JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
James Scott, author of Buffalo City Czar
(Prodigy Publishing Group)

“Buffalo City Czar” is a crime novel. It details the story of a fictitious New York crime family syndicate in Buffalo City (and Cleveland, Ohio) headed by Cesare, who became synonymous with the Black Syndicate Organization. The novel covers the late nineties and also provides the back story of Cesare from early childhood to adulthood.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “Buffalo City Czar”?

James Scott: . I was inspired to write “Buffalo City Czar” after spending eight years in prison. As a product of my environment, I truly believed that my criminal life was how life was supposed to be. I was wrong.

I quickly became determined not to become a jail-house statistic, I read, worked, went to school and worked out. I conditioned myself to a daily routine that changed my life. Despite what people may have heard about prison, I got an education, a piece of mind and an opportunity to start my life over for the better.

JP: What sets “Buffalo City Czar” apart from other books in the same genre?

JS: What I believe sets my book apart from the rest is its real-life, everyday events. “Buffalo City Czar” has things in it that happen not only in the black communities, but all communities.

I also like to give my readers a deep identification with my characters. I make them feel like they know them or someone like them. ”Buffalo City Czar” is a novel that will have you turning page after page. When you’re done, you’ll be wanting to know what happens next.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “Buffalo City Czar” getting out to the public?

JS: The keys to my success are my determination and hard work, being open to criticism, willing to listen and make drastic changes in my style of writing.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish “Buffalo City Czar”?

JS: ”Buffalo City Czar” took me six month to write and six years to perfect. This is mainly because I was in the beginning stages of my writing craft and did not put forth a %100 effort at the time.

JP: What’s next for James Scott?

JS: Over the period of my eight-year prison sentence, I have written several books. I hope to see them published within the next three years.

http://www.prodigypublishinggroup.com/

http://www.facebook.com/authorjamesscott

http://twitter.com/JamesScott000

“There are many things in life that are inevitable, and we are powerless to control them. Our destiny is preordained. Our God has planned our course. Our future lies in the unconditional power of faith. What do you believe in?” ~ James Scott, author of “Buffalo City Czar”

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Suzetta Perkins, author of In My Rearview Mirror
(Strebor Books/Simon & Schuster)

Margo Myles is over 40 and giving birth to twins. But she doesn’t know who the father is – her soon to be ex-husband, Jefferson, or one-time fling, Malik Mason.

Malik is running for a political office and unbeknownst to Margo and Jefferson, Malik is also getting ready to marry their daughter. Scandal and politics seem to make perfect bedfellows as evidenced by the bizarre triangle mother and daughter find themselves – fueled by Malik’s desire to possess political power, an heir and a woman to call his own.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “In My Rearview Mirror”?

Suzetta Perkins: “In My Rearview Mirror” is the third and final installment in my Behind the Veil series. In this novel, I wanted to bring the Myles’ family full circle and hopefully iron out some of the wrinkles of the past.

JP: What sets “In My Rearview Mirror” apart from other books in the same genre?

SP: While my characters are fictional, I touch the nerve of the reader by writing about real live drama that they are witness to in our society today. “In My Rearview Mirror” is political scandal/political suicide at its best that would produce some of the biggest tabloid headlines if it wasn’t fictional.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “In My Rearview Mirror” getting out to the public?

SP: It’s all about marketing. Marketing my novel is key to keeping my work in front of the readers. You have to be a social media junkie – meaning you must have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, email, and other social mediums.

I interact with book clubs. Word-of-mouth is worth more than gold. If someone loves your book and tells someone else, the action keeps repeating itself.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish “In My Rearview Mirror”?

SP: This is my eighth book. With the knowledge I’ve learned about writing, I’ve been able to write a book in six months – maybe less if it’s a sequel. With a sequel, I’m already familiar with my characters. Giving them a new storyline is the easy part.

I write every night. I have a full-time job, so night time is when I’m able to write. Before I began to write a book, I prepare a character profile on each of my main characters. By doing, I breathe life into the characters.

JP: What’s next for Suzetta Perkins?

