Christian Author, Kay Baker, Debuts Her First Book, Sentenced to Life

Author Kay Baker currently resides in Northern California and worships at Abundant Life Fellowship church, a non-denominational Pentecostal church. She was widowed in 1999 after 34 years of marriage. She has five children and eight grandchildren.

She was incarcerated in the early 1990s for a white-collar crime. During her incarceration she went through a life-changing experience when she became a born-again Christian, received the Lord Jesus into her heart and life.  Many say that inmates go through “jail-house religion” and once they are free they go back to their old ways. However, for Kay Baker, from the day she received her salvation, she never turned back, never looked back to her life before she found Jesus.  From the day of her salvation she has dedicated her life to do what God has called all Christians to do- live a life of integrity, a life trusting in God, a life following the example of Jesus. 

Kay Baker loves to write and has written articles, essays and editorials from a very young age. She has published her first book “Sentenced to Life” which is based on a true story, her own life story. She writes about ordinary people who find salvation through extraordinary circumstances. God brought her from a very long way and through her book she wants to encourage her readers and give them new hope in Jesus. She speaks to small groups on issues which motivate and encourage her audience, that only though living a life with Christ can one find peace and love in these very troublesome times.

Tell us about the genre of your work. 

My book and books to come will be Christian fiction based on true life stories.

Why did you choose this genre?

I chose this genre because I have personally gone through a traumatic situation in my life. Only through my trust and faith in God was I able to survive and make it through the adversities I faced.  Through my book(s) and through my writings I want to encourage those who have been and are going through traumatic circumstances in their life that no matter what situation they are going through God will give them the strength and courage to make it through them all

How is writing in the genre you write, different than other genre?

Writing in this genre allows me to write from my heart and, in the case of my first book, from personal experience.  Only in this genre, Christian fiction, can I reach those who need encouragement, those who have lost hope and tell them about Jesus.

What are some of your books, stories that have been published?

I have only book that has been published so far—Sentenced to Life. 

Can you tell us more about your book?

Sentenced to Life

This book is a true life experience written in fiction form.

ISBN:  978-61739-091-3

It was released on March 22, 2011 by Barnes and Noble. 

It is available at: 

http://kaybaker.tateauthor.com  (my website)

www.barnesandnoble.com                

www.amazon.com

Synopsis: 

Kathy Williams looked every bit the part of the successful career woman. At a time when women were just emerging into high-profile jobs, she had it all—an impressive title, a wonderful husband, beautiful children, a good home. But it was all just a façade.

In reality, her salary wasn't enough to maintain her family's comfortable lifestyle, and they had to keep up with the Joneses, after all. As director of investment banking for AMA Global Investments in Manhattan, New York, she had access to clients' funds, what amounted to millions of dollars. Opportunity was in her hands; the door was wide open for financial gain. She gave in to temptation, to the devil's whisperings. Just a few dollars won't hurt. They won't even notice. They have millions of dollars in their account. They don't even know what to do with their money.

Taking a little here and a little there and moving some numbers around, Kathy was able to pad her own salary. But it wasn't long before she was caught and sentenced to eleven years in prison. Realizing how far she had fallen from grace, Kathy turned to Christ, asking forgiveness for her sins.

Sentenced to Life is Kathy's story of how she fell into temptation but was able to overcome challenges in her life and ultimately find peace and victory over her own lustful desires and misguided actions through a close relationship with Christ.

Where do you get your ideas for writing?

My book(s) are all based on true life experiences.  I choose my main characters from people who have gone through traumatic experiences and have been able to overcome their circumstances through faith and trust in Jesus.

What is your favorite thing about your book?

My favorite thing about my book that has already been published and the one I have just finished writing is that it is the story that ordinary people can relate to.  We all have heard of the stories of affluent people who have overcome addictions but these are people, who are rich and famous, have the financial resources to get “help” for their problems.  These are people who the ordinary, everyday working man cannot relate to.  My book(s) tell a different story, a story of overcoming through a life with Christ, a story which brings hope and encouragement to the ordinary person whether they are rich or poor.

Why and when did you begin writing?  Is there any one person who had a big influence on you or encouraged you to write?  

I have always loved writing.  I started writing articles, essays, editorials from a very young age. I started writing my book, Sentenced to Life, in early 2009.  I wrote this book as an evangelizing tool to bring lost souls to Christ.  One of the commands that Jesus gave all Christians is to spread the Word.  I found that I could do a better job of spreading the Word by using my God-given gift of writing.  I knew that people could relate more to a story based on real life experiences rather than one that was pure fiction.  It is categorized as fiction because I do change the names and settings of the book to protect the privacy of the characters.

