Category Archives: best seller

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

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Dapharoah69, author of The King of Erotica 4

August 3, 2009 Joey Pinkney

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Dapharoah69, author of The King of Erotica 4: The DeTHRONEment of a King
(TKOE Publications)

The King of Erotica Book 1 introduced a THRONE no one knew existed. The King of Erotica Book 2 introduced the Throne and the CROWN of a King, with gut-wrenching stories other authors were too afraid to touch. The King of Erotica Book 3: VIP showed the world a scorned, battered author with a painful past willing to change the world with his vision. Over 200 separate Five Star Reviews later, Dapharoah69 is back with The King of Erotica 4: The DeTHRONEment of a King. Could this quite possibly be the last The King of Erotica novel…ever?

FATE WILLIAMS was abused by her own flesh and blood mother over the years. After reluctantly poisoning her mother’s drink, she has to plan her mother’s funeral. But someone won’t let her forget…and it could be deadly.

Ex-prostitute, PRINCESS WEBSTER’S stomach sticks out further than her Booty-Do…because she’s in love with a one night stand and pregnant! But her best friend, Georgia, knows Princess slept with her husband, Ed. Does the baby belong to Ed? Or Thomas?

FRANCINE, FRANCINE, FRANCINE strikes! She was betrayed in Book 1. She makes a pivotal choice when she calls a cab in a wedding dress to rush home to marry the man who has her best friend Chandra hooked on drugs and pregnant. Will her heart speak now, or will her pride forever hold her…peace?

WILL THIS BE THE LAST THE KING OF EROTICA EVER…?

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write The King of Erotica 4?

Dapharoah69: I got the idea after being betrayed by a former publishing house back in 2003. Entering and winning over a hundred Myspace Erotic Story and Poetry contests, my fans and people who read my blogs christened me “The King of Erotica”.

So like Zane’s Sex Chronicles, I decided to name my first book The King of Erotica and using sex as a weapon but giving the characters background, dilemmas everyday people acknowledge or deny and to give the characters an identity so I wasn’t just writing sex in vain.

JP: What sets The King of Erotica 4 apart from other novels in the series? And why might this be the last one?

Dapharoah69: The King of Erotica 4 is the DeTHRONEment. Book one was the actual Throne, so the message was raw, blunt and took no prisoners. Book 2 was the Crown, not as raunchy, but deeper in the storytelling. Book 3 is the VIP. Book 4 dives deeper into the scandals, digs into the core of the abuse, dives deeper into the emotional state of the characters. It shows what makes them tick. It shows why they are so promiscuous. It shows why they worship two masters.

This might quite possibly be the last because this was the hardest book to write out of the four because I had to dig deep into the abuse I suffered as a child to give the characters flesh and air. The first book took 5 days to write. Book 4 took almost 3 months. I had to stop and start. It was too emotional for me.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to The King of Erotica series being as popular as it has been?

Dapharoah69: The keys to my success was my faith in God, faith in my ability and doing it all to get the message out: shunning paychecks, huge bonuses and turning my back on traditional publishing blueprints. It’s kind of like Akhenaton in Africa back in the 1350 B.C. Era turning his back on the pharaohs that ruled before him to pave his own way with his own formula.

Being humble, showing readers and naysayers alike that you can be successful if you work hard to achieve your goals with good intentions was necessary. Writing to express myself, letting them know that I am not trying to make anyone happy was critical. Giving books out for free to those who can’t afford them was important. All that has made The King of Erotica a bestselling, 5 Star Series.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish The King of Erotica 4?

Dapharoah69: Book 1 took me five days, fourteen hours a day or more I always contribute to my work. Book 2 about a week. Book 3 two and a half days. I always map and blueprint the characters, so that makes it easy for me. I don’t stop or take breaks until it’s done. I lock myself in my room, cut off all phones, no internet access, no outside world when I create. So friends and family don’t hear from me for weeks sometimes.

I research different cultures, areas, environments animals -Â everything. I write from the female, male, gay, straight, married, sheltered points of view. Book 4 took me nearly three months to write because of all the pain I had to relive. So I went through a depression phase. Book 4 was almost scrapped, but I stuck with it.

JP: What’s next for Larry Wilson, Jr.?

Dapharoah69: I have a book, Some Men Wear Panties, coming out with bestselling author of On the Down Low, JL King. And I have my first full debut novel, Call Her Queen Hatshepsut, coming in late October. I’m nervous about it because it deals with a deranged plastic surgeon who raises her son as a girl to get back at the father for marrying and fathering a child with her identical twin sister.

http://www.myspace.com/kingoferotica
http://www.facebook.com/thekingoferotica
http://twitter.com/dapharoah69
http://www.tagged.com/kingoferotica

kingoferotica305@aol.com
dapharoah69@yahoo.com

Notables:

The King of Erotica Books featured in Bestselling Author E Lynn Harris Literary Cafe
A combined 210 (5) Star Reviews on Barnes and Noble.com and not a star less
Featured in over 400 book clubs worldwide
The King of Erotica Books 1, 2 and 3 were Barnes and Noble.com Top 100 Bestsellers at the same time, with book 3 peaking at #71.
I was the only self-published, African-American author with three different titles in the Top 100 at the same time.

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5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Keisha Ervin, author of Gunz and Roses

July 12, 2009 Joey Pinkney 2 Comments

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Keisha Ervin, author of Gunz and Roses
(Urban Books)

Urban fiction diva Keisha Ervin is back with Gunz and Roses, her latest story of street love. Time stands still as up and coming fashion editor Gray Rose watches the man of her dreams walk into the club. The last thing St. Louis kingpin Gunz Marciano wants is to become attached to one woman-until he spots Gray.

