July 11, 2006 @ 11:50 am

Miasha: The Urban Literature Newbie

by: Deshair Foskey

West Philadelphian native, Miasha stands as the equivalent of lightening striking twice in one place. Not only is this twenty-four year old a clever writer, Miasha’s extraordinary flair for the suspenseful heart-wrenching moment will cause you to drop a few things, including your jaw and the book itself, if it is you're that lucky.

Fresh off of a bidding war for the rights to her first novel, Secret Society - the book that will shake the very foundation of the urban literature genre - Vibe.com introduces Miasha, a literary phenom in the making. Feel free to fall captive to her artistic pen.

Vibe.com: So can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

right Miasha: Well I’m from West Philly. I’ve been a writer since I was 9-years-old, starting out with poetry. I went through so much during my childhood, so writing was an escape for me. As I started to explore other forms of writing in middle school, I would pass my work around to my classmates and they would love it. I’ve been writing ever since.

Was being an author something that you always want to do?

Miasha: Ever since I was young I wanted to be an author, but as I took different classes I pushed it to the side. I went to Temple University to study film. My classes were based around directing, producing and writing scripts. I also wrote for Rhythm & Beat Magazine while I was in college.

So what was the defining moment that brought you back to wanting to be an author?

Miasha: My graduation in 2003. Our keynote speaker was Karen E. Quinones Miller. Karen is a best-selling author. She is a total inspiration to me. Her story about how she came up was the final spark that I needed to follow my present path. I knew that after graduation, being an author was something that I wanted to do. When you’re in college you pick your major and then you have a career goal. I always knew that I wanted to write, but at that point I was thinking about magazines or ad campaigns. After I heard Karen speak, it kind of put me in my place, so to speak.

So, When I started to write my first novel, I sought out help from Karen. She emailed me back and she was so sweet and so kind. When I was offered a deal from Teri Woods Publishing who wanted to buy the book outright, I asked Karen for some advice, and she put it out there that I needed an agent. She went as far as connecting me with her agent and this was happening within the matter of a weekend. She actually took time out of her day to call her agent and said, “hey, you really need to read this girl's stuff.” That’s what basically brought me to where I am right now.

So tell us about Secret Society, without telling us the secrets!

Miasha: Secret Society exposes an “underworld” that exists, but most people don’t know it exists. People read the title of the book, then they read, “Men on the down low to the hundredth power”, then they automatically think of the “Homo-Thug.” They tend to take it to that aspect. But they totally forget about another aspect that is way deeper than that. But I’m not going to give it away.

Secret Society is the book that I’m glad I wrote, and once people get the chance to read it, when you interview another author and ask them the question of, “Which book that is out there that you wish you wrote,” they will respond Secret Society.

What advice do you have for other writers?

Miasha: Have faith in yourself; believe in your God, and just let him lead you on the path that you were meant to be lead in. Put yourself out there, don’t take no for an answer, and just do it.

Secret Society was official released April of this year. For more information on Miasha, visit www.Miasha.com.

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Article tags: Miasha, Secret Society, Writer Miasha, African American Literature, African American Writer, Novel, Book, Story, The Urban Literature Newbie 

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