Author Interview with Rose Beavers

LaToya: Hi Rose, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself and your background?

Rose: I am the Chief Executive Officer of Priority Books Publications. I grew up in East St.

Louis, Illinois and received my Bachelor and Master degrees from Illinois State and Southern

Illinois Universities. I love working with teens and have received many awards and recognition

for my work with youth empowerment and publishing. I love writing and worked as a freelance

writer for A-Magazine, a St. Louis Publication, The Spanish Lake Word Newspaper, and as an

Opinion Shaper for the North County Journal Newspaper. I have been married for 32 years to Cedric, and we have one daughter, Adeesha. I have authored nine books and published over 100 books for 30 authors.

LaToya: What are your ambitions for your writing career?

Rose: I would like to spend my life writing solely as a living. I would love to travel across the country, meeting many readers who enjoy my books.

LaToya: Which writers inspire you?

Rose: I am inspired by writers who are not afraid to share their experiences and are transparent; writers such as (name a few known writers and their books. I am also inspired by first-time authors who are determined to complete their book, become published, and are successful.

LaToya: What are you working on at the minute?

Rose: I’m in the process of completing two Christian Romance fiction books entitled Broken Spirit and Waiting on Love. In addition, I plan to release a self-help book entitled, Finding the Right Man based on what I learned from my dad.

LaToya: What genre are your books and why?

Rose: I’m proud to say I write in all genres. I love writing Teen fiction because I

encourage them through stories of situations they are facing. I love Christian Romance.

It’s something beautiful about writing love stories. I enjoy writing inspirational content because readers are searching for a higher spiritual connection.

LaToya: In 10 words or less can you create a quote that describes you and your writing?

Rose: “Rose represents sweet smelling savor.”

LaToya: Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your

most recent book?

Rose: I would love for Angela Basset to play the lead character of my book entitled A Sinner’s Cry.

LaToya: When did you decide to become a writer?

Rose: I decided to become a writer at the age of nine. I was telling stories and writing letters

to everyone.

LaToya: Do you write full-time or part-time?

Rose: I wrote full-time for two years then decided to return to the work force.

LaToya: Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?

Rose: No, I do not have a special writing hour. I write throughout each day. I may write 3,000 words over lunch. Then after dinner, I spend time with my family and write another 3,000 words before retiring for the evening.

LaToya: Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?

Rose: No, I do not aim for a set amount of words. I write when the characters enter my head and began speaking.

LaToya: Where do your ideas come from?

Rose: My ideas come from my occupation, my family, and stories I hear from the news.

LaToya: Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes

you?

Rose: No, I feel restricted if I tried to write to an outline. I flow better letting the words come

out naturally.

LaToya: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?

Rose: I write better. I also have learned what my readers like and I try to give them stories I

feel they will enjoy and find strength in resolving similar issues in their own lives.

LaToya: What is the hardest thing about writing?

Rose: The hardest thing about writing is editing your work and finishing the story because it is

easy to keep going on, but at some point you have to close it out.

LaToya: What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?

Rose: The hardest thing about writing my latest book was writing in third person. I loved the flow I had in first person better so I changed it back to first person.

LaToya: What is the easiest thing about writing?

Rose: The easiest thing about writing is creating stories. My family is large and there’s much to write about.

LaToya: How long on average does it take you to write a book?

Rose: It takes me about a month to write a novella. It takes about three months to write a full story.

LaToya: Where can you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

Rose: I see myself as a successful well-known writer in 5 years’ time.

LaToya: What advice would you give to your younger self?

Rose: Though I’ve done much of what I had planned to do as a child, I would advise the younger me to journal daily about what I’ve done, why it was done, how I felt about what was done and the time of day it was done rather than journaling the months and days only.

LaToya: Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?

Rose: I would like to meet President Obama and Oprah. I think the president handled himself

very well given the hate that surrounded him. He spent eight years fighting a battle of  White men who hated that a black man was running the country and doing a good job. Also, he

implemented the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare for everyone to receive healthcare. 

As far as Oprah, she suffered much adversity and still is one of the most

successful women in the world.

LaToya: If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been

and why?

Rose: If I could have authored any book, it would have been the Bible. It is one of the most interesting stories ever and everything from love to drama resides in the pages. Almost every home has a Bible or know about it. The words heal, help, and encourage, I want my stories to do the same.

LaToya: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Rose: I would advise an aspiring author to just do it. We all have stories to tell, but the author did the one thing most folk don’t do; they finished writing it.

