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Book Review: Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia – A Life in Poems by Patricia Neely-Dorsey

August 21, 2009 Joey Pinkney 1 Comment

Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia
by Patricia Neely-Dorsey
(GrantHouse Publishing)
4 out of 5 Stars

In a time where most people shun being called “country”, Patricia Neely-Dorsey’s Reflection of a Mississippi Magnolia embraces all that is Mississippi country living. Before you can even open this collection of poetry, you are greeted with the beauty of a magnolia, Mississippi’s state flower.

Neely-Dorsey’s poems vividly and collectively paint a picture of a life that is simple yet provides rich experiences. From the authentic Southern menu found in “Soul Food Restaurant” to the culture depicted in “Yardsaling”, this collection of poetry gives more than a glimpse into lives of the good people of Mississippi. From the “Southern Man” poem where the main character fixes the back fence to the truth found in “If Mississippi’s In You”, Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia shows a genuine pride in Southern culture.

I spent many summers in the small town of Winona, MS, where my dad still lives. I can say with confidence that Neely-Dorsey is an artist of words. Her images are painted vividly across the canvas of your mind as you thumb through her musings. Her words and rhyme patterns are simple, yet the complex imagery the words evoke will whisk yo down memory lane. I remember the “muscadines ripen[ing] on winding vines” (from “A Country View”) and using Vick’s Vapor Rub on everything “from arthritis to [a] bee sting” and “on chest or back” (from “Country Cure (All)”).

With Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia, Patricia Neely-Dorsey gives the world a book that is part biography, part rhymes, part imagination but all Mississippi!

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5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Essence Bestseller Pamela Samuels Young, author of Murder on the Down Low

August 20, 2009 Joey Pinkney 12 Comments

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Pamela Samuels Young, author of Murder on the Down Low
(Goldman House Publishing)

A brazen gunman is targeting African-American men on the streets of L.A. and police are completely baffled. The victims are all quintessential family men. Well-educated. Attractive. Successful. But appearances can be deceiving.

Meanwhile, attorney Vernetta Henderson and her outrageous sidekick, Special, lead the charge for revenge against a young lawyer whose deception caused his fiance’s death. For Special, hauling the man into court and suing him for wrongful death just isn’t good enough.

While she exacts her own brand of justice, a shocking revelation connects the contentious lawsuit and the puzzling murders. When Special”s quest for payback goes way too far, it appears that not even Vernetta can save her.

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

Pamela Samuels Young: I often have a hard time recalling exactly when or how the idea for a particular novel originated. For the most part, the concept simply pops into my head from some unknown place. That wasn’t the case with Murder on the Down Low. I have a crystal clear recollection of exactly when the idea for the book came to me.

I was watching an Oprah show featuring J.L. King, author of On the Down Low. I was completely stunned as I listened to his insider’s account of the mindset of men on the down low – guys, many of them married, who profess to be straight but engage in homosexual sex. My emotions during that sixty-minute program went from shock to anger to fear.

I was driving to work the next day, still disturbed by the show when a thought came to me. What if prominent, attractive, successful African-American men were being gunned down on the streets of L.A. and nobody knew why? And what if they all shared a dirty little secret? Within 24 hours, I had sketched out the basic plot for Murder on the Down Low.

JP: What sets Murder on the Down Low apart from other novels that tie in a legal aspect?

PSY: There are two aspects that set Murder on the Down Low apart from other legal thrillers. First, the book brings diversity to legal fiction. I started writing thrillers because I got tired of never seeing women or African-Americans depicted as lawyers in the legal thrillers I read. I started writing the kind of legal thriller that I wanted to read.

Second, Murder on the Down Low gave me an opportunity to both entertain and raise awareness about HIV and AIDS. While African-American and Latina women make up only 24% of the female population in the United States, we account for more than 80% of the total AIDS diagnoses for women, according to the latest statistics published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

I wanted to communicate to women that it’s time for us to take responsibility for our own bodies.

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

PSY: Without a doubt, sheer perseverance has been the primary key to my success. The publishing industry is a tough business. Getting into law school and passing the California Bar exam was a piece of cake in comparison to getting a book deal. As a result, you have to have faith in your talent and keep going despite the rejection.

I’ve worked in both television news and law and I never faced anywhere near the rejection and difficulties in those careers that I faced trying to become a published novelist. It’s also important to think like a businessperson, not a writer. My books are products. I have to be inventive and unrelenting about getting my product to readers.

I focus heavily on connecting with book clubs. During a trip to the D.C. area, I did three book clubs in one day, along with a reception at a friend’s home and a panel discussion at a bookstore. It was a long day, but I reached a lot of people. Book clubs are social networks, and they are a great source for word-of-mouth buzz. If the book club members enjoy reading one of my books, the’re like to encourage their friends, family and co-workers to read it too.

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

PSY: It took me just over a year to writer Murder on the Down Low. It was probably my easiest book to write because I found the storyline so compelling. I typically spend anywhere from a few weeks to as long as three months outlining a book before I actually start writing. During this time, I mull over my story quite a bit. I’m thinking about it in the shower, while I’m standing in line at the grocery store and during my 45-minute commute to work.

