Author of The Write Way To Love, Kisha Green

 

First thing first, who is Kisha Green?

Kisha is a mother,sister,aunt,friend, publisher,writer,promoter, book reviewer, online radio hostess and reality tv junkie lol

When did you begin your love affair with the written word?

 

I've always kept a journal since I was 11 and my entries always read like stories.

I can remember the first time I tried my hand at writing, I wrote a short story about a woman who lost her son in a botched robbery, I think that I was about 14 at the time. Can you remember the first time your pen hit the paper and you began to write?

 

At age 11 and the story was about what my life would be if I was rich and famous with long hair like Rapunzel.

Eric Jerome Dickey, Mary Monroe and even Judith Michaels inspired me to write more and to write better. Who are some of your favorite authors who inspired you?

 

Mary Higgins Clark and Jackie Collins. They both have a unique gift of storytelling that inspired me to take my writing seriously.

You have children, and with children it is oftentimes hard to get a free moment to breathe let a lone to pen an entire book. How do you juggle being a parent and an author?

 

I'm a mother of four and time management is very hard but my family comes first. I used to have it backwards thinking I had to be this best selling author and everyone has to know my name and my family could wait but now my attitude is the work can wait because without the love and support of my family I am nothing.

You are self-published, how do you think that self-publishing has changed the literary world?

 

It has allowed a lot of people to take their literary fate into their own hands. Self publishing is a real commitment that takes real hard work and dedication,so it has to be respected as such.

I know that I cringe every time I see a poorly designed book cover or an author responding in a less than professional manner to a book review. What are some of the things in the literary world that grinds your gears?

 

Bad covers and bad editing. Your book like your child is a DIRECT representation of you. So in publishing you must put your best literary foot forward.

A Write Way to Love is a short story that is about a woman who is trying to follow her dreams to become an author, but she does not have the support from her less than faithful husband. How important is it that your life partner support you in your dreams?

 

Very important because if you do not have your partners support you won't be able to produce the best product because you won't be able to solely focus knowing the project isn't supported by the person you love.

Tell me about your title, Fefe’s Freaky Tale?

 

It is my Erotic Flash Fiction short story about Feona "FeFe" Walker a woman who has only one thing on her mind - pleasure. Before her love can come down, she must select a man to quench her body's insatiable appetite. NOTHING is off limits in her quest for pure sexual ecstasy. It is a very sexually charged short story.

Tell us about your 2009 book, And Even If I Did?

 

And Even If I Did tells a story of friendship and betrayal amongst three friends all on the road to self discovery but ultimately the girls learn the lifetime lesson that everyone wants to be a friend but many aren't truly capable of actually being one.

This book has a happy ending which is something that we aren’t use to in a lot of Urban literature. Do you feel that urban authors have embraced the tragic endings?

 

I think a lot of authors stick to the formula of drama sells so they tend to give readers drama but for me I enjoy happy endings so I try to implement something positive in my endings. There's a lot of negativity already here on the earth so why not write something different.

You are very vocal on your Facebook and Twitter feed; how do you think that social media has helped you as an author?

 

It is indeed a blessing. I'm able to reach so many and daily I grow my readership and clientele. I'm truly blessed to be able to incorporate social media into my daily life that makes it financially beneficial for me and my family.

Last question, what is next for Kisha Green?

 

The sky is truly the limit. I will continue to expand my brand while creating a legacy for my children.

Thank you for your responses…where can readers find your books?

 

My books can be purchased from my website (www.divabooksinconline.com), Amazon and BN.com

　

You can connect with Kisha Green on one of the following soical media outlets:

Facebook- www.facebook.com/1KishaGreen

Twitter- @KishaGreen @LiteraryJewels2

Blog- www.literary-jewels.com

Website- www.divabooksinconline.com

Catch Me If I Fall, But Don't Hold Me While I Lean : The Power of A Support System

Hello! Today is Skeletons' first birthday! I can't believe that it has been an entire year since I published my first book and I'm still excited about it! I want to thank each and everyone who took the time out of your busy day and took the chance on my first novel! Rather you loved it or hated it, it feels good being able to say that my book has been read by thousands of people all over America and even in Europe and Canada!
So take a moment and say a silent happy birthday to my very first baby today!