SP: I’m presently working on my ninth novel entitled “Silver Bullets” about the zany antics of women over fifty.

http://www.suzettaperkins.com

http://facebook.com/ Search: Suzetta Perkins and Suzetta Perkins’ Fan Page

http://twitter.com/authorsue

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Ben Burgess, Jr., author of Monster
(Wasteland Press)

“Monster” begins with Ken Ferguson, a guy in his twenties, that is put through the wringer growing up in a dysfunctional family. As an adult, his heart and ego are ripped to pieces when his girlfriend. He thought she was “the one”, but she emasculates him and dumps him for a bad boy.

Ken begins his transformation. Fueled by anger and being tired of the “nice guy” routine, Ken drowns himself in one-night stands, threesomes, affairs with married women, and sleeping with one conquest after another. He adopts the philosophy of having no commitment and no attachments, but he meets his match with Ashley.

Ashley makes him want to stop his promiscuous ways, but she turns out to do even more damage to his ego and his heart, wounding him deeply. With his philosophy reinforced, Ken spirals out of control and becomes a MONSTER.

Sleeping with and mistreating random women he meets at bars and clubs, Ken uses sex to forget about his insecurities, his anger and his sadness. He becomes a predator that uses and abuses women to no consolable end.

Will Ken learn to let go of his heartbreaks, or will he be consumed by them and continue to be a MONSTER?

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “Monster”?

Ben Burgess Jr.: The poem “Ugly” from my first published book “Times Have Changed and Life is Strange” is the poem that inspired me to write “Monster”.When I was writing that poem, I reflected on my life and felt this would be a good story that would teach and possible change people’s lives.

“Monster” is based off my life and experiences. After enduring some pretty interesting experiences, I believe that “Monster” is a story that can benefit everyone. It’s a story that needed to be told. I was inspired to write it to teach people. I feel that people can learn from my mistakes. I wanted people to learn that:

1. Every action has a consequence. It can be good or bad, but there is a result for everything we do.

2. We need to take time to truly heal emotionally and mentally after a break-up. If we don’t, we are bound to bring that pain into future relationships.

3. We need to be conscience of our actions. We never know the effects they can have on other people.

4.In order to move forward in life, we have to learn to let go of negativity and to forgive ourselves.

JP: What sets “Monster” apart from other books in the same genre?

BB: What sets “Monster” apart from others is that I try to teach people with my writings. I don’t try to make the reader lean towards one direction. Instead, I try to write in a way that people can make their own choices and learn more about themselves.

The messages that I try to instill in my writing is that, as people, we should always strive to be better. We should always want to become better versions of ourselves. I also want people to see that whether they like it or not, no one is perfect. At some point, even the “good guys/girls” aren’t so good.

I try to make my books very realistic. I write about topics that I believe we all go through. I don’t like to write “hood books” While I enjoy them, read them, and there is nothing wrong with them, I want my books to show the world that African Americans are more than just drugs, baby mama’s, crime, and gangs.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “Monster” getting out to the public?

BB: The first and most important key would be my daughter. The lesson I wanted to teach her early is that with hard work, determination, and drive, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. I may never be on the New York Times Best Seller’s List, but my dream was to write a novel that I felt could change the world. I wanted to show her that if you believe in your abilities, there is nothing you can’t accomplish.

The other key’s to my success would be my family, my wife, my friends, and my fans. They have all encouraged me when I felt like giving up, supported me with my dream. I’m truly grateful for that.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish “Monster”?

BB: I like to write as it comes to me. I don’t think I have a traditional process. I create stories in my head, then I write out my thoughts. As time goes on, I edit those thoughts and add to them. Most of the storyboards are created in my mind. I write wherever the urge hits me. I like to keep a notepad and pen with me, where I jot down ideas, dialogues, or potential chapters.

When I have time, I enjoy writing on my home computer the most. Because of my busy schedule, I write whenever and wherever I can. I mostly write on the train going into and coming from work.