There is really no one person who has been a big influence in my writing.  What has been a big influence in my life, which I want to share with others, is my own salvation and my love and faith in Jesus Christ.

What is your writing schedule?  What atmosphere do you need to write?

I submit articles for publication once a month.  I do not need a specific atmosphere to write.  Sometimes in the middle of the night a thought will come to me. I have a note pad on my night table and jot down these thoughts when they come to me.  Often times I write in cafes where there are people constantly moving around.  That kind of ambiance makes it easy for me to write because my writings are about real life people.

What projects are you working on now, or plan for the future?

The book I just finished writing, which I need to edit and then submit to my publisher, is about a woman who had gone through serious domestic violence and abuse.  My next project is about a woman who had been constantly raped.  I have already interviewed my subject and just have to create the setting for the story.

What kind of advice or tips do you have for someone who wants to write and be published?

Everyone has their own style of writing. Find your style.  Do not copy someone else’s style. Everyone’s dream is to write a bestseller.  Be prepared to promote your book after it is written and published. 

Are there any other comments, advice or tips that you would give to beginning writers?

Writing is the easy part, promoting is the more difficult part of being an author/writer and takes a lot of time and patience.

What do you do when you are not writing?

I am a member of several ministries at my church. I spend a lot of time doing volunteer work. I give motivational, encouraging talks to small groups.  I love reading, mostly fiction.

Include anything else you may wish to add.

To be a good writer one has to have a passion for what he is writing.  Without that passion words will just be words, without meaning.  The story will not flow.

What “Made It” moments have you experienced in life?

It is very gratifying personally and spiritually when I hear that someone has been saved or led to Christ through reading my book.  It is in these times that I know that I have not written in vain, that my efforts have brought someone out of a life of negative to a life of positive.

The very first time I had this kind of “Made It” moment was when a friend’s husband, who was in county jail, read my book and passed it on to others in the jail.  I got the news that 3 people received Christ because they read my book. It is very humbling that God used my book to bring these 3 people to Him.

Note from Sylvia: You can visit my other blog at: http://love-faith-and-guts.blogspot.com/that features a preview to my new book, Traveling a Rocky Road with Love, Faith and Guts.

Behind the Scenes with, John Brooke, the Creator of the Inspector Aliette Novelle Series

John Brooke lives in Montreal. He is the creator of the Inspector Aliette Nouvelle series of literary mysteries set in France. The most recent is Stifling Folds of Love. Brooke has won Canada's Journey Prize for his short story "The Finer Points of Apples", and he won a CBC-Quebec short fiction prize for The Death of PJ Barfard.

Tell us about the genre of your work. 

My primary focus these days is a series literary mysteries featuring a French policewoman called Inspector Aliette Nouvelle. I’ve just published the third, Stifling Folds of Love. I am working on the fourth. I’m not sure where the term ‘literary mystery’ comes from. A writer? Or a book marketer? I suppose it’s meant to separate the ‘thriller’, which is mainly powered by plot and action, from an approach that moves at a more measured pace and allows for a more psychologically complex cast of characters. When you think about it, the Sherlock Holmes stories were literary mysteries; the ‘thriller’ came later, but the term took over a corner of the bookstore nonetheless. I get worried when someone pegs my books as thrillers.

Why did you choose this genre?

I chose this genre because the first story I ever attempted was a police story. I was working in the film business in Montreal. Writing mystery novels had never occurred. I happened to notice a brief item in one of the French language dailies - a wire service story from France: Jacques Mesrine, Public Enemy Number One, had been tracked down and arrested north of Paris. The cop leading the operation was a woman. What struck me were two things. One: that France would have such a figure as a Public Enemy Number One. This was the mid-80’s. I thought Public Enemies had disappeared into 40’s film lore. I wondered what kind of man filled this anachronistic role in modern France. And two: that it was a female cop who’d caught him. I was fascinated by the idea of an emerging feminine hero tracking down an outmoded ‘macho’ hero, and taking the hero mantle for herself. Being a former Lit major, I had to notice the mythic subtext framing that brief news story and it inspired me to write. The context was police and crime. So without really knowing it, I began to write a literary mystery: The Voice of Aliette Nouvelle.

What are some of your books, stories that have been published?

I have published four books of fiction and a few short stories. I have been fortunate to win prizes for my two of my short stories. My books are:

The Voice of Aliette Nouvelle (ISBN 0-92183365-2) Aliette tracks a former Public Enemy Number One - who ought to be long gone, but can’t quite disappear into history. Mutual attraction is a mutual mystery.

