WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Antwan Floyd Sr., Author

Antwan Floyd Sr., Author
PIECE KEEPER

Antwan Floyd Sr. brings us a crime drama, PIECE KEEPER, with unique characters, according to his reviewers, where “even the good guys are bad.” His reviewers also say that the novel “was on a whole other level.” 

Floyd believes that the “human element”—where readers can relate to emotional aspects of the characters—is an important element of any genre. He also provides unpredictability with unexpected twists to engage readers, and uses relatable humor to enhance his characters. 

Floyd enjoys traveling and also likes to meet other authors and read their books so he can discuss them. He is currently working on Dope Fiction pt. 2 and also on a spinoff from his Black Love Detective series.

Q: You describe PIECE KEEPER as a crime drama, but reviewers have also applauded the unique characters and plot. Is this “just” a crime drama or is it also a police exposé or more about uncovering the gritty side of life? 

Antwan Floyd Sr.: Technically it is just a crime drama/mystery novel but like all great fiction it has elements of real life within the pages. In my opinion no matter the genre be it mystery, horror, romance or sci-fi it is all about what I like to call the “human element” and if you can have human emotional aspects to the story and people relate then it will make for a better story.

Q: One of the reviewers of PIECE KEEPER said, “This is a book where even the good guys are bad, it's a matter of degree and intent.” Another reviewer describes them as “think outside the box characters.” By creating more unique characters, what traits do you provide that will enable readers to engage with your characters? What will make readers care what happens to them?

Antwan Floyd Sr.: I just think about what my father told me all the time growing up “it takes all types of people to make up the world.” Now I don’t know if that is an original quote from him but nevertheless it makes sense. So I apply that to my story when creating characters, people interact with a wide array of people sometimes in their inner circle more often than not outside their inner circle and when the main character comes across another character that is a complete opposite of their belief system that makes for not only interesting writing and situations but hopefully interesting reading.

When you give characters a goal they are trying to accomplish and place obstacles in the way then on top of that give that character a human flaw be it a drug or alcohol problem, perhaps they are a chronic procrastinator or a bad guy turned good fighting to earn the trust and respect of another character to achieve said goal. These are all things that the average reader has gone through personally or knows someone who has and that makes it relatable and if well written enjoyable and easily attachable.

Q: “Suspense was awesome.” “Page-turning storyline.” How did you create suspense? Were mystery, suspense, and surprise twists an important part of telling your story—maybe even more than character development?

Antwan Floyd Sr.: When I write I don’t specifically think of a way to add suspense. I suppose it just happens as the story progresses. I just try to keep the story on track and keep the reader engaged. I suppose an important aspect for me is to not have it be predictable so I am conscious of adding unexpected twists.

Q: “The bad guy is really creepy and evil, a great character to hate.” What character traits do you believe contribute to creating an effective villain that readers would want to hate?

Antwan Floyd Sr.: In my opinion a great villain is one that is as equally good as they are evil sometimes in some ways more good or should I say righteous in their cause or in what they believe to be right but are willing to cross over to the dark side sort to speak to achieve their goals.

Q: How useful was humor to develop your characters or tell the story?

Antwan Floyd Sr.: When it comes to humor I am no comedian by any stretch of the imagination but I do have a jaded sense of humor and sometimes like to add it to my stories, perhaps implement them into the character’s lives to lighten the mood sometimes in the story yet at the same time always make it relatable, someone out there reading that story has either gone through it or knows someone that has.

Q: Were you able to exploit the setting to tell your story? How big a part of your story involves location? Could it have occurred in any city in any time period?

Antwan Floyd Sr.: Not for this particular story, no I’ve never been to Danville, IL so I relied more on interior locales, things that I could use my imagination for depending on the character and their lifestyle in the story: where they lived, bars or restaurants they would frequent, placing them in places outside of their comfort zone be it beyond their wealth status or beneath it. All of these aspects of locale and their comfort zone will dictate how said character will interact with other characters.

Yes, for this particular story it could’ve occurred in Any Town, U.S.A.

Q: You’ve also written a second Black Love novel, CANNIBAL IN THE CITY.  Tell us about Black Love. Is he based on anyone? On you? Is he a hero?

Antwan Floyd Sr.: I created Black Love as an ode to strong, book smart/street smart black men. I suppose he could be classified as a hero but he is not without flaws. He tries to do what he feels is right but has his own set of internal code that he lives by and that code is not always on the same side that the law is on so I suppose he is more anti-hero than hero. And no, he is not based on anyone in particular.

