“At the end of the day, you have to make a decision about how broken you are going to remain”
-Kiana dancie
Television personality, Comedian, and now Author Kiana Dancie, wants women and men around the world to know the power of releasing the baggage of your past and moving forward with your life. Having experienced her own share of trauma and setbacks, the “Bye Bye Bags” author knows the power of letting go of what was, and focusing on the what is. Listen to our full interview with her below, as she discussed all this and more.
About Kiana
Having always been the life of the party with a dynamic personality with a glowing smile, The Kiana Dancie has shared several dynamic and colorful life experiences on her sold out “Single in the City” comedy tour across the country. She is a powerhouse comedian, speaker, media personality, actress & entrepreneur on and off stage. Kiana was featured on the hit TV ONE show “Whose Got Jokes? with Bill Bellamy where she destroyed the stage. She starred on Bounce TV’s second season of “Off the Chain” where the host, Rodney Perry introduced her as a beast! She’s a former co-host of TV ONE’s nationally syndicated talk show, “Sister Circle Live.” After taping an amazing set on Kevin Hart LOL stage at the Montreal Comedy Festival, she was casted in two movies: “One Crazy Christmas” a BET & SHOWTIME Feature and “SEXTUPLETS” with Maron Wayans for Netflix. Her new book “Bye Bags Bags – Laughing To Lighten The Load” discusses healing yourself whole, is now available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Author Ebony Davis is a single mother of a boy named Prince, who recently published a book, “Gift of Pain”. Helping single mothers recover mentally and emotionally from an abandoned pregnancy.
An abandoned pregnancy occurs when the child’s father has decided to not be a part of the pregnancy with the mother. Ebony’s sister encouraged her to write and publish her first book. While Ebony began writing her story is when she discovered the process and power to heal. Leaning on the expertise and encouragement of her sister, Ebony was able to persevere and seal her deep wounds. The book, “Gift of Pain: Persevere Through an Abandoned Pregnancy”, is a story about a young woman who once had aspirations and planned to attend law school until she became pregnant. Who became a single mother months before entering graduate school.
This book provides readers with an inside look in the unfiltered good, bad, and ugly surrounding the vulnerable experiences of an abandoned pregnancy. With an opportunity to be inspired no matter the circumstances when faced with emotional distress. There is always a gift in everything that we’ve experienced. It can be challenging to re-live some of the memories that were suppressed, certain incidents that had taken place. There were times that Ebony had to simply set the pen and paper down, walking away. Until she remembered who she was writing the book for, to help individuals overcome.
Being a huge fan of Desiree Lee, Ashley K. Pittman, James Cornelius, Latrice Ryan, and Celicia; They have all played an intricate part in Ebony’s life, providing her with inspiration, wisdom, and tools to help other to improve life decisions.
Author Ebony Davis is currently in the process of launching a health and fitness apparel for women. Soon, spots will be made available in December 2020 to participate in the mentorship program. She is also excited to open the doors to the non-profit organization. It is important for Ms. Davis to influence authors and individuals to commit to the process of healing. “When you do it with love, inevitably will create a recipe for success. Remain grounded and rooted in the word of God and keep it close to your heart.” -Author Ebony Davis
Author Dr. Andrea Jeffress is board certified, Ob/Gyn physician from Erie, PA.
One day our son, William, the McDowell High school all-time leading scorer and a member of the 2019 Team USA U16 Basketball team, brought his phone to us and showed us his inbox. It was full of kids asking us to talk to their parents about different advice on how to become great.
People were always asking us for advice on how to achieve great things with our children. So we decided to share the blueprint in the book to keep from typing the same message over and over because as you can imagine – we are pretty busy.
1) What is your book “SMART JOCKS” all about, and what can readers expect from reading it?
SMART JOCKS – 10 Lessons Along Our Journey to Raise #1 Draft Picks On and Off the Court focuses on actionable steps to follow to set the foundation for an individual and their support system to build a foundation and create a path for greatness.
