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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… S.D. Denny, author of The Baker’s Dozen

May 15, 2009 Joey Pinkney 2 Comments

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
S.D. Denny, author of The Baker’s Dozen
(Peace In The Storm Publishing)

Breanna Baker felt her life was under control, as long as she was in control of her life. The moment she makes the startling discovery that she’s five weeks pregnant, things started spinning out of control for sure. To add fuel to the fire already burning in her life, her grandmother passes away.

She returns home where she’s compelled to turn her attention to issues other than her untimely pregnancy. Breanna feels she’s obligated to save everyone from themselves. When she uncovers the dark secret that had been hidden by her family for years, she is forced to face herself in the mirror to discover a truth that must be reckoned with before she can go any further in her life.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write The Baker’s Dozen?

S.D. Denny: I’ve always dreamed of doing something in my life to help or inspire young women. I’ve always loved to write. When I decided to pursue my dream of writing a novel, I knew my main character would be a woman who had to climb some mountains before reaching a point where she finds meaning and purpose in her life.

Some of the topics that are addressed in the story are near and dear to my heart, as well as some of the characters and their personalities. The idea of the title, The Baker’s Dozen, and the meaning behind it, was my way of adding a juicy twist to the story.

In a baker’s dozen there are thirteen, so I thought it would add some mystery, spice and intrigue to the story line.

JP: What sets The Baker’s Dozen apart from other novels in its genre?

SDD: The Baker’s Dozen is a work of fiction that brings problems to the forefront that real people face but may have swept under the rug in a subconscious effort to avoid having to confront them or to make it appear that we have things under control.

It’s not just a story – it’s a story that will inspire with hope and possibly even motivate someone to take the first step towards healing a deeply rooted wound in their life.

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

SDD: One cannot begin to measure the value in networking! I’m always making new literary contacts and constantly utilizing the resources available from my current contacts. I was prepared to move on it when I learned that Peace in the Storm Publishing was accepting submissions. I researched the company and made sure that I understood the submission guidelines clearly.

I presented a professional, organized and intriguing submission package. Elissa Gabrielle contacted me immediately and signed me with Peace in the Storm. From there, we began planning my book’s release. Everything just fell right into place as though it was meant to be. It was that moment where preparation met opportunity.

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

SDD: For me, writing is life, so I write whenever and wherever I can. The ideal setting for me to write would be some place with a majestic mountain or lake view. Until that’s possible, I write in my apartment in Charlotte, NC.

I’m very organized and detail oriented, so I begin with an outline of what the project is about. After the outline, I begin to build each character with details. Then I move on to scene building as I write the story. It took about one year to write The Baker’s Dozen from start to finish.

JP: What’s next for S.D. Denny?

SDD: I plan to do a great deal of promoting for The Baker’s Dozen. This includes attending literary events, giving interviews, and I’m looking forward to the possibility of a multi-city book-signing tour soon. By the first of next year, I look forward to putting the wheels in motion for my literary project which will be very different.

I’m trying to show my diversity as a writer, and I’ve got something in mind that might raise some eyebrows and evoke some deep thought – make some people go “hmmm.”

http://sddenny.com
http://myspace.com/sdd4life
http://sddenny.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/sddenny

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5 minutes 5 questions with, interview

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Polo AKA The Fur King, CEO and Founder of Exclusive Fashion and Furs

May 14, 2009 Joey Pinkney 1 Comment

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Polo AKA The Fur King, CEO and Founder of Exclusive Fashion and Furs
(Dessalines: The Private Collection)

Joey Pinkney: Who inspired you? What did you see when you were younger that influenced you to choose fashion as a profession instead of an obsession?

Polo AKA The Fur King: My father and mother. Really, my whole family stayed sharp. It’s just what they did.

JP: Many people who want to feel “young, fly and flashy” tend to lean towards huge logos and high-dollar names. What can Polo Exclusive Fashion and Furs provide to fashion conscious people who want to be distinguished, yet subtle?

Polo: I’m not really into the big logos. If need them, then sometimes I use them. My concept is this: just be you. My clothing line is bringing swiftness, cleverness and precision to fashion.

JP: Where do you plan to take fashion that it hasn’t been before? What are you doing creatively that is being or will be seen for the first time?

Polo: I’m hoping you will see me, the under dog, on David Letterman or CNN or something. I want you to see me talking about what I do and the success that came my way. Nobody around my way has pulled that off, and I think I can do it. I already killed my haters by making the cover of Against The Grain Magazine. They were upset with that, but that’s what haters do.

JP: You clientele is growing, and you are slowly becoming well known for your freestyle approach to producing custom clothing with your team. Why did you choose North Boston as your base of operations as opposed to your native Bronx, New York?

Polo: It really wasn’t suppose to be Boston. It really just happened. Being from that part of Jersey and that New York area, the hustling is so in us. When I found out about their fashion and their fur game had a shortage, I knew it was “Operation Take Over”. I knew I had the product and the hustling that was so in me. That’s how it all started.

