Category: Blog

My Author Ego: It’s Big; Who’s Asking?

OPEN BOOK (12)#openbook

Does a big ego help or hurt writers?

Ego is an often vilified human characteristic.  Regarding one’s self-image, confidence, and esteem, we all need some ego.  Without a healthy ego, a person can become easily manipulated and hesitant to take the risks needed to put herself out there and achieve life’s goals. Self-published authors especially need that last one in spades. 

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Authors take big risks by releasing their work into a world that may be unkind. Writing something that readers may arbitrarily skewer for a plethora of substantial and tedious reasons is damn scary.  I once had someone give my book a lower review because they thought I didn’t show how the main character was Muslim (the character wasn’t) and another because they didn’t like “all of the racism” in an interracial romance.

Yeah, exactly. It takes a humongous ego to read helplessly while people slice and dice away at something that took blood, sweat, and tears—I am not exaggerating—to create.  Continue reading “My Author Ego: It’s Big; Who’s Asking?” →

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Three Quick Reads for Busy Readers

OPEN BOOK (11)Tell me a story in three-hundred pages or fewer. Authors I know used to laugh at me when I said that back in the day. They would roll their eyes if I asserted that even three-hundred pages pushed the limit. Then I wrote my first novel. The interracial romance between African American Regina Kent and Korean American Simon Young topped off at three-hundred one.

Yeah, let’s not talk about that. The focus here is that I am still a fan of quick reads in all their forms—flash fiction, short stories, novelette, and novellas. Bring ‘em.  Lucky for me, my fave genre romance includes a tradition of writers penning shorter works besides full-length novels.

Three books (not all of them are romances) captured my attention over the last couple of weeks when I was running around, yearning for a nice escape through my e-reader.  Bickering doctors and lawyers, cyborgs, and widows all gave a little break as well as a chance to laugh, cry and sigh. Continue reading “Three Quick Reads for Busy Readers” →

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Reader Connections–A Measure of Success

OPEN BOOK (9)#OpenBook

What does literary success look like to you?

I find it interesting that this week’s question uses the word “look” when it comes to literary success because I have a visual representation of it for me.

Let me give a little backstory. I love Zumba. It is one of the ways I get to release pent up tension and clear my head. I’m usually all over the floor during class, wiggling my hips and shouting as I cheerlead people to go higher and have fun.

 Anyway, last week, one of my zeeps (Zumba+peeps) had mentioned that she wanted to read My Way to You, my first book in the Brothers in Law series.  Like most indie authors, I had a copy. You gotta know how to play the game.

I signed and handed it to her. This week, she tapped me on the shoulder between songs, saying she needed more copies of the book. Word?! She explains what happened in the video below. 

Note – We had just finished an hour of Zumba, and we look it!  Continue reading “Reader Connections–A Measure of Success” →

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LWL Interview: The Magical World of AEM

Mis Quince Años (7)I first connected with Amy Miller when I joined an author’s blog hop. She is a superb writer of all things magical. Her books are full of all kinds of wonderful creatures. She sets her pen and keyboard on fire to bring readers into different worlds.

Amy Miller, who uses the nickname AEM to sign her books, is the author of the Endeavor Series and other random literature. While it’s rumored that she’s a homeschooling mama of 4 and wife of some dude who works with computers, most of the time she’s spotted with her nose in a book or clicking away on a laptop. Her main fantasy series, based in Oklahoma, blends old and new magical creatures and themes. Because seriously, the kind of bra worn while riding a dragon is important, ya’ll. Currently, she’s working on book 5, Fervent Desolation.

Check out the blurb for her book Phoenix Incandescent.

Fresh out of college, Charlotte is running the Wayfarer’s Inn, a castle in the middle of farmland that gives humans the chance to vacation amongst mermaids, centaurs, elves, and dwarves. The guests don’t know that the magic is real, but Charlotte does. For now. She hasn’t developed powers like her father, so now she must either marry into the magical world or have her memory wiped and live on her own.
What’s a girl to do?

Her parents throw her a last chance ball to find a suitable husband within the magical world, but the dancing is interrupted. Join Charlotte and many magical characters, old and new, as she ditches the ball gown, picks up the quarterstaff, and begins a journey that will expose the secrets her family has kept from her.

See what I mean? AEM recently shared her perspective on writing fantasy and worldbuilding. Continue reading “LWL Interview: The Magical World of AEM” →

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Editing: An Artist Sweating the Small Stuff

OPEN BOOK (8)#openbook

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

I have spent many years connecting with all types of creatives, including authors, visual artists (painters, photographers, etc.) and graphic artists.  My work at NbA Muslims made it possible for me to interview creatives, and one thing I continually gleaned from those discussions is that the artistic process tends to be individual.

Although two creatives may encounter similar challenges, they most likely do not have the exact same experiences. So, it is always a good idea for them to share their perspectives, hoping that everyone will be enriched by doing so.

