AAMBC Blog Tours with Marcia Reid

Finally Reid: The Extraordinary Testimonies of an Ordinary Woman by Marcia Reid is the latest release by WheelMan Press. Finally Reid is about the  process of author Marcia Reid’s personal discovery through various  challenges that helped her grow along the way. It is the life story of a woman with humble beginnings as a little girl from the poor and rural  hills of the island of Jamaica, chronicling her struggles with epilepsy  as a young girl, with Attention Deficit Disorder as a student and the  pain of a child estranged from her father only to feel rejected later  when he finally appears. It also tells of a woman fulfilling her dream  of moving to New York, a dream that was temporarily spoiled by her  marriage to a dark, handsome waiter who hid from her his torrid affairs  and his involvement with illegal drug trafficking. Despite her  struggles, author Marcia Reid raised herself above it all, achieving an  Ivy League education and millions in assets, which she would later lose  in the real estate downturn. Her story is one of final redemption,  culminating in her finding and marrying the love of her life at the age  of 50 — as only an extraordinary, ordinary woman could do.

Marcia  Windross is a Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Interpublic Group  (IPG) where she plays an integral role in leading the company’s vision  to be the world’s most inclusive network of marketing services  companies. In her role as Director, she provides tailored Diversity and  Inclusion solutions and strategic direction to IPG corporate and network of agencies of approximately 40,000 employees globally.

Prior to  Interpublic Group, she was the Senior Director of Human Resources and a  member of the senior management team for Bowne Marketing and Business  Communications (BMBC), a division of Bowne Inc. Before joining Bowne,  Marcia was Vice President, Diversity Head of Citibank Commercial  Business Group, where she led the development and implementation of  diversity and inclusion strategies for Citigroup’s middle market  businesses. She joined Citigroup in 1999, as a Senior Recruiter at  Salomon Smith Barney and was promoted into a variety of HR roles.

Her prior professional experiences include Senior Human Resources Manager  at the Home Shopping Network in St. Petersburg, Florida and Human  Resources Manager at County Seat Stores, NY. She also spent many years  in the Travel and Leisure industry, including 13 years at Cunard Cruise  Line. Her career started at The Half Moon hotel in Montego Bay, Jamaica  before migrating to the United States. She was also an Adjunct Professor at the City University of New York, Borough of Manhattan Community  College.

She holds a Masters degree in Organizational Psychology  with a concentration in Human Resources Management from Columbia  University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from New York  University.

Marcia is a speaker, sponsor and mentor who believe in giving back to her community and being of service to others. She serves on Harlem YMCA, Black Achiever in Industry (BAI) Steering Committee and was selected as IPG’s 2013 National Black Achiever. She also serves on  several diversity councils (AAF Mosaic Diversity Council, AAAA Diversity Council and the RADE Diversity Council). She previously served as an  Advisory Board member for the NY Urban Financial Services Coalition  (UFSC) and sat on the Board of the Jamaica YMCA in Queens, where she  served as Chair for Board Development.

She is a staunch supporter  of her high school, Montego Bay High school, Jamaica W.I. and was  elected as President of the Montego Bay High School International  Alumnae Association (MBHSIAA). The goal of the organization is to  provide financial assistance to the school and provide scholarships for  needy students.

Marcia recently published her first book “Finally  Reid: The Extraordinary Testimonies of An Ordinary Woman.” She is an  active member of her church, Hope Cathedral, located in Jackson, NJ,  where she r

Interview with Marcia:

In writing this book, you are quite transparent … Putting your business out there? Why write a book like this? I made the decision to write this book as a seed was planted by one of  my professors at Borough of Manhattan Community College over 20 years  ago. He told me to write a book to share my challenges and  accomplishments to encourage others. It took me this long to believe in  myself and feel that I had accomplished enough to share my story with  others. I also recognized that one of my purposes here on earth is to  help others and expand the kingdom of God. Sharing my story “Finally  Reid” is to encourage others who have faced difficult situations.  Despite your circumstances and challenges, you can overcome and live a  purpose driven life. “Your latter days can be better than your former  days.”

