Empowering people to overcome obstacles and walk in their unique purpose is the real life message shared by Eddie Connor, who is a 15-year cancer survivor.
Eddie is a resident of Detroit, Michigan but grew up in Kingston, Jamaica.
As a product of a divorced family, Eddie realizes that he was not born with a “silver spoon” but discovered strength in the midst of struggle.
As an Author, Evangelist, Motivational Speaker, Poet, Political Advisor, Teacher, and TV Correspondent on CBS/CW 50, Eddie Connor shares his story of overcoming cancer in his three books: Purposefully Prepared to Persevere, Collections of Reflections: Symphonies of Strength – Volumes 1-3, and E.CON the ICON: from Pop Culture to President Barack Obama (www.eddieconnor.com).
Eddie Connor is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University, having earned a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, with a focus in History. He has also earned a Master of Arts Degree in Education from Marygrove College, as a Reading and Literacy Specialist.
He has garnered prestigious honors for his community activism and role model leadership, such as the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award, Eastern Michigan University President For a Day, the Black Male Engagement Leadership Award, and named one of the top 100 leaders in “Who’s Who in Black Detroit.”
Over the years, Eddie has encouraged youth to overcome life’s obstacles on his radio program, “Youth On The March” being broadcast throughout the United States and Caribbean, to more than 25 million people.
Eddie desires to educate and empower the next generation. He has launched a literacy initiative “Boys 2 Books” which is designed to combat the school-to-prison pipeline, by empowering young males via life skills and literacy. The program has been endorsed by the United States Congress.
From Cancer to Conqueror to more than Conqueror, God has truly given Eddie Connor a voice to reach individuals of all ages and backgrounds with a message that you can overcome any obstacle.
Listen in today at 5:30pm as Sylvia Hubbard interviews our first guest Ken Coleman, a Detroit native and a seasoned communications, media and public policy consultant. He is also the author of the new book On This Day: African-American Life in Detroit.
Ken Coleman’s past employment experiences include serving as a legislative assistant to former Detroit City Councilwoman Brenda M. Scott as well as State Senators Irma Clark-Coleman and Buzz Thomas. He has also worked as press secretary to U.S. House member Gary C. Peters and as a reporter at the Michigan Chronicle and Michigan FrontPage. In 2009, Ken was elected by local voters to serve on the Detroit Charter Revision Commission, where he helped to lead the way in drafting a new governing document for City of Detroit.
With passion and dedication, Ken serves as a volunteer mentor and an advisory board member with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit. He chairs a special task force that is dedicated to increasing the number of black men who mentor African-American boys. Ken is completing a bachelor’s degree in communications from Wayne State University. He is married to Kim Trent. They have a four-year old son, Jackson.
Later, at 5:45pm; Sylvia Hubbard will be interviewing Erica Coleman who is a new author. Her debut book is “Dying to be Loved.”
Erica Monique Coleman was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Coleman graduated from Wayne State University with a Bachelors degree in Journalism. Coleman’s creative talents as a writer, model, actor and spokesperson have enabled her to communicate and befriend large groups of men and women “who all have a story to tell.” Writing has been her passion for many years, but her focus has mainly been on women’s’ life issues, as featured on her Blog, “Girl Let Me Tell You.” She currently resides in Detroit, MI with her son whom she hopes will follow in her creative footsteps. Dying To Be Loved is her first novel with hopes of many more to follow.
This week the Motown Writers Networks features the author of the Draw series, JReal. Read below to find out about JReal and the Draw series.
Where are you from?
I’m originally from New York but I been in Detroit for 6 years now.
Tell us your latest news?
Well the latest and greatest news about J-REAL is I’m back on the scene with my newest release DRAW Part 3 and I have a new motivated energy to take my writing to the next level with a great line up of projects and more on the road book signings in different states.
When and why did you begin writing?
My journey as a writer began through reading I’ve read hundreds of different books, pamphlets, newspapers and magazines. I love the way words have that unique power to tap into the human mind. That’s what made me want to write and use my imagination to tell story’s.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Most of my inspiration for writing comes from just everyday life what people do and what they go through and how they overcome the many adversities that face all walks of life.
How did you come up with the title?
When I think of a title for a project I try to come up with the catchiest metaphors that tie in with the characters and story line. Something that can catch a reader’s attention
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Always I try to put a little nugget of information in every novel dealing with the story and what genre I’m writing from if its Street lit I try to show the consequences of living the fast life and not just the glorification aspect. Real life stuff I always try to use current events
What book are you reading now?
Write now I’m reading a book called TROUBLE, by Ju-Ju Bishop.
What are your current projects?
My next Project that I will be releasing is Bred From Treason and a Hard Price To Pay
Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
I would have to say I get a lot of support from my Facebook community in fact a lot of my eBooks sales derive from social media
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
I wouldn’t change anything about the way things are going in my writing career I do wish that in the beginning I got out to more events.
Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Yes here is an excerpt from A Hard Price To Pay
. The property was flooded with police and ambulances. The mini mansion was belted in police tape and there was all movement throughout and around Cedric’s home. Ced turned the Montero onto his lawn and slid to a stop while simultaneously jumping from the driver’s side and racing towards the front door. After a few steps he was subdued by a couple of uniformed cops followed by a blank face detective. “Are you Cedric Carter? Are you the boy’s father? We got that name from the boy.”
“Where is he, where is my son?” Hearing about Bugga made Ced start to struggle. “Now hold on one minute, you still have not confirmed who you are,” The detectives face remained expressionless. “What mother fucker, where is my kid?” The Officer wrestled Ced to the ground after almost losing control of him. Then with the order given from the detective one of the officers dug in Ced’s back pocket, retrieving his wallet and tossing it to the detective. Ced kept struggling and cursed, “Man what the fuck is wrong with you pigs?”
Once the detective confirmed Ced’s identity he motioned for the officer to let him up, “Okay, now that we know who you are we can start asking you some questions.
Ced looked at the detective, he was tall, overweight, balding white man who towered over him. Disapproval dripped from the detectives glare. Ced snatched from the officers grip and turned his head towards his porch where he saw his son sitting and being comforted by a strange woman and questioned by who Ced figured to be the detectives partner. Ced began in that direction but again was stopped, this time by the detective himself. He tried to snatch away but the detective’s grip held firm. Ced turned, “Get the fuck off me, I want to get my boy!”
