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Written by A.D.
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The groundbreaking success of her sister’s erotic novels may have opened the door to the literary world for the both of them but for Charmaine writing has literally been in her blood. With the release of her own debut novel The Next Phase of Life, Charmaine is ready to wow the literary world as an author.
Parlè Magazine: What influenced you to start writing?
Charmaine R. Parker: Writing is actually in my blood because both of my parents are writers. My mom said I’ve been writing since kindergarten but I can remember writing poems and short stories as early as seven. Its seemed so natural for me to start writing, I remember writing a poem about going to Disneyland when my family and I were going on a road trip from DC to California. Also, I was a big reader and started when I was young. My father was a professor and he had a large collection of books in his study.
Parlè: Can you tell us a little about your book, The Next Phase of Life?
Charmaine: My book was released this past summer in July. The Next Phase of Life is set in Washington D.C. about a woman, the main character, Tai Wilson has just turned 40 and in her most recent relationship, she thought this was going to be the man of her dreams. On her 40th birthday, she throws a big party for herself but gets stood up by the man and never hears from him again. Now she’s reassessing her relationships, life and trying to figure out what she should do now. Instead of looking for Mr. Right, he finds her and he was right in front of her face the while time, literally in her backyard. Even with their differences, they hook up. Her two best friends, one’s a Fashionista and the other’s a detective, it’s about the three women and their camaraderie. Tai experienced a tragedy in her life youth that took the lives of both her parents. She was living in North Carolina as a kid and when her parents died, her grandmother could only take care of one of them them. So she moved to DC while her sister stayed in North Carolina. Years later, the sister, Trista reaches out to her on Facebook. The two try to form a sisterly bond. One of the main things I was focusing on was that you have to enjoy your life and live each day to the fullest.
Parlè: What was the influence behind The Next Phase of Life?
Charmaine: I have a very strong network of friends and family. I wanted to write something that spoke to women who are in an awkward period in life and may not know what to do next or feel as though when they hit a certain age they can’t do certain things anymore. As I was writing this book, I lost a friend in 2010 and this became very therapeutic for me. Life is so short, you’ve got to celebrate it while you can.
Parlè: Can you tell us about your publishing company Strebor Books?
Charmaine: I am the publishing director of Strebor Books which is a publishing company owned by my younger sister, who people may best know as the national bestselling author Zane. She started the company when she self-published her first novel The Sex Chronicles. Of course, she’s since gone on to publish many more books and people since then. The first person she published was a writer from California who sent her a manuscript that moved her so much that she wanted to start a publishing others. At the time when she started this I was in-between jobs but I had a background as a journalist when I worked for a newspaper, recording, copy editing, production editing, I’ve written editorials and I’ve worn many hats in my field. I decided to join her at the time and her out, this was back in 2002. In 2005, she became a book imprint for Atria which is under Simon & Schuster and that’s when we really started picking up more authors. I am the main editor and production editor which means I have to make sure the books come out on time before the deadline, make sure everything with the book is correct like the color, cover and font. I proof-read and edit and I am the head liaison for the author and Atria. Alot of people may think we have a huge staff but it's really just the two of us.
Parlè: What was it like working with your sister, Zane, before she became well-known?
Charmaine: When she first started in 1997, she had moved from the Washington DC/Maryland area to North Carolina to a little small town where we have a lot of family. She became bored living down there so she started writing erotica and short stories and sold them on the internet. When she told me this, at around Christmas of that year I really didn’t know what to say. I had come down to North Carolina and we were at a friend’s for a Christmas Eve party, I hadn’t seen her for a while since she moved. So she says “Guess what I’m doing? I’m writing erotica and selling it online.” I was like “Oh okay, that’s cool. That’s different.” She continued this and it wasn’t until she moved back to Maryland that she decided to put these stories together into an anthology. She had gained a lot of fans online who had already discovered her underground. When she wrote her second novel, Addicted she had actually given it to me to edit. Back then, there were only a couple of family members who knew she was Zane; she was living with our parents back home for a while and they didn’t even know. When we were working in the same office building, people knew she was my sister but didn’t know she was Zane the author. When I’d go see her at lunch and ask her what she was doing, she’d tell me was going to ship books on her break. So she was shipping books out of her car and when I first started working with her, we were working out of her home. She hasn’t changed even though people know she’s Zane. It’s been an interesting journey so far.
