Learn more about Renaissance in Colleen’s Feature of my soon to be release. As stated I am still away from the blog but I will be re-blogging any guest posts or interviews as they come in. Introduce Yourself will also continue to go out on Mondays so be sure to stay tuned for a chance to meet some amazing authors in our Indie community.
Tag: #MondayBlogs
ANNOUNCING: Yecheilyah’s 1st Annual Poetry Contest
Calling ALL Poets!! I am hosting my first poetry contest on Colleen’s blog. Stop through for details. (Yes, you can win prizes!)
Introduce Yourself – Introducing Guest Writer Dolapo Akitoye
Welcome back to Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established authors and their books.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Dolapo Akitoye, our first screenwriter. Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
What is your name and where are you from?
My name is Dolapo Akitoye. A lot of people call me Dolly. I have no worries with anyone trying to call me either. I will answer to both. I am from Nigeria. Born and raised. Specifically, I am from Lagos which makes me Yoruba. Don’t ask me to speak the language though. Lol. I’m not that good at it but I can understand it…mostly. 😃
Yoruba huh? We’re gonna have to chat some more for sure. How many siblings do you have?
I have 3 siblings. Two sisters – an older half-sister and a younger sister- and a younger brother. I grew up being the first born in my household and only learned about my older sister about seven years ago. So, I still have a big-sister mentality. It’s just in me. I love my siblings. They are all so amazing and so smart. My older sister is a tailor and designer who makes the most amazing clothes. My younger sister studies Mathematics and Computer science and my younger brother is studying Law. They are all very wonderful.
Awwue. You sound like a big sister too. What’s your favorite drink?
If you like Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain. Lol. I love Pina Coladas. I just think that the combination of pineapple and coconut is like heaven in your mouth. I drink Pina Coladas and I know that everything will be okay.
Who is your favorite writer?
I was only going to go with one but that’s not me being honest. This one is a tie for me. There are two writers that just makes me so happy. First is the talented and beautiful Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. When I was in secondary school, her book, Purple Hibiscus was one of the books we had to read for Literature. Typically, even though I love reading, I find it difficult when an authority tells me to read a book. It makes me nervous and under pressure and I never know if I will really enjoy it. This book though was phenomenal and there is something so elegant about the way she writes. There is a subtlety that is so beautiful and I love it. The thing I love the most is that her style of writing almost reminds me of Raymond Carver in that, sometimes you read and you know that something has happened; something has changed; you have changed but you can’t quite figure it out. You have to go back and read it again and understand what is between the lines. She is a wonderful storyteller.
The second person is Dan Brown. I find Dan Brown’s writing really wonderful. His writing opens me up to new thoughts and ideas. I might not always agree with everything but his writing is so good that I don’t even care about that. I have read all his books except one. I have it. I just haven’t had time to read it. His writing makes me feel elevated like I’m in some kind of club that only a few people know about and I really enjoy it.
Nice. I enjoyed Chimamanda’s Ted talk, though I haven’t read any of her books yet. Speaking of writing, can you tell us a little bit about this script you’re writing and how you got into screenwriting?
My movie script is about a Nigerian woman who is going through postpartum depression and the way it changes the lives of her and those around her. The reason why I am writing this story is because in my country, Nigeria (which I love), people do not take depression seriously. People do not understand it and so a lot of times, it is ignored. Now, here we have a woman who does the most natural thing in the world – give birth- and she is going through this depression that she finds hard to understand because she does not feel like she has a right to feel that way and she is oblivious to it. Anyway, that is the basis of it.
I have always wanted to write a book but I never really gathered the confidence to do so and I always felt like I wanted to write something original but no ideas ever came to me. Recently, I started having all these stories in my head and I felt I had to write it. Even if, it never gets anywhere, I feel it in my heart to write it and the more I write it, the more confident I feel as a woman and as a writer.
Nice. If you could shadow your favorite artist, who would it be?
Bruno Mars for sure. No doubt about that. Bruno Mars is so spectacular. His music, the way he moves, the happiness you feel when you hear him, it is out of this world. He works really hard and he has been doing that since he was impersonating Elvis Presley at the age of four. He has such a creative mind and his songs are poetry. If I could shadow him, I feel like I will learn so much in terms of work ethic and writing and letting the words and the music take you.
So, is Dolly taken?
I am single and I will definitely like to be married. I am one of those people who enjoy companionship. I believe that there is someone for everyone and I will enjoy being with someone for the rest of my life. Life can be hard sometimes and it will be nice to have someone go through it with you and I can’t wait for that someone to find me.
Awuee. Would you like to have children?
I would like to have children. I have always known since I was little that I wanted kids. I believe it is one of life’s beautiful miracles and I want to experience that. I have a lot of love to give and I will love to give that to my children.
A miracle indeed. What’s your favorite movie?
