Getting to Know Angela H. Brown

Angela is the published author of; IT’S MO BETTER THE SECOND TIME AROUND! She is on the move and has no plans on stopping any time soon! Angela is motivated to pull her readers into the room and make them feel sexy, and secure to be themselves. It’s Mo Better is based upon bits and pieces of her own life. Angela experienced physical abuse at an early age, but the bruises eventually disappeared and she began to inspire other people to stop playing the victim and plan for your victory! Angela was inspired to write her first book by her attorney who was her client; she is a hair dresser of twenty years. The book became born and the character TIFFANY was released to the world. Tiffany is a young sexy diva who is searching for a LOVE JONES EXPERIENCE. Tiffany meets Mr.Wrong.com, and learns that love and sex is two different things. Charles is his name and boxing is his game. Charles is controlling and has the key, and code to Tiffany’s forbidden treasure. Moaning, passion, rain drops of sweat, and screaming his name ends in pain. Now Tiffany’s young and dumb attitude knows better she was raised better than that. The book will take you through a tunnel of confusion, because Tiffany finds out life ain’t perfect. Well look who fell out the sky it is a bird or a plane, no honey it is every woman’s dream it is a scoop of chocolate ice cream dripped in caramel, and nuts with a cherry on top. Lord have mercy it is Mr. Randy to the rescue. Tiffany takes this joy ride then jumps out the passenger seat and hitchhikes right to, what do the lonely do at Christmas life. Readers it get’s Mo Better because love gets real, and the bruises began to fade. This book has so much passion and surprises; it is a small world after all. Mo Better takes a flight toAtlantaand parties to the cool and classy old school beats. Rock with me and slip into your sexy gear, and enjoy making your LOVE JONES experience, a night to remember.

Angela Hughes Brown is inspired to write, because she loves expressing herself in a sexy way. She lives onFantasyIsland, when the world gets confusing then she starts to write to give herself a break. This has become her hobby and mission to inspire her readers to become the best what ever they want to be. She has trials and tribulations, but it only makes her stronger. Angela has been a listening ear to her clients for years, she gives them a healthy beautiful look, and inspire them in their hearts that they can make it with God on their side. Angela has never met a stranger she is out going and loves to net work. Her goal is to travel and motivate the world to GO AND GET THEIR DREAMS OUT THERE! When one door closes anther one will open with prayer and faith! Her passion constantly inspires her readers to never let their fire out life is too short! Look for her other books that is coming soon, How TO GET THE HEALTHY BACK IN YOUR HAIR, and CARPET BURNS! Yes Angela is your next fabulous new author she has a heart full of stories to tell, and she prefers to tell it her way. So laugh, cry, and learn a valuable lesson while this dynamic poetic writer pulls you into her world!


How To Get the Healthy Back In Your Hair . . .: Rekindling Healthy Hair

How Tto Get the Healthy Back In Your HairThis insightful book educates the reader on how to choose a hair stylist, as well as understanding their hair. It pulls you into the world of healthy hair, and focuses on important issues, like, balding, weaving, colors, and textures. Enjoy a special interview with Kimberly Williams Greer, the personal hair stylist for the Food Network show, Down Home with the Neely’s and Road Tasted with the Neely’s. Wearing your new hat with cancer, will also be featured, it gives important information concerning growing your hair back healthy after loosing your hair. Consultations before you become a client, and much more. . . .


Novel: It’s Mo Better The Second Time Around

Tiffany is a young beautiful virgin, who falls for the wrong guy. She finds that love doesn’t wear a glove, and Charles is her abuser! He inherited this mixed up abuse from Daddy Dearest! Tiffany gives up her forbidden hidden treasure, and wears tattoos in all rainbow colors. She knows that mama didn’t raise no fool! She moans,screams,and cries out for help, making love feels like, Mr. just doing his business. Tiffany has a long way to go, and being grown doesn’t seem so pretty. Charles becomes a thing of the past finally, but he leaves scares inside this young ladies heart! Mr.Right enters into Tiffany’s world, but there is much work to do. Randy is very handsome, charming, and is lover not a fighter! Can Tiffany let the past go and eat all the dessert that is on her plate? Randy is the best thing that has ever happened to Tiffany. She learns what real love feels like! Conflict will arise,and scandal will come back and hunt her. Sit tight , because it is about to turn into a LOVE JONES THRILLER! Put your seat belts on , and take a roller coaster ride, into Tiffany’s world!

