It's Where I Am with Zandra Polard

Unknown Speaker 0:00
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Kevin Krall 0:11
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Unknown Speaker 0:52
Good morning, Las Vegas. This is Andrea Polari. It's where I am today. I have a wonderful author by the name of Nalo. Stewart. Also, today I have my friend, my homie galaxy. What's up galaxy?

Unknown Speaker 1:17
Hey, I'm excited here on this Saturday morning to be here. And to be able to appreciate what you do so well. A body of excellence and to get some tips from your art that has been featured the OES

Unknown Speaker 1:29
Nalo novels here. No. Can we hear you?

Unknown Speaker 1:32
Yes. Hi, there. Hey.

Unknown Speaker 1:35
So it was so wonderful to talk with you last night about what you do. We had a great discussion that I'd like to continue on air. Okay, we're talking about being an author. And that, you know, it's a cathartic process is therapeutic to write. But you write some wonderful novels. One, you know, it's about romance. And now that we're in February, and Valentine's Day is coming up, you know, I thought you'd be a great, great guest, female, a woman, strong black woman writing. Tell us about some of your books.

Unknown Speaker 2:16
Okay, well, first of all, thank you so much for having me. Super excited to talk to you and to continue our conversation from last night. So, I have I've just released my fourth novel, which is romantic, a romantic suspense novel called in the shadows. And so each, each of my books weirdly, have been in a somewhat different genres. All of them have romance in them. The first one was a detective novel. It was, it was, well, it was a tech detective story. There was romance in it, but it was not a romance novel. My second was women's fiction. Again, it had romance in it, but it was not a romance novel. And then my third novel, I just jumped straight on in to contemporary romance. So that was a full on romance novel. And although my new novel is romantic suspense there, it's definitely would be categorized as a romance novel. And I'm excited to be a part of this budding, this budding indie, author world that's going on right now with with romance, I'm excited to be a part of it.

Unknown Speaker 3:28
So how long have you been writing? Because you said yet for books, so how would they? Yes. So I

Unknown Speaker 3:35
been writing stories for years. I actually graduated from Howard University with a degree in journalism, which, you know. And so I never actually thought about writing fiction back when I was in school, that but I've always had these thoughts. And I'm a big, I'm big into movies and old shows, and I've always loved fiction. So I started writing stories, just amateur, but I started writing them. And it wasn't until, I guess, 2019 that I decided to turn one of my stories into a novel. It hasn't been that really recent

Unknown Speaker 4:21
novel. That's fairly easy. No, no.

Unknown Speaker 4:24
My first novel came out in 2021. So yes, it's very recent.

Unknown Speaker 4:31
Yeah, that

Unknown Speaker 4:33
in answer to your question, I have been writing for a long time, but I haven't been writing novels for very long.

Unknown Speaker 4:40
Well, so before you went to the University, were you writing like journaling? And, you know, like, what was the pathway to getting into becoming an author?

Unknown Speaker 4:57
So journaling is part of it. Though I was never really big on that, I've always been somebody, it's like if I, if I have a thought, then I write it out and try and fully flesh it out. But in terms of journaling everyday, that's never been me, I only write when, or I've only written when, sort of, I guess when the Spirit hits me is the best way to say that. So that's why journaling, where I know a lot of people who do very know many people who do and they, you know, they write every day, they put their thoughts on paper. That's not That's not my process, okay? My project has always been, well, I am, I'm that person that I call myself the post it lady. If you were ever to walk into my room or sit in my car, you're gonna see post it notes all over the place. Because if I have a thought, it could be a quote, that doesn't make sense to anybody. Or it could be an idea. Or it could be a conversation. My second book, rather than destiny, which falls into the women's fiction category, I just had a thought. And I wrote an entire scene on my phone. And then I moved on to something else. And a couple of months later, I came back to that, and I read it. And I said, You know what, I think this could be a bigger story. And then I said, Well, I think this could be a book. So it's kind of when the when thoughts hit me, I write them on anything that I have handy. It could be an envelope in the car, it could be an old piece of paper, and oh, receipt, I'll find in my car, I'll find notes. And, and because of the way my brain works, I may not even know what that sentence or paragraph has anything to do with. Because it's just a thought that comes to me. It's only when this thought fleshes itself out fully that it becomes a story. So

Unknown Speaker 6:58
a lot of people push journaling every day. But what I'm hearing from you, right, is to just get those thoughts out, get them out on paper. Yeah, I like that. Absolutely.

