Intimate Conversation with Joan Early

Intimate Conversation with Joan Early

Following a lengthy career in Mortgage Banking and Mortgage Law, Joan Early focused on the love of books she developed as a child, both reading and writing. Her first writing effort won first place in Ebony Magazine’s literary contest, and enriched her desire to pen her thoughts. She continued writing historical fiction and stories based partly on stories told by her ancestors, but changed to contemporary romance. Sara’s Reward, NightSweats, Heartstrings, A Tangled Web are available in eBook, as are her first novels, Look Both Ways, Fireflies, Oak Bluffs, Friends in Need, and Separate Dreams.

Joan’s latest novel, The Other Two-Fifths, is a walk back in time, and chronicles events that led to the formation of the NAACP. It also features events taken from her early life in Mississippi, where Joan affirms learning “the best and the worst” of what we can expect from others. Joan continues writing both genres, while enjoying her husband and family, traveling, and her current career in Real Estate. Joan and husband Dale currently reside in the Beaumont, Texas area, while also maintaining a home in Houston.

BPM: Tell us something about your most recent work.  Is this book available on Nook and Kindle?
Joan: The Other Two-Fifths is a story I began writing over ten years ago that details events of the past, which now seem glaring relevant with the strong focus on race relations. The book is available in paperback and eBook at bookstores, from the publisher, Argus Books, and on amazon.com.

BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters or speakers. What makes each one so special? 
Joan: Characters in the early part of the story were taken from tapestries of my early life, and show the depths to which many will go when they feel threatened. The also show how both love and hatred motivate our actions. The characters working voter registration drives typifies college age blacks in 1969, recent Vietnam veterans who returned to a world that didn’t embrace their sacrifice. The character of Tuck, the young white freedom rider, is taken from a young man I had the pleasure of meeting in Mississippi in 1968, who wanted to be involved. Both the protagonist and the heroes, the good and the bad are part of life. The two young women, Darlene and Camille, are patterned after myself and my “road-dog” back in my early life. We wanted to be change the world, fall in love, and do everything young adults seek on the way to happiness.

BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book? Why now?
Joan: I began the story in 1969, which was one of the most signifiant years of my life, and my last year living in Mississippi. I wanted to leave a piece of our journey, as the sacrifices and risks many took to bring about a change. When Senator Obama announced his presidential candidacy in Springfield, Illinois, I revised the beginning to reflect a race riot in Springfield 100 years before Senator Obama’s historical announcement. The events of which were a springboard for the NAACP.

BPM: What did you enjoy most about writing this book? 
Joan: I enjoyed reflecting on the past and following the progress this country has made toward equality, as well as the strides needed to make the playing field even.

BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot-driven or character-driven? Why? 
Joan: My ideas are taken from current events, historical occurrences, and even vacation trips to places of inspiration, such as Martha’s Vineyard, my inspiration for Oak Bluffs. My stories are driven by characters more than plot, as I do not work from an outline. I try and create memorable characters who will remain in the reader’s hearts long after the book is read. It’s the job of those characters to move the story along. I have, from time to time, totally changed the natural progression of characters and placed them on another path as the story takes shape.

BPM: Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured in your book? If so, discuss them. 
Joan: The story is mainly about the struggle for equality that was and still is an uphill battle for minorities, especially those of African descent. It also shows how the immigrants who settled America after slaughtering the natives who dwelt here, created exactly what most of them were running from, religious persecution, and unfair practices of the ruling class. Here in America, the mostly European settlers became the ruling class, using slave labor to achieve wealth and status.

BPM: How does your book relate to your present situation or journey? 
Joan: The story relates to present struggles for racial equality that will determine this country’s future. Much has changed for me, and for all Americans. The changes I outlined for my life have been fruitful and greatly rewarding, which I owe, in part, to the wonderful teachers who instilled a strong thirst for knowledge. I was also told that any education taken only from classroom experience alone is not enough, so I read everything I could get my hands on back then. Reading, learning, knowing more than what’s encased in your immediate sphere and focusing on the world as a whole.

BPM: Did you learn anything personal from writing your book? 
Joan: I learned a lot from my research and how the past had helped shape my thoughts, dreams, and my way of life. It also made me more aware of the omissions in our history books, and again, of the necessity to read.

BPM: Can you share some stories about people you met while researching this book? 
Joan: I met a very accomplished and interesting journalist whose relentless coverage of a murder in my hometown of Woodville, Mississippi made me shudder.

BPM: What were your goals and intentions in writing this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them? 
Joan: My goal in writing The Other Two-Fifths was to showcase the efforts that have been made for the freedoms we now enjoy. Our youth is severely lacking in understanding of our culture and the sacrifices made for the advancements we now see. My continued goal is to speak to the curiosity of those who could benefit from knowing these facts.

BPM: What projects are you working on at the present? 
Joan: I usually work on more than one book, either completing or editing. I have several I would like to have published, and I’m also working on the sequel to The Other Two-fifths.

BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work? 
Joan: Connect with me on Facebook and my Facebook page, Joan’sBookNook. Visit my website www.joanearly.net, leave a message at www.joanearlybooks.com, follow me on https://twitter.com/JoanJEarly, Google and LinkedIn.

In addition to all book stores and the publisher at www.a-argusbooks.com, The Other Two-Fifths is available on Amazon, along with my other books at:  https://www.amazon.com/Joan-Early/e/B004HNCQ0I 

The Other Two-Fifths by Joan Early:  Link: http://a.co/6Vsqk4f 

 

Intimate Conversation with Kaitlyn McKnight

Intimate Conversation with Kaitlyn McKnight

Mississippi Teen Author Kaitlyn McKnight is a writer of fictional, fantasy, and science fiction stories. She wrote Zodiac Saga at age twelve. It all started as a class assignment that grew into a book. She is an idiosyncratic writer with a vivid imagination to create stories that are unique with magic, mystery, and even some malevolence. Giving life to anomalous characters is a special trait in Zodiac Saga. In her free time, she plays the piano, guitar, and violin. Sunshine and green grass draws her outside for long hours and she still enjoys playing in the rain. Kaitlyn is a homeschool graduate and a freshman at The University of Southern Mississippi.

BPM: Tell us about your most recent work? Is this book available on Nook and Kindle?
Zodiac Saga 1 is my first book written at 12-years-old. There are two sequels to follow. It is only available in print.

BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters or speakers. What makes each one so special? 
The main character, Cyrus O’Hara, is a 12-year-old little boy who believes in magic and Zodiac gods. Because of this belief, he is called the zodiac kid and bullied daily at school. Other characters include: his brother Peter the great, the fearless Sofia, Witch Greta and her crystal ball, the frightening metal beast Azznic, Snake-y Von Tomb the keeper of evil doers, Gertrude and Garner workers for the Afterlife, the alluring daughter of Virgo, Mercy and her magical cat, and the bully himself, the ghoulish Judas. And of course, the Zodian gods who are also known as the Elders of Zodia, and the Sacred Twelve. They are the keepers of the universe.

BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book? Why now?
Well, I didn’t set out to write a book originally. I was given a class assignment to write a short two-page creative story. I liked the idea of Zodiac signs. The ideas just kept coming, and I continued to write them down into the story. And voila, it turned into my first book.

BPM: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Just being able to write anything from my imagination was great. I didn’t have to do real research. I just used my imagination. I was limitless in what the Zodiac gods could do and be like. When it’s from my imagination, anything is possible.

BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot-driven or character-driven? 
I am not really driven by a specific plot. I like magic and mystery. So, it’s just whatever pops into my mind.

BPM: Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured in your book? If so, discuss them.
I guess I could say maybe Cyrus, because there is a serious bullying problem in many schools. And the book redefines how we decide who our friends are and who our family really is.

BPM: How does your book relate to your present situation, education, spiritual practice or journey?
Well, I like to travel and I believe in a higher power. So I have that in common with the book.

BPM: Did you learn anything personal from writing your book?
Oh, yes, the most important lesson was edit, edit, edit, edit, and edit some more. I also learned that the original material may not always be in the end result.

BPM: Can you share some stories about people you met while researching this book?
I didn’t do research per se for Zodiac Saga. As for people, I guess Cyrus is based from myself rather than someone I knew or met. We were both twelve and like magic.

BPM: What were your goals and intentions in writing this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
My original goal was just to complete my class assignment. Needless to say, I went above and beyond the required two pages. So I was pretty happy.

BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
I am getting Zodiac Saga 2 ready for print. I have gotten a lot of questions for what happens next at the end of Zodiac Saga 1. So I am working hard in my spare time, but my focus is mostly on my classes at USM.

BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work? 
Just go to my websites, and you can find new stuff and contact me directly from the websites. www.kaitlynmcknight.com  and  www.zodiacsaga.com

 

Intimate Conversation with RM Johnson

Intimate Conversation with RM Johnson

RM Johnson is the award-wining, bestselling author of 23 books. He holds an MFA in creative writing. He is a professor of English and Creative Writing and lives in Atlanta, GA where he is at work on his next novel.

BPM: Could you tell us something about your most recent work? Is this book available on Nook and Kindle?
RM Johnson: My new novel: The Million Dollar Destiny is available on both Amazon.com and BN.com and through direct order from Createspace.com. The Million Dollar Destiny is the final installment in my bestselling, The Million Dollar series, which includes the novels: The Million Dollar Divorce, The Million Dollar Deception and The Million Dollar Demise.

BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters or speakers. What makes each one so special?
RM Johnson: Nate Kenny is a millionaire and man who will go to any length, illegally, immorally or otherwise to get what he wants. In this installment, his newly remarried wife, Monica Kenny tries to turn the tables on Nate, attempts to plot and connive as he so brilliantly does, but finds, nearly at the loss of everything she loves, that she is not the master manipulator she thought she was.

BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book? Why now?
RM Johnson: The Million Dollar Destiny was a long time coming. Deceit and Devotion, which is a related book in the series, was released way back in 2011. I was looking forward to seeing what was going on with Nate and Monica Kenny, Lewis Waters, Tori Thomas and the rest of the Million Dollar characters. I also wanted to give my readers the satisfaction in knowing how their narratives end.

BPM: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
RM Johnson: Wrapping it up, I believe. I started writing the first novel in this series in 2002 or 2003. I love these folks, and I’ve enjoyed seeing how they changed, matured and how life has affected them. I’m happy they are all going off to a better place.

BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot-driven or character-driven? Why?
RM Johnson: I write both styles of books: plot and character driven novels. My ideas come from everywhere. If the story is interesting to me, and I believe my readers will find it as enjoyable, I’ll definitely write it!

BPM: Did you learn anything personal from writing your book?
RM Johnson: Writing the novel is always a learning opportunity for me. I’ve been doing this professionally for 19 years: this is my 23 book. I learn more about myself, improve as a writer and novelist each time I go through the tortuous process of creating another work of fiction. If there is nothing else I learn during that process, I am reminded that writing is what I love.

BPM: What were your goals and intentions in writing this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
RM Johnson: My goal was to reintroduce my readers to friends they made in this series of books: to update them, to give them an opportunity to care for these people again, worry about them, and watch them grapple with issues that very well could cause them great pain and loss, then be allowed to see how the characters solve those problems—or not—and come out the other side.

BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
RM Johnson: I actually have three projects I’m working on. Two are novels ideas, I’m very excited about, neither of which I can mention for top secret, special reasons. I say that jokingly. And the last, which I believe I’ll start today, is a one-man stage performance based on my novel, My Wife’s Baby.

BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work? 
Visit me at:  https://www.facebook.com/rmnovels
Or follow me on Twitter at:  https://twitter.com/marcusarts

 

Intimate Conversation with Ally Fleming

Intimate Conversation with Ally Fleming

Ally Fleming’s world is one where the imagination is fueled by the suspense of fiction, the allure of romance, the depravity of villains and the potency of those who oppose them. Her work is influenced by an infatuation with powerful heroes, irresistible heroines, gritty story-lines, intriguing villains and the heat those forces generate.

She’s an award-winning author, with over 14 years in the business. Her writing creds span the historical and contemporary romance genres as well as contemporary and paranormal YA. She also dabbles in erotica. Ally Fleming is her pen-name for interracial (BWWM) suspense fiction. She’s more widely known as AlTonya Washington. Visit Ally Fleming's Website

BPM: Could you tell us something about your most recent work? Is this book available on Nook and Kindle? 
My most recent work is entitled “Intoxicated” and readers can find it on the Kindle and Nook platforms as well as a host of others. It’s an Interracial (BWWM) romantic suspense piece that features a couple who meet under seemingly normal circumstances but come to discover that their worlds are far more intimately connected than either of them can imagine. For our heroine Etienne Shaw, it’s a connection that’s she’s not at all comfortable with.

BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters or speakers. What makes each one so special? 
The main characters are our hero Mercuri Nikolaides and our heroine Etienne (Tee) Shaw. I just had the best time creating this couple and their backstories. ‘Special’ is such a tame word to use when I describe them, I guess because they struck such a chord with me from the moment I envisioned them, their circumstances and what it would take for them to be together. I suppose if I had to pick the most special thing about Mercuri (aside from the fact that he’s to-die-for gorgeous), it would be the level of devotion he has for those he loves. At the onset of the story, that devotion only extends to his 4 best friends, but eventually comes to include Tee in a really powerful way.

As for Tee, readers immediately see that she’s a very small person physically. That was an aspect I enjoyed playing around with especially since Mercuri is-as the subtitle states- a giant, at 6’7 and well over 260lbs. Tee’s a really little thing, but you quickly see that she’s a force. It’s Tee who initiates the actions that set the stage for our story. She’s the last person you’d expect to do what she does to avenge what she’s perceived to be an injustice. I loved taking someone who would otherwise be underestimated and making them the most dynamic person in the book.

BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book? Why now?
As I state in the reader letter at the end of the work, I was in the process of getting ideas together for another project when this one just hit me. As I stated earlier, it’s an interracial romance and writing one of these has always appealed to me. Given that, when this idea came to mind and I knew that I wanted it to be an IR Suspense title it just seemed like the perfect time to get started on it. I’m not sure why this time was any different from any other time especially since I’ve crafted IR couples before. (Kraven DeBurgh and Darby Ellis in Lover’s Allure and A Lover’s Sin.) The fact that the desire to do this story hit again and so powerfully, just made me push everything else aside and dive in. So that my readers will know that it’s an interracial romance, I’m writing under a new pen name- Ally Fleming.

BPM: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I enjoyed so much, but I suppose it’s the sense of freedom I experienced. Aside from wanting to write an IR title, I also wanted to try my hand at a new series that could be read as a standalone. “Intoxicated” is the first of 4 and it was so freeing to be crafting new circumstances, new drama, new couples. In a sense, starting with a clean slate. I just completed the Ramsey Tesano series which has run for about 10 years. I’ve enjoyed every moment of crafting that saga, but it took a lot out of me. It was great to move into new territory.

BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot-driven or character-driven? Why?
My ideas come from so many places. Something as ordinary as a couple walking down the street can and has sparked inspiration. I’ve even gotten ideas simply from hearing (or coming up with) a new name and have been inspired to craft a story about the sort of person who might have a name like that. I would say my books are character-driven. Some might argue they seem plot-driven, but for me it’s the characters who drive the majority of how the plot is crafted. I’ve had chapters outlined just the way I wanted them, but once I actually wrote up to that point, things changed. The way I’ve imagined a plot usually doesn’t play out that way once the characters have come alive for me during the writing.

BPM: Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured in your book? If so, discuss them.
Yeah…for this one, yes. I often say that I don’t attempt to give a lesson in my stories. If that happens, it’s not intentional. When I sit down to write, I just want to tell a story. For “Intoxicated”, yes the events that take place do fix on underrepresented groups and themes. For Tee and her friends, they are four young women who make a decision out of desperation. Financial distress can bring about a lot of bad decisions that only make the problem worse. In this book a very bad decision is based on a need for money. The girls get drawn into a situation and, for a night, are labeled as something no woman wants to be labeled as. We tend to look down on such women, without ever knowing their motivations. We simply label these women as trash and keep moving.

On the flip side, Mercuri and his friends are attempting to distance themselves from an organization that raised them to be mercenaries. Here, we see these men who were taken as children with no one to fight for them and no way to fight for themselves. Once they are free, they don’t look back. Eventually, circumstances become such that they have to look back and finish what they started by destroying the organization they’ve killed for.

BPM: How does your book relate to your present situation, spiritual practice or journey?
Well I’m a single mom and that’s tough especially when you’re doing it on your own. I’m a librarian and an author and many times I find myself in situations where my finances can be called into question. While writing this story I couldn’t help but wonder what my reaction would be to someone offering me a ‘bail-out’ like the one Tee and her friends received.

BPM: Did you learn anything personal from writing your book? 
I think it’s more accurate for me to say I reacquainted myself with things I already knew instead of learning new things. We all know you can’t judge a book by its cover and Tee blew that misconception right out of the water. If I learned anything, it was how to craft a total bad-ass out of the most unlikely character.

