Interview with Author Maxine Thompson, May 2010 Featured Author

Joins us as we chat with Maxine thompson, author of Hostage of Lies and one of Sexy Ebony Book Club's May 2010 Featured Authors. Please feel free to comment on the interview. And don't forget to visit the Sexy Ebony BBW African American Book Club website for a chance to win a the Maxine Thompson Pamper Yourself Prize Packet. Contest ends June 5, 2010.

1) Tell us about yourself? My name is Dr. Maxine Thompson. I’m a wife and caregiver for my husband. I’m the mother of four adult children, and twelve grandchildren with one new grandbaby due in September 2010. Since my oldest sister’s death two years ago, I’m the oldest living female in my family of origin, which makes me somewhat of the matriarch.

From 1974, I worked as a social worker in Detroit for seven years, then from 1981, I did social work in Los Angeles for sixteen years. I’ve been working on line as a literary entrepreneur since 1999, but I self-published my first novels in 1995 and 1997. It was very difficult to get your books out back then. Being a literary entrepreneur is a second career for me.

2) How long have you been writing? What drove you to pick up that pen for the first time? The first time I wrote a story I was eight years old. It was after a movie went off and I wanted the story to go on and on. Later, my friends used to act out my stories as well.
Unfortunately, no one told you back in the 1950s that, as a little black girl, you could make a living telling stories.

Another reason I’m a writer is I’ve always been an avid reader. Unfortunately, I only found one black book in the library as a child. Looking back, I’ve always been an activist. In the twelfth grade, I organized a walk-out which resulted in us getting a Black history teacher. We also wound up with a Black Literature section in our English class, using the anthology, Black Voices and The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

3) This month we will be spotlighting your book Hostage of Lies? Tell us a little about this book. Why should readers go out today and purchase a copy of Hostage of Lies? Actually, Hostage of Lies started out as a self-published book in 1997. It never really got any attention after I stopped promoting in 2001, due to growing my editorial business and Radio shows. Since Hostage of Lies has been re-issued by Urban Books/Kensington, it has been voted a Best Book of 2009 by EDC Creations and picked up by two book clubs, Book Span and Black Expressions.

Hostage of Lies is a tale of family secrets and lies, which extend back to slavery in one fictional family. The story is symbolic of how many African Americans really don’t know a lot about their family history, particularly given our slave past and our abduction from Africa, the Motherland.

4) As one book drops another is always on the horizon. When will your next book be released? Can we get a bit of a preview of the next bestseller by Maxine Thompson? My next book is LA Blues, an urban crime thriller, which I’m excited about. I’ve content edited a number of street fiction titles for Triple Crown, as well as the Dirty Red series for Vickie Stringer, so I admit, I love crime books. I want to write a series that makes you think of The Wire, showing a cross section of society.

LA Blues was due out in August 2010, but I’m not sure now. At any rate, LA Blues is a story about a female private investigator, Zipporah (known as Z) Saldano, who was a former foster child, then an LAPD officer before she got fired due to an alcohol problem. I’m loving her journey as she faces past demons. She falls in love with character, Detective Romero Hernandez.

5)Dr. Maxine Thompson is a very busy women in the literary world. Between providing various literary services including editing, ghost writing, and work as a literary agent. You also have your own internet radio show where you have showcased some of the best the literary world has to offer readers. Please tell us just a little about your various literary endeavors. How can writers interested in your services and/or your show contact you for more information? I’m a content/story development editor. I’ve edited books that have made New York Times bestseller’s list and others or won awards. Editing is a learned skill. In my case, it also comes from living and working with people from so many walks of life when I was a social worker.
I am also a literary agent for sixty book deals. I just brokered a book deal for Rosalyn McMillan with Urban Books so I’m excited. An interested writer can call me at 323-242-9917 or email me at maxtho@aol.com.

6) You are a very busy woman. Between writing and the other services you provide how do you find time for self? How do you manage the various roles you juggle and still find time to just be Maxine Thompson? I’m a person who believes in downtime to sharpen your axe. One day a week, I try to rest and I don’t do anything. I try to take a power nap every day. In fact, I didn’t work at all in March 2010. I just sat still, prayed, meditated. I was burnt out. The cure for me has always been stepping away.

I’m a former working mother, a role which prepared me to multi-task, but I’m also at an age where I know when I’ve had enough. I learned as a mother, you can have it all, but not all at the same time. I tend to focus on one thing at a time. While I built my literary agency and radio show, I only wrote nonfiction articles/books. Now, I’m happy to be back to writing fiction again.

I’ve had the empty nest for eleven years so that’s how I was able to travel to China, go to conferences around the states, go on literary cruises, etc., as I built my business. However, two years ago, after my husband was diagnosed with Huntington ’s chorea and dementia (among other ailments) and I had major thyroid surgery, things changed. I haven’t been able to get out as much. After voice therapy, acupuncture, my continued ten years of massage therapy, walking, etc., I’m much better.:)

Recently, I hired a caregiver, and enrolled my husband in an Adult Day Center, so some of my time is more freed up. I plan to start back traveling. I have a cruise to the Bahamas scheduled for this summer. I also have a housekeeper once every month or so.

Women with small children don’t realize until their children are grown how free they will become. But with people living longer now, more and more, people are either going to become a caregiver or need a caregiver, so such is the life cycle.

7) What is a typical day for you like when you are on a writing deadline? I unplug the phone. I get up and work on my novel, and try to write at least 2 to 3 thousand words a day.