How long did it take you to write the book? What was the process like?

Many years but it wasn’t until 2009 after an accident that I got really  serious. It was a difficult process as I had to relive some very painful periods in my life. At times, I had to stop and take a break for  several weeks, even months. Once I was able to get through those painful periods and write about them – it was like a healing process. Writing  this book helped me to heal, forgive others and myself.

Why the title “Finally Reid”?

Finally Reid is about the relationship with my father and recognizing that he  actually loved me. It’s about finding myself  and being liberated from  my ex-husband. It’s about recognizing the goodness of God and that he  was always taking care of me, even when I did not recognize it.

Despite your financial struggles. How did you manage to gain an Ivy League Education?

It’s really important to have a mentor or a professor that takes an interest in your future. In my case Professor Blake asked a question “What  next?” He advised me that since I was a bit mature for a college  student, it’s best to go to an Ivy League school. He also felt that with my grades? I would be able to get scholarships. He advised me that even if I had to take out school loans, an Ivy League education would  provide the means to repay. I took his advice and was able to get  scholarships. I received a full scholarship from NYU. I also took out  students loans.

Tell us about your invisible disability…ADD. How do you do all that you have done with this condition?

Living with ADD is a daily struggle but there are many brilliant people out  there with this condition. In fact, there are over 80 million Americans  who are living with ADD undiagnosed. If you do a Google search, you will see all the talented, brilliant and prestigious Americans who have or  had ADD. It wasn’t until 2007 that I got formally diagnosed and it took  me a while to share with others for fear of how others would judge me. I don’t take medication. Over the years, I have developed coping  strategies to manage effectively on a daily basis.

Despite all these challenge? What kept you going?

I was motivated by a few thing. Number 1 was my son. I wanted the best  for him. My Faith in God and believe it or not, some negative comments  from others. I was told that since my mother was a maid, I would not  amount to anything. I had to show them that they were wrong.

What next?

The goal of this book is to help others, share the goodness of God and sell enough books to help churches and nonprofit organizations and if my  book becomes a best seller… That would be an added bonus. A movie would  be great!! Anything is possible. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Find the author:

https://www.facebook.com/FinallyReid

http://www.finallyreid.com/

www.wheelmanpress.com

 

AAMBC Blog Tours with Silk White

The Teflon Queen is back and better than ever. All Angela wants to do is  disappear, but there’s only one problem; every cop in the world is  looking for her along with the white shadow, one of the best most  brutal, vicious and dangerous assassins in the world and he won’t stop  until the Teflon Queen is no more. Angela quickly turns from the hunter  to the hunted in a matter of seconds. Not only does Angela have to keep  herself alive, but she’s also responsible for the life of Agent James  Carter; her once upon a time lover who trusts her about as far as he can throw her. Join the Teflon Queen as she takes you deep into the  underworld and into the life of a high profile assassin who will do  anything to stay alive and protect her lover. With two well trained  assassins on a collision course the outcome is sure to be deadly. This  heart pounding saga is sure to leave readers breathless. Silk White  delivers the stunning sequel to the Teflon Queen. A story readers won’t  be able to forget.

A native of Harlem, New York, Silk White began his writing career in  2006. He is the author of the three part Urban Fiction series Tears of a Hustler and Co-Owner of Good2Go Publishing and Good2Go Films. Silk has  No Way Out and Black Barbie as a film credit under Good2Go Films and in  his spare time, loves to write and act. He is currently producing a new  movie and is hard at work on his next novel.

Interview with Silk White

1. Tell me about the finale to your critical acclaim trilogy Tears of a Hustler?

This book is the finale to a trilogy that was written 2 years ago.   We took our time with releasing part 2&3 to help build up our fan  base in between releases.  It’s a classic finale that all our loyal fans have been waiting for.  I promised I wouldn’t let them down and  according to the reviews we have received so far, everyone is happy.   Check amazon.