BPM: Can you share some stories about people you met while researching this book?
Oh this answer is so easy. I met no one while writing or researching this book! I was in my cave the entire time.


BPM: What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them? 
I can say with a resounding yes, that I achieved my goals and realized my intentions with “Intoxicated”. I wanted to craft an IR Suspense title that wasn’t focused on the fact that this was a story about a white man and black woman falling in love, but of a man and woman falling in love amid a slew of villains and dangerous circumstances and oh, by the way, he happens to be white and she happens to be black. I didn’t want their race to be the overarching theme so much as the themes of desperation, revenge, desire and love that shape the storyline. Additionally, I wanted to craft a story that could be part of a series and also act as a standalone. I believe that effort was realized as well.

BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
So right now, I’m working on another story that kicked me in the gut out of nowhere. This has been happening a lot lately and I’m running with it. This is slated to be an African American contemporary romance, but the storyline holds historical significance. The heroes and heroines of this trilogy will face a dark truth about the history of the island outside of Charleston that their families settled (or were given to settle) prior to the Civil War. The revelations they will uncover stretch into the present. They shed light; on not only the history of the island, but the truth behind what brought an end to their personal relationships before they had the chance to really begin. I’m looking at a Christmas release for the work tentatively titled “Tradition.”


BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work? 
My readers can find me mostly anywhere! Below are my social media links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ramseysgirl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/altonyaw
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/novelally/ 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/337210.AlTonya_Washington

Intimate Conversation with Leron Young

Intimate Conversation with Leron Young

Leron Young moved to Washington, DC with his mother from South Carolina when he was six years old. His mother gave him a guitar when he was eight years old and he taught himself how to play it. Later in life he met a singing group called the Unifics at Howard University and started performing with them during the late sixties and early seventies. He also played guitar with the Five Stairsteps and Luther Ingram at Stax Records.

Leron studied electronics at a vocational high school in Washington, DC and studied electrical engineering in college. He worked as an engineer in corporate America, servicing CAT scanners and MRI machines in the medical field.

After starting his own business in1989, Leron mentored young musicians for the next twenty-six years. Music is his first love, but he saw a need to encourage better health and wellness in his community. He wrote his first book, “How Is My T.E.D.D.Y. ” Asking the question "How is My Teddy"? will help readers stay focused on the important things in life. T.E.D.D.Y. Is a tool used to help develop a life of joy, good health, and well-being. The Teddified brand is catching on with people seeking a path to wholeness.

In August, 2016, a new compilation CD of Leron’s best smooth jazz, blues guitar and inspirational instrumentals was released on CD Baby. The music can be downloaded from CD Baby here: http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/Laron. His books are listed on Amazon.

BPM: Can you share a little about your life in the music industry with us?
I started player guitar professionally with a local group called the Unifics back in the late sixties. They had two national records called “Court of Love” and “ The Beginning of my End”. I was able to perform with many artist at that time with the Unifics. Artist such as James Brown, Gladys Night and the Pips, The Delfonics, David Rufin of the Temptations, Kool and the Gang, Roberta Flack, The Stylistics, The Isley Brothers and many more. While touring with the Unifics I got to meet and became friendly with another group called “The Five Stairsteps”. I eventually became a part of their organization for a short while. They had a popular record out during that time called “Oo Child”.

Later during my career I got another opportunity to play guitar for Stax Records. I was performing with the artist name Luther Ingram who was with Stax Records. He had a hit record at that time called “If loving you is wrong, I don’t want to be right”. I’m in the movie called Watts Stax that was filmed in 1972 at the LA Stadium. I was playing guitar with Luther Ingram. Isaac Hays, The Bar Kays, The Staple Singers, The emotions, Rufus Thomas, Richard Pryor and others were in the movie.

I became dissatisfied with the traveling and the lifestyle in the entertainment field and decided to come back home to Washington DC. I wanted to raise a family and not be on the road as much. When I returned to Washington DC I recorded on an album with Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers. Chuck and I had been friends for a while. Chucks Producer at that time was a person name James Purdie. James asked me to go in the studio with them to record the album “Bustin Loose” in which I did. After recording the album I went back in the field of Electronics. I worked as a technician, CT & MRI System Specialist in Corporate America and eventually started my own business.

BPM: Introduce us to your book. Share any pertinent details about the development of this book.
The book grew out of my wanting to change some of my habits that were not serving me well or getting me the results I wanted and needed in order to be happy and successful. I got the idea for Teddy while attending a conference in Orlando Florida. After the conference, I was in my hotel room resting, reading and reflecting. The idea came to my mind, what question could I ask myself, the answers for which would give me directions for improving my quality of life. What question could do the same for others. The acronym teddy came to mind, and the question “How is my Teddy” was born. Following the acronym Teddy, the meaning of each letter manifested. T standing for thinking, E represent eating and exercising, D stands for drinking plenty of water, D represent doing what brings you joy and Y stands you loving you.

BPM: Our life experiences, challenges and success help define who we are on a personal and professional level. At what point in your career did you discover your real worth and own it?
I discovered my real worth when I was working as a System Specialist Engineer with Corporate America. I realized then what I didn’t want any more in my life. I was thankful for the opportunity to learn CT and MRI in Corporate America, but I wanted now to apply that knowledge in my own business. I wanted to use my musical ability along with the technology that I learned in Corporate America. I felt that my calling now was to use all that I had learned up to that point.

BPM: How can one live authentic life, true to self, personally and professionally?
It starts by paying more attention to yourself. Pay attention to your thoughts and your awareness of your thoughts. Focus on what’s bringing you joy and not the things that are giving you unpleasant emotions. Start trusting in God and yourself. Realize what your gifts are and start using and develop them to a higher level. Everyone have a book within them. Find that book that is within and write it. It will benefit the writer and possibly many others. You will become authentic.

BPM: Do does your book impact black men and people with chronic illnesses?
Many of my Black brothers have low self-esteem and we use food as one of the things to satisfy the craving that we have to empower ourselves. Unfortunately the food is doing more damage than it is helping us. We are eating the wrong kinds of food. A lot of the foods we eat are acidic and cause lots of different diseases to manifest in our bodies. We need to eat more foods that are alkaline. Diseases can’t live in an alkaline environment. By reading this book and applying all of its principals will give black men and people with chronic illnesses the opportunity to experience self-awareness and unlock the power of their mind, body and spirit. My book Teddy gives them a tool that can be used to reverse some of their illnesses by positive thinking, eating the right foods, getting more exercise, drinking plenty of water and staying focused on what brings them joy.

BPM: What advice would you give a new business owner?
Chose a business that will utilize their gifts. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Ask many questions about the business you want to pursue. Get advice from those who maybe in the same business. There are many resources on the internet. Develop the skills needed to run the business and surround yourself with talented people and don’t be afraid to let an employee go if they bring no value to your business, Trust your instinct and don’t be afraid to take chances. Have fun and listen for the directions from God that you should take and have faith that you will succeed following your dream.


Order How is My "T.E.D.D.Y" ? by Leron Young
Kindle Link:  https://amzn.com/B01BTJL6US 

 

Intimate Conversation with Pat C.

Intimate Conversation with Pat C.

Pat C. was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Pat C. is a mother, grandmother, poet, trainer, a certified life coach and now author. Pat C. possesses a natural gift for coaching and encourages all to live and love to the fullest.

BPM: When did you get your first inkling to write, and how did you advance the call for writing?
My first inkling that I was a poet came when I was separated from my second husband. I began to write as if journaling. It kept going in a sporadic sort way and then I came to realize that I possessed talent in poetry writing. I was inspired by my hurt of a broken marriage, as well as good memories of the marriage. My writings continued over the next 14 years before I published my book and are continuing.

BPM: Tell us about your passion for writing. Why do you write? What drives you?
I love writing because my writings surprise me. They come out of no where, are spiritual inspirations, epiphanies, and emotional, concerning things happening to me or around me. My writings fulfill my need for self-expression. Life experiences with love drive me to write. When I least expect it, I find myself with pen to paper, writing about a situation. I write as long as the words come. I don't change them nor do I rearrange them. I don't use a particular style or form, I just let it flow I know that when the inspiration comes, the words must be written at that moment, because that moment of inspiration cannot be recaptured. I don't work on a poem, I simply write, once and done. I write because I want to be heard and understood concerning my views of love, as I feel that love is the most beautiful thing in life. I am a communicator and writing poetry further enhances that.

