Tag: #bloghop

The First Person to Believe in Me as a Writer? That Was Me

#openbook

Who was the first person who ever believed in you?

We all have stories of people who’ve inspired, motivated, and given us that little push when needed. But today, I want to share a slightly different story with you. A story of self-belief, resilience, and a sprinkle of stubbornness. This is the story of the first person who believed in me as a writer.

Spoiler alert: it was me!

Now, don’t get me wrong, external validation is great. A pat on the back, a compliment, or even a simple “I loved what you wrote” can work wonders. But before any of those words of affirmation came my way, I had to face the blank page with just one person cheering me on – and yep, you guessed it, that person was yours truly.

Continue reading “The First Person to Believe in Me as a Writer? That Was Me” →
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Overcoming Writer’s Block: Healing Through the Power of Words

#openbook

What’s the biggest problem you have in your writing right now?

As I sit down to write this blog post, I can’t help but feel a mixture of emotions. The journey I’ve been on, grappling with a problem that seemed insurmountable, has been both challenging and enlightening. You see, the biggest problem in my writing right now is actually writing itself. It’s not a lack of ideas, nor a shortage of creativity – it’s something much deeper that I’ve had to confront head-on: writer’s block born from years of toxicity and emotional abuse.

Continue reading “Overcoming Writer’s Block: Healing Through the Power of Words” →
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Breaking the Ice of Love: My Favorite Way to Connect in New Romances

#openbook #bloghop #breakingtheice #romance #romancebooks

What is your favorite icebreaker (meetings, parties, dates, socials)?

Meeting someone new in a romantic context can be both thrilling and nerve-wracking. The first moments of interaction often set the tone for the entire relationship. I want to share my favorite icebreaker when meeting a potential love interest. Whether at meetings, parties, dates, or social gatherings, this approach has consistently helped me connect on a deeper level and create memorable experiences. Did it help me find my Mr. Forever? No, but it did help me find my Mr. 31-Year Marriage. So, let’s check it out.

Before delving into the specific icebreaker, it’s crucial to understand the underlying philosophy: authenticity. Being genuine and authentic to yourself is the key to forming a meaningful connection. People can sense when someone is sincere, creating a foundation of trust and comfort right from the start.

Continue reading “Breaking the Ice of Love: My Favorite Way to Connect in New Romances” →
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From Dreams to Pages: My Journey as an Author

#openbook #bloghop #contemporaryromance #bestfriendsister #lawyerromance #interracial #ambw #bwam #writing #writerslife

What is your author origin story? (Or make one up.)

Every writer has a unique origin story, a tale of how they discovered their passion for penning stories and the winding path that led them to become an author. Today, I am thrilled to share my author’s origin story—a journey filled with inspiration, challenges, and unwavering determination.

As far back as I can remember, I was captivated by stories. Bedtime tales, fables, and books opened doors to enchanting worlds, stirring my imagination and filling my young mind with endless possibilities. The magic of words weaved by authors had me daydreaming about becoming one myself, with aspirations of conjuring my own realms of wonder and intrigue.

Continue reading “From Dreams to Pages: My Journey as an Author” →
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Exploring Nature’s Wonders

#openbook #bloghop #contemporaryromance #bestfriendsister #lawyerromance #interracial #ambw #bwam 

A field full of sunflowers on a bright morning? Or rolling hills on a clear full moon night?

No matter the scene we choose, one thing is for sure – life can be beautiful. Even amid struggle and pain, moments of joy can still be found if you take the time to appreciate them.

The impact of nature on a person’s mood, health, and overall well-being is profound and well-documented. Spending time in natural environments, whether lush forests, tranquil beaches, or serene parks, offers many benefits that nurture both the body and mind.

I just wrote an article in Haute Hijab about the benefits of nature for my healing journey.

