Category: Blog

Characters Being True to Themselves

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#openbook

Your characters have been placed in Witness Protection. What three truths about themselves do they want to keep?

We can never hide all of who we are.  Things will eventually come to the surface, even when the feds inject someone into a new life to safeguard them from immediate danger. The famous mobster Henry Hill is a prime example.

Hill entered the U.S. Marshals’ Witness Protection Program after he became an informant and testified against his fellow mobsters.

Think Tekashi 6ix9ine, who ratted out fellow Blood gang members. A book was written about Hill’s life as well as the movie Goodfellas.

Anyway, Hill spent years in the Witness Protection Program, committing so many crimes that he and his wife were eventually kicked out. He just couldn’t shake the lawbreaker deep inside. Although they are products of my creative author’s mind, there are things about my Brothers in Law series characters that they will not let go of, even if they are placed in hypothetical witness protection.

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Brothers in Law

Continue reading “Characters Being True to Themselves” →

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#WIPWednesday-Building on Broken Dreams

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I’m working on finishing Building on Broken Dreams, book three in the Brothers in Law series. I am having the biggest problem with deciding where to start the story. It is about brother Adam Kane and Maryam Avery. Maryam meets Adam after surviving an abusive relationship with Raad.
The relationship between Maryam and Raad feeds some important plot points, so I wanted to give background to readers without doing a bunch of flashbacks. This is from a chapter I put in the “extras” file, but I am considering starting the book with Maryam and Raad and have a couple of chapters with Adam adjusting to life as a new Muslim and trying to shake off some of the more shady parts of his past.
In this scene, Raad is waiting in a hotel for Maryam to arrive.

Excerpt

The phone lit in Raad’s hand. He answered, lifting it to his ear while staring at billowing white sails backed by greenish-blue water and marsh. “Where are you?”
“As-salam alaykum. I’m sorry. Traffic was horrible.” A surge of passion shot down his spine. Even her voice sent him spinning out of control. “I’m pulling into the parking lot now.”
“Room 345.” He disconnected and paced between the bed and window, fruitless in his effort to calm his beating heart and heavy breathing. He arranged to meet her to end it, but thoughts of what he would do to her infused his mind, clouding any ability to be rational. She was meant to be another conquest, just another notch on his belt. Instead, Maryam imbued his spirit. Before he knew it, he was professing his love for her. He meant it at the time.
His lips and fingers tingled at the prospect of caressing her and delighting in her brown tone contrasting against his ivory skin, enthralling his senses. In her arms, he vowed to marry and build an unattainable life. It was necessary. She was a Muslim woman. A fling was unthinkable, so he told her what she wanted to hear, and she became his.
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Continue reading “#WIPWednesday-Building on Broken Dreams” →

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From Me to Them – My Childhood Reads

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#openbook What is your favorite childhood book?

Ugh. It is so hard to name a favorite anything, especially for something like childhood, which involves an expanse of time and stages of development. My favorite thing to read when I was in fourth grade was not the same as in kindergarten. Just like shoe sizes, my favorite reads grew along with me.

It is difficult for me to scour my memory and pinpoint one favorite book. I was surrounded by them as a child. We had so many books that I would set them up in a circle in the middle of our living room and read them one by one.  I carried them with me whenever possible and always had a healthy stack next to my bed.  So, I won’t be naming one favorite book.

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Instead, I will list a few books from my childhood that I read to my children. Continue reading “From Me to Them – My Childhood Reads” →

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#BOOK REVIEW: Heart of a Warrior Angel

Original Post: Reedsy Discovery

Heart of a Warrior Angel: From Darkness to Light by [Love, Lali A.]Review by Layla Abdullah-Poulos
HEART OF A WARRIOR ANGEL
By Lali A. Love
$14.99, 238 pp, paper
$2.99, 183 pp, Kindle

We all have aspects of our family about which we may think, yeah that’s one reason why I’m messed up. In Heart of a Warrior Angel, the main character, Lilac Noble has that in spades. Not only is her father off his rocker, but he also dumps heaps of dysfunction and abuse on his wife Mira and daughters—hold on, let me look up their names because there are a lot of them—Lilac, Jasmine, Violet and Rose. He is quite the busy violent sociopath, and the Noble women spend the entire book either subjected to, trying to escape or healing from his mistreatment.

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Continue reading “#BOOK REVIEW: Heart of a Warrior Angel” →

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The Dual Life of the Self-Published Author

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How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?

Control is something I have a difficult time relinquishing to anyone. I can delegate easily enough but must maintain the power to make the final decisions, especially when it comes to my writing.

Like many authors, I put a lot of myself in my books. I have been exhilarated while writing some scenes and depleted by others. More than time and talent, storytelling requires energy. After completing a fleshed-out plot, I am usually vested in it and the characters, making it hard to detach myself and place it into someone else’s hands. I figured out pretty early into the novel-writing process that I did not want to let go.

