Tag Archives: 5 minutes 5 questions with

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

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Marian L. Thomas, author of Color Me Jazzmyne

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Marian L. Thomas, author of Color Me Jazzmyne
(LB Publishing)

(One of the first ten people to comment on Marian L. Thomas’ author interview will win a FREE copy of Color Me Jazzmyne from JoeyPinkney.com)

Color Me Jazzmyne is the tale of Naya Mona. Raped by her father and abused by her friends, Naya is struggling not only to live, but she must learn to live for herself. She is in fact, a reflection of many women today who have been a victim of abuse, and life in general.

The spiral of events that becomes her life also becomes her voice as she steps onto the stage as Jazzmyne-the jazz singer. Naya Mona takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster filled with drama, romance and the passion to push past the pain.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Color Me Jazzmyne?

Marian L. Thomas: There are many aspects of the main character that are a reflection of my life and the lives of so many others. It is the struggles and journeys of the women I have known that created the desire to develop the character and personality of Naya Mona.

JP: Incest is present but, for the most part, swept under the rug in the African American community. Why did you choose to reveal the emotional dysfunction of this situation?

MLT: Reality is something we all must face. Reality is a part of our every day lives. Whether we choose to stare at it or deny it exist, the problem is still there. The topics in Color Me Jazzmyne represent the reality of our society.

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

MLT: Persistence, even when tears are shed. Realizing that there will be ups and downs, but the strength of your belief in your story carries you through. Knowing that what you have to offer is something that any woman can read and enjoy.

When you begin to write, you believe in yourself. When you publish your heart you begin to believe in your story.

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

MLT: I drafted my first expression of Naya Mona when I was in high school, referring to it as What Color is Jazzmyne. Twenty years later I finally stared at a finished version that I refer to now as Color Me Jazzmyne.

My process was more focused on creating a story that was a reflection of reality. This meant that I would re-read each paragraph and chapter before proceeding to write the next. If I didn’t believe it could be real—no one else would.

JP: What’s next for Marian L. Thomas?

MLT: I am currently working on my second novel which I hope to have released by the summer of 2010.

http://www.facebook.com/MLT.ColorMeJazzmyne
http://www.marianlthomas.com
http://www.lbpublishingco.com
info@marianlthomas.com

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

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Ben, author of Up The Way

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Ben, author of Up The Way
(DC Bookdiva Publications)

(Three of the first ten people to comment on Ben’s author interview will win a FREE copy of Up The Way from JoeyPinkney.com)

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Up The Way?

Ben: The idea to write the story started as more of a challenge by a friend who I was incarcerated with. My inspiration was based on my previous experiences. A lot of it was loosely based on things that I witnessed while there.

JP: Many readers fantasize about prison culture without truly realizing the corrupt nature. What does Up The Way show about “belly of the beast” that has not been seen?

B: I believe that my book exposes the realities of what actually is taking place in most of the prisons today. It deals with corruption at the hands of the inmates, employees and our government. It also deals with homosexuality issues that affect our community.

Many individuals believe that prison life does not affect them because they are not in prison. However, most inmates will come home. There are issues that I deal with in the novel that directly affect us as a race from homosexuality to community unity.

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

B: I first believed in my self. I wanted to change my reality and start to focus on myself as a man, for me first and my family second. I wanted to change my life and focus on recreating myself and my legacy. Writing was my outlet in prison and has been a my passion since grade school.

I wrote Up The Way as a form or entertainment for my fellow inmate friends and myself to laugh to keep from crying about the conditions we were in. I used the novel for entertainment and to also bring awareness to social issues within our community.

I shopped the book to several publishers who were not interested because my manuscript was not typed along with an outline of several other books that I was in the process of writing. We worked via mail and brief phone conversations to bring the project to completion, distributing over 1,000 copies in our first day of publication.

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

Ben: There is no formula. I have a wild and vivid imagination, so it comes with ease. The actual book took me about three weeks to write.

JP: What’s next for Ben?

Ben: I plan to expand into several other genres. I am currently working on an erotica series, a children’s book and a motivational/self help read.

http://www.dcbookdiva.com/
http://www.myspace.com/authorben
http://www.facebook.com/authorben

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5 minutes 5 questions with, hip hop

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Maggbeatz, Bosses That Meet Bosses Group

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Maggbeatz AKA Maggmuzik
(Bosses That Meet Bosses Group)

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the name Maggbeatz? What does it mean?

Maggbeatz: I was searching through the dictionary one day trying to find a beat name that would fit me. I came across the word Magnum Opus which is a noun that means “a great work of art or literature”. That word matched the criteria of what I do. I named myself “Magnumopusbeatz” at first.

After a few months, I got tired of people telling me “It’s a hot meaning but too long of a name”. I shortened it to “Maggbeatz/Maggmuzik”. Some people think the obvious when they hear the name, either the gun or the car.

When I break it down and tell people what it means, they’re impressed. That name is something I’m proud of and live by! I don’t speak for my work, my work speaks for me!

JP: How would you describe your style of production? Who were your mentors?

Maggbeatz: My style of production is unorthodox. My goal is to create an independent sound. As for who my mentors were. I have two mentors. The first one would be my good friend Stefvon G. Facey. We made beats together from 2000 to 2004. He taught me a lot about making beats and the music game period. He’s still a great deal of help to this day. I always call on him when I have questions.

The other would be Polo AKA The Fur King. I’ve only known him for a short while, but he has took me to another level of this thing we call entertainment. They don’t build people like him anymore! I’m just blessed and grateful to have met Polo and to have him as a good friend.

JP: In a perfect situation, what gear would you gather together to make your dream studio?

Maggbeatz: I would have it set up just like the Quad Studio NYC. (Editor’s Note: Maggbeatz gave a detailed list of studio gear that was too long to fit in this interview.)

JP: Nowadays in HipHop, producers seem to have a good run for a few months, maybe years, and then fall off. What are you doing to make sure MaggBeatz will stay relevant in the game no matter the season?

Maggbeatz: That’s a good question! I have to keep making great music the best way I can, stay as humble as possible and try to keep good relationships with artists, radio and DJ personalities. Most importantly, I’ll just continue being myself. I can’t do any better than that.

Either you love me, or you hate me. At the end of the day, I can say, “I tried my best!”

JP: What does the future hold for MaggBeatz?

Maggbeatz: More magazines, TV, interviews and major artist/label music placements. Until then, I’m going to keep my “Grustle” @ 2000% and work with what I got!

http://www.maggbeatz.com/
http://www.myspace.com/maggmuzik
http://www.twitter.com.maggbeatz/
http://www.mybeatshop.com/maggmuzik
http://www.soundclick.com/maggmuzik

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