It’s Mo Better The Second Time Around, Q & A

1. Q, What inspired you to write this sexy love story?

A, Well I was in a domestic relationship, and writing was my therapy.



2. Q, Do you consider yourself a survivor?

A, Yes I do, I made it and it is my responsibility to help others who may be going through the same storm!



3. Q, How did you come up with the Randy character?

A, Well Randy was not perfect but he was perfect for so many women we know inside and out! I felt it was about time someone wrote about a positive black man for a change!



4. Q, What made you tell the readers about Charles’s father’s abusive ways?

A, The readers had a right to know how this monster began learning hoe to abuse women.



5. Q, What made you come up with that shower scene between Tiffany, and Randy?

A, Well I wanted my book to breathe a classy sexy experience, and I wanted them to take their time.



6. Q, Your book had an old school flavor are you old school?

A, Yes I love old school music, and life! I wanted to bring a little of that back like the candy, Now or Later, and Lemon Heads.



7. Q, Will there be a sequel or should we just vibe off this Love Jones story?

A, Well I have many other books to come so I never say never, I will consider it in the future!

Find Angela at: www.thehealthyhair.com . E-mail is cherrywinepublisher@yahoo.com

Sleepless Nights: The Drew Smith Series By Norwood Holland

William Norwood Holland, Jr. or Norwood Holland also his nom de plume was born on July 22, 1951 in Washington, DC and grew up in Gum Springs the historically black enclave in Virginia’s suburban Fairfax County once apart of the Mount Vernon plantation then willed to George Washington’s slaves and their descendants. Holland traces both maternal and paternal lineages to Washington’s slaves. During the post Brown vs. Board of Education desegregation period he attended the County’s segregated Drew-Smith Elementary School named after the pioneering African American physician Dr. Charles Drew and 19th Century Gum Springs resident and educator Annie Smith. Holland credits his early childhood reading and education with inspiring the name of his lead protagonist Drew Smith.



Desegregation was complete by the time he entered the County’sFortHuntHigh School. There he witnessed limited social and extra-curricular opportunities for blacks and sought out the historically black college experience enteringFiskUniversityin the fall of 1969. There he majored in English and Education studying under the late Harlem Renaissance writer Arna Bontemps. Hollandgraduated a member of Lambda Iota Tau International Literature Honor Society in 1973 then worked briefly at theGraduateSchool, USDA counseling military veterans and foreign students before enrolling at Howard University School of Law receiving a Juris Doctor in 1978.



He has served in several government agencies including the National Labor Relations Board and a number of Washington’s top national law firms. In the mid 90s Hollandbegan freelancing for the local media. In 2008 The Writer Magazine published his How I Write profile of local best selling novelist George Pelacanos.



Hollandidentifies with Pelacanos’ writing style and hometown setting also adopting the same hardboiled noir fiction genre. For the past 10 years Hollandhas devoted much of his writing to completing the 4 volume Drew Smith series. He launches the series with the publication of Sleepless Nights, where the practicing attorney/bon vivant keeps it real both at work and play.

Hollandcurrently blogs at editorialindpendence.com . More information on Sleepless Nights is available at SleeplessNightsNovel.com and his web site Norwood Holland.com




Trial attorney Drew Smith a solo practitioner takes on shady clients solving cases fraught with danger and romantic intrigue. Through Sleepless Nights the urban legal wizard while frolicking with an exotic dancer succumbs to a midlife crisis. Haunted by foreshadowing nightmares an awakening reveals an empty life but Smith finds solace with therapist Zöe Settles. In an already complicated life Smith is pressed into service when a vicious robbery leaves three dead and the city enraged. Drew Smith and his devoted sidekick Julio Mejia work to free his young client on the trail of a crazed gunman responsible for a growing body count. In the end, the gunman and the dancer combine forces to bring Smith down. When death comes knocking Drew Smith faces the fight of his life.

Get to Know Holland:

1. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am a freelance writer and lawyer lobbying on behalf of police and security officers. I received my law degree from Howard University School of Law and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English at Fisk University. A native of Washington DC, I favor D.C.’s local color in my fiction and currently write the offbeat blog editorialindependence.com devoted to diversity issues and labor law, book reviews, and social commentary.

2. Describe your book ‘Sleepless Nights’ in 30 words or less.

Sleepless Nights is suspenseful with larger than life characters based on a true crime story changing the lives of three young men and those around them–an engrossing legal thriller.