Mis Quince Años (24) Continue reading “The Dual Life of the Self-Published Author” →

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#BOOK REVIEW: Marriage of Time

Review by Lyndell Williams
MARRIAGE OF TIME
By Mariah Stone
$12.99, 194 pp, paper
$3.99, 196 pp, Kindle

What is a pregnant woman to do when cornered by her mafioso ex? Why she gets some help from a magic-packed old lady with the ability to catapult her through time.  In Marriage of Time by Mariah Stone, the main character Mia is smart, beautiful and very fertile. She had finally escaped her abusive Goodfella boyfriend Dan only to find herself knocked up. She tries to keep him from learning about the little bundle of joy, but we all know that never works out. Continue reading “#BOOK REVIEW: Marriage of Time” →

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#NewRelease Open to Love

I am thrilled to have my new romance, Open to Love released by After Hours Publications. Readers have been waiting for me to get Hafsah and Faheem’s story out for a while. This steamy, Muslim couple reflect the diverse and complex American Muslim experience.

Blurb

1575626427Available at Amazon

From award-winning, bestselling author Lyndell Williams, the story of Hafsah and Faheem, a Muslim couple struggling to keep their raging desire for each other from getting out of control.

Hafsah grows closer to Faheem, falling hard for the sexy younger man. He is smooth and stokes feelings she meant to suppress.

Faheem uses all his charms to make sure Hafsah becomes his, but flirting can be a dangerous thing when committing to no sex outside of marriage. The two play with some serious fire that might burn them both.

The book made it on three bestseller lists on Amazon and became a #1 New Release.

OTL_Rank_9-3-3

 

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LWL Interview: Tiffani Velez Writes History, War and All That Good Stuff

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As people wrap their holiday presents, I am posting the final Layla Writes Love author interview for 2019. I am thrilled to introduce readers to Tiffani Velez. I met Tiffani through a mutual author acquaintance via social media.  I became an immediate fan after reading her book, A Berlin Story, which was called “hauntingly beautiful” by Geekwire.  Her ability to write a solid stream-of-consciousness piece garnered my respect. So much so, that I passed my first novel to her before publishing.  Continue reading “LWL Interview: Tiffani Velez Writes History, War and All That Good Stuff” →

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Male Authors, Female Characters and the Wonders of Writing Sex

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I have read many social media posts and articles from women expressing shock and frustration on the ways some male authors describe female characters and sexual encounters in their writing.

Here is one example.

Yeah, the dude wrote that women’s insides are “mazes” and men “conjure up” pee.  There are far worse. This one just gave me so many giggles when I read it that I had to share. Some of my other favorites include: Continue reading “Male Authors, Female Characters and the Wonders of Writing Sex” →

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New Book, Publisher and Cover

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¸.·°¯°·.¸.-> 𝓢𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓲𝓪𝓵 𝓐𝓷𝓷𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽<-.¸.·°¯°·.¸

Readers have been asking for it, and here it is. I am thrilled to have signed with the phenomenal indie press After Hours Publications for my soon-to-be-released AMBW Muslim romance novella. Open to Love story of Hafsah and Faheem, a Muslim couple struggling to keep their raging desire for each other from getting out of control.

Open to Love is a showcase of the diversity of love that highlights a lot about the ways American Muslims navigate things like love, courtship, sexual encounters and polygamy, lending to enrich the diversity of the romance genre.
This is a taste of love you don’t want to miss! – After Hours Publications

Continue reading “New Book, Publisher and Cover” →

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The Non-negotiable Writing Exchange

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What one thing would you give up to become a better writer?

For people dedicated to the craft, writing is an impactful part of their lives and identities. I mentioned in another post, “I acquired and honed skills to interpret and craft words, using a range of prose (and a tiny bit of poetry) to harness the resilient power of language for liberation and resistance.”

Endeavors to generate words can be powerful and empowering, making writing a tool and art form requiring commitment. 

Dedicated writers pick up their pens [or fire up their keyboards] to share their perspectives and stories. The better ones know that wordsmithing involves layers of composition, drafting, editing and revising—all of which require development. Only deluded writers think that their skillsets are fine and they don’t need to hone them. 

Two mistakes many new writers make are thinking that all writing is the same and it will not take that much work.  Continue reading “The Non-negotiable Writing Exchange” →

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Heroine Interview: SLBF, Toni Kent

Blush Peach Photo Birthday Instagram PostOriginal Post: Romance Lives Forever

Know the Heroine from Sweet Love, Bitter Fruit

Here are some fun questions to help us know your heroine.

It’s late, she’s bored. What does she do?

Ever since Toni married Marcus, boredom became nonexistent. They have a very full life together. If she is not helping clients at her private therapy practice, she is helping at the community center, traveling or spending couples time with Marcus. She makes sure to align their schedules so there is plenty of that. Continue reading “Heroine Interview: SLBF, Toni Kent” →

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Book Writing, A Numbers Game

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#openbook

How many hours a day do you write? How long on average does it take you to write a book?

When I saw this week’s Open Book Blog Hop prompt, I laughed because it coincides with some realities I have had to face while participating in NaNoWriMo this month. The month-long writing challenge is meant to get writers to sit themselves down and finish a set goal during November.