All Pure Souls (ISBN 0-921833-80-6) Inspector Nouvelle uncovers a Goddess cult behind the murder of an up-market Marilyn Monroe ‘lookalike’ prostitute

Stifling Folds of Love (ISBN 978-1-897109-57-1) Celebrity gossip clouds the inspector’s love life – but the city’s ‘most eligible’ lovers are dying and it’s her job to find out why.

Last Days of Montreal (ISBN 0-921833-91-1) This a departure from the Aliette Nouvelle project. The book, based loosely on my own experiences and feelings, is about life in a small Montreal neighborhood during the politically difficult times surrounding the 1998 Quebec Referendum on Sovereignty.

All my books are published by Signature Editions, based in Winnipeg. They can purchased online in both paper and eBook format… The latest is Stifling Folds of Love, which makes the Aliette series a trilogy.

My website provides links to purchase and/or to find out more. http://www.aliette.ca

How do you come up with the names of places and characters in your books?  

The genesis of a French inspector’s name: Aliette - Borrowed from a little girl who causes trouble in a Luis Buñuel film, Le Fantôme de la Liberté. (The Ghost of Freedom.) Nouvelle - New, in the feminine. I’ve been told it’s not a real French name – you wouldn’t find any Nouvelles in a French phonebook. I’ve never looked. (There are none in the Montreal directory.) But I’m not writing reality, I’m writing a story. I situated her in a border city on the Rhine, where France shares space with Germany and Switzerland. I liked the idea of her being on the edge of literal boundaries, and crossing metaphorical boundaries as she goes about her investigations. The city is never named.

For the rest of the characters in the series, I have no method in selecting names. I try to have fun finding French names that sound good to me. They may be a little corny. They may carry a bit of symbolic weight - like Aliette does. I hope not it’s too obvious. The best names will make me laugh – my own private French joke derived from the French side of my life. Claude Néon. J-P Blismes, Tommi Bonneau, Pearl Serein, Flossie Orain, Hermenegilde Dupras, Ondine and Georgette Duguay…

In Last Days of Montreal, ‘Last Days’ is the only known name of the central character. The sign on the back of his electric wheelchair is both a warning and a prophecy to a city in danger of losing its unique identity to the crass demands of politics – and the people who know him simply call him ‘Last Days.’ It seemed a perfect name for a beer-soaked Don Quixote type travelling through a damaged world.

How did you develop the character of your protagonist in your books?

You develop any character by putting them into a situation that requires both action and self-reflection – the self-knowledge gained as situation unfolds is deeper ‘character’. Writing a detective series provides endless opportunity to explore trenchant aspects of a central character and those surrounding her. I’ve tried to build the Aliette Nouvelle stories around underlying themes. As I mentioned, the theme behind the plot in the first book is the hero’s identity – how a ‘new’ Aliette wrests the hero mantle from a tired, obsolete man. In the second book it’s Aliette’s spiritual relationship to the world she lives in: the context is a murder within a goddess cult; our hero’s sense of what she ‘believes’ is tested as she solves the crime. In the third book, murders occur within the context of celebrity gossip and spectacularly public love. Aliette works through it while trying to protect the naturally private area of her own heart that wants to keep love quiet… So in all three books you have a hero who faces challenges to essential parts of her character. We hope she comes out ahead.

What about an antagonist…is there a unique “bad guy” or a recurring nemesis of any kind?

In the Inspector Aliette Nouvelle series the ‘bad guys’ change from one story to the next. In each, they represent the force that challenges a part of Aliette’s character and the values defining it. The recurring elements in the series are the people she works with. By design, they are mostly men. Not necessarily ‘bad’ men, but men whose point of view will usually differ from Aliette’s. In that sense, you could say a ‘man’s world – or the ‘male perspective’ - is the recurring nemesis this female investigator comes up against time and again. Which I hope gives Aliette a certain contemporary universality.

What’s your favorite thing about your books?

If you are asking what is my favorite thing about my books as finished products, that’s a hard question because I don’t read them as a consumer of crime fiction. What’s more, readers I meet often express a completely different sense of what I’ve written from what I intended. (One good reason why a writer – or any artist – should just work to please him/herself.) But to answer your question, I will say my favorite thing is a playful quality, something that makes my mystery books a bit more like a ‘tale’ and a little less like a slice of life from the literal world. Even when the context is tragic, or sometimes violent, that is what I aim for. It’s not ‘absurd’ – Aliette is a serious woman. It’s just not ‘hard nosed’… Whimsy? A cartoonish tinge? It’s difficult to define categorically. Whether I succeed or not, only a reader can tell.