BPM: Our life experiences, challenges, and success help define who we are on many levels. At what point in your career did you discover your real worth and own it?
My life struggles with life and love certainly have been a challenge and continues to be. After realizing that people seem to gravitate to me for advise, which is why I am now a certified life coach as well, I wanted to own my challenges by writing a book to encourage people to love and not be afraid to love. And also to let the world know that romantic love is somewhat the same at any age, as it encompasses joy and pain. Real worth was felt after writing each poem and is confirmed when readers, say to me that my words are words they want to express and can now do it!

BPM: Can you share a little of your current work with us? Introduce us to your book and the characters?
My poetry career began as an alternative to keeping a personal diary of the account of my daily emotions. My talent as a poet surprised me at first. I always loved writing and considered myself to be good at it. As time went by, I came to accept that I was a a writer of love & romance.

The contents of my book were inspired by by personal journey. Thus the tile was born: Life & Love: The Journey In Verse. The writings expel the joy and pain of love and shares them with the reader, helping him to relate and evaluate their journey. As the reader takes in the words he may begin to understand things like butterflies do count! You can't have love without them! My words go on to tell of the pain in love and that you can survive and start over again.

Here is a review that sums it up perfectly:
“Life and Love - The Journey in Verse speaks from the heart of the author as she revisits, observes and fantasizes the beauty of love. It immediately becomes apparent that the reader will be personally escorted by verse to observe and to understand the language that only love speaks. The couplets and the tone capture the beauty of the soul, the mindset and compatible lives being joined together in unity by the power of love. The mood has been meticulously established for reading. I was captivated.” - Dr. Claudia Wells Hamilton, Secondary School Principal

BPM: What genre is this book? Do you write all of your books in this commitment? Why?
The genre of my book is poetry. I plan to write a cookbook, as cooking is another a passion of mine. Poetry invokes and summons emotion. Read my book and allow your senses to yield to all that love has to offer life.

BPM: Did you set out to inspire, entertain or illuminate a particular subject?
Yes, love on all counts. I feel that love is the most important thing in life. "And the greatest of these is love." I Corinthians 13:13b)  I want to tell to world to NEVER give up on life and love! You must allow yourself to become more transparent, allowing all the beauty that love has to offer into your life!

BPM: Are any scenes from the book borrowed from your world or personal experiences?
Yes, this book is about many of my personal experiences. You must stand up for love and most of all communicate with your partner all of your feelings. Your best speech may be when you are in pain. Love involves fluffy and real. Experience it all to the good of your life! My book lives it for you and helps to understand and accept who you are!

BPM: What should readers DO after reading this book?
I want readers to love more passionately and gain or regain a zest for life and never be afraid to give love away! Don’t be afraid to tear down the curtain, allow yourself to be seen and to be vulnerable. Let love in! Pursue love and allow yourself to be loved!

BPM: What are some of the benefits of being an author that makes it all worthwhile?
The pleasure of readers expressing that my book helped them through a difficult time and that my words help them to express themselves.

BPM: What are you most thankful for now?
My joy and pain in love helped me to see myself in a better light and to know who I really am. Being happy is essential and it enables you to contribute to the happiness of others.

BPM: Do you have any advice for people seeking to publish a book?
Do you have something to say that people want to read about? If you have a thought or an idea in your head, begin to create a manuscript. Keep a journal near at all times. Research publishers and read their offerings and compare their offerings to your goals. Gather up those small efforts and collectively, they may just equal a bestseller!”

BPM: A legacy is something that is handed down from one time period to another. Finish this sentence; “My writing offers the following legacy to future readers and authors.”:
“My writing offers the following legacy to future readers and authors: To live your life without fear, step out on faith if you truly believe in yourself and what you are writing about. Just close your eyes and jump, I did! For me, when an idea pops into my head, I put pen to paper and it just begins to flow out of me!

BPM: We are here to shine the spotlight on your new book, but what's next? 
Watch for my new book, "Gems of Life & Love," to be released later this year. A cookbook, “Queen’s Soul-Full Gourmet”, is also in the works.

BPM: Please share your social media links with the readers.
Pat C. can be found on social media at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/copperlovely
Her website: http://www.thomaspatricia360.wix.com/patc
Facebook: Pat C, Author - www.facebook/PatCauthor


Life & Love: The Journey In Verse by Pat C. 
“Life and Love - The Journey in Verse speaks from the heart of the author as she revisits, observes and fantasizes the beauty of love. It immediately becomes apparent that the reader will be personally escorted by verse to observe and to understand the language that only love speaks. The couplets and the tone capture the beauty of the soul, the mindset and compatible lives being joined together in unity by the power of love. The mood has been meticulously established for reading. I was captivated.” - Dr. Claudia Wells Hamilton Secondary School Principal

Purchase Life & Love: The Journey In Verse
 

Intimate Conversation with Tumika Patrice Cain

Intimate Conversation with Tumika Patrice Cain

Tumika Patrice Cain is an award-winning author, media personality and publisher whose works centers around uplifting, encouraging and empowering others to live the abundant life. She is also an accomplished poet; founder of the Say What?? Book Club; and host of the internet radio shows Living Abundantly with Tumika Patrice Cain, In The Spotlight, and Say What?? Author Spotlights. 

In addition, she is a respected book reviewer and columnist for PEN’Ashe Magazine, a contributing writer for BLOG and Belief Magazines, and editor for two smaller publishing companies.

A champion for indie authors, she works tirelessly to level the playing field to bring exposure to those authors who excel at their craft, but whose marketing budgets are limited. Inkscriptions, her publishing company, offers a myriad of book publishing services. Living by the motto of each one reach one, each one teach one, Tumika shares her passion for purpose and for life with all who cross her path.

She is the 2013 recipient of a Spoken Word Billboard award for her debut novel, Season of Change (December 2012), a novel that has since been picked up by Shan Presents and will be re-released as When a Man Loves a Woman – A Season of Change in December, 2015. To her publishing credit, she is also the author of After the Rain…a Poetry Collective (March, 2014) and The Heart of a Woman (August, 2015). Tumika’s works have been published in numerous magazines, anthologies, newsletters and periodicals.


BPM: When did you get your first inkling to write, and how did you advance the call for writing?
I was an early reader, so the love of words was already there. A classroom assignment when I was in the second grade would become my raison d’etre. I found my reason for being early on. The teacher introduced poetry and gave us the opportunity to write a poem. I loved how the words came together and that feeling the completed work gave me. The seed had been planted and I continued to write. Growing up in turmoil and being very shy, writing gave me a voice when I felt voiceless. For many years I didn’t know that I had any talent, I only knew that I liked to write. By the time I was in junior high, I had started to receive recognition for my work and in high school I started winning awards. It wasn’t until I wrote my first novel while in my early twenties, which many years later became When a Man Loves a Woman: A Season of Change, that I decided I wanted to do something professionally with the gift. Combining my love of writing with my passion for empowering others seemed the ideal solution.

BPM: Tell us about your passion for writing. Why do you write? What drives you?
Through my writing I am able to give a voice to the voiceless, to shine a ray of hope for someone who has lost their hope. Even through fiction, lives can be changed. I write to empower others. I write to free myself. I write to free others. I write because I have something to say. I write because others have something to say and many have yet to find their own voice, so I tell their stories. I write to uplift. And I write to impart the message that with each new day, we can have a fresh start. We can decide in this moment to start living authentic, abundant lives. Writing gives me wings. My tag is Changing lives one word at a time…. It’s more than just a quote, it’s a lifestyle. It’s not just what I do, it’s who I am.

BPM: What hurdles, if any, did you have to overcome as a new author and business owner?
When I first wrote the novel and tried to get it published almost twenty years ago, the market was very different and there wasn’t really a place for me. I put the book up for quite a few years knowing that eventually it would be published. Around 2011 I started getting the “feeling” to pull it back out and look into publishing it again. While I had done my research years before, lots had changed that I had not kept up with. When someone that I knew started a publishing company, I just went with it. Since it was a vanity press, once she received her money, her commitment to me was done. I learned very quickly that in choosing to work with people on your vision; your dream, it’s important to connect with those who are as concerned about your success as they are their own. Many services that had been provided were only marginally done and I had to pay out of pocket to have things redone. It was stressful and very frustrating. 

However, the silver lining is that out of that experience was birthed Inkscriptions, my publishing company, and Say What?? Book Club. Being a solution-focused person, I was able to put systems and programs in place to streamline and improve the process for other writers. In the end the challenges I experienced turned out to be a tremendous blessing.

BPM: Success leaves clues, whose clues did you follow on your journey?
I read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings when I was in elementary school. Maya Angelou had a way with words that didn’t just tell me that what I had to say was important, her words told me that who I am is important. Through her writings, I felt encouraged to share my sacred truth, and to keep writing that truth. Through her writings, I learned that I had a voice worth hearing.