“Your boy is being questioned and with you with him that will only confuse things.”
“What are you questioning him for, where is Grace?”
“You mean the mother?” The detective face softened a touch, “She was in your son’s arms, Mr. Carter, when she died.” She was naked with multiple stab wounds and two gunshot wounds in her lower torso. She also had a gun in her hand, the one we believe killed those two thugs in there. Now the women’s in a bag and the only we can find out anything is from the kid. So until were done with him you are going to stand right here where I can see you. Are you clear?”
Ced tore up his face at the gesture of Grace being in a bag. Who the fuck was this pig to be talking like that about Grace?” “You talking about my wife! What’s your name mother fucker!“ “Don’t you mean your baby mama? And its detective Milhourn,” Milhourn narrowed his eyes, “A better question was why were these thugs looking for you?” Milhourn pauses a second to let the question sink in before he waved it off seeing how calm the man became all of a sudden, how all the tension seemed to relax in his face. The detective hardened, he decided to cut the bullshit. “You fucking drug running scumbags are all the same.”
“Now hold on,” Ced interrupted but felt silent when the detectives finger shot out to within an inch of his face.
“Shut the hell up!” Do you see this neighborhood? How many fucking blacks live on this side?” After a pause you don’t even know….ok the rest you’ll have to but the book
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Yes mostly when I get a case of writers block that makes everything so difficult because I can’t get any projects that I already started finished.
Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
Yes part of being a successful author is getting on the road and traveling to do book signings or just attend events to promote your work.
Who designed the covers?
I come up with the concept for the books and I work with Oddball designs to create the cover. And I also work with Brand Concepts Southeast
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
The hardest part of writing any of the novels I got is creating the character development and what each character role will be in the book.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
The best advice I can give to writers new and old is to study your craft because the book industry evolves constantly with the new technology that’s out. Be professional about your business and stay true to who you are as an individual.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
I just want thank all the readers for their support in my work and welcome and thank all the new readers that take the time to read my books and interviews
This week’s Motown Writers Network author feature is on Jessica Clavell. Read below to find about Jessica and her new book Feelings Run Deep
Feelings Run Deep chronicles the true paranormal experiences of a young girl, which started early in her toddler years, then resumed in her teens. In between those terrifying paranormal encounters she experienced horrendous physical and sexual child abuse by the man whom her family always led her to believe was her father. Even though her mother knew how deeply he hated her daughter it wasn’t until her mother was dying that she revealed to her that he was not her father, which made the protagonist furious at her dying mother.
When the ghosts started attacking her again as a teenager, the terror and turmoil of being severely beaten by ghosts almost every night, along with constantly trying to prevent her uncle from raping her, created so much fear and sleep deprivation within her that it led her to have a breakdown one stormy night.
This book depicts several true life experiences that the author experienced which lies outside of the natural realm, but she certainly experienced it and at times it was also witnessed by other family members, such as the things brought about by those filled with hatred and revenge. As incredulous as some of the incidents in this book may seem, the author is willing to receive medically administered Sodium Pentothal to attest to the veracity of the contents of this book.
I was born in Jackson, Georgia, but has spent the majority of my life in Detroit.
When and why did you begin writing?
I began writing over ten years ago. The recession caused me to abandon this endeavor for over five years because all my stuff was in storage. Once the Lord pulled me through those hardships and brought restoration of the essential things that I needed to be me, I felt compelled me to finish what I started, and in pursuit of that I saw that He had gone before me and opened up doors for this book to be brought to completion and publication.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I was so caught up in working and getting this book out to readers, because it has some very emotional and precautionary content in it, and to get my children and any listener to know that there is a powerful spiritual world that exist within this physical and material world, that I didn’t think of myself as being a writer until I had Amazon to ship my friend a copy of the book and she called me to say, “Girl, you’re an author!” Since then she had bought a few more books for her friends and as Christmas gifts. Now that’s a friend! She’s a beautiful rare jewel, and I know her husband feels the same.
What inspired you to write your first book?
My life experience for the first third of my life. I felt like it’s a precautionary tell that can help others.
Do you have a specific writing style?
The writing style used for this book is descriptive, because I just had a story to tell.
How did you come up with the title?
This life experience has taught me about the impact of feelings, and how everyone is led by them, some with a will to do good and others are led by either feelings of hatred or selfishness.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
I feel like it’s a warning sign of abuse or potential abuse, for parents who love their children to protect them from such indelible pain, and for readers who are head of households to see that little negative emotions within those in a family should immediately be addressed and hopefully eradicated in order to prevent the growth of family rivalry. And I want them to grasp an awareness of the powerful spiritual realm; and hopefully that will be an incentive for the readers to pursue a knowledge of the spiritual laws that affect our lives.
How much of the book is realistic?
All of it.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Yes. It’s my personal memoir.
What books have most influenced your life most?
The Bible and books about Edgar Cayce that were written prior to his passing, and The Master Key by Charles F. Haanel.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
I would consider Charles Haanel and all the writers who wrote about the information that The Creator dispensed to us through Edgar Cayce, along with all the writers of the bible, so I can’t make a distinction between them.
What book are you reading now?
The Master Key, by Charles Haanel.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Yes. The Virtuous Man by Kevin Toney and The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman.
What are your current projects?
I’ve had some beautiful songs published, so after promoting this book, with the help of the Lord, I’m going to gather some gifted singers together to record a gospel cd.
Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
My friend, Johnnie Mae.
Do you see writing as a career?
I would like to write one other book, and that’s enough for me. It requires too much sitting down, especially when having a sedentary job, and that’s not healthy.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
No.
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I was compelled to provide awareness to others about my experiences with the powerful spirit realm and the indelible pains of child abuse.
Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Yes. You can go to Amazon.com and read the first chapter free, and there’s a Look Inside the Book feature that allows you to view other pages of the book.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
No.
