JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Keisha Ervin, author of Finding Forever
(Priority Books)

Once teenage sweethearts, Whitney and Koran are vastly different people now. Whitney’s working on her master’s degree and has a new lease on life, while Koran is a drug dealer riding around in expensive cars and living in a big house. Is it possible for Koran to change his lifestyle and for true love to return?

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Finding Forever?

Keisha Ervin: I’ve always wanted to write a tragic love story. I’m a huge soap opera fan, so I think that is where my flair for the dramatic comes from, lol. Also I love the movie A Walk to Remember. That movie also inspired this story.

JP: How is Finding Forever different from the other love stories you have composed over the years?

KE: This one doesn’t end with my typical happily ever after ending. Although my characters come full circle they are forced to kind of do it own their own and without the love and support of their significant other. Also, this story focuses on an illness that is plaguing us as women.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Finding Forever?

KE: My process for writing a story is first coming up with an idea. I then figure out my outline in my head. I rarely ever write anything down. All of my stories scenes and ideas from start to finish are stored in my mind. Due to the fact I was under a deadline it took me almost three months to write Finding Forever. I’m not a quick writer. I like to take my time with my stories. With this one I still felt rushed. Some of my readers felt the same way.

JP: This is your sixth novel, but your first book on Priority Books. Why did your switch from Triple Crown Publications?

KE: I did this book with Priority Books because it is a home based publishing company. I have to help and support my city St. Louis. Also Rose, the owner, is such a sweet and genuine woman. I would work with her anytime. To make things clear, I am not signed to Priority Books or TCP.

JP: What’s next for Keisha Ervin?

KE: I am currently working on my seventh novel and a short story for an anthology. To all of my fans and supporters you can contact me at www.myspace.com/keishaervin or http://www.webjam.com/grayrosez

P.S. Join the Joey Reviews Newsletter at http://joeypinkney.com/joey-reviews-newsletter.html

P.S.S. If you want to be feature in a 5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… series, email me at joey.pinkney@gmail.com or myspace.com/joeyreviews

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Barbara Grovner, author of We Belong Together
(Third Eye Publishing)

Step into the mind boggling world of Mavis Rollins, a woman who wants her granddaughter to marry Makai Wilson, the grandson of the wealthy woman who stole her very own husband back in the day. While raising her granddaughter Sandy, she manages to brainwash her into believing she is destined to spend her life with Makai.

Sandy actually yearns for Makai but is disappointed when her best friend Kara meets him and falls in love with him. It seems Kara never knew about Sandy’s unnatural feelings for Makai., a perpetual charmer. After deceiving Kara with two beautiful women, she throws him out of their home. Kara is found dead in the parking garage near her job, and things begin to heat up. When the police begin digging around, the truth unfolds and secrets come tumbling out. Lives begin to unravel, revealing jealousy and raw rage, crazy relationships and most disturbing, pure insanity at its most dangerously evil depth and somehow, someway, justice must be served.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write We Belong Together?

Barbara Grovner: The idea for We Belong Together simply popped into my head. I was actually trying to out-do my last novel Even Numbers. That novel is about child molestation, which is a very serious topic. I am still hoping to keep the subject of child molestation in the forefront of our minds particularly for single mothers who are dating. Please pick up a copy of Even Numbers as well.

With We Belong Together which by the way releases on December 27th 2008, my love for “who-done-it” types of stories emerged and my story became a sort of quirky, crazy murder mystery loaded with colorful characters and insane dialog.

JP: What sets We Belong Together apart from other novels in its genre?

BG: The differences from this murder mystery “who-done-it” and others is the fact that there are so many other things going on apart from the murder. Things like infidelity, plotting and scheming, a little same-sex encounter as well is coupled with the most raw rage ever. The emotion within the scenes will prompt you to check all of your own feelings and your own opinions as well.

JP: This novel has elements of mystery, romance and erotica. How were you able to mix these genres together and maintain the integrity at the same time?

