimate, or really look like they’re in love. It just doesn’t exist. And so a dear friend of mine who’s a photographer, he shoots a lot of romance covers, and I’ve shot for him before. So there was a comfort aspect. But I’ve shot for him for other people’s covers, when other people were like, hey, I want you know, black, like, you know, sometimes I’ll also be like, Oh, I’m looking for an African American woman, an African American man. And you know, he’ll call me and I’ll head up to Vegas. And I’m like, I’ll stand with a very hot dude with very nice abs. And I’ll smile, like, you know, and then look, we’ll look into each other’s eyes intimately. And I’m like, Wow, this modeling thing, like, it’s, it’s not easy, but it’s not a bad day. And then, you know, I’ll go home, but you know, I’ve never done it for myself, because why would I put myself on my covers? That’s, that’s weird and insane. But I did it. And it was great. And the models were fantastic and so sweet and made me feel so comfortable because I was terrified. Like, everyone’s like, Oh, boss moves. And I was like, that wasn’t intentional. The answer is not for us to put ourselves on our covers. It’s not the answer. The answer is there for there to be more available covers instead of like photographers, because I hunted I looked around. I call I called a bunch of photographers that had that did that work for him? And they did a lot of romance covers. And I was like, Hey, do you have an African American woman? And you’re like, and you’re like, model stable, and they’re like, oh, no, this photos don’t really sell that. Well, the same thing. People used to tell me back in the day about like writing books with African American women as the heroines, they don’t really sell well. And I was like, What are you talking about? And so they just, they just didn’t have the models available. And so I was forced to be my own model. Um, luckily, I was able to do it, but that was terrifying. And luckily, the response to it was amazing and really, really great. And I’m so just like, humble that romance Landia came out for me on that, like, the moment the covers hit, it was like, I was running away and I hid from my email for a bit because, you know, I mean, this is the internet, people are wild. So I was like, Don’t do not look. But my publicist, she’s, like, texted me, she’s like, Oh, my God, the responses and I was like, oh, no, and she’s like, No, it’s amazing. And then I like kind of snuck onto my Instagram and I was like, whoa, okay, that’s a lot of messages. And then I had just like, and they were just, everyone was so encouraging. I mean, yes, there were the negative people will have something to say. Um, that, but you know, stay mad.

Layla Nielsen:
Listen, you will always find the hater or you know, with an S.

Nana Malone:
There’s always at least one.

Layla Nielsen:
You know what, you would not be poppin if you didn’t have haters.

Nana Malone:
That’s true. But why is that? Like, I just want to know why that is.

Layla Nielsen:
Somebody did not get enough hugs as a kid and turned out to be that jerk as an adult. I mean, it is what it is, we all have them in some capacity. You know, I love that because representation matters, like you had to step in. And now you were rewarded for that. And so now the next generation of content creators, authors, they can look to you as an example, what would you say, to an up and coming content creator, or author, female content creator or author who is looking to get into the romance space? What advice would you give them?

Nana Malone:
I mean, the advice is, like, stay true to you to what you want to do, because there’s gonna be a lot of people tone policing is going who will tell you exactly what you should write? Well, you should read all the right black romance Well, you can’t write interracial romance, or you should only write interracial romance, it sounds better. Or you should do this, you should do that. Before you start, and before you start marketing, determine what your mission statement is, you determine that only, you know, determine what your goals are, only you can do that, you know, determine what you want, like what you want out of this thing that you’re going to do. Because once it’s out there, you can’t control the narrative. If you don’t know where you’re going, you can’t steer that ship. Like it’ll be in a big old Whirlpool. And you’ll be like, what’s happening. So just really sit with yourself and know what you want out of it. And, and be firm in that and know that because then when somebody comes talking, talking nonsense in your ear, you can easily brush that off, right? Because, you know, people will come Come at me and be like, well, you should be doing this, you should be doing that. And I’m like, oh my god, are you in my bank account? No. Okay, sit down. I you can, I can easily Delve, like slough them off. And sometimes people can be just like really mean or rude. Because you’re like, well, this character doesn’t sound black. And I was like, there’s more than one black experience. There’s more than one and are like, well, I couldn’t identify with her, you know who the people who say that. And I’m like, but you can identify with shifters and aliens, it’s weird. People will always be desperate to tell you what you should and shouldn’t be doing, especially as a black woman in this space. So you need to be really aware of what you’re looking to do and what you want out of the experience. So that’s the number one. The other one is the one I tell everybody a newsletter. Build your own newsletter because social media is great, but you don’t own that and they can turn you off at any time for any reason, and you will cry. We’ve all been there and we’ve all been shut off or lost in account or something. Have a newsletter. That’s even if you’re just starting out, you have nothing to send, even if you email them weekly to be like I wrote this many words today. I’m so excited. That’s fine. Have a newsletter talk to them frequently. Two pieces of advice.