2) What has been one of the most challenging things throughout your writing process?
I wrote the book and self-published it together with my husband. Each child had a chapter so getting everybody to turn in their chapter was challenging. Lol. However, the self-publishing process was daunting but definitely made it easier by joining the #AIB Authors in Business community.
3) Who are some of your literary inspirations and why?
I love the imagination of fiction writers like Toni Morrison and Octavia Butler, but
I am most inspired by autobiographical book authors like Michelle Obama or Veronica Chambers (my college mate) or Desiree Lee (my self-publishing guru)
because I am motivated by real things that I can see. I am always grateful my path is made easier and lighted by the experiences of someone great who came before me.
4) What other projects are you working on along with your book?
Building Smart Jocks Media which focuses on editing, video content marketing, and launching the Smart Jocks On Air Podcast launching in the fall of 2020.
5) Leave us with some final words of encouragement to your readers and aspiring authors.
Books – both reading and writing them – are the gateway to the future and are our way to leave our legacy on the earth.
My message in Smart Jocks serves to motivate youth and adults to focus on using higher education, sports, business, and health to build a plan for a brighter future.
BIOGRAPHY: Andrea Jeffress, MD
Growing up in the inner city and leaving high school to enter college at the age of 14, Dr. Andrea Jeffress knows what it means to have a hand up and not a handout. A graduate of the Yale University School of Medicine, she is a board-certified OB/GYN, practicing general obstetrics and gynecology with an interest in advanced minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as hysteroscopy, laparoscopy, and robotic-assisted surgery.
Besides medicine, she is an entrepreneur and small business owner, distributing Raineater Wiper Blades, Zenedge Energy Drinks, and Blade Doctors LLC which pivoted to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. She also co-founded Smart Jocks Media which focuses on editing, video content marketing and launching the Smart Jocks On Air Podcast launching in the fall of 2020.
She is also a member of Our Global Vision, Next Level Leadership, and several health and wellness organizations. Finally, she is co-founder and CEO of SMART JOCKS, where she helps guide scholar-athletes, parents, and coaches via speaking engagements, personal coaching, digital education and training, and writing and self-publishing. She is on the board of the Kingdom International Economic Development Corporation, Mercyhurst University Board of Trustees, Greater Pennsylvania Alzheimer’s Board, and the Advisory Board of Erie Bank. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. In 2019, she was selected as the Athena Leadership Award winner in Erie, Pennsylvania to honor her commitment to excellence, business leadership, and community.
She is a #1 best-selling author of the book entitled: “SMART JOCKS- 10 Lessons Along Our Journey to Raise #1 Draft Picks On and Off the Court”, which she co-wrote with her husband, William, and children, Adrianna, Jasmine, & William Jr. She is also contributing author and/or editor in the following book titles: “Women All Over the World ~ It’s Your Time: Unleashing the Untapped Reservoir of Entrepreneurship Inside Women Worth Trillions of Dollars”, “On Becoming”, “Passages from the Pit”, and “From Glass to Stone: 10 Transformational Stories of Resilience”.
A sought-after workshop and keynote speaker, she enjoys sharing her experiences as a physician, mother, and advocate of healthcare, business, education, and sports. Her message serves to motivate youth and adults to focus on using higher education, sports, business, and health to build a plan for a brighter future.
You can connect with Dr. Jeffress and Smart Jocks on Facebook (@Smartjocks), Instagram, and Twitter (@smart_jocks), Vimeo, and YouTube (Smart Jocks) and https://www.smartjocks.com/.
1)Give us a little bit of your background, and what inspired you to write your story
There is a history of alcoholism, drug addiction, domestic violence in my family, I fell into the same pattern, I started drinking and using drugs as a teenager, as I got older things got worse I started using more drugs more often. I became homeless, jobless, my children were removed from us by child protection agency here in Chicago, IL. After several years of addiction, I admitted myself into a substance abuse treatment center, got sober in March 1991 have use drugs and or acholic sense. I was inspired to write my story because no one in my family has ever written a book, I wanted to create a new road map for my children, I wanted to tell my truth without anyone else interference.
