Nia Sol Bradford, daughter of 241's Keith Bradford, loves to read, write, dace and act.
Nia Sol Bradford, daughter of 241’s Keith Bradford, loves to read, write, dance and act.

by Yvonne Dennis (246)

Nia Sol Bradford was standing in the kids section of the Willow Grove Barnes & Noble on Sunday when the mother of a toddler inquired about the book Nia was holding.

When Nia told her she wrote it, the mom excitedly asked if Nia would pose for a picture with her little boy.

“Sure,” Nia beamed.

Not an unusual happening for a famous author–except Nia is only 9 years old and she wasn’t much taller than the toddler when they sat side by side to take the picture.

Nia will probably be getting a lot more of that as she holds books signings and storytime for her fiction paperback “Jewel Do” on Saturday Oct. 8 at the Willow Grove Barnes & Noble; and on Saturday Oct. 15 at the Barnes & Noble Plymouth Meeting.

“It sounds like a lot of fun,” Nia said in an interview. “I’m excited.”

Nia said she can’t wait to read to kids and share the book’s lesson about adventure and bravery.

Kimberly, Nia and Keith Bradford
Kimberly, Nia and Keith Bradford

Parents Kimberly and Keith Bradford (241) will be right there watching their youngest of two daughters further one of her many talents. In addition to writing, Nia acts and dances in a performance group where the family, which also includes a son, lives in Cheltenham Township.

A fourth-grader at St. Joseph’s the Protector in Glenside, Nia wrote “Jewel Do” (pronounced “doe”) during recess one day while in the second grade.

Familiar with her mom’s work as a publisher and publicist for local authors, Nia asked Kimberly after school that day if she would publish her book.

Mom read it and then: “I said yes.”

Nia drew the cover art and Kimberly drew the inside pictures.

“I’m no artist,” Kimberly said. “But I used shapes. I like to tell people as an example that they can do, its using basic shapes.”

She may not be an artist but Kimberly knows books as the owner of Segue Publishing and someone who has been in the business since 1998. She helps many self-published local authors get publicity appearances, including both her daughters. Imani, age 16, published a book of poetry when she was just 4.

Kimberly also owns Miss Moore’s Pound Cake, a business out of her home that sells 17 varieties of the classic dessert. The baking has had to take a backseat since “Jewel Do” was published in August.

Keith Bradford is a customer-service representative at the IRS in Philadelphia, but he’s also all-in on promoting the family enterprises. When actor/director Tyler Perry was in Philadelphia last year performing in a play, Keith and his daughters delivered some samples of Kim’s pound cakes to the show. No word on whether “Madea” liked them, but the Barnwell Honors grad and his media-savvy wife are always thinking.

Meanwhile, the little author is at work on book number 2.

——————————————————————-

Nia Sol Bradford will be at the Willow Grove Barnes & Noble on Saturday Oct. 08 at 11:30 a.m. and at the Plymouth Meeting Barnes & Noble on Saturday Oct. 15 at 11:15 a.m. “Jewel Do” is also available on Amazon.com.