Morgan Angelique Owens is the author of “Finding My Sparkle” and Founder & CEO of the MAO Brand, Professional Pretty, and Curvy Cardio, LLC. An entrepreneur powerhouse — Author, Consultant, Speaker, and Brand Ambassador — Morgan uses her vision and voice to coach and uplift women and young girls by sharing the knowledge and expertise she’s honed in the areas of physical and mental health, beauty, personal empowerment, and lifestyle content. She uses her passion and fashion-forward savvy to authentically bridge the gap between brands and underserved audiences through her Blog, Professional Pretty. She has been featured in national publications such as Black Enterprise. Morgan has received numerous awards such as, “Woman of Influence”, “40 under 40”, and “Black History Honoree” from the Cincinnati Chamber.
Morgan strives to empower individuals and businesses to invest in their futures and find their Sparkle. In 2021 she partnered with The Cincinnati Herald newspaper to create Herald Beauty. A beauty hub for minority women. She serves as the Chief Creative Beauty Consultant. In 2022, Morgan launched her self-titled talk show, The Morgan Angelique Show: a talk show focused on beauty, fashion, and lifestyle aimed towards an often underserved and overlooked audience. The Morgan Angelique Show will not only inspire viewers but educate them in the fields of (but not limited to): beauty, fashion, health/wellness, financial literacy, and more.
First things first, how did we develop an interest in writing?
My major is actually in creative writing. I’ve also loved the outlet of writing and how therapeutic it can be.
When did you realize you had a story that the world needed to hear?
I first realized I had a story to tell the world when people thought they knew who I was. I refused to let others write my story, so I decided to do it.
What was the writing process like, did you come up with your title first and build around it or did the manuscript come first?
I wrote my book by simply letting the words flow and then I strutted it into chapters. The title of my book came during the whole writing process I had no idea at first what the title was going to be.
What is the message behind your title?
Finding My Sparkle means finding that inner self-love that exudes from the inside out. Other people can’t help but see that “sparkle” shining through.
Can you share 3 takeaways you would like women to take away from your book?
-Don’t let anyone define who are you.
-Don’t be afraid to share your story, you never know who needs to hear it.
-Do whatever it is you want to do. There are no glass ceilings.
At any moment during your writing process did you experience writer’s block, what tips do you have for overcoming it?
I didn’t necessarily have writer’s block but I did have to push through an emotional wall. When I started writing and reflecting I often found myself starting to cry. It brought back so many emotions that I had suppressed, I had to walk away from writing for a few weeks. I pushed through and kept going however because I remembered my “why.” Why I started writing the book in the first place.
Take me through the first moment you held your book in your hands, what did that feel like for you?
When I first saw and held my book it was really an amazing experience – I actually cried. I was also nervous because it was actually getting real that other people would read my story.
What would you say was the most challenging part of your writing process?
The most challenging part of your writing process is simply starting.
– What key tips do you have for marketing your book and getting it out to the masses?
Terri Banner Fitzsimmons is the author, motivational speaker, and best-selling author of 4 books. Her biggest passion is helping women achieve their passion for life, to break free of all the doubts they cling to that stop them from recognizing their worth. She didn’t return to school until she was forty, and with the help of the counselors and professors, she could graduate valedictorian in her master’s Program. She went on to get her teaching degree and a certificate in special education training. She had adopted two teenage boys with fetal alcohol syndrome, so she could understand what the students in her classes needed. She resides near Palm Springs, where she continues writing and counseling women. After the Camp Fire in 2018, which took everything from her, she worked in Medford, Oregon, with special needs, until the pandemic.
In this interview, she tells about her book “Phoenix Rising from the Ashes,” a powerful true story of her survival after Camp Fire in 2018. It is her personal journey from victim to thriver. After she learned she had lost everything in the fire, her home, and her identity, she found an inner strength she never knew she had; she had to move forward. She had to survive. Facing numerous obstacles, she forged ahead, realizing that the person she was before the fire was buried in those ashes. She was transformed by tragedy, arising like the true Phoenix, helping other victims, and counseling them to move ahead with their lives.
First things first, how did we develop an interest in writing?
I was born with a vivid imagination! Even before I could read, I would conjure up imaginary playmates who would accompany me on all sorts of adventures. The thrill of seeing stories develop on paper kept me at my desk for many hours until my father discouraged my writing, stating it was too immature.
When did you realize you had a story the world needed to hear?
All my life, I felt like I was living a peripheral life: I was always on the outside, looking in. Being insecure did not stop me from visualizing myself as someone who would shine as a writer. Being in college at the age of 40 offered me the opportunity to tell my story. I started a club called The RASCALS – Returning Adult SClub and Learning Society – to help other older women overcome their insecurities and succeed in school. I began research on Returning Adults, which became my master’s thesis. I gave my lectures and presentations on my work.
What was the writing process like? Did you come up with your title first and build around it, or did the manuscript come first?
The symbol of ‘Phoenix Rising from the Ashes’ inspired my first book. I was the Phoenix, reborn from the fire in Paradise, California. Who I was before the fire was not who I was when I emerged from it. After the fire, I suffered many nightmares from having to escape the town of Paradise on a school bus with children. The sounds of people screaming, the exploding tanks, and seeing the flames in the distance, ready to engulf us haunted me every night. I wrote down my thoughts in a daily journal, and my counselor suggested I turn my journal into a book as it could help other fire victims. So my journal morphed into a manuscript, telling the story of my move to Paradise, my short time living then, and the fire and its aftermath. The title is my constant reminder of who I have become, a strong woman who chose to be a survivor instead of a victim.
What is the message behind your title?
“Stress is not what happens to us, it is our response to what happens, and our response is something we choose.” Everything in our life is based on perception: How we view life determines how we will feel and act. I can define my experience with the fire and its aftermath as a tragedy from which I never will recover, or I can reframe the experience as one which offered me an opportunity to grow stronger; I had to lose everything to gain everything. Who I was before the fire is buried in the ashes.
Can you share 3 takeaways you would like women to take away from your book?