After one night of erotic passion, Gunz and Gray embark on a tumultuous journey. When their obsessive love becomes too much and Gunz wants out, Gray is ready to let him go. She learns the identity of his new woman, and things get complicated.

Gunz and Roses is a sensational, passionate drama filled with an intense mix of suspense, lies, and murder.

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

Keisha Ervin: I actually got the story idea from some things that had happened in my own life. In the past two years, I have gone through so much relationship wise that I just felt that I needed to get it out on paper.

I also wanted to show people that I’m not perfect, that I make mistakes and that Iam still growing and learning as a woman. Hopefully, my story will help some other womn that may be going through the same thing.

JP: What sets Gunz and Roses apart from other the other cult-classic Keisha Ervin novels?

KE: This story is different because it’s based on real life events.

JP: The last time you were interviewed for “5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…”, you went from Triple Crown to Priority Books. How did you come to release Gunz and Roses through Urban Books?

KE: To set the record straight, I haven’t been signed to TCP since early 2008. After I left, I was a free agent and trying to broker a new deal. While doing that, the offer from Priority books was set on the table.Â My agent and I discussed it and decided that it would be a good idea especially since Priority Books is a St. Louis based publishing company.

I knew that regardless of the publishing company, Gunz and Roses wouldn’t be out until 2009. I wanted to have a book out in-between that time, so I signed the one book deal and wrote my first novella. When I started working on Finding Forever, I signed my new publishing deal with Urban Books.

JP: What is your most memorable moment you experienced while getting this novel ready for publication?

KE: Finding the cover art. With this book, I really wanted the cover to reflect my character in the book. Urban Books presented me with a photo. It wasn’t what I was looking for, so I had to find another cover with in 24 hours.

Thankfully, my agent searched the net and found the cover that is on the book. When she sent it to me, I instantly fell in love with it. Another memorable moment was reliving all the funny and dramatic moments that has happened to me in the past two years.

JP: What’s next for Keisha Ervin?

KE: On August 25th, 2009, Gunz and Roses will be released as well as the fifth book from the Girls From The Hood series which I have a short story in called “Queen Pynn”. Currently, I’m working on my eight novel as well as a collabertive novel with my agent/author Brenda Hampton.

To contact me feel free to email me at keisha_ervin2002@yahoo.com or hit me up at www.myspace.com/keishaervin.

I am a National Best-Selling author and have been #1 on Essence Magazines Best Sellers List three times.

http://www.myspace.com/keishaervin
http://www.webjam.com/grayrosez

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5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Vanessa Miller, author of Through the Storm

June 4, 2009 Joey Pinkney 6 Comments

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Vanessa Miller, author of Through the Storm
(Urban Christian/Kensington )

Isaac Walker was once a heavy-handed drug lord, who was proud of the fact that everybody feared him. But after dedicating his life to Christ, Isaac begins snatching wayward souls out of darkness and into God’s marvelous light. That is, until the day the people Isaac ministered to start coming up missing and someone begins terrorizing him and his family.

Before giving his life over to the Lord, Isaac would have handled this situation with a Glock. Now that his only weapons are his Bible and prayer, he is counting on God to send His angels to help him fight this battle.

Iona Walker is successful, beautiful and every bit as cold-blooded as her father, Isaac Walker once was. As a lawyer, she represents some of the most unsavory criminals in her city. Guilt or innocence doesn’t matter to Iona; cash is what counts.

Iona is on her way to achieving wealth, and she doesn’t care that she had to turn her back on God to get it. When both her parents are put in life threatening situations, Iona discovers that all the money in the world won’t help her get a prayer through to God.

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

Vanessa Miller: Through the Storm is the fifth book in the Rain series. I already had the characters in mind for this book, and I knew I wanted it to be suspenseful. To me, suspense is at is best when people are getting knocked off and others are trying to stay out of the way. The premise for Through the Storm was born from that concept.

Then I attend this thing called a Prayer Journey at my church. It was such an awesome experience that I knew I wanted to share it with my readers. And that’s why the book also deals with the power of prayer.

JP: What sets Through the Storm apart from your other releases?

VM: The suspense is non-stop, and the reader will have a hard time figuring out who the villain is. It’s a definite thrill ride.

JP: What have you learned from getting your previous book published that will help Through the Storm be better than the rest?

VM: One thing I’ve learned is that at promotion is key. You can’t simply write a good book. If you want people to know about it, you have to get out there and promote it.

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

VM: I treat my writing just like a job that I would go to outside the home. I begin my work day at about nine in the morning. I write until about 4pm.

Because I work from home, it’s harder to turn work off than if I worked somewhere else. So I usually check emails and work on marketing ideas in the evening. I write about ten pages a day.

I do not stop to edit my work while I’m writing. Once I’ve finished the book, I print it out and then cut it up. I then sit back in front of my computer and do my re-writes.

Through the Storm took about three month from beginning to end.

JP: What’s next for Vanessa Miller?

VM: My new book released in October. The title is Forsaken. It is the story of a fallen preacher’s journey back to God. I really believe this book is going to speak to the hearts of its readers.

http://www.vanessamiller.com/
http://www.myspace.com/vmiller1

Former Rain & Rain Storm have been Essence Bestsellers. I can also be found on Facebook. Just search Vanessa Miller.

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