2)What is your book all about, and what can readers expect from reading it?
“Promising The Moon” is about how a young man became addicted to drugs and alcohol lost everything, he was willing to get the help he needed to change the course of his life. PTM is a book about a young man who lost his children to child welfare, he got clean regain custody of his children, and now he is helping others do the same.
3)What has been one of the most challenging things throughout your writing process?
The most challenging thing for me was revisiting the family trauma, and then putting it on paper, as I understood it. my solution for this was I had a support team, people were supporting me as I was getting through my writing.
4)Who are some of your literary inspirations and why?
Reading books about other people story, like “The Desiree Lee” how they overcame their challenges has been a great sense of inspiration, spending time with my aunt (Hattie Davis) listening to how she overcame the challenges she faced in life, has also been a great inspiration for me to write PTM.
5)What other projects are you working on along with your book?
I have just recently released an online course “Check Your Baggage” this course is designed to help others get started in writing, and telling their story. gregcox.thinkific.com
Also, I have a Podcast “Check Your Baggage” the goal is to encourage others to monitor your personal growth and development.
6)Leave us with some final words of encouragement to your readers and aspiring authors
Everyone has a story to tell, your story is just a valuable then anybody else, your story has the ability to help someone, if you don’t write it who will, and if someone else writes it chances are they will get paid for it, so why don’t you write it and get paid for you own story, and help someone else along the way. Gregory Cox Author of Promising The Moon.
My newest book, The Mending, is a compilation of poems that capture my turbulent, poignant, and triumphant journey from heartache to continuous healing. It depicts my personal experience of grappling with the complexity of emotions that come from withstanding breakups and breakdowns in relationships. I wrote most of the poems in The Mending after experiencing a vastly tragic ending of a courtship that reopened a multitude of old wounds from which I thought I had recovered. While battling the heartache, grief, and anger I felt from the demise of the relationship, I began to think that I was broken and felt perpetually defeated, so I did what comes naturally to me while dealing with any tragedy or hardship — I wrote. I wrote when I was angry; I wrote when I was sad; I wrote when I was confused. I kept writing until I was able to find perspective and peace around what was happening. And, after some time, I realized that I had written myself from that depleted, painful place to a new, enlightened, and liberated version of myself. This version of me loves herself unconditionally and celebrates the fact she was able to find joy and hope in such an unfortunate and calamitous situation. For me, The Mending is the epitome of choosing to take my broken pieces and transforming them into something beautiful — art, and in its most honest and glorious form.
2. What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
I hope that readers, especially anyone dealing with heartbreak, find that it is okay to embrace and honor your emotions, no matter how intense or gut-wrenching they are. In The Mending, my poems shed light on every single feeling I experienced while traveling down the tumultuous road of heartache — from sorrow, anger, hopelessness, jealousy, acceptance, peace, etc. I allowed every emotion that presented itself to flow through me, and I didn’t reject any of them or try to shun them away until I knew that they have run their course. I didn’t allow myself to live in a permanent place of defeat and heartache, but I accepted my emotions for what they were and worked through them accordingly and responsibly, and I still practice doing that today. I think a huge aspect of healing is granting yourself permission to feel, no matter how uncomfortable the process is. I think it’s important to remember that regardless of how devastating your feelings or thoughts are while dealing with something traumatic or extremely painful, those thoughts and feelings are an intricate part of your healing journey. You owe it to yourself to feel what you feel and do so unapologetically. You also owe it to yourself to know what those less than cozy feelings are and do the necessary work to heal from them. I hope that my readers acknowledge that just like it is okay to have happy and joyous emotions, it’s perfectly fine to own those draining, toxic ones, too. And once you do, true healing can begin to commence.
