Monthly Archives: September 2015
Author Interview: Brooklyn June Miller
A few months ago, I was hearing a buzz about June Miller’s book, Color. Cut. Clarity. I honestly didn’t know who he was and it was my first time hearing his name. So I went on a little mission and researched. Well, I was able to see his work, but I only came across one interview with the lovely Kisha Green. Since he lived in New York City, I decided to hit him up and ask him if he would be willing to meet with me in person for a live interview. To my surprise, he graciously accepted. I was fortunate enough to get to know the man behind the pen. He is a talented, perceptive, intelligent, and wise man who I am grateful to now call my friend. Without further ado, here is my interview with Brooklyn June.
1) What part of Brooklyn did you grow up?
I was raised in Bed-Stuy and Fort Greene.
2) What did you aspire to be as a child?
As a child I always wanted to be a doctor. I remember my mother giving me a medical book for Christmas too.
3) I read you loved writing since public school? Was there a particular teacher that motivated you?
When I was in public school, I was lucky enough to be in gifted classes and in the 5th and 6th Grade my teacher, Mrs. Ronni Freed took a big interest in my intelligence and ability to write creatively. She was the reason I became valedictorian of my graduating class.
4) Did anyone else in your family write?
No, no one else in my family writes. I believe my ability comes naturally.
5) What are some of your favorite books and authors and why?
My favorite book is Black Boy by Richard Wright. This was my first grown up read and I escaped into a world of reading that further sparked my love for the written word. Before then I read a Judy Blume book, Are you there God, it’s me Margaret. It was my sister’s book but I loved reading so I devoured all her girly books like Nancy Drew mysteries. Then I read a book by Claude Brown that changed the way I looked at writing, Manchild in the Promised Land. That book took me somewhere dark I’ve never been but would soon find about in my later years.
6) Was there a particular book that changed your life?
Black Boy, it awakened me. I needed to know what my ancestors went through as a people and my journey to learn my history begun.
7) Do you write full-time or part-time?
I currently write full-time.
8) How did you perfect your craft as a writer?
I have to say that I’m not sure. I’ve never read a book on writing and have no formidable background. I listen to those readers who support me and try to give great, original stories.
9) Do you have anyone you look up to or influenced you?
The person who influenced me to write was my sons’ mother. She read a journal I was keeping and told me I should turn it into a story. She read urban books at the time.
10) Do you have a writing routine or ritual?
I don’t have a routine per se, but my best time to write is in the wee hours of the night when there is nothing but me and the characters talking.
11) Do you write every day?
Every single day.
12) What do you want your readers to get from the books you write?
My first book, This Game Has No Loyalty, I wanted to tell an authentic story of the pitfalls young people face when making choices due to the circumstances of your environment. After that series, I wanted to give readers great stories that would entertain but also leave them scratching their heads at the end.
13) How many books do you have published?
I have over fifteen books published.
14) Usually how long does it take you to write a book?
For a full length novel, it will take me a month and a half to two months. For 35,000 words, that’s within a month.
15) Do you use an outline or freestyle?
Long hand or typing? I honestly don’t write outlines. I have a concept and the characters in my mind and I just start typing and let the characters tell the story.
16) What was your most favorite and least favorite book to write and why?
My favorite to write was Victimized-Buchanan’s Secret. It showed my true ability to write outside of what everyone else does. I don’t have a least favorite because I love all my stories, if they sell or not.
17) How do the stories or characters come to you?
Some of the stories pop into my head from something I’ve been through or seen, other times I sit down and try to think of something original but not too far fetched and develop it into my own.
18) What was the best experience you ever had as an author?
My best experience was being summoned by a woman who had heard about me and was suddenly intrigued by my work.
19) What lured you to the dangerous life of the streets?
I wasn’t lured, I chose my life. I wanted fast money and was fearless when I was younger.
20) What was the greatest lesson you learned in that life?
The Game Has NO Loyalty.