BG: The mixture of romance, mystery and erotica is actually how many of our own lives are lived. LOL. You may even find a bit about yourself within the pages.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish We Belong Together?

BG: I still write “old-school.” I use notebooks (paper ones) and hand write almost constantly. Then I transfer to the computer. This gives me a chance to add material as well as edit as I go along instead of backtracking. Sounds complicated, I’m sure, but it works for me.

JP: What’s next for Barbara Grovner?

BG: Currently I am working on the sequel to We Belong Together. The publishing company I am currently working with is not taking submissions of this type at this time. I would love to have both books published under the same company, but I am currently looking for another publisher. I have looked into a few promising possibilities, but…I’m open for invitations and points in the right direction. (WINK).

Also, I have been doing some editing, especially for young authors who are writing their first manuscripts. I offer extremely low prices and an especially lower rate if the author is enrolled in some sort of school. I’m all about promoting education. For authors I can be reached at bgrovner@hotmail.com for editing questions.

For inquired and for more info on my books, please check me out on my MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/barbaragrovner.

Thanks so much for the chance to speak with readers and again thanks so much for your support.

P.S. Join the Joey Reviews Newsletter at http://joeypinkney.com/joey-reviews-newsletter.html

P.S.S. If you want to be feature in a 5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… series, email me at joey.pinkney@gmail.com or http://myspace.com/joeyreviews

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I had the honor of returning to Adrienna Turner’s BlogTalkRadio Show on 12-20-08. (To check out the first show click here.)

This show was a great experience. I talked about:

• how book reviewers can help authors sell more books
• guerilla marketing tactics to gain more exposure
• why building a following is more important pursuing large publishing houses

Check it out here:

Listen to it and let me know what you think.

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Angel Mechelle, author of Another Woman’s Husband
(Shannon Holmes Communication Media)

Bree Michaels is young, sexy, single and raising two children alone. As if being single was not bad enough, Bree has a problem: she misses having that special someone in her life. It’s been a while, but Bree isn’t desperate or even looking for love when things jump off.

She never wanted to be someone’s slide and definitely never wanted to be the other woman . In Bree’s mind, she was a catch, wifey material. It was when she met Dre, her fine and married neighbor when all her self-control and morals flew out the window.

Bree surprises herself by her willingness to compromise her soul to be with Dre. Things get hectic when Dre’s wife Neecy begins to suspect the true nature of the friendship between Bree and Dre. Neecy goes crazy when she learns the truth. Neecy vows not to let Bree break up her family or take her man not without a fight.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Another Woman’s Husband?

Angel Mechelle: Another Woman’s Husband is inspired by actual events. I knew that many women were in similar situations, and I wanted to share this story.

JP: How is novel different from other urban fiction that deal with adulterous situations in the ‘hood?

AM: I feel that Another Woman’s Husband is written from such a real perspective. The story connects with most readers on a personal level. They can relate in some way. Readers feel like they are actually reading about someone they know. Another Woman’s Husband is not just a story…it is someone’s life.

JP: How did you hook up with Shannon Holmes publishing company?

AM: I hooked up with Shannon’s company through MySpace. He was calling for submissions to the Anthology Hood2Hood. I submitted a short story and, to my amazement, it was chosen. He also read a little about the book on my page and was interested in reading the entire manuscript. Thankfully, he enjoyed it and offered to publish it. That was a complete blessing that hanged my life.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Another Woman’s Husband?

AM: I really try to write the most at night. That is when I feel most relaxed. Sometimes I write a little during downtime at work, and I absolutely have to have music! I usually pop in a CD according to my mood, slide on the headphones and let the story come. Lyrics inspire me tremendously. Another Woman’s Husband took a little over a year to complete. I re-read and re-wrote that story over five hundred times…easy.

JP: What’s next for Angel Mechelle?