As for the writing process, my favorite thing is the enjoyment of finishing. There is so much uncertainty in the first stages of writing a book - first in finding the story line, and then in making it work. It can get very uncomfortable in terms of confidence and even interest. (How many times have I heard someone say they abandoned a writing project because they grew ‘bored’ with it?) It can last a year, or longer. That’s a test of will and patience, and ultimately imagination - a long slow battle with the Muse. When I come out the other end feeling I’ve got something solid, the finishing stage is something to be enjoyed. A book may be three hundred pages long, but it can still be just as elegant and precise in design and detail as a sonnet. And the rhythm can feel like a song. Many readers will never even notice. But creating that final level of quality is highly pleasurable. Something definitely worth working for.

How is writing in the genre you write, different than other genre?

The main difference between writing a police series and ‘one-off’ novels or short stories is the continuity – the world you begin to create. This both makes you want to go further and helps you go further, because one story always opens a door to a possible next, and the familiarity with the territory and main character makes starting the next slightly less daunting. Although you can certainly do this with novels and short stories. Faulkner’s novels unfolding in Yoknapatawpha County. Runyon’s stories set in the Prohibition era New York City underworld. My book Last Days of Montreal is not quite a novel; strictly speaking, it is a collection of ‘linked stories’ featuring recurring characters, albeit in different roles – sometimes central, other times peripheral. And all those stories are set within the same well-established cityscape.

Why and when did you begin writing?

I began writing in my forties. I am sixty now. I have always worked on the so-called creative side. I was in the film business, working as an editor, also producing some short films of my own. When I tumbled across the idea for the first Inspector Aliette Nouvelle story, my first attempt at that was in fact a film script. I could not sell the finished script, but I still liked the story so I began to transpose it into a book. I’m not sure I like the word ‘novelize’ but I suppose that’s what I was attempting. In any case, I had the story already there in front of me (which helped!) – the goal was to make it deeper, more psychological, and to turn images (film scenes) into viable prose. I also began writing short stories about the life here in Montreal during the politically crazy years of the Referendum. No one taught me - no Creative Writing course. It’s interesting how, when you feel the need to express something, you can find a way.

What is your writing schedule?

I try to adhere to a Protestant-work-ethic nine-to-five writing schedule (seven-to-four is more accurate) with time off in the afternoon for exercise and maybe a run. Perhaps a bit more work in the evening if the energy is good. I rarely work on Saturday. I work a little but not much on Sunday, just enough to get me ready to go again on Monday. If I receive a contract for some corporate writing or translation, that gets priority - bread and butter is a necessity. Over the course of a year the portioning of free writing time to business writing time is pretty even, and I manage to move my fiction projects forward according to plan.

What projects are you working on now, or plan for the future?

I am currently working on a fourth Inspector Aliette Nouvelle mystery, which, all things being equal, will be published next autumn. And I am planning a fifth. I have a novel about fatherhood built around a golf game that I keep trying to perfect. And I have anti-war story I’m working on. But for now I am focused on giving Aliette the market presence that a five-book series (I hope) will bring.

What kind of advice or tips to you have for someone who wants to write (especially mystery)?

To would-be writers in general I say: learn to enjoy it for itself. The market may or may not find you (or like you!), but you and your stories may have to co-exist for a long time. Even the people closest to your life won’t care much about your writing, beyond polite words. So understand what you’re getting into and find a way to love it, quietly but strongly, and over the long term… For anybody contemplating writing a mystery, my advice would be to keep it close to home. That may sound strange coming from an Anglo boy from Toronto whose detective is a woman in France. But even if your setting is Mars, all mysteries are mainly about the cop, not the crime, not the bad guy; and you the writer are the soul of the cop – it all goes through your sensibility, your values, your take on the things occurring in the world. So start from there. Though you may revere the tough voice of Philip Marlowe or Harry Bosch’s edgy discomfort or the neurotic strength of Harry Hole, they belong to someone else. Your cop is you.

Are there any other comments, advice or tips that you would give to beginning writers?

Two things: Take a hint from film and TV – if you can’t see the story for all the prose, try writing it out as a series of present-tense ‘scenes’. Dialogue. One or two sentences laying out setting and action. This may help you get the story down from A to Z. Then you can go back to perfecting the art of prose. And: Be a mimic. We all start by copying someone else – typically, someone we admire. Go for it. Mimic the voice and style of the writer you admire most - it will help you get inside your story. But there comes a point when you have to say ‘thanks, old friend’ and let your own voice take over. That can be a bit scary, but it has to happen. You have to be aware that it’s happening, and let it.

What do you do when you are not writing? 

