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Black Girls Lit!
BGL Live: One More Sip of Intercepts TJ Payne
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A thriller made us laugh, argue, and side-eye reality a little harder than we expected. After a quick after-work reset (yes, we’re sipping), we share the details for our first-ever BGL community meetup: an audiobook walk at Suwanee Town Center, then drinks and conversation at Tequila Mama. If you’ve been looking for a Black women book club podcast that actually gets off the timeline and into real life, this is your sign to RSVP on Eventbrite while spots last.
Then we get into our book of the month, Intercepts by TJ Payne. We expected “spooky” and got something creepier: a psychological thriller that’s heavy on mind control vibes, human experimentation fears, and the kind of government conspiracy tension that makes you stop and ask, “Could this be happening?” We talk ratings, genre expectations, and why a book can be well done and still not be your personal comfort read, especially if you’re a romance-first reader.
The conversation turns into a bigger debate about control: one percenters, power, media headlines, and the uneasy feeling that fiction sometimes tracks too close to real life. From there we zoom in on discernment and relationships, how we read people, why “trust but verify” saves you stress, and the difference between optimism and being gullible. We even pull in the DMX reminder to recognize a snake and expect it to act like a snake.
Stick with us to the end for what’s coming next: our new book-to-movie adaptation segment starting with Verity, plus a request for your best name ideas. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves books and real talk, and leave us a review so more readers can find the conversation.
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After Work Check In
TashaHey Bookish Baddies welcome to Black Girls Lit. Where fine women, fine literature and fine libations collide. Welcome to the lit life.
StarBlack women are so complex. We're live, yes?
TashaWe are live. Lives always be living. hey, y'all. Hey, and welcome back to BGL Live. Oh my gosh. The after work edition. Every time I feel like, you know what? This is gonna be this gonna be the month we on it, y'all. We on it, the live it'll be popping. Then um it just be living. This is very, very bright. I too bad. Well, it's fine because I it's I think it's fine. I feel like you came to see us. Like yeah.
StarThey can see just enough, not too much.
TashaYou don't tone it down just the way that that's better though.
StarThat is better. It's perfect.
TashaOkay, so the way it was shining on me. Oh, hair y'all. Okay. Let me get my beer close. Um, not because we have function great. Is this what people come to the live for? They come to see us on here in disarray and disheveled.
StarListen, it's after work. And I feel like it's after work.
TashaOkay, all right. So welcome friends. As you can see, um, we down a few people day. We we we down, um, we down, but we not out. Never out. Okay, um, I don't know what's going on with the chat. So you know, our all of our fans normally be in the chat.
StarAll all of our fans, all of our fans be right in there, like, hey, what's up, been waiting for y'all. Y'all finally hear all the all those things.
TashaAll the fans be in the chat, and they're not there right now. So um, maybe the chat is broken. We can't see the chat right now. So don't worry about it.
What We’re Sipping Tonight
StarBut well, so what are you sipping today, Tasha?
TashaI have um a Tasha Classic, also known as um tequila and tonic.
StarA tonic water light. What is light? Tonic water. Why does tonic water need to be light?
TashaBecause they have like a little less of the sugar in it. Tonic water has sugar, it got a little bit, it got some carbohydrates, not really sugar, but I think it's I forget what it is, but it's it's definitely got some carbohydrates in it that I'm not supposed to be having, so shh, don't tell my trainer.
StarUm, well, tell my trainer that I'm drinking my protein, lightly carbonated protein, bucked up frosted lemonade. Oh, somebody was just talking about that at the gym today. Probably your trainer. Oh, yeah, is it good? Yes, this is the frosted lemonade flavor, and then I have like a rainbow candy or cotton candy or something. I don't know, but that orange sickle, uh-huh, don't don't mess with it. Leave that alone.
TashaOh, okay, okay. All right, all right. Let's let's really be here for a show today. All right, so it's just me and you. What do we talk about when it's just me and you uh our co-hosts? I don't know. Did we talk about the other BGL? We can talk about the people that ain't here. How about that? No, no, no.
StarWe would never okay.