8)What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a writer? Sadly, I grew up never seeing images of Blacks in books or on TV. As a result, we had a game called, “Playing White,” since it looked like whites had all the privilege.

For this reason, my goal as a literary entrepreneur is to help the upcoming generations of black girls and boys not to have to idealize another race and to be proud of who they are. This happens a lot when they see books with people who look like them in the books.

Also, just trying to break into the industry back in the 90s, which is why I self-published. It has not been easy getting book deals as a literary agent either, but I do believe in the power of persistence.

9) Where do you see yourself a year from now? I’m getting back to an original goal of publishing authors using POD and ebooks. I have my first two books getting ready to launch in about 2 to 3 months. One is: The Woman Behind the Badge by Joanne Neely, which is about one of the first African American Federal Marshals in D.C. The other is: The Miraculous Power of Massage by Van Womack.

As a literary agent, I plan to see some of the writers I represent hit the New York Times Bestseller’s list so that their books can go mainstream. I also would like to see some of my books, as well as some of the authors I represent, go from book to film. I’m pitching books to producers to this end.

I’ve also started back reviewing books, which has brought back the joy of reading for me. When you work in this business, sometimes you lose your original joy and what brought you here in the first place. That’s my goal. To stay joyful while I’m doing what I love.

10) What are you reading now? Who are your favorite authors? I’m currently reading Tom Knox’s novel, The Marks of Cain, Michelle McGriff’s novel, Blood Relations (I’m also her agent for 15 book deals), She Who Finds a Husband by E. N. Joy, and Black Water Rising by Attica Locke. I just finished both Dolen Perkins-Valdez’s Wench and Carleen Brice’s novel (also liked the lifetime movie,) Orange Mint and Honey, which I enjoyed.

I used to always say Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Gloria Naylor were my favorite African American writers, because I only had white writers to read, many of them male.

But now I’m proud to name all these younger writers I love to read. Carl Weber. (Big Girls Do Cry, et. al.). Vickie Stringer (Dirty Red series). Of course, I love the works of the writers I act as a literary agent for: Michelle McGriff (author of 25 books), Shelia Goss (latest Hollywood Deception, et.al.), Charlene Green (And They’ll Come Home, et.al.) Suzetta Perkins, (Nothing Stays the Same, et.al), Roslyn Wyche-Hamilton (Finding Joy in Pain series), D.Y. Phillips, (Love Trumps Game), Leola Charles, (Hussey Place, et. al.), Monica Carter, (Scandalous Truth, et. al.)

11) Tell us about the online and offline personal appearances you have planned over the next couple of months. Where can readers connect with you up close and personal. On 4-24-10 and 4-25-10, I will be at the Los Angeles Times Book Festival at UCLA in Los Angeles, CA. I plan to go to the Urban Book Knowledge stores sometimes in the fall to do an East coast tour.

12) How can readers get in contact with you? Do you have a website? Readers can email me at maxtho@aol.com. I have two websites, http://www.maxinethompson.com/ and http://www.maxinethompsonbooks.com/. They can also reach me on http://www.twitter/safari61751, facebook/Maxine-Thompson, http://myspace.com/maxinethompson.com.

13) What is the one thing you would like all of your readers to know about you? I want readers to know that I feel I have a message and I’m on a mission. When I left my job in October 1997, I only intended to write my books. I never planned to become an editor, or a literary agent, or an Internet radio show host. I can only say that when God has a plan for you, He will open up doors, and have you be able to do things with His help, that you cannot do of your own power. Now that time has passed, I realize everything good or bad I went through in life was to prepare me for this moment. As the Bible says, “It was for such a time as this.”

14) If you could tell one thing to every aspiring writer what would it be? We are seeing our first African American literary entrepreneurs starting companies, building an infrastructure, so I am pleased. The literary world has changed a lot, and now there are no reasons to let gatekeepers keep you out the industry. Self-publish your story, but get it professionally edited and formatted.

Interview with Author Wanda D Hudson, May 2010 Featured Author

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Interview with Author E. N. Joy (formerly Joylynn M. Jossel), March 2010 Featured Author

Joins us as we chat with E. N. Joy, author of She Who Finds A Husband and one of Sexy Ebony Book Club's March 2010 Featured Authors. Please feel free to comment on the interview. And don't forget to visit the Sexy Ebony BBW African American Book Club website for a chance to win a copy of E. N. Joy's book. Contest ends April 3, 2010.

Sexy Ebony Featured Author Presentation

1) Tell us about yourself? I’m a former Essence Magazine bestselling secular writer who wrote under the names Joylynn M. Jossel and JOY. I am now a bonafide Christian Fiction and children’s book author. I’m blessed to be an employee of Urban Books as both an author and the acquisition editor for their Urban Christian imprint.

2) How long have you been writing? What drove you to pick up that pen for the first time? I have been writing since the days of elementary school journals and rainy day writings. I started out just writing poems, then short stories. My first self-published book, Please Tell Me If the Grass Is Greener, was a mixture of poetry and short stories. Well, actually it’s poetic short stories; short stories told in a rhythmic flow. Kind of like a Dr. Seuss book for Grown-ups. I love La La Land. Growing up, my escape from reality was the La La Land I invented with the pen and paper. So, I guess that is truly what drove me to pick up the pen for the first time. It was an escape. Some people use drugs, some people use alcohol, some people use sex while other people use guns. I used a pen.

3) What genre(s) do you typically write in? I only write Christian fiction and children’s books. I have a three book young adult series I’m working on titled The Soul Sisters, but no more street lit, chick lit or erotic writings for me. If it’s not something I can hand over to Jesus to read without cringing, then I’m not writing it.