My favorite movie is Forrest Gump. I cry every time I watch that movie. It’s just a story of hope. It gives me the feeling that I can do anything. Even thinking about it right now is making me cry. Lol. I just really love that movie and I try to watch it at least once a year.
You know what’s funny? We had an author here last week who also happens to love Forrest Gump. Are you religious Dolly?
I am trying to be more religious. Growing up, we went to church and Bible club and I was even the Christian Worship perfect in my secondary school and so I always saw myself as religious…until about three years ago when I went through this really bad depression period and I just questioned God a lot. I didn’t understand why I was on earth and going through pain. However, God has just shown me so much compassion and love and when I had an accident last year, I won’t say that I had epiphany but I definitely felt God’s love for me in that moment. So, it’s still baby steps and I am trying to pray and read my Bible every day and get to know God in a way that I haven’t known him before. God is Love and I see that every day of my life.
What do you love about yourself?
I think I’m weird. Lol. But I love it. My mind is such a world of its own. The things I think about, read about, listen to, watch and even the little things that makes me happy in most cases, makes me seem weird to a lot of people but it is what makes me happy. Who wants to be normal anyway?
Thank you Dolly for spending this time with us! We enjoyed you for sure.
Bio.
My name is Dolapo Akitoye. I am mostly referred to as Dolly. I am 21 years old and I am a blogger and an aspiring screenwriter. I have a Bachelors degree in Journalism and English Literature and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). I have been blogging for over four years and it has been an outlet for me. To be honest, I feel as though it has saved my life so many times. I am currently working on my first movie script and I plan to work on much more in the future.
Be Sure to Follow Dolapo Online:
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dakitoye
Facebook Blog Page: https://www.facebook.com/DollyWrites/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dollyy_a
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dollyy_a/
Are you a new or established author? Looking for more exposure? Learn more about my Introduce Yourself Feature HERE.
Introduce Yourself: Introducing Guest Author L. Loren
Welcome back to Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established authors and their books.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to L. Loren. Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
What is your name and where are you from?
Hi! My name is L. Loren and I live in Greenville, SC.
What would your perfect writing / reading room look like?
My perfect reading room would have a huge bay window overlooking a back yard with a willow tree and a lake off in the distance. Oversized, colorful pillows would line the bench where I would relax and read my favorite stories. There would be plush carpet and lots of color on the wall with my favorite quotes adorning them. I would also need a soft blanket and table nearby setup with a china tea set decorated with and dragonflies.
Ohh. Nice! How many siblings do you have?
I have two brothers and four sisters. I am the baby so I am spoiled.
What was your childhood dream?
I had many dreams as a child but one I remember fondly was being a movie director.
I can totally see you directing a film! What skill would you like to master?
I would like to master screenwriting. I still have that movie dream. Lol
In your own words, what is love?
Love is a verb. It is something that can be felt and seen. It is when you care for someone regardless if they return the sentiment. You give your everything to that person just to make them happy, even if it means you must sacrifice. Love is everything! (OK you got me… I’m a hopeless romantic)
That’s OK. Hopeless romantics need love too! What would be the most amazing adventure to go on?
I have many adventures just waiting to be taken, but the one that comes to mind right now is taking a cross country trip with my husband, visiting each and every NBA Arena. You know the whole VIP treatment; getting behind the scene tours, attending the games and getting to meet players, taking pictures of each arena in a special location.(Every arena has that one special spot).
Speaking of locations, if you had unlimited funds to build a house that you would live in for the rest of your life, what would the finished house be like?
I am too non-committal for this question, but it looked fun. I don’t think I could live in one place for the rest of my life. I do have a dream house that I would like to have in Jamaica. It would be a small cottage with an amazing kitchen, a nice patio out back that overlooked a pool. The back yard would have lots of space for a BBQ grill, fire pit and a cobblestone path that led to the ocean. There would be lots of trees for shade and a place for me to write outside.
Jamaica is nice. What’s your favorite drink?
I love a good Arnold Palmer, but it has to be made right. That’s why I never order it when I go out. I like to make mine at home. Too much lemonade ruins the whole thing.
What genre do you write in, why?
I write erotica because it intrigues me. I love being able to express my sexuality in a book that allows others to do the same. I can write anything I fantasize about and do anything I ever dreamed up in a book without the consequences of real life. Sex is a part of being human and when people start to accept that, they will stop thinking of it as something to be hidden and done in the dark.
I must say people, if you’re looking for a sexy read, L. Loren’s your girl!
What songs have you completely memorized?
The safer question would be what songs haven’t I memorized. Lol I love music. My poor husband is regulated to listening to my renditions of most songs that come on the radio, especially those from the 70s. I can sing non-stop on the oldies stations.
Yes, oldies are the best. Though I’m picky about which oldies I like lol. Loren, what’s your favorite food?