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
I like Charles Haanel because he described the power of the mind and the spiritual laws that govern our lives and how we are to operate within those laws to obtain our desires. I like Kevin Toney’s book about being a virtuous man because he mentioned some fundamental lessons that need to be taught to young men to instill in them sexual morality and fidelity. I haven’t read the entire book yet, but one excerpt that I was glad he mentioned was that when he was a teenager the subject of sex and how to treat girls was never mentioned in church. That was my frustration when my son was a teenager. Prior to Internet fultering, when one of us would be on the Internet all kinds of pornography popped up begging you to come look at them, and they be into of all kinds of ungodly practices. Then when we would go to church there was never a word spoken about the misleading immorality that are confusing young boys on a daily basis. And like I said, I like books that were written about Edgar Cayce’s revelations to us on God, His laws, Jesus, and the metaphysical aspects of existence.
Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
Not yet.
Who designed the covers?
A Canadian cover designer, Rita Loews and Stephannie Beman.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Correcting typos. My thoughts often exceeded my typing speed, and I created quite a bit of them while trying to work through fatigue and sleepiness.
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
How people live their lives according to their feelings, regardless of how someone else feels, and some people derive pleasure from hurting other people.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
No.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
I hope you enjoy the book, and are able to see my objective.
You can read the first chapter for free on Amazon.com plus there’s a Look Inside the Book feature that allows you to read a little more of the other chapters..
Join us today as we feature author Kimmie Thomas on the Michigan Literary Network Blogtalk radio show. She will be talking about her new book Nursing Dr. Miller. Check out her bio below.
Kimmie Thomas is a native Detroiter. She is a writer, teacher, mother, and wife. Her first love has always been reading and writing. She has been motivated by writers such as Donald Goines, Maya Angelou, Zane and E. Lynn Harris. Kimmie has worked as a psychiatric nurse for more than 10 years. She uses her vast knowledge of mental health to make her characters real for her readers.
This Side of Crazy is her debute novel. She is also featured in an Anthology, Rough and Raw. Check out her latest book, Nursing Dr. Miller. Her current writing project is called House of Assignation.
Book Description: Do you know what goes on in a hospital? Would you believe that sex, lies and deceit are ever present even while you lay ill in you hospital bed? You may be surprised to find out that the soap operas you watch are not as far fetched as you may think. This story may not be Gray’s Anatomy but it will curl your toes just as much. Gregory Miller, MD is tall dark and handsome. He single and looking for love and the nurses at Kingdom Hospital just want to love him back. Is sex and a good time enough for Dr. Miller? Follow him and his fellow doctors and nurses as they try to find love and a good time while saving lives
Metro Detroit native Laura Lee divides her time equally between writing and producing ballet educational tours with her partner, the artistic director of the Russian National Ballet Foundation. She is the author of more than a dozen non-fiction books with such publishers as Harper Collins, Reader’s Digest, Running Press, Broadway Books, Lyons Press and Black Dog and Leventhal. Her Pocket Encyclopedia of Aggravation has sold more than 85,000 copies. She has also written one collection of poetry (Invited to Sound), and a children’s book (A Child’s Introduction to Ballet). She brings to her writing a unique background as a radio announcer, improvisational comic and one-time professional mime.
The San Francisco Chronicle has said of her work, “Lee’s dry, humorous tone makes her a charming companion… She has a penchant for wordplay that is irresistible.”
Angel is her first novel.
Questions with Laura:
Where are you from?
I live in Rochester Hills.
Tell us your latest news?
I am promoting my debut novel, Angel. I have a non-fiction book with Reader’s Digest coming out in the near future.
When and why did you begin writing?
I started writing as a child and published my first article at the age of 12. It was called “My first day of junior high school.” My
father was a writer and insisted I was a “born writer” but it didn’t occur to me until much later that writing was a special skill.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
There was a series of little things. My father pushed me in that direction– he suggested I write about junior high and submit the
article, for example. I wanted to be an actress and majored in theater in college. I never got cast in anything, and in my senior year, when I auditioned my last time and failed to be cast, I took my anger and frustration and turned it into a one act comedy, which a
group of students performed and I got great feedback for it. Realizing acting was not going to be my calling, I went to broadcast
school to become a radio announcer. As the other students struggled to write ads and news copy, I whipped them off and got praise. I
started to get the idea that I could do something maybe everyone else didn’t find easy. I started writing articles for local papers in a
half-hearted way when I worked in radio, encouraged by my father. It wasn’t until I burnt out on radio that I started taking the writing
seriously. I got a job at the Times Union in Albany, NY as a reporter and feature writer beginning as a temp, filling in for someone on
maternity leave. I had no formal training in journalism or writing and was hired on the strength of my clips. It was great training in
writing quickly and not waiting for the muse or to get your artistic thing together. I published my first book while working at the paper,
and I didn’t look back from that point on. Now I’ve written 14 books, both non-fiction and fiction. What inspired you to write your first book?
I wouldn’t call my first book particularly “inspired.” I mentioned in passing to my father that I thought it would be interesting to
write a book about the real people behind familiar names like Sears, shrapnel, Chef Boyardee and so on. He didn’t let it go until I’d
produced a proposal and some sample chapters and sent them off to everybody using Writer’s Market. I was surprised when I got a call
from a publisher that wanted me to write it.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I am focused on fiction now, and would like that to be my future direction. What works for me in fiction is to start with some sort of archetypal image and to relate it to the specifics of a character in a certain setting and situation. I have a recognizable voice, I think,
in my humorous non-fiction. Now I’ve only published one novel, but I have two more that I’ve written that I’d like to put out and I hope
that I can develop a fiction voice that people recognize and appreciate.
How did you come up with the title?
My novel is the story of a minister who sees a young man and initially confuses him for an angel, although society would view him
as anything but. His relationship with the young man changes everything in his life. So Angel seemed like the best title.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
I hope that it presents more questions than answers. I would like people to read it, think about the story, and let it speak to them in
a personal way. The message will depend a great deal on the reader, as it should be.
How much of the book is realistic?
It is all realistic. It’s a story about two men and their relationship. It is set in a church community. No aliens or vampires
anywhere.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I drew on my experience working in a church to make the setting realistic, but it is not autobiographical in any way.
What books have most influenced your life most?
When I was in high school I had to read everything by Douglas Adams. In my early twenties I had to read everything by Milan Kundera. Now
I’m reading a lot of poetry and theology.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
I didn’t have to choose. It was my father.
What book are you reading now?