AM: Ohmygoodness! So much. I’m excited about the future. I have a short story featured in the upcoming Anthology Flirt. I’m also working on a couple of projects right now related to Another Woman’s Husband. Women wanted a sequel, and that is definitely coming. Before I do that, I’m working on sort of a prequel. You wanted to know all about Bree and her life and what made her make the choices she did, and I’m going to tell you. Readers want to know Neecy’s side of the story too. The possibilities are endless, for Another Woman’s Husband.

http://www.myspace.com/writeordiechic

P.S. Join the Joey Reviews Newsletter at http://joeypinkney.com/joey-reviews-newsletter.html

P.S.S. If you want to be feature in a 5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… series, email me at joey.pinkney@gmail.com or http://myspace.com/joeyreviews

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I had the honor of being on Adrienna Turner’s BlogTalkRadio Show on 12-13-08.

I was on the show with:

• Author Starr Sanders
• Agent/Publicist/Author Chamein Canton-Smith
• Editor Kathleen Johnson

I talked about my website, my take on Urban Fiction and my book industry friends. Check it out here:

Listen to it and let me know what you think. I’m going to try to make it on the show on 12-20-08.

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Urban Lit is DEAD! by Joey Pinkney

Yep, I said it… Urban Lit is dead. Done. Finito.

Flatline…

Who am I to say that? I don’t have the same status in the Urban Lit industry as Nas has when he said the same thing for his music. I don’t have to. I read a lot of Urban Lit, and it’s dead.

Why do I speak such blasphemous words? This sentiment stems from an email conversation I had with Therone Shellman after reading and reviewing his novel No Love Lost. (Read my review of No Love Lost, click here.) His novel was atypical and his approach to life after the streets was refreshing. Another one that comes to mind is Erick Gray’s Crave All Lose All. (Read my review of Crave All Lose All, click here. Read my interview with Erick Gray. Part I, click here. Part II, click here.)

In brief, we discussed how Urban Lit doesn’t do justice to the situations that people are relegated to in hoods across America and beyond. The immorality and reality of the streets isn’t present in a lot of stories on the market today. Without going into detail, that book was the first one that I read in a long time that actually shined the light on the side of the game that most people see but few want to talk about.

Call the Coroner…

The Urban Lit genre is pumping out books with the same book covers and the same stories. Most of the authors have to boast their jail experience to get the attention and respect they think they need to sell their stories. (Sounds like rappers who have to talk about their hood exploits in order to be respected, instead of being lyrically proficient.)

The Urban Literature landscape is taking the natural life cycle of all cultural trends. It’s just like Hip-Hop, born from desolation and neglect. Just like the Hip-Hop that influenced its current direction, Urban Lit has gone from being an obscurity to being shunned to being assimilated into popular culture. That’s why the larger publishing houses are following suit and creating imprints to cater to ravenous readership that Urban Lit definitely has. That’s why you can go to Barnes and Nobles or Borders or even Wal-Mart and see the latest and greatest in the (unofficial) Urban Lit section. It’s selling.

Before it got it’s name, authors like Omar Tyree (who recently stopped writing Urban Lit), Sistah Souljah and Teri Woods wrote books that spoke to a group of people who couldn’t get the time of day from the larger publishing houses. The prevalent thought at the time was that “those people” don’t read. Urban Lit has now been digested and regurgitated by the large publishing houses just like Master P did to rap music during his hey day. And just like his albums covers, words are blinged out, the men look mean and the women look horny.

From the Cradle…

With a “for us, by us” mentality, what would later become Urban Literature was strictly a person-to-person enterprise. Authors were printing up there own books and selling them out the trunk, on the corner, mom-and-pop stores and beauty salons. Full of sex, violence and grammatical errors, these books and the readers who loved them were looked down upon by the mainstream book industry.

Then the book industry got hip. “Those people” were buying those books terrible books. “Those people” were requesting sequels and anything else their favorite hood author put out there. Why? Because those books were entertaining, but they also had an underlining message. Readers could relate.