● It is crucial that we reframe our lives to perceive what happened to us in the past did not make us victims. “I had to spend months trying to regain my identity after the fire, replacing my green card, passport, and transcripts.” Reframed: “After the fire, I became resourceful, buying a laptop the next day and getting all the necessary paperwork to get my documents.” “I am a victim.”Reframed: “I am still alive. I am a survivor.”
● “You are not alone.” When tragedy strikes, be it the loss of a loved one, a flood, earthquake, or tornado, there are thousands around the world suffering with you. What makes the difference between a survivor and a victim is how one perceives the tragedy. Tragedies allow us to reach inside ourselves and find the inner strength we never knew we had. For months I kept a map that showed where all the survivors of Paradise had relocated. Red dots signified their destinations. It reinforced the knowledge that there were thousands like me striving to build a new life.
● We are what we choose to be. Our life is based on the choices we make. We can choose to be a victim of circumstance, or we can choose to be a survivor. Before we start bemoaning what happens to us, we need to decide how we are going to react to it.
At any moment during your writing process, did you experience writer’s block? What tips do you have for overcoming it?
Because of my own insecurities, I would stop the writing process altogether! I have perhaps fifteen unfinished articles and manuscripts saved on my computer. I still have my father’s words ringing in my ears “You will never be a writer.” But then, something would trigger my imagination – a golden nugget from a movie or a book, and I would be back at the keyboard, outlining a new project. Of course, there would be times when I was stymied when I couldn’t make the words flow, so I would leave my work alone, sometimes for a few weeks. I used to say that I was waiting for the dust to settle, giving my brain a chance to accommodate new ideas! Now that I am almost finished my new book, I am toying with the idea of revisiting my unfinished manuscripts.
All authors experience writer’s block. The key is not to give up and delete our work. Take a break from writing and let your mind relax.
Take me through the first moment you held your book in your hands; what did that feel like for you?
When I first saw the cover of my book, the vibrant phoenix in the middle, I burst into tears as I held it to my chest. Inside that book were my thoughts, my fears, and my memories. I had overcome a lifetime of insecurity to write a book about who I was. I cherish this memory as it was the impetus for me to continue writing.
What would you say was the most challenging part of your writing process?
Writing requires discipline. I have to set a specific time each day to write.
What key tips do you have for marketing your book and getting it out to the masses?
I am naive about the process of writing. Unfortunately, I spent thousands of dollars with one company that promised me the moon. I had many book signings lined up, and then the Pandemic hit. I never had any results with the company, and I do not have the funds to market my books now. I do have a website, and I write articles where I mention my books.
What audience is your book written for?
Young adults to seniors: It is for anyone who has experienced grief or loss in their lives.
Connect with T.K. Banner Online by visiting her website
As I reflect over this past week, I am reminded about the importance of time. We often say that there is not enough of it in a day. Other times, we lament that it goes by so slowly. All of us at some point either waste a lot of time not taking advantage of the time that we do have. We spend time worrying, arguing, not walking in love, being fearful, hiding on to guilt, bitterness, and resentment. We devote time to mindless television and meaningless social media posts. We spend time majoring in the minor and minoring in the major. We waste time. We want time to stand still. We grow impatient with waiting, we get frustrated when we run out of it. We tend to overthink or overreact; or we make rash decisions. We concentrate a great deal of time doing things we know a waste of time versus sowing that time into something or someone that will benefit from the investment. We never quite master making the best use of our time.
So it is with God. We spend a great deal of time disobeying God. We spend time bargaining and reasoning with God. We spend time running away from God. We spend a great deal of time going through seasons-some of our doing, others by God’s. We spend a lot time complaining to God. We spend little time developing relationship with God. We spend time ignoring His instruction and even more time on a long winding road that ultimately leads us back to the source- remember the Israelites in the desert for 40 years? We take for granted the time God has so graciously given us. We take for granted every time we inhale and exhale. We fail to acknowledge God’s power each morning He wakes us up. We do not even take the time to think about the fact that even when we sneeze and someone says, “God bless you”, God does because you continue breathing.
Psalms 34:1 AMP says, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” We must devote time to worship. We must devote time in prayer and meditation. We must devote time to spending time in His presence. We must devote time to obeying God’s instruction. We must give back to God the life God so graciously gave us. The time God has given us on this earth is on purpose with purpose for purpose. Certain things are intended to happen at appointed times and whether we want to admit it or accept it or not, God controls the time. the Bible instructs is to, “Hear counsel, receive instruction, and accept correction, that you may be wise in the time to come.” [Proverbs 19:20 AMP]. We will need everything God provides, permits, and prevents is specifically created for our experience in this life and the relationship we develop with God. We must not be distracted or deterred. We must always be focused on the fact that we are on God’s time and there is much to be done in the places He has given us charge over. Are we going to get it right every time? Absolutely not! But when we have wasted time going our own way, we must make the most of the time we then have as we live for Christ versus ourselves. We must spend that time developing relationship with God and His people sowing, weeding and watering the seeds we have planted and been given charge over.
I pray that as we go through this week, we will take a little time to spend time with God so that He can show us what He wants the week to look like. Mark 13:33 AMP reminds us to, “Be on your guard [constantly alert], and watch [a]and pray; for you do not know when the timewill come.” I pray that we will allow God to redirect us and focus you on the things that are important to Him and to His kingdom. I pray we will no longer waste time trying to explain, excuse or justify. I pray we will allow God to resurrect us, correct us, and position us where He needs us to be at the appointed and anointed time He has on the calendar for the moment where God’s grace and glory collide. I do not know about you, but I do not want to miss another moment with God. I want take full advantage of the time God has ordained for me so that I can spend that time learning, growing and becoming what God wants and needs me to be during my time on this earth.
Marie McKenzie is a #1 Amazon Bestselling author of her first book, a memoir, “Things That Keep Me Up at Night,” which was released in June of 2021.
She is currently co-authoring her first novel with the NK Tribe Called Success. She is an accomplished Registered Nurse, educator, community volunteer, victims’ advocate, and trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. Born in Jamaica, Marie migrated to the United States of America in 1989, and currently resides in Orlando, FL, with her husband George.
