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5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Terra Little, author of Where There’s Smoke 2

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Terra Little, editor of Where There’s Smoke 2
(Urban Books)

In the aftermath of Where There’s Smoke (part 1), Alec and Anne have found a rhythm they can both groove to. They’ve made a steamy love connection. Just when they think they can finally settle down and tie the knot, their past comes back to haunt them in ways they never imagined.

Alec has secrets that he wishes he had never kept; Anne discovers them and sets out to show her man that a woman scorned is no one to mess with; and Isaiah…well, Isaiah finds himself in the kind of trouble that sends smoke signals up into the air. When the smoke finally clears, truths will have to be told and Anne will have to accept the fact that she and Smoke are more alike than she cares to admit.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Where There’s Smoke 2?

Terra Little: Where There’s Smoke 2 is actually a follow-up to its predecessor, Where There’s Smoke (JAN 2009). The inspiration to write the first installment came from my desire to write about women who have recovered from drug addiction in a more positive light than typically portrayed.

I also wanted to write about positive African-American fathers. Also, working as a Probation/Parole Officer for nearly a decade was a great inspiration, too, as I’m sure you can imagine. I wrote the follow-up because I wasn’t quite ready to let the characters go, and readers of the first book weren’t either.

JP: What did you learn from the process of publishing the first book that makes Where There’s Smoke 2 a better product?

TL: I guess I would have to say, patience. Everything is a process and a lot of waiting is involved in the publishing process. I learned how to have more patience and how to “let go” of the things over which I have no control.

JP: What advice would you give an avid reader who is yearning to become a published author like yourself?

TL: Learn as much as possible about the publishing industry. From the outside looking in, it looks like its all fun, fun, fun. But it’s really work…a real job. There’s definitely more to it than just penning a manuscript. That’s actually just the beginning.

Also, you can never go wrong by editing the hell out of your work and presenting the best product that you can. Another thing…be realistic…about everything, including your actual ability to pen viable work.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Where There’s Smoke 2?

TL: My writing process sort of depends on the project. I find that there are only certain places where I can really settle down and slip into a writing zone. So when I’m in the middle of a project, I tend to turn into an antisocial hermit.

Sometimes I have to get my thoughts together before I begin a manuscript and sometimes the characters have already decided how things are going to go. All that’s left for me to do at that point is follow directions. I never know what a project will bring, so I just go with the flow of each one. My process isn’t predictable at all.

Where There’s Smoke 2 took me a couple of months to write, mainly because the characters were still walking around in my head. I spent maybe a month or so getting the initial rough draft down on paper and after that…rereads, rewrites, rereads… which can be exhausting.

JP: What’s next for Terra Little?

TL: Next up is JUMP, which is coming up in 2011. This one has a different kind of vibe, darker and more serious. I hope its well-received, because I absolutely loved writing it. It was as if the main character, Helena Hunter, walked into my personal space, sat down beside me, and took over my consciousness.

Ever read something you wrote and thought: “When did I write that?” JUMP was like that for me. An excerpt from JUMP can be found on my website…check it out!

http://www.terralittle.com
http://www.myspace.com/terra_little
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=64843090179
http://www.terralittle.blogspot.com

Where There’s Smoke (JAN 2009) made Library Journal’s Best Books of 2009 List

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5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, interview

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Rico Dasheem, author of Memoirs of a Love Lost

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Rico Dasheem, editor of Memoirs of a Love Lost
(Evolving Publications)

Memoirs of a Love Lost is a tale of a love lost, with many compelling twist and turns. Most importantly, what makes this work unique is that I was able to integrate within the book correlated poems and journal entries that  engross the reader, drawing them in on a more intimate level.

To grab the reader’s attention more, the narrative vein was employed to have the reader fully immersed within the plot. Memoirs of a Love Lost features a masterful concoction arranged to steal your attention and express in a unique way the theme of the book.

I’ll leave that for you to read and decide. An inspirational read indeed, for lovers of poetry and intrigue, you’ll be sure to enjoy.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Memoirs Of a Love Lost?

Rico Dasheem: First of all, I want to acknowledge you and congratulate you, Joey, in all your success and would like to thank you for having me be apart of your esteemed series “5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…” author interview series. It is a pleasure and an honor.

Now back to the question. You know, I would have to say in the short time that I have been here, life has been quite the teacher. Yes, I would definitely say that life experiences were my primary inspiration for Memoirs of a Love Lost. Without giving the book away, I have always since a young man kept a daily journal. With that being the case, I found that over the years it began to shape and take form into the culmination of what you see here today.

JP: What sets Memoirs Of A Love Lost apart from other novels in its genre?

RD: I would have to say that Memoirs Of A Love Lost is not your traditional book. It does not follow the traditional look and feel of your average book. This was done by design.

I am a poet at heart, and you will notice that immediately. The tale is woven beautifully in a narrative vein, highlighted with poems and passionate journal entries to further enrapture the reader’s imagination.

JP As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Memoirs Of a Love Lost getting out the public?

RD: Well that’s a good question Joe, with this being my first self-published work. I would have to say that determination, persistence and being goal-oriented are good characteristics to develop. I also found myself doing a lot of research to see what exactly it entailed to produce, market and successfully sale a completed book.

Having an inquisitive nature would be a plus as well, Joe, because you will have plenty of questions that will need answering. The more question you ask the clearer your perceived goal will come into view, I find this to be true in all aspects of life.