Fast forward a couple of decades. Now every book cover either has a young black dude with braids, two ear rings, tattoos, sagging jeans and a mean mug or the book has a young female in her early twenties wearing something that makes it easy to figure out what the birthday suit is like. The stories are still about the hood, but nowadays there is a twist. The money, clothes, hos, jewelry, expensive cars, huge houses and the swagger runs the stories.

Urban Lit authors still have to get on their grind, print up the copies and sell them by any means necessary. The difference now is that they have to compete for shelf space with the larger publishing houses. A lot of times, they have to compromise the integrity of their story to fit what the readers will buy. It’s no longer a novelty to have a book with the hood as the backdrop.

To the Grave…

The immorality and reality of the streets isn’t present in a lot of stories. This article actually stemmed from an email conversation I had with Therone Shellman, author of No Love Lost. Without going into detail, that book was the first one that I read in a long time that actually shined the light on the ___ side of the game. (Another one that comes to mind is Erick Gray’s ___.) Shellman is a person is has been there and done that, and it shows in his approach to his story.

A lot of people complain that most of the Urban Lit books are the same three or four stories with a different title and character names. For that matter, most of the authors have the same felonious background story in their bios. It’s just like Hip-Hop nowadays. You could take a black male between 16 and 36 (because you know we stay young looking for a while) and give him a grill, some tatoos, a fitted, a throwback (or white tee), some sagging jeans (and boxers), a gold necklace with some goofy pendant, a diamond encrusted watch, and some Air Force Ones. Then put him in front of a mansion with a couple of Lambourghinis and Escalades with a buch of women in their early 20s in bikinis. Throw on some music, let him pose and point around aimlessly showing off that goofy pendant. Oh yeah, I almost forgot let him rap…

That’s similar to what you see in Urban Lit. Most Urban Lit books has the guy that’s a drug dealer with all the name brand clothes and cars. He has enough jewelry to finance a small army. The problem is that that guy gets robbed and/or killed in real life.  A perfect example is all of these rappers getting their chain snatched left and right. They talk all that stuff on the albums and still get robbed when they leave the studio. Where are the guns? Where are your boys?

On top of the hood watching you, the cops are watching harder. Most of the dudes that make it to BET’s American Gangster get an episode because of one big mistake, being too flashy. Make a solid gold crown if you want, the cops will do everything they can to take that and everything else, including your life.

Eulogy…

I understand what’s going on. People don’t read Urban Lit to get the scoop on reality. Like my girl Davida Baldwin said it, “You don’t read Street Lit for self-help and motivation, you don’t read street lit to help out the community, you read it for entertainment.”  If you put the average thug n!gga or hoodrat on the book cover, it wouldn’t sell. It would probably make it hard to sell the book right next to it, too. (LOL!) If it takes a model on the cover to get noticed, then sex has sold again. To be honest, authors don’t spend months and years to write a book for it to sit in a book store. They write it to hopefully put money in their pockets.

The larger publishing houses are in the game to sell units. If you like it, they love it. Business is business, but we the readers should expect more from Urban Lit authors.

Leave a comment and let me know how you feel.

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Reprinted with permission by Kisha Green
Originally posted on: http://www.writersvibe.com/whogotnext.htm

Kisha Green: Who is Joey Pinkney?

Joey Pinkney: Joey Pinkney is a man on a mission. The mission changes and gets refined with the times. I’m currently looking to expose authors to people in a way that is not being done in a consistent manner. I’m also looking to write and publish the books that are begging to get out of my head.

My love for reading and writing will not allow me to live a regular life of working and sleeping. I have to apply a significant part of my “down time” to reading, writing, reviewing, interviewing, editing, myspacing (is that a word?), thinking and plenty of other i-n-gs to keep me sane.

KG: Three words to best describe yourself

JP: Introspective, obsessed and determined.

KG: When did you first start reviewing books?

JP: My first attempt at reviewing books was around July/August 2006. At the time, I was writing for a now defunct African-American weekly newspaper called The Urban Journal in Nashville, TN.

