Get to Know Dara Nichole

Dara Nichole Walker is an author, speaker, inspirational blogger, and advocate of the Word of God. Her published works include She Is, But He Ain’t, and her recently released novel, entitled “Called Out”. Mrs. Walker loves to work with youth, and understands what they need from young adults such as herself; support, understanding, wisdom, and love.

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Dara Nichole has worked with hundreds of teenagers, assisting them in building skills, and developing programs and activities to build their self-esteem, and facilitate group discussions.

Mrs. Walker has worked with organizations such as The King-Chavez-Parks Program, the Summer Incentive Program out of Eastern Michigan University, and Urban Butterfly Ministries, and has been on many radio shows such as “Politics and Life” On 107.5 FM, “Strictly Gospel” On 89.3 fm, “Sports and Faith” on AM 1500, and other blog talk shows. Her mission is to reach as many young women as possible to help them understand their worth, and develop a healthy self image.

“Once we convey to young women who they are and their true value, they will start to understand their worth, and really start to walk in the things God has for them.”

Mrs. Walker advocates the word of God, and believes that it can change any situation:

“With the Word of God as your aid, you can move mountains, and assist people in changing their lives forever.”


Akiva Niran is finally entering her senior year of high school. These three years have been tough at Community Tech High School, but she made it. However, her last year in school comes with many more challenges; between her brother coming of age and getting more attention from girls, to her cousin dealing with her relationship with a boyfriend that is way too old for her, Akiva is giving a lot of her prayer time, wisdom and herself to her family.
On top of family drama, Akiva’s dreams of dating the smartest, hottest, and most gracious guy in school (James) are threatened by a beautiful, popular cheerleader, Shawny, who will go to any lengths to make James her man. As Akiva learns of James’ secret crush on her and rumors start to spread about their “soon to be” relationship, Akiva meets another boy, Alex, whose looks could knock her off her feet. Does she choose the guy she believes she is meant to be with and deal with fighting off his “personal fan club”, or does she tempt fate, and take the unfamiliar route that leads to Alex?


Interview with Dara

1.) Describe yourself for our visitors.- I’m a down to earth City girl from Detroit, who loves to laugh, buy jewelry, read, and play with my puppy. I love writing for pre-teens, and teen girls, and I know that is my calling!

2.) Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books? Michelle Andrea Bowen, Stephanie Perry Moore, Kim Brooks, Favorite books; Church Folk, He’s fine, but is he saved, and so many others I can’t pinpoint just one! I love reading.

3.) What do you love about writing? I love the freedom of being able to create my own world, and deciding what is going to happen next. I love thinking about my past experiences and being able to add drama to them and put it in a book. I love the whole creative process.

4.) Why did you decide to write for pre-teens and teens? I believe there are so many good books out here for pre-teens and teens, however sometimes they try to pick up books that are too old for them. When I was a teenager I didn’t see myself or my lifestyle in a lot of the books I read. I wanted parents as well as teens to have something they could read, with girls and young women who are examples for them. Being a Christian isn’t easy, but it makes it easier when you have examples to follow.

5.) How long have you been writing? Since I was a child. I used to write scripts for my parents and act out the stories for them! I would be all the characters. I always (Even to this day) like to watch television shows for the plot process, just to see how it turns out. Even how characters are written in and out of stories.

6.) What are you working on now? I am currently working on two projects; a Non fiction book about self image. I believe most women have a skewed self image, and just really helping them to understand that they are beautifully and wonderfully made, no matter what a man has to say, and my second book, entitled “In his shadow” about a girl who has a twin brother and how she fights for attention. I’m excited for both projects!

7.) Where can we catch you on the internet? You can always check out my blog http://www.walkinconfidence.com and my website http://www.authordaranichole.com. You can also follow me on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/daranichole

Excerpt of the book

I laughed, and before I knew it, we were kissing. Our lips touched and I felt it all on the inside.

“Girl, your lips are so smooth,”he whispered as he kissed my ear. I put my hand on his face and rubbed his smooth skin. He began to kiss my neck and I sat up in his lap for more comfort.