When she is not on the job, she volunteers and advocates for survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence, and the homeless. She has volunteered for food banks, crisis pregnancy centers, and homeless organizations. She is a past board member of the Inner Truth Project, which strives to change the conversation surrounding sexual violence and help survivors find their voices.
First things first, how did you develop an interest in writing?
My interest in writing was ignited after I entered a 90-Day Writing challenge hosted by USA Today Bestselling Author, Naleighna Kai, during which I wrote my memoir, Things That Keep Me Up At Night. The opportunity connected me with the NK Tribe Called Success, a group of phenomenal authors—USA Today, international and national bestselling—who freely guided and supported me at every step of my journey.
When did you realize you had a story that the world needed to hear?
A few months prior to writing my memoir, I was a guest on a Podcast, where I spoke about my role as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. During the show, I shared my experience with sexual assault. I later shared the podcast with family and friends, and although shocked at first, they were very supportive and some opened up and shared their own stories of victimization and survival.
Some were struggling to heal. I call that SHUT IN – Silently Hurting due to Unresolved Trauma (caused by rape/sexual assault) and Internalizing (shame, anger, fear, anxiety, reliving the trauma) Needlessly.
Some verbalized that my story helped them regain their voice and power. “If you have been through all that and survived and are sharing your story, I can do the same.”
What was the writing process like, did you come up with your title first and build around it or did the manuscript come first?
The manuscript came first, then we brainstormed with a few titles and settled on Things That Keep Me Up At Night.
What is the message behind your title?
The message is that I am no longer bound by the Things That Keep Me Up At Night. I thought of changing the title to Things That KeptMe Up At Night but opted to keep it as is. Because like an addict there will always be triggers, healing is lifelong, but, when the memories come, I have tools to subdue them. I’m no longer SHUT IN – Silently Hurting due to Unresolved Trauma Internalizing Needlessly.
Can you share 3 takeaways you would like women to take away from your book?
I would like women to know that:
Healing is possible – they can heal, survive, and thrive.
They are not their trauma – someone did something to them. The shame, blame, and guilt belong to the perpetrators.
They are worthy of living a purpose-filled life. If you’re SHUT IN, it’s time to reach out for help to heal.
At any moment during your writing process did you experience writer’s block, what tips do you have for overcoming it?
Yes, I have experienced writer’s block and there is so much one can do.
Tips –
Write about something else, another chapter, or a topic. It doesn’t need to be in order and can be fixed later.
Stop writing and do something you enjoy – talk walk, exercise, (I lifted weights)
Brainstorm with a friend.
Read a book.
Meditation/Affirmations
Take me through the first moment you held your book in your hands, what did that feel like for you?
The first moment I held my book was exhilarating! I was grinning from ear to ear, my heart was racing; just overjoyed and wasn’t sure how to act.
What would you say was the most challenging part of your writing process?
Marketing was and is the most challenging part of the process – It’s a constant process and a daily intentional journey. Need to be creative to find new readers and keep my book in the public’s eyes.
What key tips do you have for marketing your book and getting it out to the masses?
1. Connect and collaborate with other authors and cross-promote each other’s work.
2. Find a Tribe that will support you. People you can always trust to have your back.
3. Be intentional and promote often/daily even, attend events, and seek out speaking engagements to share about your work.
4, Be engaged with readers/audience. People don’t want to see or hear of you only when you’re selling.
What audience is your book written for?
My book is written for survivors of sexual assault/rape/domestic violence and the people and organizations who love and support them.
Lynnecia S. Eley is a career-driven entrepreneur, wife, and mother. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, she is an award-winning University Assistant Dean and Adjunct Professor that is committed to excellence, dedication, and caring for others. Known as the Confidence Doula, Lynnecia is a best selling author and coach providing guidance and support to help women and young adults feel self-assured in their abilities to Birth with Purpose.
Lynnecia is also the founder of Two Queens Media, Black & Ivy League, Inc., Soigne’ + Swank Magazine® and Eta Rho Sigma Sorority, Inc. – all brands that promote and support community growth in business, education, and the media/publishing space. She is a Certified DISC Personality Analyst and Business Coach. She received her bachelor’s in business management from the University of Phoenix, earned her executive master’s in program and portfolio management from Georgetown University, and holds many professional and graduate certificates.
First things first, how did you develop an interest in writing?
I’m an academic at heart. My love for learning and creative writing was an early interest. I wrote poems as a kid and I learned that I was so much better at writing my words than speaking them. I had the desire to share, but also had a fear of public speaking. Writing helped me to get my thoughts out on paper. I also used it as a tool for narrative therapy.
As a young adult I used to struggle with anxiety and attachment issues. Chapter two of my book is titled “Write it down, don’t hold it in” as an introduction to journaling and an easy way to get started in using writing to identify your life’s purpose. When you put your thoughts on paper, you open yourself up to processing everything that has been backlogged. You allow yourself to empty your mind, and bring clarity to how you are experiencing your life and going after your goals.
When did you realize you had a story that the world needed to hear?
Birth with Purpose started out as a blog post that grew into an article intended to be published in a business publication. After letting a close friend read the article and receiving feedback of wanting more, I turned the article into an eBook. I shared that eBook with 5 women and they all responded with wanting more and requesting worksheets or exercises to unpack the steps that I was giving. This is when I started to realize that there were more entrepreneurs out there that were struggling with a need of finding a personal source of value and how to look within and ask questions that inspire growth and a reason for going after a true passion.
What was the writing process like, did you come up with your title first and build around it or did the manuscript come first?
After realizing I did in fact have a book inside of me, I shifted my mindset to positioning how I will use the book. The book I wanted to write was going to be geared to target entrepreneurial-minded individuals, by teaching them that success in their business comes from within, which will lead to my ultimate goal of being recognized as the business confidence coach that every entrepreneur needs. I did not start with a title, I started at the end with writing my own book review from my ideal reader’s point of view.
Once the manuscript was done, the book went through at least 3 different title changes and finally through a conversation with my business bestie and writer of the book’s Foreword, she said “this is going to help so many people birth their purpose” and I screamed “THAT’S IT!”, and that’s how Birth with Purpose: 5 Steps to Drive Your Passions & Fuel Your Purpose was born.
What is the message behind your title?
