Category Archives: urban lit

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5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Charazz, author of Redrum

February 28, 2009 Joey Pinkney 1 Comment

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Charazz, author of Redrum

Mike and Daquan are cousins by blood, but become brothers by circumstance. In a New York minute, Mike is exposed to the death of his uncle Will at an early age. That same death equally affects Daquan, whose father (Mike’s uncle) was snatched away without warning. Daquan and Mike take to naturally take to hustling in the streets of Jamaica Queens in their late teens.

Their crew is rounded out by Sean and Kevin. The four teenagers find a dead spot on 118th and begin to turn it into an empire. The only problem is that they are cutting into the profits of the nearby drug gang known as the Young Gunz. Fronted by drug lord BK, Mike and his crew are hungry to make it happen. With BK as their supplier, they have the materials and the clout to take over the block. Things are moving, and money is being made hand over fist.

In a game of kill or be killed, eat or be eaten…can they survive the game long enough to get out of it? Or will they live up to the saying, “Live by the gun, die by the gun?”

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

Charazz: Being incarcerated for many years, I began to see myself as a liability to my family. I wanted to do something I felt would benefit them financially as well as make them proud in spite of my incarceration. I remember one day while in the “box” another inmate had written a book, and I told him I wish I could do that. He said “you can”. From there, I felt my story of my life should be told.

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

C: Redrum is a fiction novel based on real facts and events from my life! I’m telling a story from personal knowledge, not research or second hand. It’s raw and gritty. It’s the realest you’ll get to being indicted. (Ha ha.)

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

C: The key to my success lies in strong family support and my belief in a higher being other than myself. It was the commitment, the trust and the dedication of a woman named Michelle Lee York who believed that Redrum was a story that should not be kept a secret. She worked by my side to see how Redrum could be published while being incarcerated,and connected with C & B Book distribution which has provided the exposure I need in becoming a successful author.

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

C: Well let me say I have no formal writing training or education in becoming an author. Everything I taught myself through countless hours in the library doing research on perfecting my skills. There are two ways I begin the process. One is being with a basic outline of my thoughts, then plugging in ideas as they come to mind. Second is just simple free-flow. I like to think it’s like a movie in my mind and scenes is created as the day goes by. Remember, I have a lot time to think about all kinds of stuff behind these concrete walls.

JP: What’sÂ next for Charazz?

C: Man, I’m just going to keep writing and the hope to be able to interact with my readers soon. Coming out in late January is the release of my second novel Caught In The Game. I am working on a third, but I would like to finish that upon release.

Joey “Thank You” for this opportunity and I’m glad you enjoyed reading Redrum. As my skills improve, I promise to keep my readers coming back for more! Get your copy of Caught In The Game now!

Charazz York, born and raised in South Jamaica, Queens. He found his hidden talent to write a story while he serves timeÂ in a New York Correctional facility. Redrum isÂ his first self-published fiction novel, soon to be released is his second “CaughtÂ Up In The Game.”

Charazz is a certified Braille transcriber from the Library of Congress. He is a facilitator of Vassar College program called ” Bridging The Gap” at Otisville Correctional and a board member of the Glam4Life organization which is a community outreach program for minorities suffering from mental illness and suicide prevention San Diego, CA. Charazz also holds a associate degree in business.

Charazz welcomes letters from his readers. Â Letters can be sent to:

Charazz York 94A5091
Box 8
Otisville, NY 10963

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

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5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, criticism, interview, love, sex, urban lit

The 14 Days After Q&A: Do you have to be a freak to enjoy great sex?

February 15, 2009 Joey Pinkney 3 Comments

For women, there is a stigma attached to being labeled as a “freak” that keeps some women from fully exploring their sexuality. Do you have to be a “freak” to enjoy great sex?

Tanya White: No, you do not have to be a freak to enjoy sex. Society has ingrained in our minds that sex is cheap, dirty and perverted. In actuality, sex is a sacred encounter between two mature adults who have agreed to become physically intimate because the have become emotionally intimate. When sex occurs in this context, nothing is undefiled or off limits because the two have communicated their desires amongst themselves and nobody else.

Dedan Tolbert: I believe that the negativity that many believe is associated with being a freak is intended for those women who portray themselves as a “hoe”. There is nothing wrong with being a freak under the right circumstances. My definition of a freak is a woman who will do any and everything to make sure her man is completely satisfied. Most men desire “a lady in the streets and a freak in the sheets”. A hoe is someone who is promiscuous and does freaky things for a large number of people. I don’t think you have to necessarily be a freak to enjoy great sex because you’re not going to do any and everything for everybody. Some things should be saved for your man, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have great sex without doing all the “freaky” things.