Q: What’s next?

Antwan Floyd Sr.: Next I am working on Dope Fiction pt. 2 “Greed Between the Lines.” Black is a prominent character in that story and I am also preparing to write Purple Reign “A Trigger Brown Mystery” a spin-off from The Black Love Detective series.

Q: Tell us about Antwan Floyd Sr. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Antwan Floyd Sr.: I enjoying traveling and meeting new readers. I truly love interacting and discussing books, not only mine but others so I do a fair amount of reading so if a reader I meet talks about a book I can join in the conversation because I’ve actually read it.

About Antwan Floyd Sr.

Antwan Floyd Sr. is a Publisher, Author, and Reviewer. He publishes Crime Fiction novels under his publishing company Maleah Solange Books. He has released two titles in the Black Love Detective Series: Piece Keeper & Cannibal in the City. He has also written Dope Fiction and Dope Fiction pt. 2 "Greed Between the Lines". Originally from Chicago, IL he currently resides in Indianapolis, IN where he is penning his next novel.

About PIECE KEEPER

Teresa Prince, a small-town girl with a big heart, had dreams of working in law enforcement. Her goals are deterred when she is violated in the worse way possible. Will she overcome this tragedy and emerge triumphant with her mind and soul intact? Or will the mental anguish be too much for her to bear?

James is a twisted soul with ideals of love and grandeur with a woman that doesn’t feel the same for him, at least not yet. That will all change if he has anything to do with it. To complicate matters worse her old flame has stepped into the picture. Will James be able to win her over and make her the love of his life before the flame is re-kindled between her and her ex? Or will he be left in the cold while they live happily ever-after?

Black Love was always more white collar than rider. When an unfortunate incident occurs in a small town in Illinois he rushes to the side of his ex-fiancé to attempt to save the day. It doesn’t take long to figure out that not everyone wants to see justice served. On top of that, his feelings for his past love may not only cause conflicts in the case but also add a rift to his new relationship. Will Black put his past behind him and find out who violated Teresa?

In this fast-paced tale of pain, misguided passion, and lost love we follow these three souls as they embark on a journey of romance, rape, and retribution. When there’s no one to count on but yourself will you stand and deliver? Or bend and break? Each will be faced with that question in the midst of questioning what they once thought was true. They all find out that when love turns to war, someone has to be the Piece Keeper!

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WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Dhruba D. Roy, Author

Dhruba D. Roy, Author
MY FIRST BREAKUP

Dhruba D. Roy brings us his novel, MY FIRST BREAKUP, which he wrote to help himself but believes will also help others worldwide, given that we’ve all faced a breakup at one time. A reviewer says that “It is much more intimate and relatable” than the usual ‘boy meets girl’ novel with “A different and fresh approach.” He uses humor to develop his characters but also incorporates a little of himself in each of them.

In addition to being a writer, Roy also is a musician and a software engineer. He is currently working on two projects: a sequel to MY FIRST BREAKUP and a mythological fiction based on Greek, Christian, and Hindu history.

Q: Tell us about MY FIRST BREAKUP. Would you consider it a romance or contemporary fiction? What theme did you want to develop?

Dhruba D. Roy: MY FIRST BREAKUP is about a character whose name is Anirudh. The story revolves around this character who falls head over heels in love with a girl in his childhood only to be drifted apart from his girl before high school itself. The protagonist is obsessed with the girl of his dreams and after being separated makes it the motive of his life to win her back in his life.

The story then gradually unfolds where both of them do meet again. By this time both of them have entered their adulthood and deeply respect the bond that they had developed over the period of time. Anirudh discovers that he loves music equally and also starts performing at many different gigs with his musical band. But as we all know, nothing lasts the same forever. His world is turned upside down when he had to abandon his musical band and move out of the city.

The next sequence of events paves the plot for the climax of the story which is the most gripping part of the story. Let’s just keep that a secret for now.

MY FIRST BREAKUP is a combination of both romance and contemporary fiction. Infact the book has a musical touch to it and I feel that’s a value addition for the readers.

Q: You are an engineer by training, as well as a musician and a freelance writer. What caused you to also want to become a novelist?

