Intimate Conversation with Ivette Attaud

Intimate Conversation with Ivette Attaud

Ivette Attaud, a Harlem, New York native and former Fort Bragg Army wife, has been a survivor of domestic violence and abuse for over twenty years. Ivette served on the Battered Women’s Justice Committee of Voices of Women Organizing Project in New York as well as contributed research regarding law guardians to their report Justice Denied: How Family Courts in NYC Endanger Battered Women and Children. She received a Certificate of Completion in Victim Assistance Training from the New York State Office For Victims of Crime; has received numerous awards for speaking at high schools and colleges; created and facilitated a domestic violence and abuse training for Chaplains called Healing The Body Before The Spirit and talks to teens in various high schools about dating violence and their internet footprint. 

Ivette Attaud, publisher, a gifted author, highly sought-after motivational speaker and domestic violence expert, developed Healing The Body Before The Spirit, a domestic abuse educational workshop for the faith-based community. She has written numerous articles, including a recently-published article entitled Surviving the Loss of a Child for Spotlight On Recovery Magazine. More information can be found online at: http://www.mylifemysoul.com/. 

Domestic violence affects two to four million people alone in the United States including teenagers and 54% of parents admit they haven’t spoken to their teen about dating violence or healthy relationships.

My Life My Soul, Surviving, Healing And Thriving After An Abusive Relationship  is an honest and graphic true story of Ivette Attaud’s dating relationship as a teen and how it quickly manifested into a destructive, violent and psychologically abusive marriage. Ivette puts a face on domestic violence as she describes how she was able to break the emotional and psychological chains of her abuser.

Ivette recounts vivid memories of growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness; her experience with dating violence; her battle with depression; a suicide attempt; the loss of her infant twin daughter to a domestic violence assault and re-victimization by the New York City family court system, including actual documents! In the first part of this three-part series, My Life My Soul, Surviving, Healing And Thriving After An Abusive Relationship: Part 1 – Surviving, Ivette lays bare the life-long difficulties those in abusive relationships face.

BPM: Ivette, when did you begin writing? When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I was born and raised in Harlem. I started keeping a journal about 10 years ago to release some of the emotional pain and trauma I had been dealing with since I left my abuser and to leave something for my children so they could gain some insight as to what I went through and maybe help them deal with their issues when they became adults. I didn't consider myself as just a writer; I considered myself a person with an important story to tell.

BPM: Do you see writing as a career now?

Yes, I do. I am a true entrepreneur at heart! I launched My Life My Soul, The Unspoken Journey of Life After Domestic Abuse to raise awareness about domestic violence and abuse and also launched MLMS Publishing to release my first book.

BPM: What inspired you to write your first book, My Life, My Soul? How did you come up with the title? Who designed the book cover?

I wrote this book as a way to cope with the loneliness and isolation that is felt by survivors of an abusive relationship, and to deal with the grief of losing my child as a result of the abuse. I experienced writer's block frequently, as this is a difficult topic to write about. Over 15 years ago, I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of the abuse, and one of the primary symptoms is re-living the trauma. It took me 10 years to write this because I needed to deal with the book setting off my triggers. 

When I was invited to speak in public about my experience and scores of people approached me with positive feedback and shared their experiences with me, I believed that my book could help a lot of people. When I saw the statistics on teen dating violence, I included my experience with that as well.

I designed the cover myself to show that real freedom does exist for the survivor when they break the emotional and psychological chains of their abuser. My Life, My Soul - Surviving, Healing And Thriving After An Abusive Relationship: The title is a reflection of the physical violence and psychological abuse that threatened my life and the spiritual abuse that jeopardized my soul; and that leaving an abusive relationship is about breaking the chains that bind you.

BPM: Do you attempt to avoid the temptation of interjecting your own morals, value system or ministry in your writing?

Including my belief system in the book was important because the reader will not only understand how my belief system contributed to my being in an abusive relationship, but will see how I went about changing my belief system in order to break the chains of abuse and improve the quality of life for me and my children.

BPM: What insight does the book give teen readers on relationships?

The whole book is based on my experiences. I didn't want my book to be a glossed-over version of an abusive relationship. I wanted it to be as real to the reader as it was to me, so there is graphic language in the book. Not because that is my writing style, but because that is the true nature of domestic violence. 

The book gives the reader insight on what a person in an abusive relationship goes through. It also helps the reader understand the isolation that survivors of relationship abuse go through. And, more importantly, that you can live a happy and fulfilling life after an abusive relationship.

BPM: What was the hardest part of writing your book?

As a result of the abuse, I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. One of the symptoms of PTSD is re-living the experience. Writing this book meant that I re-lived the experience over and over again, including when I lost my daughter. Although writing this book will help a lot of people, it set off my triggers, which I have learned to manage. That is why it took me so long to complete it. But, the more I wrote, the easier it got to deal with and that meant I was on my healing journey.

BPM: Did you learn anything from writing My Life, My Soul and what was it?

We go through things in life for a reason. I was able to take a negative and turn it into a positive so I would be in a better position to heal and help others. I learned a lot about myself and what constituted an unhealthy relationship. I was also able to see how I’ve grown psychologically and emotionally from my teenage years, all the way to adulthood. Understanding where you’ve come from is crucial to knowing where you’re going. I also learned that I have a very powerful gift for helping people past obstacles in life that may be holding them back from achieving their goals. So, I am also a Personal Life Coach.

BPM: Is there anything that makes your book different from others in the same genre?

I write in a style that makes the reader feel as if I’m talking directly to them. While I was going through my experience, I told a lot of people about the abuse, including the military police, doctors, even the NYC family court system, and no one believed that an enlisted service member could be capable of abuse. As a result, my children and I fell through the cracks and no one did anything to protect us. Not only do I include actual court documents and excerpts in my book, but I mention the names of the people who pushed my children and I through the cracks, including judges. From what I’ve read over the years, there are a lot of people out there who have experienced the same thing.

BPM: What messages in your book, My Life, My Soul, do you want readers to grasp?

The book contains several messages: it inspires and gives hope to the survivor who is currently in or who has left an abusive relationship so they know they’re not alone; it’s an example for the families and friends of the survivor to know what NOT to do and say; it’s for parents and teens who want to know about the red flags of an abusive relationship and it’s for the professional who works with those who have experienced domestic violence and/or abuse. The reader has a birds-eye view of what the daily reality is like for someone going through an abusive relationship, whether you are a teen or an adult. I remember what my thought process was like as a teenager. I believe there is always something to learn from someone else’s experience.

BPM: In writing your book, how much legal research was required, if any?

I still have the court documents I received when my abuser took me to court. When I decided to publish this book, I went to family court to review my family court file and see if there were any additional documents in it. To my surprise, there were court documents in my file that I knew nothing about. I decided to include those documents in my book.

BPM: Who do you want to reach with your book and the message enclosed?

There are approximately 32 million American men, women and children that have experienced some form of family violence. I wanted the reader to understand and know:

• The Military Justice System to know what the daily reality of someone being abused by an active duty service member is like;

• the Legal System to understand that there is more to addressing the issue of domestic violence and abuse than “whoever gets to court first and has the most money wins,”

• the Mental Health System to see how their decisions and diagnoses, without the appropriate follow-up, severely impacts the lives of the victim and his or her children long after the case is closed;

• the Medical Community to see that the number of bruises and broken bones that pass through their emergency rooms are more than statistics;

• the Religious Community to realize that you have to heal the body before the spirit;

• people whose loved ones are in an abusive relationship to recognize the signs of the type of severe depression that leads to suicide and to understand that family support is crucial in the healing process;

• parents of teens who are dating to recognize the red flags of an abusive relationship; and

• anyone who currently is in an abusive relationship or has left an abusive relationship to know that you are not alone and you can and will break the emotional and psychological chains that bind you.