The title of my book is derived from one of Joel Osteen’s sermons “Pregnant with Possibility”. The time leading up to the birthing process of a child is generally 40 weeks from conception. Birthing your idea into a business can also take just as long or even longer. It’s very important to understand and truly identify with the conception of your ideas already being purposeful; so confidently go forward and “Birth with Purpose”.
Birth with Purpose is a guide to help find what drives your passions and fuels your purpose as an introduction into discovering your life’s calling and finding the true desires within that drive your behaviors as a being and specifically as an entrepreneur. God has given us all so many tools that lend to our potential, our gifts, talents and of course our ideas. We are all born with passions that make our hearts smile. Identifying those passions and then doing the work to fuel and birth our true purpose is a journey. It is the nature of how you identify your purpose that helps in making each and everyone’s journey an adventure.
Can you share 3 takeaways you would like women to takeaway from your book?
The 3 main takeaways from BWP is to 1. Look for your passion and it will find you. Start with a self-audit of your happiness. If you want to find your true purpose, then you have to start by getting to know who you are – look within yourself, deep down behind those walls that you swore you will never unhide again. 2. Pursue your purpose and you will feel fulfilled. The fire of our passions carries both energy and discomfort. The key is to use the discomfort as a motivator and the energy as fuel. When we are connected to our roots and our soul, passion rises quickly and pushes us to rise to the next level of life. Anything where the totality of who you truly are is absorbed in the doing, requires passion and leads you to your purpose. And 3. Launch that business, even if it’s not perfect. Avoid the perfection trap when you are going after your dreams, you want to try to avoid making grandiose plans. You don’t have to find the one perfect passion, but instead, you just need to follow the clues that drive your heart’s desires. Step back and look at what you can do today, and then pick what excites you.
At any moment during your writing process did you experience writers block, what tips do you have for overcoming it?
During my writing process, I didn’t experience writer’s block. Instead I battled with not feeling like I had what it took to teach someone how to identify their purpose. I allowed myself to be overcome with imposter syndrome and not realizing that I’ve always had the potential and the confidence to step out of my status quo and completely walk in my God-given purpose. While writing this book I overcame self-doubt, fear and procrastination.
Take me through the first moment you held your book in your hands, what did that feel like for you?
It felt like pure joy coupled with shock and awe! I self-published on Amazon during a summer when there was a huge lag in authors receiving their publishing copies. I received a call from one of my best friends and she asked “where are you?”. At that moment I was turning into a Walmart parking lot and she said pull over. I did and she met me in that parking lot with an Amazon Prime copy of my book. The first time I held a physical copy of Birth with Purpose was also the first day I signed an autograph copy. We were loud as we jumped, hugged, praised God, and cried so much in that parking lot that a gentleman pulled over and wanted to join in on the celebration. It was surreal!
What would you say was the most challenging part of your writing process?
As a business coach and cheerleader of women pursuing their dreams, I acknowledge that the thing that makes me great at coaching is the connection and experience I have to the areas of help and transformation that I provide. The most challenging part of finishing this book was getting out of my own way and overcoming imposter syndrome. Imposter Syndrome is an enemy, especially among black women. I struggled with finding inspiration, support and confidence to share the struggles that I had to overcome to pursue writing in the genre of self help.
What key tips do you have for marketing your book and getting it out to the masses?
The biggest piece of advice I can give about marketing your book is to flaunt your credentials and experience. It’s not going to be all about the book, instead many readers are going to want to know your “why” for writing the book and the problem it’s going to help them resolve. Also, if your genre is self-help, readers are going to want to hear how the advice you’re giving has helped you and that’s what they will identify with. Next, I would encourage authors to get used to talking about your book every chance you get. Yes, email blasts to your lists and social media campaigns can work well too, but connecting readers to your book in everyday conversation is word-of-mouth marketing 101.
You can also host author chats, read-alouds, book signings, and showcase your book at vendor shows and pop-ups.
What audience is your book written for?
The primary audience for Birth with Purpose is entrepreneurs who have an idea but don’t know where to start, and small business owners who are within their first 3 years and are stuck moving to the next level. My typical reader is a woman who has the desire to start a business, but lacks the confidence and accountability to pursue her dream. She is passionate about an idea, but doesn’t know the strategies to take that idea from her heart through implementation and deliver it to the world. She is stuck, she is afraid, she is doubtful. She needs inspiration, teaching, empowerment and support. This book will help her realize her potential and build the confidence needed to step out of the status quo and completely walk in her purpose. She will overcome self-doubt, fear and procrastination.
To be a woman who makes “Pretty” moves you must first understand the gift you hold within and next understand how to utilize it.
Michelle P. Jones is “The Writer’s Coach” and helps writers birth their literary masterpiece, which brings their story to life through the Authorpreneur Academy’s course offerings, personalized strategic plan & coaching services and offers publishing services through her company, Bledsoe Publishing Company, LLC.
As an Amazon international bestselling author, literary award-winning author, ordained minister, writing and copywriting strategist, confidence consultant, workshop/seminar facilitator, podcast executive producer/host, blogger, and inspirational/motivational speaker, Michelle is uniquely positioned to ensure you offer an exceptional literary masterpiece to the marketplace. It is her belief that her life’s purpose is to use her skills, talents, and abilities in service unto God, with mankind being the direct beneficiary.
Michelle is the Founder/CEO of the Authorpreneur Academy, and Bledsoe Publishing Company LLC, an independent publisher who offers professional services, through inspiring, empowering, and equipping entrepreneurial creatives, authors, and professional writers to structure and view their writing as a business set for exponential growth while introducing an exceptional literary masterpiece to the marketplace. As a published author, Michelle has self-published two (2) books for national distribution: Grasping Your Success: Six Steps to Starting and Legitimizing Your Business (published 2017), Walking on Water in My Stilettos: How God Strengthened My Faithwalk (published 2018), and published 2021 ABF Best Book Awards Finalist in Christianity Desperate Housewives of Biblical Proportions (November 2020) with Enhanced DNA Publishing, and is a contributing author in the anthology As for Me and My House: Stories to Help Onboard Households for Entrepreneurship (published December 2019).