3. What do you feel separates your books from others?
I don’t want to say that it separates my books from others, but I try to write in a way that is extroverted and transparent. I strive to make sure that my readers are fully let into my world and truly experience what I am thinking and feeling while I am writing. Even in my fictional novels, I often write about a sensitive topic (like racism, discrimination, homelessness, rejection of family members, etc.) , and I try to be as honest and forthcoming as possible and get my readers to understand my thoughts and perspective on the matter through the actions, thoughts, and dialogue of the characters in my story. I see my writing and my books as limitless avenues to express myself and the courage to say what is sometimes unsaid or lost in translation. I love being able to give the people who read my work front row seats to that.
4. What part of writing do you personally find most satisfying and most challenging?
The part of writing that is most satisfying to me is, well, writing itself. I LOVE to write and have since I was a child and first started journaling and writing poetry. Writing is therapeutic for me, and there’s nothing more liberating than witnessing my words, thoughts, and creativity live and thrive on paper. Whenever I finish a poem, a journal entry, blog post, or even an outline, I feel a divine sense of accomplishment and power even.
The most challenging part of writing to me is worrying about what people may think of my content. I believe in sharing my gifts with the world, which is why I choose to publish my work when it’s ready for that. However, it is not easy. I try to put on a brave face, but sometimes after I publish my work, I find myself plagued by anxiety and fear of what someone will say, think, or criticize about my work; sometimes to the point that I fear reading my own reviews, but I am shedding myself some grace and remembering that as an artist, it’s normal to be sensitive about your work. I also believe that the more I publish, the easier it’ll be to overcome those troublesome fears and anxiety.
5. What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
My advice to aspiring authors is to write and do so authentically. Don’t allow yourself to get caught up in comparison or trying to emulate someone else’s style or ideas, which can be tempting because there are so many amazing writers with some pretty awesome imaginations out there in the world! I would say, do YOU, and most importantly, BE YOU. Your readers and fans will appreciate you and your gift for its authenticity and so will you.
I also advise other writers to read and as often as they can. For me, reading is eye-opening and an inspiring experience. Whenever I find myself dealing with writer’s block, I pick up a book by someone whose words move me to my own creativity — usually a Toni Morrison or Jacqueline Woodson novel. In my opinion, a writer should read just as often as a writer should write. So, my main advice to aspiring authors — read and write.
6. What is your favorite album?
My favorite album is “A Seat at The Table” by Solange, hands down. I got a lot of writing done to that album, including some of poems in The Mending.
7. What would millennials be shocked by if they were transported back to the 80’s?
Great question! As a millennial, I think if I were transported back to the eighties, I would be shocked and made uncomfortable by having to live in a pre-heavy technology era. I can’t fathom leaving the house without the convenience of having my iPhone and having unlimited access to anything I want to listen to, anyone I want to call/text, pretty much anything I want to buy, and anything I want to look up on Google, lol. I also think living in a world without social media would be hard for us, though I don’t think being without it would be all bad. But, for millennials, we’ve lived through such a vast variety of social media and conversational platforms — AIM, MySpace, Black Planet, Instagram, and Facebook; I think the transition to life without having those type of systems would be a challenge at first for many of us.
8. If 2020 was a book, what would its title be?
Whew! I am going to try to keep this answer short! If the year 2020 was a book, I think it would be titled The Year of Eye-Opening. From beginning to now, 2020 has done a true number on us and has thrust tragedy after tragedy upon humankind. I remember on my birthday of last year, I prayed for 2020 to be great and prosperous and as naïve as it may sound, I find myself wondering if I should’ve prayed a little harder that day and the days leading up to 2020. I mean, seriously, a lot of us probably think we should’ve prayed longer and more fervently; not that anything that has happened this year is completely in our control. Who would’ve thought that three months into the year, the world would suddenly shut down, and life as we knew it would be no more and for an indefinite amount of time? Who would’ve thought that something as simple and ordinary as going to buy groceries would now be life-threatening if we don’t exercise the necessary precautions; who would’ve thought that our graduating seniors would not get to experience a regular graduation or prom even? The pandemic literally robbed us of the opportunities to do so many precious things that I think we sometimes take for granted — going to visit and spend time with loved ones, hanging out with our friends, having and attending a baby shower or a birthday party, a hug from someone you love who doesn’t live with you. I think that 2020 has really opened our eyes and helped us realize how much the small things like the ones I mentioned mean and should be valued.
