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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… Julia Press Simmons, author of Strawberry Mansion: A Philadelphia Story

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Julia Press Simmons, author of Strawberry Mansion: A Philadelphia Story
(Queen Midas Books)

julia_press_simmons_strawberry_mansion_amazon

Set in a small section of North Philadelphia, in the spring of 1996, “Strawberry Mansion” depicts three teenage girls’ who must rely on their connection to each other to weather tragic storms.

Tabitha, 19, lost her freedom in high school when she hooked up with a boy who would impregnate her and make her his punching bag. Lisa, 17, is deemed “the strong one” by her friends, but her own past of sexual abuse and pregnancy at the hands of her step father keeps her one second from falling apart as the drama builds. Shanice, 14, is a hellion, ready and willing to let any boy have her just to get the affection she believes her mother has withheld.

As their world spirals out of control, they cling fast to one another in the hope that love, friendship and strength will not only keep them together, but will also move them to a better place in their lives.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write “Strawberry Mansion: A Philadelphia Story”?

Julia Press Simmons: I was 16 years old when I first became a victim of domestic violence. My innocence was completely shattered, and I watched my girlfriends experience similar pain. I decided that I was going to shed light on what I kept in the dark for so many years. I decided to speak out in the only way I knew how. “Strawberry Mansion” was born.

JP: What sets “Strawberry Mansion: A Philadelphia Story” apart from other novels in its genre?

JPS: “Strawberry Mansion” is woman’s fiction. However, it is peppered with urban grit. It tells a story based on a strong, often dismissed notion: the sins of the parents can and often do embed themselves in the children, creating devastating effects.

Told from the perspective of teenage girls, “Strawberry Mansion” highlights their pain and lends a voice to their struggles. Ever wonder who’s hurting your daughter? “Strawberry Mansion” will give you the answer.

JP: Why did you decided to cover rape, incest and promiscuity from a teenager’s perspective?

JPS: Great question! In a survey of over four thousand 9th through 12th graders, approximately 1 in 5 females reported physical and/or sexual abuse by a dating partner. Females between the ages of 16 and 24 experience the highest rates of domestic violence, and forty percent of teenage girls know of someone who has been beaten by a boyfriend.

Their story needs to be told. This situation needs to be addressed. As a mother, a wife, a former victim, keeping silent was not an option.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish “Strawberry Mansion: A Philadelphia Story”?

JPS: The very first attempt of writing this story was burned by my abuser in our backyard. It took me 15 years to gain the courage to finish “Strawberry Mansion”, but after I committed to finishing, I was done in 6 months.

JP: What’s next for Julia Press Simmons?

JPS: Growth, hopefully! I am currently working on my sophomore novel, “Begonia Brown: A Philadelphia Story”. My dream is that I grow as a writer with each book I pen, and that the development is apparent in my work!

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

5 Minutes 5 Questions With… Jahzara, author of Love Don’t Live Here Anymore

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Jahzara, author of Love Don’t Live Here Anymore
(Tranquil Moments Publishing)


jahzara headshot love dont live here anymore book cover

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

Nyree Shaw-Chandler had painted Malachi Chandler as a prince on the canvas of her mind. In reality he was nothing more than a broke-down, wanna-be, thug.

Nyree’s life had been a page out of a fairytale. She married “Mr. Charming”, and they were on their way to happily ever after. As with most roads, a warning sign always precedes the dangerous intersection. Nyree finds herself questioning Malachi more and more as his stories just don’t seem to add up. Malachi is always able to smooth things over. His desire to smooth things over fades. The late nights away from home can not be accounted for, and money constantly turns up missing. Nyree’s world finally comes crashing down around her.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Love Don’t Live Here Anymore?

Jahzara: The character Nyree in Love Don’t Live Here Anymore is based on my real life drama. I wrote Love Don’t Live Here Anymore to inspire and empower women and to promote healing for me as well. I took a creative writing class at the graduate level and submitted the first chapter of Love Don’t Live Here Anymore. My professor suggested that I continue with the story and turn it into a novel.

JP: What sets Love Don’t Live Here Anymore apart from other novels in its genre?

Jah: Love Don’t Live Here Anymore is a novel of energy and raw emotion. It’s based loosely based on a true story. Love Don’t Live Here Anymore is crafted in a manner that readers will pick their brains trying to figure out where reality ends and fiction begins.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Love Don’t Live Here Anymore getting out to the public?

Jah: I believe that this story had to be told to help me heal and to help others know that no matter how difficult the situation, they too can make it. That is my motivation for getting it out to the public. Everyday, I think about who would benefit from reading Love Don’t Live Here Anymore, and then I approach those people. In addition, my publicist Fran Briggs creates exceptional press releases and media releases. She encourages me to not only think big but to do big things.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Luv Don’t Live Here Anymore?