BPM: What should readers DO after reading this book? 

Readers who have a friend or a loved one who is in an/was in abusive relationship, and they want to have a better understanding of what they've experienced should read the book. Survivors of domestic violence and abuse internalize a lot of their trauma, and we don't talk about it too much. My book details the thought process of someone in an abusive relationship.

BPM: Now, let’s talk about the publishing industry. How did you initially break into the publishing industry? What road did you travel?

I initially decided to use a subsidy publisher some months ago. But the publishing industry changes so quickly, and more self-publishing resources became available to me, that I decided to fund the publishing of the book myself. It is a common myth that if you use a subsidy publisher, and they offer you a marketing package, that they will market your book. Their goal is to make money from the author. Regardless of the publishing method used, it will always be the author's responsibility to market the book themselves. I decided to independently publish because I am a true entrepreneur at heart (it runs in my family), and I love the challenges of running my own business. 

BPM: How do you feel about self-publishing? How do feel about selling digital books vs. selling in a brick and mortar store?

It depends on what the author defines as self-publishing. I prefer the term Independent Publisher. It could be a subsidy publisher, or completely funding the publishing of the book yourself. The traditional publishing industry is slowly changing their bias against self-publishers. The choice between selling digital books vs. selling in a brick and mortar store goes back to the first question - what your goal is for writing your book. Both still require a lot of hard work on the part of the author to get their book in either channel. My Life, My Soul will be available in print and as an e-book in order to make the book available to everyone. 

I want to re-emphasize that understanding your goal for writing your book is important. If you want to independently publish your book, you need to understand how the industry operates. For example, if an author plans on publishing independently out of his or her own pocket, and is working hard to market and promote that book, just know that all your hard work may be in jeopardy. I have seen many self-publishers disillusioned by the publishing industry because they don't make much money from the sale of their books. That is because while selling online is an important part of marketing and promoting your book, if they've listed their book at online retailers, they will undercut the author's price by selling their books at a discount. 

BPM: Awesome advice! Do you have any more advice for other writers? Do you have any advice for people seeking to publish a book?

There is a story inside everyone and someone will definitely benefit from what you have to say. I would advise anyone wanting to publish a book to do ask themselves the following questions: Why am I writing it and what are my goals? What results do I want to see from publishing this book? Am I ready to take on the challenges of publishing it myself and not use a subsidy publisher? What do I expect from a subsidy publisher? Do I have the resources to market this book? Do I want to make $1-2 dollars in royalties for my book, or do I want to keep more money in my pocket?

BPM: A Legacy is something that is handed down from one period of time or culture to another. Finish this sentence- “My writing offers the following legacy to future readers and new authors... ”

To blaze new paths in your writing and publishing journey and to not be afraid of the challenges. I am happy to say that after 10 years of writing and two years of promotion, that My Life, My Soul – Surviving, Healing & Thriving After An Abusive Relationship – Part 1: Surviving, is now available to make a difference in someone's life!

My Life My Soul tells readers things that someone in an abusive relationship, whether it is your loved one or friend, won’t tell you. It contains my deepest thoughts and feelings from when I first entered an abusive relationship at 16 through to an abusive marriage as an adult. I have included actual court documents as proof of how my children and I fell through the cracks of the systems designed to protect those in abusive relationship. You can view the book trailer and purchase the book at  http://www.mylifemysoul.com/ 

BPM: Share with us a quote or brief excerpt from one of the most powerful chapters.

Here is an excerpt from the published book, My Life, My Soul – Surviving, Healing & Thriving After An Abusive Relationship.

Part 1: Surviving

...I was terrified by the time I arrived in the delivery room. No one was there to hold my hand, or to tell me everything was going to be okay. Doctors and nurses ran around the delivery room and failed miserably at trying to calm me down. I was too busy screaming from the pain and crying for the doctors to stop my labor.

The doctor yelled at the nurses, “Find a vein and get an IV line going NOW!”

I felt a shot of pain in my arms from where the nurses were hitting me as they desperately tried to get a vein to pop up.

“Doctor, all her veins have collapsed!” I heard a nurse say.

Someone exclaimed, “I got one!”

Someone else yelled, “Get it, get it, get it!”

Then the doctor walked over to me.

“We’re going to have to deliver those babies now. They’re in distress and it’s too late to stop your labor.”

Through my tears, I yelled with all the strength I had.

“You can’t take them now! It’s not time!”

“We have to. If we don’t deliver them now, all of you are going to die,” the doctor said.

My thoughts ran back to earlier in the day when Victor strangled me and I couldn’t breathe. The stress of fighting, along with the lack of oxygen, put my babies in distress. The doctor left my side and went to the foot of the bed while the nurses secured my feet in the stirrups. Everything happened so fast and the labor pains were so intense; it felt as if someone stuck hot knives into my belly. Then my thoughts turned elsewhere. Was this God’s punishment? What did I do wrong to deserve this? I was raised to believe that God had two faces; one that was loving and forgiving and the other one was mean and punished those who disobeyed him. All I did was marry a man because I loved him! What was so wrong about that?

The doctor broke my train of thought as he examined me to see how much more I had dilated.

“Don’t push!” The doctor yelled at me while he continues his examination.

“I’m not pushing!” I yelled back.

I tried to close my legs a little but couldn’t because of the stirrups. I wanted to resist the urge to push but I could feel a baby trying to come out anyway. The doctor bent down in front of me to prepare to deliver the first baby. He turned his head to say something to the nurse when, all of a sudden, he screamed, “OH SHIT!”

When he stood up, he held my baby upside down by her feet and his hospital gown was completely splattered with blood. The baby had to have come out feet first because of how he grabbed it. When the doctor yelled, I lifted my head off the bed and strained to see her. She was so tiny and I didn’t even hear her cry. I just saw the baby’s back as the doctor handed it to the nurse, who quickly ran out of the delivery room with her. Right away, I felt dizzy.

“The other baby’s transverse!” I heard a nurse say.

When an unborn baby is in a transverse position, it lays across the mother’s pelvic bone instead of the normal birth position of head down. It was dangerous for me as well as for my baby, because there was a possibility that my uterus could have ruptured which could have lead to both of our deaths.

The nurse grabbed my belly tightly where the still unborn twin was, trying to keep the baby from moving any further. The pain was excruciating. As the doctor moved back to the side of my bed, he told me what he had to do.

“Ivette, I have to give you an emergency cesarean section. The anesthesiologist has been called and he’s on his way here.”

I didn’t want to die like this! What would happen to my children? With the remaining strength I had, I motioned for a nurse to come to me.

“I need you to call my Kingdom Hall and ask for the pastor. Tell him it’s an emergency and I need him here now!”

I looked at the clock on the wall and it was close to midnight. I had memorized the number so I gave it to her and she ran off. The other nurse was still holding my stomach and she was hurting me so bad that I tried to push her hand away.

“If we let this baby move, you’re both going to die! Ivette, Stop it!” the nurse screamed at me.

I yelled out again what my religion was and that I didn’t want a blood transfusion. When I saw the doctor again, I asked how my first baby was.