I play hockey in Jarry Park, ten minutes from my house, on ice skates in winter, roller blades in summer. I’m sixty and I love it, but I know I am getting close to my body’s limit. I also enjoy golf when I visit my parents in Ontario, and riding my bike through the valleys of the St. Chinian wine district in the Midi region of France when we visit Annie’s family. I do my tai-chi, jog and otherwise try to stay fit - I believe it helps when you’re sitting in front of that empty page/screen. Our life in this part of Montreal is such that can we walk almost everywhere we need to go. Or ride our bikes. I read. I listen to music. I know it’s futile, but I root for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

What “Made It” moments have you experienced in life?

To be honest, I’m not sure what a ‘Made It’ moment is any more – if I ever knew. I used to think it was finding out I’d won a literary prize, which has happened more than once – but that was false signal. Real ‘Made It’ moments happen when I’m running in the park and one tiny sentence appears in my head that knits an idea together perfectly. I remember that happening when I was writing the story that won the big literary prize that was supposed to change my life…When my first novel was published and I received my box of ‘author’s copies’ and took one out and held it in my hands, I wept, very privately. But even that was not a ‘Made It’ moment. As with my prize-winning short story, the moment happened long before the box of finished books arrived… I was trying to write that first book but I needed something more solid to use as a resource. Annie, the French woman I live with, only had a vague idea what I was up to. (It’s the language difference – especially in the early stages.) Still, it was Annie who happened to go into a used book store in rue St. Hubert and come home with a copy of the out-of-print memoir that became both the central motif and primary source of research for my first mystery. Receiving that book from the woman I love on a Saturday afternoon was a ‘Made It’ moment, but I had no idea. I don’t think we ever really do.

Note from Sylvia: You can visit my other blog at: http://love-faith-and-guts.blogspot.com/that features a preview to my new book, Traveling a Rocky Road with Love, Faith and Guts.

Chatting with Delin Colon about her book, Rasputin and The Jews: A Reversal of History

Hello! My name is Delin Colón. Born exactly halfway through the 20^th century, I grew up in a small artists’ colony, Roosevelt, NJ, just an hour from New York City. That atmosphere certainly imbued me with an appreciation of the arts. I began writing poems and short stories at the age of 8, and throughout my secondary and university schooling, contributed to and edited various literary magazines.  My undergraduate work was in French; my graduate work was in Clinical Psychology. I’ve worked as a researcher, technical writer, artists’ model, proofreader, waitress, Playboy bunny, psychiatric counselor and owner of a construction company, as well as an agency that matched writers with clients. 

My philosophy about places I’ve never been is that you can’t really get to know them until you’ve lived there and met the people. As a result, I’ve lived in New Jersey, Maryland, D.C., Florida, Montreal, northern and southern California (San Diego and Eureka), and now coastal Washington state.  After 45 years of moving around, I think it’s out of my system and I’ll stay put here in the Pacific Northwest.

Looking back at my life so far, there are certain ironies that strike me, contrasting my early flower child days with my current middle age. I went from taking acid to taking antacid, an analogy that pretty much sums it up.

Tell us about the genre of your work. 

I’ve always loved doing research and seem to be obsessed with historical research, especially concerning Jewish history.

Why did you choose this genre?

I think the genre chose me, rather than the other way around.  While it’s widely known that Jews have, throughout history, been scapegoated, their plight tends to fall between the cracks in historical accounts. For example, in my book, “Rasputin and The Jews: A Reversal of History”, before discussing Rasputin’s aid to Jews, I detail the oppressive conditions of Jews in Tsarist Russia.  Generally, histories and stories concerning the era of the last Tsar discuss the opulence of the aristocracy, the brutality of the murder of the royal family, and the Revolution. But, few ever note the tsarist regime’s brutal treatment and slaughter of entire populations of Jews. The imprisonment and murder of the Tsar’s family, in the end, was no different than what vast numbers of Jews suffered under Romanov rule, for centuries.  Well, there was a difference: generally, Jews were tortured before being murdered.

How is writing in the genre you write, different than other genre?

The wonderful part of writing historical non-fiction is that the characters and plot already exist. There is nothing to fabricate. The research is the most time consuming aspect, but if you have a love for this kind of detective work, as I do, it’s a pleasurable and inspiring pastime. Once the research information is structured and organized, the work practically writes itself. I have to say that I have the utmost admiration for fiction writers (a genre I have attempted), who have to start from scratch, creating the characters and plot out of thin air.

What are some of your books, stories that have been published?

 “Rasputin and The Jews: A Reversal of History” – ISBN 978-1461027751 is on Amazon, in both paperback and Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1461027756

It’s also at Barnes & Noble, both in paperback and Nook: http://bit.ly/wC5OcR  and can be ordered at any other bookstore.