21) Did something happen that propelled you out of the game?
The birth of my daughter made me realize that I no longer had to live a selfish life, I had someone to live for.
22) I read that you were enrolled in college, what was your major?
Ha. I graduated from New York City Technical College and my major was Microcomputer Business Systems (whatever the hell that was).
23) Was your first novel This Game Has No Loyalty based on your life?
Loosely.
24) When did you branch out and start Four Shadough Publishing?
I was laid off and decided to start my company.
25) How were you discovered by Ashley and JaQuavis?
K’wan put in a word for me and at the Harlem Book Fair, Treasure Blue introduced me to JaQuavis. I received a call from him some months later and the rest is history.
26) Do you consider yourself an urban writer or something else?
I would say urban because my stories are set in urban environments, but I offer more than an urban experience.
27) What would you tell the youth of today?
If they would listen, get an education to secure a career and change the stigma and deadly cycle we all get caught up in. I would also tell them to learn THEIR history so they can understand society a little better, when armed with knowledge, you have the upper hand.
28) What projects are you currently working on?
Three projects, Improper Love 2, Sheba and Reno 2, Muffin’s Story and hopefully a part two to Color Cut Clarity.
29) Is there a dream you want to fulfill?
I’m living my dream.
30) Last, but not least, what is the best advice you would give to someone who is just starting out as a writer?
Learn the business end of the industry so you will not fall victim to the system.
Thank you for a wonderful interview, Brooklyn June.
June Miller is the published author of, This Game Has No Loyalty, an urban street fiction novel depicting real life on the streets and the love relationships within those parameters.
His love of writing was first discovered in public school where he dazzled teachers with his creative short stories and intriguing poems. His writing was officially acknowledged locally when one of his stories was featured in his class yearbook.
As June reached his teenage years, he abandoned his love of writing for the dangerous life on the streets of Brooklyn. Although he was educated, the excitement of the street life interested him and he quickly took part in petty crimes, which soon elevated into the introduction to the infamous drug trade where he became a major distributor of illegal drugs out of state. During his illicit activities he was apprehended and convicted then later incarcerated. Once released on parole, he reclaimed his spot in the drug trade and continued trafficking illegal drugs, the threat of violating parole a fleeting thought. His youth and inexperience in life fueled his desire for illegal tender without the thought or regret of contributing to the destruction of his community.
As time passed all of his relationships, social, personal and romantic, became strained due to the nature of his business. His life lacked stability despite the illusion of financial comfort. He was responsible for himself so there was never any balance in his life until the birth of his first daughter, who changed the way he viewed life…her life. June decided to make changes in his life and immediately enrolled into college where he rediscovered his love of writing, showcasing his literary abilities that were recognized by his English professors.
While pursuing his degree, tragedy struck and one of his closest friends was brutally murdered. Overcome by anger and revenge he channeled his emotions into something that came to him naturally, he wrote the story. It didn’t heal the wound to his heart but was therapeutic in helping him express feelings no one knew about. The story was buried along with his feelings for 10 years until one day he came across it after coming from a funeral for yet another fallen youth to the same game he had given up. At that moment he decided to write a story, a true to life account of what happens in the streets with hopes of reaching the youth by delivering vivid accounts of the pitfalls of the street life that is not taught to them and at the same time, promote literacy in these communities because it’s the gateway to learning and sparking mental creativity.
June began penning his novel This Game Has No Loyalty and incorporated his own experiences into his writing to produce the “realness” his story needed to capture his audience.
June is also the author of This Game Has No Loyalty II – Hustle for Life and This Game Has No Loyalty III – Love is Pain published by FourShadough Publishing, a book publishing company that is rooted in the promotion of literacy in urban neighborhoods here and abroad.
