Category Archives: african american author

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… Adrian “Ox” Mendez, author of End Of Sentence

July 1, 2009 Joey Pinkney 1 Comment

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Adrian Ox Mendez, author of End Of Sentence
(Muddy Footprints Publishing)

“Do your time; don’t let your time do you!” The advice given to Pain by an “O.G.” the morning that the Blue Bird transported him from the county jail to the prison yard echoed in his head for the duration of his forty-eight month bib. Forty-eight months was enough time to reform small time conman into mastermind conspirator.

While fellow convicts spent their time chain-gang hustling and pumping iron, Pain focused on getting his reparations for the time that he wasted in prison. Collaborating with a select few trusted acquaintances, he shoots for his goal with no remorse for whosoever stands between his team and their target.

With all plans blueprinted in his head, the only thing left to do is to await his E.O.S. date.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to share your story with End Of Sentence?

Adrian “Ox” Mendez: During my time of incarceration, I spent a lot of time reading and pondering my next step. Occasionally, I came across urban novels that intrigued me. While reading these books, I would voice my criticism to my cellmate. At one point he said, “Either write your own or shut the f*ck up!”

Taking it as a personal challenge, I decided to put pen to paper and unfold a story that related to what I know best. By the way, my cellmate’s name was Ray-Ray.

JP: You are big on making sure that the youth don’t get caught up in the same traps you have escaped. What can a young man gain from End Of Sentence that is better read and not experienced first hand?

Ox: Choices!! Too many wrong choices can lead to having no choice at all. Consequences of today’s actions will last for a lifetime. My advice is that young men stop and evaluate their actions and strive to be positive no matter what their surroundings are.

Being a product of the environment is a tired excuse that is only music to the ears of those that believe that today’s black men are good for nothing but making bastard children and populating our prisons. Use the struggles of the streets to fuel you as motivation to make a change. The most precious flowers in the world are fertilized from sh*t!

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to End Of Sentence getting out to the public?

Ox: Networking! I was fortunate enough to meet some of the best authors that New York has to offer, whom weren’t hesitant to give guidance through their words. The most impactful piece of advice I was given was, “your book will only be as successful as you make it!”

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

Ox: I cannot say that I have a specific writing process, as things unfold in my mind I attempt to interpret it on paper. Writing is more comfortable as a spontaneous act rather than sitting down and making completing a chapter into a chore. Being that E.O.S. was more than just fiction to me it took me a little more than two years to complete as I watched the “true” story unfold.

JP: What’s next for Adrian Ox Mendez?

Ox: Currently Ox is working on his second novel High Risks which should be ready before 2010.

http://www.muddyfootprints.com/
http://www.myspace.com/wordofox
getatox@yahoo.com

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

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Tiffany A. Flowers, author of I Am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy

June 25, 2009 Joey Pinkney 6 Comments

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Tiffany A. Flowers, author of I Am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy
(Gold Butterfly Publishing)

I Am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy is an endearing story about a little girl who decided to join her mother’s sorority when she attends college.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy?

Tiffany Flowers: I wrote I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy about seven years ago while I was teaching kindergarten. During the first two weeks of school, I always have a time where my students and I get to know each other. So, I would bring pictures to my classroom and share them with my students.

I would tell my students about my sorority, but I always wondered what their reaction would have been if I had a book to share some of the experiences that I was exposed to being a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. So, I wrote I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy, because I wanted to have a way to convey the rich and beautiful history behind my sorority to young children.

JP: What has been the response to I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy?

TF: I began promoting my book by reading to elementary classes during Black History Month. I was really pleased with the response of young children toward my book. I have read hundreds of books to children. However, I noticed that as I flipped the pages of I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy and read the book, the children would ooh and ahh. All of the students seemed to relate to the story and the images in the book, so I believe that the response from children has been positive thus far.

My release date for my book is May 2009. However, I started self-promoting the book during the first week in April 2009. The response has also been truly positive from lovers of African-American children’s literature. I believe that the positive response to the book has been because of James Eugene’s (my illustrator) vivid and lifelike illustration on the cover of the book. I think that once the readers buy the book they will be pleased and surprised by the modern and tasteful images in this book as well as the warm story line.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy getting out to the public?

TF: I started promoting my book with my own social network on many different sites (Facebook, Myspace, and Divine 9 online). I plan to work with several businesses to get my book advertised. However, what I have found is that as an author it is imperative that whether you go with a large company or self-publish you must promote your own book.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy?

