Roxane Gay an all-around creative soul. She’s an editor, professor, and writer. She’s not busy scribbling away in a loft in New York City, but her creative juices flow relatively well in a remote town in Illinois. It’s winter, and the wind outside is blowing so aggressively that at times she speculates as to whether—in her words—“Dorothy might come blowing through”.

Born in Nebraska to two natives of Port-au-Prince, Roxane Gay is the author of the book Ayiti, a collection of poems, essays, and writings about Haiti. When she isn’t writing articles for such outlets as The Rumpus, Gay serves as the co-publisher of Pank Magazine.

This spring, she is releasing Untamed State, a novel that allows readers a peek at the life and troubles of a privileged family of the Haitian elite.

How did you fall in love with writing?

I cannot remember how. That love has always been there. When I was like four or so, I would draw little villages on napkins and then write stories about the people in those villages. My parents saw me doing that weirdness and got me a typewriter and then I could tell far more interesting stories. We moved around a lot when I was a child, and I was lonely, but I could write myself a few friends and that was a saving grace.

So, you grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. How interesting!

I did. My father worked for a company headquartered in Omaha and though we would be transferred to various projects around the country, we always came back to Omaha. I had a pretty lovely early childhood—attentive parents, quiet suburban existence. The older I got, the more I realized that not only were we the only black family, we were Haitian and nothing at all like the people around us. This wasn’t particularly traumatizing, and we were part of a small, tight-knit Haitian community formed by the Haitians within about 100 miles, but it made me understand Omaha differently than I once did. It made me understand myself, and where and who I am from differently…to think what it must have been like for my parents in those early years? My goodness.

Robert Frost was quoted as having said, “I have never started a poem yet whose end I knew.” What about Roxane Gay…when she starts writing a short story or a novel, does she know exactly what the ending will be?

It really depends on the story. Sometimes I know exactly where a story will end and sometimes, I need the story to show me, one word at a time.

When you made the decision to become a writer, did your parents have a positive reaction about your career goal?

My parents weren’t really thrilled. They worried, as most parents do, about the viability of writing as a career, but now that they are starting to see my work out in the world, they are awful proud and supportive.

Essayist, novelist, book reviewer, writer…is it hard balancing all these creative extensions of yourself?

Not really. I’m a Libra so I’m always interested in balance and writing across genres makes it possible for me to develop my many and varied creative interests.

What advice would you like to give to those who want to carve a career in writing for themselves?

Read rigorously and diversely; write rigorously and diversely; understand the difference between writing and publishing; do unto others as you would have done unto you; have a good day job.

When was the last time you went to Haiti?

Oh, it has been years. My parents and brother live there part-time, so I feel connected, but I do not go back nearly as often as I should. I hope to go back next summer.

Being such an accomplished creative person, are there some things that you have yet to accomplish that you are planning on making a reality in the future?

Absolutely. I want to publish a book in hardcover. I want to write something worthy of a Pulitzer. I want to keep becoming better as a person.

Visit Roxanne Gay’s website by CLICKING HERE. Connect with her on Twitter by CLICKING HERE. You can order Untamed State through Amazon by CLICKING HERE.

George Jiha does it all. He’s a soundtrack composer. He is a poet (check out his collection of poetry When Love Takes Hold: A Poetic Dip. He’s most known as a filmmaker and screenwriter. His first film A Sensible Obsession a romantic thriller was the independent film world’s first introduction to his work.

His romantic comedy Café Au Lait, Bien Sucré (Coffee and Milk, With Lots of Sugar) marked the first time he made a film specifically for the Haitian-American market. In the film, medical school student Manoucheka Joseph and accountant Alain—two Haitians of differing shades—fall in love. Both of their families have been scarred by the color wars that have affected Haiti throughout its history, and they don’t exactly see a bright future for their son and daughter.

The Way of Love, Jiha’s latest film is intended for a more mainstream audience, but it’s message of unselfish love will strike a chord with those who are suckers for a good romantic love story.

Tell us about yourself.
I was born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti where my parents owned three movie theaters. During my early childhood, I spent most of my free time either watching movies or trolling the projection booths for film scraps which I put together as slide shows for friends and family. My first movie slide show came about when I was only seven years old. At sixteen, I directed my first play. At seventeen, I was already a professional DJ. Throughout my years in secondary school, my favorite subject was French Literature with Rousseau and Moliere as my favorite authors. I then went to the University of Miami where I graduated with Honors in Film and Theater. And I’ve been working in the movie industry since then.