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I’ve been a writer for a long time and ventured into authoring fiction a couple of years ago. I have written poetry, prose, journal articles, peer-review academic essays, thought pieces, and creative nonfiction. Each type of writing presented distinct challenges and required specialized writing skillsets to effectively satisfy reader expectation and codes and conventions.  I went into each project like a champ, writing and revising like I was The One

Continue reading “Editing: An Artist Sweating the Small Stuff” →

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Time Drain-A Writer’s Kryptonite

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What is your writing kryptonite?

I am making this post late in the week due to traveling. I hit mass transit and took an Amtrak train upstate for a writers’ retreat.  My home life includes a daily hustle of juggling the demands that come from being a mother, instructor, and professional writer.

Nope,  I wish it was like that for me. I drop stuff all the time.

I have to take care of my kids. I mean, I made them, so I should feed them, right? They’re cute, so I also like to spend time with them and their dad.  He has a super busy schedule too, and I will drop everything to have couple time whenever he gets a break. I make no apologies. Continue reading “Time Drain-A Writer’s Kryptonite” →

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Research – A Key Element to Storytelling

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#Open Book

What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

I spend a lot of time researching all kinds of things for various writing projects. I need to research curriculum development and pedagogical methods for my work with the Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative. I just spent the past few days hitting Google for historical and cultural research while taking part in an anti-racism workshop.

My job teaching at the college and romance scholarship also requires time researching. Before leaving for Chicago, I looked for additional sources as I edited an essay about African American Muslim romance fiction (yes, it’s a thing) and how female protagonists are othered. It is interesting how Muslim authors use the other woman trope in love triangles.

Focus, Lyndell. Okay.

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It may seem that so many demands will make research a tedious exercise. The opposite is true for me. Continue reading “Research – A Key Element to Storytelling” →

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#MFRW- Just Kick The Bucket

 

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Bucket Lists - Have or Have Not

Note- I am traveling and working from my phone.  Please have mercy in my typos.

Many would argue that a life without goals is a wasted one. We constantly set achievements for ourselves, striving to make our dreams come to fruition. We attain some while others stay out of our reach.

Setting goals can range from the sensible to outlandish. It is up to the individual to asses the viability of a goal and if they will pursue it. A good goal-setting metric is the S.M.A.R.T approach, which encourages one to critically discern the potential for success by determining of a goal is 1) specific, 2) measurable, 3) attainable, 4)relevant, and 5) time bound.

Did I suck all of the fun if an idea of a bucket list yet? Good. Continue reading “#MFRW- Just Kick The Bucket” →

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#MFRW Author: Me, Myself, and The Story-Authors in Their Narratives

read-3048651_1920Putting yourself in the story.

Considering stories are products of writers imaginations, it is hard for anyone to say that they don’t put themselves in their stories.  A good plot, messaging, and character personality requires deep reflection. A simpatico relationship with characters is also a must, so all authors become invested in the narrative at some level.

However, that doesn’t mean that every author injects themselves as an actual character. I have yet to do so, although other people are fair game. But, that’s not the point. I have to admit, that there are elements of my experiences in my stories. Continue reading “#MFRW Author: Me, Myself, and The Story-Authors in Their Narratives” →

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Problems when Working a Scene

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#openbook

What was your hardest scene to write?

The challenges that present when writing a scene vary from one writing project to another. A manuscript can have multiple difficult scenes taxing authors, making time drag as the cursor flashes or notebook page sits untouched, leaving them all kinds of frustrated.

Scene troubles may involve persistent issues with the plot’s structure, or they may be thematic and restricted to one manuscript. Continue reading “Problems when Working a Scene” →

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#BOOK REVIEW: Winter’s Beast

Review by Lyndell Williams
WINTER’S BEAST
By Twyla Turner
$9.99, 252 pp, paper
$3.99, 254 pp, Kindle (Free, KU)

Love and loyalty frequently clash in life and lead to a big ole mess of emotions. It is the same in the world of romance fiction. People are often conflicted between staying true to one person or following their love, desire, or lust for another.

In Winter’s Beast by Twyla Turner, the main character, Yury, a disfigured henchman for  Ivan, has to watch as his boss/savior sexually torments singer Winter. Ivan, obsessed with Winter’s beautiful voice and albino body, holds her captive and grooms her to become his sex slave and feature in his erotic club. This guy is all kinds of diabolical.

No, I’m not turned on. You are!

Winter initially resists Ivan, but he uses her sexual insecurities and inexperience to groom her into submission. While Ivan is preying on Winter, Yury tries to make life in captivity bearable while he falls in love with the beauty.

The world of kink simultaneously disgusts and enchants Winter, whose sensual history is dotted with sporadic moments of unfulfilling sex. She despises Ivan, but her body responds to his sexual abuse in a way that leaves her confused and titillated.