“So far, you had a girl and we’re not sure how she is right now. The ambulance took her to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center where they have a neonatal unit and we have another ambulance on standby waiting to take this baby.”

It seemed like an eternity before the pastor finally arrived in the delivery room. Through my tears, I told the pastor what happened.

“Please pray with me. I can’t do this alone,” I told him.

He held my hands tightly, closed his eyes and I closed mine.

“Lord, we humbly come to you in this time of need to watch over our Sister who needs you now more than ever. Whatever your Will is, Lord, will be. Lord, I ask you to watch over her babies, that they be healthy and safe. In Jesus’ name we ask you, Amen.”

I said “Amen.”

As soon as he finished praying, a peace came over me like I’ve never experienced before...

(continued in the book, My Life, My Soul)

BPM: What has been your most difficult hurdle to leap? Marketing, promotions or gaining media exposure, etc. How can EDC Creations and our readers help you?

The most difficult hurdle is in converting the level of interest in the book into actual sales. As an author and publisher, I wear many hats. Not only am I responsible for the health of my business, but I'm also responsible for making the strongest efforts possible in my marketing and media exposure to make sure my book gets into the hands of those that can really benefit from it.

BPM: Share with us your latest news. How may our readers follow you online? 

Readers can follow me on Twitter - @ivetteattaud or on Facebook. They can also email me directly at ivetteattaud@mylifemysoul.com  

Domestic violence is devastating. Understand how to better help a friend or loved one.

Purchase My Life, My Soul - Surviving, Healing And Thriving After An Abusive Relationship, Part 1: Surviving on www.mylifemysoul.com! 

My Life, My Soul - Surviving, Healing And Thriving After An Abusive Relationship 

Part 1 – Surviving by Ivette Attaud

US $15.95; Nonfiction; ISBN-13: 978-0615440613 

Purchase books here:  http://www.mylifemysoul.com/

Disclaimer: 

The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Black Pearls Magazine, EDC Creations or the owners. We are not to be held liable for the statements of the authors. Submission to EDC Creations confirms that the guest writers agree with all of the terms listed and give us permission to display their original work, book excerpts, written and oral interviews and links. The writers are also confirming that they own all rights to the material submitted to EDC Creations and that all statements are true and not malicious. Submission to EDC Creations confirms that the author understands he/she is responsible for all legal enquiries into material submitted. 

 

Mama Ruby by Mary Monroe

Meet New York Times Bestselling Author Mary Monroe

The UPPER ROOM continues with MAMA RUBY

Mama Ruby - Coming May 31, 2011!  How did Ruby and Othella Mae come to be who they are today? Find out in the exciting prequel to The Upper Room. There’s a fine line between best friend and worst nightmare…but there will be a reckoning....

Mary Monroe is the author of Mama Ruby, The Upper Room and the God Don't Like Ugly series. When The Upper Room was published, Monroe had this to say: "This is my story -- these characters are people I know, it's my life!"

Mary Monroe laughs when asked what her inspiration was for the novel.  "I took inspiration from the people in my life. They were so colorful, it was a shame that the world didn't know about them." A storyteller since she was a child, writing came easy to Mary Monroe. So 17 years ago, when the images of her aunts, uncles and friends from childhood would not leave her mind, she sat down to write The Upper Room. "It wasn't the time for me or my book," the author admits. Although the book garnered strong reviews, publishing for African Americans was sporadic at that time.

In the interim, Monroe continued to write. "I have about two thousand rejection letters. When the market changed, it made it all worthwhile." Now the time is ripe with the renaissance of African- American novels and Monroe believes that she adds to the incredible mix with her unforgettable characters. "I enjoy the books that are on the shelves now, but those stories do not have my voice. They don't represent me and those I know. Everyone's experience needs to be heard. I know my characters are kind of quirky, but that's my experience. The reading public is now ready for my voice. I've been ready a long time! I hope readers will enjoy my latest novel, Mama Ruby. The readers will get a peek into the making of Ruby in her earlier years. You won't be disappointed!"  Visit Mary's website to view her tour schedule and to find more details on her books: http://www.marymonroe.org/

Introduction to Mama Ruby by Mary Monroe

Prequel to The Upper Room

New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe presents an unforgettable tale featuring Mama Ruby, the indomitable heroine of her acclaimed novel The Upper Room. Now readers will get a peek into Ruby’s early years, as she transforms from a spoiled small-town girl into one of the South’s most notorious and volatile women…

Originally published in 1985, Mary Monroe's engaging debut novel, The Upper Room, features Ruby Montgomery, an obese, indomitable character who steals her best friend's baby daughter and flees to rural Florida, where she establishes herself as an almost mythical figure. The dialogue and setting are reminiscent of Zora Neale Hurston, but the story has a bizarre, violent edge … la Stephen King. The Upper Room by Mary Monroe is a candid portrayal of the cold-blooded yet fascinating Mama Ruby.

Growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, Ruby Jean Upshaw is the kind of girl who knows what she wants and knows how to get it. By the time she’s fifteen, Ruby has developed a taste for fast men and cheap liquor, and not even her preacher daddy can set her straight. Most everyone in the neighborhood knows you don’t cross Ruby. Only Othella Mae Cartier, daughter of the town tramp, understands what makes Ruby tick.

When Ruby discovers she’s in the family way, she’s scared for the first time in her life. After hiding her growing belly with baggy dresses, Ruby secretly gives birth to a baby girl at Othella’s house. With few choices, Othella talks Ruby into giving the child away-and with the help of a shocking revelation, convinces Ruby to run off with her to New Orleans.

But nothing can erase Ruby’s memories of the child she lost-or quell her simmering rage at Othella for persuading her to let her precious baby go. If there’s a fine line between best friend and worst nightmare, Ruby is surely treading it. Because someday, there will be a reckoning. And when it comes, Othella will learn the hard way that no one knows how to exact revenge quite like Ruby Jean Upshaw…

The Upper Room by Mary Monroe

Originally published in 1985, Mary Monroe's engaging debut novel, The Upper Room, features Ruby Montgomery, an obese, indomitable character who steals her best friend's baby daughter and flees to rural Florida, where she establishes herself as an almost mythical figure. The dialogue and setting are reminiscent of Zora Neale Hurston, but the story has a bizarre, violent edge … la Stephen King. Fantastic and exaggerated, The Upper Room by Mary Monroe is a candid portrayal of the cold-blooded yet fascinating Mama Ruby.

Mama Ruby is the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, with healing hands and an inconceivably vengeful spirit. After successfully bringing her best friend's stillborn baby to life, she claims the child as her own and runs away to a migrant settlement in the Everglades. Mama Ruby's ever-increasing girth and unhealthy dependence on her daughter, Maureen, cause her to make choices and decisions that are both troubling and foolish.

Mama Ruby makes sure that Maureen is treated special by giving her the upper room of the house. It becomes Maureen's special place and is off-limits to most people, especially men. As Maureen grows into a beautiful woman, she begins to have desires of a life outside of Mama Ruby's watchful eye and of a city far away. It takes an unthinkable series of events for Maureen and Mama Ruby to accept the other's ways and needs. A chilling story that is bound to astound Monroe's fans!

Mary Monroe created fabulous books such as: Mama Ruby, The Upper Room and the God Don't Like Ugly series for readers with a sense of humor and adventure!  Meet author Mary Monroe as she travels across the nation discussing Mama Ruby and her literary journey: http://www.marymonroe.org/tour2011.html

Join the Mary Monroe Yahoo Discussion Group

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/authormarymonroe

BUY THE FEATURED BOOKS NOW!