2. What made you decide to start your own publishing company rather than signing with an establish publisher?

Well after Tears of a Hustler PT 1 was released I had several offers  on the table, but from a business standpoint it just made more sense to  release my titles under my own company.  In the short term it’s a lot of work because you have to build your fan base one fan at a time, because you don’t have any distribution.  But once you’ve established your  brand like we have, you make 100% of the profit. At the rate we’re going we should be one of the biggest independent african american owned  publishing companies out there in a few years.  We’ve reached over  70,000 households in two years with no help.   Right now we have good2go publishing and good2go films our movie Production Company and Third  Lane Marketing.

3. What is the hardest part of writing for you?

Writing was a natural process for me, growing up in the environment  that I grew up in and my life experiences help enhanced my already vivid imagination.  My ability to translate my imagination thru writing was a god gifted talent that I discovered when I was going thru unforeseen  circumstances.

4. What’s the best thing about being an author?

I really appreciate all the love and support that I get from the  fans.  They are the ones that keep me motivated.  It’s amazing to see  all the support that I get from all parts of the country, outside the  country also. Shout out to all my UK Fans. I never thought that one day  my work would have reached over 150,000 households.

5. What are you working on now?

Well I just wrapped up my 8th book which is slated to be released May 1st 2013.  Its called The Teflon Queen PT 2.   So be on the look out  for that. You can pre-order an autograph copy now from www.good2gopublishing.com  I also just finished shooting my 2nd movie under good2go films its  called Black Barbie.  The first movie is called No Way Out you can get  that at www.good2gofilms.com

6. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

This piece of advice is not just for writers but any aspiring  entrepreneurs out there.  Especially, the youth coming from  underprivileged communities.  Sometimes in life we get a bad hand to  play with. You have to make the best out of the hand you’re given. The  best piece of advice I can give is, spend all your time and energy  focusing on accomplishing your goals whatever it may be, you’re going to get results.  Surround yourself with good people you trust, Sleep 5hrs  work 19hrs.

I just want to say Thanks to everyone out there for the love and support.  Keep supporting me and Good2go Publishing

But the book:

http://amzn.to/YPxLzy book trailer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IUZqsHCFVXs website: www.good2gopublishing.com

Find the author:

Good2go Publishing www.good2gopublishing.com www.twitter.com/good2gobooks www.facebook.com/good2gopublishing

 

Point of Departure Blog Tour

ISBN 978-1-62137-188-5 (softcover), $12.95, 360 pages.
It is 1841, and fourteen-year-old Charlotte Mailliard should be concerned with French fashion, French tradition and her studies with her classmates, Napoleon Bonaparte’s nephews. Instead, her Papa has decided to move his family to America. Now Charlotte can only think of a strange state called Illinois and the “savages” she will encounter on her long journey. No one could forsee that the family’s trek to that frontier would bring them to a Kentucky slave auction, an experience that would forever change their lives.

Two decades earlier, another Frenchman, Henri Moreau, a street urchin of Paris, had made his way to that same Illinois, where life was a pleasant mix of his and native customs. But in 1832, that peace was destroyed by the Blackhawk War, an event that tragically impacted Henri and his family.

As the nation and the Mailliard and Moreau families mature, it is the common theme of war that causes Charlotte to realize she is but one cog in the endless cycle of love and loss, the bane of a country where another Illinois native son will not abide “a house divided.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dianne Kirtley taught English, Journalism, and Creative Writing at Nazareth Academy, a college prep high school in LaGrange Park, Illinois, for twenty-five years.. During that time she also chaired the English Department and was Director of Public Relations.

The historical novel, Point of Departure, is her most researched project and was inspired by the discovery of information about one of her husband’s ancestors whose family were personal attendants to the Bonabartes.