Do you remember the first film that made an impression on you?
Many films made an impression on me. I was always mesmerized by the big screen as a child. But I do remember the first Jesus movie I saw. I was crying throughout especially when Jesus was speaking. I then realized how powerful the medium was. How it could not only touch your intellect but your soul as well.

Your film Café au Lait, Bien Sucré touched upon a subject that culturally isn’t talked about much among Haitians, that of skin shade, skin color prejudice among Haitians. Did you just get up out of the blue one day and decide that you would undertake such a subject?
It’s a subject I always wanted to tackle. Being light-skinned myself, I did encounter some prejudice growing up in Haiti. So that was not only my source of inspiration but the key factor in determining to board such a sensitive subject as well. That’s why I made it into a comedy. As a drama it’d have been too serious and too touchy and the risk of offending would have been astronomical – and that was not the intent. The intent was to make light of the matter since prejudice is really idiotic. The feedback from the Haitian community has been 100% positive. Everybody I met just loved this movie. When I meet Haitians who don’t know personally me, I use Café Au Lait, Bien Sucré as a starting point of our conversation and right away since they know the movie, they feel comfortable talking to me as if they already knew me. Working with the cast was a pleasure. Everybody was always on time and thanks to that we finished on time and on schedule. Writing the script also was a breeze because I was delving into a subject that I knew quite well and as they say ‘always write about what you know’. So I did. And since I love comedy it was even more fun. I accomplished everything I wanted with Café Au Lait Bien Sucré except making a profit. Unfortunately, that’s why I do not foresee making another Haitian movie because sadly there’s not a profitable market for it.

Do you think that this is a topic you’ll be revisiting either in fiction form, or perhaps a documentary?
Yes, I do foresee revisiting the subject. I currently have a script on that subject, comedy of course, but targeted at the wider American market. When will it be done? I don’t know. Time will tell. It’s a tough business. Studios only want done what they want done, not what the writer wants. So, we’ll see.

Actors Pasha Brandt and Milca Volny in a scene from Café Au Lait, Bien Sucré, a George Jiha film that explored color prejudice among Haitians.

You have a new project called The Way of Love. What inspired it?
My Christian faith. The Way of Love focuses on one of my favorite themes—sacrificial love. I put my characters squarely in situations where a sacrifice of some sort must occur and love is the catalyst that usually pushes them to the brink of a decision.

What filmmakers do you look up to?
There are so many good filmmakers nowadays. That would have been an easier question to answer when I was much younger, but now there are so many talented filmmakers that the idea of choosing just one never really occurred to me. However, recently I saw this movie called The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick. I was blown away by how little dialogue the movie had and how Terrence Malick got his point across by only showing us images. His subject was also on Faith & God. And he accomplished it in such a visceral way that I don’t know many directors alive today who could get that done.

As someone who has not only directed, but has also written and produced his own projects, what words of wisdom do you have to share with aspiring filmmakers?
Get out of the business. Unless, you have another career and doing this part-time or you know someone who really loves you, who’s already in the business and is willing to vouch for you and introduce you to that tiny group of decision makers. Or you have millions of dollars. Or you do little projects that won’t make you money and hopefully you’ll break even while keeping your day job. That’s the reality.

George Jiha gives directions to his actors on the set of his inspirational romance The Way of Love.

Do you think that writing, producing and directing can be overwhelming? You tend to do it for all of your projects.
That’s a question or comment I always get. However, I never feel that it’s overwhelming. To me, it comes naturally. I always say that these things are God’s gifts to me. Since I don’t have millions to produce my projects, I use my God-given talents to redress the economic factor. Thank God for that. Otherwise, I would not get any project done. Because I also serve as Director of Photography, editor, production designer, music producer, music composer sometimes, casting director sometimes; basically being able to do whatever is needed when you don’t have the budget.

Is film school an absolute must in having a successful career in film?
No. No. No. Buy a camera. They’re cheap now. Buy an editing software. They’re cheap too. And get cranking. Make short films over and over until you get over the fear or whatever is holding you back. However what you need first is a God-given talent; then, plenty of practice and lots of patience. These you don’t get in film school. Film school is a waste of money, unless you have plenty of it and want to use the school system in LA or New York to meet future potential filmmakers and then get internship in major companies.

