We had the good fortune of connecting with Charlese Milford and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Charlese, what matters most to you?
I have two, actually. Self-love and self-respect. I believe we set the foundation for how others treat, love, and care for us. Besides, you can’t genuinely love someone more than you love yourself. Without a foundation of self-love and self-respect, I don’t see how one can display these qualities to others. When you love and respect yourself, it naturally leads you to making better choices and decisions for yourself.

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.
I am an independent author, and recently, I celebrated the publication of my 8th book. What sets me apart is my dedication to steering clear of common stereotypes often seen in entertainment. I strive to bring to life the stories of lesser-known characters within our communities, those seldom represented in books or on the big screen.

Being on this journey, I’m genuinely just thrilled to be doing what I love. I take pride in the accomplishments I’ve achieved so far, and I’m extremely excited about what’s to come. However, reaching this point wasn’t without its challenges. Balancing the demands of everyday life with a passion that you’re learning as you go can be overwhelming at times. Through it all, I’ve learned to celebrate small victories and turn setbacks into valuable lessons.

At times, I found myself comparing my progress to others in the literary world. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to avoid spaces where you’re the smartest or most accomplished person, because it’s in those environments you have no room to learn and grow.

When people see my name or my brand, I want them to recognize it as a symbol of dedication, authenticity, and unwavering passion. It’s a testament to the hard work and genuine love I pour into my craft.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I have been planning this in my head since I met my good friend Sarquita over a year ago. She lives in Georgia and we are both foodies so when planning our first meet up it consisted of just ordering in and binge watching the streaming channel of our choice but we are in Charleston where we have some of the absolute best foods and no way I will let her miss out. Breakfast would definitely be Sunrise Bistro for the crabby shrimp and grits, can’t and won’t forget the mimosas! I love unique finds so shopping at any of the local Goodwills would be a must. I am huge fan of history so a tour of Downtown Charleston would make the list. I have an awesome friend Shavonika that is an extraordinary artist, we would have drawings designed by her and the three of us would hang out on Folly Beach painting before heading back to Charleston to end our night at Chill N Grill for some music and the best bar food in Charleston!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have the greatest team of supporters that surround me. From my amazing daughter’s Symone, Joelle, and Nanna who allow me to bombard their phones with rough drafts, pick their brains for character names and get their input on each story idea. They are my social media team, constantly sharing and resharing my works. Then there is my bestie Dink who buys every book before he even knows what it’s about. For years I stopped writing and thanks to him I am now the author of eight books and working on eight more! I have countless friends on and off of social media who have been nothing but encouraging through this journey. And I can’t forget my hype team, my nieces Taijah and Dominique! No matter how big or small the accomplishment they always make me feel like a megastar! And my Dad, My Monkey. No matter, how simple his comments and remarks it fills my heart with such joy to know that he is proud of me.

Website: www.charlese.net

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m_chuck_boogie_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlese-milford

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CharlesePresents

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCharleseMilford/

Other: https://anchor.fm/charlesepresents

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