“When I first began the investigation of Charlotte Mailliard, reading her letters and visiting the places where she lived and the very cemetery where she and her family were buried, I felt her story begged to be told. After seven years of work, I hope she would be pleased with my effort.”

Dianne attended Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin, received her B.A. from the University of Illinois, Chicago, and M.Ed. from Loyola University, Chicago.

In addition to her pursuit of writing, she has also been a member and president of the LaGrange Business and Professional Women’s Organization. She is currently active in the Chicago Southwest Suburban Alumni Chapter of Delta Delta Delta sorority.

Amazon Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Point-Departure-Dianne-Kowal-Kirtley/dp/1621371883/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365008551&sr=8-1&keywords=point+of+departure

Author Blog:

http://kirtleybooks.com/

 

Featuring Author D.W. Brown

Synopsis for Unconscious Lies:

Peter Lawson doesn’t realize he’s in a coma. Why would he?  He’s still
in his own bedroom and he sees his wife almost every day.  But there are
some strange things going on that he doesn’t fully understand.  Take for
instance the strange group of people now inhabiting his home.  He
demands answers but no one acknowledges him, even his own wife.  Why
can’t they hear him?  Who are they and why do they have him strapped to
his own bed? And why does he keep finding himself hiding out in home’s
of people he doesn’t even know?  Why does he have to kill them?

 

 

Author Bio:

I grew up in the Appalachia Region of Eastern Kentucky. I spent 20 years
in the Army before retiring and moving down to Alabama from Fort
Campbell, Kentucky. During my time in the military, I deployed to
Cambodia, Kwajalein Atoll, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. I feel
fortunate to have traveled to many foreign countries, and having seen so
many amazing and horrible things. This combination of the good and the
bad each area had to offer has really helped pay off in my writing.

Novels Include:
Lost Time
Barter for Life
Unconscious Lies
To Know Death  (July 2013)
Family Lineage (Sep 2013)

Inspired by Stephen King’s Writing:
King’s blend of every day ordinary events and people with fiction always
fascinated me. I remember reading ‘It’ as a young eight-year-old boy and
being scared out of my mind. I tailored some of my writing style after
him in my second novel, Barter for Life.

My goals for 2013:
Like every author out there, my main objective is to reach the
best-seller list. I have two other novels that will be released later
this year, and I’m praying for one of them (preferably all of them)
reaches the top.

Writing is my dream. Penning a novel that others actually read and enjoy
is beyond anything I ever could’ve imagined. I’ve wanted to do this
since I was in high school, but the military came first. I’m excited to
see where this road leads me.

How has 20 years in army has come handy in your new career of writing?

I deployed to Cambodia during my fifth year in the military and got the
opportunity to see the Killing Fields, along with many other horrifying
things there. The locals had a four level structure there with steps and
platforms, which showcased human skulls stacked on top of each other,
and it has stuck with me ever since.

My fourth novel, ‘To Know Death’ is set in Cambodia and takes the reader
through the evil Colonel Pol Pot wrought upon his own people in that
country. I’m really excited about this novel, having experienced
first-hand such atrocity.

If you’re reading this, I ask that you support this retired military
officer by picking up a copy of one of his novels: Lost Time, Barter for
Life, and Unconscious Lies.
Look me up on:

http://www.dwbrownsbooks.com
twitter @justust0606
http://www.goodreads.com: dwbrown
http://www.shelfari.com: dwbrown

Thanks for your time…

 

Faith Stories Blog Tour

ISBN 978-1-62137-197-7 $14.95. 262 pages
This engrossing story provides insights into what it’s like to be Catholic, how problems in the Church affect belief, and how the Church lost, but can reclaim, its original message.

The book’s five easy-to-read sections offer a compelling and often humorous account of the author’s early faith as it flourished in a devoutly religious family. Interwoven with that story is a concise review of the sacraments and other Church accoutrements.

A compassionate yet honest look shows how, for many, faith dissolved into frustration at the dichotomy between Church doctrine and its real mission.