Jah: The writing process for me varies. Sometimes I like to write in a blank book and then transfer it to the computer. Other times, I like to do what I call freestyle writing. This is where I just write from off the top of my head.

It took me between 3-4 years to complete Love Don’t Live Here Anymore. I took a couple of lengthy breaks during the process to make time for children.

JP: What’s next for Jahzara?

Jah: I am working to promote other authors and give them an opportunity to have their works published with my publishing company Tranquil Moments LLC. I want to work with authors who are hungry and want to turn their stories into books.

I’m working on the sequel to Love Don’t Live Here Anymore which is called Luv U 4 Life. I am working to turn Love Don’t Live Here Anymore into a screenplay. Also, I have dating manual that will be released soon entitled Da Test: Is He Date-able?

Readers can pick up my first novel Contradictions written under the name Nicole Bradley as well as check out my story “Friends With Benefits” in Shannon Holmes’ Anthology Hood2Hood.

Website link www.jahzarawrites.com
Myspace link www.myspace.com/iluvjahzara

Peace and Blessings,
Nicole “Jahzara” Bradley

www.jahzarawrites.com
www.myspace.com/iluvjahzara
www.nicolebradley.com

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 joey.pinkney@gmail.com 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

5 Minutes 5 Questions With… Dionne Oakley, author of Through My Eyes

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Dionne Oakley, author of Through My Eyes
(Xlibris Publishing)

Through My Eyes is a compilation of my ups and downs, joys and pains, innermost feelings and deepest thoughts. I take you on a roller coaster of poems, touching on various subjects such as love, gossip, money, sex, and self worth–just to name a few. Reflecting on my life experiences, I open up my heart and take you on an emotional journey with me that you are sure to enjoy!


dionne oakley headshot through my eyes book cover

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

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Through My Eyes?

Dionne Oakley: As a child growing up I loved to write poems. By the time I became an adult I had basically stopped writing poems until a co-worker began sharing her poetry with me. That ignited my interest in writing poems again, so I decided one day to write a poem just to see if I still had the gift of writing. I showed it to my co-workers and friends. They really liked it! Then I wrote another poem, and another one, and another. Each time I would get great responses and great feedback from the readers. That’s when the idea came that I should write a collection of poetry and get it published.

JP: What sets Through My Eyes apart from other novels in its genre?

DO: There are a number of things that set’s Through My Eyes apart from other collections of poetry The first thing that comes to mind is the variety. A lot of poetry books have chapters in them to give you a heads up on what that section of poems will be about. I purposely left the chapters out of my book because I wanted it to be like a box of chocolates. The reader goes from one poem to the other not knowing the flavor until they take a bite!

Here’s another thing I’ve noticed about some collections of poetry that differs from mine: Some are so deep, I can’t understand them. If I can’t comprehend what I’m reading, I can’t enjoy what I’m reading. I get deep with some of my poems, but my poems don’t go over the readers head. It goes right to the reader’s heart. I truly believe that what comes from the heart will reach the heart.

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

DO: The keys to my success will be determination and faith. But faith without works is dead! You have to work hard to promote your book. I’ve gone to local bookstores and asked if they will sell some of my books as well as allow me to have book signings there. I’ve sold books out of the trunk of my car. What really surprised me is how the book sold itself! All I had to do is hand it to a person, let them look at a couple of pages, and they bought it. That’s when I knew this book was special, and I thanked God.

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

DO: My writing process varies with poetry because there are some poems that pour out of me so fast and so easy. I can hardly keep up with writing down everything that’s flowing out of me! It’s like Wow! Amazing! Then there are poems that may not flow so free at first. I may end up doing a rough draft, then revising and editing the poem.

It took me about two years to complete Through My Eyes because I wrote the poems when I was inspired or when the poem came to me. Also this being my first book, I had no idea about the steps I needed to take to publish it. I was kind of feeling my way through the process.

JP: What’s next for Dionne Oakley?

DO: I am writing another collection of poetry and plan to publish it in 2009. I have also started on a novel. Both are yet to be titled, but guaranteed to be good! I also plan on venturing into greeting cards somewhere down the line. Other than that I plan on continuing to promote my book “Through My Eyes.”

Everyone can order this great collection of poetry online. Go to Xlibris.com, Amazon.com, Borders.com or BN.com. It is best to type in my name, Dionne Oakley. That will bring up the book and eliminate any confusion since there are several other books with a similar title. You can also check me out on myspace at myspace.com/deedaweeda.

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 joey.pinkney@gmail.com or myspace.com/joeyreviews