Your first film was a thriller-romance-drama entitled Obsession. When you look back to that time in your life, do you think that based on all the things that you know now about you art, you would do some things differently? If so, which?
Not really. The one thing I wish I had then was a digital camera. It’s so much cheaper, easier and leaner using digital. Otherwise, I’m quite happy with the film the way it turned out. However, I’m currently re-releasing A Sensible Obsession on DVD and renaming it To Love a Woman along with the DVD of The Way of Love as part of The Love Collection. I’m also releasing a book of poetry I wrote called When Love Takes Hold. All three items are available at Holy Flix.

What’s next for you, post-The Way of Love?
Not sure really. It’s a tough business to get a hold on. I take it day by day now. It takes one day for one’s landscape to change. So I’m learning to roll with things day by day.

Do you think that there are elements that are essential to making a film great?
First, talent. Second, talent. Third, talent. Fourth, love of the medium. Fifth, for success, luck—lots of it.

You can visit The Way of Love movie website HERE. You can purchase Café Au Lait, Bien Sucré HERE.

Patrick Ulysse’s film Forever Yours screened at the Newark Black Film Festival and received an Honorable Mention for the Paul Robeson Award at that festival. An Official Selection at the Boston International Film Festival, the romantic comedy was not only directed by Ulysse but was also written by the multi-faceted helmer. But how did he get drawn to creating for the big screen? And what does he have to say about Forever Yours, his latest work? Well, find out here!

Kreyolicious: How did you get started in the film industry?
In 1986, after Jean-Claude Duvalier left Haiti, a wave of kids were shipped overseas. I [was] one of them. I continued my high school studies at Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn. Spike Lee, I believe, released She’s Gotta Have It five months later. That got my attention. I took some creative writing classes. I got involved in the drama club and other art productions. Later, I studied media and film production at three schools: Borough of Manhattan Community College, Brooklyn College and New York University. After college, I created an entertainment and multi-cultural TV show titled “Kreyol Mix”, a show that catered to Caribbean youth in melting pot.

Kreyolicious: Why did you choose the name Unimix for your production house?
UNIMIX Films Stands for Ulysse Network Incorporated and the mix stands for the collaborating with other artists. My field is a field that requires collaboration with a group of people.

Above: Filmmaker Patrick Ulysse and his wife Jessica at a film event.

Kreyolicious: Who taught you everything you know about your industry?
I studied film at three schools, but I have learned the industry through real production experience, books and the net. As we speak, school is really in session with Forever Yours. I am learning so much that you can only learn by going at it and do it. To be good in this industry, you have to get your hands dirty. You just have to do it.

Kreyolicious: Your film Forever Yours was honored at the Paul Robeson Awards. What was it like bringing this project from conception to production, to final product?
Mr. Paul Robeson is actually one of the filmmakers I read a lot about his system of movie distribution. Getting the Paul Robeson Award from the prestigious Newark Black Film Festival is an amazing experience, Forever Yours came to life because as a technical filmmaker I got tired of waiting for people to bring me projects. I learned how to create a story with beginning, middle and end. I learned about pre-production/ production and post, and now I am experiencing distribution through four-walling a type of distribution where you organize your own screening in different cities and countries. [This was] pioneered by Mr. Paul Robeson. The experience is not always sweet, but [the] joy of starting a project and finishing it, surpasses all pain.

This concludes PART I of the interview with filmmaker Patrick Ulysse! Watch out for PART II!

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE FOREVER YOURS FILM PAGE |

Writer Mike Gauyo is riding high on a thick set of creative clouds. The scribe is on the staff of “Fruit”, a trail-blazing web audio drama from web series pioneer Issa Rae. This is in addition to being on the staff of TNT’s popular show “Claws”. We’re living in interesting times where entertainment content is concerned, and Gauyo is more than happy to be part of this revolution.

