Candice Miller-Brathwaite had never set out to write a novel. She held a marketing degree from Iona University and spent decades building a career outside the literary world. But while recovering from a hip replacement surgery, a realization sparked an entirely new path: the stories she loved reading rarely featured Black girls like the ones she grew up with in New York City.
“I really liked urban fantasy, and I really felt like there wasn’t enough being told from a regular Black girl’s perspective,” said Miller, 47, who writes under the pen name Carrie Abron. “I was sitting at home after my hip replacement, and I decided, ‘Why don’t we tell it from a Black person’s perspective? New York City is a melting pot; let’s tell it from New York City’s perspective.'”
That realization led to her debut fantasy novel, “Bronx Witches: The Awakening,” which is deeply rooted in her upbringing.
Today, Miller preserves Harlem’s history through fantasy, weaving real people and places into stories centered on Black girls.
For her, Harlem isn’t just a neighborhood; it’s woven into her identity. Her family’s roots trace back to 119th Street between Fifth Avenue and Lenox, beginning with her great-grandmother in the 1920s and her father, who migrated there from North Carolina in the 1950s.
Growing up, Miller split her childhood between her mother’s home in the Bronx and her father’s apartment in Harlem. She attended Cardinal Spellman High School and spent much of her free time on 125th Street, immersed in Harlem’s vibrant energy during the 1990s.
“Growing up in Harlem was awesome, and working at the bakery was a lot of fun,” Miller said, recalling her youth at her family’s neighborhood establishment, Georgie’s Pastry Shop, which was famous for its hot donuts and pies. “Everyone has this typical stereotype about Harlem, and sure, there was some danger, but New York City as a whole was that way at the time. I just loved growing up in Harlem.”
Set in 1996, “Bronx Witches: The Awakening” follows three young women who discover magical powers while also navigating family life and ancient forces beneath the unfinished Q subway line.
The lead character, Camille, is a fictionalized version of Miller. Her best friends, Millicent and Destiny, are modeled after her real-life friends of nearly 40 years, Dr. Keosha Bond and Nancy Oti. As teenagers, the three called themselves “The Witches’ Brew.”
More than an adventure, the novel became a way for Miller to process grief and honor loved ones who have passed away, including her father, stepmother, aunt, and late cousin Dr. Chandra Tier Miller, a Ph.D. chemist. Her father’s impact on the neighborhood was honored with the naming of the Walter Miller Memorial Garden on 119th Street.
“A lot of the characters in the book have passed on,” Miller shared. “It helped me grieve them by giving them life on the page, and it helped me honor them. It also gives the world a different view of a Black child’s life.”
Though Miller now lives in Atlanta, she still maintains her family home on 119th Street. With nearly 300 copies sold in its first month and two sequels in the works, she hopes her journey inspires others to embrace their creativity.
“Don’t be afraid,” Miller said.
“People are afraid of failing, but failure is not doing anything at all. We’re always saying Black Girl Magic; how about I make the Black girls really magical?”
To purchase a copy of Miller’s book, visit Amazon Kindle.
