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

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Ashea Goldson, author of The Lovechild

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Ashea Goldson, author of The Lovechild
(Urban Christian/Kensington)

The Lovechild provides a riveting ride through the life of Makaeli Lovechild Hunt, a successful fashion designer who struggles with her biracial identity and her spirituality. Born into a dysfunctional family and enduring many hardships, she eventually becomes estranged from them.

She escapes to Italy where she dives into her career and masks her resentment for her family, for God and for herself. Finally a family emergency forces her to face her tumultuous past.

In seven life-altering days, she discovers what firgiveness really means. Amidst crises painful enough to make her turn her back on God forever, she learns what it means to be God’s lovechild.

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

Ashea Goldson: The Lovechild grew in my spirit from the notion that nothing can separate us from the love of God, no matter what it looks or feels like. I was inspired to write a story of an emotionally wounded person and their journey to deliverance and redemption. Although the character’s experience doesn’t parallel mine, I too have been delivered and redeemed.

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

AG: Not only is the novel different in that it has an international setting, but unlike so many books in this genre, it is neither a love story nor a best friends story. It also adds a fast paced element of mystery.

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

AG: One of the greatest keys to my success is my faith, knowing that nothing is impossible for God. Therefore, I pray, do what I must do in the natural and don’t give up when situations seemingly don’t work out my way.

Other keys to my success are dedication and determination. I’ve always been a believer in doing what I need to do in order to accomplish whatever is needed. Even though my schedule is often hectic with the full-time business that I run, family and ministry, I am dedicated to my calling. I continue to push myself forward. Not writing is not an option.

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

AG: It took between two and a half to three years to finish The Lovechild because I was studying the craft of fiction writing during those years and. As I learned, the story kept changing, hopefully becoming better. I didn’t have a formal process at the time. I just wrote and edited as I went along.

However, now that I have completed more than one manuscript, my process involves doing a character analysis, research, a plot outline, then a complete rough draft before I start “fixing” the story. The entire process now takes me a few months instead of a few years.

JP: What’s next for Ashea Goldson?

AG: I will be promoting my story, “The Kit Cat Trial” in an anthology entitled Pets Across America which was just released in October 2009. The proceeds will go towards pet activist organizations.

My next Christian fiction novel, Joy Comes In The Morning, will be released in July 2010. I am currently working on the sequel to this which is Count It All Joy. I will be re-releasing a non-fiction work entitled Resurrecting Vision in January 2010 through my own publishing company, GoldWrite Publishing. I also have plans to publish a few other works as well.

http://www.asheagoldson.com/
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ashea-goldson
asheagold@yahoo.com
(678) 510-6941

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

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Bestselling Author Dwan Abrams, author of My Mother’s Child

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Dwan Abrams, author of My Mother’s Child
(Urban Books/Kensington)

Lyric Stokes lives, by most standards, a charmed life. Married to Michael Stokes, a prominent heart surgeon, she has financial security and lives in the lap of luxury. All is not perfect, though. Lyric feels inadequate because she gave birth to a daughter, rather than the son that her husband so desperately wanted.

After an unexpected turn of events, Lyric discovers that she’s pregnant again, but now she has to decide whether she even wants to keep the child she has longed for. She seeks solace in her church, where her daughter also feels at home; but they can’t get Michael to join them. Disagreeing with organized religion, he has put his job before all else, including God. The distance between the couple grows further every day.

Nigel Fredericks has a history of stalking women. He’s been accused, but never convicted. Now he’s set his sights on Lyric. She’s at a low point in her life, and Nigel knows just how to take advantage of that vulnerability. Lyric’s life is turned upside down; Nigel is like a cancer eating away at her mental stability, her marriage, and ultimately, her life. Will Michael reevaluate his priorities and his faith in time to save his family?

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write My Mother’s Child?