The Big Red Book by Rumi.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
I have been reading a lot of really old stuff. If I haven’t read it yet, it’s new to me.
What are your current projects?
I’m seeking a new fiction agent for a novel which I actually wrote before Angel and which I recently updated and revised. I’ve finished
a sequel to Angel, but that book really has to sell a bit more to make it worth publishing. I’m waiting for the non-fiction book I finished
this summer with Reader’s Digest to come out and there are a couple of follow up projects that might spring from that. I am also working on
a more theological project. So there are a lot of directions. I have a lot of literary egg baskets.
Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Not surprising for a writer, but I am a solitary character by nature. One time I did have a strong community in which I was highly active
was when I lived in New York and volunteered for the Guthrie Center. (Folksinger Arlo Guthrie’s non-profit.) Since I came back to Michigan
in 2004, I’ve become much more focused on writing, and much more of a loner.
Do you see writing as a career?
It is a calling, which is a bit different from a career, but it can be a career. Don’t get me wrong, I use “calling” in a matter-of-fact
way. I don’t think there is anything special about having one. Every career has a certain aspect of that. When someone gets laid off from
any job, he has a bit of an existential crisis. There are some fields of endeavor which are skewed much more that way. A person would do
them whether he got paid or not because not doing it would be unimaginable. If you would not feel that you were you if you didn’t
write, that’s what I mean by calling. This is an area where Angel has a touch of autobiography because one aspect of the story is this issue
of having one’s calling threatened. Writers face that all the time. Is it a career if I’m not being paid? If I can’t make a living doing
what I love am I a failure? Am I not who I think I am? Paul, the protagonist of Angel, talks about the downside of having a calling.
If you believe you know what you are supposed to do, you question your ability to do it well enough. He wonders whether people are so
imperfect that they are doomed to fail God either by failing to know what their calling is or by thinking they know and not doing it as
well as they would like. So that is what I mean by calling. My sense of self and my career are tied to each other in a way that might be
unhealthy, but what can I do? If it is unhealthy, I hope I do not get well, because I like who I am. Doing writing as my career was always
important to me. Some people are happy to make their money another way. That’s probably smart. It’s a choice.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
No. I wrote it over the course of a decade and revised and revised and revised. I am happy with the final version. If it had not been
published, I would probably still be fiddling with it, but there is a point when you’re done and you have to stop re-thinking it.
Can you share a little of your current work with us?
blurb:
Since the loss of his lively, charming wife to cancer six years ago, minister Paul Tobit has been operating on autopilot, performing his religious duties by rote. Everything changes the day he enters the church lobby and encounters a radiant, luminous being lit from behind, breathtakingly beautiful and glowing with life. An angel. For a moment Paul is so moved by his vision that he is tempted to fall on his knees and pray.
Even after he regains his focus and realizes he simply met a flesh-and-blood young man, Paul cannot shake his sense of awe and wonder. He feels an instant and overwhelming attraction for the young man, which puzzles him even as it fills his thoughts and fires his feelings. Paul has no doubt that God has spoken to him through this vision, and Paul must determine what God is calling him to do.
Thus begins a journey that will inspire Paul’s ministry but put him at odds with his church as he is forced to examine his deeply held beliefs and assumptions about himself, his community, and the nature of love.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
One of the challenges is to resist the urge to make characters more articulate than they would be in life. As a writer you can find just
the right words to express an emotion, but your characters are not professional writers. So sometimes you have to “ugly up” the perfect
expression of something because it just wouldn’t be realistic for, say, a 24- year old recovering alcoholic to speak in poetry.
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
I am an eclectic reader. There is not one writer that I am focused on at the moment.
Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
No, but I am on tour five months out of the year with my ballet project.
Who designed the covers?
The cover artist of Angel was Anne Cain based on a concept I proposed.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
The novel evolved out of a trip I took in 2000 to Mount Rainier in Seattle. I took a bus tour and the driver was entertaining and kept
talking about burning out on his old job. Toward the end of the tour, someone asked what his old job had been and he said “a minister.”
There were a number of things that stayed with me about that, which I thought would make a great novel. The fact that Mount Rainier was
beautiful and a dormant volcano, and the idea of someone who burned out on the ministry to become a mountain guide. I was reading a lot
of Eastern thought at the time, and it seemed to me that there could be a great story about someone having some kind of life change, maybe
a crisis of faith, or a new direction, that put him on a course that would separate him from his congregation. It would “breathe” the
beauty of the mountain, show how he was called to both. I didn’t know what the “thing” would be though, that separated the minister from the
church and brought him to the mountain. I had a feel for what itwould be, but no specifics. I spent the better part of a decade
meditating on it and trying different things. When the “thing” came to me– that he would fall in love with a man– everything fell into
place and I wrote it quickly as if a tap had been turned on. I just had to catch the water.
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
I became quite interested in the Bible as a result of imagining the inner life of a Christian minister.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
The main thing is not to rush it. When I first decided I wanted to be a writer, I felt pressed to write a novel and I rushed to get one
on paper and it was terrible. You have to do a lot of bad writing, and you need the patience to let an idea lay fallow for a while, maybe
for years. A professional photographer once told me that the key to taking memorable photos was just to take tons of pictures and most of
them won’t be good and a few will be brilliant. I write like mad. I don’t throw anything away. Eventually some of the stuff that I thought was trash turns out to have gems in it. The longer I work at it, the more automatic the process becomes and the better the
gem-to-trash ratio gets. So the advice is that everything takes much longer than you wold like it to. You need the patience of Job.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Angel gets slapped with a lot of genre labels, and some of them scare off certain readers. Don’t be put off by the idea of a “gay Christian
romance.” It is something other than that, and I hope you will give the book a try and decide what animal it is for yourself.
The Motown Writers Network is pleased to introduce you to the 2012 Essence of Motown Literary Jam & Conference Platinum sponsor. We thank you Sylvia for being a continued supporter of the Motown Writer’s Network and the annual conference.
Sylvia McClain is currently a contributing writer for Equal Opportunity Publications. She also writes for The Michigan Journal published by the University of Michigan-Dearborn. She has written articles for the magazines Braids World and Strut to name a few. She conducts workshops on money management, self-publishing, and freelance writing.