3. What was the hardest part of writing your book?

For me the most difficult part of writing Sleepless Nights was developing the plot line, and trying to come up with creative ways to raise the stakes for Drew Smith. A fundament rule for legal thrillers is to make your protagonist suffer and with that in mind the challenge was to make Drew Smith suffer while seemingly enjoying the high life. Drew Smith an urban bon vivant in his favor why should he be troubled? So I had the difficult task of causing him trouble. Once I had a central plot down then subplots and characters began to unfold naturally in the development.

4. What books have had the greatest influence on you?

I love biographies and particularly writer’s biographies. I’m a student of African American Literature so my taste may be a little esoteric. Two great books which I considered my favorite autobiographies are James Weldon Johnson’s Along This Way and Langston Hughes I Wonder As I Wander. As for popular fiction I’m a big fan of Harold Robbins and James Michener, I like epic adventures. I can say unequivocally the works of Langston Hughes have had the greatest influence on me.

5. Briefly share with us what you do to market your book?

Marketing is a challenge and a whole new experience for me. I’m targeting book clubs and reading groups to develop a core readership or fan base. I’m also targeting the Library market. I have found the local and national independent publishing associations to be valuable resources. They have also been instrumental in introducing me to book fairs and trade shows as possible venues for selling books. My promotional strategy is combination of both on line and off line. I plan to implement an intense internet promotional plan primarily made up of a bog blog tours to promote the ebooks and book signings at independent book stores and reading groups.

6. How do you spend your time when you are not writing?

Lately I’ve taken up golf as a hobby. When I’m not working I’m usually involved in some type of self improvement project like trying to teach myself new skills like building web sites and learning a second language. I also like to travel something I hope to do more of as I attempt to promote my book at book stores across the country. I enjoy reading, visiting art museums, and music. According to Auntie Mame, “life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving.” I try to end each day sated.

7. What are you working on next?

Minus One, the prequel to the Drew Smith Series is in its final editing stages. I expect to see it in print by Spring 2012. Drew Smith finishes law school and takes a job as a hotel concierge while awaiting his bar exam results. He makes new friends with two Bell Men and after a night out on the town suddenly finds themselves the center of a murder mystery.

Blacktop Hustlaz By

JAMES SKIER aka “Skee” has a raw perception of women: they’re here to take care of him. And his 18-year-old girlfriend, Ariana Houston, does just that. Her parents accepted him and her father even offers him a job … but he has a better idea … he wants to sell dope.

Unbeknownst to Ariana, he finds a weed plug in the only person he knows will front him the product, an aged and respected gangster from his old neighborhood. Skee sells out fast and it seems that he’s found his niche. Even when he gets robbed at gunpoint, he switches to selling powder cocaine and hustles harder. He moves out his mother’s house and, with pride, treats his girl to a shopping spree—but under the guise that he has a real job. That very night, though, after a heated argument, he tells her he sells drugs and she storms out.

Does he care? No. He has bigger problems that threaten to tear down his newfound success.



ARIANA HOUSTON devoted herself to being the perfect girlfriend to Skee despite the rumors she heard that he’s a cheater. But when she finds out he sells drugs, she leaves him. Her best friend, Brandy, is happy for her new singleness and encourages her to go out with Ronnell “Scrill” Jackson, a well-paid brotha that goes to their college. Soon after she sleeps with him, she feels a painful guilt, as if she cheated on Skee. That guilt turns to horror when she finds out that Scrill sells drugs too … and that someone very close to her is his boss. And they’re planning to kill Skee!

Will she be able to warn her ex-boyfriend in time?

Should she …?

Interview with the Author:

Who are the main characters in Blacktop Hustlaz?

Blacktop Hustlaz is about James "Skee" Skier and Ariana Houston, a once inseparable young couple that fall apart over drug trafficking. Everyone knows they're supposed to be together, but Ariana can't see herself with someone that sells cocaine for a living. It turns out that fate has a plan to bring them back together ... but their reunion comes in a way that horrifies both of them.
What inspired you to write this book?

Authors before me inspired me to write Blacktop Hustlaz, namely Kwan, Shannon Holmes and Teri Woods, the urban lit forerunners. I wanted to write about my experiences in the streets as well, mixed in with stories I've heard about other gangsters around my city and stir it all up until I've got a story where every scene will be memorable. My second inspiration was to give my fellow inmates something to read until somebody ordered another street book, which tooks months. Then everyone started anticipating my novels. Now that I'm free, I'm making Blacktop Hustlaz available to the public.
What sets your book apart from other books in the same genre?

