Interview with Author Patrick Johns

The author spotlight shines for the second time in three days, following up a list of interviews of bright, unique literary minds. Next up, is upcoming author and Virginia Tech alumnus, Patrick Johns.

EA: Tell us about your upcoming book.

PJ: Junkland is the first book in The Hoarding series. It is about O’Jahrys Grent, a young boy from Palor, who has only one dream: to become a knight. While he works in his father’s shop, he daydreams of fearless knights from tales long ago. He longs to save a princess from treacherous outlaws, overthrow cruel kings, and explore the lands beyond the Farrest Sea and the Western Mountains.

O’Jahrys believes that a knight fears nothing— until the Hoarding comes to Astenpoole, and he experiences fear firsthand. With his family gone and his home destroyed, O’Jahrys is one of many whose life is turned upside down when he is abandoned outside the castle walls by the once loved King.

In order to survive, O’Jahrys is forced to become a Retriever, locating things beyond the castle walls in the Junkland for inhabitants of the castle. When one mission puts him and his friends in danger, he realizes the only way to stop the Hoarding is to get into the castle and find the mysterious princess he had fallen in love with three years before.

EA: What inspired you to write it?

PJ: My parents took my brothers and me to see Aladdin on Broadway in January 2016. Aladdin has always been my favorite Disney movie, and after seeing the play, I was so inspired to write something just as strong, just as powerful, and just as meaningful. I wanted to write something that connected to people, and more importantly, I wanted to write something that was true to myself.
A few days after seeing the play, I saw an emergency light in a stairwell. It caught my attention because it looked like it would make a good Disney character. The emergency light had a tiny, square body with two bulbs protruding from the top that resembled large, innocent eyes.

Later, I sat down and studied the photo of the emergency light I had taken. I thought, what kind of setting could I see this guy in? It took no effort discovering the answer — this guy belonged in a world covered in junk. With the influence from the play still bubbling in my mind, I whipped out a notepad— my cellphone — and began to write an outline of a story in a junkland. The outline came effortlessly to me. I read it through once, thought it was perfect, and I did not hesitate to begin writing. Now, a year and a half later, (and almost twelve drafts in!), comes a story completely different from my original outline — Junkland and The Hoarding series.

EA: Were there any authors who motivated you to become a writer?

PJ: Oh yes! George R. R. Martin is definitely a huge influence. His story structure, character development, plot twists, and his power of killing his characters is exactly the kind of story telling I enjoy most, and have always been interested in myself, even before I discovered him.

J.K. Rowling is another huge influence for me. Harry Potter is still a big part of my life. I am twenty-five years old, and I am still waiting for my letter from Hogwarts! She did an unbelievable job creating the Wizarding World with relatable and unforgettable characters. She created a world that was dark, but also fun, witty, and beautiful. After numerous times rereading the series, I am now trying to read it in Spanish!

Michael Crichton is another influence. I played with dinosaurs my entire childhood, and Jurassic Park will forever be my favorite book and movie. Michael Crichton does such a great job creating page-turning thrillers that have your heart racing from start to finish.

EA: Was writing this novel an easy process?

PJ: Not at all! I can’t even tell you how many hours were put into this, along with all the early mornings and sleepless nights. I know I said the outline came effortlessly to me, but once I realized I had a story, things got real. A simple idea suddenly turned into an Epic Fantasy. I had no control over it. The story kept expanding and expanding and expanding. I realized I had to make maps, family trees, timelines, character motives, and most importantly: story outlines.

Thankfully, I had a lot of help from friends, family, and the writing community. Honestly, without their help, motivation, and support, this book would never have been completed. It is important to keep those kind of people in your life. When I was down in the dumps about my book, a friend would always text me out of the blue asking how the book was coming and to keep it up. It was as if he or she felt a disturbance in the force and knew I needed that moral boost to keep things in balance and moving forward.

Another thing that helped me was running. I was training for a marathon while I was developing this story. Whenever I was stressed about things like not knowing what to name a character, or how to fill in a plot hole, I would save it for my marathon workouts. When I would go running, answers would come to me; it was incredible. The only problem was, I would think of a great idea, and I would be fifteen miles away from being able to write it down.

EA: Do you have any upcoming projects after the release of Junkland?

Yes. After Junkland is completed, I will begin to write the second novel in the series. I have two more books lined up in The Hoarding series. I also have another series idea lined up which I am really excited about. As of now, it is called The Other Level, which will be more of a Sci-Fi series.

EA: What are you looking to accomplish overall as a writer?

PJ: We live in a very interesting time where imagination is both limited and boundless. I feel imagination is important now, more than ever, especially in this digital age. We need original stories. Stories of heroes we believe in. Stories that influence and make us better people. And stories that get us through tough times. Life is hard and we can’t get through it alone.
What I want to accomplish as a writer is having my stories connect to readers from all over the world— if I could connect with one individual out there in the world, my job will be complete. I want to take people away to forget about their personal problems and bring them to unforgettable worlds. I want to take them on an adventure. I would also like to see my stories on the big screen or even as a television series. I think that would be so cool to watch something I created!

EA: Finally, tell the readers why Junkland is a must buy and will be a worthy read.

PJ: Because I have read it twelve times, and I'm still in love with it! But in all seriousness, Junkland will take you on a compelling journey full of adventure, hope and betrayal, friendship and romance, and what it truly means to be a hero.