4) How did you get your first publishing deal? Like I mentioned before, I self-published my first book. I also self-published my second book as well, which is a book of poetry titled World On My Shoulders. Eventually I grew out of my fear of thinking I was too short winded to write a full-length novel and I wrote and self-published my first novel, The Root of All Evil. I wrote that manuscript with the intentions of eventually selling it to a major publishing house. So, while it was in manuscript form I sent it off (un-agented) to a major publisher for publication consideration. But in the meantime I sent the manuscript off to a printer. I received a rejection letter from the publisher before the books even came off the printer. But that didn’t stop me. I simply sold copies from my trunk in hopes of creating a buzz. Well, the buzz was created. I got an agent and the agent submitted the manuscript to a major publishing house that did end up giving me a three book deal. Ironically, the same publishing house who sent me my very first rejection letter was the same major publisher who ended up giving my very first book deal. The Root of All Evil was re-released under the contract. But while it was going through the editing process, I wrote a book titled Dollar Bill for Triple Crown Publications.

5)Me, Myself and Him was your debut Christian Fiction novel written under the pen name E.N. Joy. But you previously wrote as Joylynn Jossel. What prompted the change? Has Joylynn retired for good? Are Joylynn Jossel books available to anyone looking for some of your other work? When I dedicated my life to Christ, a great deal of things changed in my life. I couldn’t do some of the things I used to do. I couldn’t say some of the things I used to say and I couldn’t go some of the places I used to go. Well, I soon found that I couldn’t write some of the things I used to write. That’s what prompted the change. Joylynn M. Jossel the author is retired for good. Are the Joylynn M. Jossel and JOY books still available? Yes, they are. They can still be found and ordered in bookstores and are on pretty much every online bookstore.

6)The E.N. Joy Prize Packet will include a copy of She Who Finds A Husband. Please tell us a little about this novel. Why should readers pick up a copy of your book? She Who Finds A Husband is book one of a five book series titled “The New Day Divas.” I like to refer to it as a soap opera in print. It’s character driven, plot driven, emotionally driven. If there were to ever be Christian soap operas, this would be the number one most watched. It touches upon every subject matter imaginable, even those thought to be taboo in the black community. I just can’t imagine a person reading this book and putting it down without being able to find themselves somewhere within the pages. People are going to be talking about this series. Readers don’t want to sleep on book one, She Who Finds A Husband, and get left behind and have to play catch up. If readers want to be able to join in on the conversations at the beauty shop and the water cooler, then they better pick up the book now.

7) Under the pen name N. Joy you wrote the children’s book The Secret Olivia Told Me which, received a Coretta Scott King Honors Award from the American Library Association in 2008. Tell us about The Secret Olivia Told Me. Why did you decide to venture into the world of children's books? Is there another children's book in the works? The book is a little life lesson for both little people and big people. It’s about secrets and what can happen when a secret is told. I wrote The Secret Olivia Told Me over fifteen years ago. My son, who was around seven years old back then, was my sounding board. He enjoyed the writing process just as much as I did. As a treat to him, on his birthday his teachers would allow me to read it to the class before we had birthday cake. The children would always fall in love with the book and have so many questions about it. But back then it was just something personal that I enjoyed doing for my son. I never imagined children all over the world would one day be so blessed by it. Needless to say, my son and I worked on several other books that I hope to one day pull out of the time capsule and have published as well.

8) The Sinners anthology series edited by E.N. Joy includes stories by some of today's top Urban writers. How did you become involved in this project? When will the third book in the series be released? As a former Urban writer, we used to get a lot of slack as far as the art of literature. Because of the type of genre that we chose to pen, we were stigmatized and rumored unable to create literature without glorifying a trigger happy, drug dealing thug, or a burgundy micro braid wearing, gum poppin’, promiscuous gold digger, or a television stealing crack head (in addition to at least two curse words per paragraph). I know that writing (great writing) is a God given talent. I wanted to prove the nay-sayers wrong by providing these authors a platform to do just that. These authors brought out their A game and penned stories that didn’t include explicit language or graphic sex scenes, while at the same time giving honor to the one who gave them their gift in the first place. The third and final book of the series, Even Sinners STILL Have Souls, is slated for November 2010 while both Even Sinners Have Souls and Even Sinners Have Souls TOO are available now.

9) How long do we have to wait for the next E.N. Joy novel to hit bookstores? Can we get a preview? The next E. N. Joy novel is book two of “The New Day Divas” series. It’s titled Been There, Prayed That and will be released June 2010. In book two, Mother Doreen has left New Day Temple of Faith in Malvonia, Ohio and moved to Kentucky to help her diabetic sister. Her sister’s husband, a truck driver, pretty much lives on the road. Mother Doreen feels in her spirit that she’s needed to intervene on her sister’s behalf, especially when the assistant pastor of her sister’s church seems to be there just a little bit too much. Her suspicions really grow when her sister’s belly does too. Is it Mother Doreen’s spirit of discernment warning her that things in her sister’s home and church aren’t what they seem, or is Mother Doreen just a busybody church mother sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong? Back in Malvonia, Tamarra and Maeyl’s relationship is moving along nicely. She even has a feeling that the man she knows God placed in her life is going to propose to her. But suspicions arise when someone from Maeyl’s past shows up at New Day Temple of Faith, unexpected and unwelcome. Will their relationship be able to withstand the strain?