Dhruba D. Roy: Hahaha…. let me tell you something about this question of yours. It certainly wasn’t the engineer in me who made me want to write a novel. Freelance writing was just a way to engage myself in some activity when I was free. ‘Music’ is perhaps the driving force behind this. I love music, especially the Rock N’ Roll of late 1970’s-1995’s. The Beatles, Queen,  Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Eddie Van Halan, Eric Clapton, etc. I loved their music. The lyrics of their songs were so strong and captivating. It’s sad that I cannot write lyrics of songs that good. And it was when my music band disbanded after our graduation that I decided to start writing a book. It was a tedious task and after many years of struggle, here I am with my debut novel MY FIRST BREAKUP.

Q: MY FIRST BREAKUP is set in India. What makes it universal whose characters will relate to multiple nationalities and countries?

Dhruba D. Roy: MY FIRST BREAKUP is based on three fundamental things: Love, Music, and Friendship. These three factors are very much universal to me, and the readers of any contries shouldn’t have any problem connecting to it.

Another thing that I feel readers will most certainly feel a strong connection with is the plot of the novel MY FIRST BREAKUP. It is very simple and very realistic. It is very common and it happens to almost all of us. Most of us go through our First Breakup and it’s very difficult for any one to get break the shackles and be normal again after such an event . This story is all about that and much more :)

Q:  Is there a hero or villain in MY FIRST BREAKUP? If so, what are the character traits of a villain? Does a villain need to be a person? Or can a culture or circumstances substitute for a villainous person?

Dhruba D. Roy: Yes, I consider that there is both a hero and a villain in this story. I guess, both the characters of being a hero and a villain is played by  the same factor called ‘Time’. It is ‘Time’ that gives happiness to the protagonist and it’s ‘Time’ who knocks him down. It is ‘time’ that teaches the protagonist the most valuable lesson in his first Breakup and that is ‘Learning to Let Go!!’

Q: Did you write MY FIRST BREAKUP primarily to entertain readers, or did you want to deliver a message?

Dhruba D. Roy: I wrote it to help myself. I wanted to write, and I feel my thoughts might not even be well accepted by my readers, but to be blatantly honest with you, that’s how I feel and all my characters are endowed with a bit of my soul in them.

Q: How useful is humor in telling your story or developing your characters?

Dhruba D. Roy: As a writer, I feel a story should be a combination of all the flavors that can give satisfaction to its readers and humor is one of those important ingredients. The story should always have an element of humor, not necessarily all throughout the story, but in a calculated fashion. This theory of mine stands true not only for humor but also for all the other ingredients that are necessary to write a story.

Q: Did you find that your experience as a freelance writer helped you to write a fictional novel?

Dhruba D. Roy: It definitely did. It gave me the freedom to think and be more imaginative. Not only that, but my days as a freelance writer also helped to become a better writer when it comes to structuring the plot.

Q: What’s next? Will you write more novels?

Dhruba D. Roy: Presently I am working on two projects. The sequel to My First Breakup and another one is a mythological fiction which is based on Greek, Christian and Hindu History. So, hopefully either one or, if God permits, perhaps both of them.

Q: Tell us about Dhruba D. Roy. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing or working?

Dhruba D. Roy: Dhruba D. Roy is a boring engineer, a creative writer and an exhilarating vocalist.I enjoy playing my guitar or traveling to new places with my friends when I am not writing or working. This gives me happiness.

About Dhruba D. Roy

Dhruba Das Roy is a freelance writer, a musician by passion, and a software engineer by profession. He is from Assam, but born in a small town of Meghalaya, where he finished his schooling. He then obtained his degree in engineering from the esteemed college of National Institute of Technology. He discovered his love for music there and was the lead vocalist of his band, “The Rozarts”.

He loves rock and roll and is a great fan of the pioneers of rock and roll-(Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Queen and the list goes on).Unfortunately, as engineering life came to an end, the band had to split. Recently, he moved to Kolkata where he is working in one of the leading software service based companies in India.

Not everyone can put thoughts into words. Dhruba had never tried his hand in writing; but he had an experience, an experience which changed his life for the better. Being a vocalist, his only way of expression was through the creative way. He decided to pen down his thoughts, and he discovered that writing came naturally to him. His thought process in the novel relates to the general mass in many ways. He decided to stretch his limits and ended up voicing his thoughts in a different way this time.

About MY FIRST BREAKUP

“Oh God, why me?”

This is perhaps what we think of when we go through a ‘breakup’.