Just as it was about to get too heavy, Rob yelled up the stairs. “Dawg, Alex, man, come here for a second!” Alex told me to ignore it. Two minutes later Rob was banging on the door. “Dawg, open up foreal man!”

Alex walked to the door and opened it. “Wassup?”

“Dawg, let me talk to you out here in the hallway.” Five minutes later he came back in and told me to stay there until he got back. I really wanted to know what was going on; I was kind of scared. I started thinking about ways I could get home without getting in trouble and people I could call if something went down. For some strange reason, the only person I thought of was Kristen. Aunty Deborah was the only parent I knew who would let her child out of the house this late, cause I knew my mom and dad weren’t havin’ any of this. I knew this was a bad idea.

Alex came back in and told me that Rob thought his mom was home, so he was telling all the girls to leave and trying to clean up the place.

“So you about to take me home?” I inquired.

“Naw, we have to wait, ’cause Rob’s girl is still here and you, so we just gon’ wait.”

I didn’t understand the logic, but I had no choice. This is what I get. Rob came back up the stairs and told Alex to come back in the hallway. I turned on the TV and decided to watch tv. He came back in and sat down like nothing happened.

“So, what’s going on?”

“It’s not his mom.” Suddenly Rob guided his girlfriend into the room and grabbed Alex to come downstairs. I really didn’t understand what was going on out there. Rob’s girlfriend walked by me and said hi, and then flopped in the chair. She acted like this happened all the time.

“Excuse me, uh, do you know what’s going on?” I asked politely.

“Yeah, Alex’s ex-girlfriend is here and she is crazy, so he wants us to stay up here, ’cause girl, if she sees you, she’s liable to cut you.” I rolled my eyes in the back of my head and fell back on the couch. Me, of all people. Do I just attract drama or what?



Find Dara at the following:
http://www.authordaranichole.com

http://www.walkinconfidence.com

http://www.facebook.com/daranichole

Email address for readers to contact you

info@authordaranichole.com

Get to Know Ni'Cola

have to do what’s best for me……Has been Dionni’s new motto since that horrible night when she found her finance Dale entangled between the legs of her best friend Eva. Enraged and torn; Dionni goes on a hiatus trying to get as far away from Las Vegas as possible to clear her mind and get her heart back in order.

Her much needed vacation was interrupted once Dionni was informed that Tiana, her other best friend was found raped and beaten and now in a coma and was in need of constant care. Being the only family that Tiana has; Dionni has to return home to face her past while trying to put the shattered pieces of her life back together.

Twisted, the highly anticipated sequel to Over and Over Again will explain if the demons of Dionni’s past will allow her to be free; or will they continue to keep her twisted.

Excerpt – I removed my Armani Exchange sunglasses and extended my left hand to take a good look at my ring finger. I was in love with my two carat, sky blue diamond, platinum engagement ring that Dale gave me when he proposed to me.

The ring he gave me just hours before I went on a high speed chase with a damn near empty gas tank through the city of North Las Vegas chasing him and his chick of the moment. The same ring that he gave me before he knew that Ashley, his mistress from the garage was pregnant. The same ring that he gave me despite of the secret love affair that I discovered that him and Eva, my supposedly best friend was entangled in.

Yea, I was oh so in love with this beautiful ring, that I did not think twice as I stood in line at the small pawnbroker downtown to do the inevitable.

I was about to pawn it.

That’s right. I walked up to the elderly Middle Eastern woman that stood behind the counter and asked her for her best offer.

The lady peered at me for a moment over her wire reading glasses, before stepping away to speak to her supervisor. I really was not in the mood for speculations, and I glared right back at her. My hazel colored eyes never blinking.

I knew that we were in Las Vegas, home of big dreams and huge losses. Land of gambling your rent money away, and spending all night at the neighborhood casino trying to flip it back. The city known for its connection of sin, and the motto of by any means necessary; but this situation was not the case.

I am far from being hard up for money. I do not harbor any typical addictions such as gambling, drinking, sex or smoking. I did not have to live by the rules of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

My kryptonite was on a totally different level. My addiction was Dale, and the heartbreak that he proposed on me on so many occasions. Getting rid of this ring was going to be the first step of my road to recovery, and I really didn’t care about what this old lady nor anyone felt or thought about what I was doing.

