Category Archives: african american book

5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, bruce publishing, female traits, female traits 2, female traits ii, interview, lurea mcfadden

5 Minutes 5 Questions With… Lurea C McFadden author of FeMALE TRAITS Part 1 and 2

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Lurea McFadden, author of FeMALE TRAITS Parts 1 and 2
(Bruce Publishing)


lurea mcfadden head shot femail traits 1 book cover female traits 2 book cover

(click on the above pictures to see reviews of this book on amazon.com)

The story of sexy, smart and very married Grace Trufant and her playa lifestyle. She is married to Edwin Trufant, a successful, loving husband. Somehow she requires more attention than this foine upstanding man can offer.

Constantly on the prowl, Grace plays hard. In fact, she is a playa in her own right. Her relationship with present lover Brian Lawson is the one that could put her out of her game and in the office of a divorce lawyer. Add to that the protective nature of Edwin’s best friend Sonya James, and the battle is on. Grace forgets that “game recognizes game” when she runs into Sonia. The two have never seen eye to eye, and Sonia can smell a rat when it’s in front of her.

Grace struggles to stay in her marriage and play outside of it simultaneously. Things get sticky when Brian changes direction and wants more from their relationship. When her infidelities are brought to light Edwin is the one who suffers most. Having never felt Grace deserved the affections of Edwin, Sonia ends up in his arms as the rebound woman. This is the tale of Grace’s extra-marital affair, love and support of good friends, and lessons learned along the way.

And then there is PT II…

Grace Trufant is back again. Estranged from her husband because of her infidelities, she is losing her husband Edwin to his best friend Sonia. Grace Trufant learns she is pregnant and not sure of the paternity of the child. The threat of single motherhood is not a situation she will entertain. Grace plots and schemes to keep ties with her former lover Brian and her estranged husband intact until the arrival of her baby.

Once again she is back to her old tricks, but fate plays a greater part in the plan. Her husband now plans on marrying his childhood friend who has always been at odds with Grace. Tragedy, death and unexpected meetings also throw salt in the game as Grace maneuvers to take advantage of all situations.

Grace is not the only woman with FeMALE TRAITS in this one. Felicia Hubert, wife of successful accountant Stacey Hubert, has plans of her own. Along with the promises of sexual pleasures she offers her current lover, she sweetens the pot with the promise of part of her husband’s holdings. Thinking the grass is greener on the other side as she goes through a mid-life crisis proves to be too much for her to bear as she also learn what is important in her life.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write FeMALE TRAITS Pt. I and II?

Lurea McFadden: Talking with friends always seems to leave inspiration and room for creation when it comes to my writing. The ‘what ifs’ in the world coupled with good conversations cause my mind to wonder and my fingers to begin to write out the scenarios from those conversations. What I say after a good laugh and chat with friends takes over the mind, and a book begins.

JP: What sets FeMALE TRAITS Pt. I and II apart from other novels where the main character is a female with infidelity issues?

LM: I think Grace Trufant is real to so many people. I don’t really take her too far over the edge and remove her character from being believable. She is someone people relate to. Yes, I tend to tell some of the secrets to creeping and cheating but, point of fact, we already know the signs and secrets and most of the time don’t want to face them. FeMALE TRAITS makes you feel what the characters are feeling, and this makes you relate to the story and the book as well.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to FeMALE TRAITS Pt. I and II getting out to the public?

LM: Plain and simple, I go anywhere and do anything to keep my titles out there in the public eye. My friends joke that I have been sighted everywhere from Miami to Texas.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? What did you learn in doing the first book and lead you to do something different for the second book?

LM: My writing process is simple. I have fun. Yes, if it entertains me then it is worthy of remaining on the page. Once a story begins I enjoy allowing it to grow seemingly on its own. I learned how to develop and to lead the reader a bit more from the first novel. At least, I think I did but only the readers can say if I am getting it right. So far, so good!!!!!

JP: What’s next for Lurea C. McFadden?

LM: Perhaps, you will see Part III of FeMALE TRAITS for the holidays! I have already complete two different novels and plan to release them next year if things go as planned.

Website link www.lureamcfadden.com
Myspace link www.myspace.com/femaletraits

P.S. Join the Joey Reviews Newsletter at 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 joeyDOTpinkneyATgmailDOTcom or myspace.com/joeyreviews

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

5 Minutes 5 Questions With… Jacki Simmons, author of Shot Glass Diva

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Jacki Simmons, author of Shot Glass Diva
(Melodrama Publishing)


jacki simmons headshot shot glass diva book cover

(click on the above pictures to see reviews on Amazon.com)

What happens when you combine one part fast-talker, one part hustler and one part taste for danger? You get Honey Davis, a twenty one year old Harlemite who knows what she wants and knows exactly how to get it. When her parents cut her off from her trust fund after a bout of irresponsibility, the spoiled Honey knows she’s going to have to work to get back on her feet. Now smooth-talking and fast-walking, Honey will have to protect an innocent life as well as her own while she desperately seeks to turn back the hands of time.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Shot Glass Diva?

Jacki Simmons: Shot Glass Diva is actually very loosely based on some of my own exploits as a teenager and a young adult. I wanted to create a character that more young females could connect with because I believe she’s a character many of us know. Her problems, personality, temper and attitude aren’t that far off from mine. I think everyone knows a Honey.

JP: What sets Shot Glass Diva apart from other urban fiction novels?

JS: Shot Glass Diva is able to stand on its own. Although similar literary elements are often shared by different novels, Honey and the situations she endures in Shot Glass Diva are quite unique.