Although I signed up for NaNoWriMo years ago, I had not participated. Why? That’s for another blog post. This year, someone encouraged to consider using NaNoWriMo as a tool to complete book four in the Brothers in Law romance series. Brandon and Hawwah want their story out there,  so I agreed.  I am half-way through the challenge and only have a little over 4k of my 50k goal achieved. I have been writing but not just the manuscript.

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Continue reading “Book Writing, A Numbers Game” →

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Lyndell Williams Character’s Closet: Marcus Kent #urbanromance

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Original Post – Special Edition: Dress Up/Dress Down with Lyndell Williams [November 8, 2019]

Marcus Kent’s Closet

In the urban romance, Sweet Love–Bitter Fruit, Harlem lawyer, Marcus Kent wakes up each morning before the crack of dawn. He kisses his sleeping wife snuggled next to him and slips out of the bed, heading into his walk-in closet. The small room contains a spectrum of clothes reflecting the professional and personal activities filling his busy life.  Continue reading “Lyndell Williams Character’s Closet: Marcus Kent #urbanromance” →

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#LWLPodcast NaNoWriMo, Day One

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For many writers, November means the start of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), when they dedicate time and energy to achieve set writing goals. They hit their notebooks and keyboards to pump out as many words as possible.  In this episode, blogger Maryam Jawwad talks with Lyndell about her NaNoWriMo, her first day and the benefits and drawbacks.

Subscribe:

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Transcript

Continue reading “#LWLPodcast NaNoWriMo, Day One” →

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LWL Interview: Barbara Combs Williams, Multifaceted Writer

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Okay, Layla Writes Love peeps. Let’s welcome romance author Barbara Combs Williams. She is a Georgia native, now residing in Villa Rica. She is a rising moon in the night sky. Her inspiration comes from her husband of over forty years, who once told her, “Why not just write it down if you can’t say it out loud?” Barbara has been writing it down for the past twelve years.

Barbara writes fiction novels, poetry and short stories. She published Soul Catcher, a Gothic epic set in rhyme. Her novel,  The Color of Your Tears is about Jackie, a woman who has spent years raising her family and living for everyone else. Check out the blurb.

Blurb

On this particular Friday night in June, Jackie Mattock was having the big one! A major meltdown was in progress, even though she should be joyous. Even though her son was getting married tomorrow, she had lost herself; her heart, her brain was all frozen in time. She could not enjoy the present nor see a future for herself because she was locked in the past. For the last twenty-five years, she had lived a lie so terrible that she used all of her “get out of jail free” cards. Jackie is a desperate woman willing to do desperate acts to protect her secrets. She had nowhere to turn to, no one to help her. There was no one there to dry her colored tears. 

Barbara shared her perspective on writing. Continue reading “LWL Interview: Barbara Combs Williams, Multifaceted Writer” →

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Katara’s Cafe: Tea with Lyndell Williams

LWL Blog Banner - Widescreen (14)I had a great time visiting Katara Johnson on her show Katara’s Cafe. We talked about my new novel Sweet Love, Bitter Fruit, relationships and a bunch of great stuff.

A lot of romances center on the falling in love aspect of romance. [Marcus and Toni] are already in love. I wanted to show that even though you may have rock-solid love, there are things in life that consistently test it. They have to struggle with a lot of things. Love is not invincible; it can be tested. It can be jeopardized.

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Word Aversion–Conquering Reader’s Block

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Have you ever gotten reader’s block?

Okay, I had no clue what the term reader’s block meant. Once again, Open Book afforded me an opportunity to explore a new area of literature. Thanks, guys.

After a few Google clicks, I got the gist of the circumstance. Reader’s block is when one finds it hard to read, sometimes even making picking up a book difficult.

Your eyes glaze over, and you can’t get past the first paragraph on the page. Or perhaps you can’t will yourself to pick up a book in the first place. – Mental Floss

The reasons for reader’s block may include layers of motivation, comprehension, time constraints and volume. Continue reading “Word Aversion–Conquering Reader’s Block” →

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Feeling a Character: Why Toni Kent Tore into Me

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Original Post: Feeling a Character: Lyndell Williams’ novel Sweet Love, Bitter Fruit 10/5/19 – Just Contemporary Romance

I am thrilled about the release of my new novel, Sweet Love, Bitter Fruit. It is the second book in the Brothers in Law Romance series and the most difficult to write.

The characters in my books face realistic issues that impact their falling and staying in love. In Sweet Love, Bitter Fruit, Toni must deal with the pain of infertility while watching her sister-in-law have baby after baby. She was successful in concealing her anguish the first time, but with a new pregnancy comes renewed pain and desire to be a mother. She needs to decide if she should stay quiet and suffer in silence or try again, something her husband, Marcus doesn’t want.

Marcus loves Toni and works hard to make her happy. Seeing her in any pain tortures him, so he decides that they just shouldn’t try to have a kid anymore. Unfortunately for him, the infertility demon doesn’t play fair. Toni vacillates emotionally; he feels helpless, and their marriage begins to fall apart. Continue reading “Feeling a Character: Why Toni Kent Tore into Me” →

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