The other aspect of the eye-opening, has been the senseless and heinous murders of Black people that have taken place — from Breonna Taylor, Ahmad Arbery, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, and others, I’m sure. We all knew that racism and extreme and murderous hatred towards Black people exists; we didn’t forget about the murders of Trayvon Martin and the countless others, but 2020 has really shook us to the core and has unearthed just how much of a stronghold unadulterated contempt towards Black people has on this country.
9. Name one thing that you changed in your life since the pandemic started?
One thing I’ve changed in my life since the pandemic is being intentional about exercising gratitude and doing so on a regular basis. The pandemic drastically and negatively impacted the lives of so many; unfortunately, some people lost their jobs and some lost their lives and family members. I am grateful and blessed to be here surviving and healthy and still doing what I love — writing and educating. When I find myself stressed out about something minute or grand, I redirect my thoughts on everything I have to be grateful for. That’s a practice that I will keep for a lifetime.
10. What is one thing that you kept putting off and finally got done?
One thing I’ve finally got done over the course of the past few months is finishing my first draft of my next book. I started this novel back in the fall of 2017, but life happened; I had a baby and started and finished another book, so I am proud that I went back to finish this one, and I can’t wait for my readers to check it out!
11. If you could go back to one historical event to witness it, what would it be and why?
A historical event that I wish I could go back and witness is the Harlem Renaissance era because I love how it was essentially activism through art. Some of my favorite writers were involved in the movement (Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston). The Harlem Renaissance was a freedom of expression; a freedom of culture, dance, music, dress, poetry, and words in general for Black people who were in search of liberation at that time. It was their chance to be and embrace themselves, and they did so fearlessly. I don’t think it’s often discussed, but though the writers, artists, singers, etc… of the Harlem Renaissance didn’t protest or plan marches, etc., they laid the foundation for all of the other movements against racism and the stifling of Black culture, including the Civil Rights Movement, and I wish I had been there to live and protest creatively through poetry and music in those times.
12. How can everyone keep in contact with you on social media?
Give us a little bit of your background and what inspired you to write your story.
I am a Motivational Teacher, Speaker, Author and Relationship Coach to young women. My life mission is to motivate abundant life in young women. The book as well as my life’s work is inspired by the outcry that I perceive from the hearts of women, as well as my own. As a young woman, I set out to understand myself more intimately to answer my life’s most burning questions, “Who am I and why am I here?” I learned that the best place for that answer is the creator. The answer key is in the mind and heart of any creator. As a college instructor, I saw that young women were struggling in life, school, careers, and relationships. They would come to class broken and in tears about their lives. They didn’t know what they did not know. I decided to write so that I could give this tool or resource guide to support them on the journey. I realized that I could reach far more young women with a message in a book, than I ever could in a classroom.
What is your book Girl, Get Yo’ Life! A Young Woman’s Guide to Life and Relationships That Win all about? And what can readers expect from reading it?
This book is about 3 foundational concepts to a win in life: identity, purpose, and healthy relationships. We are not often taught the meaning of life and our role in it. We are taught to go to school, be a good citizen, be nice to friends and strangers, etc. When do we learn the meaning of life, the purpose of friendships and marriage or why we should speak life to the spirits of children? One of the primary goals of our lives is to discover ourselves authentically and be complete individuals. As complete and whole individuals, our goal is to pursue our life purpose and live fulfilling lives together in harmony with others. The challenge becomes that we don’t know enough about ourselves and are unfulfilled in life, thus our relationships suffer, as a result. Readers can expect to get clarity of the meaning of life and that they have a unique role to play, for which they are responsible. They will see learn that to have good success in relationships, it begins with us, not others. Good relationships do not just exist, they have to be cultivated and nurtured. Ultimately, we can choose well in every area of our lives when we know and embrace ourselves authentically and live with intention.