10) What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a writer? Now, as a Christian Fiction author, my biggest challenge is pleasing both the readers and God. I’m not just doing writing anymore, I’m doing ministry. So whatever I do has to please God while at the same time send His message to His people and, of course, entertain them and keep them engaged. And boy, oh boy, have I learned that the life of Christian folk and church folk is beyond engaging and entertaining.

11) Where do you see yourself a year from now? A year from now, and I’m speaking prophetically, I see myself on the New York Times Bestsellers List. That’s around the time the fourth installment of the series will be released. By the fourth and fifth installment, folks are going to be camping out waiting on their release. I’m thinking, dreaming and believing big. I want to be the best at what I’m doing. If ever anyone does anything without truly wanting to be the best at it, then they should reconsider why they’re doing it in the first place.

12) What are you reading now? Who are your favorite authors? Well, write now I’m reading Silver Lining by Urban Christian author, Wanda B. Campbell. Of course, as editor of the imprint, when I’m not writing my own novels, I’m reading my authors’. I don’t get much time to read outside of my Urban Christian authors’ works. But the last book I did read that was outside of the imprint was titled The Power of A Praying Wife.

13) Tell us about the online and offline personal appearances you have planned over the next couple of months. Where can readers connect with you up close and personal? I plan to attend the Romantic Times Book Lovers Convention April 28-May 2, 2010. I will also be at the National Black Book Festival in Houston, Texas. I’ll be on the Publisher’s Panel at the Literary Breakthrough Conference portion of the event being held on Friday, May 21, 2010. I’ll also be at the Faith and Fiction Retreat being held in Atlanta, GA June 18-21, 2010. In addition to those personal appearance, I have plenty of online and Internet radio interviews with http://www.sormag.com/, http://www.artistfirst.com/, Black Author Network Radio with Ella Curry and much more. So I’d love for readers to Google me to learn more about me and my literary plight.
14) How can readers get in contact with you? Do you have a website? I would love for readers to visit either my http://www.enjoywrites.com/ or my http://www.joylynnjossel.com/ websites. I can be reached out to via email at enjoywrites@aol.com.

15) What is the one thing you would like all of your readers to know about you? That I live breathe, eat and sleep (well, not much sleep) this literary thing. It’s real. It’s not a hobby. It’s not something I do on the side. It’s my life. I take it serious. It’s my craft, my career, my first love and now it’s my ministry. With that being said, readers need to know that when I put something out for them, I’m truly giving them my all. And if I fall short of their expectations, I’ll do everything I can to try to do a better job next time in order to earn and keep their readership.

About E. N. Joy: E.N. Joy is the author of Me, Myself and Him, which was her debut work into the Christian Fiction genre. Formerly an Essence Magazine Bestselling secular author writing under the names Joylynn M. Jossel and JOY, when she decided to fully dedicate her life to Christ, that meant she had to fully dedicate her work as well. She made a conscious decision that whatever she penned from that point on had to glorify God and His kingdom.

E. N. Joy currently resides in Reynoldsburg, Ohio where she is currently working on her New Day Divas series. She’s also working on the final anthology in the “Sinners Series” titled Even Sinners Still Have Souls.

Interview with Author Jacqueline D Moore, March 2010 Featured Author

Joins us as we chat with Jacqueline D Moore, author of Serving Justice and one of Sexy Ebony Book Club's March 2010 Featured Authors. Please feel free to comment on the interview. And don't forget to visit the Sexy Ebony BBW African American Book Club website for a chance to win a copy of Jacqueline's book. Contest ends April 3, 2010.

Sexy Ebony Featured Author Presentation

1) Tell us about yourself? My name is Jackie Moore and I am a 51 year Christian author from Detroit . I'm a single mother of two boys and I have been writing for more than ten years. Christian Fiction and Romance are my first loves. Over the years, I have completed and published other Christian-related articles, stories, and novellas.

2) How long have you been writing? What drove you to pick up that pen for the first time? I have been writing for more than ten years. Christian Fiction and Romance are my first loves. Over the years, I have completed and published other Christian-related articles, stories, and novellas. I have always loved the written word. I started journaling as a child and my love for writing just grew from there.

3) This month we are giving away a copy of your book Serving Justice. Tell us a little about the book and why readers should go out get a copy today. What happens when a prominent and successful Chicago Judge falls in love with her driver? Angela Jenkins decided as a child that she would become a lawyer. Fighting injustices perpetrated against those who could not or would not fight for themselves ran like passion through her veins. Growing up, Angela was taught that putting God first in her life, respecting the rights and choices of others, and working hard, were the most important things a person should strive for. While in pursuit of her law degree, Angela meets Rhonda, Theresa, and Darlene who are there reaching for the same goals. Over the next two decades, an unbreakable bond forms and friends become sisters.

Angela finds the more successful she becomes, the more she begins to lose her connection with God and starts conforming more to the world, than to the word of God. When love enters her heart, she must decide if having a relationship is more important than what others, including her friends, have to say. Angela is forced to look at what’s important in her life and has to choose between allowing others to shape who she is or conforming to what God wants her to be.

My book is a love story that just happens to have several Christian messages. People can relate to the characters because I don’t color them holier then thou. I write from the heart and from the emotional frame of mind of the characters and I relate my stories to real live situations.

4) Your literary career is extensive. Out side of your published novels you have contributed to a number on anthologies, magazines and ezines. Please let our readers know where we can find work by Jacqueline Moore. My books are available online at http://www.amazon.com http://barnesandnoble.com http://www.borders.com and at your local Borders, Barnes & Nobles and Waldenbooks.

