Meet Nadia Bruce-Rawlings | Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nadia Bruce-Rawlings and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nadia, what do you attribute your success to?
I think the most important factor behind my success as a writer is my vulnerability and my honesty. I come right out and say what I mean. And when I write, I open up my soul. When my first book was published, I was worried about what the neighbors would say when they read it – I had told all my secrets, and that made me nervous. In the end though, I think one can’t worry about it. Honesty is what people want. If they can’t accept me as I am, that is their business, not mine. My work has given a lot of people hope for a brighter future, and that is what is important to me. Having readers tell me they cried when they read my work is really gratifying to me,

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
While I always wrote poetry and short stories, for many years I worked in the film distribution industry, as VP of Business Affairs for various companies. When my spine fell apart (14 levels fused after about 10 surgeries), I could no longer work, and so I began writing more often. It was a way to get out my feelings, a catharsis, a cleansing of the gritty life I had lived as a crack addict.

I got sober in 1998, and my life changed tremendously. I was a single mom facing a lot of hardship and strife, but sobriety turned it all around. My short stories and poetry speak of addiction and abuse of all types, and finally of redemption and a new life; I think my brand is “hope,” and I want my readers to know that there is always hope. I get the most reward from readers telling me how my work has changed their perspective.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Although I’ve lived in Nashville for 11 plus years, I don’t really think of it as home. I spent 28 years in Los Angeles prior to Nashville. Prior to that I lived in Denver, London, the Bahamas, Cairo, Egypt, Stavanger, Norway, and Calgary, Canada. So….having lived everywhere, I’ve never really had a home. That said, there are some great places in and around Nashville. I love the vibrancy and “attitude” of East Nashville, where there are great restaurants. Tourists love going to the honky-tonks on Broadway, but that is definitely not my scene. We live near a lake, and I love to go to the “beach” and to borrow a friend’s boat and spend a quiet day drifting. I also love seeing live music at the Ryman. A trip to the Smokey Mountains is ideal too – the views are breathtaking.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Aside from my husband and family who have fully supported me, I need to shoutout to Iris Berry, my publisher and mentor. She owns Punk Hostage Press, and she was willing to give me a chance and to push me out of my comfort-zone. I definitely couldn’t have done this without her.

Website: www.nadiabrucerawlings.com

Instagram: @nadiabrucerawlings

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/nadiabruce

Image Credits
Headshot: Denise Cordner Punk Hostage Press car: Iris Berry