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5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Ladessa, author of I Can’t Live Without My Radio

June 22, 2009 Joey Pinkney 2 Comments

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Ladessa, author of I Can’t Live Without My Radio
(What She Say Publications)

Brooklyn “Willow” Waters is a small town girl from Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, with big, big dreams. The world beyond her hometown is bigger and badder than she’d ever imagined – a place where souls are traded for fame and fortune as quickly as you can turn the dial on the radio.

I Can’t Live Without My Radio traces a young woman’s journey from her sheltered life as the daughter of a preacher to the lure of the Big City, where it’s sometimes hard to tell the difference between glitter and pure gold.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write I Can’t Live Without My Radio?

Ladessa: I have wanted to be on the radio since I was a little girl. It was so amazing to me that one person could speak to so many people yet still have a one on one conversation with an individual. I procrastinated for years with my dream of being on the radio. Finally, I took a broadcasting class and hosted my first show August of 2003 on KBCS 91.3 FM, a public radio station.

After years of hosting my overnight show and getting “Willow” my radio alter ego ready for the next level, I couldn’t break into the commercial radio market to save my life. When the lack of response from commercial stations got to me, I finally said to myself, “LaDessa ‘aka Willow’, you can be on whatever radio station in whatever top rated market you want to be in! You can be the voice everyone tunes into everyday with no one telling you no or ignoring your air check and resume. All you have to do is sit down and make it happen.”

With that being said, I took my freelance writing experience and my God given talent as a writer and brought Willow to life, through this fictional tale. Despite still not being on commercial radio, just as the title of my books says, I Can’t Live Without My Radio and because of this book I won’t ever have to.

JP: What sets I Can’t Live Without My Radio apart from other novels in its genre?

L: I Can’t Live Without My Radio is a hybrid of sorts. There’s the coming of age aspect. There’s the beauty and a thug element to the main character’s romance experiences. Because I grew up in church, there was no way I could leave out the Lord chastising those He Loves.

I could be wrong because the Urban Lit genre is growing by leaps and bounds, but I don’t think a story about the radio business has been told like this before. While the story is being told by a “newbie” and the reader will clearly know I worked hard to set myself apart from other novelists, I made sure not to disrespect the fundamentals of the genre.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to I Can’t Live Without My Radio getting out to the public?

L: Trusting and believing I had a story people would enjoy. Watching, learning and listening to the people who are the best at whatever they are/were the best at. I’ve worked in various facets of the entertainment industry. I have had my taste of its bitterness, but I never let it rob me of my passion and drive.

This book has been the perfect vehicle to use everything I’ve learned about the art of self-promotion. Now that the book is out, I plan on using the “Tech N9ne” blue print. If anyone ever wanted to know how to make “that thing” pop, whatever that thing is for you, research this man’s hustle. One word says it all: “FLAWLESS!”

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish I Can’t Live Without My Radio?

L: The first thing I did to start the process was, I asked my two daughters to believe that my shushing them and isolating myself for hours at a time would turn out to be something they could be proud of. I made notes about everything. I incorporated some of my experiences from the business, and I learned how to see a story in the smallest encounter.

Last but not least, I am a Seventies baby, so I’m from the school of writing out your rough draft on notebook paper before typing it out. (Thanks Sis. Green, my sixth grade teacher at Zion Preparatory Academy; she’s the only teacher I knew that graded your rough drafts.) From start to finish, this book took me about a year.

JP: What’s next for LaDessa?

L: I’m still hoping to land a gig in commercial radio. In the meantime, I will continue to try my hand at writing books. Right now, I am working my on next novel Don’t Touch That Dial.

http://www.whatshesay.com/

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5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Sherry Hill, author of The Marquise Hill Story

June 20, 2009 Joey Pinkney 4 Comments

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Sherry Hill, author of The Marquise Hill Story: From the Cradle to the Bowl
(Xlibris)

The Marquise Hill Story: From the Cradle to the Bowl by Sherry Hill is the compelling story of the life of New England Patriots lineman Marquise Hill, whose twenty-four year existence was tragically cut short on May 27, 2007, when the unforgiving currents of the Pontchartrain River in Louisiana claimed him forever during a jet-ski accident.

Told by his mother as only she could, this book provides a candid account of a little boy growing up in Louisiana, who from a young age was thrust in the midst of “cutthroat New Orleans”-a street term aptly referring to the unsavory, unethical, criminal or hard-as-nails element which afflicts certain rough neighborhoods within this otherwise uniquely special old world city… perhaps in ways much similar to those found in other urban areas.

This earnest account is narrated from the perspective of a grieving mother who walked this journey with her son, giving all of herself as a constant source of guidance and support.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write The Marquise Hill Story?

Sherry Hill: My son and I talked about writing his bio long before his death. I began writing it exactly three days before his accident.

