Category Archives: interview

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

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Alicia Rice, author of Diaries of a Dead Woman

May 3, 2009 Joey Pinkney 2 Comments

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Alicia Rice, author of Diaries of a Dead Woman
(Epiphany Corner Publications)

Does love survive beyond the grave? Arista is a young, successful woman whose life is moving in a positive direction. At the peak of her career, she is reunited with her high school sweetheart Scott. Their strong connection leads them both down a path neither was expecting…a path that will lead to either salvation or condemnation.

Arista quickly realizes that the choices she makes and actions she takes will affect her forever, even beyond the grave. Will Arista’s diary answer too many of her friend’s questions? Can true love live on after death? Can we choose our paths in preparation for death? Read Arista’s diary and find out….

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Diaries of a Dead Woman?

Alicia Rice: Diaries of a Dead Woman is based off true experiences that happened to me in my younger years, mixed in with fiction. The basis of the book is to let readers know that no matter what goes on in your life, as long as you’re breathing it’s never too late to get your life in order.

JP: What sets Diaries of a Dead Woman apart from other novels in its genre?

AR: Diaries of a Dead Woman is a combination of christian, romance and supernatural fiction. There’s a lot that goes on in this novel, so it keeps the readers turning the pages.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Diaries of a Dead Woman getting out to the public?

AR: First and foremost, My Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Family and friends that have supported me throughout the years. Last, but never least, an awesome publicist by the name of Torrian Ferguson.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Diaries of a Dead Woman?

AR: I pretty much write from the heart and mind. I allow the thoughts to flow to the computer screen, and I will go back and edit/fine tune later. I wrote Diaries of a Dead Woman in three months, but it took several years to perfect it into the novel it is today.

JP: What’s next for Alicia Rice?

AR: The official release of my second novel, Fatal Marriage, and I am currently writing my third novel called The Epiphany.

http://www.aliciarice.com/
http://www.myspace.com/aliciascreativity

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5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Ronald Lewis, author of Stick It to the Man

May 2, 2009 Joey Pinkney

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Ronald Lewis, author of Stick It To The Man
(Skyhorse Publishing)

Ronald Lewis is the author of Stick It To The Man (June, Skyhorse), a brilliant guide to confronting the lopsided world of law and power during a time of trillion dollar bank bailouts, and million-dollar executive bonuses. In addition to his first book, Lewis remains busy as a blogger, speaker, technologist, and activist who has been featured or quoted by ABC, The Associated Press, CNN, Businessweek, FastCompany, and elsewhere.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Stick It to the Man?

Ronald Lewis: The idea for Stick It To The Man originated at Skyhorse Publishing. They were looking to market a light-hearted book that tackled everything from social issues to corporations. When I was brought on to write it, I had 20 years worth of observations and frustration to lend a voice to a book of this type. The blatant abuses by those in power in government and corporate America fueled the inspiration to make this book a reality.

JP: What sets Stick It to the Man apart from other books written in the same vein?

RL: What sets this book apart from others is that it doesn’t tackle just one issue, but many. While the content is broad, it all intersects at one point: invaluable information that’s useful to people of all socio-economic backgrounds.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Stick It to the Man getting out to the public?

RL: The keys to my success as an individual have been broad and evolving over the years. The best thing I could have done was launching my first blog in 1995 and establishing a global presence for myself. It was a single blog entry that clinched my first book deal, and I’m still overwhelmed by all of it. I also attribute the release of my first book to the many role models I’ve adopted over the course of my life to date. I’ve learned a lot from them.

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

RL: When I started writing Stick It To The Man, I didn’t have a writing process at all! Three weeks had passed before I finally sat down and started thinking about an approach to get it done. I decided on meditation, which involved me telling myself that it was time to write a book. The idea was to embrace a mindset that allowed me to write something that read like a book.

JP: What’s next for Ronald Lewis?

RL: What’s next for me? Well, there are several things on my plate at the moment. I’m seeking sponsors to support a North American tour for the book. It’s imperative that I visit most states and provinces to talk not only about my book, but the state of our global economy, our future, and more. It’s also an opportunity to intimately connect with many people and listen to their stories, whether they buy the book or not.

I’m exploring speaking engagements to talk about the power of dreaming. I have more than sixteen years of wonderful experiences that will motivate many people to overcome obstacles and make something of themselves, especially those in disadvantaged communities. I’m very passionate about making this happen.