Michelle is a writer’s writer and believes in sharing her gift with the world through her monthly First Friday blog, Purposeful in Stilettos, Brown Girlz Readz Book Club on Clubhouse, and the bi-monthly writing clinics she facilitates.
Michelle is also the executive producer and host of a weekly podcast, the Unapologetically Michelle Show, where she discusses real, relevant, raw and life-changing topics that can positively influence its listeners’ choices and decision-making process positively. Michelle believes life is a series of life-happening moments, and it isn’t about the fact that you went through them, but that you overcame each of them and stepped back into your community to share intentionally, unapologetically, and purposefully those learned life lessons with others to help them traverse their journey called life. Michelle enjoys reading, writing, listening to good music, and watching action-packed and Sci-Fi movies. Michelle believes that information is power and she can be found sharing the information she holds with others to empower them to live their truth, their purpose, and their life OUT LOUD and in living color. Michelle currently lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Outside of entrepreneurship and writing, Who is Michelle Jones in five words?
A service-minded Kingdom Entrepreneur
What inspired your start in writing and sharing stories?
I have always loved reading and writing since childhood. It began with me sharing business tips and tools with my clients and others. To write about my life, being an entrepreneur, and introducing readers to the Bible in a relatable way. Writing has always been my way to express myself and my feelings. I just now have the opportunity to share it with the world.
You have crossed over into the journal-making industry, what has been the most rewarding part of creating different journals to impact people? I believe that knowledge is power and that when we know better we can do better. Journals are a way to introduce information and for the reader to interact with the information immediately to affect change in their life intentionally. What most people don’t realize is that trauma can be healed through our writing. It gives the person an outlet to put on paper what is informing their decisions and choices. Once on paper, it loses its power and its ability to negatively impact the author’s life.
Tell us about your company’s NEW Journal Line the Unapologetically Blacknificient Intentional Living Journal.
This journal is all that and a bag of chips. The journal first and foremost celebrates the richness and beauty of the African American culture. The reader will find historical facts, the celebration of our culture and journey to freedom, and relative information that can change their life. The journal has 3 sections: How Am I Living, Intentional Living, and Journal Pages. In the How Am I Living section, the reader will take an honest look at where they are in life. They will share their deepest fears, hardest struggles, biggest dreams, etc. In the Intentional Living section, the reader uses the 31-day journal to intentionally live each day when utilizing the guides provided. They will write out their daily affirmation, share what they are grateful for, who they need to forgive, and objectives (goals) they want to accomplish, etc. All of these are designed to help the reader use the tools they learn to develop the skills they will use to intentionally and unapologetically live a happy, healthy and whole life. This is accomplished by them choosing themselves daily. The journal pages section is where the reader will chronicle their journey by sharing their experiences as they apply what they learn each day while completing the Intentional living section. A link to an introduction video will accompany each journal to ensure the reader understands how to best use the journal. It is our desire for people to have the best possible experience with the journal. We have created a separate journal for men and one for women, and the reader can select between two different covers when ordering.
Can you share your 2022 journey with us?
2022 started off with me starting my publishing company, Bledsoe Publishing Company LLL and ghostwriting a client’s book and associated workbooks. I have since published his book and workbooks, published another client’s book, began creating book covers for clients, created the journal, and am ramping up to begin designing an Unapologetically Black Coloring Book. I am also putting a call out for contributing authors for our Morning Glory anthology (which will be published in 2023). As a socially conscious business, Bledsoe Publishing created the Bledsoe Family Legacy Foundation with their first order of business to provide scholarships to graduating seniors who show a need and meet our criteria. Applications will be released for consideration in the fall of 2023 with notification of awardees being announced in the spring of 2024. As if that isn’t enough, currently, we are writing gender-specific programming for nonprofits to use as their specialized internal programming and teaching them how to structure it to be an additional stream of income for their organization.
How did your business excel, what major moves are you proud of?
2022 has been a year of transformative change and growth for both myself and my company. I am truly aligning my faith with my business and using Bible principles to serve mankind with services, programming, and/or products that equips, inspires, and empowers mankind to intentionally live a life of purpose unapologetically. This year we are kicking off our Unapologetically Write a program with two writing clinics per month. One will be virtual and the other will be in person. The program is designed to ensure its participants will have the necessary information to introduce literary masterpieces to the marketplace while understanding that presentation does matter. As previously mentioned, I am excited about the foundation, the work we are doing with nonprofits, and creating the Reformation Project which is also a part of the foundation. For me personally, my greatest accomplishment is when I invited God to be the CEO of my business. I check in with Him daily to see what’s on my to-do list for the day and what action steps I need to take that honor Him and keep my businesses growing.
What is next for you in 2023?
In 2023, the kick-off of the scholarship program, the publication of the Morning Glory anthology, the introduction of the Grief Journal anthology, finishing up the Restoration Project (re-entry program to help to return citizens re-acclimate in society with the tools needed to intentionally live a life of purpose based upon the transformative change process), and publishing books for clients. We are currently accepting new authors interested in publishing a book. Bledsoe Publishing is equipped to take an author from concept to publication while the literary award-winning and international best-selling author and coach, Michelle Jones coaches them through the process. It doesn’t matter where an author is in the process, Bledsoe Publishing has the right publishing package to meet their needs.
What is your definition of a Pretty Woman Who Hustles?
Growing up I was always told that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. I no longer believe that statement as it was taught. I believe beauty is an outward expression of the inner condition of an individual’s heart. It is a reflection of who they are and who they see themselves being. With that being said, a Pretty Woman Who Hustles is a woman who knows who she is, knows her worth, and has realized she is not in competition with anyone other than herself as she strives to be a better person today than she was on yesterday. She doesn’t have it all together and that’s ok with her because she is growing into who she is created, destined, and purposed to be intentionally and unapologetically. She is the woman I look at in the mirror every day and whom I encourage to keep going especially on those days when nothing seems to be going right. She is ME and every other woman who refuses to give up, give in and not live life to the fullest. She is the sister-friend I collaborate with and check in on to make sure she’s ok, and whose successes I celebrate. And, whose tears I wipe when she’s experiencing the growing pains from failure. She’s not every woman, she’s the woman who has decided to see each new day as an opportunity to accomplish her objectives (goals) and be of service to someone else.