Pawning this ring was in the best interest of me.


Striving to establish a new flair to the term contemporary fiction, Best-Selling author Ni’cola Mitchell entered the literary scene with one main objective: To Stimulate Your Mind, One Word at a Time.

Through her independent publishing company NCM Publishing; Ni’cola published her debut novel entitled Over and Over Again in June 2009. Following on the heels of her debut’s critical acclaim, The Appetizer: When You’re Not His Main Course was released February 2010. Ni’cola’s growing readership eagerly awaits her next literary masterpiece Twisted, due out December 2010. Much of her work revolves around complex relationship issues situations and Mitchell’s compulsive desire to see women over come challenges.

Over and Over Again was featured in the top ten by EDC Creations Recommended Reading List for the 2009 fall season under Mainstream Fiction and Women’s Fiction. She was recently nominated Self-Published Author of the Year with the African-African Literary Awards Show. She is also a member of the national touring group the Literary Sistah’s.

Because of her outstanding representation of Las Vegas’ African-American community, she was featured in the second edition of Who’s Who in Black Las Vegas. Ni’cola is also a motivational speaker and literary consultant. When Ni’cola isn’t writing, she loves to spend time with her family and volunteer as a mentor for youth activities.

Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, Ni’cola Mitchell currently resides in North Las Vegas, Nevada, with her two daughters, Destani and Diamond. She holds a Bachelors degree of Science in Business Management and is currently pursuing a Masters of Business Administration in HealthCare Management.

Get to Know Ni’Cola

1: Introduce yourself.

My name is Ni’cola Mitchell and I am originally from Kingston, Jamaica. I am a single mother of two daughters Destani age 16 and Diamond age 11. I am currently in graduate school, pursuing a degree in Healthcare Management. I am also a head coach of a youth football league cheer team.

2: Tell the audience about your new title Twisted.

The Appetizer is the direct sequel to my first novel Over and Over Again. Even though all of my stories are connecting, Twisted is centered around my main character Dionni Stone.

In Over and Over Again I described Dionni as being charismatic, goal oriented, and very sophisticated. Even though she had everything together on the outside, Dionni was not as successful in the area of love.

Her life was in so much turmoil, which in the end of the book sent Dionni on hiatus.

Several months later, Dionni finds out that her best friend has been beaten, raped, and left for dead which is why Dionni has to come back to Vegas to face her demons. Dionni has a new perspective on life and has come back with a vengeance sporting a new look and attitude. Trying to find out what happened to Tiana; Dionni is faced with a new set of tribulations that she has to face.

I brought back all of the original characters, including Candy, Dionni’s direct foe, and introduced Rain. A young beautiful woman, who’s main focus, is getting rid of Dionni by any means necessary.

This book is filled with so many twist and turns, that I could not believe that I wrote it. It will also explain the importance of not playing with a person’s heart and emotions. I can’t lie, Candy and Rain are both crazy, but Twisted gives the reader an explanation on how they each got that way.

3: Describe how you came up with the title?

Actually, my cousin came up with the title. She just finished reading Over and Over Again, and was like” wow…how that book ended, everyone had Dionni Twisted” in hence the name. So I would like to shout out Autumn for her creativity.
4: Who is the audience for your book? What would you like the reader
to take away from your novel?

Men and women are both the audience for this book. I want readers to find entertainment while learning life lessons at the same time. I want people to understand and see first hand that there are always two sides to every story. This story will hit home on so many levels because we all know one of the characters in this book.

5: Twisted is your third novel, and an introduction to
publishing. What are a few misconceptions you had about the publishing industry before your debut book? Have any of the misconceptions changed?

Over and Over Again was actually my introductory lesson in the publishing field. I learned a lot though from both of these projects. I knew that it was going to be a hard road, so I was actually prepared for the kinks that have been thrown at me. The only misconception that I had was that at some point it was going to get easier. I am faced with a different challenge everyday, but in essence I am always up to a good challenge as well.