TashaNo, for okay, for real,
Audiobook Walk Event Details
Tashafor real. Let's go ahead and start the show for real. All right, everybody, welcome. Before we really get started, um, first up, our um audio book walk, our first ever BGL event is going to be October 24th. So not this Saturday, but next Saturday. Um, we're meeting at Suwanee Town Center at the stage at 10 a.m. We're gonna walk. I have a path all mapped out for us, about a mile and a half. We're estimating it's gonna take about 40 to 45 minutes, you know, just depending upon um your pace. And then we're gonna meet after that at Tequila Mama, where we're gonna be able to share some drinks. And we are gonna talk a little bit about the book, but really it's just gonna be BGL talking. So you don't have to necessarily read the same book we're reading. We're gonna be listening to Ken, which is our November release. Um, but you can listen to music, you can listen to whatever audiobook you want to listen to. It really is just about going out, getting a little exercise, one, because um exercise is great, and two, really about the fellowship and just hanging out and having good BGL fun afterwards. So October 24th, there are limited tickets. There are um a few left. You have to go to EventBrights to book. Um, we have the link in all of our social medias. Um, but go on there, RSVP. The tickets are free. It's just we need to know who all is gonna be there. Um, everybody who RSVPs will be entered into a drawing for a BGL swag bag, so that's great. Um, like I said, we would just love to see as many people as possible, but again, um tickets are limited and we are running out. So if you want to join, go to that bright link, get your ticket, and we will see you on October 24th. And you can really get to meet us like live and in person, which is great.
StarIt's so interesting. Um, bright and early, 10 a.m.
TashaI 10 a.m. is not really that early, like it's bright and early. Oh, okay.
Star10 a.m. I of course will be up already, so but it's fine.
TashaBut yeah, so
Intercepts Ratings And Expectations
Tashayes. Now let's dive back into our book of the month, Intercepts. You know, it's supposed to have been our spooky book. Um, we thought it was gonna be scary. It wasn't really scary, it's more like creepy. Star loved it. This cover is scary because you can't even see it in the lights. There you go. Star loved the book. Um, Steph and I um, I think this Steph sent Steph sent it back. I gave it so Steph came with a one, I gave it a two. I was like, it just only because it wasn't that it wasn't a good book, it just wasn't what I was expecting. And also it it that whole psychological um thriller type, it sort of it did, it scared me a little bit. Not like, ooh, boo scared me, but just a little bit like, oh lord. Yeah, and then you know, then star revealed to us that she's the oracle, and and we are in the matrix. And who even really knows what that means, but you know, she believes it.
StarIf you know, you know. I know, and that's all that really matters. Um, but yeah, I did, I liked it because it's it's like you said, it's one of those things where it's like you read it, and the whole time you're reading it, there's a point where you start to think, like, oh my god, this could really happen, or this could really be happening, right? And then my question always is does art imitate life, or does life imitate art? Because it's just one big cycle and one big circle, who knows? Um, but yeah, I'm I'm curious. So I do have a question for you. So since we have read the book and we did the initial recording and we've talked to the people and we've gotten some feedback in some of our posts and our chats, like, do you feel differently about the book? Or are you still it's still not necessarily your vibe? It's not my vibe again.
TashaI think it was it was a good book. Um, it's just not my genre, you know. I said, just I I don't like to be scared. I like nice, happy, ooh, love, romance, you know. Um, I so it's just not my thing. But honestly, if you were into horrors and stuff, it it definitely is that.
StarYeah, I did agree.
TashaWell, what I found interesting, we asked people our question was we asked people like where they were at on the conspiracy theory scale. Um, all y'all crazy. Like all everybody, apparently, star is not the only Oracle.
StarRight.
TashaEverybody is big on conspiracy theory, which is crazy. I love the fact that I'm not alone.
StarI finally have found my people.
TashaY'all really be out here just thinking that how could you not?
StarI think that's my thing. Like at this point, seeing the things that we see, and and I think I I think for me it's more so because if you look at science fiction, like type movies and stuff like that, right? It's we're here, like it's happening right now. And you know, it's always like with the times, like you read, you read things or you watch things, like even if you go back and watch old movies, there's some things that at the time when they came out, it was like, oh my god, that's unbelievable. Like that could never happen. And now in our lifetime, it's it's happening. It's really a thing.
TashaI know, but I guess maybe it's not that I don't believe that it could be happening, like they said, like, oh, but there's some alternate people, like you know, maybe there's like 15 people of the council that are controlling all of us. We have no control over it, sort of vibe. You know what I'm saying? It but I guess in my mind, I'm like, well, if that's the case, we can't do nothing about it. Like, so I'm just let me just go through life and just control what I can control. Like, so I guess like to me, that just feels a little bit out of my control. And I I can't do nothing about it. So let me just go on about yeah, go on about life.
