Author Interviews: Black Pearls Magazine, bringing the jewels of publishing to the book clubs

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With the newly developed Black Authors Network Culture Center we've created an innovative platform that encourages people world wide to stop and partake of our literary gifts. The blog community for The Black Authors Network Talk Show will unite readers from around the world. We will explore important issues and engage in debates about how we should move forward, while empowering readers to learn more--and do more--to make a difference in the global African American community. I can not do this alone, I need YOU! Each of you plays a vital part in helping reshape who and what we are as a people. Each one of us represents the entire population--let that statement help you to make wiser decisions and to encourage you to bring your collective families into the fold. We can do this people! We can become a force that the world recognizes as brilliant and resourceful, Barack Obama has opened door, let's follow his lead! Enter the Black Authors Network Culture Center.

National Campaign to Promote Health and Literacy

The Risqué Café and its partners have organized a 12-week weight-loss/wellness challenge with the purpose of funding their foundation which will empower inner-city and troubled youths to express themselves in a positive manner, bring awareness to the literary community and promote healthier lifestyles. The challenge will be hosted and facilitated by Memphis’ own The Risqué Café - a website and marketing company created to connect authors and readers (www.therisquecafe.com).

At the conclusion of the 12-week challenge, the top (3) three teams with the highest percentage of weight loss will be rewarded a cash prize, products, books, and more!

The challenge is designed to encourage and promote literacy, as well as help participants develop healthier lifestyles so they can live longer. Lifestyle/Wellness coaches from “Healthy You 4 Life” will provide support, meal plans, and wellness consulting throughout the teams 12 week journey to a healthy you.

Over 12 weeks, the teams will learn healthy eating habits, and how to make optimum food choices, for life. Studies show the camaraderie, encouragement, accountability and motivation of group weight loss competitions lead to greater success. Statistics show weight is a key predictor of a number of chronic, life-threatening diseases such as diabetes. Not only can healthy weight loss turn those disorders around, but it leads to increased energy and productivity, and higher self esteem.

C. Jay of The Risqué Café says, "Losing4Literacy will bring more awareness to the literary arts and healthcare plus bring communities together on a local as well as national level. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone who is a philanthropist at heart to give back and experience a positive life change.

Registration begins March 25, 2009 and ends April 25, 2009. Adults and youth are welcomed to participate. This is for a great cause. Registration fee is $30 per team of 10 members. To be best prepared and find out the rules, interested individuals should visit www.therisquecafe.com

For coverage or additional information:
C. Jay – Direct: 901.340.1703 / Email: losing4literacy@gmail.com

Intimate Conversation with Debra Owsley
Owner of Simply Said Reading Accessories

Ella: Debra, finish this sentence: I am Powerful because...
I know to surround myself with people who are smarter than I
I have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge
I am not afraid to try
I absolutely love what I do

Ella: Nicolo Machiavelli says, "It must be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success nor more dangerous to manage than the creation of a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who profit by the preservation of the old institution and merely lukewarm defenders in those who would gain by the new one."

Did your company change the way consumers were previously taught to think?
Yes. Stop thinking only quantity think also of quality, and to raise the bar.

Ella: You have the finest sideline items in the industry! What got you started in this business/industry?
It all started by me giving all of my clients gifts for the holidays. They read under the dryer, I am a hairstylist. So it was a natural fit. I also added my salon information on them. One of my clients is bestselling author Marcia King-Gamble and she asked me to customize some for her. That’s Simply Said, how it all started. Giving them that gift became a gift for me. I make each bookmark by hand, custom ordered by the client. It's so rewarding!

Ella: What separates you and your firm from the competition?
Because I am such an avid reader, I really try to bring the authors vision to life as they try to do in their books. I know and understand that having your brand embedded into memory, is one of the most important things an author can do. Simply Said Reading Accessories is a signature, a brand, a gift that shows you've gone the extra mile. It also says that you have invested in yourself. Also, I am first and foremost a fan so I tend to look at things from both angles, a business aspect as well as a fans point of view. Realizing and using those two visions, I am able to create a good fit for the authors and their fans.

