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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… Niobia Bryant, author from Message from a Mistress

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Niobia Bryant, editor from Message from a Mistress
(Dafina/Kensington)

Jaime Hall, Renee Clinton, and Aria Livewell all reside with their spouses in the affluent gated community, Richmond Hills, in New Jersey. The ladies are all best friends with their Richmond Hill neighbor, Jessa Bell–a sexy and single socialite.

Trouble is Jessa Bell has just sent them all a text message taunting that she has run away with one of their husbands. That message opens the door to each of the woman’s unspoken insecurities in their marriage as each recalls incidents that hint that their husband is the one.

And with the husbands away—and unreachable– on a chartered fishing boat all day and Jessa not answering her phone, they have all day to wonder…and to worry about scandalous secrets of their own.

Throughout the book–which takes place in one day–Jessa Bell also recalls her steamy relationship with her unidentified lover. Everything about their explicit romps are revealed from the day she first seduced him up until the day he agreed to leave his wife–her friend–for her.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Message from a Mistress?

Niobia Bryant: I loved, loved, loved the 1940’s movie “A Letter to Three Wives”. I enjoyed the concept of three wives learning that their mutual friend has run off with one of their husbands and then have the entire day to ponder which one of them has been betrayed.

It’s really clever and it intrigued on so many levels. I wanted to modernize the story and give it some new perspectives– like adding the wives having secrets of their own. I really just wanted to see where I could go with it. Again the general premise is the same but the actual stories for each character are original, and I had a lot of fun bringing those characters to life in Message from a Mistress.

JP: With seventeen novels under your belt, how have you changed in terms of your growth in the book industry? Was Message from a Mistress easier to produce for you?

NB: I’ve learned so much in the past 10 years as an author. My first book took me a year to write, and now I can definitely complete a well written book in less time. Writing in multiple genres allows me to continuously work towards perfecting my craft as a storyteller, too.

I’ve grown in my business acumen. I am a knowledgeable author. I research the industry, who’s doing what, and I keep abreast of what sells, where and why… This all helps me stay fresh and relevant to what avid readers want from authors.

Writing Message from a Mistress was a smooth and timely process. I concentrated on keeping it entertaining since the entire story takes place in one day. There are many character flashbacks, but overall, writing the book was not difficult at all.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Message from a Mistress getting out to the public?

NB: The internet has been such a fun way of promoting the release of Message from a Mistress, and I’m sure will prove itself vital in the upcoming sales success as well. I have my Twitter pages, I have my Facebooks pages, MySpace and my personal blog http://www.niobiabryant.com/; I use them all to keep my fans updated and to invite new ones. Tweetdeck is a must for me. I simply love the way it works.

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

NB: Since I write in multiple genres it helps me stay organized by creating a synopsis and an outline for each of my books. I write a full synopsis of the entire story and the first chapter which I usually have to submit to the publisher. Afterward I begin writing with the use of an outline chapter breakdown. Message from a Mistress took a few months not including editing.

JP: What’s next for Niobia Bryant?

I am working on promoting my three 2010 book releases, Fabulous my first teen fiction/young adult novel on Kimani Tru, Message from a Mistress on Dafina/Kensington and in May I will release Give Me Fever on Dafina. I’m doing my first virtual book tour starting March 1st. Readers can keep up with the itinerary on my blog and by following me on Twitter and Facebook.

http://www.niobiabryant.com/

Facebook
Niobia Bryant| Meesha Mink

Twitter
@InfiniteInk

Book Trailer for Message from a Mistress
http://www.youtube.com/user/niobiabryant#p/u/2/bNv9llajroY

Niobia Bryant has been nominated for the 2010 Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Best African American Romance for your 9th full length romance novel Make You Mine as well as the Best Steamy Romance in the 2010 Emma Award presented by Romance Slam Jam.

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

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Terra Little, author of Where There’s Smoke 2

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Terra Little, editor of Where There’s Smoke 2
(Urban Books)

In the aftermath of Where There’s Smoke (part 1), Alec and Anne have found a rhythm they can both groove to. They’ve made a steamy love connection. Just when they think they can finally settle down and tie the knot, their past comes back to haunt them in ways they never imagined.

Alec has secrets that he wishes he had never kept; Anne discovers them and sets out to show her man that a woman scorned is no one to mess with; and Isaiah…well, Isaiah finds himself in the kind of trouble that sends smoke signals up into the air. When the smoke finally clears, truths will have to be told and Anne will have to accept the fact that she and Smoke are more alike than she cares to admit.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Where There’s Smoke 2?

Terra Little: Where There’s Smoke 2 is actually a follow-up to its predecessor, Where There’s Smoke (JAN 2009). The inspiration to write the first installment came from my desire to write about women who have recovered from drug addiction in a more positive light than typically portrayed.

I also wanted to write about positive African-American fathers. Also, working as a Probation/Parole Officer for nearly a decade was a great inspiration, too, as I’m sure you can imagine. I wrote the follow-up because I wasn’t quite ready to let the characters go, and readers of the first book weren’t either.

JP: What did you learn from the process of publishing the first book that makes Where There’s Smoke 2 a better product?