StarBut and also it's it's a little, if I was thinking about that all the time, I but I think I do so I I honestly it's like so all jokes aside, I do honestly believe, and not that I'm joking, but about being the Oracle. But all jokes aside, I will say I do, I have gotten to a point in life where I do realize that there are a lot of things that are not in our control. And I think it just depends on the individual, right? What you what you call that, right? A higher power, if you believe in God, if you, you know what I'm saying? If you it it's
Conspiracy Scale And One Percenters
Starif you just believe in this omnipresent energy and you know what I mean, like being or whatever the case may be. I think we all to some extent have the same belief, right, that there are things beyond our control or karma, you know what I mean? Like whatever you put into the universe comes back to you. I think it's just it's referred to in a lot of different ways, but I think it is the same belief system that there are things in our control and there are things that are outside of our control. And you have people that believe in manifesting, you know what I mean? Like you can manifest things and you can the power of positive thinking, you know, all of what's centered around the same. The premise is the same, though, if you think about it at its core.
TashaBut this is like no, because this what this reminds me of is like I think I think Steph said it in the um in the episode. Whereas, okay, it's like so, like, yes, um, I'm very spiritual, definitely believe in God and everything like that, you know, and manifestation in a certain energy. Yes, I believe in. But this is more of you have like this class of uber-rich people or government officials who are in control and able to experiment on people or do or control people's lives and do whatever they want to do because they are at this level of typically, I mean it's money. So, you know, money equals power, and they're in control because of that.
StarYeah, like the one percenters. Like the people that they refer to as one percenters, or like the uh politicians and the homies like Trump and Elon down type individuals.
TashaI yeah, I don't know. That's why it's scary because clearly, clearly there could be for real some rich people out here doing crazy stuff just because they can.
StarIt could really be happening. And we can see like a lot of things that are happening in the media, people on trial, files coming out. I'm not gonna say no names because I want to disappear. You know what I'm saying? Like stuff like that. It's it's not so far-fetched. It is not, it's not so far-fetched, which I guess is why it is scary.
TashaYeah, which is why we gotta we gotta watch what we're saying for sure.
StarAnd I think that for me is why I like this particular genre. Like it's not, I I'm never gonna call qualify, I mean, call it a horror, but whatever this, whatever this is, whatever this genre is, I think it's always going to be a favorite of mine because it just I feel like it keeps you on your toes mentally. Like, don't don't be sleeping on them, don't be sleeping on them and thinking it's sweet because it it could yeah, it could go left at any minute. So I think that's a thing, bro.
TashaOkay, I yeah. And again, I just I you know me, I'd be having to be, I'd be in up in the cloud, my head just bubblegum and rainbows. I just I don't like to be stressed out.
StarDid you talk to any? Did you share the um like what I'm curious to know if your family, any of your family or something? Oh, Alvin 100, like what was there, how did they feel about it?
TashaAlvin 100% was like, oh no, definitely. Like he's he he might be an oracle like you. He he's full on like, oh, you don't think the people ain't told us that you so he is 100% on board, which again is why he is there to guide me through life. Right. So otherwise, otherwise, I'd be the mess around being somebody laboratory, you know. Oh fire. That's why the Lord abducted from the K Roger parking lot.
StarGirl, she never made it back from K Roger.
TashaOkay, let me ask you have you always been like that? Yes, you it's okay, it feels like you're not trusting. Is that are you would you say here that you're a trusting person, or
Discernment Trust And People Watching
Tashayou're like a trust but verify, or you just um so that's funny.
StarHave I always been this way? Absolutely, yeah. For those of for those that for the people that know me, and that's why it was so funny watching, reading it and watching the episodes. It was funny to me, just knowing that the people who have known me for years, like going back 20, you know, I'm saying 20 years, like early adulthood, late teens, like they absolutely 100% will be like, oh yeah, she's always been that way. Like it's I I think it comes from the conversations that me and my dad used to have, like some of a lot of the things that he used to just share with me, a lot of the things that he used to read, a lot of the conversations that we would have, just always have my mind thinking about what could be, like what we see and what we know, and then what's going on that we don't see and we don't know. You know what I mean? Um, and what was your second question?
TashaI'm just asking if you if um would you consider that being like a lack of trust that you don't really trust easily?
StarUm, no, I don't think so. I don't think that's it because my discernment be discerning. So I know, I know very quickly who can be trusted and who can't be. So I trust those that can be trusted and those that can't be. Okay. I keep them at it's it's something about, and it doesn't have to be anything that's said or done, but what I know now, right? I didn't always know what it was. Um, you know, people call it intuition or whatever the case may be. I didn't always know what it was, so I kind of whatever, but it's it's 100% discernment. Like I I'm serious about that because I know I now know what discernment is. So I know that it's always been there. But because I know what it is now and I lean into it, it's the observing me being, I've always been, excuse me, like quiet and observant. Like I'm going to be in a space, I'm gonna survey people, I'm going to pay attention to how people move, how they act, how they respond to things. Like, um, for a long time before I ever even engage with you verbally or anything. Like, I'm going to watch for a long time.