My husband and I spent our weekend shopping for my 18 year-old daughter, Ta'Keyha's last and my 15 year old son Asa's first Homecoming dance. The four little ones keep us so busy that we hardly get to spend any time with the first two alone so we took them shopping by themselves and I am proud to say that we actually had a great time. My teenagers are so funny and interesting that we really enjoy connecting with them without the interruptions that oftentimes come with children under the age of 13. It is hard giving each kid their own individual time since we have so many of them, but we do try to make things work the best that we can then at 9:00 it is my husband and my time to do our own thing then watch television together and reconnect as husband and wife.

Since today is the 1st birthday of Skeletons I think back to when I was writing it and publishing and I wouldn't have been able to get any of that done without my support system. That is what today's blog topic will focus on.

Catch Me If I Fall, But Don't Hold Me While I Lean 

In anything that we do in life we all need some type of support system. Rather it is writing a book, going back to school to get your degree, raising a family or simply getting through life. Without a trusted support system some of us wouldn't even be able to get out of bed in the morning. I pride myself on not having a ton of close friends in my life. Not because I am an anti-social person, but because I am confident that the few people that I put in my inner circle are not only there for a reason, but also because I value them and trust them with the most private details of my life. 

A support system can be anyone from your parents to your best friend to your spouse or even your neighbor who watches the kids while you stay up late typing that ten page paper that you've been putting off for one day too long. A support system can be any where from one person to twenty people that you trust because the main job of a support system is that you can count on them. 

I remember when I started writing Skeletons, my husband would get off of work and take the kids to the park so that I could have an hour or two to myself to be able to write without interruptions. Since Januari was still a baby when I was writing my book my mother and father and law would step in and take the baby for me while I worked. My little sister would allow Javier and Boston to come to her house to play with her son, Kamron. My friends Janita, Jillian, Chevon, Rachel and Artura supported me by being there to listen to me go on and on about the process of writing and publishing a book and sometimes they would give me good advice. 

I love my support system! 

While I cherish my support system with all of my heart, I have to remember that they are there to support me, but they are not there to be a crutch for me. Sometimes when a person knows that they have a great support system they begin to take advantage of that support and instead of catching them if and when they fall they begin to use the support system to hold them up while they lean. 

And lean. 

And lean. 

And lean

Pretty soon the support system is no longer there for support, but they are there to coddle and pacify the leaner instead of pushing the leaner back up they allow them to just lean. See a support system exists to help you grow, but if they are only holding you up while you stay stagnant then what is the point? 

Lean on me when you're not strong

I'll be your friend I'll help you carry on

For it won't be long

That I'm going to need somebody to lean on

The Bill Withers song about friendship isn't about carrying your friend, but it is about helping your friend to carry on. He said lean on me when you're not strong not lean on me when you are able. He said I'll help you carry on not I'll help you make excuses for not carrying on. 

 Lets face it we need a support system just to make it through the regular stuff of the day let alone to be able to follow our dreams. 

There are wives out there who do not have the support of their husbands while they follow their dreams. There are children out there who do not have the support of their parents while they try out for the basketball team. There are men who do not have the support of their women while they go to work then come home to take online courses to earn their degree.

Remember, if you have a support system consider yourself lucky, but don't use your support as a crutch to be able to just lean because soon your support might just walk away you then you may fall. 

TTYL 

Author of Touch, Jaded and The Newly Released Title High Rollers...Ms. Envy Red!

Hello all, I hope that you enjoyed your lazy Labor Day weekend, I know that I did. I am so excited to have had the opportunity to interview the very talented and very busy author and savvy business woman, Envy Red that I want to skip any commentary by me and bring you the interview.

Introducing Envy Red

 

 

 

 First, who is Envy Red?

Wow! Who isn’t Envy Red is the question that runs through my mind. I wear so many hats yet I’m firmly grounded in who I am. I am a mother, friend, daughter, writer, entrepreneur and the laundry list goes on. However, in all that I am, I pray that being a blessing to others tops the list.

 Envy you are a phenomenal woman, you are not only a up and coming author, a mother a philanthropist, and a board member of Homebound Citizens, but you are also a cancer survivor. How do you manage it all?

I’m still trying to figure it out. I just put my goals in front of me with each project and push everyday. I’m learning to manage my time a lot wiser but the hours still float away. Time waits for no one. I really take head to that.

I think that before an authors puts her pen to a pad she has to read, who are some of your favorite authors?

Oh wow this puts me on the spot lady because if I forget someone it may start a mini war. Can I give a disclaimer first? Ok here it goes. If I forget to mention some of my favorites charge it to my head and not my heart. Lets get some of the biggies out of the way first. Stephen King, Zora Neale Hurston, JD Mason, and Eric Jerome Dickey. I have recently discovered a new breed of fire starters in Fabiola Joseph, Treasure Blue, Joe Awsum and I can’t forget my triplets in lit Rahiem Brooks and Kristofer Clarke.