I started working on “Monster” in May of 2010 and completed it in May of 2012. I didn’t mean for it to take two years, but being in law enforcement, being a part time personal trainer, being married, and being a father of a three-year-old, my schedule is always busy. I try to write something everyday.

JP: What’s next for Ben Burgess Jr.?

BB: You can look forward to me constantly working on new books to stimulate people’s minds . I’m currently working on my next book “Love and Happiness”, and I plan to have it published by February of 2014.

https://www.facebook.com/BenBurgessJr

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Monster/231214637006067

http://twitter.com/Ben_Burgess_Jr

Here is my poem “UGLY” that inspired me to write my novel “Monster”:

UGLY – a poem from “Times Have Changed and Life is Strange”

There’s a darkness inside me that’s hidden deep
within my psyche; that causes me to act in a behavior
that’s unlike me. I have turned into a
lustful monster that conquers to alleviate my
emotional hunger, preying on women like a hunter
to add to my sexual numbers. Always on guard,
this side of me is a mask used to put up a façade,
disregard and protect me from the feeling of being
empty. I spent many dates gazing into eyes and
holding onto hands. My only plan was to add to
my statistic of one night stands, and becoming
legendary in women’s beds. I messed with many
heads to get them to spread their legs and relished
the feeling of being intimate. No longer into it, my
feelings for the situation become intricate while
she is still smitten by the way I caressed her. My
feelings changed the moment I undressed her.
Under no pressure, I address her with full force
showing no remorse as I tell her I felt nothing and
this was all just a fling. To me she didn’t mean
anything. I could have never been committed. I
didn’t have to wonder why I did it. The answer
was simple; I just wanted to “hit it.” I slept with
many women, some I didn’t even remember their
names, but no matter how many I slept with
I could never get rid of that initial pain.
Back then “she” had manipulated and hurt me
so I decided to show no mercy and do the same,
let women feel my pain, and become a player in this game.
Her method of deception left me suspended in a
state of depression, affecting my judgment and
affection. I was wounded with emotional scars.
From bathrooms in bars to backseats of cars, I
would just go with the flow with anything that
would tempt me. I would have sex and hop to
the next and still feel empty. After my heart was
destroyed, I felt that all of those women would
help fill that void, and make everything clearer,
until one day I didn’t recognize myself in the
mirror. What have I done? What monster have I
become? How could I ever expect anyone to love
me, with my heart being this ugly? When did my
heart turn to stone? The path that I was leading
was deceiving and would eventually leave me all
alone. What I did was wrong and was done with
evil intent. I decided to forgive myself as the first
act of atonement. I have now grown and stopped
being vindictive and trying to “get them”. I have
stopped feeling like a victim and have returned
to the man I was supposed to be, forever keeping
that evil part of me in captivity.

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Curtis Edmonds, author of “Rain on Your Wedding Day”
(Scary Hippopotamus Books)

“Rain on Your Wedding Day” is a modern Southern Gothic novel about one family’s tragic past and the consequences that it holds for their future.

Five years ago, Will Morse was arrested and charged with the murder of his youngest daughter Trixie. Will maintained his innocence and claimed that Trixie’s death was a suicide. Although Will escaped criminal charges, he lost his job as a Coca-Cola executive in the scandal. His wife, Danielle, left him, convinced that he had some role in Trixie’s death. Distraught and racked by grief and guilt, Will retreated to the safety and silence of a remote cabin in the North Georgia wilderness.

Will wants to rekindle his relationship with her daughter Alicia after she visits him over Christmas and lets him know that she’s getting married. Will fears that attending the wedding will bring up painful memories from his past and lead to conflict with his ex-wife and her family, who still blame him for Trixie’s death.

On the eve of Alicia’s wedding, Will must confront the guilt and shame that he feels and seek forgiveness for his actions.

“Rain on Your Wedding Day” is a poignant, moving tale about the need for forgiveness and redemption.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “Rain on Your Wedding Day”?

Curtis Edmonds: “Rain on Your Wedding Day” is set in the town of Blue Ridge, Georgia. The mountains around Blue Ridge are topped with vacation cabins. This book is about someone who has lived alone in one of those cabins for a very long time and how he manages to make his way down the mountain.