An author of a memoir titled Skipping Through Life: The Reason I Am; Ms. McClain has a new book titled The Write Life: A Beginning Writer’s Guide to Writing, Money Management, Publishing and Marketing. She formerly wrote a weekly column, “Sylvia Speaks” for the Dearborn Press and Guide. She has been featured in The Writer’s Digest on-line “Speak Out” section as well as WD’s 2003 Writer’s Yearbook extra. Ms. McClain has been a guest columnist and a contributing writer for the Michigan Chronicle, was regularly quoted in The Detroit Free Press and Detroit News as a subject matter expert. She has written features stories published by The University of Michigan-Dearborn in the university’s Lyceum. Please visit her web site at www.scribalpress.com
She is a former board member of The Detroit Writer’s Guild, responsible for the recording of financial data. Ms. McClain has been on the board of Project Sis (a nonprofit organization for teens at risk) and the city of Detroit’s Cluster Seven of Detroit’s Community Reinvestment Strategy Process. Her other volunteer work has been with WTVS Public TV volunteer staff for fourteen years, a supervisor with Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) for six years, and the Better Business Bureau as an arbitrator during the 1980′s. She was previously employed 22 years with Comerica Incorporated as a Data Base Analyst in the Economics Department.
Ms. McClain is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching while holding a Bachelor of General Studies: Art History, Communications, English, degree from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. She holds an Associate of Arts degree in Accounting from Wayne County Community College.
Ms. McClain is single and has one child. She lives in Dearborn.
Q&A with Sylvia…
Tell us your latest news
Two of the books I was working on are now done. Currently my editor and I are trying to work out a schedule to go over every page.
When and why did you begin writing?
My writing began in the fourth grade, when I wrote a play called Trapped in a Cave and it was selected to be performed at my elementary school. My fourth grade teacher wanted everyone to know that they all could write.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
In 1997 when I acquire a column at UM-D
What inspired you to write your first book?
I wanted to let everyone know that one life is not always perfect.
Do you have a specific writing style?
Non-fiction only nothing else
How did you come up with the title?
Don’t really remember. I just wanted the title to be simple and telling my stories in vignettes was simpler. Which meant the title should be simple too.
How much of the book is realistic?
All of it, it all happen to me in my book, Skipping Through Life, The Reason I Am
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Marvin Arnett who wrote the forward in my autobiography
Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Larry Crider
Do you see writing as a career?
Absolutely, I do not have to have a job anymore because I am considered disabled
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
I am always looking for updates
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Selling the books
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Creative and innovative are understatements when it comes to describing her work. Well-known for transforming others’ thoughts and ideas into written masterpieces, her writing style has catapulted her into a creative writing success for over 15 years. But through perfecting the craft of writing, Tenita Johnson realized her keen eye for spelling and grammatical errors would not only lead her into a career as an editor, but enable her to start her own writing and editing business, So It Is Written LLC.
Tenita’s passion for writing helped aid her in choosing to attend the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she received a Bachelor of Journalism with an emphasis in News/Editorial. Her internship at the Columbia Missourian as not only a reporter, but also as a copy editor, helped hone her writing and editing skills to successfully compete in today’s journalistic and writing industries. Through her visionary writing, Tenita seeks to inspire and uplift others when they seem to have hope lost.
100 Words of Encouragement: Tidbits of Inspiration, her debut book, not only offers hope to make it through the current state of this economy, but to persevere through any trying situation one may encounter in everyday life. This written compilation of daily words of encouragement also emphasizes the belief that if you can condition your mind to think positively, eventually your circumstances will follow. But Tenita’s success is surely not only measured by her own.
Through her So It Is Written LLC, she helps authors around the nation perfect their manuscripts and successfully complete the publishing process. She also offers professional biographies, press releases and proposals, creating distinct brand images for authors long before their books hit the shelves. Together with her education, poise and charisma, she seeks to not only become a better writer and entrepreneur herself, but even more so, she seeks to help other authors bring their visions and dreams to manifestation. For speaking engagements or to purchase your copy of 100 Words of Encouragement, please visit www.soitiswritten.net or email info@soitiswritten.net.
Read below to find out more about author Tenita C. Johnson!
Where are you from?
Chicago, IL
Tell us your latest news?
I am looking to launch my 2nd book in the summer of 2013 titled When the Smoke Clears, the story of my life, told from the other side of victory.
When and why did you begin writing?
I began writing in high school. Both for my school yearbook as well as to release anger and hurt.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I had several published articles in college.
What inspired you to write your first book?
I was unemployed and began to send out emails of inspiration to 5 friends. One of them suggested that I not only keep them, but make them into a book. So I did.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I write to encourage and uplift.
How did you come up with the title?
I sent 100 emails and Googled if 100 Words of Encouragement was taken and it wasn’t. So it was pretty simple!
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Yes, the message is always don’t give up, don’t quit, don’t throw in the towel…without the preached Word. How much of the book is realistic?
Most of it, if not all of it, are real-life accounts of times in my life where I felt down, but pulled myself up again.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
My own real life What books have most influenced your life?
The Bible, Rev Run’s Words of Wisdom
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Steve Harvey, because he writes the real and doesn’t sugarcoat anything.
What book are you reading now?
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Tonia Carter
Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
My Greater Grace Temple church family
Do you see writing as a career?
Yes most definitely!
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
I would change the inside layout and have a professional designer design the pages and I would remove the Bible verses.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Offering ways for people to cope or overcome obstacles in life, when sometimes I am still struggling with those things myself.
Who designed the covers?
Rochelle Mann of Mann Made
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Fear that it is not good enough, it is not from God and fear that Bible scholars would challenge me.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Start marketing 6 months in advance. Hire a professional editor and even still, review the edited copy before going to final print. Don’t order 500 or 100 copies in case you do find an error. Launch your website BEFORE the book comes out and take pre-orders.
Author & Book Info:
100 Words of Encouragement: Tidbits of Inspiration
C.D. Jamerson is a 2012 Michigan Chronicle Woman of Excellence honoree. In addition to her traditional educational experience, she is a graduate with honors of the Harvard University Executive Education Program and is certified in both Leadership and Management. Read as she talks about her second- edition book A Princess Cut Diamond- How to overcome your past and reign as a Princess in your God-given Kingdom.