I love any type of pasta, unless it has seafood in it.
Shut. The Front. Door. I LOVE pasta. What’s your favorite color?
Orange is my favorite color, with purple coming in a close second.
Yess. Purple is beautiful. Who is your favorite writer?
This answer changes with my mood, but right now Maya Angelou!
Can’t argue with that one! If you could shadow your favorite artist, who would it be?
That’s a tough one. I have many artists that I would love to shadow. If I could only choose one, I would say Sylvester Stallone. He is such an interesting man to me.
What kind of music do you like?
My taste in music is eclectic. I will rock out to country as much as I will R&B, pop or rock. I even get into classical and instrumental at times. I have a thing for the blues and I will listen to rap, but I’m old school. Don’t bring that ratchet mess to me. It will get dismissed with a quickness.
Loll! Let’s talk about your writing. When did you publish your first book? What was that like?
My first book was published in 2015 and it was scary as all get out. (Yeah, I’m from the South. Deal with it. Lol).
If you could live in a movie, which would it be? Why?
This question is AWESOME! I live in movies in my head as a writer so there would be many movies. Right at this moment I would be Monica Wright in Love and Basketball. That movie touched my heart. I was her when I was in college, only the dude I was with played baseball. I would have to change the ending though, because dude was a dog. I would much rather have the man I am with now, my hubby.
So it would be more like Love and Baseball (*stops to roll on the floor laughing. Wipes eyes*) Lol. I had to do it.
Who is your best friend?
Doug Tetting is my best friend, lover, protector, giver of dreams and the best comedian on the planet.
How long have you been married?
We’ve been married 16 years, and together 21.
Yaass! I love it. Would you like to have children?
NO! Why? It is not for me.
Whhaaattt????? Nooo Lisa! (*Dabs the corner of right eye*)
What takes up too much of your time?
Social Media, but it is a necessary evil.
I know right. What do you wish you knew more about?
Writing for TV and Movies. That’s why I’m taking a course!
Loren, I think you still have dreams of being a director! Tell us about the course.
I am taking the Master Class- Shonda Rhimes Teaches Writing for Television. So far, the course is amazing. It delves into the inner workings of developing a show for television and all the steps you need to take to make it successful. Shonda Rhimes is the Queen of Thursday Nights and she knows great television. I am enjoying the course because it lets the students into her personal process, which is something you usually don’t have access to.
What’s your favorite Historical figure?
Cleopatra! She was bad ass.
Lol. What are your thoughts on Race?
I think race is something that is used to separate people and cause friction in the world. It is far too important in the world.
I know right. In your own words (not Google’s) define racism.
Racism is an excuse people who have a particular hue of skin, use to make them feel better about themselves, by belittling and demeaning people who are different than them. An unnecessary evil!
What’s your favorite TV Show? Movie?
My favorite TV show is hard to pinpoint. I love Scandal, NCIS, and Underground. I used to love Criminal Minds, but they got rid of Hotch and the show has gone downhill. My fave movies vary between, The Color Purple, An Affair to Remember, Forrest Gump, Love and Basketball and the Rocky movies, including Creed.
I enjoyed Creed myself. What TV channel doesn’t exist but really should?
Women’s Sports Channel!
Let’s talk about books. What is the most thought provoking book you’ve ever read?
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Yea, that’s a good one. Loren, why is writing important to you?
I can’t live without it. It is a part of me that I must do.
Why is it a must for you?
I must write because I believe it is what I was put on Earth to do. I have a million stories in my head just waiting to be written. I am always coming up with new ideas for stories and I get excited just thinking about them. I see the world through a writer’s eye and always have. It has just taken me longer to gain the courage to write it down for others to enjoy.
What do you love about yourself?
I love that I have an open mind and my willingness to try new things.
If you had one superpower that could change the world, what would it be?
I have the superpower, but I don’t have the ability to infuse it into everyone. It is LOVE! Why? If people focused on love instead of hate, this world would change for the better. I’m not saying I want a utopia where people walk around like mindless drones smiling at the moon. I am simply saying, if people opened their hearts more instead of using hate to lead, things would get better for everyone.
That’s probably the deepest answer I’ve gotten on this interview yet! You’re onto something Loren. Love is a superpower indeed.
In your own words, what is truth?
Truth is the ability to step outside of yourself and see things for what they are, without any emotional attachment. Emotions cause truth to be skewed and then nobody knows what really happened.
Lol. True.
Coming June 20, 2017
*WARNING: This book contains explicit sexual content and is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. Let’s get the children out of the room please.
Egyptian Nights
(Book 1 in The Triple Threat Series)
is available now for pre-order. CLICK HERE
Once upon a time there was a beautiful young woman named Egypt, and she loved sex. Cursed by her mother’s dying declaration, she thinks she is unworthy of love. Locking her feelings inside an impenetrable ice block, she hides behind casual sex. Aided by her Naughty Fairy Godmother, she creates a playlist of rules to live by to avoid a broken heart.