Layla Nielsen:
No, absolutely. Because we learned that not too long ago when Facebook and Instagram went down every marketer done every content creator relied on social media for that check was scrambling. Yeah, so owning your content, your list serve your database is key for any content creator so I cannot stress that enough. Yeah, build that list. Nurture that list grow that list because Facebook and Instagram algorithms wants to act funky that’s where you have full control.

Nana Malone:
Tik tok does not like black people. So you know you might be doing well on tik tok and then all of a sudden shut you down or shadow banning or whatever. Listen, don’t make it like it’s all an additional tool in the toolbox. So use the tools in the toolbox that you have but like don’t just be like the main part of the toolbox. You’re like I don’t have one of those and I’m just like no, no, no, no, no, no, that’s a must have.

Layla Nielsen:
Yes. And if you are looking to get more of this the dose of funding from Miss Nana Malone please check out her new website that LN&Co has produced for her. It is right here on the screen. Please click and head on over and she has merchandise. So let me tell you about this woman’s merchandise. For her mugs, okay. You cannot drink those mugs around people that you don’t like because it will send messages unless you want to do that intentionally. So just funny. That’s all. Yes, but I love them every time you come up on my feed I was like what do you have now, she has some tea, but her tea has a little bit something different in it. But definitely check out NanaMalone.com so you can and learn more about her newsletter which she has coming up, please share what we have in store with you because I know you’re always up to something. And folks who want to get a little romance on and giggle because you know what I discovered romance novels from meeting you. I’m telling you, I don’t I don’t know why I did not, you know, happen to know this genre earlier. Because let me tell you, it is the best escape ever. It’s like, I don’t have to think it is just, it’s just such a great getaway. I don’t have to be a mom, I don’t have to be a daughter, I don’t have to be a sister, I don’t have to be a wife. I can just be lost in this book. And I’m so thankful that I mentioned because I’m like, now that is my go to, for whenever I’m like, you know, I don’t need to think right now. I just need to escape. And that is a perfect genre just to do that.

Nana Malone:
Yeah. And the best part is there’s a million sub genres in there. So like, if you want something that’s more like literary, there’s a bunch of like, authors who write like really like, like, Sierra Simone. There’s like all like really literary quality type of romance. Like if that’s what you’re into. Or if you’re like, I want alien romance. There’s also you know, so you’re like, oh, no, I really like you know, suspense, you know, which I write a lot of. So like, I mean, you can pick anything, you’re like, I’m in the mood for x, or like, I’m in a mood for something, it’s gonna make me cry like you can anything you want. It’s available on tap. And there are like, so many authors doing fantastic work. But for me coming next, so I’m finally finishing my London Lords World of Final book releases, and on April 12. So the London Lord started with four restaurants, who are part of you know, the UK elite. And they are part of a secret society. You know, as these rich boys are, and their friend during their initiation, 10 years ago, was murdered. And they thought he just died. But they find out you know, present day that that was actually a murder. And they said about trying to find out who did it who was responsible, and make them pay. And so it’s a set of three trilogies, each one for each bad guy that, that hurt their friend. And I’m about the last book of the nine books is about to be out, like I said, in April. And it’s funny saying goodbye, although I never say goodbye. Because even if a series is over, or closed for now, or whatever the case, they always come back. And then next series, I always have somebody make an appearance, and say hello, and whatever, whatever. So it’s always kind of like a fun, like, and especially fans who kind of come from each series or like little easter eggs is always fun. So that’s finishing up, and then I have a new suspense series. And it’s still it’s still under hush hush, but a secret. So it’s coming out, it’ll start coming out in June. And I’m super excited. It’s leaning more into suspense that I’ve probably ever had before. But it’s so fun. I’m like, It’s I’ve had such a good time. Just like conceptualizing it and like working on cover stuff now. And I’m like, ooh.