Connect with Rose:

Website: www.rosejacksonbeavers.com

Blog: www.prioritybooks.blogspot.com and www.rosebooks.blogspot.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/rose.jacksonbeavers

Twitter: @ROSBEAV

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-jackson-beavers-968b342?

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rosbeav03/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rose-Jackson-Beavers/e/B002GBCFVI/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/868311.Rose_Jackson_Beavers

Purchase Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Sinners-Cry-Rose-Jackson-Beavers-ebook/dp/B006PIMPTA/

Book Spotlight: The Scarlett Fry Series: Murder for Justice by Dominique Watson

“Dad, there’s more steak left in the fridge. Do you want me to get that, too?”

“Sure. Why not? We can have leftovers tomorrow.”

Mira and her dad were the only two people at their Fourth of July celebration. Her younger brother Reid was spending the night at his best friend’s house, and her mother was out for a “girl’s night out” with her four friends. Mira was studying to be a pediatrician in Maryland and was home in California for the summer.

Bending down low, making sure he wasn’t seen, he watched.

Mira walked barefoot into the gourmet kitchen through the back sliding doors. She placed the empty bowl on the island and walked over to the refrigerator. The cool air felt nice on her bare legs. She wore shorts and a swimsuit top for the occasion. She had been home for three weeks but had not used the infinity pool their family shared in the huge backyard. She would in due time. San Diego, California, wasn’t a hot city, but anybody who lived in the sunny state loved the water.

Smoking a cigarette…. Watching closely….

“Back,” she said.

Her dad, topless with swimming trunks, took the bowl of seasoned meat from his daughter and began to place it on the grill. Kendall Harris was a forty-eight year old System Software Engineer at IDP Communications, Internal Development Productions. He’d worked at the company for over twenty-five years and was a well-established employee. His six-figure salary proved his success. He was well on his way to retirement, but personal issues within the home kept him from settling down. His future wasn’t as clear as he would have liked it to be. It was important that his children saw their way through college.

Looking at his watch…. “The Fireworks should be starting in a minute.”

Mira and her dad sat quietly waiting for the downtown fireworks to start. There would be at least three different shows. With their home sitting high up on a hill in Point Loma, they could see all of downtown and the bay area. Their family always gathered to watch the fireworks, but this year it was just father and daughter.

And someone else was watching them.

After a few beers and a little catching up, the two called it a night. Mira went up first. Twenty minutes later after a long stare into the sky and another beer, Kendall headed into the house.

Clicked the lights off in the kitchen.

Turned the light on then off on the hallway stairs.

Cut the light on in the bedroom.

Watching. Waiting.

Mira heard her father on the phone as she finished getting dressed from her shower and got into bed. She slowly dozed off into a peaceful sleep. Kendall, restless from the busy day he spent with his lawyer, didn’t fall right to sleep. He lay in bed wide awake, unaware of the stranger outside his house.

Downstairs at the side of the house, the stranger let himself in through the back door. Sweat beads formed on his forehead as he was headed to commit his first kill. He crept silently, not making a sound as he made his way up the stairs and into Mira’s room. She lay fast asleep, not stirring from the person standing at the bottom of the bed. He left, heading for his final destination. The master bedroom.

The door to the Harris’ bedroom was positioned to the far right. If anyone walked into the room, he wasn’t noticed until he hit the corner. But by that time, if it was an intruder as it was that night, the occupant of the room wouldn’t know what hit him when that person finally made himself seen.

The intruder stood quietly around the corner watching Kendall Harris lay with his hands tucked behind his head in shorts and a tank top. Again, Kendall was thinking.

The intruder knew it was now or never. The job had to be done. It had to be done right. Time was of the essence. No longer hesitating, he revealed himself. Kendall immediately jumped up. Fear set in. Was it a robbery? Was he going to kill him? He didn’t know, but Kendall Harris’ instincts told him that this might be the last night of his life.

“What the hell! How did you get in here?”

The killer said nothing. He walked to the side of the bed that Kendall was on and attacked. With a brick in his hand, he swung, missing the first try, swinging to kill. The second time, Kendall’s forearm caught most of the blow. Kendall stumbled from the pain but kept his balance. He wouldn’t go down without a fight. He threw a punch here and there, but they were all full of air. Not one punch landed on the killer. The third time the same thing.

