Also a singer, writer, and producer. Producing a short film based on her children's book "Pretty Bun". Vocalist on Blackalicious records "Nia" and "Blazing Arrow". BFA Theatre, Howard University; Masters, Loyola Marymount University.Anova is a middle name. Father was an astronomy enthusiast. A nova is a binary star -- a cataclysmic nuclear explosion of two stars that causes a sudden brightening. It appears to be one, but is actually two that have collided.