K.L. Hall is a national bestselling and award-winning author. As a serial storyteller, Hall has penned over three dozen titles in various genres—including African American urban fiction and romance, paranormal, children’s books, and non-fiction. Her fictional stories straddle the intersection of classing Urban and spell-binding Romance.
At a young age, she found her passion in a pen and knew that writing would be a vital part of her life. The Virginia native made her debut in the literary world in 2013 and has since been featured in various print and online publications and created the Booked & Busy™ Course to help aspiring authors birth the book they’ve always wanted to write and turn their passion into profit.
When she’s not writing, Hall enjoys creating author resources and being a mom.
What inspired your start in writing, at what moment did you realize you had a love for writing and sharing stories?
If you ask my mom, she’ll tell you that I picked up a pen when I was eighteen months old. I don’t think I knew I had a passion for writing immediately, but looking back, it had always been a part of my life. I remember writing stories as far back as elementary school, so it feels natural that it spilled over into my professional life and I was able to make a career out of doing something I love.
With over three dozen titles under your name, what has been the most rewarding part of your journey thus far?
Hearing from my readers. Whether it’s messages, reviews, or in-person interactions at book events, I LOVE hearing from them, hearing their reactions to the characters I’ve created in my head. I’m so blessed to be able to tell the stories I want to tell, and really strap them in for a wild, roller coaster ride of emotions from the first page to the last.
What message do you hope readers take away from your work as a whole?
My writing style straddles the intersection of classic Urban and spell-binding Romance. So with that, my ultimate goal is to take my readers on a journey of love and personal growth with relatable female characters, and the flawed, yet desirable male leads who love them.
Can you tell us about your course “Booked & Busy™ “?
My Booked & Busy™ Course helps aspiring authors kick off their writing careers with comprehensive lessons that guide them from a blank page to writing and publishing their book successfully. There are five milestones geared to help writers increase their productivity, gain insight into the publishing industry, and expand their writing skills to pen a book they’ll love. I created the courses I wished I had when I was an aspiring author who knew I wanted to write but lacked the guidance on getting started, let alone how to get my work published. From outlining and book development to self-publishing a book in a weekend, my Booked & Busy™ courses take the guesswork out of how to write and publish a book successfully.
How do you balance a full schedule of writing and new book releases along with being a mother?
I think one of the biggest things I’ve learned from becoming a mother is to be gentle with myself. Balancing writing and motherhood can be stressful at times, and some days are more productive than others. I just remind myself that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and, especially for first drafts, done is better than perfect. I also listen to my body. If I’m feeling burnt out, or I can’t get in the right headspace, I won’t force it.
What advice do you have for new authors looking to release their story?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and do your research. Also, always remember to write for yourself first, and write because you love the freedom of expression and the ability to flex that creative muscle. Money, fame, and everything else will follow.
What is your definition of a Pretty Woman Who Hustles?
To me, the definition of a pretty woman who hustles is a woman that’s about her business, whether it’s in the boardroom or on her entrepreneurial tip. She’s going to make a way out of no way and knows she’s in the driver’s seat when it comes to chasing and achieving her goals.
To learn more about the author, join her email tribe to receive exclusive updates on all things life and literary, and follow her on Instagram, @officialklhall.
Shanell Monique is a Native of New Orleans, who could be appropriately described as a “serial entrepreneur,” she is an Oklahoma City-based writer who also authored “Broken Silence” and “Love & Confidence Journal,” which were released in December 2017 and in April 2018, she was inspired to compose “The Wife Between Us” in the wake of her divorce. Founder of Every Child Is A Story Yet to be told.
Shanell is an empowerment extraordinaire in her own right, she is the proud owner of Shanell Monique Love&Confidence LLC, Founder of Every Child Is A Story Yet To Be Told Foundation, and Monique’s Little Friends. She also owns a newly established eyelash business – as well as stay glossy, my rising lip gloss venture, a pair of newly elected endeavors that she hopes will reap a considerable amount of success now that the national economic landscape is reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shanel Monique helps women identify who they are at their core. Destroying the strong independent woman’s belief system by increasing wisdom, embracing sensuality, and gaining emotional renewal and the feminine energy to create the life they want.
Shanell believes you can change your entire life by manifesting it with the law of assumption, spirituality, and feminine energy.
She doesn’t shy away from the notion that she is overwhelmingly giddy and that she has a number of irons in the fire.
When did you realize you held a passion and interest for writing?
Since a young child writing has always been something I enjoyed. It was the only way to express my feelings. It first sparked my interest when my
English teacher use to tell me I had a wild imagination. But I still wouldn’t say I thought I had a gift. ( I just always said, one day I’ll write a book) and that one day came. I actually just set down and started writing, But It wasn’t until I went through my divorce that I really made the decision to take it seriously.
I wanted to encourage other women because Sometimes we don’t notice the beauty we already possess because we’re too busy trying to create it. I tell people all the time, Only if y’all knew how motivated I’ve been by the PAIN I been through. It means so much to me to help other women with their confidence, Because I remember at one time when I lost confidence in myself and didn’t think I wasn’t enough or worthy that’s why I have to keep promoting Self-love and so must more Self Love is easier when you stop trying to figure out why they don’t love you & instead figure out why YOU don’t love you.
– “I hear so many women say they felt “stupid” for staying and trying to make it work even when deep down inside they knew nothing would ever change. They are me I was them, I remind them that they are Beautiful Strong Women. And they were never “stupid.” They were in love, and real love is not something a Good Woman simply walks away from. She fights for it! She cries for it! She holds on to it until it burns at the very core of her soul. No… they were never “stupid.” They were real. If anyone was stupid, it was the Wrong Man who lost them. Why? Because he may never know just how close he came to receive the blessing of a lifetime.” I just want all women to Love themselves first, chase their dreams, make mistakes (and learn from them), believe in God’s plan, they are more beautiful than they will ever know, and oh so smart, there is no one else like them in the entire world, they are loved. So going through my divorce is when I realized I had a gift for writing.
What inspired your book “Broken Silence and “Love & Confidence Journal” along with your other book “The wife between us”?
