I am sharing my interview with Wole Adedoyin of the International Human Rights Art Festival.
1.
Tell
us all about your writing background- what you’ve written, what you’re currently
writing.
I
started writing in the year 2013. I was a former bank manager and a Financial
Advisor. Cancer struck and I survived miraculously. I wrote a memoir to relate
my experiences and to advise readers that cancer is not a death sentence. It
became a best seller. That encouraged me to keep writing and to date, I have
published 36 books. My last book, a psychological thriller, was published on
March 10th, 2021, so I have not yet decided what will be my next topic
for my 37th book.
I
love to dabble in every genre and have written memoirs, romances, science
fiction, mysteries, thrillers, children’s, self-help, and poetry. I have also
compiled poetry anthologies and started a quarterly magazine for the How to
Write for Success Literary Network of which I am the Founder.
2.
What
excites you about a piece of writing?
Writing which is well
expressed and filled with emotion excite any reader. I am excited about such
writings.
3.
Who are
your favourite writers and why?
One
popular writer whose books I enjoy, is Stephen King. His writing style is easy
to read and his books are thrilling.
I
have also read many books by not so famous writers, whose writings are
compelling to read.
I
would like to mention that one of the first books I read that inspired me for
life was, The Power of Positive Thinking
by Norman Vincent Peale.
4.
What
advice would you give to a new writer starting out?
I
wrote a book especially for new writers, and it is also for seasoned writers.
The name of the book is How to Write for
Success. It is the book that inspired me to establish a Literary forum with
three sub-forums and growing membership in excess of 11,000 members.
This
bestselling book received a five-star review from Readers Favorite one month
after it was published in December 2017.
In
August 2019 it topped all the books in the Non-Fiction category of Connections
Emagazine Readers’ Choice awards and won the gold medal in the category
non-fiction. It also placed second in all categories and won the silver medal.
It is remarkable that my romance novel, STORIES PEOPLE LOVE placed first in all
categories, and also won the gold medal in the romance category. It was a
quadruple win.
The
merits of the book HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS were featured in a review in the
Ethiopian Herald Sunday Edition on February 16th, 2020. Alem Hailu of The Ethiopian Herald surprised me with this detailed review which he published.
https://www.press.et/english/?p=19103
5.
What
inspires you to write?
I
receive my inspiration to write from everyday life experiences. I observe a lot
about what is taking place in the world and around me.
6.
Do you
have a writing routine? A place that’s special?
I have
a comfortable library with a computer and all writing accessories. I spend most
of the day there when I am not shopping or in the kitchen. My husband is very
supportive of my writing and he cooks lunch on many days and serves me in the
library. That way, I can spend many hours writing with no time limits.
7.
How, when
and why did you first start writing?
I
always loved writing from school days and topped my class in essay
competitions. I graduated with a distinction 1 in English language. When I worked
at the bank, my superiors were always impressed with my writing and financial
acumen. I was promoted to the Credit Department to prepare financial proposals
for business customers, and many of my proposals were approved by Head office
officials without question. I was later promoted to Managerial status and
assisted in the business growth of the bank’s branches and towns to which I was
assigned. I still did not think of writing as a career until my bout with
cancer as I mentioned above.
8.
What
was the first piece you ever had published?
The
first book I published was I am Cancer
Free and it became a bestseller.
9.
Do you
address particular themes or issues in your writing?
Yes. I
do. In many of my books you will see that I have addressed issues such as love,
heartbreak, suicide, domestic abuse, revenge, kidnapping, life’s purpose,
retirement, and others.
10.
How
did you feel when you first started sending your writing out into the world?
To be
honest, I was very scared. I was scared that readers would not like my
writings. I was so wrong. I received many five-star reviews, awards, and
accolades. Many books achieved Amazon bestselling ranking No 1.
11.
Where
do you get your ideas from?
For
the fiction books, I used my imagination. For the memoirs, they were all my
personal experiences.