My paternal grandmother was also a woman who used her words with power. She was classy and elegant and could put you in your place without raising her voice, swearing or belittling. I saw her write to corporate heads when products and services she’d spent money on left her displeased….and change would come as a result of her expressing herself. That was very powerful and had a lasting impact.

When the literary market began to change about twenty years ago, the writings of authors like Beverly Jenkins, Pearl Cleage and Terry McMillan gave me hope that my works could also be in print. I am thankful for reach one and how their lives have impacted my own.

BPM: Can you share a little of your current work with us? Introduce us to your book and the characters.
In When a Man Loves a Woman: A Season of Change (book one in the When a Man Loves a Woman series), readers meet Avery and Alicia Ayers. They are a couple who appear to have the perfect life. To their credit they are attractive, wealthy, successful, and esteemed. It’s a life anyone would want. However, what others can’t see are the cracks that exist in their persons and in their relationship. They’ve built an amazing life on a shallow foundation. Each must face themselves and determine if the life they are living is true, is healthy, is empowering and decide where to go from there.

This award-winning, full length, standalone novel is a gripping tale in women’s contemporary fiction that will make readers think, feel, celebrate love when it’s beautiful and right, and reflect on its demise when it’s not.

BPM: What should readers DO after reading this book?
I would encourage readers to stop for a moment and reflect. Think about which scenes in the book left a lasting impact and why. I would tell them to reflect on the areas of their lives where they have not been living their truth and make a decision to live authentically from that point forward. Life is short and to spend it unfulfilled is a great travesty. If the book struck a chord and they felt a sense of connection to it, I’d encourage them to share information about the book so others can purchase it. And of course, I’d ask that they leave a review on Amazon so I can know what they thought about it – good or bad.

BPM: What are you the most thankful for now?
I am thankful for Shan Richardson seeing potential in my work, enough where she signed me to a three (3) book deal. Working with her has been a great blessing. We are able to share ideas and work together as a team. I am thankful to be able to reach a larger platform of readers with my work with her help.

I am also very thankful for my family and handful of people who support me behind the scenes. It takes many hands and lots of effort to get and keep our works in front of the others. I could never do it all on my own, or have gotten as far as I have without them. I am truly grateful.

BPM: Do you have any advice for people seeking to publish a book?
Believe in yourself. Not everything is for everyone, so some people will not buy into your work. That doesn’t mean you can’t write. That person just may not be your audience. Hone your skills, take classes to make sure you are putting out a quality product, learn the business of writing, and keep forging on. At some point you will connect with those who will help make your dream a reality.


BPM: How may our readers follow you online? Please share your social media links.
Email: inkscriptionsllc@ymail.com
Website:  www.TumikaPatrice.com
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TumikaPatrice
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/TumikaPatrice
Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/TumikaPatrice
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/TumikaPatrice
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Tumika-Patrice-Cain-254769847981922

Intimate Conversations with James Lee Nathan III

Intimate Conversations with James Lee Nathan III

James Lee Nathan III (JLN3), is the self-published author of two novels and nine novellas, spanning many speculative fiction sub-genres.  JLN3 is best known for his scifi erotic crime drama series Robert Manis and No Brakes, both of which are bestsellers on the leanpub author platform. His latest works,CRIME-PHYTER, and Ibrahim Unites, introduce readers to hisNext Level Fiction experience. James is also the #1 bestselling author of erotic crime dramas on leanpub.com.

James is a retired US Air Force veteran, and currently works as a senior systems integrator for a large telecommunications corporation.

BPM: How did you get to be where you are in your life today? Who or what motivated you?
To answer your first question, more than one person has prayed for me throughout my life. I guess that is how we all survive or perish in this world, through the love, grace, and mercy of others. My motivations have always been to improve upon my family name, and to live a life worthy of remembering. I never sought glory only respect and appreciation.

BPM: Who does your body of literary work speak to? Do you consider authors as role models?
I write in three specific genres, and sometimes all in one. My stories are what they are, if one decides they are scifi, urbanfantasy, erotic crime dramas, or suspense thrillers then so be it, but I typically try to tell a good tale that takes the reader on a journey. One in which they ask themselves the very questions I pose in my tales. So if you are of the mind to question the known and seek to understand the unknown, then this is for you. 'Writers as role models' hmmm I think we should expand this construct and say 'Artisans' because I believe that all 'free thinkers' and creators in society, deserve to be recognized for what they bring to our culture. Remember, if you destroy the art, the words, and pictures, you can remove a culture or race from existence.

BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book? Why now?
O-M-GEEE, so this book is the culmination of about five years of effort and wrestling with doubt. Two things are important here; my daughter's inquisitive mind after she read the first unfinished work and asked 'Are there no more Dragon Warriors?' and then being compelled to write a tale of struggles and triumph that restore balance to the universe. But before you can write about balance you must be in balance. Once my life eased into a stable state, the words flowed.

BPM: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
The characters gave me great pleasure. There is a sense of DEPTH to them, even the ancillary ones offer you a sense of complexity.

BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot-driven or character-driven? Why?
I am asked this question often, and I truly cannot narrow it down to any one thing other than I draw stimulation from many sources. There can be an interaction at a grocery store between two people that catches my eye, and I will create a scene, a story, a title out of just that one random thing. So in this regard, I seek out situations for my characters to be in and then write to that.

Each reacts to situations and stimuli differently, however, all are in proper context to the story/plot I am developing. I have actually changed my mind about a quarter way through a novella and moved the protagonist through a series of plot devices to support where I wanted the tale to evolve. All stories have a beginning , middle, and end, but not all stories move you to finish each with lust for the next. So that is what I strive for in my plot, to make you anxious about turning to the next page, or frustrated in how the last chapter ended so you read more and then you're hooked.

BPM: Could you tell us something about your most recent work? Is this book available on Kindle?
Yes my latest book, Ibrahim Unites, is the conclusion to 'Are there no more Dragon Warriors?' however, you do not necessarily need to read the other two books to appreciate this release. It did'nt start off that way, but somewhere around the 100th page, I realized that this was actually a standalone piece. Now there is a large gap in the timeline that I do address in the supplemental bonus chapters called 'Tales of Valor', but readers are all advised to read CRIME-PHYTER for even more backstory (it is a darker tale with some graphic violence and sexual situations, not erotica just a bit more than you will see in Ibrahim). Now Ibrahim Unites is available on ebook (with CRIME-PHYTER as a bonus all three formats for ebooks) and in print through AMAZON, go here.

BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters or speakers. What makes each one so special? 
The three strong tenets that weave their way through the story are INTUITION, Siobhan struggles with reconciling what she knows and what she is feeling, which will cost many lives; HATE and the blood oath of Ibrahim's ancestors still lives and breathes within him. It also infects all it touches; and finally HOPE manifested in Zion Rivers, who must balance hope with faith lest it becomes pretentious in nature.

BPM: How does your book relate to your present situation, spiritual practice or journey?
It speaks to many questions I had early in my life, and how I came to believe in a universal consciousness for all.

BPM: What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them? 
My intentions with Dragon Warriors as a whole was to interject little-known bits of information on historical figures and cultures into the plot and then speculate on if they were indeed aliens. By the time I write Ibrahim, that is still the intention, however, I now have this notion of balance and retribution.

BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
Right now I am storyboarding my next two novellas 'Robert Manis: Kill Something He Loves' and 'Me, Jesus, and the Bodega Murders', both should be out in the Summer and Fall.

BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
Twitter: @nykingmd
Instagram: @nykingmd
Purchase Books:   https://leanpub.com/u/jamesleenathaniii
Facebook Fan Page:  https://www.facebook.com/jameslee.nathaniii
Amazon Page:   http://www.amazon.com/James-Lee-Nathan-III/e/B01DWNFUYM


Ibrahim Unites Print Edition is now available, check it out:
http://www.amazon.com/Ibrahim-Unites-There-Dragon-Warriors/dp/1483566471

 

Intimate Conversation with Tomeekha Pitre

Intimate Conversation with Tomeekha Pitre

Tomeekha is a successful business professional within the corporate world of medical healthcare. She is a zealot for multi-media art and community advocacy for artists.

Tomeekha is the co-owner of Black Cotton, LLC where she is Publisher of literary projects for the Black Cotton Publishing division. Her expertise in business and the arts allows her to enjoy consulting for startup businesses and creative projects.

Her debut novel, Earth’s Quiet Chaos, is a fictional narrative inspired by life experiences. She is spirit-led to share stories that will uplift, empower, educate and inspire individuals to live in the highest version of self.