My brokenness inspired both books, ( Broken Silence & Love & Confidence. Now what inspired The Wife Between Us:
The message is even wives can be side chicks. ( meaning you could be married to him but treated like the other woman)
you must be able to love yourself to make better decisions for yourself. You must understand that GOD loves you, placed you here for a reason, and sent his son to rescue you. Just knowing that you should know that you now have everything you need to just be as well as have the ability to have whatever it is you ask for. I work with women who want this, who understands this, and who believe in this one principle.
What message do you hope women takeaway?
To love yourself to always put yourself first. I am my worst enemy. When looking in the mirror you have to love yourself naked. I had to stop expecting me from people. [did that make sense] ( stop expecting you from people ) (message) you have to always Remember every storm is your chance to reap results. Every storm reveals. Every storm challenges you. If you can’t see the blessing in the storm and mishandle it, you will see that same storm again so handle it with praise. Good times are good but who you are in the midst of the storm is your greatness.
You are the owner of several businesses, can you tell us a little about what inspired each of them?
To be honest, I was afraid to start my first business afraid of failure. So Honestly Death inspired me to start. I was close to death and I said to myself if My Creator sees me fit and allows me to walk up out of this hospital I’m going to leave the School District and open up my own business. Guess what? I walked out of there and I’ve been on the go ever since.
What can women expect from your new company that offers eyelashes and Lip gloss?
Just more inspiration to remember that they are beautiful.
What is next for you, where do you hope to see your brand in the next 3-5 years?
My New Journal (Sharing Hearts ) will be out the first week of August. And Part Two to The Wife Between Us is out now. Of course to focus on my nonprofit foundation. I hope to see my brand grow stronger and bigger.
What is your definition of a Pretty Woman Who Hustles?
I believe it’s women who are determined to succeed. Women who slay on and make moves. Because we are strong beyond measures.
Dr. Dawn Menge has won seventy International awards as the published author of the Queen Vernita’s Educational Series and Dragon’s Breath, including the Special Recognition Champion Award from Conquering Disabilities with Film, Best Written Word from Miracle Makers Film, Hollywood Dreams Film, and International Author Boss Award from Power Conversations Magazine. Her published works also include THE SIX FEDERAL INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN GOALS AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THEIR IMPLEMENTATION IN PREPARING FOR TRANSITION. Dr. Dawn Menge has a Ph.D. in Education. She specializes in Curriculum and Instruction. She also holds a Master’s and a Clear Credential in Moderate/Severe Disabilities and a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development. Dr. Dawn Menge has been teaching students with severe cognitive delays for over twenty years, and mentors/lectures graduate students. Dr. Dawn Menge is the mother of three, and the grandmother of six beautiful grandchildren.
When did you realize you had a passion for writing and sharing stories?
My writing journey began when I was earning my teaching credential. I had an assignment in my math class to create a book and board game. The first book was written around my students, and we used it to perform skits throughout our area to the lower elementary classes to educate the general education population about our students with disabilities. I decided to publish Queen Vernita’s Visitors and named it after my grandmother who was an astute businesswoman and the matriarch of our family. She and her father went door to door to gain memberships to open the United Ministers Federal Credit Union. I included all the children in our family as I thought they wouldn’t mind. I immediately won first place in the EVVY awards out of Colorado and began doing interviews. I was asked what I would be doing next. As I love to travel, we decided that the Queen would travel around her Kingdom and learn about her subjects and the areas in which they live.
Dragon’s Breath is a story of King Teddy Bear and Queen Giggles who live in the neighboring kingdom. The king introduces his Queen to a dragon who becomes very jealous and causes great harm to his kingdom while telling everyone she is helping them. It is a lesson on not hurting others when you are feeling angry or jealous and when to create boundaries if the person is not remorseful.
What inspired your journey into writing and publishing books? My life experiences are the inspiration for my writing and publishing of my children’s literature. I have also expanded into judging children’s literature for Story Monster Magazine and Hindi Libraries, judging romance books for IndTale Magazine, writing book reviews for Story Monster Magazine, and being on the board of Hindi Libraries.
You are now an award-winning author of several books, can you tell us about Queen Vernita’s Educational Book series? The Queen now has fourteen adventures including two to Hawaii, Alaska, New Orleans, Baja Mexico, a Paddleboat trip, Hacienda Linda, Wyoming, Oceaneers Coastline, camping at the beach, a Magical Christmas Train ride, Sir HeathyBean the Astronomer, and Queen Vernita’s castle. Each adventure is based on a real trip that I have taken, as I have a rule that I have to do the research myself. I can’t ask others to swim with sharks, manta rays, turtles, or dolphins. Go into the bayou and hold a baby alligator, octopus, or sea horse. Hike to the bottom of a lava tube and swim or learn to dance a Mexican dance or learn Spanish if I haven’t done these things myself. The Queen has twelve friends, one for each month of the year, each month is a new subject and she learns seven facts per subject. The series is PreK-6th grade and the higher grade levels become chapters rather than months. The Queen will soon be traveling to Death Valley, the East Coast, and Italy.
You have branched out into the film industry with several projects, can you share a little about that experience? I began entering Film awards when I saw an ad for Conquering Disabilities with Film on Facebook. I enquired if I could enter my Queen Vernita Meets Sir HeathyBean the Astronomer book as it has Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy in it. My series won the Special Recognition Champion Award from Conquering Disabilities through film. Dragon’s Breath won the Best Book award at Miracle Makers Film Festival and my book trailers were played on the big screen at the film festival in Las Vegas last summer. We had a wonderful week watching amazing films, going to two awards ceremonies, and watching the stunt people being honored for their accomplishments in major films. I have had Queen Vernita Meets Sir Heathybean the Astronomer, Queen Vernita Sleeps by the Sandy Fireside, and currently working on Queen Vernita Conquers the volcanic Islands. The Screenplays have now won awards in New York, Florida, and California. Once you win in a film festival others will contact you and offer discounts to enter theirs. One morning I heard my Queen Vernita Conquers the Volcanic Islands video trailer being named a winner in the Vesuvius film awards all in Italian.