Epilogue

I can definitely relate to struggling to come up with an idea on what direction I want to go next with a character or story, and when something comes to me, I'm in a situation where I'm unable to write it down. That happened to me plenty of times when I was working at Wal-Mart.

I can also relate to the desire and thought of one day seeing your work come to fruition on the screen, whether it's TV or the silver screen. I would like to thank Patrick for taking the time to speak with me. His first novel, Junkland is set to release in August. For more on Patrick, visit his website and social media pages in the links below.

Website: https://patrickjohnswrites.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/patjohnswrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/PatrickJohnsWrites/
Author Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/patrickjohnswrites/

Interview with Author Albert Scott

The upcoming weeks look to be plentiful for the EA: Creatively Creative blog. I have quite a few interviews on deck, and to kick it off, the author spotlight shines on the creator of the Broken Revelation universe, author Albert Scott.

EA: What is the concept behind Broken Revelations: Horsemen Rising?

AS: I wanted to write a fast-paced story filled with action; it's a story about an average guy named Adrian whose world is turned upside down when he discovers that he's one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse; War to be exact. But he learns quickly that even though you have great power, sometimes you can’t stop the shit from hitting the fan. You just have to stand up and brush it off and prepare for more to come your way.

EA: This is Volume One of the Urban Fantasy series. Is there a specific number that you plan to produce for it?

AS: I have four volumes scheduled for this series. But I plan to write more stories that take place in the Broken Revelation universe.

EA: What is your inspiration for writing it?

AS: It was one of my favorite episodes of Supernatural that sparked the idea for Broken Revelations; it was the one where Dean was talking to Death in the pizza parlor when I thought to myself: "you don’t really hear much about the origins of the four horsemen," so I began to do some research and couldn’t find anything other than the lore from the Darksiders video games series. Soon my research went from the four horsemen to delving into the lore of angels and demons then I got the idea to throw in some pagan gods, and thus the Broken Revelation universe was born.

EA: Aside from your current series, do you plan to write more Urban Fantasy novels?

AS: Yes I do. I'm always thinking of some story.

EA: This may tie into some of your answers from the previous question. Do you have any projects in the works for the near or distant future?

AS: Yes, I’m currently working the sequel to Horsemen Rising along with another story that takes place in the Broken Revelations universe titled the Dragon’s Daughter where a young man falls in lust with a dragon goddess.

EA: Were there any authors who motivated you to become a writer?

 AS: Oh man, there are plenty, but my top five are J.R.R Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, Michael Scott, Jim Butcher and Tom King.

EA: Describe what the writing process is like for you.

AS: For the most part, I see the stories in my mind as if I’m watching a movie and do my best to translate what I see onto paper so that the reader can see it too. I have also learned inspiration can happen at any given moment so I keep a little notebook with me at all times and also have a writing app on my phone so that I can write anywhere.

 EA: What is your biggest aspiration as an author/writer?

 AS: I just want people to enjoy my stories and possibly enter into their top ten favorite authors. And it wouldn’t hurt see Broken Revelations made into an animated movie.

EA: Finally, tell the readers why Broken Revelations: Horsemen Rising is a must buy.

AS: It’s a quick action packed read filled with Angel, Fallen Angels, Demons and Pagan Gods. The four horsemen are portrayed in ways you have never seen before, and it has Jesus running a weed shop. What more could you ask for?

Epilogue

Creative, literary minds tend to think alike. I usually see stories the same way. My mind is constantly moving, it's as if I have a TV or silver screen in my brain, and it that rarely shuts down, and being asleep is one of those exceptions. I would like to thank Albert for taking the time to speak with us. You can check out Broken Revelation: Horsemen Rising on Amazon. You can also see more on this series by visiting his Tumblr page. Follow Albert on Twitter @BrokenRev

Interview with Author Jacqueline Rainey

The last two weeks has been plentiful for the EA: Creatively Creative blog. To quickly recap, my interview with DeLisa Brown last Thursday became my first blog to reach 100 and 200 views! Then on Monday, my interview with Elvira Guzman became my second blog to reach 100 views, and is on its way to becoming my third blog to reach 200 views.

This past Thursday, my interview with Lisa Bailey Bastian has exceeded even my expectations. It became my third blog to reach 100 views, my second to reach 200, and my first to reach over 300 and 400 views, and is on it's way to 500!  To kick off this week, the author spotlight shines on author Jacqueline Rainey. 

EA: What is the concept behind 30: The Dragonfly Catcher?

JR: I wanted to show the connection between the human heart and fragility of the mind. As humans when we fall in love, we do things that we would never do, and the same applies when our hearts are broken, the difference is that when our hearts are broken the things we do are out of anger and revenge.

While writing 30: The Dragonfly Catcher from the very beginning, I knew that I wanted all the focus to be on the main character CaSandra. The other characters are nothing more than props, background scenery, things that she uses to both escape reality and hold on to it.

She’s a narcissist waving a flag of pride, hence her ritual of getting dressed up and standing in front of the mirror just to admire her handy work of what she has transformed herself into. In its simplest form, this would just be a story about a woman with a broken heart, but when I write and create characters the word "simple" doesn’t exist to me.

From the very beginning, CaSandra is struggling with alter personalities: the little girl, the woman CaSandra and the third personality The Dragonfly Catcher that emerged after she realized that she had wasted many years of her life loving a man and waiting to be with him only for him to choose his wife over her, and that’s when her entire world and her existence is turned upside down.  

EA: What inspired you to write it?