You can find me online at Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogger.com under my online id, Mamajacq, and on my website http://www.jacquelined.moore.com/ and http://www.peaceinthestormpublishing.com/. I can also be reached via email at jackiemoore@virtuousliving.com and at mamajacq618@yahoo.com.

5) Outside of your literary work your activities are extensive. To name a few your are a Deaconess, you've been a parent Advocate with the Detroit School Board, your very active in the Detroit Literary Community, and an active public speaker. How do you manage the many hats that you wear in your life? When do you find time for self. My activities have varied according to whatever need I have to fulfill at any given time. Everything that I do in an extension of me, be it public speaking, teaching a seminar, or writing. Periodically, I do have to step back and take time off from my activities so that I can rejuvenate myself and get back into things. My needs are simple and I actually find helping and giving to others is what I do. Reading is one of the many useful tools that I use to relax and re-center myself. However, there have been times when I found it necessary to say no or not now to a project to as to prevent burning myself out.

6) What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a writer? Being able to put into words the things I visual in my mind. In order for any story to be compelling, you have to be able to convey that story in such a way that as the reader reads your words, pictures and scenes come to life in their minds and they are able to see your vision. To the reader it's transparent but for the author, sometimes it can be a challenge.

7) Where do you see yourself a year from now? Personally, I hope to be on Oprah talking about my New York Times best selling books being made into movies. In the interim, I will just keep doing what I am doing and that is writing my books and devotionals and spreading a little inspiration along the way.

In 2010 I want to do more touring and speaking engagements. I want to be an example to all but especially to our young women that they can accomplish anything that they set their minds to. I would love to add a second award to my first with my next novel “Caught in the Middle” which promises to be a real page-turner.

8) What are you reading now? Who are your favorite authors? I just ordered the "Sunday Morning Wife" by Pamela Rice who is another author from Peace in the Storm Publishing and I have "The Wight of Silence" by Heather Gudenkauf sitting on my dresser waiting for me.

Some of my favorites are Kendra Norman-Bellamy, Lorraine Elzia, and Vincent Alexandria. However, I just love books and a good read versus a particular author or genre is what I look for when looking for books.

9) Tell us about the online and offline personal appearances you have planned over the next couple of months. Where can readers connect with you up close and personal. On On Saturday March 13, 2010 at 10am I will be on Blogtalk Radio with Herbie Felton; Thursday March 25, 2010 I will be speaking at the Birch Run Public Library at 6pm; On Saturday March 27, 2010 I will be presenting at the "Year of the Annointed Pen Seminar located at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, MI; on May 1, 2010 I will be participating at the Dayton Ohio Book Expo, in Dayton, OH; On Saturday May 22, 2010 at 8pm I will be on Blogtalk Radio with Adrianna Turner. and in July I will be attending A Soulful Summer Soiree with Peace in the Storm Publishing - An Exclusive All-White Affair, in New Jersey.

10) How can readers get in contact with you? Do you have a website? You can find me online at Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogger.com and on my website http://www.jacquelined.moore.com and http://www.peaceinthestormpublishing.com. I can also be reached via email at jackiemoore@virtuousliving.com and at mamajacq618@yahoo.com.

11) What is the one thing you would like all of your readers to know about you? Writing devotionals will always be my passion. One of my favorite devotionals was titled “Failure is not an Option.” I want to share a portion of it with your readers:



So often we find ourselves on the verge of our breakthroughs and we will actually undermine our own efforts for fear of doing or saying the wrong things. We will talk ourselves out of our blessings out of fear and because we lack the faith to see these things through. As I write these words, I am reminded of just how often God has promised us His blessings if we just believe and have faith. His word tells us that we have not because we ask not. I am also reminded that He has not given us a spirit of fear and that all He asks of us is to have mustard seed faith.

In knowing the word of God, all I can say is; Failure is not an option.

About Jacqueline D. Moore: Jacqueline Moore is a Christian author who offers spiritual words of encouragement daily on her website at http://www.jacquelinedmoore.com . She has contributed to several anthologies and is the 2009 African American Literary Show romance author of the year for her first novel, “Serving Justice” under the Peace in the Storm imprint.

Inteview with Author Debra Clayton, February 2010 Featured Author

Joins us as we chat with Debra Clayton, author of Joy and Paine and one of Sexy Ebony Book Club's February 2010 Featured Authors. Please feel free to comment on the interview. And don't forget to visit the Sexy Ebony BBW African American Book Club website for a chance to win a copy of Debra's book. Contest ends March 6, 2010. http://www.sexyebonybbwaabookclub.com/author.htm

1.Tell us about yourself? I am the mother of five. Three I gave birth to and the other two I inherited during my second marriage. I am a computer programmer by day and an author by night, but I’m constantly writing in my head. I love reality TV even though it’s bad for me. It’s one of my few guilty pleasures. I love working out. Yoga at six in the morning and weightlifting and cardio in the evening after work. Some say I’m a fanatic but I firmly believe in staying strong, healthy and flexible. And as much as I love fitness, I’m just as passionate about writing. I think I have Adult ADD because my mind is always wandering. I find it amazing that I’ve managed to sit down long enough to write one novel, much less four.

2.How long have you been writing? I started writing when I was about 13.

3.What drove you to pick up that pen for the first time? I started reading for pleasure when I was about eleven or twelve. Sometimes when I would get to the end of the book, I was like ‘I could have written a better ending than that’. It was then that I decided to start writing my own stories. Of course they were horribly written and very amateurish but I enjoyed weaving stories that ended the way I wanted them to end.