The book describes how Rasputin was vilified by the rabidly anti-Semitic aristocracy, bureaucracy and clergy for advocating equal rights for the oppressed Jews, as well as taking an anti-war stance in an era of war mongering. Included are specific cases of Rasputin’s aid to Jewish groups and individuals. The political interference he is often accused of concerned his efforts to appoint cabinet members who were for equal rights for Jews and who would be against war.  The debauchery he was charged with was found to be unsubstantiated and quite hypocritical. The very aristocrats who accused him of drunkenness and womanizing consumed French champagne and vodka by the case, and were rife with venereal diseases themselves, due to their own promiscuity.

My website discussing the book and its background is: http://therealrasputin.wordpress.com/

My current project is a book containing true stories from the Pale of Settlement, the ghetto between the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea that most Jews in tsarist Russia were confined to.  I’ve been reading journals, memoirs, autobiographies and biographies, as well as family histories people have sent me. It occurred to me that one account of a person’s life in such an adverse setting may give a taste of the time, era and conditions, but given many accounts, one gets a view of a collective experience, and an understanding of how widespread it was.

Where do you get your ideas for writing? 

Much of it is from my own family history and the stories that I’d been told.  Among other things, I was told early on, that my great-great uncle was Rasputin’s secretary. It was only later in my life, doing searches, that I discovered his out of print memoirs in French which, fortunately, I can read. What stunned me about the memoir were the myriad accounts of Rasputin’s humanitarian efforts for the poor, the peasantry and the Jews. While a few other authors have tried to rehabilitate Rasputin’s image, none had really been successful. I felt compelled to try and spent a dozen years digging up substantiating research. 

What is your favorite thing about your book?

It’s righting a historical wrong. It’s about the powerful writing their side of history, rather than the common man, and having that point of view pass as the only one.  It’s unique. While there have been more French authors (or Russians writing in French) than English-speaking ones who have tried to vindicate Rasputin, apparently, they haven’t been taken very seriously, which is unfortunate.

Why and when did you begin writing?  Is there any one person who had a big influence on you or encouraged you to write? 

I began writing at the age of 8. I was in the hospital, recovering from an appendectomy, which in 1958 was not as simple as the ones they do now.  I started writing about my hospital stay and the other kids in the room and their stories. I wrote poems as well. 

While I was encouraged by teachers, parents and writing mentors, my motivation to write was so great that it was nearly obsessive and needed no stroking.  I’m a bit of a recluse and generally share nothing I’m working on until it’s complete. For me, writing is a very solitary process that doesn’t require a support group, although it is always nice to meet a kindred spirit who’s doing what I’m doing. 

What is your writing schedule?  What atmosphere do you need to write?

I don’t really have a schedule. Most of my time is devoted to research, so I read for several hours a day, often marking passages and taking notes as I go.  Of course, the research is never completely done because there’s always something else to read on a subject, but when I feel I have enough convincing evidence to substantiate my premise, I put each event or piece of information onto index cards. I organize the index cards reflecting my outline, the structure and flow of the book. Writing is the final part for me, linking together all the information, so that each section segues logically into the next.

I can pretty much write anywhere, but I generally do it on my dining room table, which we never use for eating anyway, because I need the space to spread out my index cards, reference books and my writing pad.

What projects are you working on now, or plan for the future?

I actually have several ideas brewing at the moment, but the one I’m currently working on is about true stories from the Pale of Settlement, which I mentioned earlier. In addition, I also have the diaries of my great grandfather who was one of the pioneer settlers of a town in Israel, in the late 19^th century, and I’d like to write about him. I’d also like to rewrite “Rasputin and The Jews” into a screenplay, which would be timely considering that the 100^th anniversary of Rasputin’s death is five years from now.

What kind of advice or tips do you have for someone who wants to write and be published?

I’m always loathe to give advice to other writers because I believe each has his or her own idiosyncratic approach to the process, and so much is intuitive.  The only thing I know is that you have to love what you’re doing – with a passion.  I would recommend not discussing the work, except perhaps with a mentor, editor or critiquing group (not family members or friends), so as not to get sidetracked, until the work is completed. You also have to ban any thoughts or worries about the publishing, marketing and promotion while you’re in the process of writing. That can be distracting enough to prevent you from being completely absorbed by the task at hand. Once the work is done, there is plenty of time to attend to the business of writing. Process first; business second.

Are there any other comments, advice or tips that you would give to beginning writers?

Unless there’s total conviction and security (or divine inspiration) in what a beginning writer is doing, I would recommend belonging to a writers’ group, led by someone experienced in the field, because the critiques can be invaluable.

What do you do when you are not writing?