JR: Anger, revenge, a broken heart, and the end of a very long-term relationship with a man who I still believe to this day wasted my time. My first three books were all written using my own personal life experiences. 30 The Dragonfly Catcher has bits and pieces of the real me sprinkled all throughout the entire story. When people read my current published books, they are reading my Autobiography spread out over four books and different stories. The creation of CaSandra the main character and the center of attention was therapeutic for me. It helped me move past a lot of the hurt I was feeling. I have learned to take a five-minute life experience and turn it into a book. 

EA: What goes through your mind during the process of creating a novel?

JR: I had to stop and think about this question because when I start writing, it’s almost as if I’m in a trance and nothing around me exist, unless I’m listening to a specific type of music to help guide my emotions so that I can get the words and the tone of the story exactly the way it came to me. With my first book, I couldn’t even hang on to or remember one line that came to me long enough to write it down. I tried everything, then suddenly out of the blue that changed. Now I spend a lot of time writing in my head and can retain it until I sit down in front of my computer. 

EA: Do you have any upcoming projects?

JR: As a matter of fact, yes, I do. I’m currently working on a manuscript entitled Small Town Arlington, which will be released along with Dirty Blue, Black Roses, Purple Haze Poetry, and Strange Fruit: Short Odd Tales hopefully by the end of 2017. Unfortunately, all I’m willing to share about my new upcoming releases are the titles and that they are multi-genre.

I am very excited about all four of them and having so much fun writing them! I began work on three screenplays, but had to put them on the back burner until after the release of my four new books. You can also visit my Author website for information about my new works in progress, reviews of my current published books and purchase links. My website is BlueHarmonie.com, also follow me on Twitter @BlueHarmonie where I occasionally end up in the Trending Topics under my Alter Ego Hashtag #TheLandOfBlueHarmonie.

EA: Overall, what do you set out to accomplish as an author/writer?

JR: To make the readers believe that my characters are real, living, breathing humans with real emotions, real heartache, real craziness and that they are more than just words on a page. The worlds I create for my characters is real, as real as the matrix we beings live in right now. LOL! 

EA: I recently heard a "renowned" writer say that there's no such thing as an aspiring writer, you just write. Personally, I think that's BS and ill-informed. What's your take on those with this view?

JR: I’ve been writing poetry since I was eleven years old, so I believe that some of us are born writers. You’re not going to find me sitting in a virtual or physical classroom or some writers group to learn how to write, I believe that would destroy the natural creativity I was born with.

EA: Finally, tell the readers why 30: The Dragonfly Catcher is a worthy buy and a good read.

JR: 30:The Dragonfly Catcher is more than worth the purchase and is a great book and it can be bought with just one click on Amazon for your Kindle. Some women can accept rejection and move on with their lives, but CaSandra in 30: The Dragonfly Catcher isn’t like other women. Her struggles with acceptance and love existed even as a young girl. Some things we grow out of, and others just take over our lives and our entire existence which is what happened to CaSandra with the other part of herself that named itself The Dragonfly Catcher. 

I’m a unique writer who tells stories in a unique way. My writing style is different from that of a lot of Authors. I’m extremely proud of all my books, but 30 The Dragonfly Catcher is the story that tested my ability to write and tell the story the way I wanted to regardless of what people would think about my writing style.

I gave CaSandra real life female flaws and emotions that come with being lied to, strung along and then tossed aside and forgotten by a man that she was deeply and madly in love with. Many women know the pain of a broken heart, but very few are so fragile emotionally that they lose touch with reality and are destroyed mentally.

I would like to thank Jacqueline for taking the time to share her vision, thoughts, upcoming projects, and even a little of her past with us. You can check out other works written by Jacqueline such as Dark Harmonie and Toni's Blues here. Watch the trailer for 30: The Dragonfly Catcher, and visit her website and Twitter page in the links below my final analysis.

Epilogue

On a final note, while I thought that Jacqueline's answer to my question about the writer (Shonda Rhimes)-- whose theory on writing I question-- was a good answer, and I didn't quite look at it that way because I, too, consider myself to be a natural born writer. I'm gifted by the Most High, I never took any classes for what I do.

First, let me say this: I heard her say this on an ad while I was waiting to skip past it so I could watch the YouTube video that I was waiting to view, so I'm paraphrasing what I heard. The reason why I criticize Rhime's theory is because to "aspire" to do something basically means that there's a desire or goal that you set out to achieve.

So, to say that there's no such thing as an aspiring writer, is to say that there's no desire or a goal that one sets out to accomplish of becoming a writer. If there's anything that you venture to accomplish in life, whether it be writing, acting, professional sports, doctor, lawyer, etc., it is your aspiration to make it and be successful in that profession, which, in my opinion, makes her logic faulty. You don't "just write," there has to be a desire to do so. 

Amazon purchase link for 30: The Dragonfly Catcher https://goo.gl/pw5rZ1 

30: The Dragonfly Catcher YouTube Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCNKy0OUfQg 

My Author Website:  BlueHarmonie.com 

My Twitter: @BlueHarmonie 

Interview with Author Lisa Bailey Bastian

I recently had a joyful Author Session with award winning author Elvira Guzman. That interview became the second consecutive blog on Edward Anthony: Creatively Creative to reach more than 100 views. For the second time this week, the author spotlight shines once again, this time on Independent (AKA Indie) Author Lisa Bailey Bastian.

EA: For starters, would you tell us the concept behind Winston's Will?