The publisher wanted me to be a type of journalist that hit the streets and cover things like school board meetings, crime scenes and various boring things that was happening around Nashville.

I couldn’t do just that. I pitched an idea to the publisher where I would review books by black authors. I think he allowed me to do it just to humor me. I contacted a bunch of publishers and authors. I read and reviewed the books I received. I had to beg and plead to get the reviews in the paper. He let a couple run in the paper, but he simply wasn’t interested in anything that didn’t happen in Nashville.

I stopped trying to get the publisher to work with me. I kept getting great books to read.

KG: Have you ever had to post a bad review? If so, how did you break the news to the author?

JP: Writing reviews for Urban Book Source allows you to tell the whole truth, straight up with no chaser. You can browse through my reviews to see the one I had to “keep it real” with. I tried to contact the author for a subsequent, but he (or she) never got back to me.

Luckily, I really haven’t had books to read that are poor in quality. It amazes me how many talented writers there are out there that don’t seem to get the light of day because that are self-published or published by one of the smaller houses.

KG: Who are some of your favorite authors?

JP: Moses Miller. The Trifling Times series he is taking the genre of Urban Fiction to new heights and levels. Keisha Ervin. I really like her book entitled Torn. It’s Urban Romance at its finest. I was recently impressed by Jessica Holter’s Verbal Penetration. That book will broaden your horizons as to what can be done in the Erotica genre.

KG: Tell us about your book How to Get Rid of Bacne Super Fast ?

JP: This is really an ebook. It’s only in PDF format. It’s very simple in format: 10 chapters, 10 questions, 10 answers. I tried to pull together the information that’s hiding and spread out all over the place and bring together in a short, easy to read book.

KG: What made you write a book about Bacne?

JP: That’s a weird subject, right? The idea for this book came from my website, JoeyPinkney.com. Before focusing on the book industry, I was publishing a bunch of articles on almost everything. Acne prevention was one of the subject I covered. I noticed that the information concerning bacne drew a lot of attention.

I took the ten most popular keyword phrases that people googled to get to my site and did the research. I used to charge for the book. Now it’s a free download because it’s a great resource, not a get-rich-quick tool.

KG: Do you plan to write any more books?

JP: Yes, I plan to write many books. Plan in the active sense of the word. Like I said earlier, I have to get these books out of my head or they will keep pestering me. I’m writing the outlines, so my research will go smoother.

KG: Did you self publish or go the tradtional route of submitting your mansucript to various publishers?

JP: That ebook was self-published. I do plan on submitting the manuscripts of my upcoming to the correct publishers.

KG: Which title do you enjoy more author or reviewer? Why?

JP: I like being an author more because I control the creativity. It’s solitary. Writing a book is really a situation of self-discipline. You do it; it gets done.

But being a reviewer is much more fast paced. It’s more fluid. It’s like going to another city or even another country. You get the see your experience through the experiences of others. I hate having to chase authors down to give them free publicity.

KG: What do you say to people who say that reviewers are people looking for free books?

JP: Some people might be. I am. I am not going to pay for a book that you want me to read and write a review on. Just because you sent me a book really is not equal compensation for me to read and write something significant about it. Your book costs $15 and shipping is $5. I put roughly 5 to 8 man hours reading and reviewing. That’s comes out to be $2.50 an hour. Two dollars and fifty cents an hour? My time is worth much more than that, and my relationship with the authors who send me books is much deeper than that.

Getting the book in my hands is as far free goes. I don’t just want your book for free to add to my book shelf. I buy books for that… Once I get you book, I want to read it and know it. I want to gain an experience from it that will make me richer than the $20 I didn’t spend on getting the book. I want to write about it, and I want others to know about it.

Right now, I have about forty to fifty books I haven’t had the chance to read yet. And “yet” is the operative word. I will read each and every book, no matter how long it takes. That’s where the word obsessed came from earlier. I didn’t accept all of those books just to have them. Although I got in over my head, I’m going to read and review each book.