TashaThat's Alvin is like that too. And he is like, he's very like, honestly, people watching his favorite activities, like for real. He was like, I'm always going to the mall. He won't just sit in the food court and just watch people. He's like, Yeah, great. You go shopping. I'm gonna sit right here. He just you know, give him a little drink and then just be sitting there just watching people, and then come back and would be telling me stuff about all. I'm like, I'm like, how you got to just look at them? I can tell. I'm like, bruh. But sometimes, I think it's weird because I love it about him because again, I he definitely as much, you know, like he keeps me out of trouble. Um, because he out here watching while I'm around here, you know, just woot-the-woop. Um, but sometimes it is a clash for us because sometimes I see it as I'm like, no, you're so negative. Because he's like, like I said, because he will, he will definitely get a read for people. And not, he's not like quick to judge or anything, but he definitely sit back and he listens to what people say, see how they move a little bit, and then he'd be like, nah, or like, nah, this, if we do this with that person, this is how it's gonna go. And I'm like, no, you just you always think the worst of people. And he's like, you always be giving people too much credit. And I'm like, I'm like, no, no, no, I just think that, no, you know, and um, and he's like, no, I I peeped it. He's like already, the way he said such and such, or the way she was doing it, he's like, mm-mm, yeah. No. And I'm just like, no, because no, you just you gotta trust people. He's like, that's why I say he's always he's like, I trust but verify. And he's like, and he thinks that I I trust too easily. He also thinks I'm very gullible. Um and I'm just like, no, I'm just I'm super positive. And he's like, mm, uh I wouldn't say gullible.
StarI think you just, I think you just be living your life.
TashaI be wanting to see the best in people, and I think that with people, I do I 100% want to see the best in people. And when you tell me something, I'm just like, okay, I'm like, oh, then I have no reason to lie. But then honestly, there are a lot of liars.
StarThere are well, the thing is that so DMX, there was this, there's this clip of DMX. Um that when I saw it, I was like, yo, that's it. And I'm not gonna remember exactly what he said, but to paraphrase, it was something to the something to the effect of like know a snake. Like when you see a snake, know, like know that that's a snake. And trust the snake to be a snake. Like, we know that snakes exist, right? And we know what snake, we know how snakes behave, we know what they do, we know how they, you know what I mean? We know how they move. So when you see, when you see one, recognize that it's a snake and then expect it to be a snake. Like, don't feel don't be disappointed. Don't see a snake and expect it to act like a fucking cat. Like, okay, no, you know what? You know what a snake is right there. So that's I think that's more so what it is for me, like what the observation is because people will say one thing and move completely different. Like you can say whatever you want to say, but your movements and the way you move, the way you maneuver, the way you interact, you can't always disguise that because that's the thing that comes natural. That's the thing that you do subconsciously. And sometimes you can see people forget that, oh shoot, I'm not supposed to. I'm supposed to be able to mass exist. All right, okay. So that's why I watch. I watch for a long time before I engage. And even now, like I'm still, I get to a point where I want a thing to be something, and my intuition, my discernment is saying, you know that that's not what I get that you want it to be that, but you know that that's not what it is. And I have to catch myself, like, well, having a Tasha moment. Well, maybe, maybe I'm just tripping, maybe I'm reading. I'm absolutely not 100%. I know what it is, but you know, we I think that's the human in us, is that sometimes we we want what we want and we want things to be a certain way, and we don't want to accept that they're not, especially when you talk about like people, you know what I mean? Like people that we have relationships with and stuff like that. I think that's where it is the most difficult. It's it's easy to see a stranger and be like, oh, whatever, or you know what I mean, like meet someone and decide I'm not gonna even engage or I don't want to build on that. But when it's it's people that you actually know and you have existing relationships with, I think it's when it becomes difficult to really acknowledge, like, dang.
TashaAnd I will say I definitely have been burnt like that because I'm always, you know, it's like when people show you who they are, believe them. But which is, I mean, that's how I move, but that means I have to give, I have to open up and give people opportunity a lot of times. And yeah, it turns out, yeah, everybody is not as great as what I would like for them to be. Which is, I mean, it is, it's disappointing, but also and maybe at this point, like maybe I do have some discernment because I feel like I'm able to pick them out much quicker at this point now than I ever was before. Um, or maybe honestly, maybe I'm just at that point, you know, you reach a certain point like. But you just you don't care. I'm not doing that. Right about hurting people feel and stuff. So you just kind of, oh, no, I'm good. Um, so I might be that too. But I do, I would like to say that I I do feel like I, even though I am super like, you know, like positive, I do try to see the best in everybody. Um, I feel like I am better at quick, like, okay, you oh, I see who you are, girl. We cool. We good. Yeah. Like I'm very good about, oh, very protective and very good about keeping my small inner circle. Like, I'm telling you, I'm like Saturn out here. Like, I got it's a lot of ring. That's anybody but a couple people that's on that inner ring. Now I got a whole bunch like out here on them outer rings, like you know.