TL: I guess I would have to say, patience. Everything is a process and a lot of waiting is involved in the publishing process. I learned how to have more patience and how to “let go” of the things over which I have no control.

JP: What advice would you give an avid reader who is yearning to become a published author like yourself?

TL: Learn as much as possible about the publishing industry. From the outside looking in, it looks like its all fun, fun, fun. But it’s really work…a real job. There’s definitely more to it than just penning a manuscript. That’s actually just the beginning.

Also, you can never go wrong by editing the hell out of your work and presenting the best product that you can. Another thing…be realistic…about everything, including your actual ability to pen viable work.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Where There’s Smoke 2?

TL: My writing process sort of depends on the project. I find that there are only certain places where I can really settle down and slip into a writing zone. So when I’m in the middle of a project, I tend to turn into an antisocial hermit.

Sometimes I have to get my thoughts together before I begin a manuscript and sometimes the characters have already decided how things are going to go. All that’s left for me to do at that point is follow directions. I never know what a project will bring, so I just go with the flow of each one. My process isn’t predictable at all.

Where There’s Smoke 2 took me a couple of months to write, mainly because the characters were still walking around in my head. I spent maybe a month or so getting the initial rough draft down on paper and after that…rereads, rewrites, rereads… which can be exhausting.

JP: What’s next for Terra Little?

TL: Next up is JUMP, which is coming up in 2011. This one has a different kind of vibe, darker and more serious. I hope its well-received, because I absolutely loved writing it. It was as if the main character, Helena Hunter, walked into my personal space, sat down beside me, and took over my consciousness.

Ever read something you wrote and thought: “When did I write that?” JUMP was like that for me. An excerpt from JUMP can be found on my website…check it out!

http://www.terralittle.com
http://www.myspace.com/terra_little
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=64843090179
http://www.terralittle.blogspot.com

Where There’s Smoke (JAN 2009) made Library Journal’s Best Books of 2009 List

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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… Rico Dasheem, author of Memoirs of a Love Lost

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Rico Dasheem, editor of Memoirs of a Love Lost
(Evolving Publications)

Memoirs of a Love Lost is a tale of a love lost, with many compelling twist and turns. Most importantly, what makes this work unique is that I was able to integrate within the book correlated poems and journal entries that  engross the reader, drawing them in on a more intimate level.

To grab the reader’s attention more, the narrative vein was employed to have the reader fully immersed within the plot. Memoirs of a Love Lost features a masterful concoction arranged to steal your attention and express in a unique way the theme of the book.

I’ll leave that for you to read and decide. An inspirational read indeed, for lovers of poetry and intrigue, you’ll be sure to enjoy.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Memoirs Of a Love Lost?

Rico Dasheem: First of all, I want to acknowledge you and congratulate you, Joey, in all your success and would like to thank you for having me be apart of your esteemed series “5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…” author interview series. It is a pleasure and an honor.

Now back to the question. You know, I would have to say in the short time that I have been here, life has been quite the teacher. Yes, I would definitely say that life experiences were my primary inspiration for Memoirs of a Love Lost. Without giving the book away, I have always since a young man kept a daily journal. With that being the case, I found that over the years it began to shape and take form into the culmination of what you see here today.

JP: What sets Memoirs Of A Love Lost apart from other novels in its genre?

RD: I would have to say that Memoirs Of A Love Lost is not your traditional book. It does not follow the traditional look and feel of your average book. This was done by design.

I am a poet at heart, and you will notice that immediately. The tale is woven beautifully in a narrative vein, highlighted with poems and passionate journal entries to further enrapture the reader’s imagination.

JP As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Memoirs Of a Love Lost getting out the public?

RD: Well that’s a good question Joe, with this being my first self-published work. I would have to say that determination, persistence and being goal-oriented are good characteristics to develop. I also found myself doing a lot of research to see what exactly it entailed to produce, market and successfully sale a completed book.

Having an inquisitive nature would be a plus as well, Joe, because you will have plenty of questions that will need answering. The more question you ask the clearer your perceived goal will come into view, I find this to be true in all aspects of life.

JP As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Memoirs of A Love Lost?

RD: I found that I started with formulating a general idea of whatever it is that I want to write about. I try not to be to restrictive in thought at this point. I simply write down what comes to mind. You can use these after thoughts to invigorate your thought processes when you are short of material or at a standstill in ideas or direction

Once my core idea has began to take shape, I just continue to add draft layers. I review then revise and repeat the process until I have complete work. Now with Memoirs of A Love Lost, it took me a year to two years to complete the book. That was only because I babied it and paid attention to details. If you set a goal with milestones as markers to gauge you progress, then for the most part you are in control of how long it should take

JP: What’s next for Rico Dasheem?

RD: I am currently getting the material together for my sophomore work, Love2Live2Learn so be on the lookout for it on the near horizon. As well I am recruiting new authors for Evolving Publications, an upcoming Publishing House doing big things. As always, I will continue to live to learn to love, learn to love to live and love to live to learn so that I may live the life that I yearn.

evolvingpublications@gmail.com
moalovelost@gmail.com

http://twitter.com/Memoirsofalove
http://memoirslovelost.blogspot.com
http://www.love2live2learn.com/
http://www.myspace.com/moalovelost

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