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, myspace, romance, romance novel, romance novels

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Lesley Hal, author of Blind Temptations

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Lesley Hal, author of Blind Temptations
(Pleasure Principle Publishing)

lesley hal blind temptations book cover

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

Blind Temptations: The Seduction of Sex, Lies and Betrayal is a juicy saga about three friends: Chante Micheals, Michelle Ramsey and Karissa Waters. The characters in this book are hell bent on vengeance, treachery, power trips, seduction and sexual deception!

Chante Michaels lives in a fantasy world. She has the perfect job and the perfect family. That is until her husband, Alex Michaels, step out on her with a Tyra Banks look alike, Paris Chere’ Du’Moore who has a little secret of her own that will unleash all kinds of hell.

Karissa Waters would love nothing more than to be accepted by her mother that disowned her when she was only eleven. She meets the heir to a multi-billion dollar oil estate Andre Williamson who wants to give her a lifetime of happiness. Karissa won’t marry him without her mother’s blessings; a woman who makes Mommy Dearest look angelic.

Michelle Ramsey is in love with the devil himself Brandon Thomas. She’s a master at hiding what she doesn’t want people to see like the abuse she endures at Brandon’s unloving hands. Greg Wallace is the man she needs but won’t give a chance because her heart belongs to only one man…Brandon.

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

Lesley Hal: A series of life altering events led me to write Blind Temptations.

JP: What sets Blind Temptations apart from other novels in its genre?

LH: Its shocking twists, dealing with real life issues like sexual deception, adultery, abuse, and neglect among other things. Unlike many of the other novels, the characters are not super beings defying all odds without feelings being attached. I make it my mission to make every emotion be seen, heard, and felt no matter the situation. Readers want to that in a character. It makes the book more enjoyable. Most importantly, according to readers, it’s a page turner. Everyone that’s read the book is after me week after week about the sequel, which is in the works and a blessing.

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

LH: Patience, determination, knowledge about publishing, honing my craft, learning from my mistakes not letting them become a setback but a step up and having a true love for writing.

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

LH: I started Blind Temptations while in college. It took me 10 years to write it since I didn’t get serious about it until 2006.

JP: What’s next for Lesley Hal?

LH: Currently, I’m a NY Times bestseller six times over thanks to Zane! My short story Riding the “Friendly Skies” was featured in Succulent: Chocolate Flava II where it was dubbed on of the creme de la creme. My second novel Pleasure-n-Spice and Nothing Nice is due out early 2009. I’m pushing for a Valentine’s release. Since it’s what started my journey into the world of erotica, it will be released under my pen name Ms. Lediva.

Blind Temptations II is also slated for release late 2009. Then there’s “Double the Pleasure” which will be featured in Bedtime Stories, an anthology with Brian Smith author of S.W.A.P. Game and Final Fling, coming this summer 2009!

www.lesleyhal.com
www.myspace.com/mslediva

JP: Add any other links, awards and contact information directly involved with the author and/or the book. I would like to highlight your achievements and let people connect with you.

LH: I’ve done a lot of promotional work such as a campaign with Starbucks, the Come Out & Play sampler for 2007 with other noted authors and the Come Out & Play event that took place in the Bahamas in October 2008 which was a huge success.

I was featured in Noire’s online magazine with short story “Stormy Weather” which is the prologue to Pleasure-n-Spice and garnered me a lot of attention from the erotica genre. Blind Temptations & Pleasure-n-Spice are both currently being considered by Kensington Publishing.

Last but certainly not least, I’m one of the founding members of the Authoress Suite with authors N’Tyse: My Secrets Your Lies and Stacey L. Ford: Selling the Fantasy.

Thank you Joey for such a wonderful interview, and I look forward to reviewing Pleasure-n-Spice with you soon!