When my wife and I were first dating, we would rent a cabin and spend a long weekend there. I always wondered who it was that actually owned the cabin and what they were like.

JP: What sets “Rain on Your Wedding Day” apart from other books in the same genre?

CE: “Rain on Your Wedding Day” is women’s fiction told from the male perspective. Its central event is a wedding, and it has several strong, opinionated female characters. But it is narrated by a character who is an older man, a former NFL lineman and corporate executive.

When I was trying to pitch “Rain on Your Wedding Day” to literary agents, there were at least a couple of them who were concerned that people who read women’s fiction wouldn’t necessarily read a book written by a male author with a male narrator. I don’t think that’s really an issue, but it does set the book apart, at least a little.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “Rain on Your Wedding Day” getting out to the public?

CE: Persistence. It’s as simple as that. I didn’t quit when the writing itself got hard. I finished the book and found an editor and pitched it to any agent I thought might be interested. When that didn’t work, I hired a different editor, reworked the novel, and then tried again to find an agent.

When that didn’t work, I could have given up and put the book in a drawer. But I didn’t do that. I found people to help me with cover design and e-book formatting and put it out myself.

It’s not just talent, not just hard work, but being persistent, not giving up, and trying whatever works.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish “Rain on Your Wedding Day”?

CE: I started writing “Rain on Your Wedding Day” in the summer of 2010. I was kind of floundering around the midway point by Christmas vacation in 2010, so I made it my New Year’s resolution to finish it. I started tracking my writing in January 2011, and finished the first draft in ten weeks.

I only have an hour or so a day to write – the time between when I put my kids to bed and when I finally go to sleep. I averaged only about 350 words a day. That’s enough if they’re the right words.

I got the first draft edited and started submitting it to agents in the fall of 2011. I wasn’t getting a good response, so I hired a developmental editor in the spring of 2012 and basically re-wrote the entire book over the course of a couple of months. When the next round of querying didn’t produce anything, I decided to self-publish.

JP: What’s next for Curtis Edmonds?

CE: I have been spending most of my writing time over the past few months doing promotional stuff for “Rain on Your Wedding Day”, so I don’t have anything specifically planned next. I have two ideas that I’m exploring. One is a science-fiction concept about a derelict spaceship and a mysterious distress signal.

The other idea involves reworking a road trip novel that I shelved a few years back – it’ll need a lot of work and a lot of love, and I’ve been avoiding it fairly successfully so far. Eventually, I hope to get back to writing and not just self-promotion.

http://www.curtisedmonds.com/

http://www.scaryhippopotamus.com/

http://facebook.com/blueduck

http://twitter.com/Curtis_Edmonds

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6624391.Curtis_Edmonds

“My other writing projects include writing funny short fiction pieces for McSweeney’s Internet Tendency and doing the occasional book review for Bookreporter.com. As a book reviewer, I know how important book reviewers can be in helping authors get the word out. If you’d like a review copy of “Rain on Your Wedding Day”, please let me know.” ~ Curtis Edmonds

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http://www.scaryhippopotamus.com/

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Greatest Poet Alive, author of “Revenge of the Orgasm”
(GPA Media, Inc.)

“Revenge of the Orgasm” is an erotic autobiography. It has all of the elements of a “tell all”, but it contains the discretion of a gentleman, speaking only of himself and his exploits but not the participants specifically.

G.P.A., the Phenomenal Poetic Unsub, takes you on an erotic journey that you will wish not to end.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “Revenge of the Orgasm”?

Greatest Poet Alive: The inspiration for “Revenge of the Orgasm” stems from my intimate and sexual encounters with beautiful women.

JP: What sets “Revenge of the Orgasm” apart from other books in the same genre?

G.P.A.: There is no other book like “Revenge of the Orgasm”. It is an erotic autobiography written in poetic verse, similar to “The Iliad”, “Odyssey”, or “Dante’s Inferno”. Then, these stories are non fiction. There aren’t many, if any, books of Poetry that cross genre lines like “Revenge of the Orgasm”.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “Revenge of the Orgasm” getting out to the public?