Continue reading “Exploring Nature’s Wonders” →
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Back To Pizza Basics

#openbook

What toppings do you put on your pizza? Is pineapple a real pizza topping?
click here to buy

I was raised in a large family of four kids, so needless to say (but I’m going to anyway), the battle over pizza toppings remained a stable part of Friday night eating. My mother’s children had an expanse of tastes that made it necessary for her to have each of us take weekly turns to decide what would go on top of the tomato and cheesy goodness. When it was my turn, my brothers and sister groaned and complained to Ma that she was wasting a chance to have something new and different on pizza night.

Continue reading “Back To Pizza Basics” →
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Cracking Open A Metaphor To Add Meaning To A Story

#openbook #bloghop #contemporaryromance #bestfriendsister #lawyerromance #interracial #ambw #bwam 

Write about a metaphor you used in one of your books. What does it represent?

Metaphors can be a valuable literary device to integrate symbolism in their works that will activate readers’ imaginations and offer them a different way. By directly comparing two different things, authors can give qualities to the first thing through the use of the second. In this way, writers can “show” instead of “tell” important aspects of a story or character as well as convey an underlying message through the thematic use of a metaphor throughout the plot.

Continue reading “Cracking Open A Metaphor To Add Meaning To A Story” →
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Diverse Books Battle -5 Tips To Writing Inclusive Stories

Hey, romance addicts. Another week, another thought-provoking blog hop post. Let’s take a look at what we have this week. 

Do you write diverse characters? If so, how do you avoid cultural insensitivity?

It’s interesting that this week’s blog hop question asks about diversity in writing. I spent the weekend fielding questions on social media, from white authors about including diverse characters in their books. It’s also ironic that the blog hop posing the question is not very diverse. As far as I know, I am the only contributing blogger who is identifies as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). No, Italians and the Irish do not count. Let’s not go there. Anyway, onto my answer.

Of course, I write diverse books. just look at my covers.

As an author who identifies with multiple marginalized social intersections, I write to purposefully highlight a range of backgrounds and experiences in my characters. I think diversity is a stable part of literary expression for many BIPOC authors and that the main group challenged to understand the importance of diversity—and how to integrate into their work—is white authors.

Attempts to expand diversity in literature seem to present as a challenge and threat for authors who need to develop a greater appreciation for diverse literature and resist the cultural messaging that centers on whiteness.

Continue reading “Diverse Books Battle -5 Tips To Writing Inclusive Stories” →
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Unlimited Anything Creates Imaginary and Real Problems

Hey, romance addicts. I hope everyone is having a fabulous week and is geared up for the weekend! I am geared up for this week’s Open Book blog hop post. Let’s check it out. 

What do you wish you had an unlimited supply of?

Hmm. 

A nice, theoretical question is the perfect way to end the week. We live in a world filled with limitations. Our world is shaped by boundaries, which ensure that there is a constant balance of imbalance. I could not think of one thing of which I would not like unlimited anything, because it would only exacerbate my inability to escape the constraints of my existence. I don’t want to seem pessimistic–well, maybe a little–but bear with me.

Continue reading “Unlimited Anything Creates Imaginary and Real Problems” →
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My Favorite Literature: The Best Books I’ve Read

Do you have a favorite piece of literature? What is it and why is it your favorite?

Hey, romance addicts. I know it’s been a while since I’ve written a blog hop post, but I couldn’t get in front of the camera to do a video. So, I’m getting back to basics and doing what I do best, writing. Let’s do this!

I don’t have one favorite piece of literature. The literary world is far too expansive to settle on one text. However, some books that influenced and inspired me come to mind.

Continue reading “My Favorite Literature: The Best Books I’ve Read” →
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Authors Playing in Characters’ Closets

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#openbook

How do you decide how to dress your characters?

The characters in my romances drive the plot. Besides unfolding how a couple falls or stays in love, I like to portray them doing it while holding down jobs or running businesses. While they may not be flat broke, they still have to get up and put in the work, and their clothes reflect their ambitious and entrepreneurial lifestyles.