BPM: Tell us about your passion for writing. Why do you write? What drives you?
TPE: This is an interesting question because it reminds me of a haiku I wrote to address questions about why I paint. It goes like this,

Music is the reason
Painting is my life
I write to tell the story

In the past, I mostly wrote poems and short essays. It wasn’t until the year of 2012 that I acknowledged my passion to tell stories. I love to write. If I’m thinking it, I have a strong need to write it.

What drives me is being of service. I’ve adopted something my husband always says, “We were born of creativity to create.” This statement resonates with me because I strongly feel that we show each other the way by sharing our stories.

BPM: How did you initially break into the publishing industry? Did you ever self-publish?  
TPE: In 2013, my husband and I published our first book. That book is an art photography coffee table book titled, “Black Cotton”. The development and research took so much time and we learned so much that we decided to birth an LLC named after our first published book, Black Cotton LLC. Our business is a media and publishing company. The purpose of our business is to create an opening for independent authors with the intent to (not just publish their book) work side by side. This way the author learns each step of the publishing process. The goal is to provide them with the tools to self-publish their next project and create their own businesses.

BPM: What hurdles, if any, did you have to overcome as a new author and business owner?
TPE: WOW! Let me start with business owner; and I’m going to keep it real because I’m all about sharing lessons learned. Our biggest hurdles were accounting, marketing, sales and promotions. These “lessons learned,” taught us that we couldn’t do everything as well as we thought we could on our own. We had to come real in knowing our skill set, know our weak areas and pay someone with the proven skill to fill our weak areas and trust them to do what they do. The other lesson is there has to be a benefit value for everyone and everything you do and plan for, for the best results.

As an author, my biggest hurdle writing conflict. Oh, my goodness. I was so scared because I know the power of written words. I was scared to write some deadly horrible for a character or have a character get shot or anything. OH MY GOODNESS… I had to get over it. It was the hardest thing as a writer for me to overcome.

BPM: Our life experiences, challenges and success help define who we are on many levels. At what point in your career did you discover your real worth and own it?
TPE: YES! Great question. I’m 42 and I didn’t get this until the age of 37 or 38 and it’s something that I wish I had discovered at 28. We can’t expect others to respect our worth if we don’t own it ourselves. What that means is – I know I’m really good at taking an idea and through the planning, development and implementation phases. So if I’m going to be of service for anyone in this area, I have a minimum and maximum price for my services. Because I’m serious about what I do, putting a price tag on my work will only attract those that are serious about their work and will pay for what they need.

BPM: Success leaves clues, whose clues did you follow on your journey?
TPE: I followed and follow the clues left behind from my ancestors.  However, in 2012 I attended a healing retreat with Queen Afua. After that retreat, the group decided to continue our meet ups via conference call. We were doing the gateway work outlined in Sacred Woman by Queen Afua. The first gateway was: Sacred Words. Within each gateway we’re to create an altar in the spirit of the spiritual guardian and in gateway 1 the Kemetic Spiritual Guardian is Tehuti (The scribe). The altar is to consist of specific artifacts that carry the energy of each gateway. It also calls for adding pictures of ancestors, elders, and contemporaries to follow in their footsteps. So I posted the following pictures on my wall and typed out each of their names under their pictures:

Ancestors: Zora Neale Hurston and Phillis Wheatley
Elders: Sonia Sanchez and Maya Angelou (living at the time)
Contemporaries: Sister Souljah and Edwidge Dandicat

I wasn’t thinking of writing a book of any kind at this point. My purpose in conquering this gateway was to journal every day. Little did I know, that God had another form of journaling in store for me. During gateway 1, is when I began writing the story of Earth’s Quiet Chaos.


BPM: Do you set out to educate or inspire, entertain or illuminate a particular subject? 
TPE: My purpose in displaying any of my gifts is done in the spirit of healing and inspiring others. I used to co-host a poetry venue and one of the things I’d always say is that we learn and heal from each other. Which is why it is a requirement in life for us to share our stories (even those we are ashamed of) and our gifts, because for every person who thinks you or your story or your gift is whack, there is that one that will be healed and inspired to BE. So, with that, I’d say I set out to inspire and heal.

BPM: Did you learn anything personal from writing this book? 
TPE: Although this book is fictional, it was inspired by my relationship with my youngest sister. Writing it was healing for me. It was like I gave birth to something new and refreshing. One of the big things I learned was taking it one step at a time. Don’t rush the process. This was really hard for me because I have a project manager background, so I was stressing and getting overwhelmed when I wasn’t sticking to the timeline. Then a soft voice said, “Why are you rushing? This book isn’t being created for you. Let it take its time and it will be the right time.” I was like, “Yeah. Right on!” So, I learned how to take my time and not rush.

BPM: What was your primary quest in publishing this book? Why now?
TPE: My quest in publishing this book is to make it available for people to read in hopes that it reaches the eyes of those in need of it. Why now? Well, because the book chooses its own time to be released.

BPM: What should readers DO after reading this book?
TPE: Well, after recommending the book and/or purchasing for their friends or family – Pray, meditate, and give thanks for no longer allowing another person’s journey to compromise their own.

BPM: Readers you can follow the author online at the links below.
Tomeekha's website: www.tomeekhapitre.com
FB: TomeekhaPitre
Instagram: Tomeekha
Twitter: @tomeekha

Intimate Conversation with Leonard Pitts, Jr.

Intimate Conversation with Leonard Pitts, Jr.

Leonard Pitts, Jr.  is a nationally syndicated columnist for the Miami Herald and winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for commentary, in addition to many other awards. He is also the author of the novels Freeman (Agate Bolden, 2012) and Before I Forget (Agate Bolden, 2009); the collection Forward From this Moment: Selected Columns, 1994-2009, Daily Triumphs, Tragedies, and Curiosities (Agate Bolden, 2009); and Becoming Dad: Black Men and the Journey to Fatherhood (Agate Bolden, 2006).

Pitts’ work has made him an in-demand lecturer. He maintains a rigorous speaking schedule that has taken him to colleges, civic groups and professional associations all over the country. He has also been invited to teach at a number of prestigious institutions of higher learning, including Hampton University, Ohio University, the University of Maryland and Virginia Commonwealth University. In the fall of 2011, he was a visiting professor at Princeton University, teaching a course in writing about race.

Twice each week, millions of Miami Herald newspaper readers around the country seek out his rich and uncommonly resonant voice. In a word, he connects with them. Nowhere was this demonstrated more forcefully than in the response to his initial column on the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Pitts' column, "We'll Go Forward From This Moment," an angry and defiant open letter to the terrorists, circulated the globe via the Internet. It generated upwards of 30,000 emails, and has since been set to music, reprinted in poster form, read on television by Regis Philbin and quoted by Congressman Richard Gephardt as part of the Democratic Party's weekly radio address.

Born and raised in Southern California, Pitts now lives in suburban Washington, D.C., with his wife and children.

BPM: When did you get your first inkling to write, and how did you advance the call for writing?
People ask all the time: "Why did you decide to be a writer?" It's a question I always struggle with, because I never decided to be a writer. In other words, there was a never a decision process, per se. I knew from the time I was five that this was what I was put here to do. So the goal for the remaining years of my childhood and, indeed, my professional life, was simply about trying to become good at it and then trying to become better. From the time I was young, I liked telling stories, I enjoyed getting reactions. I think all of us are given certain gifts, certain aptitudes, certain things that fit us, that seem to come more easily to us than they do to other people. For me, that was words. In school, I sweated and worked my tail off for "C" I ever got in math. But every "A" I got in English was as easy as pie.

BPM: Mr. Pitts, how did you get started as a writer?
Well, I began to think of myself as a writer from the time I was five years old, which was a good thing, because it gave me a lot of time to be bad at it. I started sending poems and stories to magazines when I was 12 years old, first became published when I was 14, and first got paid for being published when I was 18. I spent the next 18 years working primarily as a music critic for a variety of magazines and radio programs.

I was editor of SOUL, a black entertainment tabloid, did freelance work for such magazines as Spin, Record Review and Right On!, co-created and edited a radio entertainment news magazine called RadioScope and was a writer for Casey Kasem's radio countdown show, Casey's Top 40.

BPM: Tell us about your passion for writing. Why do you write? What drives you?
I write because it's my profession, I write because it's the only thing I've ever wanted to do. I write because, if it wasn't my profession and nobody was paying me to do it, I know that I would be still be doing it. I write because this is what I love and it's who I am. I think we tell stories to figure out who we are and what we are about and I am proud of being part of that continuum. I am also driven by the need to see if I can better my best. It's a never-ending game of "Can you top this?"