G.P.A.: Getting “Revenge of the Orgasm” out to the public and being successful at it takes relentless effort, using all avenues that are available, and then being as innovative as you can with presenting the product. My team and I observe these things.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish “Revenge of the Orgasm”?

G.P.A.: I don’t have a process because I’m always writing. But when something hits me, I start writing on the spot. It took three months to write and complete “Revenge of the Orgasm”.

JP: What’s next for Greatest Poet Alive?

G.P.A.: Besides conquering the world, I will be on the “Revenge Tour” to promote the book and completing my second CD of Poetry, “GPApocalypse Forever”.

http://iblowyourmind.net

http://facebook.com/pages/GPA-Greatest-Poet-Alive-Livingston/171281820040?ref=hl

http://twitter.com/gr8estpoetalive

YouTube: hchise22, Instagram: unsubgpa

“From “The Confessional Heart of a Man” to “Revenge of the Orgasm”, I will put my resume right there with the best to ever pick up a pen. My name is G.P.A., and I am on my way to be the best ever.” ~ G.P.A.

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Kennedee Devoe, author of Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right…It Makes Us Even
(Pink Kiss Publishing)

“Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right…It Makes Us Even” details my shocking past: good, bad, and ugly, along with dating relationships and all the life lessons I learned in between.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right…It Makes Us Even”?

Kennedee Devoe: My real life dating experiences have been horrific over the last 15-20 years. I knew that a lot of people could relate to one or more of my experiences.

JP: What sets “Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right…It Makes Us Even” apart from other books in the same genre?

KD: “Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right…It Makes Us Even” is a dramedy. You will laugh and cry as you read my personal story.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right…It Makes Us Even” getting out to the public?

KD: BlogTalkRadio, magazine ads, book promoters on social media sites ads in books for plays, contest giveaways, and word-of-mouth.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish “Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right…It Makes Us Even”?

KD: It’s not hard for me to write because I am writing about my own personal experiences. It took me 4 years to complete my first book because I was working on Masters Degree and working full time.

JP: What’s next for Kennedee Devoe?

KD: I’m currently writing about my friendships I’ve acquired over the years the last 25 years. It will be out January 2014.

www.kdevoe.com

http://facebook.com/kennedeedevoe

http://twitter.com/kennedeedevoe

http://www.youtube.com/kennedeedevoe

https://www.facebook.com/TwoWrongsDontMakeARightitMakesUsEven

Thanks to my new supporters for reading it, and thanks to my future readers for taking a chance on me. Special shout out to Joey for the interview. XOXO

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Larry Benjamin, author of “Damaged Angels”
(Beaten Track)

“Damaged Angels” is my first collection of short fiction. The stories give voice to the invisible, the damaged: the drug addicts and hustlers, the mentally ill and the sick and the questioning and the men who fall in love with them.

Often dark, always lyrical and evocative, these stories are the stories of those who color, and love, outside the lines.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “Damaged Angels”?

Larry Benjamin: In the acknowledgements, I wrote”…to all the men and boys who inspired these stories—you gave your all. I hope I gave as much.” And that really was my inspiration—the men and boys I’ve met along the way. In some cases they were friends, in others, just casual acquaintances, in one instance it was my brother and some were much, much more to me.

JP: What sets “Damaged Angels” apart from other books in the same genre?

LB: While it can be argued these are love stories, they tell a different story of love. My first book, “What Binds Us” (#JPcom interview: http://h1t.it/Ht86L1), was a story about a great, undeniable love—but with “Damaged Angels”, I wanted to tell a different story. I wanted to look at love in shadow—in the shadow of oncoming death and addiction and mental illness. I wanted to examine how love when sown on seemingly infertile ground can grow in hopeless places.