In my opinion great authors are not made, but they are born with the gift to construct whole new worlds that inhabit people and to create situations for those people to get into and try get out of. With that being said what inspired you to begin writing?

I have always had a strong love for literature. I was known to carry a book around with me everywhere as a child. My teachers encouraged me to write from as far back as I could remember. However, I took what I was told was the “safe” route and went to business school and when on to graduate school. It was not until after my mother had a stroke and I watched her sit at the computer every day writing her book, that I got the courage to pen my own story. I was diagnosed with cancer during that journey and it further pushed me to complete my first project.

Like myself, you are a self-published author, how do you feel that self-publishing has changed the literary world and what made you choose to self publish?

Self publishing has made it easier for aspiring authors to realize their dreams without the increased pressure of rejection by the majors. Personally, I never shopped myself to a mainstream publisher because I wanted to learn the business for myself first rather than have it fed to me. That was just my personal need.

You are fairly new to the game, what are some of the most surprising things about the literary world that you have experienced?

LOL do you really want to know? Well my most shocking revelation was how much time and energy is really needed to market a book regardless of how good it is. It also shocked me to see how many crooks were in the literary world. You know the ones who get your books and don’t pay. We all know a few of those but you learn quick. This is the only business I know that operates backwards in that way outside of a true consignment shop. With those you can usually walk in and just take ownership back of your property. In this game you lose a lot of money if you are not smart and conscious about who you trust.

I am a mother of six children, oftentimes people ask me how I actually wrote and published a book with kids. Do you think that motherhood made it a little harder to finish your books or was the fact that you have a children looking up to you made your motivation stronger?

Personally, my kids made me stronger. Knowing I am that role model to them gave me that added fuel to press on.

I have heard nothing but great things about your books Touch and Jaded, can you tell my readers something about those books?

Touch was my first-born. I was able to play with sexuality and literature in a way that a diverse group of people could read and enjoy. It’s considered erotica but the characters go through so much that the pages reveal more than just mind blowing sex. With Jaded I was able to reel you in and really touch on heavy subject matter. I took a totally different approach with this book and I have to admit I wasn’t the least bit worried about changing genres. It’s a psychological thriller and let’s you tap into my love for the mental psyche. It peaks my interest like no other. I consider myself an envelope pusher and I think I do that with both titles.

Touch, touched on the secret society of swinging, what prompted you to involve your characters in that society?

It was different. It’s one of those subjects that I’m sure a lot of people secretly wonder about and this was my chance to give it to them in story form. It was a fantasy ride

My mother lives with a mental illness which I touched on in a previous blog; in your second book, Jaded, your main character has a mental illness and as you know in the African American community we tend to shy away from that topic. What prompted you to write about such a touchy and often hush-hush topic?

The fact that in the black community so many of our people go undiagnosed because of old traditions and our failure to accept mental illness as an affliction that we too suffer from. The story came to me. I swear it was God because i had zero difficulty when writing that book. It just flowed. I had to step away from it quite a bit because it was an emotional ride but one that needed to be exposed.

Tell me about your latest book, High Rollers?

High Rollers allows me to merge my love for roller skating with my love for writing. It’s about a Vietnam Vet who comes home only to inherit two businesses. One happens to be a rink which his friend convinces him to use for a far more sinister operation. That operation is human trafficking from America to Brazil. I absolutely feel as one with this new set of characters. Each has qualities that most of us can relate to in one form or another.

I noticed that you have a passion for roller skating; how long have you been skating?

I have been skating for a few years. I fell into it accidentally after finding myself at a national skate party. I fell in love instantly. I have been hooked ever since

What is next for Envy Red?

The sky has no limits and all I can say is Drama Baby! I am pouring my all into this store. I recently signed my lease and I’m getting the inside prepared for opening next month. I am shooting for 9/22. It is a children’s bookstore, select adult fiction, and kiddie accessory boutique. It will also have two spacious private rooms for baby showers and events. I’m embarking on a journey called “Open Book” as well. I am the co-host of this hot new show as well as working on a networking site called Author’s Info which has been rolled out already. I will also be starting my next title early next month
God willing.

Thank you for your candid interview you are truly an amazing woman who is ain inspiration to many.

You can find Envy Red's books on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

If you want to give a shout out to Ms. Red you can reach her on the following social networking sites:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/EnvyRed
Twitter: @EnvyRed