Unknown Speaker 7:09
Absolutely. At least for me, again, you know, everybody is different. And I'm and I because I'm also a I'm a voyeur in some respects, because I like to watch. And I like to listen, and I like to see what other people do. Because I, I think that we're constantly in a state of education, right? No matter how old or young every day, we're learning something. And for me, even before I decided to turn my story into a novel, I started looking at what other people were saying what they were posting what their processes were, whether it was posting something on social media, or it was a YouTube channel that I happen to come across. For me, it's, I'm constantly every day, I'm looking at something that I'm hoping will make me better. And I don't know if that will ever end. Have

Unknown Speaker 8:06
you thought about getting into place or, you know, script writing? Is that? Yeah, absolutely.

Unknown Speaker 8:13
I have in the past, I've done that, too. I was I wrote a play. I wrote a couple of plays some years back, and then I moved on. It's like when the thought hit me, I wrote it out. And then I moved on to something else. I had a playwriting class in school. And so I've in terms of screenplays, no, I actually have read a few. Because I know a couple of people who, who've been working because I live in Los Angeles. So of course, every other person who's a writer has written a screenplay. So I've read some I've had an opportunity to see that process. But it's, it is a different the writing. And the technique is much different than writing a novel, which is much different than writing a story. So all of them are different. And it's a different. It's a different type of process and discipline. And I personally, it's not something that I'm interested in doing. I've read them. I've edited a few. But it's not my brain doesn't quite work that way.

Unknown Speaker 9:16
Well, you know, for me, I like to free right? So whatever pops into my brain, at the time, I'm on, you know, my laptop. I just rewrite. I don't worry about, you know, as the punctuation right? Is the word spelled right. I just want to make sure I get all of the thoughts out, and then I'll revisit it and edit it if I need to. So that's my way. So that and that's

Unknown Speaker 9:42
and I think that's a that's a brilliant way. It's it's actually the way a lot of people write. It's just not the way that I write you do. Right. And I've tried that right. I don't know if you've ever taken part in nano NaNoWriMo. That's a National Writing Month. It happens in November. And it's it's the whole idea is to write 50,000 words in that month. So there's different prompts and things that you do to get these 50,000 words out. And the idea of it is to write all the words to get it out and then go back, and you know, edit as needed. But to get all those words out in 50,000 words, well, for me, it doesn't work. Because because of the way that I've been trained, because of my classes, because the way I've been taught is very difficult for me to walk away from any type of page that I didn't go back and edit. And, you know, it's, it's difficult for me to walk away without doing self editing without the proper, you know, proper periods and the proper, you know, words and the proper tense and whether it's past and present tense. And so my brain doesn't work that way. And I've had people say, just put the words down. Like, yeah, that's, that's just not how I work. But again, I know, writers who do it,

Unknown Speaker 10:58
everyone has a process, right? Yes. So I want to bring in galaxy. How do you write? Well, as

Unknown Speaker 11:07
I listened to the author speak, I was moved by her ability to just capture thoughts. As time goes on. Me being a creative communicator, a broadcasting career, 32 years, I had innate innate ability to, to retain things, thoughts in my mind. And so my writing comes from a list of things that happen, conversations I have with people. But I think one of the beautiful things about writing is to write under any circumstances you under you might be sad, you might have a loss in the family right then, because you could touch and witness to someone who can actually feel exactly what you feeling or felt, when you're happy. Right? When you're tired, right? I was always told to do what you do. Because when a gig comes up, you want to be ready to answer the bell. So that that is a one of the methods I use? No, all right, hey,

Unknown Speaker 12:13
I like your method.