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

JS: It helps to know people! Seriously though, that’s the whole point of exposure, to get people to know you. I am still rather new to this. Over the past few years I’ve gotten to know some amazing people who have helped advance my career further in directions I didn’t think I would be able to go.

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

JS: I try not to overanalyze my characters or their situations. While I am not knocking a carefully planned novel, I hate to read a novel that was overthought. You ever watch a movie and the actors all sounded like they were still reading right off the script? It’s a lot harder to translate emotions into the written word as opposed to seeing them outright. I don’t really have a process. I just write. Shot Glass Diva was actually the longest it’s ever taken me to complete a novel. I started it late last year and it was just finished very recently.

JP: What’s next for Jacki Simmons?

JS: There are a lot of things in the future for me. I’m planning a very big tour, my first real one since I began writing. I’m juggling two more novels and quite a few personal business ventures. My next novel is on the way, so lookout for it come the Fall of 2009.

Website link www.melodramapublishing.com
MySpace link myspace.com/msrippa

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 joeyDOTpinkneyATgmailDOTcom or myspace.com/joeyreviews

5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, interview, poems, poet, poetry, romance, sex

5 Minutes 5 Questions With… Eternity Philops, author of Visions of a Cryptic Mystery: Volume One

3 Comments

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Eternity Philops, author of Visions of a Cryptic Mystery: Volume One
(Black Tygre Publications)


eternity philops headshot visions of a cryptic mystery book cover

(click on the pictures to see reader’s reviews of this book on amazon)

Visions of a Cryptic Mystery: Volume One is Eternity Philops’ first accomplished collection. A debut of her unique writing style and talent, Visions of a Cryptic Mystery showcases a diverse compendium of poetry and short stories born to Philops’ over an extensive period of time.

Divided into three concentrated segments, Philops’ literary assemblage encompasses works expressing love, life, and loss. Each piece is a real world reflection of the Black lesbian experience. Feel the intense sensations of a woman’s dual physical attraction. Look on as two lifelong friends reflect on the path not taken. Submerge yourself in the poetic prose of unconditional love, unfortunate loss, and all that’s in between.

Visions of a Cryptic Mystery will take readers on a journey that delves into their own emotions and passions. From the sexual to the spiritual, Philops’ creative imagery and metaphoric verse brings to life one’s own imaginative and emotional senses.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Visions of a Cryptic Mystery: Volume One?

Eternity Philops: I’ve been writing for what seems like my entire life. When I first started it was simply to try it as a creative outlet. I soon learned I had a real literary talent. Visions of a Cryptic Mystery is the resulting collection of poems over a number of years. At some point I was going through my collection, picking out the good from the bad, and decided that I had enough extraordinary work to publish my first book. The book title itself is born out of a description of my character and personality. I am in essence a cryptic mystery, and my writings are my creative visions.

JP: What sets Visions of a Cryptic Mystery: Volume One apart from other books of poetry?

EP: For one, it is a collection of not only poetry, but also of short stories. I personally have only come across such collections when they are in anthology form, not as an assemblage by a single author. The two forms can complement each other, and that is what I was going for.

What also sets my book apart is the writing style. I greatly enjoy Elizabethan/Shakespearean English and use it in a number of my poems. Also, despite my title being aimed at Black lesbians, it has a universal appeal to all kinds of women, and men too, regardless of race, culture, or sexuality. My book encompasses feelings and experiences that nearly anyone can relate, or at least empathize with.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to Visions of a Cryptic Mystery: Volume One getting out to the public?

EP: Ha ha, I’m still working on that! I am new to the publishing scene. Being the renaissance woman I am, I opted to start my own publishing company rather than yield to the rules and regulations of another. But what success I have garnered thus far is due to patience and diligence, and seeking publicity wherever and whenever I can. Contacting you is a prime example of such. Writers can’t just sit and wait to be discovered because there is just far too much competition.

Forgive me if I sound conceited, but one has to really have a talent for writing. It’s competitive. There are a lot of works out there that really aren’t as good as one would think, yet they have large appeal. When you have a totally different style of writing with a different approach to subjects, you have to make sure your stuff is truly good to really get noticed.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Visions of a Cryptic Mystery: Volume One?

EP: I started writing in my childhood and just kept collecting my work as it flowed. I had no real intentions of publishing. It was just something to do that I was pretty good at. Once I decided to actually publish the collection and start a publishing company…let’s see, I technically started in November 2007.

Now I have to begin Volume Two. That will entail starting a whole new collection of poetry and short stories. In general, my writing process is to just write down whatever flows. Often I’ll come up with a title and tailor the story or poem to match that vision. That was the case with my short story, “Other Side of the Moon”. Other times I have a concept, begin to write, and it turns into something completely different, like my poem “Historian”.

But the most important thing is to just let creativity flow. When it does, write it down immediately. I’ve lost a lot of time on works because I didn’t write down a thought or line or passage when it came to me.

JP: What’s next for Eternity Philops?

EP: In addition to writing I’m also a novice photographer, and have been working on that a little (www.fledgeling-foto.com). I also have a few online shops: Defined By Faith (www.Defined-By-Faith.com), a shop with gay Christian merchandise, and Stupid Random Stuff (www.buy-this-stuff.com), which is exactly what it sounds like!

Right now I’m focusing on marketing Visions of a Cryptic Mystery and really getting myself noticed. The next two literary projects will be Visions of a Cryptic Mystery: Volume Two, there will be three volumes in all, as well as a novel. Which will come first? Even I’m not sure on that one!

www.Eternity-Philops.com
www.MySpace.com/Defined_By_Faith

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 joeyDOTpinkneyATgmailDOTcom or myspace.com/joeyreviews