Read the entire article. Join in by sharing your thoughts on the article.

Black Pearls family join me in welcoming author Cheryl Robinson. Bestselling Author and native Detroiter Cheryl Robinson is a women’s fiction author. She has been known for writing novels with a twist, portraying women who face the odds and succeed. Cheryl currently resides in central Florida.

Ella Curry of EDC Creations chats with Cheryl about her new book release.

Cheryl: Tell us about your passion for writing. What's the title of your new book?

I have been writing for what feels like my entire life. During college, I enrolled in a fiction writing class as an elective and that’s when I discovered my passion for creating characters and stories that readers will hopefully find memorable. As for my latest novel, In Love With A Younger Man that was just released January 2009 and is in stores now here is the description Black Expressions Book Club has:

Her tryst with this sexy young man uncovers a startling secret...

At forty-three Olena Day has her life under control. Her professional life at least. But having earned a years’ sabbatical what will she do now? Enter Matthew Harper, a management trainee for a large auto dealer, who has big plans when it comes to his career. But relationships? He’s never been serious about the young girls who have thrown themselves at him. But this ambitious and fine bachelor’s world gets rocked when sexy Olena walks into his dealership. She may be looking for a new car but she’ll end up with a lot more than she bargained for. Besides their eighteen year age difference there’s another secret that could threaten this May-December romance.

Ella: Cheryl, you seem to have it all together. Women writers could really see you as a role model. Finish this sentence for us: I am Powerful because...
I am Powerful because... I believe and have faith in God and I believe that anything is possible...I believe in the power of positive thinking. In 2009, I want to demonstrate more than ever that what you believe you can achieve.

Ella: Albert Einstein states, "If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." Was there ever a point in your career, when your life didn't match the theory? And how did you change the facts?
Of course, in terms of my publishing journey, the theory was that it would be nearly impossible for me as an unpublished writer to find a literary agent and to sign a book deal. Every book I picked up on publishing started off with depressing odds and telling countless stories of rejection. I changed the facts by finding inspiration through those who found alternative ways to get their stories told; successful authors such as, Kimberla Lawson Roby, E. Lynn Harris, Michael Baisden, Mary Morrison, and Zane to name quite a few. I decided to do what they had done at the start of their career and I self-published two novels and then, the next thing I knew I was signed with a literary agent and soon after I had my first book deal.

Introduction to In Love With A Younger Man

Ella: Who are your two main characters and what do you like most about them?
In a sense, I have three; Olena Day, Matthew Harper, and Jason Nix, who isn’t a main character, but he is very central to the story. I like him because he's romantic and up for a challenge to a certain point. He's the type who tells it like it is, but he’s not negative, and we need people like that in our lives.

Matthew Harper is the younger man who I like because while he is so much younger than Olena it's not what some expect when they think of a May-December romance. He is holding his own. He has a good job, a nice home, and what I really like about him is that he is honest. He is the first to admit he is not looking for a serious relationship. Is he completely honest about his life? Well, no. But many of us aren't.

Olena Day is my favorite character although one of my girlfriends has stated that she's kind of "touched." She's the woman who is living a great life now, but is still a product of her past failures; the fact that she dropped out of college and had to return home to finish school and later on as an adult had a long-term affair with a married man that she regrets. She is forty-three, never married and has no children and I think as "touched" as she may seem to some readers if you give her the opportunity they will find that they have a lot in common with her. Olena wants to not only be successful in her career and in life, but she also wants to love and to be loved. She has never had a man to genuinely love her and now she has two who say they do.

Ella: What makes your book stand out and would entice a reader to pick it up?
The cover with a loving couple pictured in an intimate and tasteful pose and the title, In Love with A Younger Man since that will be the first thing a reader sees. This is the first book I've written so far where the title speaks for itself.