12.
How
did you get your publisher?
I
self-published all of my books on Amazon.
13. Tell us what kind of responses you get
from audiences\ers.
I
won several literary awards in the USA, Peru, Kazakhstan, Seychelles, Nigeria,
India, Argentina, and the UK, and made headlines in several newspapers around
the world.
I
was inducted into the Indie Author's Wall of Fame in the USA. in January 2020.
In
2018, I received two awards from Readers Favorite International in Miami for
two of my books- Zeeka Chronicles and
I am Cancer Free.
Three
of my books won gold awards in Connection EMagazine Readers’ Choice Awards - Zeeka Chronicles (2018], Stories People Love (2019), and How to Write for Success (2019).
Several
of my books received five-star reviews from Readers Favourite International,
topped the charts of Amazon and attained Amazon bestselling rank No 1.
I
was recognised in newspaper reports in Trinidad and Tobago Newsday on 7th
November 2018, 16th October 2020, and Trinidad Guardian and Worldnews.net on
20th September 2020.
News
of my success reached as far as Ethiopia where a journalist by the name of Alem
Hailu interviewed me online on 17th November 2019 for the Ethiopian Sunday
Herald. He also published a glowing and detailed review of my book How to Write for Success.
14.
How
can people find out more about you?
I
am on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
15.
Tips,
tricks, things to pass on to dedicated write?
I will
suggest that new and aspiring writers read my book, How to Write for Success, and join my How to Write for Success Literary Network on Facebook, to learn
tips, tricks, and what it takes to become a bestselling author.
16.
Any typical/common
mistakes that new writers tend to make?
Many
writers believe that after publishing their books they can sit back and relax
and readers will rush to buy their books. If readers do not know about their
books how can they buy them?
Writers
must learn to market their books to forums and places that are frequented by
readers who are looking for good books to read. They must also be prepared to
spend money on book promotions.
Another
mistake that writers make, is to only publish the paperback version. While it
is a known fact that paperback sales exceed those of kindle, kindle sales can
cause your book to top the ranks on Amazon, become a bestseller, and pave the
way for your paperback sales.
It
is always advisable to do both paperback and Kindle versions.
The
third mistake writers make is in determining categories. Some writers are using
categories that do not match the content of their books.
For
instance, a poetry book described in the blurb as romantic poetry, or, an
Anthology of adult poems should not be categorized as Children's Literature.
There
could be repercussions if a parent looks at the category only, and buy such
books as presents for their children, only to realize they are for adults.
Amazon has a section below each book to report such issues.
Read
all about this in the award-winning and best-selling book HOW TO WRITE FOR
SUCCESS available on Amazon.
17.
Which
of your books were the most enjoyable to write?
I
enjoyed writing all 36 of my books, but the one that has a special place in my
heart is Zeeka Chronicles. Here is the book description:
If you have not yet read Zeeka Chronicles,
a futuristic thriller and award-winning novel inspired by the scare of the zika
virus, you will be unaware of what can take place in the minds of mad
scientists who try to use a virus to control lives. Dr. Stephen Sharpe,
kidnapped as a child and raised by an evil man nicknamed Zeeka, who tried to
use science for revenge, attempts to restore sanity to the island of Gosh, even
if it means throwing his fiancé into the arms of his brother, who never knew
him. It is a complicated tale where zombies and robots take center stage. ZEEKA
CHRONICLES: REVENGE OF ZEEKA. written by multi-award winning and bestselling
Author Brenda Mohammed, comprises five thrilling episodes set on a beautiful
fictitious island named Gosh in the year 2036. This futuristic thriller was an
award winner in the Category Young Adult Thriller in Readers Favorite
International Awards 2018, winner in Science Fiction in SIBA Awards 2017,
winner of the gold award in the category science fiction in Connections
Emagazine Readers' Choice Awards 2018, and winner in the top ten finalists for
science-fiction in the Author Academy Global Awards 2018. Readers Favorite International
gave it a five-star review. Take a futuristic journey into the year 2036 with
this mind-blowing, bold, and original 'other world' book, that will capture
your imagination and keep you spellbound.