BPM: Do you ever let the book stew – leave it for months and then come back to it?
I've never left a book for months. I've been forced to leave a book for weeks though, because sometimes, life intrudes. But the best way to write a book is in one long push of consistent, daily effort. A novel is, at bottom, an elaborate lie. It's an unspoken bargain between writer and reader: I'm going to tell you this story of things that never happened - maybe never could happen – and in exchange for you suspending your disbelief, I'm obligated to make sure this tale I tell is entertaining, funny, gripping, suspenseful, emotionally involving, whatever. But to sell the "lie" you're telling as a writer, you have to first believe it yourself. And I've found that if you stay away from a novel for too long, it can damage your ability to believe in the "lie" - the situations and characters you're chronicling can start to seem cardboard, less real to you. And if you don't believe in them, the reader definitely won't.

BPM: Introduce us to your book, Grant Park and the characters.
Grant Park is a novel about racial disillusionment, friendship, and what I have taken to calling the “stupidification” of America.

Forty years ago, two young men had life-altering encounters with Martin Luther King. Malcolm, a black kid, was a college dropout who scorned nonviolent protest, and embraced street violence as a way of bringing social change. A chance meeting one night with King turned him around, forced him to see the limitations of street violence and convinced him to return to school. He was on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, about to share this news with King when James Earl Ray fired his fatal shot. He has never gotten over what he saw.

Bob, a white kid, was attending a Bible college in Mississippi where he fell powerfully in love with Janeka Lattimore, a young black civil rights activist. They attended King's last march – the one in Memphis that ended in a riot. Bob was beaten bloody by an angry young black man in the crowd and right after that, Janeka left him, saying she wanted to go to a black school now, saying she wanted to "be with her people." "I thought I was your people, too," said Bob. He has never gotten over losing her.

Forty years later, Malcolm is a celebrated columnist for a Chicago newspaper, burned out by one too many cases of police violence against unarmed African-Americans and white people not caring about. He writes an angry column - "I'm sick and tired of white folks' bullshit," he says – and when the newspaper refuses to publish it, he hacks his editor's computer and publishes it anyway - one the front page of the paper, on Election Day of 2008. Then unbeknownst to anyone, he is kidnapped by two would-be white supremacist terrorists who intend to blow him up in Grant Park, where President–elect Barack Obama is scheduled to speak.

Meantime, Bob is now an editor at a Chicago newspaper and before dawn on Election Day, he gets a phone call telling him one of his columnists has hacked his computer to publish an incendiary, offensive column. Bob gets fired for it. The former civil rights activist was already sick and tired of black people always complaining, never being satisfied. Now he's lost his job over black people's whining, and he's furious, ready to strangle Malcolm – if he can only find him. Then he gets an email. Janeka is back in town and she wants to see him.

BPM: Are any scenes from the book borrowed from your world or your experiences?
Oh, yes. Much of the frustration Malcolm experiences in dealing with white readers who will not engage on the subject of racial injustice is something I have experienced firsthand. And the one reader email that sends him over the edge is cobbled together from hundreds of similar emails I have received over the years. I identify with Malcolm's angst, though not with his chosen solution.

BPM: What are your goals as a writer? Do you set out to educate? Entertain? Inspire? 
I think you write to entertain, first and foremost, to tell a story a reader will lose herself or himself in. You try to create characters that will seem real to the reader and then put those characters into situations of physical or emotional danger. Secondarily, you hope that in entertaining people, you can also manage to say something of value, make some observation that will touch them or inspire them or cause them to see old things in new ways.

BPM: What are some of the benefits of being an author that makes it all worthwhile?
Writing a novel is a year, two years, or more of lonely work, staring at blank screens and not really knowing if what you're doing works or makes any kind of sense. So the best thing about being published is receiving feedback from readers. When somebody tells me they were hurt by something one of my characters did, or a situation a character found him or herself in made that reader cry, that is the highest validation and best compliment I can ever receive. It means the characters seemed real and the story works. Feedback is what makes that lonely year or two worthwhile.

BPM: What’s the most important quality a writer should have in your opinion?
Probably persistence. You have to believe in and hone your talent as a writer and cling to it, sometimes against all odds and common sense. You have to eat rejection for breakfast.

BPM: Ultimately, what do you want readers to gain from reading your book?
I want them to gain enjoyment and entertainment obviously. I'd love for them to think about some of the issues the book raises.  If you or your readers would like to set up a Skype visit to discuss Grant Park or Freeman, go to my website and contact me there: http://leonardpittsjr.com.  I'm available for blog tours as well.

BPM: How may our readers follow you online? 
Books:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/leonard-pitts-jr. 
Keep up with Leonard at his website:  www.leonardpittsjr.com 
Read Miami Herald column at:  http://www.miamiherald.com/leonard_pitts  
Like Leonard Pitts on FB:  https://www.facebook.com/LeonardPittsJr
Follow on Twitter: Leonard Pitts Jr can be found at @LeonardPittsJr1.


Order Grant Park by Leonard Pitts Jr. 
Link: http://amzn.com/1932841911 

Other Titles by Leonard Pitts, Jr.
* Becoming Dad
* Before I Forget
* Forward From this Moment
* Freeman
* Grant Park

Intimate Conversation with Lonz Cook

From warrior to romance.  Lonz Cook is a Marine Corps veteran of 20 years and the author of numerous romance novels.  He's a screen writer, an Adjunct Professor of Management, and a technology specialists.

BPM:  Tell us about your most recent work? Is this book available on Nook and Kindle?
Online dating is how a large number of people find their mates these days. It’s like a phenomenon on how different things happen on a social basis. Rarely are people introduced in person or found by attending a club or function as the major means of meeting.

A Cyber Affair is a story of two people who find each other online, and begin the process of dating. How they share their journey is the story.

BPM:  Give us some insight into your main characters or speakers. What makes each one so special? 
One thing I love about Tiffany and Manny is they are real people. You know, your neighbor, a friend of a friend, or simply a person you work with. Tiffany isn’t a beauty queen though she is attractive and Manny isn’t the typical obnoxious millionaire with a garage of boy toys to impress. These are common day to day middle-class people.

These characters have normal problems like dealing with divorce or working to recreate family connections. Tiffany is divorced and strict about her dating selection, working a real 9-5 and minding her business at exploring dating websites with a purpose.

Manny is a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer, rebuilding a relationship with his daughter and going through career withdrawals while defining his future. He’s the reflection of a high intense career to the mundane factory day to day job.

BPM:  What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book? Why now?
Online dating is a real situation where people are taking a chance with cyber space reality. I spoke to a number of people who experienced the good, bad, and ugly with online dating. The inspiration came as I heard stories of success and wondered how they arrived to make all the decisions to become united with a new mate.

When I explored online dating, words simply jumped onto the page and before long there was a story worth telling.

Online dating is relevant more so than attending a jazz festival in Spring. It’s the way of change and since so many are personally involved, it captures a part of our social behavior.

BPM:  What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Showing the relevance of online interactions was one of the most enjoyable things I created with this book. Social media is our major means of maintaining relationships or creating friendships and opportunities for love. In the process of staying connected, I too ventured with curiosity onto dating sites, simply to answer a lot of questions with my friends and provide accuracy in writing this novel. What I have learned online is amazing and having experienced the multitude of behaviors ranging from abnormal to shocking was eye opening. And I mean shocking!!! I had to share the extremes.

BPM:  Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot-driven or character-driven?  Why?
I get ideas from observing people and their behavior. Or I get ideas from a conversation where a situation portrays the best scenario for a good realistic story.  You know, like mother-daughter relationships where there is a hate-love vibe between them. Or how love prevails after years of separation because of distance or illness. Or how a married couple rarely converses at dinner in a restaurant and have levels of contentment ooze through their body language.  These concepts are character driven because there’s a lot of stories based on behaviors and my mind to create unique situations.  What if scenarios that seem like reality.

There are times I create a plot simply to make the characters come alive. I do this because it’s about behavior in situations. I love to write common behavior where they address issues based on reality, especially where the heart is concerned.

BPM:  Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured in your book? 
In this particular novel, A Cyber Affair, I’d say yes to under-represented groups. We, as a people, aren’t aware of the hardships a military person endures with family. The servicemen and women often fail at marriage and parenting because of deployments or operational commitments. These conversations aren’t common to the general public. What most see on the surface is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to  the challenges servicemen face between career and family.

Second I’d say under-represented are the military kids who deal with battling parents. Or should I say the child who loves both parents but caught in the middle? In this novel, you’ll find Suzie, Manny’s daughter doing her best to support her father and enjoy their relationship, in spite of mom.