Cassandra Washington: Of course not. You only have to be comfortable with your situation and your body. If you’re with a man who makes you feel safe enough to be who you are, and you accept who you are and what you can do, you’ll be quite surprised the tricks you come up with and the fun you have doing them. Having fun and trying new things doesn’t make you a freak. It just shows that you are uninhibited and open-minded, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Big Boom: To stop the stigma, women need toÂ slow down. If you just have to have sex, then hold back some of your wild side because it could end up a one night stand. As the relationship progresses slowly begin show the side that you held back.While you two are watching something with love making in it, suggest that you and your man try it. This will make him feel he taught you something new, and you can get your freak on at the same time.

The 14 Days After Q&A is a relationship mini-series. For the month of February, each day after Valentine’s Day will feature a new relationship question to be answered by two female and two male authors who have written books about relationships. Click here for more information about the authors Tanya White, Cassandra Washington, Dedan Tolbert and Big Boom.

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 she’s dating a married man?

Sun 02-22-09 How do I tell my husband I’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?

Fri 02-27-09 I fell in love with my best friend’s wife. What should I do?

Sat 02-28-09 Each author gets a special question just for him or her.

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5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, interview, street lit, urban fiction, urban lit

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Thomas Overton, author of Murder with a Deadly Weapon

February 9, 2009 Joey Pinkney

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Thomas Overton, author of Murder with a Deadly Weapon
(Live to Die Publishing)

When a Glock nine-millimeter is snatched from a pawnshop by two would-be robbers, it embarks on a wild journey. From the hood to the ‘burbs and back again, this gun is a vehicle for murder. The Glock reaches the hands of several individuals and is used as the weapon for diverse malicious crimes. Detectives Peterson and James are determined to locate the whereabouts of this deadly weapon, but realize the task at hand is more difficult than they expected. Why? Villains, more often, move faster than law officials. After a person is killed and another gun goes unrecoverable, who will be the next to be murdered with an undiscovered deadly weapon? If it fell into your hands, what would you do?

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Murder with a Deadly Weapon?

Thomas Overton: I was serving a two-year sentence in prison, and thatÂ is where IÂ became inspired to write. Out of boredom, and the fact that there was nothing else to do, I came up with the concept.Â I began to wonder whatever happened to the first two guns I owned. I remembered my cousin giving me a gun to handle some business with at one point in my life. Because of theÂ mass gunÂ violence that takes place in our streets these days and personal life experiences, I thought that a gun with aÂ voice that travels from hand to hand would be an excellent concept.

JP: What sets Murder with a Deadly Weapon apart from other novels in its genre?

TO: It’s not the same old street lit: girl meets drug dealer, they go through some drama, they end up either dead, in jail, etc….. That’s the same old stuff. I like to write about different things that go on in the streets. AndÂ the a gun that travels is definitely reality.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Murder with a Deadly Weapon getting out to the public?

TO: I’ve only been out for a few weeks now. It has been difficult getting out to the masses, but Terry Woods said it best. She said, “At first no one will buy your book. After one or two readers embrace the story, masses of others will follow.”Â So…. I’m just waiting on the masses. I haven’t gotten any bad responses, so that’s a blessing. Just keepin’ it movin’ is what I’ll have to do.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Murder with a Deadly Weapon?

TO: I usually try to write something everyday. A sentence, a paragraph, a page, etc…until the story is complete. When I was in college, my professors use to tell me that I was a good writer. So, when I got to prison, I just expanded what the college teachers use to compliment me on. After I read True to the Game and Bloody Money 1 by Leodrei Prince, I decided to write my own tale. Originally while incarcerated, I self-taught myself how to write a screenplay. Murder With aÂ Deadly Weapon was originally a movie script,Â however Leodrei Prince andÂ my baby-mama convinced me to convert it into a novel. Plus, it was easier to shop that way. It took me about 3 months toÂ do the conversion, but I liked theÂ novel writing process. ItÂ allows me to express my full vision of what is going on in the story.

JP: What’s next for Thomas Overton?

TO: I’m working on three novels at once. (1.) Keys to the Franchise is about five drug dealers who come up in the game to purchase a professional football franchise but will they see their dream come to life. That’s actually done already. (2.) It Was All Good Just a Week Ago is about a woman who is on top, however, takes a trip to the bottom of the food chain after she looses her job, relationships, and her freedom. When she decides that enough is enough, she devises a plan to get back on top. (3.) Now Who has the Last Laugh which isÂ a tale about a young black man with ambitions to be a successful entrepreneur, but negativity surrounds his lifestyle.Â He struggles to survive the clutchesÂ of life in a way that all ambitious black menÂ can relate to. Also, look outÂ forÂ “THE URBAN BOOK OUTLET.” An online bookstore strictly for the urban reader and/or the urban author to promote andÂ sellÂ his/her work.

www.myspace.com/livetodiepub

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