LBB: I have always wanted to write stories. I came across an article in a newspaper about a man on death row that had tried to organize a murder of someone on the outside, and I thought it would be a good story to completely fictionalize and turn in another direction.

EA: What inspired you to write it?

LBB: I was originally into writing screenplays and wrote the story as a script. After hitting wall after wall in trying to solicit and sell the script, I attended a writer’s conference and in a session, it was suggested to the group to turn our scripts into books. So, I did. After the rejections it received as a script and my strong desire to share the story, I decided not to even attempt traditional publishing but instead, to self-publish. Anticipation of the result, is what inspired and still inspires me, I was eager to know if I could satisfy readers with a complete story and identifiable characters in a short novel.

EA:  Were there any authors who influenced you to become a writer?

LBB: I’ve always been fond of Stephen King and John Grisham and I loved seeing their books come to life on the screen. But because I really wanted to write screenplays for television, my influence came from movies I watch on LMN (Lifetime Movie Network) and other networks.

EA: What is your approach in terms of engaging readers?

LBB: I like to read stories, but I can never find time to finish them because they are so long and I have little time. I am sure there are many others like me who would love to read a story from beginning to end in a couple days or even on a long flight across the country. I engage readers by keeping it interesting, getting them to quickly know and relate to the characters, hooking the readers at page one and keeping the story moving without a lot of fluff.

EA: Do you have any upcoming projects?

LBB: Yes. A Memphis Plot is going to be released at the end of this summer. From the content to the design of the cover, there were many lessons learned from self-publishing and I’m excited to give it another try with this next book. Then, I will be challenging myself with a series of supernatural thrillers in a way that I hope to be unique and welcomed by readers.

EA: Tell us about the screenplay that made the top 100 of the 78th Annual Writer’s Digest Screenwriting Competition / Film Category.

LBB: I wrote a screenplay titled 'Confusion.' It’s about a woman named Tawney Hendricks who, after several years, decides to visit the cemetery where her sister Zoe is buried. When she arrives, she has trouble finding the grave and with the desecration of the grounds, she accuses the cemetery of grave stacking. This is just the beginning and when word gets out about Tawney’s search for her sister, it creates opportunity, suspicion and fear, all connected to one secret that was hoped to stay buried with Zoe’s grave. I submitted the script in the Annual Writer’s Digest Competition and was happy to have it placed in the top 100. This however, didn’t help as a catalyst to sell the script, so, I have finally decided to turn this into a short novel now titled A Memphis Plot.

EA: What do you aspire to accomplish overall as an author/writer?

LBB: I still have the dream to someday see my books on the screen and am converting the scripts that I have written, into books. I am continuing to study the craft of screenwriting as well as novel writing.

EA: Finally, tell the readers why Winston's Will is a worthy buy and a good read.

LBB: Winston’s Will is a quick read and pure entertainment. Readers will empathize with some of the characters and will dislike others, but they will want to keep turning the pages to see how far each will go to get what they want. The one thing readers will begin to expect from my work is an unexpected twist, something Winston’s Will undoubtedly has.

Epilogue

Being an Indie Author myself, I can relate to Lisa on a lot of ends, particularly the desire to engage readers from start to finish, and seeing the fruit of the labor pay big dividends in the oncoming future. I would like to thank Lisa for taking the time to share her inspirations, aspirations, and her upcoming projects with us. Check out her novel, Winston's Will on Amazon.com.

1,000 Views Edition: Episode Two: Tales from the Storyteller: Wrestling with my Ex

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. I'm the Storyteller, your host for this evening. Tonight, I have a story from a newspaper critic and wrestling fan who is about to have a match the likes of which he's never seen. In this corner, from Bayou Rouge, LA., he is "The Reviewer" Stuart Charles! And in his opponent, from all parts of the globe, Woman Trouble! The best part about this match is that you don't need to pay-per-view, this one's on the house!

"I was hanging out at an iHop with some of my buddies after attending a wrestling show. About an hour later, Janet walked in with some of her friends. Janet is 5-9, so she stood out from the rest of her crew. She works for CCW (Capital City Wrestling), a local promotion in Bayou Rouge under the persona, “The Intimidator” Jade Law.

Due to her occupation, she travels out of town frequently. She has done house shows in New York, California, and was also invited to wrestle in Japan-- her proudest moment to date. Her goal is to someday wrestle for a mainstream promotion. For now, she’s here, about to hang out and chill with her friends after doing another show. It was a female entourage, so they caught my attention initially, but I don't pay them much mind from there. I continued to go in on my steak and scrambled eggs.

'Hey Stu, She's looking at you kid.' Peter said to me with a Humphrey Bogart impression, nudging his arm.

'Which one?'

'The tall blonde.'

'Whatever, dude. If you say so.'

'No seriously. Look over there.'

I took a gander and...there she was! Her light blue eyes stared directly at me from a distance. When our eyes meet, she gave me a smile and waved. I waved back. Of course,  my friends egged it on, making it bigger than what it was.

'Come on guys, she's just being friendly.' I respond.

'A woman sees a table full of guys, but she acknowledges you,'David retorted. “'No dude. You're just downplaying it.'

David always could see through and call me out on my bullsh*t. He's a realist, and although I don't always like what he has to say, I know deep down, he's usually right, and that's the kind of guy I need as a friend. We get some flak from some because David’s the only black guy in the group, but it's by happenstance, we're not exclusive in terms of race.