Where are you from? Detroit, currently living in Southfield MI.
Tell us your latest news? Release of my Book second edition “A Princess Cut Diamond: How to overcome your past and reign as a Princess in your God-given kingdom
When and why did you begin writing? I began writing seriously in high school as a member (and later editor) of the Pershing Times
When did you first consider yourself a writer? When I held my book in my hand for the first time back in 2005.
What inspired you to write your first book? A class that I took in church called purity with purpose. It further reinerated that I has a story to tell an dthat my testimony was important to help liberate others
Do you have a specific writing style? Its usually conversational…like I’m talking to my best girlfriend..but very direct and pointed. I am not one to beat around the bush or sugar coat realities. I serve it straight.
How did you come up with the title? Princess Cut diamonds are my favorite stones..my wedding ring has 41 Princess cut diamonds in it! But aside from that a woman at my church shared a vision with me that also confirmed that “diamonds” would be a part of this project (Its in the book). Also, I am a international pageant Queen holding several titles so the concept of royalty and monarchy is something that is also very much a part of my character.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? YES, that regardless of the past…regardless of the hurt and current stresses…you have a PURPOSE. There is a reason for your existence and for your pain…because of who you are your are destined for greatness and chosen to reign over your “kingdom”. This book looks at the fight that you are in, applies God’s wisdom and principles, gives you PRACTICAL, APPLICABLE information that you can use to start making changes. This is a book that requires WORK. If you are SERIOUS about operating like royalty from here on out, and leaving the life of the defeated behind you then start here. A Princess Cut Diamond will make you laugh, cry, think but most importantly it will cause you to CHANGE. Invest in you and take the time to train to be and live like the royalty you are called to be.
How much of the book is realistic? All of it.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life? Events in my own life.
What books have most influenced your life most? Books by Andy Andrews, John Maxwell, Richard Wright, Anne Lamont, Stephen Covey, Toni Morrison, Terry McMillian
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor? I’m a cross between Andy Andrews and Terry McMillian…weird but true.
What book are you reading now? The Spying in high heels series
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? I am not sure that she is “new” …but new to me.. I am enjoying inspirational romance type books from Grace Greene
What are your current projects? I am currently working on my book series called “A More Excellent Way” . Its a series that takes everyday tasks such as revamping a wardrobe or remodeling a room and details new, creative and precise ideas to get it done effectively.
Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members. Stephania Love…a GREAT friend, balanced sounding board.
Do you see writing as a career? Would LOVE to be a “career writer”…currently working in addition to writing but its the goal to be able to write and speak for a living.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book? Actually…this is the second edition of my first book…so that exactly what I did…everything I wanted to change…I changed.
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? It was the one subject in school that I was good at and didn’t have to really work hard at it..it came naturally.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? Yes..working on stretching out into different genre’s..so the “voice” of my writing has to change to adapt to the new audience.
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work? Andy Andrews…his “parables” are thought provoking and entertaining BUT they also teach and guide the reader to understand next level principles and truths. Terry McMillan’s conversational tone and direct approach on controversial topics is admirable and the lasting effects on her audience are evident in her fan base.
Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)? I have just been given the opportunity to travel with this book. Its VERY exciting to meet new women and be asked to do keynotes, and workshops regarding principles in the book. I could do that ALL day.
Who designed the covers? I did. I was very specific in what I wanted this time, so I determined to do it myself.
What was the hardest part of writing your book? Editing…deciding what stays and what needs to go..
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it? I have learned to respect when people are transparent in their books or in the public eye…it is NOT as easy as people think it is.
Do you have any advice for other writers? Writers do two things that are imperative to their craft. Writers, write and Writers read…all the time. If you are not regularly writing (even in a journal) START. If you don’t always have a book that you are reading…START. Its imperative in order for you to hone your craft to do those two things consistently and diligently.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? To my Princess Cut Diamond readers.. Just know that I am so overwhelmed at #TeamPrincess! The women that are sharing the revelation they are receiving from the book have encouraged ME more than they will ever know. To all my readers and growing fan base…be on the watch for books about everyday that will help you live a next level life!
Name of Book: A Princess Cut Diamond: How to overcome your past and reign as a Princess in your God-given kingdom
On saturday, August 25th I had the wonderful opportunity of interviewing the beautifully talented author, Erica Coleman. This local Detroit author has penned her first novel Dying To Be Loved, a book whose message is relevant and on time for the hour such as this.
Who is Erica Coleman?
Erica Monique Coleman was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Erica graduated from Wayne State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Her creative talents as a writer, model, actor and spokesperson have enabled her to communicate and befriend large groups of men and women “who all have a story to tell.” Writing has been her passion for many years, but her focus has mainly been on women’s’ life issues, as featured on her Blog titled, “Girl Let Me Tell You.” She currently resides in Detroit, MI with her son whom she hopes will follow in her creative footsteps. Dying To Be Loved is her first novel with hopes of many more to follow.
Listen in on our fun-filled interview to learn more about Erica and her new novel Dying To Be Loved.
This Wednesday’s Motown Book Candy feature is Dr. Tunishai A. Ford’s inspiring story ”This is a Comma in Your Life, Not a Period”.
Book Description:
Experience this life-changing saga that will leave you refreshed, renewed and
inspired to face life’s most challenging times. This is a Comma in Your life,
Not a Period will take you to a level of faith and hope never experienced
before.
You will never look at sickness and other life challenges the
same again. Whether you are a victim or not, you will understand that everyone
has a vital role to play. Victory is an interconnection for each and every one
of us to succeed. So prepare to be encouraged, healed, strengthened, and
uplifted. Allow This is a Comma in your Life, Not a Period to literally
transform your life.”
This week we’re talking with Kevin J. Garrity, the author of Sparrow River. Come along as we learn about Kevin and his debut novel!
Where are you from?
I grew up in northwest Detroit, went to school in Redford, and got my degree from Wayne State. Since then I’ve bounced around a bit, moving from Detroit to Traverse City to Seattle to Chicago, and back to Detroit again. I lived In Grayling for 11 years, before moving to West Bloomfield in 2010.
Tell us your latest news?
I’ve just released my first novel, “Sparrow River,” set in a fictionalized Grayling and a fictionalized Pigeon River Forest. It’s a murder mystery with multiple twists.
