We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ayoka B.. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ayoka below.

Ayoka, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I moved my family to Costa Rica. It didn’t feel like a risk, it felt like I was running toward my life. After being quarantined and further traumatized by the barrage of police killings of Black people, I was drowning. I’d already quit a job of seven years that I was brilliant at because I was tired of the daily disregard and resulting invisibility. My focus became getting us to Costa Rica.

I hadn’t written in at least six months which for a writer is a slow death. But I was moving slowly in darkness. My only joys were yoga, my love and my children. Packing a house in which I’d raised my children and lovingly renovated was another thing on the list. I didn’t cry over the memories. I wasn’t going to miss it. I simply thanked it for holding us for many milestones.

There was no rearview for me. We closed on the house on Friday with eight inches of snow on the ground. A few days later, my son and I caught a flight to San Jose, masked with four suitcases. My love and our shipped belongings would be following soon. My son and I slept on an air mattress in our new home listening to the deluge of rain on our tin roof. And I smiled. It felt like I hadn’t smiled in so long.

Two weeks in and I found my people: a Black Writer’s Group. I caught the Mepe (public bus) two towns over for the meeting. For weeks, I listened to the banter and critiques for the Writer Of The Week submissions. With no new work to share, I simply absorbed the creative energy. Then slowly, I began to write.

First came poetry. The verdant jungle and impossibly blue skies prompted them. The salt air of the Caribbean Sea and volcanic Black sand inspired more. Then, a fellow writer shared a short story. I was walking along the beach when I remembered that I used to write short stories in high school. I can do that, I thought. And I did. One after another after another. I was the creative fiction queen of the group. Everyone else wrote fiction (or poetry).

Then, I took another risk. I challenged myself to try my hand at fiction. I had an idea for a fictional short love story. But as I began to write, the story kept going. It wasn’t finished. So I followed. It guided me and the characters told me who they were. My short piece of fiction became a novel. My debut novel. I took another risk and published it. Then, I published four poetry collections.

Now, the biggest risk since I picked up our lives and moved? I am an indie author who just finished her second novel. I am a full-time author and podcaster. I write for a living and I now understand that it is my purpose. It’s what I’m supposed to be doing. My first book launch event was held here in Costa Rica because it’s where I became an author. Next week, I head to my first book festival as a participating author. I’m nervous and excited. I can’t wait to be in community with other authors, buy more books (yay!) and meet people in-person that I’ve only communicated with virtually.

Moving to Costa Rica was the best thing that I’ve done for my family, for joy, for my nervous system. It brought the clarity that I needed to write. It cracked me open. My creativity and imagination are flowing at another level.

Ayoka, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a multi-genre author, podcaster, poet and bibliophile. I love writing and I love books! I’m a DC native. My intention as a writer is for my readers to uncover joy. When I’m not writing or recording, you’ll find my nose in a book.

I began writing short stories in high school to express my feelings. As a teen, I was losing friends to gun violence and I didn’t have an outlet. Later, I learned that I’d been writing illustrated short stories and poetry since elementary school. In college, I pivoted to poetry, writing what would become my first poetry collection, Mule of the World. It is volume one of a series which includes Love LETTERS, Estoy Esperándote and Sexfunky.

Previously, I had a career in public relations and branding. Professionally, I wrote everyday but it was to advance the brand and story of whatever company/entity/person for which I was working. I wrote poetry for my personal expression and consumption. Sometimes, I wrote poems as gifts for loved ones and special occasions. But, I didn’t become an author until I moved to Costa Rica.

My catalogue includes six books: two novels, four books of poetry. My debut novel, Love At Second Sight, follows the journey of female main character Shane, a Single Mom and poet. Written in descriptive prose, this page-turner features unforgettable characters and is infused with lyrics and poetry. A companion novel, The Composition Of Evan Jeffries, features the fan-favorite character, Mike from my debut. It is scheduled for publication in June 2026. My works in progress include a short story collection about young love; a collection of humorous vignettes for women; two poetry collections; and a paranormal YA novel entitled, Bluff.

I am also co-host of the podcast Writing While Black with a fellow writer. The show is hosted on YouTube and Spotify with new episodes on Wednesdays. We discuss the joys and challenges of being Black writers and interview other Black writers. Our goal is to provide a platform to support and promote Black authors, especially independent authors. The podcast is in its third season.

I am most proud of the authenticity of my writing. It is real and vulnerable highlighting stories of people who are frequently unseen. My writing centers Black love and Black joy. With tenderness and ache, I tell stories through my unique lens.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is to create something for others to experience. I have the ability to connect with, and hopefully, impact readers. My writing becomes a lasting piece of work. I have received DMs, emails and in-person testimonials of how my writing resonated with someone and made them feel something. When a person experiences emotions from my work, I feel blessed. I know that I am doing something right. I had a reader hide my book under their keyboard at work so that they could keep reading. While I don’t recommend this, I was thrilled. Whether they throw the book or cry snotty tears, I’m here for all of it!

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I think society can best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem by 1) Placing a value on creative work as serious work, not play or eccentricity. 2) Securing and maintaining funding for art in schools and community programming that promotes arts and creativity. This sparks creativity in our children and stimulates the imaginations of the next generation of artists and creatives. We need them to back away from screentime and use their hands to create something. 3) Keeping AI out of the creative space. Art is about creating something from nothing. It is about expression and emotion. It is not about prompts or crawling the internet, stealing pieces of creative work to string together into a cobbled together project.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://authorayokab.com
• Instagram: joyinhome_publishing
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567026286072
• Other: Threads: https://www.threads.com/@joyinhome