The Upper Room by Mary Monroe

ISBN-10: 0758267347

ISBN-13: 978-0758267344

Download The Upper Room to Kindle Today!

http://www.amazon.com/The-Upper-Room-ebook/dp/B0035P41KM

Purchase The Upper Room from Amazon Now!

http://www.amazon.com/Upper-Room-Mary-Monroe/dp/0758267347

Mama Ruby by Mary Monroe

Hardcover

ISBN-10: 0758238614

ISBN-13: 978-0758238610

Purchase Mama Ruby from Amazon Now!

http://www.amazon.com/Mama-Ruby-Mary-Monroe/dp/0758238614

Download Mama Ruby to Kindle Today!

http://www.amazon.com/Mama-Ruby-ebook/dp/B004NEW4RG



Intimate Conversation with Laurence “Lonz” Cook

Intimate Conversation with Laurence “Lonz” Cook

Laurence Cook, a Marine Corps veteran, educator, and technology professional has written professionally for years. He’s a graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and holds a Masters of Science Degree. His creativity helped fellow service members passionately communicate with their loved ones during deployments. Along his career, friends and relatives pushed him to write creatively; there came his novel debut "Good Guys Finish Last."

BPM: What makes you powerful as a person, parent and a writer?

As a writer, the ability to influence and develop through multiple messages makes one extremely powerful. Especially when provoking thought certain social behavior through readers, it’s amazingly powerful. When readers finish the novel, they tend to contemplate their behavior on social events. In A Choice to Yield, either they admit to a misbelief or stereo type, based on someone’s look, ethnicity, or gender, or assess members of their social circle. 

Parenting is challenging within itself. You never knew you could love so greatly until you embrace the little person and realize he/she is of you and your responsibility. Power then becomes relevant to how we envision our children for the future and focus on outcome of the child. We do what’s necessary to teach, nurture, and lead so children are capable of enduring life’s challenges. In my case, they lead me to power as realization took hold on their dependency for leadership and guidance. Yet, the greatest power given is their pure love and trust. There lies what makes me a powerful parent, giving love, guidance, and nurturing to their success. (And closing the door so they don’t return...the real parental power.) 

A powerful person is challenging in defining, and yet quite simple. Power for me comes in continued social contributions, equally sharing in reflecting a positive image, and uplifting through spiritual means. Not only is there influence in my acts, but there is sincerity in association with others. My interactions with many allows an immediate impact, either they view me as someone to communicate with, or someone to emulate. The power for me lies in the ability to communicate, and communicate sensibly to those with a thirst for motivation. Especially when influencing behavior change through an emotional impact. Usually in my conversation there is a parable, a message, something to spark positive thought, and therefore hopefully ignite a following act. The result is often someone traveling a new direction. Especially in social change. 

BPM: How much of what you write reflects on your outlook on life?

Much of my life’s outlook is reflected or written in the few authored novels. My stories connect a number of romantic events where acts and ideas are actually past experiences. Yet, those actions are embellished for sensational reading.  Every author shares a piece of them in their novels. In romance, either its common dating failures, where man deciphers a woman’s message differently than she expects or it’s being the recipient of a woman advice when challenging women’s behavior. These events structured the story of my novel. For example, my experience meeting women for the first time left common questions such as:

“What type of man did I present? What type of impression did I leave? Will you I get a follow up call or was I charming enough to get passed her checklist? Did I say something wrong or did I get it right meeting her expectations? Will she enjoy my idea of romance? Is one rose enough for the impression, or is she a dozen roses or floral bunch type? Will she enjoy simple acts of kindness or will my actions be considered a nice gesture instead of a spark of romance?”

These questions are commonly encountered and surely ignites controversy in a “She said-He heard” conversational spectrum. Therefore, the experience in dating, love, and marriage, is surely reflective in my writing.  Also my outlook on life varies with the way men and women interact. My observations are of our rituals of dating and exploring personalities and character, and forming belief from social practices. My belief sits with worldly events, or shared in conversations held with many people who discuss relationships. My outlook sits with a transition of historical events, where people once saw each other in a horrifying light, and later travel the same path realizing life has one major road to travel. 

BPM: Who are your mentors? Where do you find your inspiration?

My first mentor is my best friend, my father. The late Reverend Doctor F. Francis Cooke, a minister who served the community for years. He graduated from Princeton during a time when African Americans were extremely few in attendance. He was a great organizer, a grant obtainer, and created the Joint Partnership Training Consortium in Augusta GA. He worked closely with Dr. King on Civil Rights in the Central Savannah River Area (GA) and also a great contributor to the Medical College of Georgia Mental Health Training. He was my mentor, a guy who spoke five languages, including Hebrew fluently. 

My second mentor is a Sergeant Major of Marines, Leonard Roland, a guy who communicated well with everyone, was firm and fair, and yet shared a compassion for life. He was a true leader. 

The greatest inspiration for writing is my love to tell a great story. It’s a natural capability and sparked from an event in my life or something observed where it’s worth sharing. Love and relationships are evolving entities, where we as a people are taught how to interact, create, and endure via mainstream media. The finesse in having or living a relationship is leaving us per each generation. When I observe a situation worth conveying, it inspires me to create a story with a message solely based on behavior. For instance, as a gentleman, I’m told chivalry is dead or no longer seen. My thought is different as it’s seen but not as common. In this case, it sparks the idea of creating a “Gentleman’s Guide” where chivalry is a theme.

BPM: What do you think of the increasingly gratuitous sex in African American literature? 

“Sex sales,” is often what most readers and authors hear as a response from marketing, publishers, and editors. However, when sex is sensationalized to the extent of losing the story’s finesse, it becomes another institution of stereo typical illusion of our behavior. Just like the myth of sexuality hit our race in the 1860s after freedom, it’s a way other people expand on our customs and behavior. In essence the sexual sensationalism feeds into the expected public behavior other races/ethnicities has of African American people. 

My view, is the African American literature plays heavily into the main stream of expectation, where it forms the reflection of what people think our social realm resembles. However, when sex is tasteful, respectful, and directs romantic notions, there is a difference. Because books influence, as an author, I take responsibility of encouraging change. There are methods of writing erotic scenes without being blatantly graphic. So when a youthful mind explores a rated R novel, it isn’t quite an instruction manual and it leaves room for the imagination. 

BPM: What three elements complete a formula for Happiness, Success or Freedom?

Following your passion alone is a huge element of success. The challenge is finding the passion and creating a lifestyle around it. Step out on faith from corporate jobs, find a way to endure a comfortable standard of living, and live with work vice work to live. My elements in a nut shell are: Faith, Passion, and Financial freedom. 

BPM: Finish this sentence- "My writing offers the following legacy to future readers..." 

By giving a reflection of respectful behavior when it comes to heterosexual relationships. It also leaves a definition how people of current times deal with love and romance combining the dating rituals for common core qualities based on social behavior. This becomes a road map of attitude and actions where it may transition.

 BPM: Introduce us to your book, A Choice to Yield, and the main characters.A Choice to Yield is a dynamic story of love, friendship, race/ethnicity, and transition. It's a true-to-life fiction where the plot grabs you from beginning to end and a fictionalized account of situations existing in many lives. The plot shares hardships, challenges our learned behavior, and reminds you of social situations faced in modern life. 

