Category Archives: interview

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… Ben Blaze, author of Forbidden

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Ben Blaze, author of Forbidden
(Tinsley Phelps)

Khalil Grisby, the son of a legendary gangster, keeps his mouth closed and takes a murder charge for his best friend, aspiring entrepreneur Naishawn Oliver. After Khalil is incarcerated, his mother acts quickly on her hate, banishing his fiance, Classy De Luca, from the family in his absence.

Having no family to speak of, Classy reaches out to Naishawn for a place to lay her head. What begins as a friendly gesture blossoms into an infatuation that not even their current relationships or conscience can break. As they continue in this forbidden love, Khalil’s appeal looms while his family’s deadly affairs threaten to claim every life involved.

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

Ben Blaze: The inspiration came from my love of tragedies and my love for hip hop. I discovered Shakepeare in junior high listened to rappers like Biggie, Nas and Big L tell stories in their raps. I was always intrigued by them and continue to be. Also, real life situations shaped my thoughts and inspired me to use my creative license to mold this tragic tale.

JP: The love triangle is a critical driving force in Forbidden. What place does love have in Urban Fiction from your perspective? Continue reading 5 Minutes 5 Questions With… Ben Blaze, author of Forbidden →

5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, interview

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Jaree Francis, author of Metra City: Destiny’s Kiss

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Jaree Francis, author of Metra City: Destiny’s Kiss
(self-published)

Metra City: Destiny’s Kiss. The tale focuses on a band of brothers, Reznor, Lando, Chase $ and Nimrod, who are being pulled apart as they embark on the road to their individual destinies. They have been friends for many years, but things are changing. Metra City is ridden with gang violence, drug trafficking and poverty, yet some see a ray of light through all of the darkness. While some embrace wretched paths, others seek refuge.

This story is very fresh and introduces you to interesting characters such as the femme fatale Regalia, the ever prayerful Forever, a young and untamable vixen known simply as Tara, and also Chase’s children’s mother, Lara. Definitely worth the read, and it is also absent of profanity.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Metra City: Destiny’s Kiss?

Jaree Francis: I would have to say that it’s pre-programmed in my DNA. I drew inspiration from a higher realm. I’m not great, only God is. So I simply went beyond myself and wrote a story that gives you multiple angles of street life.

JP: What sets Metra City: Destiny’s Kiss apart from other books in its genre? Continue reading 5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Jaree Francis, author of Metra City: Destiny’s Kiss →

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

5 Mintues, 5 Questions With… J.A. Adams, author of Chameleon

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
J.A. Adams, author of Chameleon
(Shaw Harris and Associates)

When dreams turn into nightmares, spur of the moment decisions test the silent codes of family honor. Diane Darhling, beautiful, scholarly and heir to a multi-million dollar fortune, finds herself caught in a triangular web of love gone seriously wrong.

Two men, Jimmy and Jerrell, whose polarized unrelenting desire to have her is felt to the depths of the soul. One loves unconditionally. The other is a suave psychopath. Reading like a backdrop story from headline news, a twisted plan, forged in pathological and psychotic manipulation, is plotted by the Chameleon.

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

J.A. Adams: My many years of experiences in social service work, talking with victims and survivors of domestic violence. My character Diane is a composite of the many victims and survivors of intimate partner violence I have encountered in my personal and professional life.

JP: What sets Chameleon apart from other psychological romances? Continue reading 5 Mintues, 5 Questions With… J.A. Adams, author of Chameleon →