This story is about Anirudh and Anvi.

Both of them have their own thinking which are not alike.

The story begins with Anirudh meeting with an accident. As he slowly succumbs to the pain, he starts reflecting about his bygone college days where he found his love for music. He loves Anvi dearly who is a long-lost friend of Anirudh.

The story reveals how Anirudh struggles as the hands of reality strikes him down.

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TIPS FROM THE EDITOR: Remembering How to Write in the Growing World of Social Media

Don’t misunderstand – I love Texting, Facebooking, Instagramming, Tweeting....

But I wonder what the impact will be on the current generation focused on these cryptic forms of communication. Will we forget how to write a complete sentence? Will the next generation even know about adjectives and adverbs? Will we be able to write anything without adding the ubiquitous hashtag?

I suspect my concern might be inflated. After all, our schools still teach reading, writing and arithmetic. Well, at least reading and arithmetic. How much longer will they count writing as a requirement? As we eliminate music, art, and sports form our schools, can writing be far behind? 

OK, OK. I’m exaggerating again maybe just a little – but I fear JUST a little.  However, just in case, I’m thinking that we might want to offer some tips to assure we continue to think in sentences and paragraphs. And what better place to hone our writing skills than having fun with our family and simultaneously increasing quality time together.

FunFamily Writing Exercises

My suggestion is that you schedule time for family activities and include some writing exercises as one of the “games.” Don’t make the timing inflexible – after all we’re all very busy being cryptic. And if it works better for your family just to do it extemporaneously, then so be it. But make it a priority.

Maybe Sunday evening as part of an informal family dinner you could do some of the following exercises to involve as many family members as possible. I suspect if you’re a parent you already know that you’ll have to work on topics of interest to the age group of your kids, although "superheroes" seems to be a subject for all ages at the moment. 

By the way, you might also consider this as a great way to tell Mom what you think of her for Mother’s Day; or Dad for Father’s Day; or for any family member birthday. Eventually you might like the exercises so much that you start to write prose and poetry. 

Consider using one or more of the following as part of your routine family gatherings. Once you start, you will most likely think of many other exercises that your family might appreciate.

·      A special gift for Mother’s Day or for Mom’s birthday: each family member choose a topic to build a story about Mom. Then put it together in one document. You can print it out or read it to her. Suggested topics:

o   Her sense of humor – she always laughs at my jokes

o   Her fantastic appearance

o   The cool way she tells me I’ve made a mistake

o   How she helps me with my homework

o   Her favorite movies

·      Each family member is to write a paragraph that includes a topic sentence and at least 2 detail sentences and a conclusion about a favorite super hero without telling anyone who it is. Write a physical description, special gift that makes your character a super hero, and why you like him/her. Read your description to your family. The first one to guess gets to go next.  

·      Each family member writes a paragraph describing the family getting ready for school or work in the morning. For a little something extra, include some dialogue. This should make for some interesting discussion when you read your paragraph aloud to the rest of the family and then they read their paragraph. The different perspectives could be very enlightening.

·      Write a dialogue that occurred between you and your teacher, friend or even a stranger. Ask the rest of the family to act it out. 

Of course, in today's world of school, earning a living, commuting, baseball games, music lessons, extra-hour work meetings, hobbies, television, movies, and errands--and so many unexpected interruptions, maybe we don't have time to learn to communicate. But surely we can try.

TIPS FROM THE EDITOR: Tips on Making Time to Read

Busy schedules frequently eat away at our reading time, especially as our families grow, jobs become more demanding, and events pull us away. But if we want to continue to read -- fiction, nonfiction, newspapers, magazines -- we can make time. But it won't just happen. We need to plan it.

Following are some tips on how to make time to read. 

We’re all busy. We commute to work where we spend at least eight hours a day. We chauffer our children to school and their various activities, or we change diapers and attend to baby’s needs. We prepare our meals and those of our family – even picking up fast food takes time. We travel for work or pleasure. Then there’s the cleaning, clothes-washing, food shopping, dry cleaning – whew.

When do we ever have time to read?

Well, the answer lies in making time to read, not finding time!  Here are a few suggestions:

1.     Set a reasonable goal for reading. Plan which book you want to read next and by when. Don’t make it hard on yourself. Allow plenty of time. 

2.     Schedule reading time

Share some of your TV-watching or other entertaining time. By recording TV shows, you can schedule when you watch your favorite shows and work reading into that schedule.