I had a chance to talk to Janet afterwards. I didn't think a woman who is in the spotlight in this town would be interested in a guy like me. I've had my fair share of dates, but I've never dated a wrestler. She’s aware of who I am, particularly my work as a Reviewer for The Pelican, the town's magazine. As an analyst and long-time fan of wrestling, I offered a few critiques of her technique, which was pretty bold of me because I never stepped in the ring a day in my life, and there I was, telling her how to wrestle.

She looked at me momentarily. For a second, I thought she was about to give me that menacing look she gives her opponents before a match. 'You know what? My trainer made the same observations.' She acknowledged.

'You’re not angry with me?' He wondered.

'Not at all. I respect that you said what you felt and didn’t mince words. Most men seem to be intimidated by me. I don’t know why.'

Well, she stands at 5-9, weighs about 155 pounds, nice chisels in the right places. I think I know why most men are intimidated by her.

“Well, I criticize for a living.” I responded.

“But don’t go too far. I’d hate to have to twist that handsome face off your neck.”

My eyes bulge a little. Janet’s statements stopped me in my tracks. I wasn't sure if she was serious or joking. I was momentarily at a standstill, with a loss for words.

'I’m kidding, Stu,' She confirmed. 'Do you mind if I call you Stu?'

Her confirmation that she was playing relaxed me a little. After all, she’s not only a wrestler, but she has an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) background, and is about to graduate to a brown belt in Shotokan karate to accompany her Amazon stature.

'No, I don’t mind. I mean, I’ve only been called that most of my life.' I laughed slightly.

'You have a sarcastic sense of humor. It’s kind of cute.'

'Do you mind if I call you...say tomorrow afternoon?'

'Sure, tomorrow afternoon is perfect. The best time will be after 4 o’clock. I’ll be done with my training by then.'

'Great. I’ll do that. Talk to you tomorrow.'

'Okay. Talk to you then.'

We exchanged numbers, greeted each other good night, and went our separate ways. As promised, I called her a little after 4 o’clock. We had a good conversation, and by the end of it, I set up a date for the two of us at Supreme Grill for the next night. Again, I have dated all types of women in my lifetime, but I never thought in my wildest dreams I would be dating a wrestler, nevertheless, a town superstar like Janet.

Five months into the relationship, things gradually turned sour. Janet turned out to be jealous, obsessive, and overprotective. If another woman looked at me, nevertheless, spoke to me, she flew off the handle. An example of this is an incident where a cashier simply smiled and asked me, 'Does that complete your order?' She had some choice words for her, and we argued all the way to her house, where I dropped her off. When out of town, she called and texted me constantly, not because she missed me so much, but to see if I was being faithful, or possibly catch me in the act of cheating on her.

Although I would assure and reassure her that there was no one else, jealousy and paranoia got the best of her. Most of my friends don’t believe me when I told them what was going on. In a conversation I had with David shortly thereafter, he told me if she was doing all of that, to let her go, that there were too many women out there to choose from, and she wasn't worth it.

I agreed with his practicality, but for some reason, I still held on to her. The final straw became when she started beating up women that she thought even looked at me with interest, which will typically be easy for a woman her size. She’s bigger than most women she will encounter, although size doesn’t always matter. 

 I called her earlier that day to inform her that we needed to talk. Coincidently, she had a few days off coming from a tour that week, and was coming by the house to cook dinner. It was upon her arrival that I laid the news on her.

'You’re breaking up with me?' She asked.

'Yes Janet. Do I have to spell it out for you?'

'No. No, you don’t. I have a question.'

'What is it?'

'Do you have life, health, and burial insurance?'

'I’m not those females that you beat up. You can’t intimidate me. Please leave.'

'After all we've been through? Why are you dong this? I love you, Stuart!'

'Too late, Janet. You blew it. For the last time...Please. Leave.'

She stood as firm as a bark tree, folded her arms, and gave her famous menacing look. 'Make me.'

15 minutes later, the police arrived. They laughed while taking down the report. They’re flabbergasted that a man called them to stop a woman from attacking him.

'Officers, what’s so funny?' He asked.

'You want us to rescue you from the little lady?' The laughing officer responded.

'Little lady? Her breasts are bigger than my head, and her thighs are bigger than half my body,' I replied. 'I had to wrestle with her the whole time before you guys arrived. I just pried my head out of her vice-grip headlock.'

The cops laughed even harder. 'What did you do to get out of it?' One of them asked.

'I elbowed her in the stomach,' I said. 'Her abs felt like steel. I’m surprised she felt it. I think my elbow is hurting more than she is.'

The laughter stopped immediately. 'You elbowed a lady in the stomach?' I was sternly asked.

'Yes sir. It was either that, or let her kill me. That wasn’t about to happen.'

When the officer is about to arrest me, Janet intervened, apologized, and pleaded with the officer to let me go, admitting that she started the altercation. The cop grants me request, but gives me a warning before leaving. One would think that using her Vaginal Privilege card to prevent my arrest was a good thing, but she had another agenda. After the cops left, Janet turned to me, smiled, and gave me an ice cold gaze.

'I’m gonna make your life a living hell.' She threatened.

'Whatever you say, Janet.'

'Oh, you don’t believe me?'

'I don’t care. Just get out and stay out of my life.'

'You son of a b*tch! You don’t tell me what to do. Rest assured, you’ll see me again.'