Unknown Speaker 12:14
Well, you know, Nayla, let the audience know how to find you your books. Let us get some information.

Unknown Speaker 12:23
They are available on amazon.com. My latest book, as I said, it's called in the shadows, it is a romantic suspense novel. And the novel right before that, that I released in May of last year, is called Lost and a quiet storm is contemporary romance. And the other two novels, Robin and destiny, which is it's I think it's the best category would be women's fiction, also released in 2021, that that along with the others are all available on amazon.com.

Unknown Speaker 13:00
Do you have a social media?

Unknown Speaker 13:02
I absolutely do. Please. Follow me on. I am on Instagram, as author underscore Nalo. And that's in like Nancy Al O. Or if you just type in Nalo J Stewart, I'll come up Knology stored on Instagram Nalo J. Stewart on Facebook, as well as Twitter. I am available there. Yes. And I hope to help you to interact with more people. I love talking about writing and I love I love to have people read my books and give me feedback because I think that every anytime someone gives you some feedback, there's something you can take from it. Good, good, bad or indifferent. I think we're constantly in a process of trying to learn from each other. And I am like, I hate to use the pun, but I'm an open book

Unknown Speaker 13:59
that you're like, hey, no, no, this is the number one smooth jazz station in the country. And we thank you for being a part of the show today.

Unknown Speaker 14:11
Thank you so much for having me. You have a wonderful, blessed day. You

Unknown Speaker 14:14
do the same. Thank you. Bye bye. Bye bye. Hey, Glen.

Unknown Speaker 14:19
Yes,

Unknown Speaker 14:21
man. So you right but are you reading? Yes, absolutely

Unknown Speaker 14:24
was you know that other than the Bible? Well, you know, that's, that's the greatest foundation for me. But that gives me the rock solid foundation is critical. Because when you read other things that it's kind of not necessarily directly separated from the president of the great IAM, you have a way of illuminating it. And that's what seminary teaches you how to illuminate scripture and the exact science of interpretive tating that and so when you read something else, you can also find the illumination in that as well. And where the mindset of the writer even when You're watching News and those kinds of things. So the Bible is helping you with the news. Yeah, well, it's just like you having a foundation is critical. Okay. And so if there was a building here in Las Vegas, they had to stop building because the foundation was Rocky. And he had to stop with the door or something of that nature. But once the foundation was solid, then you continue to build. And I use that format, because so many of us are operating without a foundation. And then when something happens as I hit a wall, and I realized that Whoa, it was just by His grace and mercy, that I was able to go on as I went on. So now, I believe this is the best version I am because I know who I am and who I am. And I understand my, my purpose and plan.

Unknown Speaker 15:46
Hey, tell us about your radio show, man. Well, the

Unknown Speaker 15:49
afternoon drive side by side, the thumb drive on that 1.5 Jazz and more. I'm excited and blessed to have a show. It's a read some of the comments people talk about the love, my energy, my wit, and my ability to, to speak into their lives in terms of encouraging and inspiring, and that's important, I gotta

Unknown Speaker 16:09
give it to you. You know, you were my mentor. You helped me out a lot. I gotta give it to you. And I'm putting it on the record.

Unknown Speaker 16:17
Well, you know, I while you were speaking, I was thinking about, rarely do you get into your second half of your life, and you meet someone who feels like, they've been a friend to you all your life. And I get that a lot. And we're so what to know, kudos to you. And I, I pride myself on dealing with people who stray away from pontificating, you're real. You're open. We have a classic moment of the show. I had told you stuff off the air on the break. And I said, and then we got on the air. And you said the F word, not the F word, the F word with the scent. And I said, No, you just didn't say yeah, that's what you said. But I love you. Yeah, you said the other one. And but anyway, I love your show. And I love I love because you just can't do what you do just to be on the air. You have a passion for it. Your story is amazing. I'm sure people have heard it several times. And and you know, I don't talk about it. Well, it's important. You know, it's like, Joe, you

Unknown Speaker 17:23
were the first one. Actually, I had an interview. But I was off the air when I said it. Okay, but you were the first one that I talked to you about it on air. That was beautiful. Yeah. So we were talking about, you know, my voice and a voice and how sexy it is. Yes.

