Intimate Conversation with Angeline M.
Bishop
Angeline M. Bishop writes contemporary New Adult and romance fiction and has a growing fan base. Her novels are thought provoking and refreshingly entertaining.
Angeline is the Vice President of the Cultural, Interracial, and Multicultural Special Interest Chapter of Romance Writers of America and enjoys helping authors strengthen their craft. She co-hosts the AMB Talk Radio podcasts with her pop-culture loving, college-aged daughter. And she’s the founder of the AMB Ovation Awards (The Angie) which provides honor and recognition of authors’ outstanding achievements in the multicultural romance literary profession.
BPM: How did you get to be where you are in your life today? Who or what motivated you?
AMB: It would have to be by the grace of God. He placed the right people in my life at the right time to me motivated to achieve my goals. I was very fortunate to have wonderful mentors and teachers in my life when I didn’t have that support in my immediate household.
If I had to list a few people that pushed me to achieve my goals they would be my grandfather, my daughters, and some important life teachers that came into my life in various times.
BPM: Who does your body of literary work speak to? Do you consider authors as role models?
AMB: I’m at the beginning of my literary career and I hope to create stories that speak to readers that want to be entertained. My contemporary romances are for adult readers but my Inspirational New Adult novels are for everyone.
As for authors as role models… yes, I can see how someone would want to emulate an author they admire. But if there is someone out there that wanted to be like me, I’d have to remind them I’m not perfect and have never professed to be.
I have no problem sharing what I’ve learned along the writer’s path but I also understand each of us are on our own journeys. What works for me, might not work for you but if you wish to give it a try I say ‘Go for it!’
BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book? Why now?
AMB: The Jacmuir series is a long time in the making. If I look over my life the seeds of this series were planted in me when I was a young girl fascinated with knights, brotherhood, loyalty, and family. Back then, when I read books or watched movies about knights they were never men of color and yet Black and Latino young men gravitate toward that symbol of chivalry and loyalty.
This series highlights a strong need for young people to get back to the basics. Strong friendships aren’t formed over a wall post or a tweet, the come from sharing life experiences. And although men and women mature physically and become more capable in their practical lives, many can fail to achieve emotional maturity.
BPM: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
AMB: I enjoyed the characters’ journeys and the insight into their friendships. It was also a lot of fun to see adults through their eyes.
BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot-driven or character-driven? Why?
AMB: I’m a plotter to a fault. Have you seen Oastomin, Alikon, and Maia’s character bios on my website? You would think I’m ready to cast the movie roles. (Grins) When I fail to plot out a book I can easily drift back into stereotypical, one-dimensional characters.
As for where do I get my book ideas, they are born from my author tagline “Our Love Stories, Our Community, Our Connections".
BPM: Could you tell us something about your most recent work? Is this book available on Nook and Kindle?
AMB: JACMUIR (Book One) touches on brotherhood, betrayal, honesty, secrets, narcissism, and presenting your authentic self to others. Readers will understand that although men and women mature physically and become more capable in their practical lives, many fail to achieve emotional maturity. Yes, it’s available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, Smashwords and iBooks
BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters or speakers. What makes each one so special?
AMB: Okay, here’s the condensed version of the three highlighted on the cover of book one. Oastomin, a university freshman and the newest Crimson Knight, is trying to follow in his father’s footsteps. He wrestles to understand the complexity of ruling a kingdom while keeping his moral compass intact.
Maia, the daughter of a neighboring monarch, has a daily habit of pushing the “gray” boundary between right and wrong. Her parents are determined to protect their kingdom by getting Maia betrothed to Oastomin to seal their alliance. Maia is determined to prove she can defend Shelene another way.
And Alikon, the oldest Crimson Knight, is a disenchanted loner with no family ties. He’s a loyal Crimson Knights but he’s strangely fascinated with Maia and finds himself wondering if pursing her breaking the sacred bond of the knight brotherhood.
BPM: Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured in your book? If so, discuss them.
AMB: Book one deals with betrayal. If you’ve ever been betrayed and wished for friends that would have your back when your world fell apart, then this novel is for you.
BPM: How does your book relate to your present situation, spiritual practice or journey?
AMB: I’ve had my fair share of betrayals and difficulties and I’m fortunate that I have Rev. Dr. DeForest B. Soaries as a spiritual shepherd to help me right my spiritual compass. The Jacmuir series is beginning to prompt many conversations about parental expectations and how young people gain more autonomy.
There is also a strong inner journey aspect to the youth featured in the novel. It’s my hope that the readers will be able see how these characters’ choices mature them over the course of the series.
BPM: Did you learn anything personal from writing your book?
AMB: Being a teenager is hard but being the parent of a teenager may be even harder. Any parent of an adolescent knows the pain of being rejected or artfully critiqued by their teenager. But being pushed away is only the half of it. Raising teenagers that have a hunger for freedom and independence is down right agonizing. The young characters focuses on the inner turmoil of young people struggling to find their own voice as they test their friendships.
BPM: Can you share some stories about people you met while researching this book?
AMB: I’ve talked to many college students while researching the Jacmuir series and the underlying themes of those conversations will be revealed in each book. I enjoyed learning the lengths the youth go to to be completely different from their parents and yet they secretly long to make them proud at the same time.
BPM: What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
AMB: JACMUIR: TRUST STAINED LIES was inspired by answering the youth’s demand for more stories featuring multicultural characters transitioning into adults.
The young characters are forced to challenge their belief systems and deal with the fundamental core tenets of trust and loyalty within modern monarchies. I think I’ve achieved the goals I wanted to reach with this first book. It sets up the series well.
BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
AMB: I’m currently working on Jacmuir, Book Two and another installment to the Sheridan series.
BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
AMB: Readers can find me at: http://www.angelinembishop.com
Twitter – https://twitter.com/ambishop1
Instagram – http://instagram.com/angelinembishop#
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/angeline.bishop
Google+ – https://plus.google.com/108093223816799786481/posts
Purchase Jacmuir: Trust Stained Lies by Angeline M. Bishop
Inspirational Multicultural New Adult Fiction
Link: http://amzn.com/B00S5U8O32