After that fiasco that night, it was three months before I started dating again. In between that time, Janet sent voice mails and text messages about how I will never find a woman better than her. I blocked and deleted her number and she would call from private numbers. I recently met Erica Fischer, a CPA, at a coffee house. She’s a nice looking, petite woman. She’s 5-4, with brown hair, and wears glasses. She’s the total opposite of Janet, in terms of figure-- and personality. We hit it off quickly, and when Janet found out about us, she was enraged. She saw us coming out of the movie theater the other night.

'Hello Stuart. I see you’re not alone.'

'No, I’m not Janet.' I replied.

'Who is this?' She asks.

'I’m Erica,' She says, extending a handshake to Janet, who refused. 'Who are you?'

'I wasn’t talking to you, I’m talking to him.'

'She told you her name, why be so hostile?'

'I don’t believe this! You dropped me for this b*tch?'

'Hey, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t disrespect her like that.'

Janet chuckles. 'She’s a f**king dork.'

'Stuart, you actually dated this atrocity?' Erica asks.

'Atrocity? B*tch, you’re dead.'

She approached Erica; I stepped in front to shield her from Janet. A bystander who noticed the confrontation attempts to break it up and inadvertently received a punch in the face that was meant for me.

'Oh my...I am so sorry.” Janet says, checking on the guy. She stares at me with infuriation. 'You see what you made me do?!'

'So it's my fault you’re an unstable, irrational hot-head?'

'Unstable? Oh, it’s on! Remember what I told you that night, Stuart. Don’t ever forget!'

Janet scurried away. Myself, Erica, and a few other bystanders checked on the guy-- who insisted that he was okay-- and helped him to his feet. You know, I once heard that when a person shows who they truly are, believe it! Don't let them explain or rationalize it away, when they show you who they truly are, believe that.

And Janet has shown herself. That's who she truly is. What's sad is that she's a nice looking woman, with a great career and a bright future. There's no need to go psycho over one particular person. There are plenty of guys out there. At first, I was shocked to find out that she was single at the time, now I know why she's single. I think she bumped her head one time too many on the mat."

Wow, that was a heck of a match! Well, at least Stu won't have that problem with Erica. The worst that could happen with her is that she'll run off with his money, or screw him on his taxes. Hahahaha! That's our story for tonight folks. Come back next time for more Tales from the Storyteller. 

Interview with Best-Selling Author Elvira Guzman

Last week, I had the pleasure and honor of speaking with award winning author and Navy veteran DeLisa Brown. That interview quickly became my most viewed blog (so far) out of all my blogs, and I have multiple blog sites! It gained a meteoric rise overnight-- literally. I posted it a little after 4 am-- I know, 4 o'clock in the morning. What can I say? I love what I do-- and it reached 100 views in less than 24 hours, becoming my first blog to reach triple digit views. The next day, it received 100 more views!

Again, I want to thank DeLisa for taking the time to speak with me. This week, the author spotlight shines on yet another multi-talented, well-rounded individual. I had the pleasure and privilege of speaking with best-selling author, talk show host, publicist, and motivational speaker, Elvira Guzman.

EA: What is the concept of Purpose Awaken & Succeed?

EG: Once we awaken and find our purpose in life that’s when our true success comes.

EA: What inspired you to write it?

EG:  I speak at a lot of at-risk high school, juvenile halls and top universities and the common thread amongst all of them is many didn’t know their purpose in life. Not knowing what direction they should go in caused many of them anxiety, sadness, depression and some were even suicidal because they felt so hopeless. I’m very fortunate and I’ve had a lot of mentors and I’ve read a lot of books and I awakened early in life so I wanted to share what I know with others so they too can awaken and feel joy again!

EA: Describe the feeling of becoming a best selling author.

EG: It felt validating! I always knew I loved to write but I never knew if people were going to like it. The best way to describe it is, it’s like having the universe give you a big hug and says “keep going”.

EA: From what I've gathered, you come from humble beginnings. Would you tell us what life was like for you through the trying times?

EG: In life I believe we all have ups and downs. It’s up to us to learn from the downs and to be grateful for the ups. Throughout my life I’ve had obstacles but all have made me quicker, stronger and gave me more confidence. Had I not had them I know I wouldn’t be who I am today. Growing up I’ve had family issues that I could not control, I had health issues and I’ve had boyfriend issues. Looking back I’m thankful for all of it because I was able to find the lesson in each and I’m wiser     because of them.

EA: What did you do to maintain your focus for what you wanted to accomplish?

EG: I never allowed myself to stay down for too long. When an obstacle comes my way, I feel the pain, I accept it and I go on about my life. I remained focused on work and on helping others so that I didn’t have to think about some of the obstacles. Having those negative thoughts was toxic so I figured out ways to focus on good things that made me smile.

EA: Congratulations on becoming a talk show host. What is the name of the show, and could you guide us through the process of getting this done, and what was the process like?

EG: Thank you! The show is called The Elvira Guzman Show and sure! While I was on vacation in Mexico I got a call from WCOBM TV and they wanted me to do a show on their network. After a few meetings in Hollywood I decided to do an inspirational show on their network and things have been great ever since!

EA: Tell us about your firm, Elvie G. PR.

EG: I’ve owned my publicity and branding company for 12 years now. I’ve represented top celebrities, film companies, radio stations, telephone companies and we’ve event coordinated some of Hollywood’s biggest events and concerts. We’re always looking to work with people who are doing something to make this world just a little bit better.

EA: What is the purpose/goal of Elvie G. PR?