Yup, homeboy got her all kinds of messed up in the head. Continue reading “#BOOK REVIEW: Winter’s Beast” →

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Why Seasons Matter in Fiction

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#openbook

Do your stories and worlds reference seasons and do they play into the plots of your books?

Seasons provide important time elements to a story’s plot. The environment in which characters interact is significant in setting the tone and helping readers keep track of how much time has passed between plot points.

Time passage within a novel can be large (days, months, and years) or small (a few moments or minutes), and all of it can affect the story’s pacing, grabbing readers’ attention or losing it. A lot of my novels involve events requiring longs periods of time to pass from the book’s beginning to the end.

Anchoring Time

Continue reading “Why Seasons Matter in Fiction” →

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LWL Interview: Prolific Black Muslim Author Umm Juwayriyah

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I have known about Umm Juwayriyah’s (Maryam Sulivan) work for a while but became a fan after reading her amazing Muslim urban fiction novel, Tried and Tested. Check out the blurb.

A teenage Iman Johnson left home over a decade ago to follow behind a sweet, loving hustler who promised her the world. When that world became too much for her to endure, mentally and physically, she found herself back in Pittsburgh, PA at her Muslim mother’s doorstep, seeking refuge.

Will the Muslim family and community that she’d turned her back on years ago be ready to finally accept her, or is there too much time, emotions, hurt, and secrets built up between them to overcome? Iman will have to find the strength to face her past and relearn the basics if she ever hopes to find the sweetness of faith Allah promises.

She is a prolific author, whose works include poetry and prose. She has penned five books for children, young adults, and adults. I will never forget when she walked on stage at an event—for what everyone thought would be an author’s reading—and started dropping bars like it was nothing.

She is an educator and organizer of wonderful initiatives like the #MuslimGirlsRead literacy campaign. Every year, she raises funds to provide Muslim authored and centered books to urban youth. Yeah, she’s pretty dope.

So, it is clearly understandable why I was thrilled to have the chance to work with her on projects like the Black Muslim Authors event at New York University and the upcoming Black Muslim Reads anthology. I recently asked Umm Juwayriyah about writing and storytelling. Continue reading “LWL Interview: Prolific Black Muslim Author Umm Juwayriyah” →

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3 Writing Traps for Newbies

OPEN BOOK (15)#OpenBook

What are common traps for aspiring writers?

Writing is a process rich with possibilities for errors. Anyone taking to the pen and pad or keyboard to share their stories and experiences with the world will inevitably trip, fall, get crushed, or end up a blubbering puddle of frustrations and regrets.

Count on all the above because our humanness makes it inevitable. Things will get messy just like us.

I spent years as a writing coach at a four-year college, where I saw students making the same mistakes and helped them hone their skills. When I ventured into professional writing as a freelancer, the easy transition from academic writing surprised me. I became popular with some online Muslim publications (I only write for them for personal reasons) and launched a cultural platform. Save for a few shifts in tone, I had it easy.

I didn’t encounter many bumps in the road of my journey as a writer until I wrote a novel. My strong writing background did not secure me from making some newbie mistakes, and I found many other authors who expressed that they made them. 

Continue reading “3 Writing Traps for Newbies” →

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#MFRWHooks- And Baby Makes Four

Book Hooks (2)And Baby Makes Four

A Short Story in Shades of AMBW Winter

Adrianna Kingston is ready to fight anyone who threatens her child’s future, including its father, Toma Matsumoto. and his brother, Sho. The two men don’t know what they’re in for.

Excerpt

And Baby Makes Four_CoverThe tapping sound Toma Matsumoto made by striking his pen against the mahogany desk filtered through the hushed room. He stared up at a pair of oval brown eyes. Streaks of red in the iris and obvious rage didn’t detract from their beauty nor the rest of the stunning brown face towering over him. Full pursed lips and round cheeks glowed in the afternoon light streaming in from the office window behind him. She’s even more beautiful angry. Continue reading “#MFRWHooks- And Baby Makes Four” →

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Call Me Rufus: Naming Characters

OPEN BOOK (14)#openbook

How do you select the names of your characters?

I recently gave members of my Facebook reading group a chance to help me select a name for the main male protagonist of a Muslim vampire romance I am drafting.

Yeah, you heard right. Just wait for it. Anyway, I had initially selected the name “Rufus” for him. I had my reasons, but readers weren’t even trying to hear any of them. I got all kinds of negative feedback. Some asked how in the world I even thought up such an old-time name. Continue reading “Call Me Rufus: Naming Characters” →

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Short Stories: An Author’s Staple

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Since short stories continue to be essential to my authorship, I’ve decided to post a Facebook Live interview I did a while back with Muslim urban fiction, author Umm Juwayriyah about the importance of short stories in authorship.

Often overlooked in favor of novel writing, short stories allow authors to share stories that can’t necessarily be told in a novel.

Short stories are a great way for authors to introduce reading to their writing as well as keep them interested in reading their works. Continue reading “Short Stories: An Author’s Staple” →

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