Parlè: Why put out a novel now?
Charmaine: I’ve actually been meaning to put out a novel when we first started doing this and people kept telling me that I needed to. Zane even asked “Charmaine, when are you going to put out a book?” I’ve been working on other’s people stuff for so long it just felt like I didn’t have time. It’s been very exciting and interesting for me.
Parlè: Where can readers buy your book?
Charmaine: Readers can get my books at online stores like Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and Wal-mart.
Parlè: Are you connected with any social sites where readers and fans and get updates about you?
Charmaine: I am on Facebook, www.facebook.com/CharmaineRoberts Parker.
Parlè: Do you have any words of advice for aspiring writers?
Charmaine: Yes, this advice is based on me being a publishing director, I get many submissions on a daily basis and if you are going to make a submission even if its self-publishing, it is extremely important that you have your work edited before you turn it in. If you get someone like me who edits and proof-reads all day, it can be a turn off. Make sure it’s in the right format like what you see in a book, study as much as you can by reading other books. I am big on punctuation. Also try to do something different with your genre, just because that’s your genre doesn’t mean you can’t expand. Of course, a solid plot line and good character development is always important.
The groundbreaking success of her sister’s erotic and urban fiction novels may have opened the door to the literary world for the both of them but for Charmaine Parker writing has literally been running in her blood stream. With the release of her own debut novel The Next Phase of Life, Charmaine is ready to wow the literary world as an author.
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Written by Shemiah WIlliams
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With such a saturated marketplace, new and established authors must be creative and assertive to stand out amongst their peers. Being able to tell a good story helps but it takes much more than that. Michelle Robinson is one of those authors who is blazing her own trail. While preparing in New York for a book signing for her new book, More Than Meets the Eye, Michelle took some time to talk to Parle magazine about her path to success.
Parle Magazine:Your second book, More Than Meets the Eye, was just recently released, what has the response been like?
Michelle: The response has been favorable and it is growing. The response to this book has been easier to gauge because of the reputation I began to build with my first book, Color Me Grey.
Parle: The path to becoming published is often varied. What path did you take?
Michelle: When I decided I wanted to become a published author, I actually wrote a children’s book and submitted it multiple times to publishers to no avail. But I remained persistent and continued to look for the right opportunity. I continued writing and developing my craft. Ultimately, I submitted a short story when I learned about Zane’s call for submissions for her anthology. She liked what I submitted and that provided me with the right opportunity to pursue publication.
Parle:What do you think sets you apart from other authors?
Michelle: There are a lot of authors out there who have written several books. I think what sets me apart is my commitment to making personal connections with my readers and showing them a different side of me. This allows me to be more than a person who wrote a book, I’m now a real live person they correspond with and get to know. I’m not only an author, I am a mother of two identical twin boys who are the center of my universe. I share things about my life and talk about my children.
Parle: Now you have children and are helping them to shape their future. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Michelle: Originally, I wanted to be an actress based on the movies and television shows that I watched. I saw the glamour and what the stars at that time portrayed and that fueled my interest. When I become a teenager, I wanted to be a teacher. Back then, I couldn’t really put my finger on it but I guess I knew I wanted to do something related to storytelling.
Parle: From where do you draw your inspiration?
Michelle: I draw inspiration from everywhere, from just everyday life. I do some of my best writing on the bus. I like to people watch and imagine stories about those people and what their lives are like.
Parle: It is often important to learn and grow in your career, regardless of what your profession is. What lessons have you learned as an author?
Michelle: One of the clear lessons for me in becoming a published author was theimportance of marketing. Initially I thought “the writer writes the book and the publisher gets the book out” but that’s only true to an extent. You need to know how to market yourself and your book to work in conjunction with your publisher in promoting your book.
Parle:What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Michelle: I’m a firm believer in writingdaily to hone your craft. It keeps you in the creative realm and helps you to learn and grow. If you are looking to publish your work, do your research to learn the business. Learn about publishing and learn about marketing. Stay on top of what opportunities are out there.