Free is not free.

KG: What makes a review by Joey Pinkney different?

JP: One thing that makes my review different is that I read books from the first page with the copyright information to the order form in the back.

I write about it from the sense of knowing it. I take the time and consideration of using the right words. Sometimes my humor spills out, sometimes my frustrations come through.

Reading and reviewing a book is like the dating stage I was in before I got married. (Shout out to my beautiful wife, Latausha Renee Pinkney!) My relationship with the book is intense and short. I take it to work. I take it to bed. I take it out of town. (TMI alert!) I take it to the bathroom. Me and the book is “going with eachother”.

I scribble notes. I re-read. I cuss at the books gramatical error. I think of ways I would change it. Once I’m finished, I start writing. I usually can’t stop until I’m finished. That means that the night I start writing the review is the night I finish the review. I’m likely to pull an overnighter until it “feels right” when I read it. If I got to go to work the next day, too bad for me…

If the book came from Urban Book Source (TheUrbanBookSource.com, shout out to Senior Editor Abeena Paige), they will publish my reviews. If the book came from C & B Books Distribution (CBBooksDistribution.com, shout out to Carol Rogers). Plus, the review gets published on three different websites: JoeyPinkney.com, ReppingBeantown.com’s Reviews Section (shout out to Angella) and OneCliqueOnline.com’s Book Reviews section (shout out to Me!ah). Three different websites, the different crowds.

I also post the reviews on Amazon.com for good measure. My thing is, I want as many people to know about the book as possible. I don’t just read the book, write the review and tell the review be fruitful and multiply. I actively seek outlets for the review.

KG: You recently started ” 5 Minutes, 5 Questions” series, what prompted you to start a clever concept such as this?

JP: The “5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…” series really spawned from me being overwhelmed by the number of books sent to me by different authors across the nation. I’ve gotten to a point where I can’t accept anymore.

One day, I looked in my closet and saw all the books that my wife was fussing at me about. I have to take a picture for you to truly understand. I was like, “How am I going to read all of these books?”

I was on MySpace, and Essence Bestseller T. Benson Glover messaged me about sending a book that same day. While I was typing to turn him down, the proverbial light bulb lit up above my head. I asked if he would be down for a mini-interview. It was on from there.

As people asked to send books, I was like, “Sorry, but let’s do this…” I started publishing the interviews in the order that they came to me.

My first interview was published on 08-25-08. During the following September I got the great idea to post them every other day. Man! Talk about overworking myself. That was way too hectic. Along the way, Me!ah and Angella gave me the opportunity to contribute to there websites.

I had to slow down, so in October I tried to publish on every day that was divisible by three (3rd, 6th….30th). It’s still a hectic grind, but it’s so enjoyable. As of the day I’m answering this interview, I have 27 interviews published, and I’m almost booked through December 2008.

Although the questions many times are the same, the answers given by the authors are as different as snowflakes. The “5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…” series gives authors a chance to let the potential reader know who they are and what their books represent.

Reading about the personal story behind the books’ idea or the amount of time it took to complete the books gives it a life beyond the paper and the glue it takes to put it together. The diversity I have in this series is also powerful. Poetry, urban lit, non-fiction, science fiction…

Most of my interviews are of African-American authors. That’s very important to me. If “we” don’t shine light on “us”, who will? That’s why I like to include a picture of the author and the book cover. The author looks like us, our mother’s, our uncles, our neighbors.

KG: What is next for Joey Pinkney?

JP: I’m looking for more outlets for the “5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…” series. I would like to have a column on more websites. I really would like to get a column in a newspaper. If you’re reading this and got some info, go to my website and contact me.

I’m also going to read those books I mentioned one at a time until I finish. That’s very important that I finish what I started.

Hopefully, I’ll find some time to squeeze a book out and get that published, too. Speaking of that, I am going to be published in a book entitled The Soul of a Man: A Triumph of My Soul Anthology (shout out to Elissa Gabrielle/Peace in the Storm Publishing) right before father’s day in 2009. Google it.