I didn't want to write "another drug story," so I shied away from going deep into the aspects of the dope game. I focused on character development, Skee and Ariana's relationship, and honed in on Charles Blake, an obnoxious and comedic friend of Skee's who shouldn't have any business whatsoever fooling with narcotics.
The e-book edition of your novel is different from the rest, also. How?

I added links inside the e-book that allow the reader to listen to the same music as the characters. Sometimes I would read a book, say a Stephen King novel, and he would mention songs that he obviously thought his readers were familiar with, but I had no idea what he was referring to and sometimes I don’t feel like looking up the song. So in Blacktop Hustlaz, all you have to do is click on the song as it is mentioned in the novel and you’ll hear it play. Felony Books will have that feature in all its e-books.
As an author, what is your writing process?

I need a whole lot of silence when I write, unless I've reached a love scene, which requires me to have some R&B going in my media player to create crazy-sexy-cool moments between characters. I try to get at least two pages a day in. Blacktop Hustlaz took me a year and half to write.
What made you start Felony Books, and what does “Reading By Any Means” actually mean?

I started my own publishing company because I have a lot of ground-breaking book ideas and I don’t want to have to wait to get them “approved.” And I used to hate reading street books that were riddled with errors, which, in the end, is dependent on the publisher or the editor he hired. Even more than that, I hated the "outsiders," the critics that represent other book genres, downplaying the genre that I came to love. I wanted to help urban lit grow, with quality books, fresh stories and new ideas. I studied editing, transitioning from paragraph to paragraph, plots, themes, point of view (one character for every chapter is how I do it), and I also studied the print manufacturing part of publishing, simple things like getting rid of orphans and widows in the typesetting phase. I'm not a fly-by-night author. I love writing and take it seriously, so I study it. The slogan “Reading By Any Means” came while I was incarcerated. Some institutions I was at banned street books, and we had to think of ingenious ways of getting those books inside, such as through legal mail or sending in one page at a time through family letters. We read by any means. And even back in the 1800's when reading was illegal, we read under candlelight when no one was looking and got the master's daughter to teach us words we didn't know. We read by any means. Now we’re publishing our own books, breaking into digital media and doing big numbers, and will continue to do so in whatever new venue becomes available. That's what Felony Books represents!
Can you give us a sneak peek into what’s next for Felony Books?

I'll be releasing STALKER.COM: A NOVEL in the summer of 2012, a novel that's about a woman obsessed with Facebook ... and a man that stalks her profile and eventually her life outside the computer. TRE POUND 2: TROUBLESOME is finished, but the release date for that is TBA.



Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jordan.belcher2


Purchase e-book here: http://amzn.com/B005X21X4W


E-mail address: felonybooks@gmail.com






Book Excerpt:

Stacy Skier was in the middle of washing her hair when she thought she heard a knock at the door. She lifted her head out the kitchen sink and cut the faucet off. Her hair was dripping wet so she grabbed the towel off the dishwasher handle and rubbed her short do wildly.

She paused to listen for a knock, but heard the phone ring instead.

Every time she settled down to get something done there was always a distraction, she thought. Her day off was never really a day off. If it wasn't the ringing telephone, it was Skee asking to use her car, borrow money, or him playing his music too loud. She was more than happy when her son got his own car. And when he told her he needed her to cosign for an apartment, she was more than willing.

As she went to pick up the phone in the living room she was sure about the knock on the door this time. But the knock was more like a bang. She let the phone ring to find out who was banging at her door. When she opened it she saw a young man standing in front of her that looked to be in his early twenties. He had a Black and Mild cigar in his mouth. He inhaled, then whistled out a stream of smoke in her face. She waved the smoke off, assuming it wasn't deliberate.

"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked with disdain.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm looking for Skee."

"Skee doesn't live here. And I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t bang on my door like you did."

"I apologize, ma'am. I was told he lived here. Do you know where we can find him?"

Stacy wondered why he said "we" when he was the only one standing here. "No, I don't. Have a nice day," she said, closing the door. But he wedged his foot in the way.

"You sure you don't know where he is, ma'am?"

"I told you no! Now move your damned foot!" Stacy peered behind the rude cigar smoker and saw three more young men walking up the small stairway. One of them had a shotgun! She remembered her .380 pistol under her mattress and turned to run for it, only for her wrist to be grabbed.