I’m working on returning to a weekly schedule of travel. I love exploring the world and there’s so much for me to discover and learn. You could say I’m addicted to frequent travel.

Personal website: ronaldlewis.com
Book’s website: ronaldlewis.com/stickittotheman
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ronaldlewis
LinkedIn: http://twitter.com/ronaldlewis
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=507721418

Recent press

CNN: More turning to Web to watch TV, movies
BusinessWeek: Why Pay Match.com When Dating’s Free Sites Beckon?

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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… Darnyelle Jervey, author of If You Understood My Past, You Would Understand My Praise

April 24, 2009 Joey Pinkney

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Darnyelle Jervey, author of If You Understood My Past, You Would Understand My Praise
(IOE Publications)

When you look back over your life, do you get caught up in praise or hang your head in shame? Have you been there, done that and gotten the souvenir t-shirt for all of the mistakes that you’ve made? Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired of getting the short end of the “love” stick?

Welcome to my world. Trenton and I had a tumultuous relationship. I thought that he was all I deserved and that he owed me the life I wanted because I had made sacrifices to be with him. It became crystal clear that he wasn’t ready to give me what he owed me when 3 months before our wedding he dropped a bomb on me that blew a whole in my world.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write If You Understood My Past, You Would Understand My Praise?

Darnyelle Jervey: My inspiration for If You Understood My Past is life and a mandate from God that it was time to tell my story. My debut is a memoir based on a true story. You know, we all have a story, but we are not all ready to share it. I became transparent and real for my readers on purpose.

I had reached my breaking point of being sick and tired of being sick and tired after my fiancÃ©’s confession 3 months before our wedding. Sadly, I had watched this movie play in relationship after relationship and enough was enough. I realized that you cannot conquer what you are not willing to confront, so I had to go back to my past and deal with my issues. When I decided to conquer my past, I confirmed my future.

I found my praise (self-love, self-worth, confidence, passion, abundance) and decided to share my story in a vividly authentic memoir that would read like a well written novel and hinder readers from being able to put it down.

JP: What sets If You Understood My Past apart from other novels in its genre?

DJ: I am different, uniquely talented and called to empower others. With that alone, I and my literary works are set apart. If You Understood My Past is the truth; the names of the characters have been changed to protect the not so innocent (smile). For anyone who wants to read a real life story of courage and resilience, my book is the one. Its back drop is the relationship that changed my life, but it is more about how I transformed than it will ever be about the catalyst for the change. What happens in the story will keep the reader hooked until the last word has been read.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to If You Understood My Past getting out to the public?

DJ: I have an extensive background in marketing and I am using my skills to the fullest to market myself. I sought advice and assistance from people who were where I want to be, and I have threw fear away and went for it. I wrote an incredible book, and I believe in it and my success. I am aligning myself for the growth that I know is on the way.

I entered the literary world in the fall of 2008, and I have already sold over 3,000 copies of my book. That makes me very proud and excited. The keys are simple: be authentic and original, be willing to take risks, don’t compare yourself to others, run your own race, maximize exposure opportunities by speaking, radio interviews, etc. establish a presence on the internet.

And most importantly, dream so big that only God can make it happen.

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

DJ: As a writer, I make it my business to write something everyday. A lot of my books come straight from my true source of inspiration: God. He speaks to me in dreams. I have authored four books so far, mostly self-help/empowerment works that have not yet been widely released but are available on my website.

When I am writing, I sit at my laptop with appropriate mood music for whatever I am writing. I started If You Understood My Past in April of 08 after asking myself , “Why not me, why not now?” When I couldn’t think of a good reason not to just do it, I went to work and it was finished in late June 08 (Yes, just two and a half months later.) It was released in September 08. I have recently started my first fiction novel, A Quick Work, which I am projecting for completion in late 09. It will probably release in early 2010.

JP: What’s next for Darnyelle Jervey?

DJ: What’s next for me? Well, I am an empowerment speaker, so my goals and books are centered around my company mission: to Define the Incredible in You. I am working on four books simultaneously, three of which are self-help/empowering in nature and one fiction book, A Quick Work.

I have plans to write another fiction work sometime next year. I am traveling to speak at several conferences in 2009 as well as I have my own empowerment series in Delaware aptly entitled, The Incredible You.

http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com/
http://www.twitter.com/darnyellespeaks

If You Understood My Past, You Would Understand My Praise was nominated for Best Book by a Delaware Author in 2008.

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