P.S. Join the Joey Reviews Newsletter at http://joeypinkney.com/joey-reviews-newsletter.html

P.S.S. If you want to be featured in the 5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… series, email me at joey.pinkney@gmail.com or http://myspace.com/joeyreviews

african american author, african american book, african american books, best seller, urban fiction, urban lit

5th Annual Authors & Artists Chicago

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THE NEXT CHAPTER
(The Limitless Possibilities of Literature and Culture)

Kick Off Art Reception:

Friday, September 19th @ 7PM -10PM
The Ven Sherrod Image Gallery
1906 S Halsted
$5 Admission
Purchase Ticket <==click here

5th Annual Authors & Artists Chicago

Saturday, September 20th @ 1PM -6PM
Columbia College
623 S Wabash
$10 Admission
Purchase Ticket <==click here

THE NEXT CHAPTER
(The Limitless Possibilities of Literature & Culture)

Now in its fifth year, Authors and Artists Chicago is striving to become the destination cultural event in the city. This years event takes place Friday Sept. 19th with a kickoff art reception and Saturday September 20th with a book fair. The team at 220 Communications hopes you’ll join us for both these enlightening evenings.

Featuring National Author:

Omar Tyree

Omar_Tyree

Omar Tyree, a New York Times best-selling author, a 2001 NAACP Image Award recipient for Outstanding Literature in Fiction, and a 2006 Phyllis Wheatley Literary Award winner for Body of Work in Urban Fiction, has published 15 books and has sold more than 1.8 million copies worldwide.

With a degree in Print Journalism from Howard University in 1991, Tyree has been recognized as one of the most renown contemporary writers in the African-American community. He is also an informed and passionate speaker on various community-related and intellectual topics. Soon to enter the world of feature film making, self-help / business books, and urban children’s books, Tyree is a tireless creator and visionary of few limitations.

Detroit Authors include:

Stephanie L. Jones, Monica Marie Jones, & Sylvia Hubbard

P.S. Join the Joey Reviews Newsletter at http://joeypinkney.com/joey-reviews-newsletter.html

P.S.S. If you have news about your even that you want featured, email me at joeyDOTpinkneyATgmailDOTcom or myspace.com/joeyreviews

5 minutes 5 questions with, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, best seller, interview, sister, t benson glover, urban fiction, urban lit

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… T. Benson Glover, author of Sister

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
T. Benson Glover, author of Sister
(Amaiya Entertainment)

In Sister, T. Benson Glover takes you on a journey to “The Badlands”, a notorious North Philadelphia ghetto plagued by drugs and violence. It’s a place where love doesn’t exist inside The City of Brotherly Love. This is the neighborhood that the character Sister calls home.

Follow Sister as she winds her way into the depths of a world shrouded in darkness, clouded by murder, riddled by lust, consumed by greed and overrun by envy and betrayal. In Sister, Glover makes it clear that beneath every inner city there’s a place where’s there’s no love lost, even The City of Brotherly Love .

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

T. Benson Glover: I got the inspiration to write the novel Sister out of necessity. I felt that there was need to assess how drastic and violent the situation has become for our young black women to grow up in the inner city minus their fathers. And the character Sister is just an example of what can happen to a young sister growing up in urban America.

JP: What sets Sister apart from other urban fiction novels set in Philly?

TBG: What sets Sister apart, is that it is not only set in Philly, but also Pittsburgh, PA, and Fayetteville, NC.

JP: As a debut author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Sister appearing on the Essence Best Seller’s List?

TBG: I would say that it’s the constant grind: going to the book signings, the Harlem Book Fairs, communicating with your readers online, etc.

All of those things, on top of having a good product that’s both credible and real, are keys to gaining that position. Key Number 1 has got to be that your readers have to feel where you’re coming from. Shout out to Essence for recognizing my hard work.

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

TBG: Actually, I start by developing my lead character and his or her voice. Once I nail that down, I finish the storyline. It took me maybe nine months, off and on, to finish Sister.

JP: What’s next for T. Benson Glover?

TBG: Next up for me is the sequel to Sister. Cash should be in stores by December 2008. Thanks for your time.

Facebook: T. Benson Glover

http://www.amiayaentertainment.com/

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