Legacy Of The Pacific" by D H Brooks

Adventure, romance and intrigue meet in a titanic clash within the tale "A Legacy Of The Pacific," a paean to California and her blue neighbor: A waif called Pincin, unknowingly the heir to the throne of Nereidia, meets his two sisters: Princess Lile, the willful warrior and the winsome Princess Ciona. Once joined in their cause, his family assists him in seeking his rightful place among the people of this fantastic seascape of 1930s California vernacular architecture and billowing kelp forests. Along their quest, the siblings encounter heroes from diverse points around the globe who teach them that the myths and legends of the water deities of old have a vital message to impart in aid of saving our oceans and their inhabitants in the present day.


Excerpt:

Princess Lile wanted answers yesterday, and in her usual tactless manner, she intended to get them from the two figures who blocked her way out of the cell. "Hades protect you if you are foolish enough to block that doorway as I reach it. Who are you and what business have you here?"


The voice she had heard before spoke up again as the two shadows moved slowly toward Lile and the others. Fearing the worst, Curadh and Liam stepped in front of Lile, but she remained unstirred, pushing them aside. Her ice sword picked up on the ambient light streaming in from the hallway as she faced the two intruders.


"Show yourselves!" she demanded, holding her sword in striking position. From behind her, Pincin concentrated on the shadows, using his innate ability to manipulate light to amplify the small amount of dappled sunshine within the cell. Having done so, he could now make out the forms before him as being that of two Centaurians, merfolk who are half-man and half-seahorse. The one to the left, who appeared to be the younger of the two, addressed Lile once again, his piercing green eyes registering her displeasure.



Consumed by rock music, animation and comic books since age four, Daria H. Brooks studied Creative Writing and Comparative Literature at California State University Long Beach. She first wrote of the aquatic denizens of Nereidia in comic book form in 1993, later supplying research notes for TechTV's "Thunderbirds"tm and licensed material for A&E Home Video's "The Best Of Thunderbirds."tm A Southern California resident born and raised, the author lives in Los Angeles near her beloved Pacific Ocean.


Interview with the Author:
1) What are the origins of "A Legacy Of The Pacific?"

"A Legacy Of The Pacific" began as a "create your own comic book" challenge at work between a friend and I who loved superhero books. It took several months to draw, write, ink and letter a single issue, which added to my respect for those who do this regularly. The characters I created resonated with me but "real life" took over; it was sixteen years before I had the opportunity to revisit their adventures in novel format. Both outings were rewarding but my hands do not miss all that sketching.


2) How different is writing a novel from writing a comic book?

The successful writing of any style calls for discipline in large measure (not my forte'), plus a fair amount of being selfish with your time. It took two years to write "A Legacy Of The Pacific" and I often heard from friends who objected to my lack of availability. Now I look back and wonder where I found the time to write at all. I could use it now!


3) Who makes up your audience?

I originally assumed that I was writing for teenage girls but have found most of my readership to be middle-aged women. While I've based the tale in modern day Los Angeles and added bits of obscure Black history, the majority of my readers thus far are White and live as far away as the UK. Ideally, I want readers from all walks of life as they all have a stake in the health of our oceans, the fate of which is at the core of this tale. Additionally, the trio of heroic siblings in the story are misfits and, as such, they communicate hope and inspiration to kids who feel themselves outsiders in their own lives. Like my heroes, they can rise above if they believe in themselves and their goals.


4) Which authors and artists influenced your writing and artistic style?
My favorites artists work either in the comic book medium (Phil Jimenez; Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez) or advertising art and design (Alfons Mucha and Charles Rennie Mackintosh). Such influences come through in the artwork I created for the illustrated version of my novel (now sold out). As for writers, I love the humor of Douglas Adams, Eric Idle and Billy Connolly; my homage to Gracie Allen comes through best in the Princess Ciona character. Readers have told me that they laugh out loud at some of the exchanges in the novel; this pleases me greatly!


5) What influences guided you in writing your novel?

Much about "A Legacy Of The Pacific" is an homage to the people, places and things which were major parts of my "wonder years." I managed to work in my love of comics, animation and rock music, as well as my adoration for Los Angeles, my hometown. Our family often spent Sundays either at Point Fermin in San Pedro or driving around 1960s L. A. to see landmarks such as the Pan-Pacific and Chinese Theaters, Griffith Park and Pacific Ocean Park; those days were a strong influence upon my voice as a writer. This is my town and this novel is my way of throwing my arms around her.


6) What caused you to create this book at this time in your life?

I'm a late bloomer! More seriously, our oceans are being decimated by both industrial and military pollution, as well as by Joe and Flo Sixpack who throw their used furniture into the storm drains, flush away cat litter (which is devastating otter populations), wash motor oil down driveways and discard food wrappers and cigarette butts on our beaches. I hope that readers will personalize these attacks upon our oceans through their relationship with my characters and take on the challenge to help keep our oceans clean.