Readers want impactful characters that make them laugh, cry, yell and swoon. The clothes they wear when doing one or more of those things can deepen the connection as readers turn the page. In Sweet Love, Bitter Fruit, I wanted the clothes Marcus and Toni wore to reflect their complex lives. Continue reading “Authors Playing in Characters’ Closets” →

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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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Research – A Key Element to Storytelling

OPEN BOOK (6)

#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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Pens, Knives, and Guns: The Power of Crafting Words

OPEN BOOK (13)#OpenBook

What was an early experience when you learned that language had power?

I think humans have an innate appreciation for the power contained in language. We have a need to communicate from the moment we leave the womb. Crying, whimpering, whining and cooing are all methods that infants have to convey their feelings and desires.

It can be so strong that many mothers and primary caregivers learn the meanings behind each utterance coming from the tiny person, finding it almost impossible to ignore. The impact of our children’s infant cries frazzled each one of my nerves, motivating me to satisfy or wreak havoc on whatever or whoever was upsetting them. People didn’t start calling me Mama Bear for nothing.

Yeah, kinda like that. So, knowledge about the power of language is something intrinsic. We know its influence on those around us. When people are past the infancy, “cry to get what I want stage”, it is important to recognize how compelling words can be on one’s mindset and those around them, especially words strategically used to convince, inspire, anger and degrade—some of which may become branded in one’s psyche, influencing their internal dialogue and actions. Continue reading “Pens, Knives, and Guns: The Power of Crafting Words” →

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#OpenBook – “Masculine Energy” and The Woman Writer

OPEN BOOK (5)#Open Book

What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?

I remember listening to a male lecturer talk about women, men, and gender relations. One thing that stuck with me was when he went on this diatribe about women who have a lot of what he called “masculine energy.” He waxed for what seemed like forever about how a woman who dares to have a lot of masculine energy is a problem because she will always be ready to challenge a man. He claimed that such women are too assertive and authoritative and proclaimed that he could tell when there is such a woman in his midst.

After I laughed my…head off, I cringed a little at the incendiary generalizations he made, that make life hell for women. I won’t go into an analysis of how his language dangerously allocated certain human behaviors like confidence, ambition, critical thinking, power, and resistance as masculine and categorized women embodying any of these characteristics as “manly” deviants straying from their feminine nature.

I won’t highlight how someone privileged by gender can be guilty of reinforcing oppression by demonizing those struggling against their subjugation, discrediting them as misfits. Really, men need to stop that nonsense, especially those disguising themselves as progressive but are actually just as chauvinistic as their fellow misogynists.

Continue reading “#OpenBook – “Masculine Energy” and The Woman Writer” →

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#MFRW- Character-Driven Plot Building

blacksmith-3141724_1920#MFRW Plotter or panzer, and why?

I tend to be a character-driven writer. I have a bunch of people stomping around my head demanding that their stories be told.

Yeah, kinda like that. Because they are at the base of my writing, I usually have to structure a plot based upon what the main protagonists in a story want, the obstacles that get in the way with that, and how they change from the beginning to end of the plot. So, an organic plot structure is at the crux of my writing.

I also have a drill-sergeant for a writing coach, who doesn’t believe in just writing and letting a story evolve, at least not at the fundamental level, which plotting a story mainly involves. I think that is what confused me at first, and I also see it when I mentor writers. I had the tendency to think of details as essential to structuring a plot. They aren’t, and once I got used to sifting through them to the core components of a story, I have become better at having a solid plot on which to build it. Continue reading “#MFRW- Character-Driven Plot Building” →

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Favorite Character Question is Major Author Bait

OPEN BOOK (6)#OpenBook

From all the characters you’ve created, which is your favorite and why?

What kind of f—

Okay, I smell a setup. My kids tried asking me something like this. It didn’t work then either. Which one of my characters got you? Was it Raad?

It was Raad. He’s so narcissistic. It’s bad enough he wrecked my concentration until I got his characterization finished. Now, he’s gotta try to force some sick confession out of me? Sit your butt down, Raad, and wait for me to release Building on Broken Dreams to show your…self to the world.

giphy4

I said to sit down!

Maybe it was Zaida. Continue reading “Favorite Character Question is Major Author Bait” →

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