Check how much time you are spending on housecleaning – could you break up your dusting into different sections each week—I mean, do we really need to dust the entire house EVERY week?—and use the extra time for reading a chapter or two.  I heartily encourage you not to take the time from your family. I have always been willing to do less housecleaning, however! 

What’s important is that you consciously set aside time to read – even put it on your calendar. And you’ll need to take it from somewhere.

3.     Alert your family when you are starting your reading time. Ask them not to disturb you. Oh, sure, I know that sounds tough, but it might work—especially if you suggest they join you and read their books at the same time. Arrange for family reading time.

4.     Discuss your book with your family. That might make them more willing to give you the time to read, especially if you keep them updated.

5.     If you have a long commute, you might consider “books on tape”.  In today’s digital world, you can easily download them to your iPhone (or other device) and play them through your car speaker. Or, you can listen to a book with ear buds while commuting on a train or subway.

6.     Try an e-reader, e.g., Kindle, Nook, or iPad. You can carry it with you. I keep mine in my purse, and when I have to wait at the dentist or doctor’s office or in a long line, I pull it out and read my newspaper or whatever novel I have underway.

Regardless of which means you choose, take some time to figure out how to make time for reading.  You will be rewarded with engrossing characters, mysterious circumstances, and maybe even a little romance.

Other articles for additional ideas on making time for reading:

Dave Astor, “Finding Time to Read More Novels,” The Huffington Post, 4/20/2012

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-astor/reading-time_b_1402627.html

Blogher Original Post, “How do You Find time to Read? My top ten answers,” October 25, 2008

http://www.blogher.com/how-do-you-find-time-read-my-top-ten-answers?page=0,1

MichaelHyatt: Intentional Leadership, “5 Ways to Make More Time to Read,” Guest post by Robert Bruce,

http://michaelhyatt.com/5-ways-to-make-more-time-to-read.html

TIPS FROM THE EDITOR: Writing about Yourself

Regardless of age, gender, or status, most of us are confronted with a request to write a few sentences, paragraph or a biography to sell ourselves.  And we hate it.

Following are six tips on how to write a description of ourselves that I have found useful.

Places of employment ask us for a brief summary of our background and experience to initiate a job application.  Teachers or colleagues in high school require a few sentences for a newspaper, program, or high school yearbook –whether for the debate or football team.  Non-profit Boards of Directors ask you – a retired executive—for a paragraph about your qualifications for their organization.

Unless we’re surrounded by professional public relations officials who prepare something for us, we just don’t like to talk about ourselves. It’s not part of our upbringing. We’re told not to brag about ourselves. So how do we make it easy and fun to draft those few sentences that will achieve what we want?

There are many ways to write a biography. However, if you can remember a few key tips, it will be easier and more effective.

-1- Keep in mind what you want to achieve.

What is your goal? Go beyond “because I need to fill out this form!” Take advantage of the opportunity to make something happen. This doesn’t have to be a life-changing objective. A simple “I’d like my fellow students to understand why I enjoy football or the debate team” or “I want the Board of Directors to know why I can make a difference on their Board.” Or, it could be “I need to get this job, so I want to impress the recruiter with my qualifications.”

-2- Know what the requestor needs.

Typically when someone asks you for this information, there is a need to fulfill. Obviously a recruiter is looking for background information to assess if a job applicant is qualified. Those responsible for printing yearbooks, programs or school papers require information to interest their readers in their publication or event. Most likely, non-profit boards want to assess how your qualifications will assist their organization to fund-raise, either as an expert to impress contributors or a publicist to make known their needs and contributions.

-3- Match your goal to the requestor’s needs. 

This is the fun part. Matching your goals with the requestors needs is the magic in writing an effective bio. For example, if a recruiter is looking for a specific set of qualifications, and your goal is to fulfill that set of qualifications, well – you’ve got the first step towards consideration for the position. (Even better if you possess the specific set of qualifications.)  Yearbook editors will welcome an interesting biobraphy that tells why football or debate is of value to you especially if that is something of interest to their readers. And there’s no doubt that if you can couple your business qualifications to the needs of a non-profit, you stand a chance of being asked to join their Board.

-4- Write a first sentence to state this connection between your goal and their needs. You may decide to change this sentence later, but it helps to clarify your own thinking.

·      Jillian Hillcrest is dedicated to using her 10 years of corporate communications experience to achieve your business needs.