This contemporary romance is set in Atlanta, GA during 2005 when a Midwestern Caucasian woman Angela and her married best friend Paula relocate to the city. Angela finds interest in Mark, an African-American who intrigues her. Mark shares Atlanta’s diverse culture, and when Angela bellows her excitement with Paula, she is battered endlessly for her enthusiasm. Paula encourages Angela to date three acceptable candidates: Bill whose likeness and belief holds ethnicity and race separate and not equal by any means; Christopher, a self-centered gentleman who surely holds Paula's approval, but isn’t capable of grabbing Angela’s heart; and Eric, a gentle soul, who soothes Angela’s troubled moments, but unfortunately is doubtful as a companion. 

Angela eventually emerges from strongholds of misperceptions and social ideologies. Her intrigue allows Mark to merge into her life while she journeys to self-discovery. Along her epiphany, she becomes acquainted with Margo, a charismatic artsy socialite; Karen, the interior decorator entrepreneur, and Amy, an indecisive romantic. Each new friend interjects their perception of love and happiness while influencing Angela’s final decision. The genre is Contemporary Romance and sets in the year 2005. 

Major events: A conversation between Margo and Angela, where Margo sets the perception straight on race and dating consideration. And second, the event where Karen exposes her Angela to a world of elegance placing her misconception to myths to rest. 

BPM: What specific situation or revelation prompted you to write your book?

Nothing specific, per se, but it’s a long time conversation piece whenever I hear how race, gender, ethnicity refers to dating. My thoughts were not to sugar coat the event but really stress social issues from a different view. People often jump to conclusion if they ponder why anyone would love someone so different. However, it isn’t a point of view where we exploit or condemn, but a view where it’s a transition of thought and where culture is surely unique. The way I wrote this novel’s message applies to all nationalities and race of people. 

BPM: Who are your favorites? Are your characters from the portrayal of real people?

Of course Angela is a favorite character, but I really liked developing Amy, Margo, and Karen. These ladies really added spice to the novel. Nothing like true friendships and these characters displayed how women truly support each other during tough times. These characters are modeled from people in my life. Fortunately there were strong entrepreneurial influences from my mother and other women who fought in the business world to make it. My observations included how women nurtured and ridiculed each other to get one or the other in line with reality. The women in the story are portrayal of real people, based on specific behaviors. 

BPM: What role do you give the "mean-spirited" characters? Do you have such characters?

Paula and Bill, are two characters who identifies with or practice racist views. They held onto myths and historical beliefs of African Americans, or just out right feared losing their White privilege. Though, the story shows effort for one character making an attempt to adjust and adapt, but strong beliefs deterred his/her re-structure. These characters help the story by showing the other side of racial and social beliefs. Though, many don’t exactly speak in a negative manner, however they live and believe quite separate or external to diversity. The characters help reflect another common behavior in our society.

BPM: Who do you want to reach with your book and the message within?

Median age is 40, mostly women, however, I’d like to reach readers of all races and ethnicities of people who contributes to our social and emotional society. 

BPM: What are some of the specific issues, needs or problems addressed in this book?

Love and ethnicity is one issue alone. How people address interracial couples, or encourage their children, friends, and relatives to love based on social beliefs. “Don’t come home with a black, white, or one of those Asian women,” was heard by many men, told by their mothers (especially mothers). Why? Because most mothers want their children mated with someone similar to themselves to fulfill their dream, otherwise its an adjustment. 

Also, the book exposes the thought processes most women/men go through when dating someone unlike their family. I highlight the combination and threats most families address, especially when ,” it’s what people do these days, but don’t bring one of those people here.” The common remark even today, especially in families with strong rituals and beliefs. The book addresses friendships, a good vs. bad friend where their influence perpetuates good over evil. Or how influential some people are in dating, their advice on partner selections. What is a great friend? My novel gives examples of both great and horrible.

Black wealth is another social nome, and how most African Americans become successful, with business. The novel reflects how black entrepreneurial efforts are beyond the commonly known abilities. Most people believe black wealth is from entertainment or street hustle. One other social issues is the black family or couple. Since behavior is stressed throughout the book, the sub story shows how a black couple does work, in spite of the continued challenges most perpetuate. There are great black men who love and love well; black men who support and contribute, as well as uphold standards of quality. 

BPM: What was the most powerful chapter in the book for you to write?

Chapter 10 – where Angela finally has the heart to heart conversation with Margo. What happens when she teeters the line of decision or making that decision to say yes? Margo explains the other view and surely goes the extra mile of realization. What happens in a woman’s thought process was surely a challenge based on a male’s perspective. This took in depth research and surely an assessment of common core behavior amongst the study group. As well, the chapter took me on a historical ride, where people explored stereo-typed responses on all races of people. 

BPM: Ultimately, what do you want readers to gain from your book?

This book resonates with our current social state of interracial dating. Emphasis is not focused on hatred or deterrence as during the civil rights movement, but it exposes reluctant behavior. The reader encompasses the intricacies of heart and mind while processing a conscious decision to date across invisible lines of social expectation.

Bottom line, a message to follow your heart after realizing the road you wish to travel. Many reflect on what could have or should have been in earlier dating experiences. Here, my message to the reader is to reflect from internal and yet pay attention to the important factors when selecting a mate. Forget about race, ethnicity, religion, and other social idioms, and fact facts to what makes you extremely happen to create an everlasting relationship. 

BPM: What do you think makes your book different from others on the same subject?

Love is blind! The common message in most books of interracial dating, marriages, and or situations. This novel differs because of the focus on current social behaviors, explaining the challenge both genders make, or sharing from a mature woman’s view on the actual thought process.

My reflection of actual behavior is not superficial at the least, nor gives insight to multiple negative behaviors of African American people. It is reflective of a common core challenge seen from multiple people. You actually see a reflection of your actions, behavior of friends and relatives, or reminders of situations you’ve experienced. 

As well, this novel differs via sub stories of friendships, business, dating expectations, and reflective of regional intricacies The added difference is every venue or location mentioned in the novel is actual in Atlanta. The reader is able to relive scenes in actual locations with the imagination sparked from the novel. This is truly a “true to life” fiction.

BPM: Share with us your latest news or upcoming book releases. 

A new novel is in works for a release. When Love Evolves, releases April 2011. This novel is a sequel to Good Guys Finish Last, by debut book. When Love Evolves is a national release by a traditional publisher, which is an accomplishment from my independent effort.

Other efforts are in work for the final sequel in Good Guys Finish Last. With blessings form above, you’ll find me at your nearest bookstore holding book signings, exposure with additional media outlets, and even on the big screen.

BPM: How can our readers reach you online? 

Email me at: LonzCook@RLOenterprises.com.  Visit the author's website: http://www.lonzcook.com/.  You’ll be glad you did.

A Choice to Yield by Laurence “Lonz” Cook

Purchase from Amazon Today!

ISBN 0-7414-5344-4

Contemporary Romance

Conversation with Jacqueline E. Luckett

Intimate Conversation with Jacqueline E. Luckett

Searching for Tina Turner

After leaving the corporate world, Jacqueline Luckett took a creative writing class on a dare—from herself. During that time she began writing short stories and poetry and, since then, has never looked back. The Bay Area native loves living in Oakland, but travels frequently to nurture her passion for photography and cooking. Her first novel, Searching for Tina Turner, released in January 2010, was chosen by Essence Magazine as its January 2010 Book Selection. Her second novel, Passing Love, is scheduled for publication in October 2011.

» What are you most thankful for today?