Dwan Abrams: My Mother’s Child is actually the sequel to bestselling novel, Divorcing the Devil. In My Mother’s Child, Dr. Skyler Little makes a cameo appearance, whereas in Divorcing the Devil, she was the main character. There are new characters in My Mother’s Child, but Nigel made his debut in Divorcing the Devil. Now the readers will go inside of Nigel’s twisted world.

JP: There are many wives around the world who, like the main character Lyric Stokes, feel guilty for not being able to provide that son their husband yearns for. What do you expect your readers to get from that particular aspect of My Mother’s Child?

DA: Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it.

JP: What have you learned from your previous novels that makes My Mother’s Child a better book in terms of constructing a finished product?

DA: I’ve learned that my readers like for me to bring them drama with unexpected plot twists. My Mother’s Child has the right amount of tension, and the readers will not be able to guess the outcome.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish My Mother’s Child?

DA: I’m a full-time novelist, so I don’t really have a writing process, per se. For the most part, I sit in front of the TV with my laptop and type. I’m also a freelance editor and founder of Nevaeh Publishing, a small press independent publishing house. My editing and publishing duties can sometimes pull me away from writing. Even still, I try not to neglect my writing for extended periods of time.

In the case of My Mother’s Child, it took me approximately 9-12 months to write. That’s long for me, though. During that time, I had numerous editing assignments and even co-authored a non-fiction book. Because of that, finishing my novel was delayed. Funny thing is, after I turned in the manuscript for My Mother’s Child, my editor told me that it was her favorite amongst my books. Since she had read all of my previous books, I was happy to hear that.

JP: What’s next for Dwan Abrams?

DA: Good question. For Dwan Abrams the author, I’ll be on tour in 2010 promoting the release of my fifth novel, My Mother’s Child. My publisher, Urban Books/Kensington, recently accepted my book proposal for a 2011 release. That book is based on Shania and Greg, characters from my novel, Married Strangers. I’m currently working on a manuscript that centers around Rayna and Bryce, the interracial couple also from Married Strangers.

As a publisher, I’m excited about the authors signed to Nevaeh Publishing. We have ten titles coming out in 2010 beginning in January. We will even release our first children’s book. Please visit www.nevaehpublishing.com for a listing of our upcoming releases. Be sure to visit often, we make regular updates. In addition to that, we’re accepting submissions for 2011.

My novel, Divorcing the Devil, was nominated for the 2008 African American Literary Awards Show. My novel, Only True Love Waits, won the 2007 POWER Award for Best Fiction. Readers can email me at dwanabrams1@aol.com.

http://www.dwanabrams.com/
http://www.nevaehpublishing.com/
http://www.myspace.com/dwanabrams
http://www.myspace.com/nevaehpublishing
Facebook: I have a regular page for Dwan Abrams and a Dwan Abrams Fan Page. There’s also a page for Nevaeh Publishing.
http://www.twitter.com/dwanabrams
http://dwanabrams.blogspot.com
http://nevaehpublishing.blogspot.com
http://nevaehpublishing.ning.com

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5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, poems, poet, poetry

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Oneal Walters, author of The Age Begins

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Oneal Walters, author of The Age Begins
(The Age Begins Books)

(One of the first ten people to comment on Oneal Walters’ author interview will win a FREE copy of The Age Begins poetry collection!)

Oneal Walters writes about the intimacy between women and men. In vivid detail, he shows the problems and pain that he faces in separate relationships. His motto, “to truly love, you have to be a willing giver”, fits this collection of poems brilliantly.

Each relationship poem depicts a deeper and more engaging aspect of him. As the search for love matures, his understanding and feelings ripen and as he understands and changes how he responses to women, it is clear that he is on the verge of defining love for all.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write The Age Begins?

Oneal Walters: The Age Begins was the birth of multiple ideas. I think readers appreciate my book after they read it, but I don’t think they really understand what I tried to accomplish with the cover of the book.