You can follow Brooklyn June Miller on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Color. Cut. Clarity. by June Miller
Print Length: 193 pages
Publisher: Official Writers League
Publication Date: June 30, 2015
ASIN: B010QPAHVA
Purchase: Amazon
Price: $4.99
Description
Michelle, Bridget and Darlene are three best friends growing up in a notorious Brooklyn housing project known for its high poverty, deadly violence and relentless murders, who are about to change their circumstances when one of them gets the chance of a lifetime.
After witnessing a robbery gone bad by a neighborhood thug named Tone, Michelle is left with the bag of stolen money. Seeing it as an opportunity to build a relationship with her dope fiend mother as well as change her and her friend’s financial status, she starts her own drug empire with the help of her mother and her friends. When she gets an unexpected call from Tone about the stolen money he gave her to hold, they hit it off and become romantically involved.
New to the game, Michelle is schooled on the dangers and pitfalls and doesn’t take it lightly. Her first introduction to tragedy is when her mother is brutally murdered. She vows revenge to anyone involved and turns up the heat and becomes a queen pin and births her crew – Precious Jewels.
Michelle is set up and robbed but turns the table on her assailant, committing her first murder but later finds out it was Tone’s young cousin. Telling Tone is the least of the problems that are beginning to plague the PJ crew – more murder, lines of friendship are crossed, love is lost while betrayal and revenge become the height of the disloyalty.
Witness the rise of the youngest and most profitable female crew in Tompkins, Precious Jewels and watch to see if they can survive the game with their friendships, relationships and love or will the Precious Jewels become worthless and lose its Color. Cut. Clarity.
Review
Color. Cut. Clarity. is about three girls who grew up in the hood of Brooklyn. Everything changes for these girls after they witness a robbery at a store. One of the girls, Michelle recognizes who it is. A boy named Tone who always picked on her. Before the cops arrested and sent him to prison, he handed her a bag of money he stole and asked her to keep it in a safe place for him. She obliges, but since she is young, poor and lives in the projects with her grandmother, her mind started scheming about the things she could do and get with all that money. She tells her homegirls, Darlene and Bridget, that she was keeping the money for herself. She figured Tone would be in prison for awhile, so it was her money now.
Michelle’s mother was never around because she was a dope fiend. She was desperate for her mother’s love and attention that she was willing do anything. Even sell drugs, which is precisely what she did. She devises a plan with her mother and her man, and before they knew it, they were making a ton of money. Until a tragic turn of event occurred; her mother and man were shot and thrown off the roof of her building. Michelle was devastated and vowed to avenge her death.
Color. Cut. Clarity. is about love, lies, secrets, betrayal, murder and treachery at best, and how it plays out with surprising twists and turns.
June Miller is a beast with his pen, and a phenomenal story teller. His characters are well developed and real. Reading this book was like watching a movie or being on a roller coaster ride.
The ending was pure fire. I sincerely hope June Miller writes a sequel because I want to know what happens next.
June Miller is the published author of, This Game Has No Loyalty, an urban street fiction novel depicting real life on the streets and the love relationships within those parameters.
His love of writing was first discovered in public school where he dazzled teachers with his creative short stories and intriguing poems. His writing was officially acknowledged locally when one of his stories was featured in his class yearbook.
As June reached his teenage years, he abandoned his love of writing for the dangerous life on the streets of Brooklyn. Although he was educated, the excitement of the street life interested him and he quickly took part in petty crimes, which soon elevated into the introduction to the infamous drug trade where he became a major distributor of illegal drugs out of state. During his illicit activities he was apprehended and convicted then later incarcerated. Once released on parole, he reclaimed his spot in the drug trade and continued trafficking illegal drugs, the threat of violating parole a fleeting thought. His youth and inexperience in life fueled his desire for illegal tender without the thought or regret of contributing to the destruction of his community.
As time passed all of his relationships, social, personal and romantic, became strained due to the nature of his business. His life lacked stability despite the illusion of financial comfort. He was responsible for himself so there was never any balance in his life until the birth of his first daughter, who changed the way he viewed life…her life. June decided to make changes in his life and immediately enrolled into college where he rediscovered his love of writing, showcasing his literary abilities that were recognized by his English professors.