When the ruggedly, sexy businessman, Harper Beckmann enters the restaurant where she is the executive chef, she feels drawn to him in ways she never felt before. When he denies her offer for a casual hook-up and offers to take her on a date instead, she is intrigued. Unable to resist his charms, she allows him to break all of her rules, including kissing on the mouth.
Harper has been playing the field since his fiancée left him for his best friend. A romantic at heart, he longs for the love of a good woman. When he meets Egypt, he knows instantly she is just what he needs to cure his aching heart. If he can break down her walls and get her to admit she loves him too, Beckmann may just be the one to break the curse.
Thanks so much Loren for spending this time with us. We enjoyed you!
Bio.
Loren is a former call center supervisor currently based in Greenville, SC with her loving and supportive husband.
Growing up the youngest of seven in a small town in North Carolina, she embraced her love of reading which helped to develop her imagination.
Her desire to write lay dormant for years until she found the courage to look within and her passion could no longer be ignored.
Be sure to follow L. Loren online:
https://llorenwriter.wordpress.com/
http://facebook.com/l.lorenwriter
Twitter: @rebirthoflisa
Pinterest: rebirthoflisa
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01MSTKUBI
Are you a new author? Looking for more exposure? Learn more about my Introduce Yourself Feature HERE.
Indie Shine – Yecheilyah Ysrayl
I am on Lisa’s Blog today. Come on over! Thank you Lisa for having me.
In this edition of Indie Shine, a place for rebirthoflisa to “Shine” the spotlight on indie artists, we welcome author Yecheilyah Ysrayl.
©Yecheilyah Ysrayl used with permission
Bio:
Yecheilyah Ysrayl is the author of Young Adult, Black American Literature, and Poetry. The author of eight books (most notably, The Stella Trilogy), Yecheilyah is currently working on her next book series “The Nora White Story”. Renaissance: The Nora White Story Book One is due for release July 15, 2017. Revelation: The Nora White Story Book Two is due for release December of this year. Yecheilyah is also a Blogger and Book Reviewer. Originally from Chicago, IL, she now resides in Shreveport, LA with her husband where she writes full time.
Q & A
What do you do and Why do you do it?
Thank you, Lisa, for having me. I am an Independent Author of Black American Literature, a Poet, Book…
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Enter to Win a $10 Amazon Giftcard + Signed Paperback (2 winners)
The countdown to the release of Renaissance, book one in The Nora White Story continues.
ENTER HERE for a chance to win a free paperback copy of Renaissance, signed with matching bookmark and author seal when it releases.
Also on the line is a $10 Amazon Gift-card!
First and second place winners chosen. Contest runs from now through Monday, June 26th. Winners announced Friday, July 14, 2017.
ENTER HERE
Introduce Yourself: Introducing Guest Author Meredith Gibrahar
Welcome to Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established authors and their books.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Meredith Gibrahar. She’s our first Aspiring Author! Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
What would your favorite writing / reading room look like:
My perfect writing/reading room would be a clean table with just a computer and a comfortable reading chair.
What is the most annoying habit that you have?
The most annoying habit I have is to say, “I’m sorry!” I am on disability for a mental illness.
What do you hate about writing advice? What do you love?
What I hate about writing advice is that it’s not specific enough. What I love about writing advice is learning more and more each day.
I feel you. Can you give us an example of what would be specific writing advice for you?
How do you develop a character in fiction? How do you set up a scene in your book?
What do you think you’ve mastered?
I think I’ve mastered the skill of painting with pastel and watercolor paints.
Ooh. Nice. Do you have any siblings Meredith?
I have two brothers.
Cool. What was your childhood dream?
My childhood dream was to be a secretary so that I could use a typewriter.
My dad had a typewriter! We broke it of course lol. In your own words, what is Humility?
Humility is to be honest about your achievements.
I love it. In your own words, what is Love?
Love is something to be shared between two people.
What is the most amazing adventure you’d like to go on?
The most amazing adventure would be to go on a safari to take photographs.
Thank you Meredith for spending this time with us!
Bio.
I am a new Canadian author. Just starting out and trying to get some interest in two new books. I have experienced much in life and think that I have a rich past and a rich imagination that will create two thrilling and suspenseful books.
More about Meredith:
Meredith was born in 1958 in Ontario Canada. She wrote a play in public school and have written one scientific article and a thesis. She writes poetry and fiction and is working on a non fiction book called The Dominant. She is a single parent.
Follow Meredith below:
https://meredithgibraltar.wordpress.com/
Facebook: Meredith Gibraltar@meredithgibraltar
Twitter: @mgibraltar101
Email: meredithgibraltar@outlook.com
The PBS Blog 