Interview with Helen Bradley Hall
Hello Everyone!
We are delighted to have author Helen Bradley Hall amongst us today at Musikdiv India Online Magazine at our Special ‘Authors Festival’ interview series to tell us about her book Chocolate Mama !
Please read on …
Young, beautiful, and intelligent, Liza Dozier had a promising future ahead of her. Popular in and out of school, she seemed happy. Liza carried a dark secret that would rip her family apart. Things went well, for a while, but as she grew older, the past came back to haunt her. Liza, the eldest out of seven children, knew she had a decision to make. She wasn’t sure if her decision would cost her everything, even her soul. Berlin Hamgorium, had a darker secret that would rip his family and the world apart. He knew his secret would be safe forever, or would it?
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So Helen, we’ll start your Interview with the very first question
1.Please introduce and tell the readers something about yourself.
My name is Helen Bradley Hall. I am currently a senior in college, with 9 weeks before graduation, my major is forensic science, currently I hold an associates degree in criminal justice.
2.What brought you to writing?
Writing has been a passion of mine since childhood.
3.How long have you been writing?
I started writing the year of 1993, it has been a total of 19 years I have been writing.
4.Which was your first literary project? Tell us something about it.
My first literary project was a poetry book titled ‘The World of Poetry for Every Parents Bedroom.’ One of the poems in that book titled ‘Remember When’ won an Editor’s Choice Award.” It was a Christian based poetry book to help parents better understand their teens and life pressure, it also helped parents to communicate with their teens without it leading to a big blow up.
5.Is this your new/latest project?
‘Chocolate Mama’ is now my current book on the market I have two other books published which are no longer on the market the first book published was discussed in the #4 and ‘Chocolate Mama’ is my fourth book published, ‘The Battle Within’ was my third. The book titled ‘Baby Robber’s’ is my newest project, it will be available in February, 2012.
6.Traditional books or e-books? How do you prefer to see your works published? Have you tried ever publishing the traditional way?
I own a small independent publishing company, I publish all my work through my publishing house, so I don’t worry with the traditional aspect of the book publishing, but the E books is another avenue to get your books out to readers. If I did not own my publishing company I would prefer E books over traditional, someone buying the rights to my manuscript isn’t what I want to happen with my writings.
7.Can you give a chapter sample preview of your book here for our readers to know more about it.
Chapter 5 out of ‘Chocolate Mama’ can be viewed on http://www.bookdaily.com click on sample chapter. Enjoy!
( Please look at the bottom of the interview for book excerpts )
8.What are your hobbies? Things that you enjoy doing besides books of course.
My hobbies are watching movies, reading Christian books, I also like to do puzzles and frame them once completed, and sewing.
9.Who is your favourite author?
My favorite author is Mary Higgins Clark, her mystery novels are the best in my book.
10.What is your favourite genre to read and also to write?
My favorite genre to read is mystery, my favorite to write are true stories and mystery novels.
11.Do you have a role model that you get inspiration from?
The role model that inspires me is Mary Higgins Clark she is an exceptional and excellent author.
12.Where do get your ideas from? Do you take your story ideas from real life situations?
My writing ideas in the fiction category comes from my imagination, I have always had a creative mind, the true story categories that are coming soon are based on past and present life experiences.
13. Do you have a pseudonym?
I do not write under a pseudonym, I write under my given name because that lets the audiences know you are a real person and it makes the book personal in my opinion.
14.What’s your experience been like in the publishing industry? Positive or negative? Please share your experience with our readers.
The experiences I have had in the publishing industry have been positive, I feel that has been the case because I never chose to use a publisher to put my work out and trust them to pay my royalties, if a publisher can do it so can you as a writer you just need to know the industry.
15. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
In ten years I see myself more success than I am now, there is only room to grow and not fail, I have been publishing my books since 2003, that is 9 years and I think I have done well for myself.
16. What motivates you to write?
The passion to write motivates me to write, if I never made a dollar off my writings I am ok with that just sharing my work with others to learn from is payment for me, yes, I hope to make money but that is not why I write.
17. How important is good cover art for your books?
The book – cover is an important aspect when publishing a book, and yes, I do give importance to my book – cover art, but that is not the most important aspect, you can have a book with a beautiful cover and the story is no good.
18. Do you have a price strategy for your books?
The price strategy I have is to keep up with economic times, if times are hard and money isn’t flowing I price books reasonably to where I can still make a profit, I take into account the size of the book meaning the page numbers also.
19.How does it make you feel when you read a bestselling book that you don’t feel is as good as yours?