Ella: Ultimately, what do you want readers to gain from your book?
I want In Love With A Younger Man to invite readers into a discussion about the characters of the book of course, but to move from their characters into their own lives. I want my characters to linger after the book is closed and have readers wonder what they are up to because I am working on the second book in the series as we speak. I want readers to feel as if they have a clear understanding of Olena and what motivates her, which is why I chose to open the book in 1984, the year Olena's first went off to college. Readers are given a glimpse of her life at Howard University and then the book jumps to twenty-five years later. One of the messages of the story is to not focus so much on the past and instead appreciate all that is good in the present moment, which the past created.

Ella: What is the most surprising thing you have learned in creating books?
The characters take on a voice of their own and the events that come from the story for the most part are purely organic. I may want a particular event to occur, but if I force that on the story I may cheat the reader. And there is the fact that readers interpret stories through their own experiences so how I view the story may not at all be the way others do.

Ella: What advice would you give a new writer? Would you change anything about your journey?
My advice to new writers is to, of course, keep writing and if you haven't already finished your manuscript please do. Always stay positive during the entire process. If writing is something that you want to do in your heart and it is your passion and getting published is something that you desire, I truly believe it will happen for you. I would hear about other people getting book deals well before I got my own and I was never jealous-hearted for others success. In fact, it was more motivational than anything. It made me realize it can be done, because if no one was getting a book deal that would have been very discouraging. I always kept the faith that one day I would
be published as well, and I am and have been with a major publishing company since 2005.

In Love With A Younger Man is the fifth book I've written and the fourth book I've had published through New American Library, which is a division of The Penguin Group. There is always a sense of I wish I would of, I should of, maybe I could of, but I also believe everything happens for a reason so I am exactly where I am supposed to be. No, I wouldn’t change anything. I have learned lessons and incorporated those into my present life. I am stronger because of every experience.

Ella: What can we expect from you in the future?
In the future look for more books in the Olena Day series. I’m focusing on women’s fiction that will introduce readers to women who are confident and successful. My main characters will give readers someone to cheer for and laugh with. As well expect to see male characters that women dream of. We’ve all had our fair share of men who weren’t any good. I’m focusing on those who are or have the potential to be.

Ella: Share with us your latest news.
In Love With A Younger Man is a Black Expressions Book Club main selection for January 2009. It is also the first of my novels to be reviewed by Publishers Weekly. Here is a blurb from the Publishers Weekly review for In Love with A Younger Man:

“Their relationship is passionate and complicated, and a stunning revelation at the end makes the age difference seem a minor point as Olena must face not only her future but her past. In a straightforward and entertaining tale, Robinson delivers what she promises.”

For more information visit the author at http://www.cherylrobinson.com, www.myspace.com/cherylrobinson or her blog www.mybestlife365.blogspot.com.

Thank you Cheryl Robinson for joining us today. Readers, go out and pick up a copy of In Love With A Younger Man available January 6, 2009 where books are sold.

Please join in the discussion by leaving comments or congrats here for Cheryl.

Lynne Forde is a smart, stylish and sexy new author from the NY Tri-State area. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Lynne has always had dreams of writing and pursuing a career in the entertainment world. As a teen she wrote her first screenplay. She is talented with the abilities to write not only novels and screenplays, but can play 4 instruments and writes music.

As an adult Lynne graduated from CUNY with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice. While in college she furthered her interest in the Arts acting and writing in her classes. Since leaving school she has been managed by Saffyre Entertainment, Inc. This has allowed her to travel across the country with other musical artists as well as meet other writers, film producers, music producers and executives.

Since creating her debut novel Lies of Blue, her focus has been promoting her book and she has successfully stirred alot of interest from the film industry.

Book Introduction for Lies of Blue by author Lynne Forde
What is the price for fulfilling your dream?