BPM:  How does your book relate to your present situation or journey?
Since I’m a romance writer, every page is part of me in a sense. I practice what I write to ensure the story has a realistic accuracy that pulls readers into scenes. I travel to various locations to give readers the feeling of being in the room or venue because I describe the environment well enough for the imagery to match.

Being a retired Marine, I saw the deployment cringe where marriages fought a good fight but didn’t have the endurance to win.

I write about behavior and since I’m observant on all levels, I tend to keep the journey realistic. I’m a writer and writing is my first love and food for my spirit.

BPM:   Did you learn anything personal from writing your book? 
The education about online dating is amazing. I had heard of the term Catfish but never really understood it’s meaning. But with the depth of deception a number of people doing, it’s pretty concerning. This is where I had learned that a lot of people are not being themselves. And it’s both genders.

Second, I used a different technique while maintaining my voice. I typically have a lot of things moving outside of the antagonist and protagonist. But this time, I wrote with minimal secondary stories. I was more specific to the two major characters’ views.

BPM:   Can you share some stories about people you met while researching this book?
This is a difficult question but I’ll do my best to answer without embarrassing a new friend or contact.

I talked to a friend who met her lover online and when they finally met in person she ran. I mean physically ran because through all of the online video chats, she never saw his height. His being tall turned her off. In her words, she had perceptions of size being a serious matter and it scared the life out of her.

I talked to another lady who got engaged over the internet. I mean literally accepted the commitment. I asked her how and she answered that the connection between them was amazing. She never saw him, outside of pictures, no video calls, no cell phone calls, they simply shared hours of chatting online. She took this engagement very seriously and before she sent thousands of dollars, she asked someone to validate his story. She had a divine intervention because she found out the true meaning of a catfish first hand.  Her story was amazing at how she kept accepting excuses based on her need. A dangerously developed behavior for some women.        

BPM:   What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them? 
Since A Cyber Affair is relevant to current dating, and the way our social changes have been modified in finding a mate, I expect this novel to make a difference. I want people to pay attention to prospects with online dating. My expectation is this book aids in showing how two people can meet and date while being entertainment and become an enjoyable conversation piece.

Will it become a bestseller? I can’t honestly say it will, however, it’s always a dream to have one.

BPM:   What projects are you working on at the present?
A Cyber Affair has a back story character that took a life of its own. I’m currently working on a story titled, A Loss Too Great, which is a spinoff.

Also, I’m editing the sequel to When Love Evolves, one of the Sisters and Romance box sets. This should be out either in the fall or early winter of 2017.

BPM:   How can readers discover more about you and your work? 
Find me at www.LonzCook.net, WarriortoRomance on Facebook, Lonzcook on Twitter, Lonzcook on Wordpress, Lonzcook on Periscope and Lonzcook on Pinterest and Instagram.


Connect with Lonz Cook
www.lonzcook.net
Instagram: lonzcook
Twitter: @lonzcook
FB: https://www.facebook.com/WarriortoRomance

Purchase A Cyber Affair by Lonz Cook
Kindle Link:   https://amzn.com/B01HUMYM72
Paperback:     https://amzn.com/1943904030

#PowerRead: A Cyber Affair by Lonz Cook

A Cyber Affair by  Lonz Cook

The Online Search for Mr. Right

What Tiffany doesn’t know about online dating, she learns by living the thrills of navigating profiles and meeting men on the internet. She learns the secret of avoiding the “Catfish” and finds the one who keeps her head in the clouds, until they physically meet.


Tiffany Wilkes, “SanFran Pearl,” spends hours on dating websites. She’s tired of guys who can’t charm the lid off of a garbage can and sick of God awful blind dates, and mindless encounters. Meeting men at work is a competition and a risk of breaking a dating policy that results in termination.

SanFran Pearl searches for a local suitor interested in a meaningful relationship.  Her humorous approach wins a positive response but the connection wanes to disappointment.

When SanFran Pearl receives an interesting email from “Lost Sailor,” Manny Perez - a Navy retiree near Miami, her spirit of chance shoots to the stars. Instead of her typical approach, she’s googling for a background check that’s best suited for the FBI.

Is Lost Sailor a catfish or the catch of the century?



Excerpt: A Cyber Affair  


Chapter 1


OMG! What the hell am I doing? Tiffany frowned as she sat amongst the passengers waiting for her flight to Las Vegas. She glanced around the terminal, hopeful that someone would read her mind and give her some direction. The gate attendant announced her boarding section. Tiffany rose from her seat, edged through the crowd with her laptop backpack, pulling her carry-on, and got in line. She held her ticket while she moved closer to the gate agent.  Why am I doing this? she thought while watching eager passengers in front of her hand over their tickets and walk through the door. She stepped to the gate, ticket in hand, and stared. The agent reached for the boarding pass, slid it from her fingers, and scanned it on his machine. “Is this your first flight?” asked the agent.

“No, it isn’t. I’m a little nervous about this trip.”

“Don’t worry; no one cares what you do in Vegas.” He smiled and returned her ticket.

“I hope he cares,” Tiffany mumbled as she walked through the door. Suddenly the gangway darkened, black as a moonless night. Her hand became moist. The carry-on didn’t seem to cooperate. It was as if something was trying to deter her from boarding the flight. Tiffany yanked her carry-on, finally won its cooperation and walked down the center of the tunnel. The passenger in front of her disappeared into its darkness and conversations behind her went silent. She saw a dim light appear as though the gangway had become a path of torture. Suddenly a bright light near the cabin door led her, as if directing her feet one after the other, deeper into the passageway. She pulled the carry-on and took each step carefully. Her heart pumped like a car engine on a race track. Tiffany walked slower, as if her hesitation could delay the plane’s take off. With each step, she heard warning bells.

“Miss, are you okay?” A fellow passenger’s voice broke her trance.

“Ah, I think so,” Tiffany kept her eyes forward. She saw the fully lit tunnel for the first time, the door to the airplane now directly in front of her. She entered the aircraft with her carry-on in tow.

“Hi, welcome aboard,” the flight attendant greeted her.

“Hi.” Tiffany smiled and turned right to walk through the economy class section. She looked at the seating chart and glanced at her ticket. "Seat 21C," she read, and walked towards the rear of the plane. Tiffany glanced at the row numbers - 8…9…10… moving further back 19…20… “Excuse me,” she said to her seating companion.

“Sure, no problem,” He rose from the seat and moved aside. Tiffany lifted her carry-on, grabbed her backpack, and slid through the tight aisle. As soon as she cleared the first seat, the guy moved right in behind her. “I’m sorry.” Tiffany looked behind her while dropping her backpack on the floor.

“No problem. I was expecting you,” he smiled.

Tiffany pushed her backpack under the seat in front of her, grabbed her seatbelt, and buckled up for the flight. She watched passengers boarding and averted her gaze to look out of the window. Anxiously, she glanced at her watch while butterflies fluttered through her stomach. The idea of having a last chance to escape the unknown tampered with her mind. She watched other passengers board and thought I can get off the plane right after that guy sits down. The gentleman sat, but before she could move, the flight’s lead attendant announced, “Prepare the cabin for takeoff, cross check and all call.” Passengers were instructed to secure electronics and buckle down for the flight. When the cabin door slammed shut, Tiffany realized that it was too late to run.

Tiffany Miles was the only child of strict parents. She wasn’t part of a popular crowd in high school, but she loved her circle of friends. Tiffany was average in size and cute, with unique features: curly black hair, a straight nose, and oval brown eyes. She hadn't received much male attention in high school, but when she did date, her parents selected young men from among their church friends. She rarely disagreed with the guys her mom and dad selected for her. The few times she went against their guidance, all hell broke loose and her parents would tighten their control.

Tiffany tried her hand at dating in college. She moved into the campus dorm and there found new freedom to date and explore as she pleased. What she didn’t know about dating men became a substantial lesson in reality during that first semester. Some men take advantage of naive girls. She accepted every offer to go on a date from any man who asked. Tiffany was sensual with some and enjoyed the physical desires of others. She didn’t know what not to do. Her roommate took notice and reeled her in, explaining the differences between dating and being used. Her roommate also started checking out her dates, showing up on occasion to see if Tiffany was following her advice.


( Continued... )

© 2016 All rights reserved.  Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author, Lonz Cook.  Do not reproduce, copy or use without the author's written permission. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only.


Purchase A Cyber Affair by Lonz Cook
Paperback:   https://amzn.com/1943904030
Kindle Link: https://amzn.com/B01HUMYM72