While pursuing his degree, tragedy struck and one of his closest friends was brutally murdered. Overcome by anger and revenge he channeled his emotions into something that came to him naturally, he wrote the story. It didn’t heal the wound to his heart but was therapeutic in helping him express feelings no one knew about. The story was buried along with his feelings for 10 years until one day he came across it after coming from a funeral for yet another fallen youth to the same game he had given up. At that moment he decided to write a story, a true to life account of what happens in the streets with hopes of reaching the youth by delivering vivid accounts of the pitfalls of the street life that is not taught to them and at the same time, promote literacy in these communities because it’s the gateway to learning and sparking mental creativity.
June began penning his novel This Game Has No Loyalty and incorporated his own experiences into his writing to produce the “realness” his story needed to capture his audience.
June is also the author of This Game Has No Loyalty II – Hustle for Life and This Game Has No Loyalty III – Love is Pain published by FourShadough Publishing, a book publishing company that is rooted in the promotion of literacy in urban neighborhoods here and abroad.
You can follow Brooklyn June Miller on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Author Interview: Noire
I read and reviewed G-Spot by Noire a few months ago, and absolutely loved it. You can view my video review here. I was so intrigued by the story, that I reached out to Noire and asked her if she would be willing to do an interview. She graciously accepted. I think you will find her interview an absolute delight, and if you loved her before, I promise you, you will love her even more. I do. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for her as a woman and as an artist. She is someone who has overcome so much adversity in her life. She is an inspiration to me. It is with great pleasure that I introduce to you, Noire.
1) Who is Noire?
I’m actually a very complex and reserved person, so it’s hard for people to pin me down. I’m a free spirit, a practical joker, a mother, a sister, a friend, a creative thinker, a writer, and an entrepreneur.
2) How was your childhood?
It definitely wasn’t the best. My mother had a lot of substance abuse issues, so as kids we were exposed to a lot of drama. That’s why my stories read like you’re watching a graphic movie. I grew up around drugs and crime, and when I was young I looked up to pretty girls who were getting caught up in that lifestyle. I write about what I’ve actually seen, and in some cases, I write about what I’ve experienced in my own life. I give a lot of thanks to my aunts because they loved us enough to step in and rescue us from my mother. They placed us in a more positive environment.
3) You are hailed as the Queen of Urban Erotica, when did you know you wanted to write and write Erotica
I started writing when I was a little girl, probably about six or seven, but I hid my stories because I was scared all the time. As I got older and matured, my writing matured too. When I was fourteen, my next-door neighbor bought me a five-subject notebook for school, and I filled it up by writing fantasies and mysteries. I also wrote a few comedies so I could make myself laugh. I think those early attempts at urban comedy shine through in my Sexy Little Liar series with the Misadventures of Mink LaRue.
4) Was there anyone in your life who encouraged you to write?
There was one time that my aunt found something that I had written and hidden in the back of a drawer. She read it with her mouth hanging open. I thought she was going to chastise me because of the sexual content, but she loved it and said she couldn’t believe I had such creative pen skills. It was a short story that I had written just for myself as usual, but my aunt is a writer too and she convinced me that the rest of the world needed to read my stories. Her encouragement was life-changing for me.
5) When did you decide to pen your first book? How long did it take?
It didn’t take that long because I didn’t know I was writing a book. I was just telling yet another creative story and letting it unfold in it’s own way and it’s own time, so there was no structure and no pressure. It was all original, and all at my own pace.
6) What do you believe shaped you as a writer?
It had to be studying people and their conversations that shaped me. I watched and listened to everything, even when it got me in trouble. I was that kid that got smacked for having my eyes in grown folk’s mouth or for listening to grown folk’s conversations. And I read everything I could get my hands on too, including the newspaper.
7) How do your ideas come to you?