4.This month we will be giving away a copy of your book Joy and Paine. Please tell us a little about the book? Joy and Paine is a modern day romance with a tad of suspense sprinkled throughout. Joy, the female lead, is a hip-hop dancer with a questionable past. Paine, who is ten years her senior, is a straight lace Systems Analyst who is looking for a wife. When Paine meets Joy, he falls for her immediately despite his family’s objections. It isn’t until she goes on tour as a backup dancer for hip-hop recording artist, Avery Huston, that Paine begins to question Joy’s ability to be faithful.

5.What are your other published titles and where can interested readers purchase copies of your books. Rap Star, Triple Platinum, and Ex-Appeal. Rap Star and Triple Platinum were previously released by Urban Books as Rap Superstar and Fallen Star respectively. I wrote Ex-Appeal under the pen name of Jordan Michaels. The books are available on Amazon.com.

6.Tell us a little about your journey through the world of publishing. You have experienced both self-publishing and publishing with one of the major houses what are the ups and downs of both sides of the fence. If you had to do it all again what would you do differently? My journey through the publishing world has been very bumpy to say the least. I initially self-published my first book, Rap Superstar, because traditional publishers didn’t deem it worthy of being published. About six months later, Urban Books picked it up and republished it along with my second title ‘Fallen Star’ with an option for a third title. However, my publisher and I had a few issues and I decided to walk away from the deal. I decided to return to self-publishing. This way, I would get paid for my work. The up side of self-publishing is that you have the control. You know how many books you’ve sold, and how much you should be pulling in. Unlike traditional publishing where you have to trust your publisher to be on the up and up about book sales and royalties and those sorts of things. The down side of self-publishing is that you have to do everything, I mean everything from marketing, distributing, publicity, inventory, invoicing, shipping, etc. With traditional publishers, you write the book and then go to the book signings and so forth, but all of the invoicing, shipping, billing etc, is left to them. Traditional publisher also have better distribution. Another down side with self-publishing is that you have to come up with the money to make all this come together.

7.You self-published your latest book with GenNext Publishing, the company you established in 2006. Tell us a little about GenNext Publishing and any plans you may have to publish books other than your own. GenNext Publishing was created after my deal with Urban Books went south. It’s a very small company and right now, I only publish my own titles. I do however have plans of publishing other authors’ work. But I’m still too green and I’m still trying to figure this whole publishing thing out. Once I establish wider distribution and get a better handle on how all this stuff works, I’ll be willing help other writers see their dreams come to fruition.

8.What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a writer? I’m an extremely introverted person. It’s difficult for me to get out and meet people and that’s what writers have to do to sell books. I’m not very aggressive so you won’t see me shoving my books into people’s hands like some other authors do. I wish I could but I can’t. I’ve sat at book events and watched other authors hustling, making that sale while I pretty much wait for the reader to approach me and ask about my books. That’s the difference between me selling ten books at an event and another author selling fifty.

9.Where do you see yourself a year from now? Hard to say. I hope to be completing my first piece of non-fiction, which is a health and fitness book for women over forty. I also hope to focus more on distribution as far as getting my titles into more stores and libraries. Marketing and distribution can make or break a publishing company/author.

10.What are you reading now? Who are your favorite authors? Currently I’m working on my fifth novel ‘Pretty Lies’, a romantic suspense, so I’m not reading anyone at the moment. My favorite authors however, are Sandra Brown and Lisa Jackson. I love their writing style and how their prose appeals to my senses. They also have the unique and much coveted ability to breathe life into their characters giving their readers the ability to develop a relationship with both the protagonists and antagonists. I hope to one day master that skill myself.

11.Tell us about the online and offline personal appearances you have planned over the next couple of months. Where can readers connect with you up close and personal? I do not have any appearances planned at this current time because I am working on a novel. Hopefully, after ‘Pretty Lies’ is published in October of this year, I’ll get back out there.

12.How can readers get in contact with you? Do you have a website? My publishing website is http://www.gennextpublishing.com/ and my author website is http://www.debraclayton.com/ My email addresses are publisher@gennextpublishing.com as well clayton@perfectending.net. I’m also on facebook, youtube and Myspace. www.facebook.com/#/profile.php?ref=profile&id=736680154, www.youtube.com/user/aljencia and www.myspace.com/debra_writes

13.What is the one thing you would like all of your readers to know about you? I live with my main characters long before I put them down on paper. I sit back and daydream allowing my characters to come to life. I listen to them, watch them, put them in dangerous or thrilling or sexy situations and watch how they react. I make them chuckle to themselves, laugh out loud, or sob uncontrollably. I break their hearts, terrify them, and fulfill their deepest desires. It is after these characters have come to life in my head that I allow them to come to life on paper.

14.If you could tell one thing to every aspiring writer what would it be? Take the time to stop and enjoy a good book. Writers learn from reading. By reading other people’s work, you learn what you like, don’t like and it helps you fine tune your own literary voice.