7) Where do you go from here?

Atlantis!


Find the Author:
E-mail: legacyofpacific@aol.com

Website: www.alegacyofthepacific.com

Amazon.com (Paperback/Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Pacific-D-H-Brooks/dp/0974021296/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1321858278&sr=1-1

Lulu.com (e-book edition / .PDF file for Adobe e-readers): http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/a-legacy-of-the-pacific/16691554?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTfZdIoNLEc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Legacy-Of-The-Pacific/303077839716038
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/pincin
Legacy blog: http://02f8337.netsolhost.com/blog2/
Publisher's website: http://cedargrovebooks.com/

I Am The Ancestor By Symbolie Monique Smith

I’m the proud mother of 4 awesome and amazing children and I take my role as a mother VERY seriously. My primary reason, main purpose and my true desire for writing my book is gift to them. I have used every bit of knowledge, strength and capabilities that I’ve self-developed to raise and developed their individual personalities while building a mini empire. I refuse to just leave behind businesses, a life insurance policy, homes and other materials possessions, without sharing with them my true identity and my life’s journey. They must know who their mother really is, my experiences and what it took for me to become the women I am today.

I want to leave them a TRUE LEGACY.

As I started writing my story, I became overwhelmingly compiled to bring awareness to many areas that have affected my life. The immediate are:

Sharing of one’s history is nothing new, but are people really educating their children about their roots and the importance of them. Good or bad, parent must continue to empower them with that knowledge; they may even enlighten themselves during the process. Thus: GENEALOGY

Elementary children with cell phones may be ok for many, but do parents and care givers have a STRONG plan enforced with them about their safety and surroundings. Let them know that the boggy man is not just something that they imagine under the bed or peeking from the closet—it’s lives amongst us. Oh yea, the boggy grows as they grow and changes often. Worst of all, it’s not always a deformed evil looking creature, which only appears once they’re alone. Thus: PREDATORS

Blinded eye people – Any person who KNOWINGLY fails to perform their duties are partially responsible for damages and harm they allow to take place. There are all types of signs and processes that are being ignored by them which should immediately be acknowledge in any possible way. Blinded eye people are aiders and abettors for sharing in wrongful acts because their actions or, lack of. Family, Friends, Neighbors and Municipalities: Thus “ROLE PLAYERS”.

If I can bring hope of any, to show proof that light IS at the end of the tunnel, that a cloud can be lassoed and can proudly shout…..I AM ABLE……………..GET READY, BE READY AND STAY READY……………………Thus: INSPIRED


Excerpt:

Throughout all of this, I still make time for myself. I have to! My social life is pretty average for a woman who has her children’s best interest first. Over the years, I’ve dated and enjoyed hobbies like sewing and knitting. I also make time to connect with other women at social events and outings. On a monthly basis, I attend a recurring women’s event and every time I leave I am pumped and charged to work even harder. By all accounts, I feel like the most powerful woman in the world when I take into consideration what I have vs. what statistics report I should have.
Unfortunately, I am also a woman without a true identity on a quest to find out where it all began for me. Imagine a world with no links, no attachments, and no existence. Can you picture yourself walking down the street wondering if the person who just passed you is your brother, sister, or cousin? Do you know what it’s like to get tested more frequently than most persons because of an unknown family medical history? Have you experienced not being able to enjoy a simple cruise to Aruba, Jamaica, or the Mediterranean because you cannot produce proof of your identity? I can’t obtain a passport because my vital statistics are not correct. For too many years, I have lived this way and still I have no real answers. This is the reason I gave birth to I Am the Ancestor. After 15 years of endlessly searching for the truth, I suddenly realized that I must tell my story before I die in an attempt to leave behind a true legacy for my four children. Leaving this burden on Courtney is completely unacceptable to me.
I Am the Ancestor is an inspirational account of my life as a woman living in a world without a single connection. Thanks to being abducted, exploited, and raised by a woman named Tammie Smith who never showed any love and various municipalities such as the public school system, the Department of Social Security, Bureau of Vital Records, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and police departments who dropped the ball at one point or another in my life, I am like many victims of abduction: left to put the pieces of my life together. What’s worse is the impact this is having on my children. Now, it’s my duty as a mother, the only dear title that I really have — for I’m not a daughter, a sister, an aunt, nor a cousin — to make sense of my history.
With this book, I truly want to share my strengths, expose my weaknesses, develop in all areas of my life, and survive by any means for my children and myself. When this book is finally released, I will be free, my children will be empowered, and the minds of many will be wide open! Not only that, but this book will open the door for other people in the world, like me, who are determined to put together the missing pieces of their lives. I believe that there are thousands, if not millions, of people like me in the world! As a matter of fact, just recently I saw two different news accounts of women who had been abducted as children and were reunited with their family. It shocked the world to know that we, adults who were abducted as children, are still out.