Generally, when I’m not writing, I’m reading.  I also do minimalist collages, which affords a pleasant and relaxing break from intellectualism. I see certain images in dreams, then translate them onto paper.  My art website is at: http://delin-colon.artistwebsites.com/

What “Made It” moments have you experienced in life?

That’s an interesting question.  I’ve been very fortunate in my life and have had a number of life changing experiences that have caused me to shift perspectives, from time to time.  In fact, I’ve noted that those events seem to occur about once every seven years.  I don’t know the significance of that, if there is any.  To me, “made it” implies static events and I see life more as a progression, a continuum, with one event building on another.  I’m basically a lazy person and if I ever felt that I’d “made it”, there would be little impetus for me to move on and do anything else.  I’d probably just put my feet up and drink one Harvey Wallbanger (a screwdriver with a shot of Galliano) after another.  So, I have to see myself as not having made it, to maintain a degree of humility and to have the motivation to strive for further self-expression.  I hope that makes some sense.

Note from Sylvia: You can visit my other blog at: http://love-faith-and-guts.blogspot.com/that features a preview to my new book, Traveling a Rocky Road with Love, Faith and Guts.

Top 100 Best-selling List Author, Marie-claire Kuja, Shares Her Story about Her Book, False Labels

 Tell us about yourself, Marie-claire.

I am a mother of two boys, a blogger, a nurse, a speaker an aspiring podcaster and the author of the false label series. I am originally from the African country of Cameroon and reside in New York City.

Tell us about the genre of your work.

It cuts across all ages and gender. My short stories are of a mixed genre, and falls into the categories of  non-fiction Self-Help/ Self-Esteem/Advice & How-to/ Mind, Body & spirit/Teens/Religion & Spirituality , Meditation/women/devotional.

Why did you choose this genre?

I didn’t choose the genre I write in, rather it chose me because I write out of personal experiences, which was  based on the difficulties I faced growing up, and also on the stories of other girls around me. . Most of my writing is centered on women's issues because  I realized when we are faced with certain crisis, we just settle or give-up, or hide those things. We all have trials and tribulations in life but the challenge is not to hide them but to share, because while sharing, you in turn inspire and empower others to know that it’s ok to share those things we all go through.

 If you don’t have a test, you won’t have a testimony

This genre gives me the opportunity to share and testify all the good things God has done for me and in turn empower every woman or young girl to do the same.

There are thirteen short stories in the book and it actually cuts across all the genres I, mentioned above. I think by restricting myself to a particular genre it limits my work. I believe a story should be good enough to stand above any classification.   

How is writing in the genre you write, different than other genre?

It is different, because  among many other things, the book encourages the reader to always embrace their own stories joyfully, completely and with pride, to answer only to the name God calls them instead of what people call them. They also are true stories most of which had to do with personal experiences.

Can you tell us more about your book?

This is my first published book, but I have written and published articles in an online magazine called Ezine:

Five Secrets on How To Thrive in Recession

Finance: Personal Finance • Published: May 28, 2009

Safeguarding Your Mind

Health and Fitness: Emotional Freedom Technique • Published: March 5, 2009

Your Relationship With You (A Woman of Virtue)

Women’s Interests • Published: March 5, 2009

Even in the Midst of Crisis - Keys to Thriving in Crisis

Self Improvement: Personal Growth • Published: February 17, 2009

The Mango Tree

Self Improvement: Empowerment • Published: February 16, 2009

Teen Pregnancy and How To Reclaim Your Life

Home and Family: Pregnancy • Published: February 12, 2009

Give a short description of this book:

 The book False Labels, teaches us to stop being at war with ourselves, stop dwelling on the past and focus on the future. We are reminded to be thankful to God and celebrate our uniqueness. False Labels further encourages everyone to embrace their own stories joyfully, completely and with pride. Among other things, the reader will learn how important it is to be an original of his or herself instead of an imitation or a look-a-like of someone else.  They will also learn what to do when others call them false names, how to deal with bullies, and to believe that God can use them right where they are, exactly the way they are, use their tongue to build and not to destroy; instead, use their one and only life to impact others and always live by the words of the golden rule “Do unto others what you want them do unto you”.

---

Title: False Labels: Don’t Let People Label You: 13 Uplifting Short Stories OF Inspiration, Hope, Encouragement and Empowerment

ISBN: 9780985022693 for print (published on Feb;6^th 2012)

         9780985022617 for the kindle version (published on Jan 17, 2012)

http://www.amazon.com/False-Labels-Inspiration-Encouragement-ebook/dp/B006YSDENC/

 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/false-labels-marie-claire-kuja/1108479715?ean=2940014072878&itm=1&usri=false+labels.

Please include your website www.falselabelseries.com

 Can you give us a synopsis of this book/s?