JP: What is one thing most people would be surprised to know about you?

Polo: That a man like me even exists.

http://www.myspace.com/potterjoh
http://www.myspace.com/exclusivefashion4real
http://www.twitter.com/thefurking

For more information, call (860) 777-6578

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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… Rhonda Lawson, author of Putting It Back Together

May 13, 2009 Joey Pinkney

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Rhonda Lawson, author of Putting It Back Together
(Urban Soul)

Putting It Back Together is a story of Alexis White’s quest to rebuild her life and her beloved city of New Orleans. Along the way, she finds herself caught in a love triangle between her present love and a love that once was. Reggie Morgan is a successful football player but a failure in love. When he finds that his wife is cheating yet again, will he continue to live in the past or take hold of the future? Once Alexis and Reggie find themselves tangled in a love triangle, it’s only inevitable that somebody’s getting hurt.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Putting It Back Together?

Rhonda Lawson: My first novel was a story called Cheatin’ in the Next Room which was about a man who cheated on his wife with her best friend’s cousin. He nearly got away with the infidelity, but the cousin, Alexis, got pregnant. He gave her the money for an abortion but was sloppy about hiding the evidence of his affair. Once the affair came to light, everyone they knew was affected in a different way.

Over the years, people have always asked me whatever happened to Alexis. She was the fast college girl everybody loved to hate. The problem was, I couldn’t write a story about her that directly followed Cheatin’. Too much time had passed. I had to let Alexis grow up. She needed to show a softer side but with the edge my readers had come to know and love. At the same time, I had dreamt of writing something that paid homage to my hometown New Orleans, especially since Hurricane Katrina had wreaked havoc through the city. Fortunately, Alexis’ hometown is also New Orleans, so it only made sense to bring those two stories together.

JP: What sets Putting It Back Together apart from other sports-related novels?

RL: Sports is actually only a small part of Putting It Back Together. Many people may remember Reggie as the Tulane University football star whose heart was broken by Alexis in Cheatin’ in the Next Room. Now, Reggie is an award-winning football player with the New Orleans Saints. His wife, whom he married a few years after he left Alexis, is doing the same thing Alexis did to him in college–cheating. It was important for me to show that not every famous athlete is uneducated or a cheater. Many work hard to balance their careers and their families, which is what Reggie is trying to do. Yet, when he entertains thoughts of retirement, his wife heads for the door.

Reggie’s tumultuous marriage leads him to begin thinking more and more about what might have been with Alexis had they made it work so many years ago. Unbeknownst to him, Alexis, now a pediatrician with a private practice, has been having similar thoughts despite being involved with successful and streetwise New Orleans attorney Jamar. Eventually, Alexis and Reggie try being friends, but memories begin to take over forcing Alexis to choose between rekindling the past or moving toward the future. All of this takes place with the sights and sounds of an exciting city around them.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Putting It Back Together getting out to the public?

RL: As an author, I always work hard to tell stories that my readers can identify with. I wrote Putting It Back Together with New Orleans in mind. I wanted people to know why we love our city the way we do. I also wanted people to see that Alexis has grown up, but she’s still not one to be played with. It was difficult balancing myself with all of these different story lines, but I think it added more depth to the story.

I always credit my success to writing from my heart. I can only write what I believe in. I also work hard to send a message with every story I write. It’s one thing to write a story that entertains, but it’s something even more to write a story that will stick with a person for years to come.

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

RL: Putting It Back Together was the first book I had written with a real deadline. I really felt like a working author with this novel. It was due to the publisher at the same time A Dead Rose was being released, so I only had about three months to write the book. I had to put in a lot of late nights and long weekends to get it done, but thank God a quality story came into fruition.

I found that setting goals helped me to stay productive. I set a goal of writing 10 pages a day. As long as I worked toward that goal, I stayed the course. For example, there were some nights when I could only complete three to five pages instead of 10, but setting the goal forced me to continue writing. Additionally, I found it useful to read the last chapter or so before continuing writing. By doing this, I didn’t inadvertently change an important fact or make a black outfit purple in the next scene.

I also made research an ongoing process throughout the entire project. In order for a story to feel realistic, it’s important to note real places and events. I also found it useful to visit New Orleans while I was writing. Small things like the people who sit on the porch and wave at passers-by can’t be found on the Internet. Only real New Orleans natives understand Hubig’s pies, Big Shot sodas, and the guy with the powder blue suit on the furniture commercial who wants to know “what are you wait-ing for?”! We also know it’s a sandwich is a Po Boy, not a poor boy. It’s something you have to experience.

JP: What’s next for Rhonda Lawson?

RL: Right now, I’m working on the next chapter in the Alexis saga. Only this time, she’s fleeing Hurricane Gustav and preparing to face some of the ghosts from her past. I’m also working on my master’s degree and continuing my Army career at Fort Stewart, GA.

http://www.rmlawson.com/
http://www.myspace.com/rhondamlawson
http://twitter.com/mslawson

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