Parle:What’s next for Michelle Robinson?
Michelle: I’m currently working on my next book, Serial Typical, and I’m studying film making. I want to expand my storytelling and learn how to bring these stories to the big screen.
Parle: One of the key elements to marketing is branding. What is the Michelle Robinson brand?
Michelle: When you see Michelle Robinson or if you read one of my books or short stories, you can always expect unusual storytelling – it’s hard to believe but it might be true.
If you want to connect with Michelle Robinson, visit her personal website www.michellejaninerobinson.com, friend her on Facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/michelle.j.robinson ), or follow her on Twitter @MJanineRobinson. 
With such a saturated marketplace, new and established authors must be creative and assertive to stand out amongst their peers. Being able to tell a good story helps but it takes much more than that. Michelle Robinson is one of those authors who is blazing her own trail. While preparing in New York for a book signing for her new book, More Than Meets the Eye, Michelle took some time to talk to Parlé Magazine about her path to success.
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Written by George "Fable" Robinson
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Sometimes in life we come across a certain path that we just have to take, a path that tends to send us in a direction that we didn’t quite expect. The story of novelist Azarel and her publishing company proves to be the definition of just that. A name befitting its inception, Life Changing Books was a dream started like many others, as an idea, and has become one of the leading African-American publishing companies in the country and from what I’ve learned about this pioneering woman, it won’t stop there. Valuing Family, Life, and Business she spoke with us to talk about her success as well as some of her upcoming ventures.
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Written by A.D.
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Winkk has already travelled the world as a dancer/choreographer working with many big name musicians such as R. Kelly, Avant and etc. but now she hopes to showcase her writing abilities with release of her books Tour Secrets & Tour Secrets 2. Winkk was able to take time away from her busy schedule to sit down with me to talk about her days as a dancer/choreographer, her up and coming publishing company, her love of writing and her local charity work back in her hometown of Chicago.
Parlé: Can you tell us about your days as a choreographer/dancer and how you transitioned into wanting to become an author?
Winkk: I started off model then got into to dancing because that was more my passion at the time. There are a lot of performers in my family so dancing just came naturally for me. When I was dancing, I worked with many big names like Avant, R. Kelly, Ronald Isley and many others. I got to travel the world and live a dream of mine. Also when I was touring, I got a lot of down time on the tour bus to write but I didn’t really do anything with it until after I got married and had a child. That’s when the dancing stopped and I needed a new creative outlet but I was always interested in writing. It’s just for the earlier part of my life dancing came first but it was from dancing that I was able to find my inspiration in writing.
Parlé: Your books, Tour Secrets & Tour Secrets 2, can you tell the readers a little bit about them?
Winkk: Both books follow the characters of two friends as they try to make it into the music industry as dancers but along the way, they face so many challenges that threaten to tear their friendship apart from discrimination to abuse and pretty much everything in-between. I will say that book was inspired by my life as a dancer but it’s NOT a tell-all book even though a lot of what’s in here holds true to what I’ve seen and experienced as a dancer it’s still a work of fiction.
Parlé: Without giving anything away, one of the characters in your book holds a very big secret. This secret is very similar to that of a young woman in real life who was also a dancer, is there any connection or is it a coincidence?
Winkk: I know who you’re talking about and my book was out way before that person came into the public eye. I don’t know them personally but on the flip side when people read my book they didn’t believe that it could happen until that person came out. It’s not related at all to her but it definitely help prove my point about it happening.
Parlé: After life as a dancer, did you gradually ease into writing or did you jump right into it?
Winkk: Its like I said before, I was always interested in writing, dancing just came first. When I was writing for fun on the tour bus I didn’t really think much of it. I was somewhat shy, I didn’t let anyone read it and if anyone asked to see it, I would hurry up and put it away. It wasn’t until after my life change, I needed something new so I went back to what I was writing on the tour bus and decided to go with that. I let someone read it and that was pretty much it.
Parlé: It’s funny, you chose to become a writer because many dancers usually become singers. Was that your goal of becoming a writer to break away from that stereotype of a dancer becoming a singer?