As children and adults, plenty of us are still trapped inside identities we never asked for, because throughout life people are constantly putting us down with derogatory words. It’s just like they are sticking a label on us. Too short, too old, too tall, too slow, too many mistakes, not talented enough, can never amount to anything, can never do anything right etc. These stories we hear are from the beliefs, attitudes, assumptions and labels that have been bestowed upon us by our scolding parents, our uptight teachers, and our rejecting friends. Unfortunately, negative and demeaning words impact our lives and deliver a crushing blow to our fragile sense of self worth. They leave a lasting scar.

 But how can we combat this? How can we empower our spirits and minds and the generation to come?

False labels which transcends age and gender is packed with inspirational stories which encourage personal empowerment, self esteem and spiritual growth. False labels addresses the virtually universal pain that we are never good enough. Every man, woman, boy or girl is encouraged to embrace their own story joyfully, completely and with pride. In False labels we are further reminded that it is possible to always be exactly who we are and its perfect to bring our own special brand of joy and charm into the world.

False Labels further encourages us:

To believe that we are not who people call us but what God created us to be.

We have the power to choose and believe in our own stories

To believe that God created us for a divine purpose.

That everyone is unique in their own right,

To use our words to build and not to destroy

To be ourselves instead of an imitation of someone else

 To celebrate our uniqueness

 And to believe that there are much better truth if we look beyond false labels.

Where do you get your ideas for writing?

I get my ideas from real life things that happen to people around me.

What is your favorite thing about your book?

The book is written in a very unique style with some words to ponder and a prayer at the end of each story. That is my favorite because it kind of leaves the reader with something to hold on to.

Why and when did you begin writing?

I started writing in 2005 as an act of self cleansing and healing. I was hurting so much but because there was no one to talk to, I turned to writing as a way of venting those feelings. I started writing in my journal. And whenever I felt down and read from my journal, it felt so uplifting. It was amazing how my own words became an inspiration to me. Later that year a school mate had picked up my journal, read it and started tearing up. When asked why, she said that was exactly her life. Then I knew I was not alone. I was not the only one feeling as if the world was closing up on me. Then came the need to have a strong voice in other to share this with other people who are still trapped in their past.

 Is there any one person who had a big influence on you or encouraged you to write?

Yes, Myself. As a matter of fact, lots of family members and friend only knew I wrote a book on the day the kindle version was published. My reason was that I did not want to be discouraged.

What is your writing schedule?  What atmosphere do you need to write?

I don’t have a set schedule or atmosphere for writing. I work at night and get so tired when I come home in the morning, so what I do is I write just a page or two in the afternoon when I am awake. I also scribble something during my break time at work whenever ideas come to my mind.

What projects are you working on now, or plan for the future?

I am working on the next book in the series which will be out in just a few months from now. I am also in the process of starting a foundation. I am also starting podcast interviews this March and hope to be in speaking in churches, school workshops and conferences.

What kind of advice or tips do you have for someone who wants to write and be published?

I have already been asked this question so many times. My take on this is that you don’t need to allocate time else you might end just writing the book in your head. Commit to writing at least a page a day if you are so busy. And nowadays there is no reason not to write and get published. There are so many opportunities especially with self publishing taking over. I believe that everyone has a story, something that only you have to offer the world, something that can change someone else’s life.

Are there any other comments, advice or tips that you would give to beginning writers?

Do a lot of research on your topic. Ask question especially to established authors. Don’t procrastinate, just write at least a page a day.

What do you do when you are not writing?

I go to my regular job as a nurse. I also find some time to blog.

Include anything else you may wish to add.

We are all blessed with something, “That Something” which can change the lives of so many.

Don’t underestimate whatever your contribution can be to your community or the world. God has given us something and we all have it in our hands. It could be your talents or skills, ideas, knowledge, education, money and so forth. what are you doing with it?

Regardless of whatever your challenges might have been, you are not alone and not a write –off.

You matter and can make a difference.

What “Made It” moments have you experienced in life?

Even though I have a lot of made it moments, this book is one of the biggest one for me. When I started writing, I had told myself that I didn’t just want to write anything in the name of a book but something that will change someone’s life. I have had emails from people I don’t even know telling me how my book has inspired them. This also is a “made it” moment for me, because it makes me know that truly I am valuable and have something to offer the world. It also makes me finally feel that I am not just existing but living. Also, when my book made the Amazon top 100 best-selling list within just two weeks of release. 

Note from Sylvia: You can visit my other blog at: http://love-faith-and-guts.blogspot.com/that features a preview to my new book, Traveling a Rocky Road with Love, Faith and Guts.