My ideas come from the life I’ve lived and the environments I’ve been exposed to, the people I’ve known, and the situations I’ve witnessed. I went from admiring the so-called chickenheads, thots, and trap queens, to mentoring and counseling them and showing them that they have options and alternatives in life. My stories are basically big blinking warning signs. They’re cautionary tales about the pitfalls of the streets, and they lay out in black and white what can happen when you play dangerous games in this world.
8) Do you have a favorite place or space to write?
Yep! In my bed!
9) What is your creative process?
My process is internal. When I hear a character talking, I listen.
10) Do you have a writing ritual, routine or practice?
I do my best writing at night. I work all day and I stay up late writing. I don’t have any particular routine because characters are always in my head. I always hear them. It’s just a matter of finding the time to get what they’re saying down on paper.
11) What does your typical day look like?
I think my day looks like most people’s day. I have a job, so I work and put in my eight hours, and when I get off I take care of bizz on the home-front. I write at night for relaxation and because creating believable characters comes easy to me. I’m no longer a neglected or abused child, but even after all these years writing is like therapy to me.
12) Were you always a reader?
I’ve always read whenever I could get my hands on something. My mother, as deep as she was in her addiction, she had a love for books too, and that was one of the good things that she passed on to me. When I was growing up reading was my only escape from my reality. My mother actually eased up and let me be when she saw me reading. Maybe she respected the connection I had with words, who knows. But I used to steal magazines off the table in doctor’s offices and read other people’s newspapers when they left them on the train. I mean I just I ate up anything that had words printed on it. Words were sexy and attractive to my eyes.
13) What are some of your favorite books and authors?
There are just too many to name. But I like literary fiction, mysteries, and the classics best of all.
14) Do you listen to music when you write? What type of music do you listen to?
I love all music, so I switch things up depending on how I’m feeling and what I’m writing at the time. I listen to R&B, rap, house, old skool, and even classical music.
15) Have you ever struggled with fear, insecurity or rejection as a writer? If so, how did you deal with it?
I believe every writer goes through something, especially if they’re successful and good at what they do. I struggled a lot early on because I was sneaking and writing and hiding everything I wrote. I never expected anybody to like my stories and I didn’t know there were readers who were into what I was into. I was shocked when G-Spot: An Urban Erotic Tale was published and readers absolutely loved it. There was nothing on the shelves like G-Spot back in 2005 when it was published. G-Spot became an instant classic, and although you can find a lot of knock-off copycat stories based on G and Juicy today, back then they were original and unique characters and nobody had ever written a story anything like it before.
16) What gets you through hard times? How do you overcome adversity?
Prayer and laughter! I pray a lot and I laugh a lot. I don’t take myself too seriously, so I definitely don’t focus on adversity. I believe in the power of the universe. I try to treat people the right way and I surround myself with positive people who are going in my direction. Everybody else gets a smile and a wave as I pass them by.
17) Was there one thing that changed the course of your life?
Yep. Being rescued from my mother and taken in by my aunts. Those women didn’t just change my life, they saved it.
18) If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?
Too many things to list! But then again, maybe nothing. I like myself and I’m cool with where I am in this life. All of my mistakes have become life experiences, and I value each and every one of them.
19) Did you ever imagine becoming as successful as you are?
No, because I never set out to share my writing with the world. But I actually don’t think my literary successes are my greatest accomplishments. I think the powerful relationships that I build with other women, and the mentoring I do to help children and teenagers are more important than anything else. The writing accolades I get are fun, but it’s the real life work that I do face-to-face from my heart that means the most to me.
20) What do you want readers to take away from your books?
I’ve been crowned the QUEEN of Urban Erotica and the word QUEEN stands for Quality Urban Erotica Every Novel. When a reader closes one of my books I want them to feel like they’ve been on a helluva ride. I want them to recognize the quality writing, the detailed plots, the 3D characters, and the human emotions that my pen game invokes. My motto is #DemandQuality and I want my readers to value what I give them because I don’t short change or cheat them out of a dime. I give them their money’s worth. Because that’s what literary Queens do.