Interview with Author Deondriea Cantrice, February 2010 Featured Author

Joins us as we chat with Deondriea Cantrice author of Rhythm Can’t Keep Time, Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough and one of Sexy Ebony Book Club's February 2010 Featured Authors. Please feel free to comment on the interview. And don't forget to visit the Sexy Ebony BBW African American Book Club website for a chance to win a copy of Deondriea's book. Contest ends March 6, 2010. http://www.sexyebonybbwaabookclub.com/author.htm

1.Tell us about yourself? Deondriea Cantrice, is a fun-loving, ambitious, individual that enjoys meeting people and learning about their lives. As an author, I use a fiction platform to address relationship issues as a result of ineffective communication. My down to earth writing style is designed to entertain, educate, and inspire readers with tales of true life. I greet everyone with a smile and aspire to have a positive impact on everyone I encounter, through effective communication, veracity, and affirmative interaction. My motto is, “with direction and discipline, accomplishment is attainable.”

2.How long have you been writing? What drove you to pick up that pen for the first time? I began writing as a child. I used to spend hours writing to improve my penmanship. In high school, I developed my writing skills by competing in debate, writing contests, and oratorical competitions for DECA, The Veteran’s of Foreign Wars, and the National Speakers Association. As an adult, I sharpened my literary ability by writing poetry, short stories, newsletters, program curriculum and press releases.

3.This month we are giving away a copy of your book Rhythm Can't Keep Time. Please tell us a little about your books. Why should readers get a copy of your book today? Rhythm Can’t Keep Time is an exploration of a relationship through an erotic lens. The sex scenes are steamy, with nuggets of wisdom carefully wrapped into the storyline. I suggest readers pick up their copy today not just because the story is entertaining, but it addresses the consequences of haphazardly loving in an undefined relationship. Rhythm Can’t Keep Time is not a sappy love story or male bashing narrative so I am positive both men and women will find it as a great read.

4.Is there another book in the works. If so tell us about it. Do you have a release date for your next book? When Emotions Lie is my next book that is scheduled for release before the end of February. This work of fiction will address the pitfalls of acting out of emotion, rather than responding with reason. I also explore how bad counsel from friends fuel negative emotions resulting in bad decisions.

5.Outside of your literary career your a student, your a personal consultant, and a teacher/program facilitator. Please tell us a little about your work as both a consultant and a facilitator. What exactly do you do when you are wearing these hats. How can those interested in your skill get in contact with you for more information? If you would have asked me 10 years ago was I interested in being a trainer or facilitator, the answer would have been NO. Those were hats given to me while I wasn’t looking. I have always had a knack for public speaking, so I was often asked to lead a workshop, give a speech, or train new hires. Before I knew it, I was developing program curriculum at work and facilitating at church. I am passionate about learning and enjoy teaching others.

I have always been a consultant in one aspect or another. Co-workers, family, friends, and strangers has always sought my opinion with their look, relationship, or marketing strategy. What I soon discovered was people valued my input because I gave feedback not an opinion. As a consultant, I ask questions to narrow the scope of a marketing plan. I believe the target market will determine the implantation of the plan including but not limited to personal persona, promotional material, and advertising objectives. Whether it’s a personal image or corporate branding, the way we look and present ourselves is a vital part of success. If anyone is interest in my services I can be reached at info@deondriea.com.

6.You are a active professional woman wearing many hats as many of us do? How do you juggle your many roles and manage to have some type of a personal life? Where do you find time for self? I’m very active in my community and at church. I hold a board position; I’m a single mother, and a business professional. Juggling all the hats at times is difficult. However, time management, multi-tasking and prioritization are the secrets of my success. I set daily goals and I start each day with purpose and structure. For example, I return calls and emails first thing in the morning, schedule as many meetings as I can in one day, leaving evenings and weekends reserved for family and friends. I usually write at night or before dawn. I begin and end my day with “me” time. My me time ranges from a hot bath to a shopping trip alone. Someone once told me, “People make time for the things they feel are important.” I believe those words are true, so I adjust my schedule as needed.

7.What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a writer? The biggest challenge that I have faced as a writer is maintaining my balance as a writer and in promoting my book. A lot of my time and effort is spent determining which events, shows, and opportunities are advantageous for me. Which means, sometimes I loose focus on my works in progress and have to refocus my energy.

8.Where do you see yourself a year from now? A year from now I will have found my niche in the literary world and have fully established my business as a consultant.

9.What are you reading now? Who are your favorite authors? I have taken a brief hiatus from reading because of my schedule this month. However, Every Women Needs a Wife is my next scheduled read. My favorite non-fiction author is Debbie Ford, I own every one of her books. My fiction library is very diverse which makes it difficult to choose a fiction author as my favorite.

10.Tell us about the online and offline personal appearances you have planned over the next couple of months. Where can readers connect with you up close and personal? My next major appearance will be at the Allstar Author Showcase on February 13th in Dallas , TX with other appearances being added to my schedule regularly. For my most current news, information, and events, I encourage readers to visit my website. And, emails are always welcomed.

11.How can readers get in contact with you? Do you have a website? Readers can connect with me on Facebook, Myspace, and most major social networks with screen name Deondriea. My websites are www.deondriea.com and www.rhythmcantkeeptime.com.

12.What is the one thing you would like all of your readers to know about you? One thing that I would like readers to know about me is that I’m very personable, I never take things personally and I find a reason to laugh everyday.

Interview with Author Linda R. Herman

Joins us as we chat with Linda R. Herman author of COST OF OUR AFFAIRS and one of Sexy Ebony Book Club's January 2010 Featured Authors. Please feel free to comment on the interview. And don't forget to visit the Sexy Ebony BBW African American Book Club website for a chance to win a copy of Linda's book. Contest ends February 7, 2010

http://www.sexyebonybbwaabookclub.com/

1. Tell us about yourself? My name is Linda R. Herman and I’m a native of South Georgia where I still reside with my husband and our three kids. I work full-time as an emergency 911 dispatcher and have held that job for the past 15 years. My true passion is reading and writing.

