Category Archives: criticism

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Don Durant interviews Joey Pinkney on BlogTalkRadio’s Living, Caring, Learning, Sharing

June 15, 2009 Joey Pinkney 2 Comments

Press play to learn more about me and my goings on with this website and also http://joeyisinit.com.

When you listen to this interview, keep in mind that it takes more than a two-year-old hopping in my lap begging for candy or a storm in New York to stop me from making my segment a success!

Towards the end, Don kicks a poem for me. That inspired me, and I had to share my poetic inclinations. You’ll get a sneak peak at the poem that can be found at the end of my short story “Like Father, Like Son” from the anthology The Soul Of A Man.

Please leave a comment below and let me now what you think about the interview.

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5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Dashaun “Jiwe” Morris, author of The War of the Bloods in My Veins

March 2, 2009 Joey Pinkney

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Dashaun Jiwe Morris, author of War of the Bloods in My Veins
(Scribner)

At age 9 Jiwe’s mother, battling a drug addiction, sent him far awayÂ to live with relatives. Two years later, the streets finally forced him to commit his first drive by, initiating him into a hellish life of gang bangin’. By age 25, while sitting in a jail cell fighting a charge of attempted murder, and awaiting the birth of his first child, Jiwe had enough. He began penning hisÂ memoir as a form of personal therapy, as a way to warn parents, and as a way educate society why food, shelter, and clothing are not enough to keep our kids from the clutches of the streets.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write War of the Bloods in My Veins?

Dashaun Jiwe Morris: The inspiration came from me sitting in a prison cell with the idea of having to raise my daughter from behind that wall. Sitting in isolation gave me the time I needed to really take a look at my life. It allowed me to dig deep and focus on where I had been, where I was and where I wanted to go. And one thing was for certain, I wasn’t trying to raise my daughter while in prison.

JP: What sets your story apart from other memoirs written by gang members making a change forÂ the better?

DJM: I just think I was able to capture more of the emotional toll gang life has on us. I didn’t focus much on the war stories as much as the psychological tear it had on me. I wanted to put a human face to the guy behind the gun and bandana. I wanted to talk directly to the YG’s still out there lost and hopeless, and I wanted to speak directly to the women that are raising them.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to War of the Bloods in My VeinsÂ getting out to the public?

DJM: The key to my success was taking a chance. I stepped out and spoke on my pain. I invited specific people into my life in return for healing. I did what I think most who come from where I come from fear doing: change.

JP: Gangs are very close knit and secretive. How are you able to explore and explain your life withoutÂ backlash from the Bloods?

DJM: First off, I got permission from my elders to speak. But secondly, that’s a silly stereotype homie. That is so 70’s and 80’s back when Bloods and Crips were relatively new. Its nothing going in in gang life now that the world or the powers to be don’t know about. I didn’t talk about things like how operations were ran or the list of OG’s top to bottom. I spoke on my life, myself and what I’ve been through. No different than how rappers and singers express and speak on their pain and life stories in their lyrics.Â I just did it in the form of a book. Plus, I’m well respected around this country. So many of my peers, elders and youngsters are proud of what I was able to do. Just know many of us want a better life.

JP: What’s next for Dashaun Jiwe Morris?

DJM: I’ve already begun to work on my second book. It’s part two to War of the Bloods in my veins. I have a documentary I’m featured in coming out on the Sundance Channel in September of 2009 produced by Forest Whitaker, Marc Levin, and Mark Benjamin. Its a six-part 30 minutes series exploring the challenges of my city, Newark, NJ. Lastly, I have a movie option in place as we speak. Marc Levin will direct the movie to my book, so that will be set to hit theaters in 2010. I’ve been pretty busy with traveling and speaking. I’m thankful and blessed to have the opportunity to give back and make some positive change in my life.

http://JiweEra.com
warofthebloods@jiweera.com

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The 14 Days After Q&A Grande Finale: Each author gets a special question just for him or her.