21) What inspires or motivates you?
I’m inspired by life itself because I know how short it is. I’m happy and I’m inspired by love. By children! By laughter! And definitely by sex!
22) What is your vision or dream?
My dream is to see young people, especially young ladies, embrace their power and strive for what they want in this world. I envision a world where my child can dare to dream and to create her own prosperity and happiness, regardless of what it is.
23) Do you have any hobbies?
Most people don’t know I’m a belly dancer. I love moving my body and I find my hips and abs very sensual. Of course my abs ain’t what they used to be, but I can still wind it up!
24) What do you believe constitutes good writing? How does one perfect their craft?
I think good writing is careful writing. You perfect it by understanding the written language, developing your skills, studying the craft, understanding the concepts of literature, and being able to lay out a plot in a rational and believable manner. In short, you write with skill, but you write from your gut.
25) If you could change one thing in this pen game, what would it be?
I’m usually not one to put restrictions on people, but the pen game has become so polluted with trash that it’s hard to sort through the garbage heaps and find good writing these days. I think books should have to be sold without a cover. So many gullible people get caught up by the pretty images that it’s almost embarrassing. I’ve been presented with books that have the hottest artwork ever on the covers. I mean, sexy chicks, urban scenery, slick fonts, bold colors, the whole nine.
And then I open them up and start reading and I can’t believe my damn eyes. A misspelling every other word, a plot that makes no damn sense, or something that has already been written thirty other times in a hundred other books. Or, characters who all sound and act alike, and no real story being told at all. Just a bunch of drawn-out scenes with nothing happening. I think we should rip all the glamorous covers off and leave just the title and the author’s name. Let the book stand on that!
26) What do you like most about writing and what do you like least?
Most? I like plotting. I have a good feel for it. I like constructing plot twists that look like pretzels. Least? Editing!
27) Do your life experiences play into what you write about in your books?
They sure do. I write about things I’ve seen, things I’ve heard, and whether good and bad, I also write about things that I’ve experienced.
28) How did your awesome book, “G-Spot” come about?
I grew up around a few girls just like Juicy and I decided I wanted to tell their stories. I started writing G-Spot after I witnessed something foul going down with a young girl who was close to me. I tried to school her, but at the time she just couldn’t hear me. So I wrote her story and let her read it. It opened her eyes and blew her mind. I’m happy to say that she’s a college graduate and an entrepreneur today.
29) What’s next? Any new projects on the horizon?
Yes! I’m working on a hot project with artist Reem Raw and I’m loving the way our ink blends and our words flow together. It’s a serial street novel called EMPIRE STATE OF MINEZ and it has one of the slickest and most elaborate plot twists that I’ve ever written. It’s part street banga and part urban love story. I can guarantee that you’ll love it.
30) Lastly, what advice can you share from your own personal experiences to a novice writer?
My advice to young writers is to figure out why you’re in the game. If you’re only in the game for the quick money, and you’re kicking out shitty book after shitty little book with real pretty covers, then enjoy it while you can because it’s not gonna last forever. You can only fool people until they get up on you. Eventually your disrespect for the craft of writing will turn readers off and they’ll stop going in their pockets to throw good money away on your bad shit.
But if you’re writing books because you love this profession and telling stories is your passion, then keep right on doing what you’re doing, even if nobody buys a single one of your books. All words motivated by passion are good words, and your voice deserves to be heard!
Thank you so much, Noire.