Energetic, engaging, dynamic, inspiring, and industrious are just a few adjectives that capsulate this phenomenal woman. S. Monique Smith reared in Baltimore, Maryland, received her formal education from the Baltimore City Public School System. She holds numerous certificates and certifications in various disciplines. Ms. Smith is a full-time student of life, and prides herself in being a lifetime learner. Armed with undeniable wit, charm and personality, she has faced numerous challenges and over-come tremendous obstacles throughout her life. To her credit, Ms. Smith has only used them as motivators while carving out her place in the world as a savvy business woman, a prolific entrepreneur, and most recently added to her long list of achievements Ms. Smith is an accomplished author. There are certainly multiple dimensions to this woman and they are constantly unfolding, however amidst all her accomplishments the one that resonates and remains a constant in her life is that of “Mother.”

As a mother, she wants nothing but happiness and a “real legacy” for her four beautiful children. Ms. Smith has often said that her children are her reason for breathing. She manages to balance both the role of motherhood and professional with fineness and her own unique style. But it doesn’t end there. Ms. Smith is an involved parent, a mentor to many, a philanthropist and an activist.

Some of her interest and hobbies include bike riding, white water rafting, swimming and skating. S. Monique Smith is a
multi-talented, and vibrant powerhouse of a woman. She is indeed a force of nature, and once you’ve had the pleasure of making her acquaintance, you will be left with a indelible impression.

Get to Know Monique:

1. What’s so special about your book with so many others out there?

A. That I’m living the life as a ‘Missing Person’…because I am.

2. Have you ever written a book before?

A. I have never neither written nor desired to write a book before now but felt the need to not only share my story with my children, but to the world in hopes of HELPING anyone….another innocent child more so.

3. Why a book now?

A. Sharing! It’s time for me to share MY story and to step out on faith with another project . . . Why now? Once one knows they are ready for something . . . IT IS TIME! I had opportunities before that were small….’it’s the season now I guess”. Also, the resources I have now make it so much easier for the novice in this writing/publishing area.

4. What challenges are you facing?

A. This a whole new arena for me. Way out of my scope. …Did I say WAY? So researching, educating myself and cherry picking the resources that could directly aid me in this process was priority…and COSTLY! People are NOT the professionals that they THINK they are.

5. The release of the book?

A. Sunday October the 2nd, followed by a bus tour on Sunday October 14th, and a Book signing on Sunday October 7, 8, 22nd EXCITED!! I’m going to do a state tour in hopes of finding out what state I’m from while raising awareness and funds for my charities

6. Are you getting any help?

A. People are amazing. I’ve shared my story and have often received an abundant amount of tools, aids, resource, leads and unbelievable support…BRAVO TO ALL WHOM TAKE ACTION FOR THEIR CAUSES!!

7. Can you share anything exciting about the book?

A. Yes I can . . . my book is not just for me to share with my children. It will inspire people in so many other areas of their lives…I know and have been told DAILY since I’ve started. With that being said…I’ll be launching and advocating the importance of instilling in not just our youth, but how EVERYONE is an Ancestor….Stay Tuned.

Sleepless Nights: The Drew Smith Series By Norwood Holland

William Norwood Holland, Jr. or Norwood Holland also his nom de plumewas born on July 22, 1951 in Washington, DC and grew up in Gum Springs the historically black enclave in Virginia’s suburban Fairfax County once apart of the Mount Vernon plantation then willed to George Washington’s slaves and their descendants. Holland traces both maternal and paternal lineages to Washington’s slaves. During the post Brown vs. Board of Education desegregation period he attended the County’s segregated Drew-Smith Elementary School named after the pioneering African American physician Dr. Charles Drew and 19thCentury Gum Springs resident and educator Annie Smith. Holland credits his early childhood reading and education with inspiring the name of his lead protagonist Drew Smith.