Kreyolicious: Was it always a fantasy of yours to become a writer?
Mike Gauyo: Wow, great word choice – Fantasy – Yes, I day-dreamed a lot as a kid. Mostly because I was left alone, while both my parents worked crazy hours. In their absence, I spent a lot of time caring for my two siblings and cleaning (or not cleaning). [Laughter] I would create alternate universes in my mind and place myself there. It was my own from of entertainment. There, I could do anything. It was cathartic and still is. But no, it wasn’t a fantasy of mine to becomes a writer. I did’t find writing till later in life. From the time I could walk, my parents were grooming me to go to medical school and become a doctor because kids in Haitian households were only allowed three professions to choose from-doctor, lawyer or engineer.

It wasn’t til the earthquake in Haiti that I made the decision to changed the trajectory of my life. My parents and sister were there at the time. I could not reach them for three days. It was crazy and I feared the worst had happened. It was a really tough time in my life, In the end, thank God, they were all fine, but from that point on I made a vow to live my life the way I wanted and what I wanted to do was write.

Kreyolicious: How did you get involved with Issa Rae’s “Fruit”?
Interestingly enough, going back to my dream board, I had cut out a picture of Issa and put her on it. This was before I had ever met her. A month after pasting her on my board, she posted on her Instagram that she was having a mixer for black writer/creators and to gain entry to the mixer you had to submit a writing sample — Now, I’ll preface what I say next by saying that I had already moved to LA from Boston, I was already working on television for American Idol as their script assistant, and I had graduated college, magna cum laude, with a degree in theaer. I’m not saying if you make a dream board you can just sit back and relax, you still need to put in the work — But back to the story…So, I got into the mixer, met Issa, got a chance to work for her months later on an equal pay for equal work campaign she was doing for women’s right, then months after that, I connected with her again at the Austin Film Festival, where she was schedules to be a panelist and I was just a writer with a script that made it through the second round of the festival. After her panel, we got drinks. She talked about “Insecure”, which had recently been picked up for its first season. I talked about what I was doing and how I was looking to transition from reality TV to scripted. And a week later she emailed me about a podcast series she was doing called “Fruit”.

So the point of that long ass story is dream boards work, but you need to work too. You have to speak what you want into existence or chances are it won’t happen. Even worse, if you’re too scared to speak it into existence then you’ll be too scared to try.

Kreyolicious: What’s it like being on the staff of a show of this magnitude?
“Fruit” is an audio drama that airs as a podcast, so the magnitude in this case doesn’t really have the connotation of being daunting like a series formatted for television might have. Fruit, more or less, harkens back to the days of radio soaps and is formatted similar to the “Serial” podcast. With that in mind, it’s been different, and great, and creative, and the other writers in the room are amazing, and talented and we all work very well together. Two seasons of “Fruit” have already aired on Howl.FM, but the first season of “Fruit” is also now available for free on iTunes. For season one, I wrote episodes 3, 8, and the finale. For those who don’t know, “Fruit” is a scripted audio series about a sexually fluid football player who accounts event from his past, dealing with love, relationships, and the game of football. It’s told in a first narrative. Everyone should check it out!

Above: Mike Gauyo with actor Jimmy Jean-Louis and playwright Jeff Augustin.

Kreyolicious: Do you ever doubt yourself?
Mike Gauyo: I doubt myself all the time. Every time I write a new script, every time I make a decision about what direction to take in my career, and every time by boss on Claws asks me a question, any question. [Laughter]

Kreyolicious: How do you overcome that?
Mike Gauyo: I overcome it by getting over myself and getting out of my own head. Usually, I tell myself I am too grown and(or) bougie to be living a broke lifestyle so let me stop doubting and make this shit work so I make more money because I like nice things.

Kreyolicious: And you’re also part of TNT’s “Claws”. What’s that like?
Mike Gauyo: Working on “Claws” has been great! I’m learning a lot about writing for television. I’ve had the opportunity to bend the ear of some great writers. I get to listen in on notes calls from the network and the studio, which have been invaluable to my own growth as a writer. My boss, our showrunner, Janine Sherman Barrois, is superhuman and the personification of black girl magic. Her work ethic is unparalleled and I’ve been able to learn so much just by watching her.

My position on the show is that of a Writers’ Production Assistant, which includes making sure the writers eat, taking notes on calls from the network and studio, concerning notes on scripts, and, when needed, writing notes on the board in the writers’ room. The great part about that is, while they’re brainstorming, I have an opportunity to chime in and ask questions. I don’t write on this series, but “Claws” is right in line with the type of genre I like to write, so who knows what will happen. I’m speaking it into existence, y’all!