18.
Tell
us about your first published book? What was the journey like?
As I
said before, my first published book was I
am Cancer Free. It was an emotional journey writing that book, as I had to
recall the whole traumatic experience including the financial expenses
involved.
19.
What
is the key theme and/or message in the book?
The
key theme of the book is, Cancer does not
have to be a death sentence.
20.
Where
can we find you online?
My
Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/brenchri/
My
website is http://allauthor.com/author/brenchris
I
am on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/bcmohammed
I
am on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mohammedbrenda
My
Twitter handle is mirroe.
21. Please
provide details of your latest book.
My
36th book is The Manipulator:
A psychological thriller.
Here
is the book description:
The MANIPULATOR projects a
wonderful personality to entice someone into his life.
Once he/she succeeds, true
colours show with lies, broken promises, and attempts to control and run the
person’s life.
Manipulators only care about
themselves and what others think about them.
Whether online or offline,
such manipulators are present in the world.
In this story, you will read
of an online situation where Manipulator Stan Stoic, a banker. and Joanna
Marsh, a part-time nurse started off as best friends.
Joanna was like his right
hand, but Stan had a Jekyll and Hyde personality.
Stan’s urge to manipulate led
to serious problems.
Would Joanna be ever able to
break free from Stan’s clutches?
This book contains valuable
advice for many in such situations, as well as poems for poetry readers.
BIOGRAPHY OF BRENDA MOHAMMED
She
holds a Diploma in Banking from the Institute of Bankers in London, and a
Diploma in Life Underwriting from the American College, USA
She
qualified for the Million Dollar Round Table, the Premier Association for
Financial Professionals, six times in a row.
To
date, she has published thirty-six books. Her genres include memoirs, science
fiction, romance, self-help, mystery, children’s books, psychological
thrillers, poetry, and poetry anthologies. Her self-help book, ‘How to Write
for Success,’ became an important guide for new and aspiring authors.
She
won several literary awards in the USA, Peru, Kazakhstan, Seychelles, Nigeria,
India, Argentina, and the UK, and made headlines in several newspapers around
the world.
Brenda
was inducted into the Indie Author's Wall of Fame in the USA. in January 2020.
In
2018, she received two awards from Readers Favorite International in Miami for
two of her books- Zeeka Chronicles and I am Cancer Free.
Three
of her books won gold awards in Connection EMagazine Readers’ Choice Awards -
Zeeka Chronicles (2018], Stories People Love (2019), How to Write for Success
(2019).
Several
of her books also received five-star reviews from Readers Favourite International
and topped the charts of Amazon and attained Amazon No 1 bestselling rank.
She
was recognised in newspaper reports in Trinidad and Tobago Newsday on 7th
November 2018, 16th October 2020, and Trinidad Guardian and Worldnews.net on
20th September 2020.
News
of her success reached as far as Ethiopia where a journalist by the name of
Alem Hailu interviewed her online on 17th November 2019 for the Ethiopian
Sunday Herald.
Brenda
is also a poet and among her publications are seven poetry books, with one in
bi-lingual – English and Spanish.
Some
of her poetry appeared in prestigious journals and anthologies in India, USA,
Kazakhstan. Seychelles, USA, and other parts of the world.
She
is the Founder of the HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS LITERARY NETWORK with Forums How
to Write for Success, Poems for Suicide Prevention, Library of How to Write for
Success, and Poems against Domestic Violence with 11000 plus members.
Brenda
is an advocate against Domestic Violence and Suicide, and together with several
bestselling authors have published three anthologies for these causes.
Her
YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbOiViRMRlzpTqyaO2VTBnA
received
over 118,000 views since inception. The Channel is for her Video Book Trailers,
songs, and travel memories.
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