On the latest episode of The Miami Book Hub Podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Miami Beach author Asha Elias — on the eve of her wedding, no less — to talk books, satire, publishing, and why sometimes our very best intentions can bring out the very worst in us.
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Asha is the author of Pink Glass Houses and The Namaste Club, two sharp, funny novels rooted in a Florida many of us will recognize immediately. Pink Glass Houses was inspired by her life as a Miami Beach mom and follows hypercompetitive PTA women fighting for control of a public school’s social hierarchy. As Asha explained, “Sometimes our best intentions bring out the worst in us.”
Her second novel, The Namaste Club, turns its satirical eye toward the wellness world, following an eclectic group at a Central Florida yoga retreat, along with a 13-foot American alligator named Bubba. Only in Florida.
What struck me most about Asha’s writing is that her humor is not mean-spirited. She is clearly poking fun at the ridiculousness around us, but she includes herself in the joke.
“Satire should be funny and observant but not overly critical, not malicious,” she told me. “I try to always put a little bit of myself in the book. So, I’m satirizing myself.”
That perspective may explain why her books feel so recognizably Miami and Florida. They are exaggerated, yes, but only slightly, which, frankly, is what makes them funny.
We also talked about Asha’s path to traditional publishing. After sending roughly 25 query letters, she connected with a literary agent who believed in her work and knew exactly where to take it. But Asha was quick to note that publishing is changing and that there is no single “correct” path.
“Self-publishing authors are doing great,” she said. “They’re telling stories that traditional might not understand yet, but readers do.”
As a soon-to-be self-published author myself, I appreciated that. Very much.
For aspiring writers, Asha’s advice was refreshingly unglamorous: write even when you do not feel inspired, and get comfortable with failure.
“If you only write when you feel inspired, you’re not going to write very much,” she said. “First drafts are never beautiful. They’re going to be messy. Just get it out.”
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And then came perhaps the most important lesson: “You’re going to hear a lot more no’s than yes’es, but all you need is one yes, and it’ll be the right yes.”
Ironically, “just say yes” is also Asha’s approach to promoting her books. Book club? Yes. Podcast? Yes. Reader reaches out? Respond. That willingness to connect has helped build not only her readership, but her place in Miami’s growing literary community.
She summed up that community beautifully: “One of the most beautiful things about the Miami book community is how authors support one another because we know how difficult that can be.”
Following my conversation with Asha, we welcomed USA Today Bestselling Author Rochelle Weinstein back for our monthly Reading with Rochelle segment.
Rochelle brought four summer picks: Star-Crossed Summer by Devon Daniels, An Infinite Love Story by Chanel Cleeton, Rewrite the Stars by Lindsay Hameroff, and Daniel Silva’s latest thriller, Ransom.
Her prescription for surviving Miami’s sweltering summer? Escapism.
Of Star-crossed Summer, Rochelle said, “If anyone’s looking for that sink-your-toes-in-the-sand romance with some Hollywood glitter, this one is it.” And of Ransom, she predicted readers would be “flipping pages late into the night.”
That is exactly what Reading with Rochelle is about: discovering another story, another author, and perhaps the next book that keeps you up far later than you intended.
To watch or listen to the full episode—and explore the broader Miami Book Hub platform (Podcast + Newsletter + Column)—visit ThreeTreasuresPress.com.
To learn more about Asha Elias and her books, follow her at Instagram.com/asha.sue.elias. To explore Rochelle Weinstein’s books, newsletter, and monthly picks, visit RochelleWeinstein.com.
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Until next time… keep reading, keep writing, and stay curious, Miami!