The killer hit Kendall right on the side of his temple forcing him to spin around and fall, hitting his head against the side of the nightstand causing a loud thump. Finally Kendall rested beside the bed on the floor on his back. He was knocked unconscious.

The killer stood over Kendall Harris in a rage, hitting him over and over again with the brick. Blood splattered everywhere but that was the least of his problems. He wanted to make sure Kendall Harris was a dead man… and, indeed, he was.

Meet Author Dominique 

Dominique Watson is a published author/entrepreneur. Dominique has published fourteen books in the genres of poetry, inspiration and urban Christian fiction, including her most popular series, Concealed Betrayal and Secrets and Deception.

Dominique recently introduced her readers to a new series featuring Detective Scarlett Fry.

Dominique likes to read and write mystery/suspense, inspirational, poetry, urban and Christian fiction. I read James Patterson, Michael Connelly, Linwood Barclay, Joy Deja King and Kimberla Lawson Roby.

Dominique is also the Founder and Owner of Diamond M’press Publications. She spends a lot of time mentoring authors and writers through Literary Career Moves, which can be found at www.diamondmpresspublications.com

Dominique was voted as AAMBC Author of the Year in 2014.

She’s the founder of PEN’Ashe Literary Magazine

http://penashemagazine.com

Dominique can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus and Instagram.

For more about the dynamic Dominique Watson, check her out at:

www.Author-DominiqueLWatson.com

Book Spotlight: Anchored Hearts by Tracee Lydia Garner

Enjoy this excerpt from my latest title, ANCHORED HEARTS

“What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” she said.

“Are you sure?”

Tiring of his badgering and interrogation, Allontis turned her back on Cole and faced the sink again. If only she could turn off the awareness she now felt with his close proximity, but there was no escaping the heat of his body next to hers. His sleeves had been neatly rolled back, and from her peripheral vision she could see his tanned skin surrounding her. Tiny hairs seemed to dance their way up his arms, and she tried to trace where the delicate hairs ended and the shirt began without turning her head, until her vision grew blurry. She closed her eyes to regain her balance, lest she sway and land in a heap right there at his feet again. Facing forward to look out the window, she reached to crank it open: the smell of him seemed to stifle her, not to mention the cooking pot roast he’d prepared, the vegetables sautéing on the range, and some kind of bread she guessed he’d made because there’d been a small dusting of flour on one of the countertops. She looked at his hands: large, light-tanned skin and long fingers, the nails at the end of each one perfectly straight, trim and clean. There was so much about him that she no longer knew, and it both saddened and amazed her. His culinary skills, for one, had made the place smell like it had when Momma G had been able to cook, a time that seemed so long ago. His arms around her, coupled with his cologne and the simple fact of his nearness, made her feel like a flower field was swirling around her head.

Allontis gave herself a little shake. She was getting irritated with herself for all the thoughts brought on by his proximity, her loss and his concern. If she could stay immune to him long enough, he would be gone soon enough.

If she wanted to survive his time in Virginia, she had to remember he was here for only a short while. Above all, she had to avoid intimate moments like this one.

“You know,” she finally managed, “it’s just a little too late for your concern. You have no right to ask me anything about my personal life. If you really cared, you would have been here, so because you weren’t…” Allontis inhaled and exhaled deeply, almost confused by her own words. “Because you were not here, I have no cause but to believe that you didn’t care even then, so please don’t pretend you care now. I just…I wouldn’t believe it. I can’t.”

With that, she forced her way out of his arms and with hands full of dripping cut stems, she moved to the trash can where she dumped them. She peeled the wet leaves from her palms, and slapping her hands against each other as if done with that, she ignored his look of hurt befuddlement and moved on to the other items she’d bought. She took out the two cakes and fussed with the vase on the table, turning it back and forth, until she found the right look and because she was want of anything else to do with herself.

“They’re pretty,” she heard Cole say over her shoulder, and instantly some of the tension she felt ebbed away.

“Thank you,” she returned, clearing her throat. “Momma G loved fresh flowers and all her house plants. I don’t know if I’ll remember to water them—they’ll probably all die in my care.” She didn’t want Cole to know that her eyes had filled with tears, so she wiped at them hastily but it was too late.

“I’m sorry I snapped at you,” she said.

“I’m sorry I pried.” He moved over to her gently. He didn’t wait for an invitation; he simply pulled her into his arms and squeezed her tight.