The stories are far grittier than one would expect and the writing is lyrical and full of symbolism. In one, “The Seduction of the Angel Gabriel,” a hustler’s drug addiction is portrayed as a hungry child “screaming to be fed.” As he sinks deeper into addiction, the child grows into a woman, wise in the ways of seduction. “The Cross,” is told in a series of letters to an anonymous friend. The story itself loosely follows the Catholic Stations of the Cross. A third, “Intermezzo,” brings ancient Gods to earth in the form of mortal men.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “Damaged Angels” getting out to the public?

LB: Determination, belief in yourself―not only in your book―but also in your talent. And a kind of desperate willingness to go the distance—to see how far you can go—I think is key.

It’s important to set a goal and keep it in sight at all times. I don’t set little goals like wring a certain number of words a day or writing a certain number of hours per day. I write when I can and when I have something to express. I set big goals—where do I want my career to be in ten years? What do I want critics to say about my body of work in ten years? In twenty years?

I would add that it’s important to know who your intended audience is, then figure out how to reach them and which publisher is most likely able to help you do that. It’s also important to listen to your editor—you don’t have to agree but you must be able to listen. And most important don’t measure yourself, or your book, against another.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish “Damaged Angels”?

LB: My “process” if you can call it that is very chaotic. I don’t write every day and I don’t write in sequential order. I also tend to write by hand. I carry composition notebooks with me but I’ve been know to scribble scenes on napkins and in the notepad on my phone. As I transcribe, I edit and fit the pieces together like a jig saw puzzle. Thank God for “cut and paste.”

Typically it takes me about a year to write a book, in part because I have a “day job” and in part because I let the words come to me rather than sitting at my computer and forcing myself to tell a story. It’s undisciplined and chaotic, but it works for me.

JP: What’s next for Larry Benjamin?

LB: I’m working on final edits for my third book, “Unbroken”, which is essentially a love story. It opens with the main character coming home from first grade at age 6 and telling his parents he is going to marry his best friend, another boy, when he grows up. The book chronicles his journey over 40 years. It will be released by Beaten Track this summer, and I’m wildly excited because I think this is my best book so far.

http://www.larrybenjamin.com/

http://facebook.com/AuthorLarryBenjamin

http://twitter.com/WriterLarry

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Dyphia, author of “Dicmatized: The Doctor Is In”
(Gemini Phoenix Publications LLC)

Dr. Lenese Stringfield Puts the “Sex” in Sex Therapy as she takes the profession by storm with her new and innovative techniques. Her seductive nature and sexy demeanor has her clients eating out of the palm of her hand – among other things.

Lenese has loved once and lost. If she can’t be with the one she loves, she will love the one she’s with. But, amazing sex doesn’t come without a price tag.

Too bad life has a lesson to teach this freaky therapist! She will soon learn that Karma is the ‘one bitch’ that has everyone’s address. Fooling around with another woman’s husband is dangerous, but falling in love with one can be deadly.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “Dicmatized: The Doctor Is In”?

Dyphia: My grandmother always wanted to be a writer, so I dabbled in a little erotic poetry myself. One day, my cousin Neiima Edwards read some of my poetry and told me I should write a book.

JP: What sets “Dicmatized: The Doctor Is In” apart from other books in the same genre?

Dyphia: The Dicmatized series is a love story with a lot of love making. Most people think of erotica as soft porn, but my book shows how people in love make love, not just have sex.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “Dicmatized: The Doctor Is In” getting out to the public?

Dyphia: The key to my success is staying true to myself. Everyone has his/her own opinion about what I write and how I write it. I’ve learned that I can’t please everyone so as long as it feels good to me, I’m doing something right.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish “Dicmatized: The Doctor Is In”?

Dyphia: My writing process was to just write whenever, wherever the feeling hit me. I wrote “Dicmatized” on my Blackberry in three months. The story came to me and just flowed from my mind to paper as if it were writing itself.

JP: What’s next for Dyphia?

Dyphia: I just published “You Can’t Handle The Truth” which is a self help guide for women to show them how to find a soul mate within themselves first by loving themselves and knowing their own worth.