What has been the highlight of your career thus far? The highlight for me is the children around the world that are enjoying my friends and family’s adventures. When I first began writing I attended the Tucson book festival and a woman was going to Ghana, Africa to help build a library. She bought a few books, and I donated some and asked her to send me pictures not expecting them. She sent them and it was such an amazing feeling having a child on the other side of the world reading about Sir HeathyBean the Astronomer. Sir HeathyBean is my little brother and an Astronomer at Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Later, my classroom speech therapist whose family members teach in Africa took my books to share. They were kind enough to send me pictures and videos of schoolchildren reading my books in their classrooms. One little girl was reading Queen Vernita Visits the Blue Ice Mountains (Alaska) on her birthday to her classmates.
During the Pandemic, I did a virtual book reading for a second-grade class in Paraguay. They were so cute and excited and one little boy told me he was going to come to America so I could read him a book in person. I would love to do that. Because of their repetitive format, they are great resources for ESL learners. I have a teacher friend who teaches refugees from Somolia and Africa work skills and Academic skills in Washington. He uses my books extensively in his lessons.
“My pleasure, Dawn. Your books are perfect for what I do with my learners. As of today, another adult ESL person will be reading your Visitor’s book to her grandchildren for the first time. Grandmother needs to learn how to read in English. She has been here for about 10 years. My friend (her daughter) gave your book to her mother and told her to look at the pictures in the book and read the words that are associated with the picture. We hope that this approach to reading is successful. That is the method that I have been using when I teach learners to read via your books. “
“Hello, Dawn. The student that I started teaching English to about 7 years ago spoke with me today. He now has a daughter who is turning 5 years young and he is reading everything that he can get his hands on now. He just loves to read!! Your books started a love of reading for this young man. This is the immigrant African native man who was born under a tree on the savannah in central Africa. He had never written anything in his life before I met him. No letters or numbers. He did not know the alphabet or how to count anything. Now he is able to read the newspaper with ease and he is able to manage his numbers well enough to budget his finances in his home. For mathematics, we started by counting the guests eating at the Holiday dinner in your Visitor’s book. My student found that particular illustration was one that he could relate to. Having a meal with a large family. I gave him a copy of Queen Vernita’s Volcanic Islands to give to his daughter for her birthday and he really lit up! He was so happy to receive your fine book. You have had an amazing impact on this young man’s life, and now the life of his child. His little girl will be entering school next year being able to read fairly well thanks to you. She loves to read and teach he father new words! They learn to read together. Thank you for all that you continue to do with your books, Dawn. You rock!! To know that my books are making a generational impact on families will always be the highlight of being an author and educator.
What message do you hope people take away from your work?
I hope that the legacy of my family, friends, students, and life experiences as written in the Queen Vernita educational series and Dragon Breath brings a fascinating literary experience to children and adults. Because of the variety of the reading levels from PreK-6th grade, children can grow up reading the series and develop a lifelong love for reading and adventure.
What does pretty woman hustle mean to you?
Pretty woman hustle means that our inner beauty shines a bright light into the world to help guide others to live their own beautiful lives.
J.B. Vample is an author who fell in love with the written word at a young age. While in her final year of high school, she came up with the concept of her new adult fiction series The College Life Series. After years of writing only for herself, J.B. published her debut novel College Life 101: Freshman Orientation in 2015. Since then, she has written and published the other eight installments of TCLS. Her latest standalone book Right as Reign, which is set to be released January 18, 2022, is her tenth novel. Currently residing in Philadelphia, J.B. continues to write while managing her career as an indie author.
You fell in love with writing at a very young age, can you remember the moment you were introduced to writing?
First, I’d like to mention that I’ve had an overactive imagination as far back as I can remember. But I didn’t write my first story until I was in middle school. I went from writing that short story to writing journal entries, to poetry, then graduated to writing full novels in high school. Writing had become a way for me to express myself. It was my outlet, my hobby and after a while, I realized that it was my passion.
Can you give us 3 words to describe your creativity?
Imaginative, detailed, and enthusiastic.
What inspired the start of “The College Life Series”?
I was seventeen when the concept came to me. I was in my last year of high school, preparing to graduate and go to college in the fall. I was imagining what my own college experience could possibly be like. Imagining who I’d meet, how my classes were going to go, where I’d live, etc. Then out of nowhere, I came up with this cast of five young black women, then just began writing. I had half of the first book finished before I even stepped foot onto campus. At that time, I didn’t think about publishing. I never expected to. I just knew that I wanted to read this story, so I wrote it for myself.
You have your 10th novel which debuted early 2022, can you share the message behind it?
The title of my 10th novel, which released January 2022, is Right as Reign. This is a women’s contemporary / romance standalone that I wrote back in 2020. I absolutely love this story by the way. There are a few messages within this novel. One being that, when you finally let go of the thing / person / situation that’s hurting you, you can then allow yourself to heal, thrive and be happy. Second, keeping your feelings inside for fear of being too vulnerable doesn’t help you in the long run. Vulnerability isn’t a sign of weakness. Lastly, the one person you’re meant to be with…you’ll be with.
Where do you hope to see your work in the next 3-5 years?
In the next 3 to 5 years, I’d like to see all my books get the worldwide recognition that I believe they deserve. I hope to see “The College Life Series” made into a television series, and I hope to see “Right as Reign” made into a movie. I want to continue to grow as a writer and produce books that readers will continue to love and connect with. Ultimately, I just want the world to see my vision as clearly as I do and I believe that will happen. I pray for it, and I will continue to work for it.
How can readers connect with you?
Readers can connect with me through multiple outlets. My website is jbvample.com. Through social media: Facebook (Author J.B. Vample), Instagram (@jbvample), Twitter (@jbvample), TikTok (j.b._vample). I also have a YouTube channel (J.B. Vample), where I currently have a few book discussion videos about “The College Life Series.”
What is your definition of a Pretty Woman Who Hustles?
To me, a pretty woman who hustles is a woman who will follow her dreams no matter what. No matter how much time she thinks has passed, no matter the obstacle, no matter how many times she falls. She’s going to pick herself back up, dust herself off, and keep pushing forward. She knows that no one is going to go harder for her than herself.
PRETTY WOMEN HUSTLE ONLINE 