What has been one of the most challenging things throughout your writing process?
One of the most challenging aspects of my writing process was determining when to stop adding content. There is such a vast array of information to share with my “little sisters” that I did not know when to stop. So, in this first edition, I included topics that I believe are most significant. Keeping the audience in the forefront of mind, helps to maintain topic focus. As I write, I keep an image of my nieces, great nieces, and goddaughters in mind and talk to them.
Who are some of your literary inspirations and why?
Bishop TD Jakes is one of my favorite authors. I enjoy the way that he paints pictures with word choice. He is a magnificent storyteller. The details really bring visual clarity to a written work. Michelle McKinney Hammond is another favorite writer of mine. She is a girlfriend of all girlfriends. As you read her books, you feel as though you are just chatting in the room right where you are.
What other projects are you working on along with your book?
I am excited to announce that I am developing and launching an online course entitled Journey to You: Pathway to a Thriving Life. It is an extension of the book and a deeper dive into the work of self-discovery. Additionally, I have created a workbook to accompany the book. The pair would be great for individual study, small groups, or workshop sessions.
Leave us with some final words of encouragement to your readers and aspiring authors.
Everything that you need to be your best self and thrive in life is INSIDE you. God made no accidents. Don’t go about life blindly. Get on the journey to self-discovery and WIN in life. You can live a free and fulfilling life, authentically. Your best life is calling. Will you answer?
I want to encourage aspiring authors to be selfless and write the books and stories in your heart. It is how we grow, transform, overcome, inspire, learn, and release healing to others as well as ourselves. Your life will not be the same and your legacy will serve far beyond you!
Give us a little bit of your background, and what inspired you to write your story
I have been an administrator for many years and still function in this capacity. I am also a speaker, mentor, certified life coach and author. My passion is helping others unleash dormant dreams by teaching them how to release their inherent excellence. When an individual can see with eyes of renewed hope and ultimately realize what they’ve desired brings me great joy. One of the central reasons that inspired me to write Harness The Power of Your Influence was to let every reader know influence is a force, yet it’s not forceful. Being able to intentionally channel one’s force to effect change in a person’s behavior, character, development, or overall outlook is immensely rewarding. The impact of shaping, empowering or lifting someone’s life because of deliberate interactions can certainly rewrite a person’s future.
What is your book Harness The Power of Your Influence all about, and what can readers expect from reading it?
The book’s central focus communicates the significance of comprehending the power one’s influence can wield. When a person is keenly aware they are influencing even when they are not being intentional, it brings a heightened awareness in this area. Readers can expect to understand at the basic level what is influence, their sphere of influence, how to embrace their influence and ultimately how to harness the power of their influence. When influence occurs, the impact should produce measurable results in the lives of those touched.
What has been one of the most challenging things throughout your writing process?
One of the most challenging things experienced within my writing process, which I am still in, has been replenishing my creative energy once I completed my master’s degree. I felt depleted and mentally exhausted from the countless research, papers and writing. Thankfully, I’ve completed my degree, a Master of Science in Psychology, and am working towards completing the book.
Who are some of your literary inspirations and why?
When I look at my library, I have tons of books on leadership several of which are written by John C. Maxwell, Dr. Samuel R. Chand among other others. As a leader in a nonprofit organization, I endeavor to stay connected and grow while remaining relevant in the field of leadership. These books provide guidance and knowledge which can be utilized as resources to aid me as I impart to those I lead. Other literary works within my library are books that deal with the total person—spirit, soul and body. Some of those authors relating to those areas are Dr. Myles Munroe and Dr. Cindy Trimm. These books deal with aspects of life as we seek to become or remain whole in our spirit, soul and body. Understanding these areas that commonly hinder people’s ability to release dormant dreams and desires, can help me help others find resolve. These literary works have educated as I help lift others that may be stuck with unrealized expectations.