Thank you so very much for taking the time to interview me Kisha. Although I gave lengthy answers, they were straight from the heart.

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Wakiem Freeman, author of Down Low Sistahs
(Apricot Books International)

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Down Low Sistahs?

Wakiem Freeman: The idea came from an ex-girlfriend who confessed to me that she was sleeping with her cousin who was a female. Years later, I was going through old photos. I ran across her picture and was inspired to tackle the touchy subject.

JP: What sets Down Low Sistahs apart from other urban fiction novels?

WF: Down Low Sistahs is innovative. It stands alone with a unique twist.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Down Low Sistahs getting out to the public?

WF: Discipline, distribution and word of mouth. I’m focused and screaming “they on the down low and you don’t even know, they on that lo-lo” every time I hit the streets of N.Y.C. The public has spoken. I’m on my ninth print run.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Down Low Sistahs?

WF: First, I pick a topic. Then decide if I want my brain to tackle the topic. Next is research, which can take any where from 2 to 4 months. Next is designing a book cover. Then I write my outline of all chapters, which takes about two weeks. I finished Down Low Sistahs in 4 days.

JP: What’s next for Wakiem Freeman?

WF: The re-release of Down Low Sistahs, re-edited, with a NEW cover, summer 2009

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Release Date: September 15, 2008 (Tour Dates to be announced)
BLOOD OF MY BROTHER II: The Face Off
A novel by, Zoe & Yusuf Woods

(click on the picture to buy this book from Amazon)

(click on the picture to buy this book from Amazon)

What will Roc do when he finds out the true identity of Solo? Will the blood shed come from his own brother Lil Mac? Will Roc and Solo take their beef to an explosive height on the street? Find out as Zoe and Yusuf bring the second installment to their hot street joint, Blood of My Brother.

When the streets are calling for blood and the soul of a hustler has been captured; Power, Money, Betrayal, and Revenge will change the lives of many. The saga continues in the rough streets of Philadelphia now that stakes are at a much higher level as the pieces to the puzzle are put together. Roc realizes that the very ones he entrusted are after more then territory, more than money…they want his life!

Blood of My Brother II: The Face Off unfolds into an even deeper war as the fury of Roc will be felt by many. The overwhelming desire to become the next Kingpin has put Solo in a fight for his life and has set the streets of Philly on fire. Witness the dangerous moves that are made to become the greatest and hold the title of the most powerful. Family, friends, enemies…no one is who you think they are!

This story can only be told by someone who has lived it!

Contact: Zoe Woods
Email: ZoeWoods79@gmail.com
Web: www.ynzproductions.com
Myspace: www.myspace.com/50042020

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
D.I., author of Frost Bite
(Madd Mindz Publishing)

Humble, charismatic, charming and determined are characteristics to name a few when speaking of the rookie of the year author of urban-street novels, D.I. Considered by many as the Steven King of urban-street fiction, no genre or entity can captivate ones mind as D.I. when indulging in his movies on paper.

As vivid and raw as a bloody crime scene, D.I.’s no-holds-barred style of writing begs a read to question: are these masterpieces real and titled fiction in efforts to elude possible conviction? Or are these masterpieces truly fiction but just so well written that it leaves the reader astounded to one’s imagination of how he depicts the severity of the street life.

An example of D.I.’s writing prowess is the ninth chapter of Frost Bite. As the Venoms (a murderous female killing crew, led by Shanda) plots on Ghost (Americas living nightmare), D.I. depicts a brooding scene of carnage as victims fall for the deadly Venoms’ stunning and angelic looks. It shows how there’s no one role a woman or man could play, whether being the villain or victim.

Joey Pinkney: Where did I get the idea and inspiration to write Frost Bite?

D.I.: I was actually writing a poem to my mother while I was in the ‘box’ aka OBCC’s solitary confinement on Rikers Island. I received a letter from her, and she asked me how did I get to the point where I’m facing 12 ½ – 25 years in prison.