·      Joe Quarterback feels a sense of fulfillment whenever he throws a touchdown pass, which spills over into his everyday life.

·      Johnny Debater debates to help him appreciate multiple sides of issues.

·      Retired Exec wants to apply her business experience to advance the cause of a non-profit.

-5- Support your claims with sentences that back up your initial statement.

Jillian supports her statement regarding her experience by describing her successes in getting media coverage to promote products, and mentions her educational degrees that qualify her. Joe Quarterback adds his stats. Johnny Debater can talk about the number of topics he’s argued. And Retired Exec describes successful programs and people he has managed and revenue he’s generated. 

-6- Conclude with sentences that tie your statements back to the needs of the recipient of your bio.

·      Jillian concludes that with her experience and education she is positioned to advance the company’s image and brand.

·      Joe Quarterback might end with his belief that football has taught him how to be a leader.

·      Johnny Debater might mention that his ability to appreciate multiple sides of an issue will help him make better decisions.

·      Retired Exec can conclude that he will make a financial difference on the non-profit Board.

Again, there are many ways to write the dreaded bio. But by considering your objective and your recipient’s needs, you have a guide that will lead you to a more interesting and effective description of yourself.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Mayra Calvani, Author

Mayra Calvani with Ramses
Author, MAMA GRACIELA'S SECRET

Mayra Calvani recently released her latest children’s book MAMA GRACIELA’S SECRET for three-to-seven year olds about the efforts of Mama to save her restaurant from being closed by an inspector due to her large number of cats.  Reviewers say it’s “a picture book with character, voice and story.”  Calvani, who also writes award-winning adult fiction and non-fiction books, enjoys penning all types of books but appreciates the “quicker gratification” she receives from children stories.

Wishing there were more hours in the day, Calvani is currently doing final revisions on another picture book manuscript and is also working on a YA mythological fantasy novel under pen name Zoe Kalo. She lives in Belgium with her husband, two children, and her three pets.

Q You have written a number of children’s books besides your newest, MAMA GRACIELA’S SECRET. What started you to write children’s books?

Mayra Calvani: First of all, thank you for having me on your blog, Joyce! I fell in love with children’s books after I had children. Before then, I was writing only for adults, but reading picture books to them every night made me fall in love with the genre. I had many ideas for stories so I thought, why not give it a try?

Q: Your newest book, MAMA GRACIELA’S SECRET, has a touch of mystery along with its whimsical side of  “TENDER, CRUNCHY, SPICY bacalaitos fritos enjoyed by people and cats from all over the island.” Do you find that a touch of mystery appeals to kids? Or is it all about the magic?

Mayra Calvani: You must be referring to the scene when Mama Graciela gathers all of her cats to help her find a solution so that her restaurant will not be shut down and all the cats taken away. You’re right that there’s a touch of mystery there. It’s kind of a mystical, otherworldly moment because there’s a communication between Mama Graciela and her cats. Who wouldn’t want to communicate with their pet? I suppose there’s also magic in that, not in a literal sense but in a figurative way.

Q: What kind of characters do children relate to? Is Mama Graciela someone that a kindergartner will understand and care about?

Mayra Calvani: Children relate best to children protagonists, but they can also relate to adult characters who have childlike qualities and who have feelings that kids can empathize with. Mama Graciela hasn’t just rescued a few cats. She has rescued one thousand cats! And she will do whatever it takes to protect them. You know what they say, when you save a life, you’re responsible for that life. 

Q: You’ve said that MAMA GRACIELA’S SECRET is for children ages kindergartner through SIX. Do you write for different age groups? How do you adapt your story and characters for different ages?

Mayra Calvani: I write fiction and nonfiction for adults and I also write YA fiction under my pen name Zoe Kalo (www.ZoeKalo.com). Language and content set the difference between the various ages groups. The younger the audience, the simpler the language. The older the reader, the more complex and sophisticated the content.

Q: The illustrations in MAMA GRACIELA’S SECRET are special and important for children. How did you meet Sheila Fein? How did you impart to her what you wanted for illustrations? Or do any of the illustrations come first?

Mayra Calvani: It was my publisher, Tannya Derby from MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing, who provided the illustrator, so I didn’t know Sheila before then.  She was wonderful to work with and at all stages of the illustrating process I was able to provide feedback. We went back and forth on all the artwork until the completion of the book. At the beginning it took a couple of tries to get the color palette right, one that would fit with the tropical island setting. The same happened with Mama Graciela, but once we had those the rest moved pretty quickly. It was more about the finishing touches than big modifications.  