What other projects are you working on along with your book?
Right now, I’m finalizing a mentoring program for the Ravens Hope International organization. Ravens Hope International is teaching and training organization founded by Karen Robinson. I am part of this organization. The program was founded in Houston and is based in Cambodia. It exists to provide spiritual growth, leadership development, life skills, internships and mission opportunities to women ages 18-30. The mentoring program is entitled Maximizing Excellence. Many of the women in Cambodia lack education due to a myriad of factors. The mentoring program provides further development in specified areas requested by the graduates of the Ravens Hope International instructional program. In addition to this program, I am continually creating content for my empowerment encounters and coaching programs.
Leave us with some final words of encouragement to your readers and aspiring authors
The journey of writing can be laborious and yet immensely satisfying. No matter where you currently are in your journey, keep going. The vision of your book has a story to tell, a truth to reveal and an answer to someone’s dilemma hidden within your words—make sure you tell them. Your literary work can influence masses but it must first be released. I encourage you to inspire hope, ignite passions and rewrite futures as you impact others with your literary excellence. Harness your power and release your greatness!
Give us a little bit of your background, and what inspired you to write your story I am a 3X Best Selling Author, Speaker, Pregnancy Loss and Writing Mentor. I help women who have experienced pregnancy loss get through the heartache of loss with my method of S.P.E.A.K. I decided to write my own story because I lost twin babies at almost 7 months of pregnancy. I was pregnant with a little boy and girl. Once I started to become intentional with my healing journey, everything opened up for me and that is when I decided it was time to tell my story.
What is your book all about, and what can readers expect from reading it? The collaboration that I published, Don’t Struggle in Silence – I am a V.I.C.T.O.R, released in May 2020. In this book, several women share their stories of pregnancy loss and their healing journey.
What has been one of the most challenging things throughout your writing process? The most challenging things during the writing process was deciding on what to share in the book and the meeting phase. We wanted to give the reader what we thought was helpful without overwhelming the reader with too much information. The editing phase is very tedious. It is a lot of back and forth. It is worth it to ensure you deliver a well-polished product.
Who are some of your literary inspirations and why?
My favorite writer is Maya Angelou. Ahhhh, I love her! Her words are so powerful and relatable.
What other projects are you working on along with your book?
I actually just wrapped up a virtual book tour for the collaboration June 2020. I am hosting my first online event called, Fill your Empty Arms with H.O.P.E. It will go LIVE July 11. More information can be found on my social media starting June 29,2020.
Leave us with some final words of encouragement to your readers and aspiring authors If you have a story to tell, tell it! Someone is waiting on you. If you are in the midst of getting your story out there, don’t stop! Challenges and hiccups can very easily pop up but NEVER be discouraged. Keep your mind on the end goal and it will come into fruition.
Give us a little bit of your background, and what inspired you to write your story
I have always been a journaler and I love shopping for pretty journals. I have a ton of them most all written in. I usually wake up and write down my dreams, my goals, and I’ll journal during my devotional time. When I find it hard to pray I’ll sit before God and worship and will write out my prayers and he’ll give me strategies on what to do or whether or not I shouldn’t do it. So I created the journals to share my love for journals and my experience with others.
Tell us about your journal and what can readers expect from reading it ? This journal was created to write your goals that align with the word of God. Also, you can keep track of your monthly prayers and the outcome. It’s a way of keeping in contact with the Lord and creating that intimate relationship with the father and making personal.
What has been one of the most challenging things throughout your writing process ?
Throughout this process of creating this project, one of the challenges I faced was finding the time to work on it.
Who are some of your literary inspirations and why ?
Some of my literary inspirations are:
Tony Morrison
Maya Angelou
Kimberla Lawson Roby
Mary Monroe
These women are my inspiration because they all have their own creativity in telling the stories of African Americans through the eyes of African American women.