EG: To help celebrities and CEOs who are trying to change the world get their message out.

EA: What is the vision you have for your work overall?

EG: To help others achieve their dreams. To remind others that they have God inside of them and that they are powerful and whatever we focus on will manifest. To enlighten others.

EA:  Finally, tell the readers why Purpose Awaken & Succeed is a worthy buy and a good read.

EG: It will awaken you to your best life! Many have said they can’t put it down and that since reading it their life has been so much better!

Epilogue

I would like to thank Elvira for taking the time to share her thoughts with us. For giving insight on what drives her and what motivates her to drive others to awaken to their best purpose and success. For more information on Elvira and her books, go to www.elviraguzman.com. If you're interested in more information on Elvie G. PR, or being represented by Elvie G. PR, visit www.elviegpr.com

Interview with Author DeLisa Brown

The author spotlight shines on a unique, well-rounded individual. This week, I've had the pleasure and honor to speak with award winning author, blogger, designer, inspirational speaker, and Navy veteran, DeLisa Brown.

EA: Voices from the Bayou is an interesting title for a book. Would you tell us what sparked you to come up with that title as well as what the book is about?

DB: Voices from the Bayou is a book concept that aroused in early 2016. It started with the Creative Writing Club at Baton Rouge Community College where I serve as the President. Originally it would consist of any story that the members of the club wanted to submit for the book. There would not be a limitation on genre, or the type of story they wanted to submit.

 I had entries anywhere from short stories and poems to narratives. The submissions were personal, truthful and strong. Clarence Nero serves as the Advisor of the Club and he is also a Professor at the College. We were finishing up our submissions for the original Voices From the Bayou book when things started to fall apart in Baton Rouge.

In July of 2016, a man by the name of Alton Sterling was shot and killed by the police. With this news and the devastation going on in our city as well as police brutality cases around the world against black men, Professor Nero came up with a new idea for the book. He came to us and asked if we would pretty much scratch our original submissions and write on what was going on in our country regarding racism and police brutality. We really weren't prepared to change what we originally wanted to submit, however we soon realized the importance of switching to the alternative subject.

In August of 2016, the city of Baton Rouge was hit with a historic flood. Although not as bad as Katrina, people lost their homes and parts of the city was under water. Professor Nero came back to us and said he wanted us to add in personal narratives about the flood as well. After seeing the condition his students were in after the flood, he realized some of them had lost hope.

Between conflicts within the country, the Alton Sterling Shooting and the Baton Rouge Flood, no one really knew where to turn. So we changed the book and split it up into three sections which consist of Police Brutality, Racism, and the Baton Rouge Flood. The Creative Writing Club only had so many members so Mr. Nero opened up the opportunity to his English classes to submit narratives for the book.

He also invited some of his peers to have their students participate. Over the course of two months we all worked day in and out to submit our stories. There were 90 submissions, with only 29 making it into the book. Each narrative consists of heartfelt, truthful and passionate stories about the ways the three subjects have shaped and altered our lives. We speak with a combined message of hope and the need for peace, each student wanting unity and equality for our city and country.

EA: What inspired you to write it?

DB: The inspiration for this book is simple. As an African American, I saw the hurt and confusion of the families who lost their family member by the hands of a police officer. I, like so many others, witnessed it through the videos. In each case I felt the need to speak out. I was nervous about doing so at first, but realized I had to try and make a change. On behalf of the other writers, when we thought about how we could possibly change the lives of others it made our decision easier.
Unity, Peace and Equality is our mission and we work tirelessly to let others know that their voices are important. We feel that staying quiet and not sharing our voices is the same thing as conforming to the inequalities of our nation. Each person in this book had the courage to step up and share their personal feelings as well as experiences with the world.

EA: What is the writing process like for you?

DB: The writing process for me is therapeutic. Once I open up my tablet or MacBook to write, I am in a zone I really can't explain. It is an on-edge feeling, but in a good way. My mind continues to throw out ideas, emotions and life experiences, I just go with the flow.

EA: Do you have any genres in particular that you like to write about?

DB: My personal genres are Inspirational as well as Spiritual.

EA: Do you have any other projects in the works?

DB: I do. In fact, I have my first solo book that I am hoping to release soon. While in the military, I had an injury which caused me to have an incurable health condition. It changed my life. The book will be a Memoir and will reveal the struggles I had serving my country with the disease, my struggle with keeping a relationship with Christ and my battle with suicide as well as PTSD.

EA: What is your overall vision as an author?

DB: When someone says they read something I wrote, I want it to spark something in them that wasn't there before. I want my writings to change lives, ignite the need for Christ in them and generate a passion for following their dreams.

EA: Describe the feeling of winning the Unsung Hero award.

DB: When we received the letter to be recipients of the Unsung Hero Award, I literally did not believe it. The feeling was very overwhelming in a great way.

EA: Would you tell us your overall experience of being in the Navy?

DB: I joined the Navy when I was 17 years old and it is one of my greatest experiences. Although, I struggled during active duty because of the health condition, it changed the course of my life. I would not be who I am today had I not joined. I owe everything to serving. It was the best decision I could have made. It was not always easy but even during the hard times, what I gained is more important than the things I went through. I met some of my closest friends in the Navy, traveled the world and learned many things that will stay with me forever.

EA: Finally, tell us why Voices from the Bayou is a worthy buy and a good read.