Desegregation was complete by the time he entered the County’sFortHuntHigh School. There he witnessed limited social and extra-curricular opportunities for blacks and sought out the historically black college experience enteringFiskUniversityin the fall of 1969. There he majored in English and Education studying under the late Harlem Renaissance writer Arna Bontemps. Hollandgraduated a member of Lambda Iota Tau International Literature Honor Society in 1973 then worked briefly at theGraduateSchool, USDA counseling military veterans and foreign students before enrolling at Howard University School of Law receiving a Juris Doctor in 1978.

He has served in several government agencies including the National Labor Relations Board and a number of Washington’s top national law firms. In the mid 90s Hollandbegan freelancing for the local media. In 2008 The Writer Magazine published his How I Write profile of local best selling novelist George Pelacanos.

Hollandidentifies with Pelacanos’ writing style and hometown setting also adopting the same hardboiled noir fiction genre. For the past 10 years Hollandhas devoted much of his writing to completing the 4 volume Drew Smith series. He launches the series with the publication of Sleepless Nights, where the practicing attorney/bon vivant keeps it real both at work and play.
Hollandcurrently blogs at editorialindpendence.com . More information on Sleepless Nights is available at SleeplessNightsNovel.com and his web site Norwood Holland.com

Trial attorney Drew Smith a solo practitioner takes on shady clients solving cases fraught with danger and romantic intrigue. Through Sleepless Nights the urban legal wizard while frolicking with an exotic dancer succumbs to a midlife crisis. Haunted by foreshadowing nightmares an awakening reveals an empty life but Smith finds solace with therapist Zöe Settles. In an already complicated life Smith is pressed into service when a vicious robbery leaves three dead and the city enraged. Drew Smith and his devoted sidekick Julio Mejia work to free his young client on the trail of a crazed gunman responsible for a growing body count. In the end, the gunman and the dancer combine forces to bring Smith down. When death comes knocking Drew Smith faces the fight of his life.


Get to Know Holland:
1. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am a freelance writer and lawyer lobbying on behalf of police and security officers. I received my law degree from Howard University School of Law and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English at Fisk University. A native of Washington DC, I favor D.C.’s local color in my fiction and currently write the offbeat blog editorialindependence.com devoted to diversity issues and labor law, book reviews, and social commentary.
2. Describe your book ‘Sleepless Nights’ in 30 words or less.
Sleepless Nights is suspenseful with larger than life characters based on a true crime story changing the lives of three young men and those around them–an engrossing legal thriller.
3. What was the hardest part of writing your book?
For me the most difficult part of writing Sleepless Nights was developing the plot line, and trying to come up with creative ways to raise the stakes for Drew Smith. A fundament rule for legal thrillers is to make your protagonist suffer and with that in mind the challenge was to make Drew Smith suffer while seemingly enjoying the high life. Drew Smith an urban bon vivant in his favor why should he be troubled? So I had the difficult task of causing him trouble. Once I had a central plot down then subplots and characters began to unfold naturally in the development.
4. What books have had the greatest influence on you?
I love biographies and particularly writer’s biographies. I’m a student of African American Literature so my taste may be a little esoteric. Two great books which I considered my favorite autobiographies are James Weldon Johnson’s Along This Way and Langston Hughes I Wonder As I Wander. As for popular fiction I’m a big fan of Harold Robbins and James Michener, I like epic adventures. I can say unequivocally the works of Langston Hughes have had the greatest influence on me.
5. Briefly share with us what you do to market your book?
Marketing is a challenge and a whole new experience for me. I’m targeting book clubs and reading groups to develop a core readership or fan base. I’m also targeting the Library market. I have found the local and national independent publishing associations to be valuable resources. They have also been instrumental in introducing me to book fairs and trade shows as possible venues for selling books. My promotional strategy is combination of both on line and off line. I plan to implement an intense internet promotional plan primarily made up of a bog blog tours to promote the ebooks and book signings at independent book stores and reading groups.
6. How do you spend your time when you are not writing?
Lately I’ve taken up golf as a hobby. When I’m not working I’m usually involved in some type of self improvement project like trying to teach myself new skills like building web sites and learning a second language. I also like to travel something I hope to do more of as I attempt to promote my book at book stores across the country. I enjoy reading, visiting art museums, and music. According to Auntie Mame, “life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving.” I try to end each day sated.
7. What are you working on next?
Minus One, the prequel to the Drew Smith Series is in its final editing stages. I expect to see it in print by Spring 2012. Drew Smith finishes law school and takes a job as a hotel concierge while awaiting his bar exam results. He makes new friends with two Bell Men and after a night out on the town suddenly finds themselves the center of a murder mystery