Trisha Thomas

Our top story: the Vatican has released photos of Pope Leo celebrating mass from Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

Trisha Thomas reports.

The photos show him in the hospital saying mass, and he looks in quite good condition.

In addition to a medical report in which they said they did another round of tests, postoperative tests, including an X-ray on his lungs and blood tests, and his recovery is going very well.

Pope Leo is at Gemelli Hospital in Rome to have a nodule removed from his lung.

The AP's Trisha Thomas is outside the hospital.

Experts expect it to be a non-invasive operation.

They will remove this nodule and then do tests to determine whether it is benign or malignant.

What's good? I'm Nikesha Elise Williams, and this is Black and Published, bringing you the journeys of writers, poets, playwrights, and storytellers of all kinds.

Today's guest is Trisha R. Thomas, author of Napoli Ever After, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

It's a book Tricia was moved to write after working in the school system.

I was teaching middle school language arts, and the kids were kind of cruel to each other on a level that I wasn't expecting.

[laughs] Thank you.

Okay.

Nappily Ever After by Trisha R. Thomas is one of the first books that illustrates the journey of self-love through a Black woman's relationship with her hair.

Venus Johnston had the man, the career, and the hair she thought would get her a promotion and a ring, but when neither materializes and her boo shows up with a puppy instead of a jewelry box, Venus shaves her head in a moment of rebellion, but comes to realize it was her first step toward liberation.