DB: There is no other book like Voices From The Bayou. The stories are real, raw and inviting. Each person poured their hearts out and did not hold back when sharing their voice. Many people are jumping on board as well such as Gabrielle Union. This book is also relatable to anyone. We have all different races, cultures and backgrounds speaking on these matters.

We also have endorsements by very respectful leaders and writers in the Authors community. One of them being Gary Zukav, who is the spiritual advisor to Oprah. He wrote,"Voices from the Bayou presents complex self-portraits of confusion, courage, and wisdom as young people in a racist society become aware, each in their own ways, of the incomprehensibility, blunt brutality, and deep pain of racism and the depth of love required to change it in the only place they can in themselves.”

-Gary Zukav, author of The Seat of the Soul and The Dancing Wu Li Masters.

Some of our other endorsers have also said: "Creative writing that is designed around meaningful subjects can be amazingly therapeutic for the author as well as for the reader. Therefore, I enjoyed each and every submission of Voices From The Bayou as an open window into the minds, hearts and souls of not just the students at Baton Rouge Community College, but for all of us.
How do we all feel about race relations, police brutality and human tragedy in our own communities and around the world? Read, listen, learn and then dare to write an article of your own on a subject that challenges you to be as courageous and as honest as each author included in Voices. This is an awesome and engaging read that cuts to naked the truths of all of us."

-New York Times bestselling and NAACP Image Award winning Author and Journalist -- Omar Tyree

"This volume of essays by students at Baton Rouge Community College is a brave journey into the windswept plains of honesty and clarity. Here, people of all ages and colors declare themselves and their identities in all their glorious ordinariness and truth;this step is the first toward the journey out of darkness and into the light of understanding.
 In it, these writers give themselves over to us as other, so that we may see them for who they are, and in turn see ourselves a little more clearly for who we are. The result is a pioneering work of authentic voices from Baton Rouge, for Baton Rouge, and for the world. The writers in this volume declare their identities as Baton Rougeans — honest, peaceful, hopeful, authentic people who want more than anything to accept and be accepted by the other. I am proud and honored to join these real, beautiful voices and I invite you to join me."

-Sister Helen Prejean, Author of Dead Man Walking

Epilogue

I would like to thank DeLisa for taking the time to share her thoughts, aspirations, and experiences with us. A special thanks to those who contributed their thoughts in Voices from the Bayou. If you're interested in learning more, or purchasing Voices from the Bayou, the links are provided below.

www.voicesfromthebayou.com

Voices From The Bayou

https://www.facebook.com/voicesfromthebayou/?ref=bookmarks

Tales from the Storyteller: Episode One: Savage Apartments

Hello, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. I'm your host this evening, the Storyteller. Welcome to my open book of tales. This series will be a compilation of individuals who decided to share their stories with me...and now I'm going to share them with you. Our first story starts with Randall, a young man who lives in an apartment complex.

"I moved into Savage Apartments with my family last year. Actually, it's called Goodman Apartments, you'll find out shortly why I referred to it as "Savage Apartments." It's not the sub-division we were staying in at the first  This is more of a complex, you're bunched with other residents, in this case, there are people living below and beside us.

It's predominately a black neighborhood, and unfortunately where there's blacks, you're typically  bound to have your fair share of negroes. Yes, I know you have rotten, low-down snakes in every race; you have jackasses in every race, I'm well aware of that, but I'm sticking to the subject here. I'm not sure if it's the people who are living below us, the people on the side, or a combination of both, but the buffoonery is raw in the likes of which Vince McMahon has never seen.

Vince has Monday Night Raw (among other programs), but what I witness is Every Night Raw. These savages are almost always at each other throats. At some point through out the day, night, middle of the night, it doesn't matter, you're going to hear yelling, arguing, choice words, and sometimes physical altercations.

Just recently, I was getting some good rest, and all of sudden...aggressive bickering, arguing, with some threats in between. I thought to myself: 'There they go; it's the savages.' Rain, sleet, hail, or snow, nothing stops these savages. I mean that literally. The other week, it's pouring down raining, and I hear this guy outside verbally lacerating someone-- probably his baby's momma or a side piece-- over the phone.

I'm sure it's random people at times, I mean, everybody has issues and disagreements here and there, but these particular savages seem to be a negro male and female couple. They're constantly arguing, and I don't mean simply a heated exchange, they're hysterically screaming at each other. Sometimes, they end up dragging other people-- I'm not sure if it's family members, friends or what-- into their mess. Now you have a gang of savages going back and forth, back and forth.

I had a relative once tell me that it's healthy to argue. I thought that was retarded logic back then, and I definitely believe that today. Again, I realize you're going to have disagreements, but if I'm in a relationship where we're constantly arguing, that's a relationship that's not for me, especially if gets to the point where it becomes physical. It's just best we part ways. If this is what "Black Love" is supposed to be, then I don't want any part of it.

On a side note, it's a catch-22 for a certain percentage of us. If you're in a white neighborhood, the sheet people will show you better than they can tell you that they don't want you there, you live with blacks, and you deal with the kind of savages I just mentioned, or the apes who hate seeing with you things, and decide they want to take it. At the end of the day, one of the goals that's on my horizon is getting my own place, but in comparison, I'd much rather live in a sub-division. Everyone has their own space, and you're not compressed in between the drama."

Gee. Hopefully, Randall can accomplish his goal of getting his own place sooner rather than later. Well, ladies and gentlemen, that wraps up our first story. This has been your host, the Storyteller. Until the next episode, good night.