Q: You also write non-fiction and fiction for adults. Do you prefer children’s story over adult fiction and non-fiction?

Mayra Calvani: I love both! They’re so different from each other! The thing with children’s stories, though, is that since they’re short you get quicker gratification because you see the end result--meaning the completed manuscript—sooner. It may take me a few weeks to write, edit and polish a children’s picture book, but it may take me up to two years to finish a novel for adults.

Q: Do you include villains and heroes in your children’s stories? If so, what characteristics do villains have that you find effective?

Mayra Calvani: Yes, I do. In Mama Graciela’s Secret, Mama Graciela is the hero because she selflessly sacrifices her secret recipe to save her cats. The Health Inspector is the villain because he is in the way of Mama Graciela keeping her cats. He wants to shut the restaurant and take away her cats. But he is also doing his job and preventing a health hazard. This is important because successful villains must have a good quality, too.

Q: Do you embed messages in your children’s stories to help teach values to children? Or are your stories strictly for entertainment?

Mayra Calvani: Never only for entertaining. My children’s stories always have a message, but I don’t hit readers over the head with it. Mama Graciela’s story teaches about love for animals, self-sacrifice, decision-making, and ethnicity.

Q: What’s next? What else are you working on?

Mayra Calvani: I’m doing final revisions on another picture book manuscript that I must send to my agent. I’m also working on a YA mythological fantasy novel under my pen name Zoe Kalo. I have many ideas for many more books. If only there were more hours in the day! J

Q: Tell us about Mayra Calvani. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Mayra Calvani: I lead a quiet life. I like to think myself as a disciple of writing. But when I’m not writing or revising, I love reading (duh!), journaling, dining and going to the cinema with my hubby, and just spending time with my pets and kids.

About Mayra Calvani

Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her children's picture book, Frederico the Mouse Violinist was a finalist in the 2011 International Book Awards; her anthology Latina Authors and Their Muses was a First Place winner at the 2016 International Latino Book Awards; her nonfiction book, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing, was a Foreword Best Book of the Year winner. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications like The Writer, Writer's Journal, Multicultural Review, Bloomsbury Review, and others.

She lives in Belgium with her husband of 30+ years, two wonderful kids, and her three beloved pets. When she's not writing, editing, reading or reviewing, she enjoys walking with her dog, traveling, and spending time with her family. www.MayrasSecretBookcase.com   

 About the illustrator

Born in Queens, New York and living in Los Angeles since 1987, Sheila Fein has always been

inspired by the changing world around her. Earning her BA in Design from Buffalo State College of New York, her concentration was on drawing, painting, printmaking, and photography. Sheila's education as an artist has taken her everywhere from Fleisher Art Memorial in Philadelphia to Bath University in England. Today, Sheila Fein runs two figurative workshops, Imaginings Sketch in LA and People Sketchers in Thousand Oaks. She has been featured in numerous collections, magazines, books, solo and group exhibitions. Her paintings and drawings reside in public and private collections. Sheila loves to make the imagination of others a reality and has done so through her commissioned Fein Fantasy Portraits and Interactive Paintings. In addition to being a fine artist Sheila works as an illustrator. She just completed the book "Mama Graciela's Secret" for Maclaren-Cochrane Publishing.

About MAMA GRACIELA’S SECRET

Mamá Graciela’s TENDER, CRUNCHY, SPICY bacalaítos fritos are the best in town...

Local customers (including stray cats!) come from all over the island to enjoy her secret recipe. But when the Inspector discovers that Mamá secretly caters to so many cats and he threatens to close her tiny restaurant, Mamá must come up with a plan to save it—and all of the animals she loves.

Links

Amazon 

MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing Orders@maclaren-cochranepublishing.com

Publishing company Contact Info: MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 1024 Iron Point Rd 100-1478 Folsom CA 95630  916-897-1670

Tannya@Maclaren-cochranepublishing.com www.maclaren-cochranepublishing.com

MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 620 Buchanan Way, Folsom, CA 95630 916-897-1670 www.maclaren-cochranepublishing.com

**This book also has version printed in the Dyslexic font, the typeface for people with dyslexia. Go to www.dyslexiefont.com to find out more about the typeface.