“Dicmatized 2″ will be released in June of this year, and I have my life story coming out the end of the year titled, “The Death of My Innocence!” I just released my first author, Stacey Thomas and the name of her book is “Sins of the Flesh: Erotic short stories”.

http://geminiphoenixpublications.com

http://facebook.com/dyphia.blount

http://twitter.com/dicmatized

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gemini_phoenix

“I host a blog talk radio show called: Let’s Talk About It with Gemini Phoenix, and I write an advice column in Literary Lounge Magazine called ‘Let’s Talk About It with Gemini Phoenix’.” ~ Dyphia aka Gemini Phoenix

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
V. Brown, author of “I Am Her, The Mistress”
(G Street Chronicles)

“I Am Her, The Mistress” is about a chick named Tyquasia “Ty” Roberts who is a good girl turned mistress. She was born and raised in Miami, Florida. Ty finds out some secrets about her boyfriend Benzino when he gets locked up. She packs her stuff along with a large sum of his money and heads to Atlanta to start a new life.

In Atlanta, she runs into one of the hottest club promoters/party host Down South, Nasir Cruz. They are instantly attracted to each other. The only issue is that he’s married to Lorraine Cruz a high fashion model.

“I Am Her, The Mistress” is filled with love, lust, lies, deceit, and murder. Friends become foes, and the people that you think are one way are totally different.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “I Am Her, The Mistress”?

V. Brown: I initially got the inspiration to write “I Am Her, The Mistress” from an experience that I had a couple years ago. Although the person I had this experience with wasn’t married, they had been with their significant other for quite sometime. This individual was also a club promoter/party host.

The rest of my inspiration came from other experiences that my friend had. The story took on a life of it’s own. I just added little touches of my experiences.

JP: What sets “I Am Her, The Mistress” apart from other books in the same genre?

V.B: What sets “I Am Her, The Mistress” apart from other books in the urban fiction genre is that I thought outside of the box; the way that I told the story is different. I didn’t just stick to the norm. I did my own thing. I have officially dubbed “I Am Her, The Mistress” an urban fiction Classic. From what I hear, the readers agree.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “I Am Her, The Mistress” getting out to the public?

V.B: As an author, I push to go above and beyond what anyone else is doing. Whether it’s tweeting a different kind of way, making a eye popping poster that includes the cover of my book with a little about the book, having customized marketing tools such as pens, keychains etc. or if it’s just getting out into the streets face-to-face with readers. I do it all.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish “I Am Her, The Mistress”?

V.B: My writing process is really weird. I can’t just type a book and that be it. Starting with a blank computer screen doesn’t get my creative juices flowing. I have to feel the pen and paper in my hand. I do it the old-fashioned way and then type the story up which makes my writing process longer. It took me about 3 to 4 months to write “I Am Her, The Mistress”.

JP: What’s next for V. Brown?

V.B: I’m working on a lot of projects. One of the biggest projects is a Coast-to-Coast book tour that will last for the month of July called the Back To Basics Book Tour. It will be me and another G Street Chronicles author Blaque.

We’re hitting all the major states in the East: New Orleans, Essence Music Festival, Atlanta, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, DC, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York (Harlem Book Fair). Then we will head to the West coast where we will be in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

I am also working on an erotica anthology with 2 other G Street Chronicles authors Blaque and Cachet titled “Different Strokes for Different Folks”. I have a short story in the works titled “From Sugar to Shit”. I’m definitely over here working!

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https://www.facebook.com/authorvbrown

https://www.facebook.com/BrokenPromise

http://twitter.com/AUTHORVBROWN

http://gstreetchronicles.com/

“Thank you to everyone who has supported and motivated me this far. I want you all to know that this is just the beginning. A big shout out to the company that made it all happen for me G Street Chronicles and the people running the company CEO George Sherman Hudson and COO Shawna A. I won’t stop, and I won’t quit until we’re where we want to be.” ~ V. Brown

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Arthur J Gonzalez, author of The Photo Traveler
(Fahrenheit Publishing)

Seventeen-year-old Gavin Hillstone is resigned to being miserable for the rest of his life. Left alone in the world after his parents died in a fire when he was four, he was placed in foster care. This meant ending up in an abusive home with an alcoholic adoptive father.