I do not feel anything when I read a book that made the bestsellers list that is not as good as mine, because I know I will get there someday, in all honesty I am happy someone made it even if it isn’t myself, because they worked hard to get where they are.
20.Why do you think readers should buy your book? What can you offer them through your book?
Readers should purchase my book because it is a story of hope, it also show how people with money have the same life issues as normal middle class or poor folks, the only difference is they live in a better environment as far as their neighborhoods. The book also is an excellent mystery and fast paced read. I have been told by readers personally they could not put the book down.
21.Where is your book available? Any Buy Link for our readers?
The book is located everywhere a list of sites are below
Amazon >> http://www.amazon.com/dp/0965814092
( U.K. Canada, U.S., Italy, Spain, and Japan )
Also available on >> http://www.barnesandnoble.com , http://www.bookfinder4u.com
http://www.booksamillion.com , http://www.bookdaily.com , http://www.abebooks.com ,
http://www.powellbooks.com
22.Do you have a website or a blog that you’d like to share here.
My website is >> www.bradleyspublishingcompany.webs.com
23. What advice would you give to other writers?
My advice to other authors is don’t give up keep writing.
24.Anything else you’d like to share with our readers
Look for my upcoming titles all based on a true story
Sexy Red, Bradley vs. The State of Michigan, Baby robbers, They Say She Broke the Rule, and more
Thanks again from Team MusikDIV
Book Exerpts – Sample Chapter
Chocolate Mama By Helen Bradley Hall
CHAPTER FIVE The payback
Twenty five years had passed. Liza was now fifty years old. All of her daughters were married with two children apiece and had successful careers. Berlin and Liza were still married, but their relationship was different. Liza was still an attractive, flawless appearing woman. Berlin paid no attention to her and hadn‟t done so in the past eleven years. Liza, tired of his ignoring her, sought relations elsewhere. The men she was seeing were glad to be in a relationship with her, but they were all married men. Liza‟s daughters were concerned about their parents‟ marriage because they saw the change. But they left it up to them to repair it; they didn‟t want to intervene. Years of the same behavior had gone on between Liza and Berlin. Berlin knew Liza was cheating, but he didn‟t care because he was also having an affair, for the past eleven years. Liza also knew Berlin was cheating, but she didn‟t know with whom. Berlin began to stay nights away from home, and Liza began to have her rendezvous at home. The men
page 78
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she was seeing would visit her just before their wives were going to work. Merck and Bronze were her two favorite affairs. She was in love with those two. She was also seeing Michael, John, and Philip. Liza was on the wild. Her husband‟s rejection did a job on her mind. She had begun to think she was unattractive. Having all those men made her think differently, and Liza was still a knockout at her age. They went on with their adulterous ways for years before things began to unravel. Liza was concerned about a woman Berlin was so enamored by. She began to follow Berlin the nights she knew he was staying out with her. She never saw him with a woman. Puzzled by her findings, she evaluated what was before her. She thought, maybe it was always Jean and Berlin she saw together, and they were designing something without her. That made her angry even more so. They agreed to never do that. Their designs would be between themselves and their company. She wanted to confront him, but didn‟t know how to approach him about it. She paced the floor waiting for him to return home. He did, three hours later. Liza called him from the library. Walking into the library with a smile on his face, he spoke, “Hello, Liza dear.”
Page 79
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He kissed her on the cheek. Returning the kiss, she said. “Hello dear. I asked you here because something isn‟t right. You‟ve been different. I think it‟s because you and Jean are designing behind my back and not giving me my share.” Berlin laughed, “Darling, is that what you think? No, that isn‟t true. I would never do you that way, Liza. We have been business partners for too long for that.” Liza, laughing, with her head held down, spoke, “Excuse me, that was utter foolishness, I apologize.” “You‟re forgiven.” Berlin leaned toward Liza and kissed her on the lips ever so gently. Liza melted like a Popsicle on a hot summer day. Closing the library door, Berlin took Liza right then and there. They stripped each other‟s clothes off and made hot passionate love for hours. Liza was in heaven; however, she knew he was cheating, but with whom? After they finished, they showered and ate dinner. Berlin left the house at twelve midnight. He told Liza he had a fashion show to go to with Jean. When he left, Liza poured herself a glass of wine and sat there thinking about her mother, Estrada. Estrada had been in prison for twenty years now for killing Liza‟s father and grandfather for what they did to her. It all happened on a hot summer day, twenty years ago.
Buy Chocolate Mama by Helen Bradley Hall On Amazon Kindle >> http://www.amazon.com/dp/0965814092
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