I am blessed. This journey to writing and publication has been a dream come true. I’m thankful for my friends, old and new, who’ve offered their support with book parties, signings and the right words at the right minute. I’m so grateful that my mother, at age 88, is still with me and full of energy and good spirit—not to mention her constant supply of chocolate chip cookies and peanut brittle. I’m thankful for having rediscovered my passion.

» Tell us about your fondest holiday moment or event. Do you have Holiday rituals that absolutely, positively must be followed?

My sister and I took ballet lessons when we were young. Neither one of us liked the formal structure of ballet; I think we were more interested in Saturday morning cartoons than dance lessons. Although I can't quite remember how old we were at the time (under 12, for sure), I do recall one special Christmas recital.

We learned a very simple dance choreographed to the music of Johnny Mathis’ “Winter Wonderland”—“sleighbells rings, are you listening?” –an easy step, step, glide. We wore shimmering, short skirts that made us look like professional ice skaters and beige tights that made our skinny legs took big above our white ballet slippers. In the Bay Area, Berkeley, where I grew up, it only snows on the rarest of occasions, but for that recital we wore fuzzy earmuffs and matching hand muffs, white like the sumptuous ermine they were supposed to imitate.

We kept our costumes and for many Christmases afterwards we turned that dance into our ritual. Christmas Eve, we put Johnny Mathis’s Christmas album on the Hi-Fi and nearly wore out the groove on song number one. We danced to the tune over and over again, carefully executing our steps on the small stage that was our living room floor, as if that would urge Santa Claus to tumble down our chimney earlier, or make the clock spin faster to midnight and Christmas and all the joys of that morning. I don’t know how many Christmas Eves we spent dancing to “Winter Wonderland.” I only know we truly believed that without that song and dance, Christmas would never be the same.

» Do you have a favorite holiday menu, story or song?
Share with us.

Next to Thanksgiving, Christmas is my favorite time of the year to cook. I love those holidays because of the focus, among other things, on food—eating it, preparing it, talking about it; sampling, testing, putting dishes together. I experiment with cooking during the holidays more than any other time of the year. I have dozens of cookbooks. About two weeks beforehand, I pull several from the shelf, pile them on my table, and the search begins.

I look for unusual recipes for appetizers, salads, entrée dishes and desserts. For years, I baked all sorts of cookies at Christmas—nut balls covered with confectioner’s sugar, cranberry chocolate chip, and snickerdoodles. I taste while cooking, but I rarely test the recipes in advance—I suppose that since I make my selections from tried and true favorite cookbooks, there’s no need to. These are a couple of cookbooks from my collection that have great recipes: Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen, The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook (Lukins and Rosso), and LaBelle Cuisine (Patti LaBelle).

The preparations are almost a ritual for me. Typically, I create a menu with many more dishes than I intend to cook. I let the menu sit for a day or so and then come back to it and balance the meal with light and heavy dishes and veggies and sweets.

Many of my friends spend the holidays with family or take trips out of town and we don’t have the chance to spend holiday time together. For the last couple of years, I’ve prepared a meal the Sunday before Thanksgiving complete with dishes that bring back memories. Last year, I decided that there was enough time for turkey, so I cooked a pre-Thanksgiving dinner without that big bird: tossed salad of mixed greens, broccoli casserole, brined and roasted whole chicken, pork roast stuffed with peppers and onions, mac and cheese, a yam soufflé covered with mini-marshmallows, cornbread dressing with homemade cranberry chutney, and bread pudding for dessert. Yes, I overdid it, but the leftovers were fantastic! Happy eating!

» Tell us about your latest book. What are two main events taking place in the book?

Searching for Tina Turner is the story of Lena Harrison Spencer, a woman on the verge of change. Lena confronts the hard truths of what it means to have it all and still find oneself unfulfilled. She determines that what she needs is the strength to say no to all that is extraneous in her life, and Tina Turner becomes the icon from whose story she derives strength, even as everyone else tells her she’s crazy for giving up her cashmere cocoon.

Lena takes both an emotional and physical journey in the novel, and without giving away too much, readers who’ve always wanted to go to the South of France and Paris will enjoy the descriptions (and the action) in the last half of the story.

Review for Searching for Tina Turner by Jacqueline Luckett

“A fierce, beautiful tour de force . . . a heroine for the ages . . . Luckett is a writer to watch and admire.”
--ZZ Packer

» Have you ever considered what kind of legacy you want to leave future generations? What do you want to be remembered for?

This is a great, thought-provoking question and one that I’ll continue to ponder. Writing, finishing, and having my novel published have made their marks on my bucket list. I don’t suppose I’m too different from many writers who want to make a positive impact on the world.

My novel speaks to reinvention, inner strength and finding one’s passion. It’s my hope that my characters and stories provide inspiration and spark my readers to think about their own lives and ponder the possibilities for change at any age. Midlife characters are the focus of my novels; I look forward to dispelling the myths of being “over the hill.” I want “baby boomers” to have strong, sexy, and determined characters that they can relate to.

» How may our readers contact you online and pick up your latest work?

Searching for Tina Turner is available online, electronically, and at chain and independent bookstores everywhere. If you don’t see it, bookstores can order it for you. I’d love for readers to become Facebook fans, follow me on Twitter or email me.

Follow me on Twitter: @jackieluckett at  http://twitter.com/jackieluckett;  Website: http://www.jacquelineluckett.com/;   Finish Party:  http://www.finishparty.com;  FB Fanpage: www.facebook.com/pages/Jacqueline-Luckett-Searching-for-Tina-Turner/108871448654

Intimate Conversation with Gwynne Forster

Intimate Conversation with Gwynne Forster

Gwynne Forster, bestselling and award-winning author of When the Sun Goes Down, Blues from Down Deep, If You Walked in My Shoes, and A Different Kind of Blues, conjures a riveting story of fractured ties, secrets, and forgiveness in this powerful family drama in When the Sun Goes Down, the sequel to: If You Walked In My Shoes.

Gwynne Forster is a national best selling author of forty-five works of fiction, including her latest of nine mainstream novels, WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN. Gwynne is author of thirty-six romance novels and novellas, of which the latest novels are DESTINATION LOVE and YES, I DO. She has won numerous awards for fiction writing, including the Romantic Times 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award, the Romance In Color Author of the Year award, the Gold Pen Award and has been inducted in the Affaire de Coeur Hall of Fame.

Gwynne loves to sing, read and listen to music, especially jazz, classical music, opera and blues. She also loves to sing and dance, and enjoys entertaining at small dinner parties. She lives in New York with her husband, who is her true soul mate.


Listen to a lively interview with Gwynne Forster and BAN Radio host Ella Curry


BPM: Mrs. Gwynne, we are celebrating the holidays! What was your most memorable holiday from the past?
GF: My most memorable Christmas holiday was the first Christmas Eve that I spent with the man who is now my husband. I cooked a turkey, the first I'd ever cooked and, to my astonishment, it was a perfect bird. Many things happened that evening that we still joke about. We didn't know each other too well then, and we "tiptoed" around each other, each wanting to assure the other a happy Christmas and neither of us knowing how. We had a wonderful evening, singing, eating, listening to music, telling each other tall tales of our lives and, of course, exchanging gifts. I shall never forget it.


BPM: How do you celebrate the holidays? What are the traditions for your family?
GF: We celebrate Christmas on Christmas eve, always with a roast goose dinner and mounds of gifts around the Christmas tree. We began the Christmas Eve tradition when my step son--then a teenager--got his first girlfriend. Of course, he wanted to have Christmas dinner with her and her family. So we invited her for Christmas Eve, and he went to her family on Christmas day. We liked the custom. We open the gifts after dinner on Christmas Eve. One beauty of that is that I enjoy Christmas day with no work to do.