6: Multitasking (marketing, promotion, etc.) becomes apparent after
the debut book. Did your writing process change any?

The only thing that changed about my writing process is the speed. In writing Twisted, it took me six months from start to finish; vs. Over and Over Again that took a year.
I try to start off every project in an outline form. I take the topic and use it as the foundation. Then I try to put in as many subtopics as possible. I do not write from beginning to end. I write whatever is in my heart.
7: What upcoming projects or plans do you have that you’d like to share?

Candy my villainess in Over and Over Again, has gained her own story, entitled Candy, and it will be out in the end of the year. Also I will be included into several anthologies.

NCM Publishing is also going to be very busy with the releases of God Don’t Like Ugly, by Rekaya Gibson, A Lil Sumthin, Sumthin, by Imani True and A Generation of Curses by Patricia Bridewell.

Find Ni’Cola at the following:

www.facebook.com/msnicola

www.twitter.com/msnicola

Nicola@nicolacmitchell.com

Purchase the book at:

www.ncmpublishing.com, www.nicolacmitchell.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.booksamillion.com, www.borders.com, www.amazon.com

Winter Tours with Samara King

Samara King began her literary journey at the age of twelve years old while sneaking to the back of the library and indulging in romance novels; soon after, she wrote her own! She has penned three novels and eleven novellas all within the multicultural erotic romance genre, as well as two poetry collections. Her first collection, The Ebony Kryptonite was published in November 2010 and will be followed by The Naked The Bare. She has been published by Cobblestone Press, Changeling Press, Loose Id, and Total-e-Bound.

Currently she is working on her next SK MINI project under her self-publishing company, Samara King Books or SKB. She recently become a columnist for The Urban Source Magazine. Her column, Real Talk with Samara King will launch in January 2011.

Samara lives in Chicago with her teenage son, where she encounters new adventures every day that service her in the creation of each of her stories!

Club Owner Belinda Gilles has come a long way since the little lost girl from Leimert Park who’d married millionaire Brandon Forde she once was. Now a wealthy widow and independent businesswoman, Belle has finally left her past behind her and severed ties that had left her with nothing but a broken heart. During a chance encounter with a masked stranger during the annual Grown & Sexy masquerade ball, Belle gives in to a soul-stirring passion that reawakes a lust, she’d long thought gone. Now a year, later that unquenchable lust has only intensified as Belle hopes to come face to face with her mystery lover. She could have never suspected for her past and present to collide in one heart pounding moment and losing her soul in the next.

Readers can reach her at: ms_samara_king@yahoo.com or visit her site at: http://samaraking.com
Wounded soul, Jordan Harris knows all about fate and the game of chance. His whole life had been turned around and altered the moment he entered an alley and witnessed the death of his best friend. The stain of the past was neither one he could never erase nor the memory of Belle, the woman he’d always loved. When chance brought them back into each other’s lives, will Jordan walk away or reach for the first glimpse of redemption?


Interview with Samara King
Why did you become a writer? I love creating characters, learning new things and people watching and my plots/characters are birthed from these elements.

When did you know you wanted to publish a book? I knew when I started writing seriously for publication and had the hunger within to see my book in another person’s hands.

Why did you pick the genre that you write? I’ve been reading romance novels since I was in 8th grade and I love the genre, I’m a romantic J

If you could write in any other genre what would it be? I write multi-genres: paranormal, suspense, contemporary, etc.

What is your writing process? It depends on the project. However, I definitely start with character first, picture browsing, reading, etc. and progress to character profiles.

How long did it take you to write your current book? It took about 6 weeks.

What mistakes have you made with this book that you will be sure to correct next time? I think I will not overcomplicate details, lol. In shorter fiction, you try not to leave anything out and I try very hard to do that.

When do you feel most comfortable in your writing zone? When the characters are so vivid that I can close my eyes and see them.

Who is your favorite author? Brenda Jackson Favorite book? I love all her work.

What books are you currently reading? I have not had the time to crack open a book for the last two months but working on rectifying that soon J

What advice do you have for those who are looking to publish their first book? Stay true to your voice, keep honing your craft and never stop learning.