Winkk: I can’t sing. If I could I probably would be in the studio right now. But yeah, you’re right many dancers do transition themselves in front of the camera. I knew that wasn’t going to be a task for me, I wanted to take it a step further with my work. I also feel like being a singer, there’s only so much I can do creatively because I’ll have to answer to someone else. I prefer behind the scenes work anyways, it allows me to creative something out of nothing.
Parlé: How’d you get your book out there? Did you use any of your connections from when you were a dancer?
Winkk: I didn’t use my connections as a dancer because the people I knew as a dancer knew nothing about the literary world and because I wasn’t doing a tell-all which made it harder for me to get it out there. No offense to people who do tell-all books but that wasn’t for me. I decided to self-publish it myself because I wanted to have control of my book and you can only do so much with a company behind you and telling you what to do. I started my own publishing company, Ailam Publishing, and my third book, Misleading will be out in September will be released under my publishing company.
Parlé: With your publishing company, have you signed any other people?
Winkk: I hope to in the future but right now I’m just getting started. I would love to sign new young talent but I don’t wanna hold up anyone’s career because I’m just learning myself. Hopefully down the line, maybe in a year, I’ll be able to do that.
Parlé: Where can readers purchase your books?
Winkk: They can purchase it on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and because I’m just getting started with my publishing company my books won’t be available in all book stores right now. Readers can pre-order Misleading now on Amazon. They can go to my websitewww.winkkatme.com and order the books. My books are in print and eBook.
Parlé: Can you tell us about your charity work?
Winkk: Right now in Chicago, I work with a lot of local talent, and kids. I wanted to give something back to my community because I was so fortunate to make something of myself and I wanted to show others that it can happen to them too. I wanted to prepare young kids about the business and how to go about obtaining their dreams because many people will tell you to follow your dreams but they won’t give you any options about how to reach them. When I was coming up as a dancer, no one wanted to help me, it’s a shame that world is so competitive. I couldn’t understand how someone helping someone else would take away from what they wanted to do. I also stress to them about education first, you can still sing, model, dance and live your dream but go to school and get an education first. You don’t have to be that starving artist.
Parlé: Are you connected to any social sites where readers and fans can get updates and learn more about you?
Winkk: Yes, everything is pretty much Winkkatme. I try to keep it easy so people can remember it. My main site is www.winkkatme.com. You can email me at Winkk@Winkkatme.com, I very good at emailing people back whenever I can. Facebook.com/winkkatme2,twitter.com/winkkatme,Winkkatme.blogspot.com and YouTube.com/WinkkTV. Parlé: Do you have any words of advice to the readers and fans?
Winkk: Live your dream but also remember to have something else to fall back on.
Winkk has already travelled the world as a dancer/choreographer working with many big name musicians such as R. Kelly, Avant among others, but now she hopes to showcase her writing abilities with release of her books Tour Secrets & Tour Secrets 2. Winkk was able to take time away from her busy schedule to sit down with me to talk about her days as a dancer/choreographer, her publishing company, her love of writing and her local charity work back in her hometown of Chicago.
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Written by A.D.
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Debut novelist, Dawn Marbury draws inspiration from her childhood. Making the best out of an unfortunate situation, she decided to focus on a career as an author when her previous career took a wrong turn. Dawn sat down with me for a one-on-one to talk about her trials as a beginning writer as well as her self-published debut novel, Everything I Miss At Home.
Parlé: How’d you get into writing?
Dawn: My parents were really strict and disciplined on us in a way with me and my sister growing up but we were always provided for and taken care of. We kinda grew up in our own little world, which allowed us to be creative because it was just my sister and me a lot of the time. I was let go of my job due to the recession and at the time, I was really good at basketball but I didn’t want to go that route because I felt in a way it was very limited as to what I could do creatively. I was always interested in writing as far as writing poetry and a few short stories. I was confident enough to give it a shot, I figured ‘Hey, why not?’ and that’s how Everything I Miss At Home came about.
Parlé: How would you define your work for people who aren’t familiar with it?
Dawn: I would define it as honest and raw but at the same time there are a lot of emotions involved that the readers can definitely connect with. I wanted to write a story where people could not only identify with but also gain something from with it. It’s a piece of art meant to entertain you on one level but also educate you on another.