BPM: What are you most thankful for today? What does all your books have in common?
GF: I am most thankful for Jesus Christ in my life and for the health and well being of my family and myself.

GF: My books have different themes, but everyone of them demonstrates the importance of loyalty and common decency and the rewards of reaching for a higher goal. Website: www.gwynneforster.com


BPM: Mrs. Gwynne please tell us about your latest release, When the Sun Goes Down.
GF: When the Sun Goes Down deals with the strengths and fragileness of relations among family members. When self-made millionaire and widower Leon Farrell dies, he leaves behind a legacy of family dysfunction—and a missing will. The possible loss of a fortune only increases the existing tension between his three grown children.

While handsome slacker Edgar kicks back in anticipation of his windfall, middle child Gunther struggles to save his software business, and fiercely independent Shirley unsuccessfully tries to stay out of the fray. But things soon take an explosive turn. And as the siblings find themselves battling each other to protect their own interests, they’ll face choices that could bring them together at last—or tear them apart for good.

Caught in the middle of her brothers’ ill-will, and doing her best to keep the peace, Shirley is further unsettled when she falls for Carson Montgomery, the smart, sexy private investigator Edgar hires to tract down the will. And when Gunther suddenly falls ill, Edgar’s attempt to manipulate him causes a conflict of interest that will shock them all!

BPM: Are your characters a portrayal of real people?
GF: Not at all. Something about a person may give me an idea, but I invent my characters.


BPM: Who did you write When the Sun Goes Down for? Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?
GF: I wrote it for my readership. I thought that the women and men who have read my novels over the years would enjoy a frank discussion of some of the problems common among people of African descent. I’m not sure you’d call it a message, because I make it a policy not to preach to the reader. My first agent told me that it is a writer’s duty not only to entertain, but to inform. I’ve taken that advice seriously, and in every book that I write, whether mainstream fiction of a romance, I include some worthwhile information as a part of the story.



BPM: If you could change one thing you from your road to publication, what would you have done differently?
GF: I wouldn't have written a romance as my first book. I write mainstream fiction, and some of my books have won awards, but they are always judged as romances, because reviewers associate me with romance. And when they complain about something, it's usually what distinguished mainstream women's fiction from a romance.


BPM: Do you write full time? Describe your writing schedule for your readers.
GF: I write full time. I get up around seven-thirty and usually write from nine to about four Mondays through Fridays. Important errands may interfere with the schedule, but that’s basically it. I write after dinner for about two hours, unless my husband and I are going out or have guests. I often write on Saturdays after I’ve finished my shopping and errands. I don’t write on Sundays. I work in my office, and I don’t listen to the radio unless there’s a program of Mozart music.

BPM: What do your do when you’re not writing?
GF: In the summer, I’m an avid gardener. I love music—opera and classical music, classical jazz, blues, some Sinatra/Nat Cole type popular songs and a couple of old fashioned country singers. I enjoy entertaining at small dinner parties and consider myself a rather good cook. And, of course, I read.

BPM: What does your family think of your writing?
GF: My family consists of my husband and stepson. Both are very proud of my success as a writer and read my books. Although my husband is an academician and not a computer expert, he makes my fliers, brochures, and bookmarks and does an elegant job of it.


BPM: What two pieces of advice would you give to aspiring writers?
GF: Don't be disappointed by rejections. When you get one, clean up the manuscript and send it to the next editor on your list. The appraisal of fiction is, in some important aspects, highly subjective.

GF: Learn English grammar, and cultivate an extensive vocabulary so as to express yourself precisely as you intend. Write each day and, if possible at the same time. Try not to get a habit of procrastinating, and don’t rewrite until, say, you’ve at least written a chapter. It’s best to rewrite after you finish a first draft. Nothing worthwhile comes easy. Join a writing group such as the local

RWA group and attend writing conferences whenever possible. Remember: if you write a page every day, at the end of a year you can have a book.


BPM: Thank you Mrs. Gwynne for joining us today! Readers you can find out more about Gwynne Forster and her books at: http://www.gwynneforster.com/


When the Sun Goes Down
ISBN-10: 0758246994
ISBN-13: 978-0758246998

"When the sun goes down on my life, you'll all come apart like ripped balloons." -- widower Leon Farrell

When stingy self-made millionaire and widower Leon Farrell dies, he leaves behind a legacy of family dysfunction—and a missing will. It's soon clear that his three grown children, Edgar, Gunther, and Shirley, don't handle loss well—the possible loss of a fortune, that is. And when Edgar hires a private investigator to track down the will, it's just the beginning of a search that will lead the siblings to re-visit their childhoods, uncover buried secrets, and ultimately learn for themselves what it means to be a family. For as tensions escalate between the brothers—with their peace-keeping sister caught in the middle—an unexpected conflict of interest is brewing that will shock them all—and either bring them closer together or tear them apart for good...    Peek inside the book and read excerpt chapters!


Purchase your copy today. Give as a great holiday gift book!
http://www.amazon.com/When-Goes-Down-Gwynne-Forster/dp/0758246994


ALSO AVAILABLE NOW!
Once in a Lifetime by: Gwynne Forster
ISBN-13: 9780373831944

With a young daughter to support, recently divorced Alexis Stevenson jumps at the chance to become household manager for wealthy businessman Telford Harrington and his two brothers. Though she knows it won't be easy turning their bachelor-pad mansion into a home, she is determined to handle any obstacles, while maintaining a separate life for herself and her daughter. But Alexis isn't at all ready for the red-hot chemistry crackling between her and Telford—or the fact that she's suddenly caught in a maze of unexpected secrets and deep mistrust. But if she and Telford find their way through it—together—can they both embrace the love they so deeply desire?

Intimate Conversation with Cheryl Robinson

Intimate Conversation with author Cheryl Robinson






Cheryl Robinson is the author of five novels. Most recently, When I Get Where I'm Going, In Love with a Younger Man and Sweet Georgia Brown. She is a native Detroiter and graduate of Wayne State University. Robinson now resides in Central Florida where she is writing her next novel.

BPM: What makes you powerful as a person and a writer?
As a person I feel power in my faith. It allows me to press on through the rough times and to remain positive. I try not to let the daily stresses of life get to me. And I try not to judge others. The more I stop myself when I feel my mind going in that direction, the easier it becomes. I get tired of seeing people get built up by the media to later get knocked down. The less I judge others the better I not only feel, but also when I write and develop characters it's much easier for me to remove myself from the situation. I realize it's impossible for everyone to love my books, but I always keep that as one of my primary writing goals. And, I try to keep a healthy balance between being my own worst critic and one of my biggest fans.

BPM: Where do you find your inspiration? All of the inspiration I could ever need I can find from everyday life--the joys and the pitfalls. I can open one email from someone telling me how upset they are at the way I ended my last book and then turn around and open another email from someone telling me how much they thoroughly enjoyed it. That's an example of how life is in general. One minute you can be down, but in a second it can all turn around. You have to take the good with the bad and learn from them both. But honestly, sometimes I just want it to all be good.

BPM: What specific situation or revelation prompted you to write your book?
Some years ago, when I was about nineteen or twenty, I answered the phone at my parents' home and there was a woman on the other end who insisted that we were related. She was trying to tell me that she was my half sister and that we had the same father. I remember my heart sinking. In order for that to be true, based on her timeframe, that would mean my father, who I thought had been happily married to my mother for years, had cheated. But as the conversation continued we both realized that while the two men shared the same name they weren't the same person.