He learns that he is one of the last descendants of a small group of Photo Travelers—people who can travel through time and space through images. But his initial excitement turns to fear, when he soon discovers that he and his grandparents are being pursued by the fierce remnants of a radical European Photo Traveler cult, the Peace Hunters. What Gavin has, they want!

His adventure will take him to past eras, like The Great Depression and the Salem Witch Trials. Gavin will have to discover who he really is and must make choices that spell the difference between life and death for himself, for the relatives he now knows and loves, and for the girl he will come to love.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “The Photo Traveler”?

Arthur J Gonzalez: One of the most important people in my life was facing a difficult time when their grandmother passed away. It affected him in such a deep way that it consequently affected me.

I remember him crying, staring at an old black and white photo of his grandmother in Havana, Cuba. He held it, staring at it like she was talking back to him. He said, “I’d give anything to travel into this picture right now and hug her.”

I jumped off the couch, my mind spinning in every direction. “What if you could?” From that moment, “The Photo Traveler” was born. It was perfect. It was as if she and my father plotted in the Heavens to gift me “The Photo Traveler”.

JP: What sets “The Photo Traveler” apart from other books in the same genre?

AJG: What I find different about “The Photo Traveler” is that at its core is a story about a boy searching for something, somewhere that he belongs. I think we’ve all felt that way at some point in our lives – everyone. And I think it makes this story, beyond the adventure, relatable and authentic.

And on top of that, it’s a way to imagine a life where we’d have an opportunity to go back and relive something that didn’t happen the way we may have wanted. What would that look like? It, in some ways, answers the question so often asked: “If you can go back and change something in your life, what would it be?”

Gavin gets the experience this exact scenario. He is given the opportunity to go back and have a relationship with his parents; something that was taken from him. Who wouldn’t want that? “The Photo Traveler” also illustrates another point: everything comes with a price.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “The Photo Traveler” getting out to the public?

AJG: First and foremost, there needs to be a relentless belief in yourself. Even if you are insecure or scared, you must believe that there is no other way for you. You cannot accept anything less than what you have dreamed of.

Second, you need to be completely committed to your book and story. Take your time. Know your characters better than you know your very self.

Also, connect with your readers. Understand what they want and how your stories can inspire them and generate emotional attachments.

Lastly, do your research. Know what’s available. Think outside the box for promoting your book. Never expect that success will be given to you. Work for it. Achieve it. Earn it.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish “The Photo Traveler”?

AJG: I usually lock myself in my room and make sure I have an endless supply of coffee. I’ll turn on some music. I don’t know why, but I tend to play a station on Pandora called “‘Nature Sounds”. The sounds bring me peace and clarity.

My actual writing processes differ. Sometimes it’s very structured. I will start with outlining the chapters, character analysis, etc. More frequently, I will just write, write, write. I’ll force myself to stop if that “inspiration” just isn’t there. You can’t force it.

The initial draft of “The Photo Traveler” took me one month to complete. But it’s been in the editing process for a year. It has transformed into something monstrous, compared to what it was one year ago.

JP: What’s next for Arthur J Gonzalez?

AJG: Well, hopefully somewhere in a Best Seller’s category!

But in the mean time I’ll be writing the sequel to “The Photo Traveler”, called “The Peace Hunter”. It will be absolutely amazing. I’m also working on three other novels. I feel a little crazy, but I love it. All I have to say is: lots of coffee, lots and lots of coffee.

http://thephototravelerbook.com

http://arthurjgonzalez.com

http://facebook.com/thephototraveler

http://twitter.com/arthurjgonzalez

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17254840-the-photo-traveler

“I really, really hope, above it all, that I’m able to give someone just a few hours of mental escape. (And you should know, I’m being laughed at as I write this because I sometimes (or always) pronounce “escape” as ‘Ex-cape”.)

And thank you, to everyone who has ever believed in me.

Pops, this is for you. I couldn’t do it without you, and I’ll know you gave me the strength and courage to do this, while you watch me from up above. I love you. No, I love you more!” ~ Authur J. Gonzalez

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