2. How long have you been writing? I don’t remember a time I wasn’t writing. As far back as elementary school I’ve been making up stories and penning them. After submitting chapter 1 of my novel, Cost of Our Affairs into the Black Expressions Annual Fiction Writing Contest and winning first place honors, I decided to pursue writing professionally. My first book, Consequences When Love Is Blind was published in 2008 by Xpress Yourself Publishing. That publication came after 3 of my short stories were accepted for publication. Zane accepted my short story “Almost Identica” for publication in Succulent: Chocolate Flava II; Jessica Tilles accepted my short story, “My Dream Come True” for publication in Erogenous Zone: A Sexual Voyage, and Elissa Gabrielle accepted my short story, “One Woman’s Journey” for publication in The Triumph of My Soul. I was truly honored and blessed to have the approval of three extremely talented authors. I also had a novella published as an ebook. A Time for Love was published by Lavender Isis Press in July 2007 by the extraordinary Melissa Wathington and Rae Lindley.

3. What drove you to pick up that pen for the first time? It was my love of writing combined with my passion for raising awareness. Even in my works of fiction there are underlying messages that address social issues we face in our lives. In my novel Consequences and my short story, “The Darker Side of Love”, the issue is HIV/AIDS. That’s one we definitely need to focus on.

4. How did you get your first publishing deal? I was fortunate enough to meet my publisher, Jessica Tilles (Xpress Yourself Publishing) in the Writers RX, an online yahoo writing group. I answered the submission call for the anthology, Erogenous Zone and soon after was signed to a book deal for my novella, Consequences When Love Is Blind.

5. This Month we will be giving away a copy of Cost of Our Affairs. Tell us a little about this book. How can readers get a copy of your book? Drama, drama, drama…that’s Cost of Our Affairs, lol. However, it is believable drama that occurs in the lives of so many. The story is centered around a married couple and the problems they’re enduring in their marriage. It’s no easy task parenting and when you add being a step-parent to the mix, there’s sure to be drama.

In the case of India & Antoine Joiner, they’re dealing with a meddling birth mother and two-wicked sisters who are hell-bent on turning an innocent 8 year-old girl against her stepmom and eventually destroying the Joiner union.

Tired of fighting with hubby, India turns to the arms of another man, foolishly opening the door to more drama because Mario Thomas comes with his own set of problems. He slowly unravels and India realizes she’s sleeping with the enemy. Now, it’s up to Antoine to save his wife, the woman who betrayed him, from her deranged lover!

This book is a roller coaster ride from page one and its available online at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Xpress Yourself Publishing, and my website, www.LindaRHerman.org. It can be requested in any bookstore.

6. Please give us a brief listing of your other titles and where readers can purchase copies of these titles. I’m also the author of Consequences, co-author of Somebody Prayed for Me, and the novella Consequences When Love Is Blind. All these titles are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders, as well as Xpress Yourself Publishing, and my personal website, www.LindaRHerman.org.

7. What is in works for Linda Herman in 2010? Fans of Cost Our Affairs are in for a real treat. The sequel, Our Truths Be Told releases in 2010 from Xpress Yourself Publishing. Be sure to subscribe to my website for updates. www.LindaRHerman.org

8. What are you reading now? What types of books (genres) do you read in general? Who are your favorite authors? I’m reading Wikked by LMBlakely, Too Good To Be True by Ndea B., and Bruised Love by Nanette Buchanan. I read all types of books. I recently read a Science Fiction book (Red Moon by Chris Berman) that blew my socks off! It was packed with action and an underlying romance. I enjoy Christian fiction, Contemporary, Thriller/Mystery/Suspense, Erotica, etc. As long as the story is strong and the plot is believable, I’ll read it.

Kimberla Lawson Roby remains my favorite author but I have certainly developed a love for the intense writing styles of Jessica Tilles, Wanda B. Campbell, Caramel Vixen, Hazel Mills, Elissa Gabrielle, Tamara Angela Grant, SD Denny, Tinisha Nicole Johnson, and the list goes on. Before I was published, I thought the only AA authors in existence were those in the Black Expressions catalog. I’m glad I was wrong. There are so many unknown authors out there, many of whom are very talented.

9. Tell us about the online and offline personal appearances you have planned over the next couple of months. Where can readers connect with you up close and personal. The best way to stay abreast of my events is through my website, www.LindaRHerman.org. As of right now, I’m making two final appearances at Waldenbooks in Valdosta, GA. Sadly, that store closes in January 2010. I will appear there December 12 and December 20, 11am-4pm EST.

In 2010, I’m working on scheduling speaking engagements at colleges throughout Georgia and surrounding states. I want to talk to our youth about HIV awareness.

10. How can readers get in contact with you? Do you have a website? Yes, my website is www.LindaRHerman.org. I’m also on Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, and several social networking sites. My email is writerlin2003@yahoo.com.

11. What is the one thing you would like all of your readers to know about you? I am passionate about my work and the causes I support. You don’t have to be HIV-positive to be affected by AIDS. AIDS affects all of us in one way or another. That’s why I’m determined to raise awareness and eradicate the spread of HIV. Please join me.

ABOUT LINDA R. HERMAN: A native of South Georgia, Linda R. Herman is an author who writes to raise awareness of social issues that we incur in our day-to-day lives. The author introduces characters who are as real as the people next door and storylines that pull readers into a familiar and very realistic world.