When and why did you begin writing?
I’ve written all my life. For years I played guitar in bands in Detroit and wrote most of my own material. I soon realized I was a much better writer than I was a musician. I’ve written short stories and other things. It wasn’t until last year that someone convinced me to try my hand at something bigger, and thus “Sparrow River.”
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I think when I penned my first good song. At least I believed it was good at the time. I must have been about fifteen years old, and when we performed, people thought the song was great. Ten years later it was still my most requested tune. I realized right away that if you pen your own stories, you control your own destiny. I’m still adjusting to the idea of being an “author,” in the “I’ve got a book out” sense of the word.
What inspired you to write your first book?
I had the time to write and I had a specific story in mind. What I lacked was the confidence to sit down and actually do it. I had a hard time with the concept of sinking six months or a year’s worth of work into one single project, and not having any idea if it was worthwhile until it was completed. When you write a song, you learn pretty quickly whether or not it’s any good. With a novel, you don’t get that instant feedback. And by the time you do get that feedback, you’re probably committed to most of the book’s content. You can make adjustments, but the gist of the story is generally what it’s going to be. My brother kept pushing me to finish this book, see where it went, and I’m glad he did.
Do you have a specific writing style?
It’s still a work in progress. For “Sparrow River” I tried to keep things clean and simple. I’m a lover of old crime noir and pulp fiction, and I like the fact that these authors didn’t waste words in telling a story. I tried to replicate that style in a modern way, make every word count. On the other hand, I’m working on a new book that’s more in the realm of literary fiction, and I think more depth and description are required to capture the essence of tiny moments.
How did you come up with the title?
It’s a play on words. The Sparrow River is actually the Pigeon River, but I didn’t want to be married to the truth. I changed the names of a lot of things in this book, so that I could arbitrarily change anything that might make for a better story. The fictional names gave me the ability to lie whenever it was convenient to the plot. There’s also a bit of an homage to Hemingway in there, his “Big Two Hearted River.”
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
I deliberately created some ambiguity throughout the story. I didn’t want it to be a cut-and-dried murder, with a nearly perfect hero and a tidy little ending. Those stories have been written a thousand times over, and I doubted I was going to improve on the classics. I tried to create something that is more like real life, where things aren’t always what people assume they are, and perceptions are often deceptive. Two people can read this book and end up with very different views of what it really means.
How much of the book is realistic?
The setting is very real. The town of “Rasmus” is Grayling in disguise (with a few changes when it suited the story). Sparrow River is real, it is the Pigeon River hiding under a pseudonym. I tried to capture the north woods and small town life as best I could. There are pieces of the area that folks will find familiar. Some are just plain made up. I’ll leave it to the reader to decide which is which, or whether it even matters. The plot itself is pure fiction.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
My protagonist is loosely based on a good friend of mine. He is not always warm and fuzzy. I took the strongest parts of his personality and put them on steroids. At the same time, I tried to humanize him whenever possible. I didn’t want to write a cartoon character: in the end, nobody wants to root for a total jerk. In the end, you want to like him. So I tried to create a slightly over the top version of my friend, and put him in an exceptional situation. I also borrowed liberally from my own life and from incidents that happened to people I know, wherever it made for good reading.
What books have influenced your life most?
When I was younger, Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle” and Hemingway’s Nick Adams stories. “Babbit” and “Elmer Gantry” captured a page in time like nothing else, and let me fall in love with the use of specific language to create an environment. Those books made me an avid reader at a very young age. Later it was E.L. Doctorow’s “Ragtime” and John Irving’s “Setting Free the Bears” that inspired me. I read Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” when it first came out, and thought it was the best thing I’ve seen in over a decade.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Walter Mosley. I can’t put his books down. His primary characters are often flawed and broken souls. They’re real. He captures dialogue like you’re standing in a bar room in Watts, listening in on a stranger’s conversation. Nobody compares. And he proves you don’t have to follow the formulas of every author that came before you in order to succeed.
What books are you reading now?
Bryan Gruley’s “Starvation Lake” and John Irving’s “In One Person.”
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
When I’m not writing, I consume novels. Sometimes I read two or three a week. And I’m always a little wary of calling any writer “new,” because they might have been at it for twenty years before I’ve even heard of them. For example, someone recently gave me a copy of Jonathan Lethem’s “Gun with Occasional Music.” It’s not a genre I’d normally choose for myself. It’s a mystery, but with strong elements of a dystopian society. It was printed in 1994, though I just recently discovered it. I thought it was brilliant. So there’s a “new” author in my world. The good news is, he’s since created almost two decades’ worth of work, that I can read whenever I’d like.
What are your current projects?
I’m working on a novel that’s set in Detroit, more literary fiction than mystery. The writing is a little more time consuming, because it lacks the typical construct of mystery and resolution. I’m planning a sequel to “Sparrow River,” which I hope will be done sometime next spring. In the meantime I try to put a new short story on my blog (KevinJGarrity.com) at least once a month, so people remember that I’m still alive.
Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
I can’t thank the Devereaux Memorial Library in Grayling enough. When I first discussed “Sparrow River” with them, they gave me a royal welcome and all the resources they could muster. The NextChapter Bookstore in Northville gave me my first signing. Libraries and independent bookstores are my friends.
Do you see writing as a career?
I certainly hope so. At the same time, the traditional models of publishing and marketing a book have been turned upside down in the last few years. The big publishing houses seem less and less willing to sign an unknown and then allow him a few books to build his audience. They need immediate results. There are tools and technologies that make it simpler and less expensive than ever to self-publish, but at the same time independent bookstores are disappearing at an unbelievable rate. And it’s hard to do a book signing at Amazon. We need places like The NextChapter and Book Beat. The landscape is shifting at an ever-quickening pace. It will be interesting to see how things play out.
If you had to do it over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
I joke that I should have titled it “Fifty Shades of Grayling,” and I’d have sold another million. But no, I wouldn’t change anything. I’m pretty happy with the book.
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I think I’ve always been a story teller, and I’ve always written in some form or another. I’d much rather create my own reality than try to improve upon someone else’s. To me, a novel was the logical next step in my progression as a writer.
Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Earth and wood, it turned out, weren’t enough to hold back the volume of water that races through the Sparrow River in the springtime. “Sparrow,” a misnomer if ever there was one. In the dog days of summer it flows smooth and shallow. It meanders through her deeper stretches, hiding cool dark holes where the big trout lay until the evening hatch. It riffles and purls its way across the gravel bars that stretch like fingers into her current. It wraps around corners and dumps sand from her load, only to pick up where it left off and continues upon its former course. In the summer months hikers are easily enticed to take a dip, washing off days of sweat accumulated during their hike across the lower peninsula’s shore-to-shore trail. Horses have watered there since before time was measured. The Sparrow can seem gentle enough, but most of the locals called it the “Bitch River” for a reason.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
I have to remember that dialogue is almost never written in proper english. People simply don’t converse in full and complete sentences. They talk in bits and chunks. And proper grammar is usually not true to any character. I’m getting more comfortable with dialogue the more I write.
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Right now it’s Walter Mosley. Sometimes his books are a little graphic, but his characters have a realistic grit that is lacking in mystery fiction. There are too many books where the lead character is a former cop with one fatal flaw (he drank too much….he wouldn’t take a bribe…he failed to solve one crime and has been haunted ever since) that leads him to become an outcast private investigator. Mosley smashes those stereotypes. His protagonists are usually an everyman, with both good and bad inside. Their actions are sometimes shaped by their circumstances, and tend to be more believable because of that.
Do you have to travel much concerning your book?
I’ve been traveling some, mostly to the northern lower peninsula and around the metro Detroit area. Having to travel more would be a good problem. I’d view it as an indicator that Sparrow River is building a larger audience.
Who designed the covers?
The cover photos that I used were taken by a friend of mine from Grayling, George McKim. The cover design itself was done by my twelve-year-old son, Teemu. He was laid up for six weeks this past winter with mono. He was too sick to get off the couch, was sleeping eighteen hours per day. I didn’t want him playing on an Ipod for the six hours a day that he was awake, so I put him to work. All of the graphics, the fonts, multiple color changes and design tweaks, even the logo for Hammer Handle Press, it was all him. He taught himself how to use Gimp and invested about 80 hours into the cover layout. I think that by the end of the process, he’d rather have gone to school than be asked to change one more detail.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
It took me a while to find a voice for my lead character, Walt Pitowski. I could hear Walt in my ear, but it took some serious effort to capture the right tone on paper. I didn’t want him to be a total misogynist, yet that is certainly part of who the character is. Once I finally figured him out, the words came quickly.
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
I learned that, even when you have a clearly defined outline of where you want the story to go, you have to be willing to change and adapt. Sometimes the story has a mind of its own.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Keep at it, and don’t be intimidated by the process of publishing. I know too many people that have spent decades talking about the book they intend to write, “someday,” “when they have some time.” It looks scarier than it actually is, and not every thing you do needs to be perfect on the first run.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Sparrow River should be fun to read. It is at heart a mystery. At the same time, I tried to weave in slices of rural northern life, with all of the prejudices and flaws and problems that accompany that world. “Rasmus” could be any small town, and Walt Pitowski could be a lot of people you’ve already met. He’s rough around the edges, but underneath it all he is a man that wants to find his place in the community, wants to be loved. I tried to make Sparrow River as much about a place and time, about a person making his way in a specific environment, as it is about one single incident.
This wednesday’s “Motown Book Candy” feature is with Jaylen LaGrande. Check out Jaylen on today’s Motown Literary Network Blogtalk Radio as he talks about his new book Identity Crisis.
Identity Crisis: The Final Verdict
Imagine the horror of suddenly realizing that you are the victim
of an unspeakable crime. As the modus operandi of the criminal activity is unraveled, you struggle to maintain your breathing. One devastating fact leads to another. Tears run like a raging river as each piece of evidence is sprawled out before you. Your skin is covered in a cold sweat and your heart drums fiercely. It is a most invasive kind of crime because personal information you held dear has been used to steal your very existence. Law enforcement officials have labeled this crime – identity theft. Author Jaylen LaGrande has taken the legal description of this invasive criminal act and wonderfully drawn a colorful analogy to its prevalence in the Kingdom, and how it affects who we are as Christians and spiritual beings. Even more shocking than his keen and in-depth study of the demonic attack against the identities of the sons and daughters of God; is a startling revelation. That revelation – the enemy has not stolen the identities of God’s children. Identity Crisis: The Final Verdict presents a compelling case for the prosecution that proves many of us have unwittingly embraced the very disruptive identities that the enemy has sown into our lives through thoughts, generational behaviors, friends, family, errant beliefs and low self-esteem. Thus, as we rise and the morning sun illuminates our image in the mirror – we see self; yet hauntingly self bears the identical appearances of fear, anger, manipulation, doubt and so many other absolutely damaging identities. Do not fear! LaGrande gives you access herein to a weapon that will, without fail, kill every trick of the enemy that has and will come. Each of us who has struggled with feeling the blow of demonic strategies against our purpose and destiny should bathe in the power of LaGrande’s work.
Michele Green posted an event on Motown Writers Network's wall: IT'S TONIGHT!! Come join me, publisher RM GREEN and my co-host, THE1ESSENCE on AUTHOR SPEAK this SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2013 as we interview publisher ELISSA GABRIELLE of Peace In The Storm Publishing as we present this special edition, Part II of the 'PILLOW TALK DUETS' authors, wh […]
Jonathan Sho-Biz Howard wrote on Motown Writers Network's wall: Check out my blogs. For music: http://t.co/JpOQfWsq AND for politics: http://t.co/PRsUQoUu Thanks to everyone who views!
Jeana Mariama Tall wrote on Motown Writers Network's wall:
Vendoring Spaces Avail. in Metro Det.
Vending space available Oct 11th 4th The Taste of Southfield event from 5p.m.-8p.m. http://ping.fm/VAwQv
Looking for Vendors in Michigan, Health & Wellness Events -Networking Connection - Oct 19th- Farmington Hills,... http://fb.me/1ciO9QlDM
Do you have vendoring available at yr events?
Empowering people to overcome obstacles and walk in their unique purpose is the real life message shared by Eddie Connor, who is a 15-year cancer survivor.
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