February Author Spotlight: Eliah Kade
Ashyle Noelle • Feb 21, 2023

BIO

Eliah Kade is an author and a lover of all things steeped in mystery, magic, and mythology. Hailing from the suburbs of Washington, DC, she lives with her husband and three kids while working as a senior brand and creative manager for a non-profit focused on ending childhood hunger.


Her stories are often inspired by her adventurous daydreams and the characters in her life, blended with her own experience as a Black woman with neurodivergent children. If she’s not writing or designing, you can find her nose deep in a book or playing video games with her family.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BOOK(S)!

PERFECT SCORE is an IP project with Scholastic and Hunt a Killer, a subscription mystery box game. It was super cool to be selected to write the first novel in their YA series, especially as a debut author (under the name A.M. Ellis). I had the chance to dive into so many of the mystery tropes I loved growing up (and still love now).


Aspiring PI Jolene Kelley is skipping class at her fancy new private school, North Shore Prep, when she witnesses her beloved guidance counselor fall in front of an oncoming L train. The police call Mr. Medina’s death a tragic accident, but Jo knows what she saw: This was murder.


With help from her friends Sabrina and Frankie—and the inside scoop from her public defender parents and her mentor at the state attorney’s office—Jo opens up her own investigation into Mr. Medina’s death.


If you like a little mystery with your high school drama, give it a shot!

WHAT DO YOU HOPE READERS WILL GET OUT OF YOUR BOOKS?

I want readers to get lost in my stories and be able to escape from all the happenings in the world, even if it's just for a few hours. You can be a hero, you can be a villain, you can be whoever while exploring a new reality. And when it comes to the Black community, I want for readers to see themselves as a main character—not limited by how others may see them. You can save the world, you can burn it down, you can be you.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE?

Everything! Something can happen in my life and I think of a hundred what ifs (usually adding something paranormal or dystopian), or I see someone on the metro and come up with an elaborate backstory far from realistic, but it becomes my entertainment for the rest of the ride. My mind runs with it and I start typing ideas in my Notes app. Writing has always been my safe space and my escape for as long as I can remember.

FAVORITE LINE FROM YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR AND/OR FROM YOUR BOOK?

Always speak your truth. —A.M. Ellis, PERFECT SCORE

HOW DO YOU WEAVE YOUR CULTURE INTO YOUR WRITING?

Food has always felt like a warm hug from family, so almost everything I write has the food I grew up with, whether I'm writing grounded or second world fantasy. You will see gumbo, collard greens, and grits. You can also count on me to find a way to reference ancestors, the South, and drop names of my own family. 

WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A BLACK CREATOR IN PUBLISHING?

I feel like I'm very new to this world of publishing, but in my experience I find I'm trying to navigate the difference between someone genuinely caring and performance allyship. I'm not interested in being used to meet a quota. Underneath my skin, I have all the same things as everyone else. It would be great to be treated as such.

BEST TIP ON WRITING CRAFT?

Don't write everyday (unless you want to). Writing is only a fraction of what it takes to finish a novel. You should focus just as much on filling your creative well, self-care, and not imposing unrealistic deadlines or expectations on yourself. If you're burnt out, drained, anxious—you're not at your best and you deserve more. Believe that.

ANY ADVICE FOR OTHER BLACK CREATORS?

I find that I often get caught up on whether my stories are too Black. Don't do that. We are not a monolith, and we don't fit neatly in a box. Don't hold back or cancel yourself before you start. Be yourself and write/create what feels authentic to you. You are MORE than enough.

FUN QUESTION! IT'S THE FIRST MET GALA FOR BLACK CREATORS! WHAT ARE YOU WEARING ON THE RED CARPET?

This is such a tough question, but know that I will look AMAZING, have on a Black designer (possibly my cuzzo) and will be uplifting new names and brands as much as possible.

WHERE CAN PEOPLE FIND YOU?

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