Mike Gauyo will talk about his background, and how he became Haitian-American now…thank you very much. The talented writer is on the staff of the groundbreaking web podcast drama “Fruit”, an Issa Rae production. Creatively, it doesn’t stop there for him. He’s also part of the staff of “Claws”, a much-discussed drama on the popular network TNT. Over the course of the last segment of our conversation, we discussed how he became a writer. This time, we’re going to go back to his childhood, discuss his philanthropy and the methodology he uses to achieve his goals.

Kreyolicious: Tell us about yourself and about what it was like growing up Haitian-American.
Mike Gauyo: Well, I was born in Haiti and moved to Massachusetts when I was 4. We landed in Mattapan, which was like an Ellis Island for Haitians. [Laughter] After living there for a couple of years, we moved to Quincy, then finally set roots in Cambridge, where I attended Cambridgeport Elementary School and Cambridge Ridge and Latin High School. I mention these moves because I went from being in an ESL class with only Haitians (in Mattapan) to being the only black kid in the class (in Quincy), to only then end up in a really diverse environment (in Cambridge). When I think back on it, each place I’ve lived really informs the type of person I’ve become because I’ve experienced both sides of the spectrum. I didn’t really have an awareness of myself as a Haitian living in America until I was the only Haitian, let alone black person, in a class full of white faces. Then it became…”Why’s your last name so weird?…Why do you talk like that? Is that African? What language is that?” Mind you, I already had, and still have, a lisp, so you can imagine all the side-eyes, eye rolls, and facial gymnastics I had to perform to keep myself from cursing people out. But yes, growing up Haitian-American was not so much a struggle, it was just different. You weren’t like any of the white kids, but you also weren’t African-American. So, I’d say we were the original “Black-ish” family – I’ll take my check now, Kenya Barris!

Kreyolicious: Haha. You’ve been to Haiti lately?
Mike Gauyo: I haven’t been back to Haiti since before the earthquake. I used to go every summer between the ages of 10 and 18. I do plan on going back really soon.

Kreyolicious: So, you’re involved with an organization called Alliance HH. Tell us more.
Mike Gauyo: The Alliance for Housing and Healing is an organization that provides housing and healthcare services for the homeless. I recently competed in my second Spartan Race to help raise money for the Alliance and our team was able to raise over 65,000 dollars. It’s a great organization and I was happy to help in any way. Even if it meant putting my body through an 8 mile obstacle course. I don’t know what I was thinking, but it was fun and we raised a lot of money for the homeless. So yeah, no pain, no gain. I’ll be doing two more races this year.

Kreyolicious: Do you ever look back at the Mike of the past and think, “I done changed”?
Mike Gauyo: Yup! [Laughter] And thank God I did. Change is good. In order to grow, a person needs to change. Change the way you think, change your habits, and in some cases, change your friends. The circle you surround yourself with needs to uplift you and provide an environment that is conducive to your own success. The people in my circle are who I lean on and vise versa. When I make it, my team makes it.

Kreyolicious: What changes in you are you most proud of?
Mike Gauyo: I changed the way I think about success. It’s not a destination, it’s continuous, it comes in waves, it’s fleeting. You have to keep working to keep it.

Kreyolicious: And how did you propel them?
Mike Gauyo: Realizing that helps me to keep working and learning.

Kreyolicious: Along the way, what helped you keep on track and focused on your goals?
Mike Gauyo: As soon as I committed to writing as a career, there was really no stopping me. I do things to keep me focused, like I write down a list of my goals and make dream boards. I turned my desk at home into a dream board. On my desk are pics of people who inspire me and who I want to work with, phrases that uplift me, titles or words I want associated with my name, like writer, creator, Oscar winner, husband, father, sexiest man alive…I’ll let you decide if that last one was a joke or not. [Laughter] But yes, dream boards and lists are how I stay focused.

Kreyolicious: On that account…What if someone was building a personal development library and asked for your suggestions. What books would you recommend?
Mike Gauyo: As a man growing up in this skin, in the “United” States of America, I would suggest Barack Obama’s Dreams from My Father, Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, and any/everything by Toni Morrison and James Baldwin.

CLICK HERE to keep up with Mike Gauyo on Instagram.