StarBut so clearly I like quoting rappers, but Jay-Z said, um, less is more. There's plenty of us. We're gonna need a whole bunch of people.
TashaWe're gonna need a whole bunch.
StarYou might that's that's fair, okay. Yeah, but um yeah, I think all in all, I still stand on, I still stand on my rating. Definitely a cheers. Um, absolutely read it, get into it. You can't see it. It's a lot of light in here, but just it's a lot of light in here. That's by TJ Payne.
TashaAnd I I would say honestly, for real, if you are, if the thrillers is your genre, definitely read it. I say honestly, it just wasn't my genre, but it was it was a good one. I'm not let me not take away from it.
StarAnd we haven't, we we haven't talked about like we haven't really given any spoilers or anything about you know, about it it's deep, it's very deep. There's some paranormal
Wrap Up Verity Plans And CTAs
Starstuff going on, there's some government conspiracy stuff going on, there's um mind control, like it's it's a lot, it's a lot, it's yeah, it's it's it's a good look. Obviously, human experimentation did, yeah. So it's it's a lot, it starts off slow, but it's a good read. Or a good listen. I don't know that it started off slow. I feel like it jumped right in. Nah, it started off slow. Oh for me, for me, it started off slow, and Steph absolutely hated it from the beginning.
TashaYou know, Steph don't want nothing, but she beph wants a straight smut, little, little, little romance. Maybe she smut with a side of romance, right? I was trying to clean it up, but you know, you know, hey, she liked what she liked, and and I ain't I ain't mad at her for it.
StarYeah, um, I won't chat.
TashaBut all right, well, that has been another episode of BGL Live. Um, thank you for joining us. You know, we we love to see all the fans, although um our chat was not working this time. We know that you guys was there. I I felt it in my spirits. Absolutely.
StarWe appreciate the support.
TashaYes, and we will see you um October 24th for all of those who are able to make it. Again, do not forget to get your eventbrite ticket. Um, please do not forget, we never we I always forget to ask people to please um like, subscribe, follow, share us. We are um definitely um growing a lot this year, making some big moves, um, giving more um episodes every month. So please share us with all of your friends, anybody who you think is interested in books and girl chat, because that's you know that's what we do here, um, and a whole lot of star eye rolling. You be rolling your eyes. But the funniest thing, I'll be so trying to look around. They see you rolling your eyes at me, star all the time. I'm sorry, they know how you feel about me.
StarSometimes it's the subconscious. But I love I love you, girl.
TashaUh they know that too. But until next time, um, which will be next Wednesday, we have a special episode. It's one of our new um editions where we are going to be doing, um, I think we're gonna call it that. I'm I'm pitching names out here, okay? You guys sometimes I'd be out here just doing stuff, and thankfully, my co-host, they'd be they'd be alone for the body.
StarShutting it down.
TashaSometimes they do shut down. Okay, but we're going to be our newest segment is gonna be comparing books to movies. So you know, hey, we read the book, now we're gonna watch the movie. Um, our first episode is gonna be next week, um, next Wednesday, and we're gonna be doing Verity. So we read the book. Um, it is an older book, um, but you know, the movie just dropped earlier this month, so we're gonna watch the movie and we're gonna come back and give you um our take on uh we're calling it who wore it best, right? So you see I wrote I like that type. I remember too. I don't here's uh creatives are are if you have suggestions for what we could call this latest our latest um segments um of comparing the book to the movie. Again, my suggestion is who wore it best. I just it's so cute. But if you leave us a comment and tell us what you think, this new uh segment should be called, and show up next Wednesday. Um, it'll be an evening, Wednesday evening drop, um, where we're gonna be doing our first episode on Verity. What about who wrote it best?
StarThat would be a good spin.
TashaWho wrote it best? But is it written? Is the screenplay written by somebody different than the author or the book? Usually adaptations, yeah.
StarLike authors write books, and then I think other books.
TashaThe screenplay is by somebody different. Yeah, I think. But I don't know. Well we're gonna let the people tell us. Yeah, but they saw what y'all think. Until next time. Cheers. What is it? Read boldly, read boldly and sip slowly, or sip slowly and read boldly. Cheers.
StarCheers.