February 27, 2009 Joey Pinkney 15 Comments

For Tanya White: Some people are addicted to drama-filled relationships, and they don’t even know they are.Â Does your book address how to recognize if a person is co-dependent to toxic relationships?

Tanya White: Yes. In my book Relationship Reruns, I address the 20 keys to finding “R-E-S-T” from toxic relationship messes such both parties showing respect, encouragement, steadfastness and trustworthiness. For an explanation of the other 16 keys, read Episode 9 of Relationship Reruns.

For Dedan Tolbert: What topic would you say people in relationships have the hardest time discussing: money or sex?

Dedan Tolbert: Both topics have the potential to be the source of a great deal of conflict. It doesn’t have to be this way though. The foundation of all relationships needs to be communication and honesty. If you have these two things, you will rarely “argue” about anything. Money and Sex can be topics that two people can disagree about because of their sensitive nature. If you communicate effectively, they shouldn’t be a problem.

Women need to remember that men have sensitive egos about money as well as sex. When it comes to sex, all men want to believe that they are the best partner their mate has ever had, and she is 100% satisfied. To find out that’s not the case can be devastating for some men and cause them to not want to do it at all.

Money is a similar subject. Men want to be the breadwinners in the home. If they’re not, they at least want to feel like they are. As far as bills are concerned, there needs to be a conversation about who’s going to pay for what, so that when the bills come there aren’t any surprises.

Without good communication and honestly, the smallest of problems can turn into huge disputes in the home.

For Cassandra Washington: If you were to take all your topics into consideration and only choose one, what would you say is the biggest misconception men have about women?Â And why?

The biggest misconception about women is that they are complicated creatures. This is completely false. Every woman, no matter what type of woman she is, from earthy to high-maintenance to mellow, from rich to poor, doesn’t matter, they all want the same thing: some “Act-Right”.

What is “Act-Right” you ask? It’s simple. It’s saying what you mean, meaning what you say and doing what you said you were going to do. Plain and simple. At the end of the day, we want some Act-Right. If you give it to us, you’ll get everything your heart desires and the most peace your existence can enjoy.

Asking for “Act-Right” is not being petty or ridiculous. When you think about it, it’s directly correlated to honesty. If you say you love someone and don’t mean it, that’s a lie. Right? If you say you’re going to call at six that night, but know you probably won’t call until you get back from the club at three the next morning, that’s a lie. And no one wants a liar, right? Right.

For Big Boom: Some women feel they can change a man. In your opinion, can a sucka be reformed? Does your book address that possibility?

Big Boom: No, a woman can not change a man!Â She might think that he’s a changed man, but the moment you make him mad he will go back to being the same old person. If you let him change himself, he probably would ask God to help him. You will at least end up with a man that is trying.

Can a sucka be reformed? Yes, when he finds out after all this time being a sucka has no value. It’s many ways for a man to change. What I found that works best for me was prayer. I address that in my first book, ” IF YOU WANT CLOSURE IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP START WITH YOUR LEGS”.

Sun 02-15-09 Do you have to be a freak to enjoy great sex?

Mon 02-16-09 Is sex overrated?

Tue 02-17-09 When should men draw the line in role playing?

Wed 02-18-09 Why do men really cheat?

Thu 02-19-09 Why do I date the same people over and over?

Fri 02-20-09 Why are men challenged by their perineal G-spot?

Sat 02-21-09 Do I tell my friend sheâ€™s dating a married man?

Sun 02-22-09 How do I tell my husband Iâ€™m sexually frustrated without hurting his feelings?

Mon 02-23-09 Would more racial boundaries break if more people dated interacially?

Tue 02-24-09 How do I cope with not trusting my girfriend after catching her with another woman?

Wed 02-25-09 How do I get my boyfriend of 8 yrs to understand my desire to marry him with losing him?

Thu 02-26-09 How do I cope with my boyfriend sending me mixed messages?