Layla Nielsen:
Let me know about that. So I want to share what you have in store because I know it’s always juicy and sexy and all kinds of goodness. Um, last question. Yes. So the one thing I realized, we all make some mistakes in this journey of becoming who we are as content creators, as marketers, communications, experts, etc. What would you tell little Nona that you have learned in this journey?

Nana Malone:
Um, you know, besides the newsletter, that’s the first thing I tell her. But I would also say that, you know, it’s so funny, I saw this, this woman came on Oprah, like years ago, and she said something that was really important. She’s like, not everyone likes pineapple. And I was like, what do you mean? And so she was talking in the context of relationship, right? She was like, not everyone likes pineapple. She’s like, does pineapple take it personally if someone’s like, I don’t like pineapple? And she’s like, no, as women we all take it personally, every rejection that we get, we’re like, oh, that’s me. And I’m a horrible person and it just like it chips away at part of your self confidence and chips away like a part of your ego and who you are. It chips away. But when you can go through life and go not everyone likes pineapple, really. And it’s not everyone’s going to love like my brand of romance. Not everyone’s gonna love exactly what I’m doing. Not everyone’s going to like me personally, which those people are wrong. But besides the point, not everyone’s going to necessarily get what you’re doing or why you’re doing it and that’s okay. That’s on them, that has nothing to do with you. So don’t waste the energy being worried about what these other people think. Because you’re always going to encounter people who don’t like pineapple, and you can’t do anything about it. And it’s also they’re entitled to not like pineapple and they’re wrong, obviously. But not everyone likes pineapple, and that’s okay. And it has nothing to do with you. Nothing. And so you need to insulate yourself against those, the negative feelings are going to have that you’re going to spend a lot of time wasting energy worrying about trying to make everybody like what you’re doing or worried about coming everyone like you. It’s not going to happen. Not everyone likes pineapple even though you’re sweet and juicy. So that’s, that’s on that. And I think that’s probably the most valuable lesson because we’ve all done it. We’ve all wasted time, like spinning over, like why you know, an agent didn’t take you or, you know, I pick up the pile of rejection letters I like I got on my first book, I can I can visualize the stack of now. I burned them all. Once I sold the book I did I put them in a fireplace, we lit it up is great. But I do I think back at the time that I spent a lot of time whenever I would get one. But what No, I mean, the first time yes, but the next time no. And the next time instead you just get a thicker and thicker and thicker skin and you don’t waste as much time on the negative aspects. You’re like, alright, they didn’t want it next person because somebody will and somebody will love what you’re doing. So just really keep that focus on that. And that goes back to knowing exactly what you want. And being really clear on that. Because then it’s a little easier to just like, drown out the haters because they don’t know what they’re missing. Pineapple is awesome.

Layla Nielsen:
Oh, I know. I love that. Because we always, you know, take things to heart you feel you take it so intensely, right. And they can totally take you off your grind if you don’t focus and so you can’t make everybody happy. There’s billions of people on this earth somebody’s not gonna like you. And so, yeah, so you have to be okay with that. I love you. I do love you. But I love that because it’s great advice for women coming into this game. It’s really difficult. Now with social media, and, you know, YouTube, there’s just so many layers of it’s so it’s all yeah, and they all have access to you. Right. And that can and it could be a bad thing because you gotta take the good with the bad. So yeah, absolutely love that advice.

Nana Malone:
I actually I know one more thing, I would also say limit your access limit the kind of access that people have to you. Like I’m not saying don’t do it, because that’s your business on but you know, like really like honestly set real limits for yourself. And you know, beuase there’s something we can just kind of scroll and enjoy it. But then like you even find yourself getting more and more depressed is like, like, pay attention to how you’re feeling but set real limits. Like now on tik tok, I before I was like in that tic tok trap and like everybody else, like oh my god. And then I just was like noticing like I was like, not in a good mood, not in a good place. And I was like, you know what? I want to go post. I’m gonna give myself five minutes to like, you know, catch the stream of like, kind of like what’s out there and then I’m out. I set a legitimate timer. You know, me and Siri, have a conversation. I’m like, give me five minutes. And then I’m out because I don’t I have work to do, I don’t have time to be on tik tok. And then it’s a time suck. So that’s the other thing limit your time. I think that’ll be key.

Layla Nielsen:
No, I love that. Thank you so much, Nana. This has been great. I think that the next generation of content creators or the woman that is trying to take it to the next level, the young lady trying to take it to the next level. I think you are a great role model because you are a unicorn and unicorn that will make you laugh. Keep the joy coming so thank you so much.