It was suppose to be a simple answer which I was setting up as a little poem called ‘Mother of a Stranger’. I started writing the poem. I was just thinking of all the stuff I was exposed to while in the streets and what I’ve done or saw first hand. From those past thoughts, I realized that question couldn’t be answered with a simple poem. Six hundred plus pages later, I gave you Frost Bite.

JP: What sets Frost Bite apart from other urban fiction novels, where the main character is torn between crime and love?

DI: Well first let me answer the second part of that question. The main character is torn apart between crime and love because he is a street monger, just like many other brothers raised with no other choice but the streets. He chases whatever brings him the quickest dollar whether its robbing, drugs…even murder. He does what he feels he has to do in the company of his childhood friend, Fam, at his side at all times.

Then by fate, he comes across a beauty by the name of Lisa and an ex-street tough turned business mogul which both show him a new way of life. That new way of life is the way he wants to live. Because the loyalty and the brotherly love he has for Fam, he’s stricken to choose who to go with and who to leave behind.

The twist is, if he goes with Fam, that new way of life which will bring him sure fortune and a honest living will be just a memory of what he could’ve or possibly achieved. If he goes with Lisa and all that comes with her, he’ll have to turn his back on Fam, who’s a homicidal maniac. Crossing him can more the surely end with a deadly result.

What puts Frost Bite in a league of its own? Well it’s not the same recycled story of a drug king pin or how someone came from nothing, got it but lost it all in a hail of gun smoke. It’s not a story about some chick chasing some drug dealer or rapper to gain a come up to do whatever she thinks is best for her.

Frost Bite is what I’d consider a bitter street-love story with the main character sacrificing himself to protect those he consider dear to him. With the intertwined connection of the characters, it gives the reader a humorous but shocking cliché on how small the world is.

Yes it’s filled with violence, sex, lies, betrayal and all those good elements which one would consider is an urban fiction, but the bottom line is that those elements don’t short change the reader into another too short, undisrupted, and unrealistic street tale. Truly, you can kick up your feet and watch this movie on paper unfold in your mind as you read Frost Bite.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Frost Bite getting out to the public?

DI: Well, that’s on you and the general public to realize a diamond in the rough! But seriously, some would consider Frost Bite is a reflection of the life I once lived. Of course, some areas were exaggerated. For the most part it’s so easy to identify with because you can envision it to be someone’s actual life.

The public is tired of make believe stories. They’re tired of people going school, becoming CO’s then proclaiming to be a gangster. You can dissect Frost Bite for what it is and do your homework on me and what I’ve been through and realize the authenticity in it and come to just two conclusions.

This has to be based on him or he’s one hell of a writer. If you go to one of these other urban fiction writers and do the same, it just doesn’t add up when you do a background check on that individual author. Yeah, they’ve been locked up or what have you, but they go to jail for credit cards but write about drug kingpins.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Frost Bite?

DI: Well, when I wrote Frost Bite, I was incarcerated. I had nothing but time and hardly any distractions. So it took me about eight months to pen out. I take it old school with writing: Intro/Body/Conclusion. I start with the beginning, the middle, and ending, then fill in the in between.

I do that so I’ll know the middle of the story just as well as how it’ll end. I use that format because I’ve realized how descriptive I can be. Description takes up a lot of space. If you’re zoned out your story can go anywhere, and I don’t want it to lose the reader.

JP: What’s next for D.I. and Madd Mindz Pubishing?

DI: Well the next stop is Black Dayz: The Filroy Black Story. Then I’m putting out The Code. After that, Frost Bite 2 will be unleashed. I have quite a few novels already done, about 6 in total. I’m working with other writers as well, which will be released under Madd Mindz Publishing. I’ve been talking to a few people about a possible movie on Frost Bite.

http://www.myspace.com/frostbitebook
http://www.blackplanet.com/frostbite_
D.I.@MaddMindzPublishing.com

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