TF: As an author, I always keep journals in a tote bag at my side to write whenever I get the inspiration to create. I do not really like carrying laptops around. I found that laptops are way too bulky. I would rather copy my work into a journal and type the story later.

As far as how long it took me to start and finish my first book, it took me almost two years to complete this book. I took 6 months to write this book. I took another 3 months to read the story aloud to myself and make my own edits. Then I worked closely with an editor for another 3 months. Once that was done, I took 9 months to work with my illustrator doing countless revisions.

I studied children’s literature in school. As a children’s author, I feel that it is important to make sure that the illustrations are an accurate depiction of what the writer is trying to convey. I believe that the illustrations should tell the story as much as the written text in the story.

JP: What’s next for I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy?

TF: I will continue to market the book. I believe that I have a pretty large market of consumers that would really enjoy this children’s text. I plan to schedule book signings, appearances and readings. I look forward to working with community centers, libraries, book stores, schools and colleges to market the book.

If lovers of African American children’s literature are interested they can purchase the book at http://www.goldenbutterflypublishing.com/.

http://www.goldenbutterflypublishing.com/
http://www.myspace.com/goldenbutterflypublishing

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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… Aaron Ashford, author of Closure

June 24, 2009 Joey Pinkney 1 Comment

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Aaron Ashford, author of Closure
(Xlibris)

Some people believe that any two people in the world are separated by a chain of no more than six acquaintances. Best friends Kevin and Jason are living proof of this theory. They have endured a friendship that has panned a decade. Despite their differences, their bond seems unbreakable. Kevin is married to his college sweetheart Sharon, and they are living the American Dream with their two children. Life appears perfect.

Jason is a successful marriage therapist. He seems to have everything going for himself but one thing: he can’t seem to make his own relationships work. When Kevin discovers his wife’s affair, everything that ensues will intertwine this human web and make everyone involved extremely uncomfortable. The consequences are as serious as life and death. Relationships will be pushed to limits unimaginable, as lives will forever be changed.

Everyone is looking for answers while searching for Closure…

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

Aaron Ashford: I always flirted with the idea of writing a novel. I am an avid reader, and as you know, writers are readers and vice-versa. Closure was birthed from my love of fiction writing. Whenever I read a good novel, I become inspired.

I am a people person. Therefore, I love to socialize. The more I wrote and shared my characters with readers, the more their encouragement fueled me to finish.

JP: How were you able to weave the concept of “Six Degrees of Separation” in this novel in a way that will keep readers constantly guessing?

AA: The “Six Degrees of Separation” theory was actually realized near the completion of this story, not in the beginning. I actually worked backwards in that I did character sketches near the conclusion of the book. It helped to illustrate the connectivity of everyone despite most of them not even knowing one another. The consequences of one character impacted the other, so on and so forth.

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

AA: Given the fact that Closure is a self-published project, it will be critical that I think outside the box. In fact, I gotta crush the box entirely, which suits me well. Closure will of course be available directly from the publisher at Xlibris.com. It will also be available via Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, and Borders.com.

The thing that I feel most excited about is that you will also be able to purchase it in stores at the large retail chains as well as smaller book dealers. I was able to take advantage of bookstore returnability, which will allow stores to place the book with no risk whatsoever. I also plan on utilizing Myspace, Facebook, On-line book clubs, expos and other venues where book readers gather. I have a few tricks up my sleeve.

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

AA: My writing process for Closure was trial and error. I began writing Closure shortly after I got married back in 2002. Maybe that explains my insomnia. Anyway, I pecked on and got busy with two kids and opening up my own business.

I never lost sight of the project. I finally got a laptop in 2007 and finished my first draft in April of 2008. I added the prologue to the book in December of 2008. After lots of back and forth with Xlibris, alas here is Closure.

JP: What’s next for Aaron L. Ashford?

AA: Now that I have my first one down, I understand a lot more about the process. I have enrolled in a writing program to help me to smooth out my rough edges as a writer. I have a couple of ideas that I will be working on shortly. You can bet it won’t take 7.5 years. Expect great things from me. The best is yet to come!

Aaron is a native of Columbia, SC.Â He is a proud graduate of SC State University.Â Aaron works as a therapist with ASY Counseling Services, Inc. which is also the company he help to co-found.Â He is a proud member of Omega PSI Phi Fraternity Inc.Â Aaron resides in Columbia, SC with his wife Tamala and their two children Aaron, Jr and Arrington.

http://aaronashford.com
http://www.facebook.com/ashforda.writes

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