Burying her face in his shoulder, Allontis let go. She couldn’t believe they were having this like-hate situation, and she still couldn’t believe he was there consoling her at all. A part of her had yearned for this for some time, and that part said to take it for however long it lasted.

After several moments, she whispered, “I can’t believe she’s gone.” She was embarrassed that she broke down in front of him, and when she tried to get out of his embrace, this time with less effort, he wouldn’t let her go. Instead, she clung to him because he was strong and solid and because he was Cole and because he was finally, finally there.

 Meet Author Tracee Lydia Garner

I am a Virginia native, living just outside of DC, aka the DMV. I love writing, reading and event planning. I could do these all day. I’m active at my church, enjoy live theatre, teach an 8 week writing, and work full time in health and human services. My writing career started almost 15 years ago when I won the BET First Time Writers Contest for my novella Family Affairs. I received publication, a book contract, small advance and trip to NYC. It was a life changing moment that I’m still truly grateful for.

As a child, my favorite author was Judy Blume. I still feel warm and fuzzy whenever I hear anything about Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. As I moved on to romance, my favorites were Brenda Jackson, Donna Hill and Debbie Macomber. I still enjoy them and now Sheryl Lister, Julie Lessman and Irene Hannon. I don’t read a ton of nonfiction, but when I do, a devotional, something like Ashley Sauls or all about time management, goals and productivity. I’m pretty productive, but LOVE reading blogs on the subject. I’m a Post-It note junkie and could probably open up my own office supply store. I think love of office supplies is an inherent trait of many writers.

For my own writing, I add suspense and create intricacies, sprinkling mystery in my tales. My own writing motto: What’s a character’s life without some adversity?

Please find me online:

Twitter - @Teegarner,

Website - Teegarner.com 

 Purchase my book here

Book Spotlight: Never Saw It Coming by S.D. Matthews

It had been around two weeks and Jennifer was still bothered, after finding out what David had done. It was late, and she was leaving work. While on the elevator heading to the garage, she mumbled, under her breath, “How could this have happened? Why would David betray me like this? What does it matter, I have Robert, now. Robert loves me and wouldn’t have done anything like this.” 

She wondered if he truly loved her.

“Damn you, David. Why?”

This elevator ride seemed like it was taking forever. Jennifer kept imagining David having sex with this woman.

With each passing floor, the elevator bell chimed.

Ding.

David having sex with that woman from behind.

Ding.

David on top of that woman, thrusting into her.

Ding.

David’s face between that woman’s legs.

Jennifer’s emotional level was beyond content. The elevator doors opened and a man jumped in and grabbed at her purse and briefcase. They tugged back and forth.

Jennifer let her briefcase go, and the man fell to the ground, hard.

He was stunned, for a second as she ran passed him and picked up her case. The assailant  tried to grab her leg. He tripped her instead.

Jennifer fell, dropping everything but her keys. She quickly got back up and ran rapidly to her car.

The man finally got up. He followed her.

            Jennifer made it to her car, got in, and locked the doors. She fumbled around, trying to put the key into the ignition.

The glass in the door shattered, just as she turned the ignition on.

She pulled off, quickly, speeding around every corner. Just when she saw the exit, the assailant ran in front of the exit. Jennifer slowed down because she didn’t want to run him over. Then, she looked, again, and thought she saw David; she stepped on the gas.

The man didn’t have time to move out of the way and she plowed right into him. The assailant flipped over the hood, hitting the windshield. He sailed over the car and fell to the ground, hard.

Jennifer came to a complete stop.

On the ground, blood rushed from his head and nose.

Jennifer was shaken up and crying. She got out the car to check on the man. When she turned him over, she saw a flash of David’s face. Then, she closed her eyes. When she reopened them, it was the face of a stranger.

Some people saw her standing there and yelled for an ambulance.

Jennifer was crying, but anger was in her eyes.

 Meet Author S. D. Matthews

An honorary Pastor at Living Hope Christian Center in Pennsauken, NJ, I grew up in the streets of Philadelphia, PA. There I was active in the Drama Ministry, writing and performing in such plays as “Jesus Still Speaks” and “A Tale of Two Sinners”. My writing embodies my spiritual side, my interest in thriller/suspense, and I experiment with thriller/horror. I’d released a new novel “Never Saw It Coming” the first of a trilogy in late 2015. “Bishop Nugget: A Walk Through the Scriptures” explores the bible from Genesis to Revelation is coming in April. My upcoming project “Never Saw It Coming 2” will be out later in 2016.