Parlé: Is Everything I Miss At Home your first novel or have you have other works published?
Dawn: This is my debut novel.
Parlé: Can you give us a little bit of insight as to what this book is about?
Dawn: Everything I Miss At Home is set in the fictional town of Crosse Point, Virginia. It focuses on three women and how their lives intersect, Nikki is a professional athlete at a twilight point in her career, and she’s worried about what she’s going to do with her life. Her girlfriend, Erin is a professional woman trying to make the best of what she’s got. The story is very sad but it’s a page turning, I’d like the readers to think of it as a soap opera on steroids. Most books like this are third person but this one is set in first person, which puts the reader right into the action. It’s about a lot of things and I don’t wanna give it away but you can go to www.everythingimissathome.com and read the first chapter to get a taste of what the book has to offer.
Parlé: Was there any personal inspiration behind this book?
Dawn: Yes but for the most part all these characters are universal. Every writer adds bits of themselves in their work but I believe that the readers will be able to relate the characters no matter who you are.
Parlé: Is your book out now? And if so, where can readers get a copy?
Dawn: Is it out now. It’s available in print, hardback, paperback and eBook version. You can get a copy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at my website, www.everythingimissathome.com. If it’s not in your local bookstore, they can get it for you.
Parlé: What influenced you growing up as a writer?
Dawn: There were a lot of different elements. I love music, which is why my book is written differently, and it’s written in first person. I use to sit and watch Young & The Restless as a child with my grandma that was a defining experience for me. I loved and hated some of the show when I was younger, they’d tend to tell the same story over and over but it’s how they’d tell it that really drew me in.
Parlé: What was it like for you the first time you put a pen to paper to write creatively?
Dawn: I’ve always been a writer ever since I was little, I would just write about what was going on around me. Everyone says that but I have a different view but when I write I actually examine all sides about what’s going on instead of what I think should happen or how it should be. It wasn’t talent for me, it took time and patience.
Parlé: Are there any plans for the future?
Dawn: I’m currently working on scripts at home because everything I see is visual and the readers will be able to see that when they read the book. The sequel to Everything I Miss At Home, which will be called My Secret Enemy. I’m also working on a piece called The Advant Garden that will be a collection of poetry and some artwork. There will be a lot more creative things coming down the pipe for me. I want the readers to know that even though the story for Everything I Miss At Home will be continued not everything I write will be the same as that.
Parlé: Are you on any social sites where readers and fans can get updates and learn more about you?
Dawn: You can check out my website: www.everythingimissathome.com
On Facebook become a fan at Everything I Miss At Home
Twitter @ EIMAHXperience
I also encourage readers and fans to email me at everythingimissathome@gmail.com, I definitely appreciate the feedback, love and support and I’d be happy to answer any questions fans have about me or the book. Parlé: Do you have any words of advice for the readers and fans?
Dawn: The main advice I have would be not to wait for the moment to hit you. Work through it and maintain focus. Be inspired by setback. Share what you’re doing so you can get an opinion and feedback. It’s kind of like an insurance policy for you creatively. A lot of people will work on something until it’s perfect, you will be your own worst critic but it’s good to see your work from a different point of view.
Debut novelist, Dawn draws inspiration from her childhood. Making the best out of an unfortunate situation, she decided to focus on a career as an author when her previous career took a wrong turn. Dawn sat down with me for a one-on-one to talk about her trials as a beginning writer and her self-published debut novel, Everything I Miss At Home.
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Spotlight Feature
Sometimes, it must fall upon the journalist to ensure that what they are hearing in an interview is clear enough that they can truthfully and accurately present their subject's words as quotations. This may require asking for an answer repeatedly, admitting you missed something that could have been important, or actively picking and choosing which quotes should be completely captured in a form of verbal triage. Other times, it may simply require asking the subject to slow down because your cell phone's speaker is woefully inadequate. Such was the case with Kirko Bangz, and regrettably, I did not follow the advice laid out above. The following is what I can transcribe from my conversation with the Houston hopeful, whose Drake on promethazine approach has been reverberating within the scene.
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