JP As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Memoirs of A Love Lost?

RD: I found that I started with formulating a general idea of whatever it is that I want to write about. I try not to be to restrictive in thought at this point. I simply write down what comes to mind. You can use these after thoughts to invigorate your thought processes when you are short of material or at a standstill in ideas or direction

Once my core idea has began to take shape, I just continue to add draft layers. I review then revise and repeat the process until I have complete work. Now with Memoirs of A Love Lost, it took me a year to two years to complete the book. That was only because I babied it and paid attention to details. If you set a goal with milestones as markers to gauge you progress, then for the most part you are in control of how long it should take

JP: What’s next for Rico Dasheem?

RD: I am currently getting the material together for my sophomore work, Love2Live2Learn so be on the lookout for it on the near horizon. As well I am recruiting new authors for Evolving Publications, an upcoming Publishing House doing big things. As always, I will continue to live to learn to love, learn to love to live and love to live to learn so that I may live the life that I yearn.

evolvingpublications@gmail.com
moalovelost@gmail.com

http://twitter.com/Memoirsofalove
http://memoirslovelost.blogspot.com
http://www.love2live2learn.com/
http://www.myspace.com/moalovelost

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5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, interview

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Kendra Norman-Bellamy, author of Fifteen Years

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Kendra Norman-Bellamy, editor of Fifteen Years
(Moody Publishing)

Fifteen years after being taken from Thomas and Joanne Smith (his foster parents), and Sammy and Patrice (his foster siblings), 30-year-old Josiah Tucker, a successful corporate executive on the outside, but a broken man on the inside, seeks to reconnect to his “life-line” in hopes of also finding himself and a renewed faith in God.

But he finds more than he bargained for, and the reality of it all has the capability to make him a more tortured soul than he ever was before his mission began. A lot about the people you love (and the way your heart loves them) can change in fifteen years…

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Fifteen Years?

Kendra Norma-Bellamy: Over the years, inside and outside of the literary industry, I have seen people rise to a certain level of fame and basically push aside those who pointed them in the right direction; those who played a vital role in equipping them and preparing them for their pending success.

I wanted to address the importance of remaining humble and not forgetting the bridges that brought us over. When good seeds are sown in our lives, it is because God favored us enough to place a capable sower in our path who took time to nurture us.

Regardless of how much success we gain over time, we never know when life will bring us full circle and we may need to go back to our humble beginnings and find refuge or other assistance. If we burn the bridges, we don’t have a pathway to get us back to where we need to go.

JP: What sets Fifteen Years apart from other novels in its genre?

KNB: Fifteen Years is a story about un-biological family and how important a role that they can play in one’s life. It touches on thought-provoking topics such as foster care, drug abuse, child neglect, broken homes, forbidden love, family secrets, and it even addresses the subject of autism and speech impediments and how those challenges can affect the mental and social growth of a person.

It’s a drama-packed, fast-paced Christian based story that I hope will keep readers turning the pages to see what happens next. It’s one of those stories that make you go, “Hmmmm…”

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

KNB: There is only one master key to my success, and that’s Christ. He orchestrated it all. I never could have planned it the way that it happened, so it was certainly a divine set-up. I’ve had wonderful people who were placed in my life along the way. Some were placed for a reason, others for a season, and then there are those who are lifetime connections.

But whatever capacity that they played, or still play in the success of my career, God is still at the root of it. For Fifteen Years in particular, I have a great backing in Moody Publishers. They have set very capable people in place to market this book worldwide through many avenues including blog tours such as the one that landed me a spot with you, Joey.

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

KNB: I begin each day with prayer. Before I type the first word on my work in progress, I talk to God. It’s crucial to me that my stories not only entertain, but that they encourage and spiritually inspire readers. It’s only after prayer that I sit to begin my work.

I don’t do preliminary preparation like chapter outlines and such. There is nothing wrong with that; it’s a process that works great for other writers, but it’s not the way my creativity flows.

I simply sit at my computer and type out the story as God directs. Including the editing that I did once I finished writing the story, Fifteen Years took about four months to complete from start to finish.

JP: What’s next for Kendra Norma-Bellamy?

KNB: Well, I have two more books that will release before the end of 2010, and I’m excited about them both for different reasons. My next book, Song of Solomon, will come out in July, and I will be touring Mississippi and Louisiana to meet with book clubs who will be hosting release celebrations for it.

And then my first nonfiction/ministerial book entitled, I Shall Not Die, will release in October. Because this book is based on my true-to-life tragedies and triumps, it is very dear to my heart, and I know that it will minister to people on a different level than any of my fictional novels have.

Additionally, I’m gearing up for the 4th launching of Cruisin’ For Christ (a cruise that celebrates Christian artists and artistries) which will take place in June of 2011. It’s definitely going to be a busy year, but in this business, busy is a good thing. I’m very grateful, and I feel abundantly blessed.

http://www.kendranormanbellamy.com/
http://www.knb-publications.com/
http://www.ishallnotdie.org/
http://www.cruisinforchrist.org/
http://www.myspace.com/KendraNormanBellamy
http://www.facebook.com/KendraNormanBellamy

Recent author awards Kendra Norman-Bellamy include: 2010 Induction into Who’s Who in Black Atlanta (for the fifth consecutive year) and winning 2008 Best Christian Fiction Award from the African American Literary Awards Show.

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