Unknown Speaker 17:43
We're gonna take this nighttime. But but that was beautiful. Because people can identify when you one of the beautiful things when I teach kids about broadcasting and, and connecting with the audience is be yourself. Right? And that is one of the most beautiful things Hey,

Unknown Speaker 18:03
do. I got quiz Spencer coming on the show? Oh, Chris, man, executive producer of the real husbands of Hollywood

Unknown Speaker 18:10
lie, right? I go back 30 years.

Unknown Speaker 18:13
But you know, he came on my show. He comes on every year about February. And he told me he said stop being so professional, have fun. He meant to loosen up and have some fun. You know, I

Unknown Speaker 18:24
used to say to some ag guys and ladies and gents, we're gonna have a great time tonight to loosen up ladies let your hair down. You don't want to let it down. Take it off. Because what I was getting at let's, let's do this. Let's have a great time. So that's, that's good

Unknown Speaker 18:38
to know. You know, a lot of times with mental health, you know, people feel like it has to be, you know, very, like a very cold conversation. No. True. And that's why, you know, I put a lot of comics on, right, because that's the best medicine for me.

Unknown Speaker 18:54
And every comment should admit, if not to them to their audience in themselves. We we have issues. And oh, yeah, comedy is our therapy, right? And so we can take pain and bring it into joy. And you know, that's one of the amazing connections. And that's a beautiful thing by having a platform and let people know, hey, look, we don't know the face of mental illness of depression of suicidal thoughts. It looks like me, it looks like you. It's not the man or woman on the street, carrying a push in a basket or carrying a blanket old house. So we just all have to know we're part of this big melting pot, and we should do whatever we can to lift people. Hey,

Unknown Speaker 19:40
I got to give a shout out to my audio engineer Wes Wesley

Unknown Speaker 19:45
West is the best. So listen, Valentimes next week is coming up and one of the things well, this

Unknown Speaker 19:52
weekend is Super Bowl. Yeah,

Unknown Speaker 19:54
but I'm saying but people are preparing for that weekend as well. And One of the things I want to say, we're going to talk a little bit about the Super Bowl if the opportunity permits, but it's tricky. Valentimes I mean, you're in a beautiful covenant relationship, a marriage, which is a beautiful thing, but those who are single or not dating, and trying to be special to somebody bought loving, never pay for. You can't buy nobody. And some people will try and say, Well, you didn't do this for me. So you don't love me. You can't measure how someone feels about you with gifts. So in when you get in your 40s 50s You know, it's like Been there done that T shirt and add on I played all the games don't have games played on me. Let's just keep it 100 So I think that greatest gift you could do is annoy rice and his love that's true too. But honestly, just be honest about how you feel.

Unknown Speaker 20:51
Well, I'm not gonna do all that and I better have my strawberries. Oh, you

Unknown Speaker 20:55
already know champagne. Now you know the Mr. Mail already know.

Unknown Speaker 20:58
I don't care if you're single or married. If you are in a relationship. He'll Valentine's better be tight. Well, let

Unknown Speaker 21:06
me ask you this. Valentine's Day is coming up next week. But are you or was there ever a time when someone gave you plastic roses that were beautiful in a bear? Did you like no, I want the roses that last four or five days and die.

Unknown Speaker 21:21
No, actually. I got a cold plate grow.

Unknown Speaker 21:29
What do you mean? I don't love you baby. Right. Oh,

Unknown Speaker 21:32
I got gold.

Unknown Speaker 21:33
That's cool. Right there as cold but you know, like, No, it's not measured by gifts. It's not it is not expecting a gift this weekend. We're excited tomorrow soup. Not tomorrow. The Super Bowl is is next week as well. Okay, but this weekend, everybody is here in Las Vegas for the Pro Bowl.