Even during the outlining stage, I can almost see each chapter as if it were a scene in a movie. Only after I have a completed outline do I start writing. And when I write, I go from page one to the last page without doing much editing along the way. For me, it’s psychologically motivating to complete that first draft, even if it’s so bad I’d never dare show it to anyone. Once I have a first draft, then the real writing starts. I revise, and revise and revise some more. That process can last six months or more.

JP: What’s next for Pamela Samuels Young?

PSY: My fourth novel, Buying Time, goes on sale November 1st. It’s my first standalone book and I’m really excited about it. In Buying Time, Waverly Sloan is a down-on-his-luck lawyer who comes to the aid of terminally ill people in desperate need of cash. All they have to do is sign over rights to their life insurance policies.

Waverly then finds investors eager to advance them thousands of dollars – including a hefty broker’s fee for himself – in exchange for a significant return on their investment once the clients take their last breath.

When Waverly’s clients start dying sooner than they should, both Waverly and a high-powered lawyer who’s bucking to become the next U.S. Attorney General are unwittingly drawn into a perilous web of greed, blackmail and murder.

The early reviews of the book have been great. Here’s my favorite:

. . .a deftly plotted thriller that combines the best of
Lisa Scottoline and Robert Crais. Find a comfortable
chair and plan to stay up late. Highly recommended.

~ Sheldon Siegel, NY Times Best-Selling Author of Judgment Day

http://www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com/

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Honors/Blurbs for Murder on the Down Low —

2009 African American Literary Awards finalist in the Mystery category
Editor’s Pick, Black Expressions Book Club
“…an entertaining read filled with heart-pumping suspense!” ~ Victoria Christopher Murray, Bestselling author of Lady Jasmin
“…keeps you teetering precariously on the edge of your seat the whole way through.” ~ The Book Club Queen
“…an excellent choice for fans of mystery, suspense or crime novels.” ~ APOOO BookClub
“…intricate plotting, memorable characters and intense action . . . with shades of James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club.” ~ Jackie Houchin, Valley News

Please leave a comment to be eligible to win an autographed book and a 25 dollar gift card from Pamela Samuels Young.Â One winner will be chosen each day for a total of FIVE winners.

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Thank you Elissa Gabrielle and Peace in the Storm from Joey Pinkney

August 18, 2009 Joey Pinkney 12 Comments

I have to continually thank Peace in the Storm Publishing and Elissa Gabrielle. Both the publishing company and the publisher have afforded me an experience I imagined but never thought would really happen. My inclusion in The Soul of a Man: A Triumph of My Soul Anthology has afforded me the opportunity to travel around the country promoting not only myself as an author, but more importantly an anthology that flies in the face of what is thought is possible for a group a African American men – collectively working together for the good of the community at large. As a natural extension of The Soul of a Man, I am starting to meet a lot a great people in the literary industry not only online but face-to-face.

On Saturday, August 8, 2009, I had the chance to travel to Atlanta, GA, and meet four of my Soul Brothers: Brian “BG” Ganges, Maurice Gray, Jr., Marc Lacy and Alvin Romer. We took the Georgia Black Business Expo by storm. Looking good and feeling good, we came together and met for the first time. We drew people in with our natural charm and even more compelling contributions.

To paraphrase Soul Brother BG, “We are not the victims, we are the victors of circumstance.” That simple phrase sparked much conversation and a genuine interest in not only the book but the contributors. Our enthusiasm carried over to the passersby of our second location: Border’s Bookstore in Stonecrest Mall in Lithonia, GA. Within a few hours, the Soul Brothers sold 20 plus in that store. We hit people from different angles with our mixture of personalities drawing different people for diverse reasons.

On a solo mission, I visited the fine ladies of The Phenomenal Women Book Club (PWBC) in New Orleans, LA, on the following Saturday, August 15, 2009. (Special thanks to Makeda Peterson, Erica French and Jovel Finney) The was a first for me. I was actually meeting a group of people to discuss my contribution, the short story “Like Father, Like Son”. I was greeted with smiles and Louisiana accents as the Erica and Jovel picked me up from the airport. They handed a battery of insightful questions about men and their role in relationships with women children and anything else you can think of. I had to represent not only myself and my Soul Brothers but also African American men! I did it the only way I knew how, with pure honesty.

The PWBC gave it to me straight up, no chaser. We discussed, and sometimes debated, what made men tick and how women can better understand and help men become better men. Although I was the only male participating in this discussion, at no time did they attempt to make me feel uncomfortable. We opened up like I was a regular in their group. Don’t get me wrong, our mutual respect did not translate into total aggreeance. But that was cool, that’s how healthy conversations can go.

They didn’t hold back when telling me what they didn’t like about my short story and the book in general. Constructive criticism was very insightful and welcomed. When asked about what direction I should go in when fleshing the short story into a novel, I got a wealth of great information from avid readers who want to see it continue. I couldn’t pay for a situation like that!

My next phase of promoting The Soul of a Man and “Like Father, Like Son” is going to be more local in nature. I learned a lot from my outtings in Atlanta and New Orleans. I hope to apply what I learned to the communities of the Raleigh-Durham area.

Who knew a simple MySpace message would turn into a life-changing event? I surely didn’t. Once again, thank you Elissa Gabrielle and Peace in the Storm Publishing.

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