Despite any challenges she has and continues to face, Shameika Rhymes was destined for journalism. Late May, the award-winning journalist, producer, and host chatted with SBC about her rise in the industry. Whether it’s racism, sexism, health scares or blunt judgement, Rhymes remains undeterred.
“I wanted to be in front of the camera,” Rhymes recalled. “The news directors at the time, nobody would give me a shot. One would tell … Read the rest
One of the mottos writer, book publicist, and author Candace Waller adheres to is the belief that you have to try everything–at least when it pertains to passion projects. As a then book publicist to literary giants James Patterson and Bishop T.D. Jakes, she observed how they robustly promote their work.
“They think of all kinds of angles,” Waller recalls to So Booking Cool. “It’s not like ‘Oh, I wrote … Read the rest
The phrase “Not all heroes wear capes,” coincides with the concept of the acclaimed Hero book series by award-winning author, educator, and sports journalist, Jerald LeVon Hoover.
“When people look at the books,” he tells SBC, “you’re not going to see one person with a cape on or a mask on or a uniform on—not unless it’s a basketball uniform. In other words, they’re going to be regular folk … Read the rest
Aside from trying to get published, writer’s block is a common challenge among writers. An issue that often prevents people from even writing at all is self-doubt, something romance novelist Devyn Bakewell has noticed through her visits and work with younger writers. “The advice that I’ve really been asked a lot for is this belief in your own voice,” the Greater Love and Greater Life (New Degree Press) author tells … Read the rest
Journalist and Tune in Tomorrow (August 18, 2022, Solaris Books/Simon & Schuster) novelist Randee Dawn is a writer and storyteller through and through. As a youth, she wrote stories about her stuffed animals, and on the rare occasion she skipped school, it was to visit the library. Teachers assumed she was writing notes when she was writing fiction. Her love for literacy carried into fanfiction—Law & Order fanfiction (she … Read the rest
How does one know when a draft is written to its full potential? Writer, creator, and author of the science fiction and fantasy anthology Chimera Revolution: The Nue-Gaea Chronicles (June 19, 2020) Marcus E.T. shares his thoughts on the topic. “I think, for me, since I’m writing a lot of short stories, it easily just comes down to what seems to be the most satisfying conclusion that kind of leads … Read the rest
Award-winning entrepreneur and TheBlackShoppingNetworks.com founder, radio host, journalist, and author, Janice McLean DeLoatch, recalls how a hole in her Nylon stockings led to one of her first companies, Pantyhose Vending Machines. DeLoatch, who had a full-time job in addition to her fashion shows and event-planning businesses, was on her way to a job interview when the material of her pantyhose deteriorated. At that point, she had to decide if … Read the rest
When former Division 1 player and PAC-12 champion, Victoria Garrick, met with Kobe Bryant to discuss her organization, The Hidden Opponent, an advocacy group for student-athlete mental health, she learned he was developing a project that aligned with her passion. That project was the new book, Geese Are Never Swans (Granity Studios, July 21, 2020), a multi-category #1 New Release on Amazon. “After that, I received an alert from … Read the rest
It’s no secret that publishing is full of collaboration, from the authors, agents, editors, and illustrators to the marketers, publicists, salespeople, reviewers, and influencers, etc. Then there are the professionals who help authors tell their stories by way of memoir: book collaborators. Multi-award-winning journalist, writer, and co-author, Jeannine Amber, who recently collaborated on I Tried to Change So You Don’t Have To: True Life Lessons (Hachette Go, June 23, … Read the rest
After enjoying abundant success online via Wattpad including over a million reads and being a two-time Watty award winner including the 2018 Worldbuilders award, Given by Nandi Taylor is now gearing up for international release under Wattpad Books on January 21, 2020. Taylor discussed why her story ascending into trade publication is meaningful to her. “Posting the book online was kind of my way to keep myself accountable and … Read the rest