Still, for those few minutes, I had to ask myself what if that was actually the case. The thought never completely escaped my mind, and in some ways it was that event that prompted me to eventually get around to exploring the scenario. And now, in the age of social networking, it's much easier to find your missing relatives. And in the case of these three sisters, it's also true, and they do share the same father.

BPM: Who do you want to reach with When I Get Where I'm Going and the message within?
I am a Women's Fiction author. That does not mean I only write for women. Nor does the fact that I'm black mean I only write for black people. I don't write to exclude any one, but to enlighten and entertain us all. I write about women and women's issues, and of course, men are in my novels too. As an author I have an opportunity to go beyond stereotypes. I've learned over the eight years that I've been writing professionally that there is a way to entertain without offending.

If I, as a black woman, do not feel good about how we are represented in the media. If I don't feel empowered about what is being written about us on the internet and elsewhere and if I have to continuously hear from the media that black women are "the least desirable of all the races" or not a preference by some men even within our own race, as an artist, I have an opportunity to present a different message that isn't a negative one, but can still be realistic. It's like music. Some songs only have a good beat while others also have wonderful lyrics. I want to write books that make people feel good.

My intended message isn't given to readers, but written in such a way that the reader gets out of it what they came to the story with and how they view the story and the characters will be interpreted by how they view the world. But maybe, if I do my job as I intend to, they will have a different opinion after it's all said and done.

BPM: Introduce us to your latest book, When I Get Where I'm Going.
What would you do if you discovered that you had a sibling you never knew existed? Would you be like Heaven, so excited to connect to that person that you quickly took to Facebook and started searching? Would you be like Hope, too caught up in the trials and tribulations of your own life to even care? Or would you be like Alicia, skeptical at first, but willing to open up to the idea?

Alicia, Hope, and Heaven are three estranged sisters embarking on one special reunion. And it will take an earth-shattering discovery, a lucky lottery ticket, and a near-fatal encounter to finally bring three sisters together and have them realize that nothing can save a person like family.

BPM: Introduce us to your main characters in When I Get Where I'm Going. Heaven Jetter, Hope Teasdale, and Alicia Day are three special sisters! Heaven is twenty-one and the youngest sister. She's on probation, caught up in an abusive relationship, and trying desperately to get her life back on track. Hope is a young widow and single mother searching for the truth behind her husband's death, but once she finds out, can she handle it? Alicia is a struggling actress trying to catch a break in Hollywood after thirteen years of trying, but a devastating one-two punch forces her back to Detroit.

BPM: What are two major events taking place? The novel is written in third person and begins with a prologue that occurs five months prior to the start of the story. And then the rest of the novel is divided into three parts and most of the chapters alternate between the point of view of each sister. Without giving away any spoilers, I will say that each sister has a major turning point that makes each of them reevaluate their life.

BPM: What are a couple of the specific issues or problems addressed in this book? One issue in the story is domestic abuse. Heaven is involved in an unhealthy relationship, but like so many other women involved in something like that, she finds it nearly impossible to leave. Her story isn't from the viewpoint of a woman who is both a wife and mother and being abused, but from a young woman who has gotten caught-up with the wrong man and finds herself so confused that she doesn't know what to do and feels that her life in general is spiraling out of control.

Alicia Day's character was written for anyone who has been holding on to a dream for a very long time and wondering if it will ever come true. Aspiring actors, singers, and writers should be able to especially relate to her story. Black actresses, in particular, should also be able to as much has been discussed about the struggles that black women experience while trying to succeed in Hollywood.

Discussion Topics: When I Get Where I'm Going Domestic violence, sisterhood, estranged family, the entertainment industry, and specifically the lack of roles for black women in Hollywood.

BPM: Share with us your latest news, awards or upcoming book releases.When I Get Where I'm Going is featured in the September issue of Essence Magazine. And I recently completed my next novel, Remember Me, that will be released in September 2011.

BPM: How can our readers reach you online? Readers can connect with me through my website at: www.cherylrobinson.com and also join me on my recently created Facebook page. There is a link on my web site.


Cheryl Robinson--When I Get Where I'm Going
Purchase your copy today at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/When-Get-Where-Im-Going/dp/0451229479


Please check out the featured book and return feedback below. Brought to you by EDC Creations and Black Pearls Magazine. Visit the BP magazine here: http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/

Children book: Imagia and the Magic Pearls

Intimate Conversation with author Monroe S. Tarver

Monroe S. Tarver is the author and illustrator of  Imagia and the Magic Pearls, an exciting adventure portraying the power of imagination. He was born and raised in Georgia, attended Savannah College of Art and Design, and currently resides in Charlotte, NC. Monroe is proud to share African American role models, and to stimulate children to expand and use their imaginative gifts.

Introduce us to your book,"Imagia and the Magic Pearls" and the main characters.
"Imagia and the Magic Pearls" takes place in Trillow, the land of three suns. The story tells of the Elf Princess, Imagia, who lives in Upper Zembah. She spends all her time studying and has little time for friends. One day she finds a hole in the palace walls and enters the forest, even though she knows this is forbidden. She does find friends there, but has scary adventures as well. During her adventures, Imagia learns the power of imagination as well as some important life lessons.


Who were your favorites? Are your characters from the portrayal of real people?
Of course they are all my favorites, but I really like the Braidworms, Water Ostrich and the Creepod flowers. These creatures help define my world of Trillow and each has his own interesting history. I grew up with braids in my hair, so a creature like the braidworm seems natural in my world.


What makes you powerful as a person and a writer? Who are your mentors?
My Imagination makes me powerful as a person and a writer. Walt Disney was my biggest mentor. I loved the world he created with his characters and always wanted to create my own world and characters -- ones that came from my imagination.


A Legacy is something that is handed down from one period of time to another period of time. Finish this sentence- My writing offers the following legacy to future readers...
My writing helps open the door for fantasy chapter books where dark skinned characters are strong role models.


What specific situation or revelation prompted you to write your book?
My first trip to Disney world actually changed me forever. I felt so many things were possible.


Who do you want to reach with your book and the message within?
I believe every child has a pearl (talent). If they allow the wizards(parents, teachers) around them to help them learn as much as they can, then their pearl will become just as powerful as I've made my pearl -- my writing and drawing over the years.


What are some of their specific issues, needs or problems addressed in this book?
Prior to "Imagia", there's been a dearth of dark-skinned role models in children's literature.


Ultimately, what do you want readers to gain from your book?
I want kids to feel free and empowered to develop and use their imagination.


What do you think makes your book different from others in this genre?
There are very few, if any, Classical Fantasy Chapter books for children aged 5 to 9 to read themselves, or for parents to read to younger children. Unlike the one-sitting childen's books, chapter books provide small children with a sense of anticipation, as well as a chance to fantasize about what comes next.


Share with us your latest news, awards or upcoming book releases.
I'm working on the next book of the Tales From the Mapmaker series ...


How can our readers reach you online? Share with us your online contact info.
I can be reached at  http://www.worldoftarver.com/
http://www.talesfromthemapmaker.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_ZxarMxNog


"Tales from the Mapmaker", book 1: 'Imagia and the Magic Pearls'
written by Monroe Tarver.

published by Wizarding World Press

Books can be purchased from:
http://www.cushcity.com/
http://www.mosaicbooks.com/


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