What other projects are you working on along with your book? Some of my next projects are to get back to working on writing more fiction books and I also want to create more journals. I love them and I think by journaling every day it will help you get clarity about your life.
Leave us with some final words of encouragement to your readers and aspiring authors
I would encourage my readers and inspiring authors to share their stories. Everyone has a story to tell and our stories help heal others. Aspiring authors should stop procrastinating and go for it. Treat your writing project like it’s your baby and nurture it. Stay disciplined and consistent and always show up for yourself before anything else!
Award Winning and 5x Best Selling Author, Tanisha D. Mackin was born and raised in Buffalo, NY. Tanisha is an Author, Philanthropist and Publisher. Tanisha used her tragedies to help and motivate others through their pain. Tanisha knows all too well about violence and how it can affect the lives of family members. Tanisha was inspired to not focus on the negative and focus on the positive of her heartaches. She started the Mackin Miracles, formally known as the Mackin Project to assist widows and children who’ve recently lost a spouse or parent to violence.
When asked what inspired this colon cancer survivor to work hard, Tanisha has to look no further than her two beautiful children. A recipient of the 2013 Utopian Euphoria Making A Difference, 2016 Metro Phenomenal Women, 2016 Black Women Are Award for survivorship, the 2016 IALA award for Memoir of the year for her book, My Testimony, I Don’t Look Like What I’ve Been Through, the 2016 Rising Star Award, the 2018 Best of McDonough, 2019 Business Hall of Fame (Best of McDonough) and the ACHI Magazine Award for 2019 Author of the Year. As well as gracing the cover of several magazines (Writer’s Life, Glambitious & BlaQVersity). Her experiences led Tanisha to write several books, write for several magazines, appear on radio and television shows. It also led Tanisha to help others share their stories through writing by becoming a writing coach and publisher. She has worked on several books and book tours including a book tour for Pastor Rhonda Henderson and 4x grammy award winning and reality star Stevie J. Tanisha became a #1 Best Selling Author with her eBook, What’s Next, Sis? that she released unexpectedly in September 2019 and she became #1 Best Selling Author with her book collaboration with Kim Cole (Open Your G.I.F.T.S). Tanisha became a Brand Ambassador for SwagHer Magazine in 2018. July 2018, Tanisha had the opportunity to share her testimony at the Essence Festival in New Orleans. In 2019, Tanisha founded Rebuilding After Bullsh*t, an outlet where women can get together during brunch or dinner and talk about how they are rebuilding their lives after going through bull.
Tanisha is here to be an encouragement to others who may be going through the hardships of life. Like a butterfly, Tanisha represents the never ending cycle of life.
Interview by Abner Jackson
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
A: On Average it takes me a week to write a book.
Give us an interesting fun fact about one of your books?
A: The photoshoot for my 2nd book (Still Standing – A Widow’s Journey) was funny because my youngest was small at the time and we were in high grass, so besides me being scared of snakes, we had to hold her because we didn’t want to lose her in the grass. It was a mess…LOL
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
A: Write and do not worry about judgement. Most aspiring authors are afraid to share their stories because of judgement. But I’m here to encourage all my aspiring authors to share their stories because you never know who you are helping with your testimony.
What’s one of your proudest moments in your career?
A: One of the proudest moments of my career is when I won 2019 Author of the Year and 2016 Memoir of the Year.
What’s a random hobby you’ve always wanted to try but never have?
A: Art (painting). I have tried it but I’m nervous to showcase my work.
If you could meet any historical figure, who would you choose and why?
A: Maya Angelou because of her passion for writing. I would have loved to sit with her and learn.
What’s your best childhood memory?
A: So many, but the best times is when all my cousins and I would stay at my grandmother’s house. We miss those times.
What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
A: That I am a big baby….lol
Please let everyone know how you can be reached (twitter, IG, FB, websites, etc)?