The author’s engaging analysis of how words create reality in religion is full of delightful surprises, and her brief tracing of Church history demonstrates that problems arose because the Catholic Church is an absolute monarchy accountable to no one, and is modeled after Middle Eastern cultures that treat women as inferior.

Finally, the book eloquently describes where this leaves the author and others who once loved their Church so dearly. It offers possibilities for Catholicism in the 21st century and encourages everyone to discover the true meaning of faith.

A thought-provoking tale that is ultimately satisfying, this book will give all readers comfort and hope.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Diana Milesko is a professional speaker, writer and photo-journalist who has taught humanities, media and English at high school through university levels in Illinois, Connecticut and Florida. Her other careers include that of counselor, speech writer and publisher.

She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Illinois, her master’s at Loyola University Chicago and her doctorate at Global Ministries University.

Amazon Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Faith-Stories-Good-Catholic-Girl/dp/1621371972/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365008420&sr=8-1&keywords=faith+stories+of+one+good+catholic+girl

Author Blog:

http://dianamilesko.com/

 

Featuring Author Cornelia Smith

About Author: http://www.corneliasmith.com/author.html

 

Cornelia Smith is a Native of Atlanta, Georgia; she was born on October 4, 1989. While growing up she faced many challenges from living in urban poverty, being raised in a single parent household, and being exposed to traumatic events such as watching her mother get shot and suffer a bullet wound. During these tragic events in Cornelia’s life, her mother enforced that she and her oldest sister move to Jackson, Georgia to be raised by her aunt. As years passed, the author relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend Parks Middle School and later graduate from Carver High School. Prior to attending Carver High School, she became a member of the national honor society, Principal’s list and remained in the top ten percent of her class during high school. Upon high school graduation, Cornelia decided to attend Everest College to become a medical assistant. However, the hopes of pursuing a career in nursing changed once she began to realize her ambitions for writing novels. As a result, she chose to pursue a career in writing and in less than two years she has developed ways to express the art of writing.  Now Cornelia is on the rise of publishing her first Novel entitled “Forever Sistah’s”. She has persevered continuously and even won song writing contests, has a demo published, and is diligently working towards implementing a book club.

 

AAMBC Blog Tours with Shiana

Synopsis:

Sammie Says….

Sammie tells you a vivid story of her life being flipped upside down  taking you on a journey you won’t ever forget. From her childhood with a racist grandma to her dopefiend mom to being daddy’s little girl. Her  daddy finds a new way of hustling that would lead to lies, blackmail and even death. Sammie goes from the hushful, naive little patsy girl to a  deranged girl with a gun strapped to her hip. Sammie will have you on  the edge of your seat as she tells her tale of the many twists and turns in her life. At least that’s what she says, or is she just blowing  smoke?

 

 

 

 

Excerpt:

Sammie Says:

I woke up finding that my room was pitch dark and so was outside. I  couldn’t believe that I slept for the first time in a while without  being haunted by Moe. It felt good to sleep without being, chased by a  crazy naked bloody man.

Rising up out the bed I opened my bedroom door, stepping out peeping into daddy’s room, he was sound asleep.

I turned stepping back into my room tripping over my cell phone as I  bent down picking it up. I remembered Brenee answering Moore’s phone.

Something about me I couldn’t explain, my temper was all over the  place. I stepped over to my nightstand flicking on the lamp light as I  reached into my drawer retrieving my .22. I had a plan in my head and I  couldn’t be stopped.

I stepped into the kitchen, grabbing daddy’s keys as I disappeared out the door locking the door on my way out.

I hated daddy’s car, but I needed to go and his car was the only way  for me to get there. With that one driving lesson, I was hoping it paid  off that night as I started up daddy’s car. I prayed deep down that he  didn’t hear the loud wreck of his car.