NOIRE is editor-in-chief of NoireMagazine.com, the Queen of Urban Erotica, the #1 Essence® bestselling author of Unzipped, Hittin’ the Bricks, G-Spot, Candy Licker, Thug-A-Licious, Baby Brother (with 50 Cent), Thong on Fire, Hood, novellas in Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless and Maneater, and the editor of a collection of urban erotic quickies, From the Streets to the Sheets. She is also the author of the first urban erotic serial novel, G-Spot 2: The Seven Deadly Sins. Visit Noire online at AskNoire.com, or follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
Eye of the Beholder by Elissa Gabrielle
Paperback: 246 pages
Publisher: Peace In The Storm Publishing
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1497518571
ISBN-13: 978-1497518575
Price: $15.00
Description
The true measure of our existence begins with the way we view the world. Jerusalem “Jay” Jones has experienced the uglier side of life. As an Iraq war Veteran, he is a hero for bravely putting his life on the line to serve his country. But that unselfish act resulted in him lying in a Veteran’s hospital with injuries he sustained from the war. His present circumstance should be a cakewalk for Jerusalem considering what he has witnessed both as a child and while in the heat of battle. The pleasantries of love, laughter and life have always seemed to elude him. From his early days as a child growing up abused and terrorized on the tough streets of Newark, to being all that he could be in the military, Jerusalem’s life has been anything but pleasant and attractive when viewed from the surface. Now, vulnerable and reclusive, he must face the world he joined the military to escape, armed with only dark secrets from his past, a bruised and burdened psyche and limits to him physically. Jill Lopes longs to fix the wounded and broken, but before she can heal the sick, she must first mend her own battle scars of unhappiness and resistance, and find a way to push past the experiences that haunt her. When fate boldly steps in and introduces itself into Jerusalem’s and Jill’s lives, they realize that the challenges we meet in life hold the power to open us to a higher, more meaningful existence. Will they both be able to view the world for what it really is under the clear truth of who they are and what they are capable of becoming together? Does beauty really lie in the eye of the beholder? Experience the power of love on this redemptive journey where the purpose of the tribulations in one’s life, will be empowered to reveal the gifts they bring.
Review
I heard great things about Eye of the Beholder. So when I received it as a complimentary copy in exchange for a review, I was excited to read it. I technically don’t read romance novels, but this one is different. There were multiple layers, and back stories. It isn’t your average or typical love story. There are deeper messages, which made me stop and think. I caught myself crying a few times throughout the book too.
Eye of the Beholder had to do with a man by the name of Jerusalem Jones who winds up in the hospital after being injured in war. God spared his life, however, his face and parts of his body were severely damaged. He was in pain physically and emotionally. He was despondent and lost all hope, in a way, he wished he had died. But, in walks Jill, the nurse assigned to his care. She sees he has given up, and is determined to change all that. She slowly nurses him back to health; not only physically, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually too. In the process, they fall in love.
The one thing that stood out for me in this story is the power of unconditional love. Jill was selfless and poured into Jerusalem. She demonstrated what love in action looks like, which is very rare to see nowadays.
Elissa Gabrielle’s writing style is rich, poetic and lyrical. All in all, it was a beautiful and touching story which I highly recommend.
Elissa Gabrielle is a powerhouse in the literary industry. The author of multiple poetry books, numerous novels and contributor to several anthologies, Elissa has proven herself to be well-versed in artistic creativity. Elissa Gabrielle has the uncanny ability to take newcomers and mold, shape them into literary superstars and has created multiple award-winning authors and best-selling books in the process. Her colloquial and imaginative creations have lead to sensual and seductive inclusions in Zane’s Purple Panties, Erogenous Zone: A Sexual Voyage, Mocha Chocolate: A Taste of Ecstasy, The Heat of the Night, Historie Chocolate D’Amour, Pillow Talk in the Heat of The Night, Zane’s Busy Bodies: Chocolate Flava 4 and more. Elissa Gabrielle is the author of several short stories including Nights over Egypt, The Other Side of Midnight, An Appetite for Destruction and Saved by Grace. In addition to these innovative achievements, Elissa has graced the covers of Conversations Magazine, Big Time Publishing Magazine, Disilgold Soul Magazine and has been featured in Urbania Magazine and Black Literature Magazine. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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