Urban Reviews: Tell us about The Trifling Times of Nathan Jones.
Moses Miller: Nan: The Trifling Times of Nathan Jones is a chaotic journey through the trials and tribulations of a man who witnessed his mother and father being murdered in front of his eyes as a child. He ends up growing up in an orphanage with another teen whose parents were murdered by the same man. As an adult, he is victimized and forced into a war with the corrupt NYPD. That’s broad strokes, but when you read the book, you’ll see that I stitched together a compelling tale that explores everything from innocence, love, loss of love, betrayal, revenge and redemption.

Urban Reviews: Where did you come up with the idea for this novel?
Moses Miller: With this novel, I just wanted to tell a compelling coming of age story from that critical point in a young black male’s life…those teenage years forward. I don’t think there’s another book like it. I have an abstract mind, and I’ve experienced a lot in my life, so I just decipher these experiences through my own unique lens.

Urban Reviews: You have a realistic movie-type trailer that you use to promote the book. Why'd you choose this method for promotion?
Moses Miller: It’s important to keep it interesting and to continue to raise the bar. My book is a compelling tale, so any and everything associated with it had to be equally as gripping.

Urban Reviews: What made you decide to self-publish your debut novel?
Moses Miller: I write often. I’m always working on the next project, trying to stay busy. When I finished this book, I let it sit for over a year before I read it. Finally when I had the opportunity to look through it again, I knew it was going to be a problem because I not only touched on the harsh realities of life, but I exposed the corruption that exists within the NYPD. Publishers were scared of it. They asked me to change elements, but I wanted to stay true to my artistic integrity so I put it out myself. Also, a lot of large companies aren’t nimble enough. They drag their feet. You bring them a hot book, sign a contract with them, get hit with a little advance and they put you at the end of a release schedule two years out. I didn’t want to wait any longer to put Nan out.

Urban Reviews: What would you say are the strengths and weaknesses of self-publishing?
Moses Miller: A weakness of course is that you’re using your money. But with that being said, I think that it forces you to hustle. It’s your money…so it’s up to you to make a return on your investment. You’re forced to learn about marketing, distribution, promotion and sales. That experience alone is rewarding, but it’s very challenging also. Not everyone is built for this. Not everyone wants to get out in front of the people and connect with them in order to promote their book. It’s a daily grind. You have to put in the time to learn the game, instead of depending on others to guide and direct you.

Urban Reviews: On your website www.triflingtimes.org, you feature some victims of police brutality. Can you tell us more about this and why you chose to include this information on your site?
Moses Miller: Yeah, in my book I touch a little bit on victimization and the corrupt forces that exist in the police department. That was important to me. I’ve had police officers pull out their guns on me for no reason on various occasions. As a matter of fact, they just pulled guns out on me a couple of weeks ago in Harlem, because I double parked for a minute to give a vendor some books. They love to abuse their authority. The way I see it is like this…As a people, we rally whenever one of our own is gunned down without reasonable cause. Then before you know it we’re back living our lives like nothing happened. Officer Friendly gets a desk job and a few months go by before another officer kills another innocent person. The cycle always continues. I just wanted to make sure that the victims are never forgotten and that their killers remain on blast for the rest of their lives. That’s why I put their names on the site as well.

Urban Reviews: What are you working on right now?
Moses Miller: I write daily. Right now, I’m putting the finishing touches on two books. NAN: The Game of Trife, which is the second part to NAN: the Trifling Times of Nathan Jones, and Once Upon A Time In Harlem. Once Upon A Time in Harlem will be released within the next couple of months through a joint venture between my company Mind Candy and F.E.D.S. magazine. Both of those joints are gonna be some heat for the streets.

Urban Reviews: What advice would you give to the aspiring writers out there?
Moses Miller: Stay true to yourself and study your craft. Don’t expect anyone to believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself. Take chances.

Urban Reviews: What books have most influenced your life?
Moses Miller: That’s a hard question because I read a lot growing up. I’d say that the bible influences me daily. The Autobiography of Malcolm X and Before The Mayflower opened my mind up as a youngster as well. Not only were they both well written, but they explored and touched on subject matter that wasn’t being taught in my school. Rich Dad Poor Dad is also a book that influenced my decision making. There’s too many other books to mention.

Urban Reviews: What do you want the world to know most about you?
Moses Miller: First of all, I’m appreciative of every e-mail I receive and everyone that comes up to me when I’m out on the streets and tells me how much they enjoyed the book. I’m a humble dude, so that means a lot. I’ve been writing creatively since I was seven, and I put my heart and soul into my work and take my craft serious. Going forward, you should expect the unexpected from me. Creatively, I don’t confine myself to a box, so I hope that my readers will open their minds and continue to allow me to take them on various journeys. I have a lot of stories to share. Visit triflingtimes.org/NAN for updates.