I parked two blocks from my destination as I placed my gun into the  pocket of my jeans. Happy that I remembered the area and the right house I made my way up to the house as I stood outside the house looking up  into the top floor rooms. I found a white vine fence that sat on the  side of the house going up to the window that I believed to me my  destination.

I climbed up as I stepped into the window seeing I was in the right  room. A figure lie in the bed with a white blanket pulled up coving the  person’s head. I knew I was in the right room because of the décor and  the pictures on the walls let me know.

I noticed the clock that was on the nightstand read 3:47 a.m. I  tipped toe over to the side of the bed as a pillow fell to the floor  from the bed. I made sure that the person under the blanket didn’t see  me as the person moved about under the blanket.

I picked up the pillow and held it tightly in my left hand as I pulled out my gun holding it in my right hand.

I moved in closer to the person in the bed as I whistled a little and said, “Hey, hey,” The person moved as she opened her eyes wide with a  shocking expression.

“Don’t say a fucking word,” I threaten placing the gun to Brenee’s head as she closed her mouth biting on her tongue.

“You just can’t seem to get the picture Brenee. Moore isn’t yours anymore you messed that up so why you keep coming around?”

Brenee licked her lips as she tried to speak, “Naw don’t say anything because you don’t have shit to say that I care to hear. I will keep you away from him for good though.”

I placed the pillow over her face as I put the gun right over the pillow and shot Brenee two times in the head.

 

Shiana, known as Lesa Jones was published back in 2011 with her very first  book. She’s a mother, writer, CEO of Purple/Blaquk Rose Publishing. She  was born in Jackson, Mississippi and now resides in Milwaukee, WI with  her two girls Nesa and Nellie. When Shiana isn’t writing or running her  business she is working as an Administrative Medical Assistant part  time. She enjoys reading, writing, crocheting and spending time with her family.

Shiana discover the passion for writing when she was just a little  girl. She used writing as a way to escape her childhood. With the abuse  going on in her home life, writing was the only way that she could go  beyond the horror she lived. As she grew up reading and writing took a  whole new meaning for her. Growing up as a trouble teenage she never  knew she had it in her to write books until one day she finished her  very first book and received great feedback from family, friends and  teachers.

Shiana had to postpone her love of writing and school for many years  due to taking care of her oldest daughter that was born with a liver  disease.

She proved herself and family to be wrong as she went back to school  finishing school and getting her associates degree in Apply Health and  Science. During school as a way to release stress she found the love of  writing again and started back developing stories beyond her  imagination.

Shiana enjoys being versatile with her writing and going beyond just one genre.

Get To Know Shiana:

1. Can you tell your readers about who you are and why is writing your passion?

Well Shiana is my pen name Ellisa Jones is my real name I am a  Mother, Writer, CEO, Crochet Designer Administrative Medial Assistant  wow the list goes on.

I had my first book published in 2011 under my other pen name Lesa  Jones. I am now CEO and author of my own company called Purple/Blaquk  Rose Publishing LLC that I am just starting. I was born in Jackson,  Mississippi, but now I live in Milwaukee, WI with my two girls Nesa and  Nellie.

I enjoy writing it’s a creative way for to me to take myself into  another world through my writing. I like to introduce my characters in a way to make my readers fall in love with them. Once my readers fall in  love with them; I then put my characters through drama then I pull them  out of the drama. It’s exciting to live through the eyes of a fictional  character and to have readers go through the journey with me.

2. What inspired you to become a writer? Why?

As a child, I never thought I would become a writer; I wrote stories  as a way of escaping my home life. I wrote in a journal and as a  teenager, I wrote plays, short stories just to have been doing something besides staying in trouble, but I did enjoy writing. I put myself in  trouble through my writing. I read a lot growing up from urban, street,

mystery, horror, and true crime. I used to think that those authors  did a fabulous job, but I didn’t think I had the dedication in believing in myself to go beyond just the short stories I wrote. I felt that I  would not be able engage my readers and keep their attention through a  whole book I feared that. But teachers and friends kept telling me I  could and that my work was good.  I never thought that, years later that I would have made that into a dream then a goal. Now that I have I  enjoy and love writing and will continue to write as much as possible.