Lies of Blue is the story about Lynne Forde, a young woman who tries to reach her dream by making sacrifices. Somewhere along the line, the wrong sacrifices get made. It’s Training Day meets OZ with a twist of Set It Off.

When Forde gets tired of her dead end job in the City Courts, she embarks on a career in the belly of the beast. With a degree in hand and a little bit of street sense, she decides to try her hand working in River’s Edge Jail Complex. From day one at the Academy to her last day at Prison, Forde evolves from your average “rookie” into something other than just a woman. To make matters worse, if you put a sexual being in the midst of some of the city’s most conniving men and women, you are bound to come up with something a little kinky and very destructive. The more dangerous the game became, the more erotic the encounters became. She goes from Officer, to Hustler, to Vic, to CEO in a matter of 8 years.

Lies of Blue is an expose of what goes on in the belly of the beast, through the eyes of one woman. Lies of Blue teaches you that there are so many people you may come across in life, you never know who is real and who is fake, but that the journey can become a battle of life or death. Choose wisely. What is the price for fulfilling your dream?

Paperback: 180 pages
Publisher: Saffyre Entertainment Inc.; 2nd edition (January 1, 2009)
ISBN-10: 1604023783 | ISBN-13: 978-1604023787

Lynne Forde Interview on Her Writer's Journey

As a new author, what would you say was your most difficult challenge in completing your novel?
The most difficult challenges were writing the abusive parts of the story. I place myself into the characters to feel what they feel. So that created a writers block due to the violent acts. The other part is the editing process. Grueling!

What are your favorite things about the main three characters Lynne Forde, Develin Former and Danny?
Were they hard characters to depict? Lynne was the easiest to depict. She has so many of my characteristics and traits. She is super sexual and too compassionate. Danny was the epitome of Lynne's flawed feelings of sex = love. Develin is the most despicable, devious and confused person. Much like Jack Nicholson in The Shining.

What’s the biggest compliment you’ve been getting on this book?
That this is a very hardcore real story and you can feel this like real life.

As a writer, what are some of the most important things you try to get across through your books?
Inspiration always and belief in a higher power. Also Karma is something that I know exists, I want readers to know that every action has a reaction.

What was the last book you read? Why that particular book?
Tavis Smiley - The Covenant. I was interested in learning what Tavis had to say. Amazingly enough I opened the book it spoke directly to me.

I’d love to know the specifics regarding your tour. Please give us some info on your appearances.
I will be on the Black Authors Network. I have a book signing at Zereous in NYC March 26. I will be at the BEA in NYC May 2009 and so much more which you can find the dates on my website. I will have an article in Floss Magazine Feb - June 2009. This summer I expect to be in Chicago and in California this fall. Please go to www.liesofblue.com or www.saffyre.us to see the schedule in full.

Please give us a preview of your next project including when it will be released.
My next two projects are actually screenplays. I am working on Best Kept Secret a story which asks what lie will you take to your grave? Also Really Real, a parody of today's entertainment industry and makes us look at how far into the abyss we can fall.

Intimate Conversation with William R. Patterson

Financial Workshop with William R. Patterson part 1
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Black-Author-Network/2009/02/08/Black-History-Book-Fair-Financial-Wellness

Listen to 2 great authors and financial leaders share with us the following topics:
Black History - Wealth-Building Lessons from Black Business Barons, How to Market Your Book, Brand and Business in the Marketplace. Get your pens and paper! This is an awesome show.

Financial Workshop with William R. Patterson part 2
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Black-Author-Network/2009/02/09/Black-History-Online-Book-Fair

Authors and experts Lynn Richardson, Antonio Crawford and William R. Patterson encourage and educate the listeners to change their spending patterns. Dark Chocolate Man makes his debut on BAN Radio! He shares his success in marketing on MySpace. The expert speakers all give the fans awesome marketing and promotions advice and tips. This is must listen show! Tell all your friends. Read the entire article at the BP Blog.