The back cover shows a boiling world and the ground is cracked; this world is not a livable place. The front cover shows footprints to a castle. The footprints represent a journey that leads away from a dying, boiling world, or a world in a state of recession, to a place of prosperity and life, hence the title The Age Begins.

Life is shown in the grass, trees and brushes. The two camels are a symbol of love. The back and front cover illustrates what you are going to get inside the book.

The idea for this book is that we have to transition from what is dying to get to what is life. Continuing on this thought, we begin in a dying state and must move towards what is most beneficial for us. The title, The Age Begins, is statement for everyone. We have to begin to move in the direction that is life.

As to the situations in the poems, I am glad to meet wonderful people who have touched me emotionally and mentally. The vividness of these experiences printed within this book is a gift for all who relate to my reflections on love and life. My first collection of poetry, Frozen Stare, was an intimate look inside my life. The Age Begins does have an intimate look inside me but has also taken on universal themes.

Joey Pinkney: In the book industry, poets are usually as self-motivated as they come. You discuss this in The Age Begins. What did you learn about yourself in completing this collection of poetry?

Oneal Walters: I realized that poets are singular. I had a negative experience, I can share that with other poets so that they don’t have to discover the same disappointment. I realized that there needs to be a concept to creating a book.

I read many poetry books before making The Age Begins, and there was no after-taste, no experience to hold onto. This book has experiences that you will hold onto and will relate to. It’s not just a collection of poems; it’s a voice speaking directly to you while you are reading.

I realized that all my poems are about people and that I didn’t like poems that were solely about trees and birds chirping. I learned that the elements that I enjoyed most about poetry were narration and people.

I realize that my favourite writers are Irving Layton and Maya Angelou, and that it was perfectly fine to say, “I’m a poet. These words make more sense once people see that you have a second collection of poems that is selling. The art comes before the sales, but the sales is just an explanation of how many people the art has reached.

I also came to realise that I am competitive because I wanted the Love and the Mis-justice sections of The Age Begins to have the same impact after it is read. I realized that success comes twice, once when you accomplish the desired effect and twice when everyone else sees it.

Joey Pinkney: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to The Age Begins getting out to the public?

Oneal Walters: The first key to success is to write what you want to say, then make sure an editor reads your work to ensure you said it effectively. The second key is to be persistent in staying true to you. In other words, write about what you enjoy the most. This makes writing enjoyable, especially when you have to create a book.

The third key is adaptability. Writing a book is much more than forming a collection of poems and giving it a title. You have to know your audience. Know how to build your audience. Know how to remain visible. Know what publications are beneficial to you and what is wasting your time. Not everyone that wants to publish your poems will project your work in the right ‘light’.

Joey Pinkney: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish The Age Begins?

Oneal Walters: This is a good question. The length of time isn’t really the issue; it’s the time it takes to complete the book to the time the book is released that is tricky.

Let’s first comment on the writing itself. There are hot times when I have many thoughts and experiences that I want to explore, and they flow beautifully through me and on to the screen. There are times when I spend two to three days trying to perfect a stanza or a line because it doesn’t match my sense of excellence.

Then there are those moments when I look at poems that I wrote years ago. Inspiration comes, and I write the topic in a different way. From a writing perspective, The Age Begins took many months. This includes writing, editing, grouping and then master order.

Joey Pinkney: What’s next for Oneal Walters?

Oneal Walters: I am very blessed to have my two annual poetry contests: Women Inspirational Poetry Contest and, Love Poem Poetry Contest. Here is where I recognise and celebrate talented poets. Full details are at www.onealwalters.com/contests.html.

There is OW News, which is a monthly newsletter emailed to my readers. In 2010, Sheila B. Roark’s poetry book, Shattered Hearts, will be published by The Age Begins Books. Also, my third book will be published around fall-winter.

http://www.onealwalters.com/
http://www.myspace.com/onealwalters
http://www.facebook.com/onealwalters
http://www.twitter.com/onealwalters

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