 3. What are some ways you tend to market your work to help you get a whole new set of audience?

I really enjoy the footwork in my city actually getting out and  talking to people one on one. I like to get new readers that never read a book in their life, but are willing to read my book. When I am  marketing my work I notice when I have contests for upcoming models to  grace my book cover this helps me to gain them as a reader as well as  their family and friends. Having an actual person on my cover that I can talk to it helps to get my books in the model’s hand and in their city  where it may be harder for me to gain those readers. I don’t exclude  online networking either, but putting the foot work in and actually  making my presence known does help me to market my work one on one.

4. What are some inspirations behind your characters in Sammie Says? How did you come up with them?

Wow, well Sammie was actually named after a close friend of mines  name Sammy he’s a male, but I wanted a girl as my man character. The  inspiration behind Sammie was I wanted to tell a teenager’s girl story  dealing with life. Sammie’s life is very crazy she has a racist grandma, crack head mom and her daddy is a hard working struggling man that is  trying to keep his family together. Due to Sammie being mixed she has it bad in both worlds neither the whites nor the blacks are excepting her. Peer-pressure I have her faced with a lot of what teenagers go through  now days.  Sammie’s story just took a role of its own and I let it play  out having my readers become very emotional because of all I put Sammie  through and also have my readers dislike a few people.

How I came up with them was I wanted to add a bit of what goes on in  the real world into Sammie’s story. From the struggles of living from  house to house, to the racist grandma, to her having a father that  actually want more for his daughter that he’s willing to do whatever he  has to do.

5. Do you like to see yourself as writing one type of way or do you consider yourself to be versatile?

Very versatile I don’t just write one genre. Like my short stories  Kitty Box 1&2 those are my first erotic stories. Boy Toy is urban  fiction, Taurus: She’s a Beast is street fiction, V (Vee) Target is what I consider to be urban fiction, street fiction, urban mystery. Sammie  Says is urban mystery and urban fiction. Also Kitty: Twist ‘n’ Turns I  did something different with this book I took Kitty out of an erotic  tale and gave her a storyline this one I consider to be erotic, urban  fiction with a little thriller to it.

I am very versatile in my writing I enjoy thinking outside of the box and have my readers in awe and not able to predict what’s going to  happen.

6. What is more important to you, characters or plot development?

Well of course I want my readers to get to know my characters to be  able to feel their pain and understand them. I also want my readers to  be able to understand where the story is going and how I the writer will get my readers there. Throughout my story I want my readers to continue to get to know the ups and downs to my characters as the plot thickens. So I really can’t pick one over the other because I never want a reader of mines to ever say that they couldn’t picture my story as they read  then that means I didn’t develop my plot well enough. I also never want  my readers to ever say that they didn’t feel any connection either happy or mad with one of my characters. That will tell me that none of my  characters caught my reader’s attention. What is a story without the  both of them?

7. What advice would you give a new writer?

Research, research and more research know what you are getting into.  Understand the business, and no you won’t make millions off your book.  Understand that your books won’t sell just because you stamped your name on a book cover you actually have to put yourself out there talk to  readers, bookstore owners go to book festivals other author’s book  signings. Ask questions to other authors just because one author didn’t  give you the answer there are more that are willing to help you.

Web-Links:

Website: http://www.purprosepublishing.com/

Email: prosepublishing@yahoo.com to submit as a writer submissionprosepublishing@yahoo.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WriterShiana

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Authorshiana

Instagram: http://instagram.com/writer_shiana

You can find Shiana books on Amazon in paperback and Kindle and Barnes and Noble a few in paperback and Nook, also on Kobo.

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Shiana/e/B00AOEIGTO/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1362288702&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/shiana

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=%22Shiana%22&t=none&f=author&p=1&s=none&g=both