JP: What sets The Marquise Hill Story apart from other biographies about the life of an athlete?

SH: He accomplished a lot as an athlete in a short life time. He did not allow the obstacles of life’s disappointments stop him from achieving his goals. His self determination was unmeasurable.

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

I would say having an open mind and be willing to listen and learn the business. Networking with the right people in the business is key. I was able to get three digital billboards up and running at the same time. Networking among friends and family was also important.

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

I was keeping good notes and organized everything that I knew I wanted to write about. Editing is also key.Â I lost most of my info and photos in Katrina, but I regrouped and picked up the pieces and moved forward with my writing. The time frame from start to finish in completing my book was approximately a year.

JP: What’s next for Sherry Hill?

There are alot of projects that I’m involved in. I am completing a children’s book, which has been my passionÂ for over 12 years. I am also working on a recipe book. Other than writing, I also want to work on some more of my portaits/paintings.Â I am also an artist as well. I have BS degree in Art.

I want to continue to use my creative mind and work with children. I taught school for five years and worked as an administrator of a Pre-SchoolÂ for 6 years. I also want to make sure the The Marquise Hill Foundation makes a a great impact in the community as well.

http://www.fromthecradletothebowl.com/

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5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Venesha, author of Notorious

June 19, 2009 Joey Pinkney

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Venesha, author of Notorious
(Polka Dotz & Stripez Publishing)

My name is Starlett Ray and I am Urban Fiction’s most notorious vixen and newest “It Girl”. Don’t really know how I ended up on top of so many people’s sh*t list within this industry, but the hate far exceeds the love. Despite the mounds of b*tch*ssness, I have been able to stiletto step my way towards the top in the face of the Candyland games some folk fancy to play. I struggled through the not so good times and finally reached the pot of pink diamonds on the other side of the ghetto rainbow.

Enter the infamous and notorious world of publishing: the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good: Writing and the journey behind the words, characters, and editing process. The bad: Being tricked and treated by far removed publishers sitting in their ivory towers, rockstar graphic designers, devious publicists making promises they can’t keep and wannabe-balling-out-of-control authors who have the publishing industry confused with the dope game from the 80s and 90s. The ugly: Being gossiped about and frowned upon by industry so-called elite since I did things a little different than they did to try to get my book published.

In addition to learning the woes of becoming an author, you are also given a first class seat inside of my private life, married to a platinum rapper. It’s the best of both worlds as Hip-Hop and Urban Literature collide within the pages of Notorious. Fasten your seat belt for a wild, whimsical, and fanciful ride in the Bentley of Urban Fiction tales…

Your Access Has Been Granted:

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

Venesha: I came up with the idea and inspiration for Notorious back in 2007 after a series of unfortunate events within the publishing industry. They tried to put me in a box, and I came out with a book!

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

V: My books will always be different and set apart, so to speak, from other books simply because they read so true to reality. Hell, they may be. I’ll never tell though.

Notorious chronicles a character’s journey up close and personal as she writes a book and tries to get the book published. I take the reader behind the scene of the entire process and adventure of publishing a novel. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

My reader base will enjoy it because it has a double plot, and you know I gets the drama poppin’ off on or about page 2. And, it doesn’t stop there. I have been holding that book under lock and key for a while but now it’s time for Notorious to hit the red carpet and pose for the cameras…flick flick!

JP: What did you learn from writing and publishing Mistress Me that made Notorious a better novel?

V: Wow. I learned a lot about developing my craft as a writer. It took me much longer to write Notorious versus Mistress. The editing process almost took me under it was sooooo stressful. I was trying to pull off a double plo,t and I wasn’t ready. However, with the help of my editor, it all came together.

I did a ton of re-writes and added about seven additional scenes before we could move forward. My editor was sooooo cracking the whip… I cried on several occasions and thought of trashing the entire project.

So, I learned a ton just as a writer should each time they write a book and go through the editing process. I was more so challenged as a storyteller rather than a writer. I think I did more telling than showing. Then, I had to go back in the ninth hour and reverse many aspects of the novel.

Notorious has literally drained me. However, the pre-reviews and press buzz has been awesome. So, I’m excited!

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

V: My writing process is rather simple. A laptop, good R&B music and a few scented candles creates the ambiance required for Venesha to flow. When I’m in writer mode I don’t check emails, Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, or talk on the phone. I have to shut the world out for hours at a time. Then I’ll pop back in for a while. Then I’m out again.

It took me a year or so to get the foundation. I wrote the first half back in 2007. Six months later, I completed it and have been doing re-writes for months.

JP: What’s next for Venesha?

V: With Notorious coming out of production and ready for her turn, I can finally get back to Mistress Me/The Remix, which will be out this winter. Once The Remix is completed, I have a few more projects to write.

Whatever isn’t written by 2010 will be put off while I concentrate on Teen Fiction.

http://urbanbarbiedoll.com

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