Unknown Speaker 21:53
Ah,

Unknown Speaker 21:54
I don't even know about I don't like football. You don't like football? I don't like football. Wow. It's interesting. Because if you would take time out and you probably have they have a lot of great stories about mental. Oh, now I know the stories now that a lot of great stories. Oh, yes. Oh, yes. And and so many of them are talking about it now when they were too macho, or you should have had a a platform of you know, I'm this big, strong man and I don't cry, and I don't hurt. And I'm not dealing with depression. And now they're talking about it now. Have the conversation. Well, that's why this show is so important. It's called it's where I love it. And I missed you on we sat Monday funday Yeah, used to roll in town. You were a stone cold gas. That's what it was. But I was excited because you took the trucking job. The training, and did you do it because you really wanted to do it or you just wanted to grow grow like they would hobby, man. I

Unknown Speaker 22:59
did it because I was trying to get that Hollywood money. You know, like my husband works for the hand. Yeah, no, come on. No, you know, I wanted to do what he was doing and make that money too.

Unknown Speaker 23:10
And so how did that turn out? It didn't it didn't it? Didn't they told you to keep on trucking and I

Unknown Speaker 23:15
couldn't get in the Union so tough to get into it. Even if you know someone

Unknown Speaker 23:21
even if you know someone the waiting game is for real. But how was it like talk to a woman maybe in her latter 40s or 50s

Unknown Speaker 23:29
on the road? They are on the road now. No joke. There was a popular show with a black truck driver. I think she's in her late 40s 50s Something like that. Yeah, say like a hit show. I don't know the name. I don't watch it. But I was happy to hear about it. We'll just call it the Sister Sister trucking. Right. But you know what, I want to go back to the conversation about the athletes and the mental health right? So on this show, you know I'm never afraid to ask right now I contacted Metta World Peace I like basketball. A word would run man I tried to contact Ron. I contacted his management. They sent me a response. So that was gold saying you know no better than elbow man wants some man wants some money. Oh, yeah, man wants money. Man. It was meddling. But you know what that management company? You know they want the money. Right? If he knew me any heard me? He would say yes. Oh, absolutely.

Unknown Speaker 24:31
Because he would feel you and know that he can make a difference. He's a cool, cucumber. He He's not this irate, tick, tick, tick, tick. Boom guy. You know, I've worked with him. In fact, I he's an artist too. He can rap. I did a show with him in Grand Rapids. And fun loving, funny, funny guy. But he's an introvert. Okay, you No being being alone from what I picked up is his comfort zone. Okay you know I mean he can mesh with the people because he's around him but he he choose to not roll with the entourage and you know so

Unknown Speaker 25:14
you heard it here Galaxy clan is gonna get Metta World Peace on

Unknown Speaker 25:17
it's where I am well world peace I got that no no hey let's do it let's just world peace we can add that any day every day all

Unknown Speaker 25:25
right let's do it sounds good

Unknown Speaker 25:27
I love your show I love your energy and what you stand for and you just don't talk and you walk it. Thank you you walk it is where I am.

Unknown Speaker 25:37
Hey, you know, you can hear Galaxy Glin on K u and v.org.

Unknown Speaker 25:42
Monday through Friday U and v.org Download the app 91.5 Jazz and more HD one from three to six. In fact, download the app and listen all day long. Because we are all day strong from morning to night 91.5 will get you right and then it's an absolute honor to be the smooth jazz station of the country in Leeds magazine 2022 So it's a beautiful situation and you know you can always pop in always popping here you pop in like open like hey, you know I cut you out quick and nobody here to edit now.

Unknown Speaker 26:21
This is entrepreneur art. It's where I am. You know you can find me on it's where I am.com You can also find my podcasts on Apple, Spotify, Google and Amazon. We'll see you next week. 7:30am Bye. Peace

Transcribed by https://otter.ai