I love to read and write because you can go places that only movies and my imagination can take me. Life has its real moments that I can believe but writing can put another layer to what reality can’t touch. Take Stephen Kings “IT”, clowns can be scary but with the imagination you might not want to go to a circus for a long time. Take most erotic stories by Zane or Newhouse, everyone wants to live the passion but usually when you have lived it, the books seems to be a little better.  Book like these can stir up your own creativeness that I never thought my mind would go.

My contact info:

Email: sdmn624@gmail.com

Website: http://stephendmatthews.webs.com/

https://www.facebook.com/sdmn624/

https://www.facebook.com/sdmatthewsn624/

https://twitter.com/sdmn624

https://instagram.com/sdmn624/

Author Interview: Patricia Saunders

LaToya: Hi Patricia, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself and your background?
Patricia: Patricia A. Saunders resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds a Masters in Management from the University of Phoenix. After the passing of her mother who had Alzheimer's, Patricia decided that all the words she had kept to herself should be released. She became a self-published author, releasing her books of poems, Through the Fire (2012), Loving Me (2013), and Let It Rain (2014). Patricia has collaborated with other authors on various books. She is a motivational speaker who travels the country sharing her story of being a caregiver, having faith, and surviving through her circumstances. She works as a supervisor for a corporate organization. In her spare time, Patricia enjoys writing poetry, traveling, and wine tasting.

LaToya: What are your ambitions for your writing career?

Patricia:  I want to write a book a year and want to challenge myself to write a non-fiction novel. I have a goal to attend an African American Writer’s Workshop to learn from others and challenge myself to become better.

LaToya: Which writers inspire you?

Patricia: Maya Angelou

LaToya: What are you working on at the minute?

Patricia: I am currently getting ready to release my fourth book This Too Shall Pass.

LaToya: What genre are your books and why?

Patricia: Poetry. I write poetry as expression of what impacts my spirit.

LaToya: In 10 words or less can you create a quote that describes you and your writing?

Patricia: Change your perspective and look for the lesson in everything.

LaToya: Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?

Patricia:  Oprah Winfrey

LaToya: When did you decide to become a writer?

Patricia: Seriously in 2008 it was a healing process for myself after losing everything.

LaToya: Do you write full-time or part-time?

Patricia: I write part time due to I have a very demanding full-time job and it’s my escape to write.

LaToya: Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?

Patricia:  I normally write in the evening. I write titles throughout the day when something happens and let the words flow to paper with music softly playing.

LaToya: Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?

Patricia:  I aim for 10,000 words. If a reader if going to purchase my book I want it to be worth the amount of money they paid that they feel satisfied.

LaToya: Where do your ideas come from?

Patricia:  Media, family, friends, personal experiences.

LaToya: Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you

Patricia:  Since it is poetry I write various poems and compile them into a manuscript. I will rearrange and then do the contents last. I let it happen naturally.

LaToya: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?

Patricia:  I listen to my readers who tell me what they liked in a book, I write more visually so that the reader can visualize the experience and relate.

LaToya: What is the hardest thing about writing?

Patricia: Sharing personal experiences and meeting the reader’s expectation.

LaToya: What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?

Patricia:   The latest book touches on faith, relationships, and when I doubted God. Sharing those poems scratched the surface again for myself and I wept throughout writing.

LaToya: What is the easiest thing about writing?

Patricia:  Writing about love

LaToya: How long on average does it take you to write a book?

Patricia:  one year

LaToya: Where can you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

Patricia:  Traveling and speaking about books about overcoming the storm and motivational speaking.

LaToya: What advice would you give to your younger self?

Patricia:  The storm will approach know that you will make it through.

LaToya: Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?

Patricia  :  Maya Angelou because her experiences in the world impact her writing and she evolved to be the poet for the White House to ask her what advice would she give . Poetry is the most beautiful form of expression yet most poets who are authors have to struggle to be recognized.

LaToya: If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?

Patricia:  Steve Harvey’s Think like a Man. Being able to share what a woman means, wants, and how to build a lasting relationship from woman’s perspective.

LaToya: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Patricia: Write Write and Write.

Connect with Patricia:

Website: www.patriciaasaunders.com

Blog: http://blessedpoetpat.blogspot.com/

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

Twitter: www.twitter.com/blessedpoetpat

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Patricia-A.-Saunders/e/B008DOOOCK

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/wwwgoodreadscompatricia_saunders

Patricia's Bookshelf