Welcome to what will be called Lacresha's Motivational Moment. This will be geared toward writers and authors, unpublished and published, or freelancers.

Lacresha has been such a huge inspiration in the lives of so many that I thought it'd be nice to give her one more place to spread her wisdom and wiles.

LMM will post every Monday until which time we discontinue it. She's a very busy woman and I don't suspect we'll be able to hold her here long but let's enjoy her while she's here with us sharing her knowledge. Please leave comments, if nothing but amen or I agree. Thank you.

Great Friend and Writing Diva, Chrishawn Simpson

I had the pleasure of meeting Chrishawn Simpson on Facebook a few months ago through an exclusive group we both participate in. From the day I met her until now, I haven't ceased to be amazed by her brilliance.

Chrishawn is the owner of several online businesses, an author, web designer and life coach. She is the visionary behind the Transform Your Path program, which coincidentally is the name of her latest book release.

I don't have words to really sum up this mother, friend, prayer warrior, and all-around sweetheart but to say she is truly living up to her name, Darling Diva. If you want more information on Chrishawn, please visit her website at www.transformyourpath.com

President Obama and His $4 Million in Royalties

I was not surprised to learn that President Barack Obama's book sales had increased once becoming president. But, I was shocked to learn that they increased to the tune of $4 million in royalties last year alone. WOW! Congratulations, Mr. President!

Authors, it is still possible to become a millionaire without writing 100 books.

Interview with Lacresha Hayes, Multiple Genre Author

Today, I am pleased to have Lacresha Hayes here with me on my blog. I've interviewed her before, but this is definitely my favorite interview to date. I look forward to your comments.



Me: Lacresha, we're happy to have you back over. Anything new with your writing career?



L.H: Thanks for featuring me, Kim. Actually, a lot has changed since I was here last. I just recently released my first exclusive Amazon Kindle ebook, TANGLED: LOVE CAN BE FOUND IN STRANGE PLACES. I have been writing more fiction recently with real life issues handled in various ways. I still try to make sure God gets the glory in the end.



Me: How has getting into fiction changed your writing?



L.H: With fiction, you can expand upon your own life experiences and those of the people around you and build a whole plot that readers can relate to. It's more about imagination, but the difficulty is in keeping it centered when you're Christian. In real life, people cuss, have pre-marital sex, fight, argue, etc. You have to have that in your book, but it has to be done in a way that doesn't offend your Christian audience. It's growing me up in my writing.



Me: What was your first work of fiction?



L.H: RAW REDEMPTION was my first official work of fiction. I'm extremely pleased with it. I didn't know how well it'd turn out, but I didn't venture far from home. The book is about a sexually abused woman who runs as far and as fast as she can, but then is forced to return home to her secrets. I've gotten a lot of great reviews for the book and that has encouraged me to do more with my fictional writing.



Me: Does your writing ever conflict with your own values as a Christian? As a mother? As a wife?



L.H: Sure it does. Sometimes, my characters make decisions I would not have made personally. Other times, there's so much of me in the character that those around me instantly can relate the character to me. There are times when I write about things that are difficult to read about/hear about. I believe any writer is going to come to a place where they feel conflicted if they are truly trying to make a difference with their writing.



Me: Finally, what advice do you have for others who write fiction and nonfiction, Christian or otherwise?



L.H: The first piece of advice is to make sure whatever you are writing is something you want to write. It's hard to write when you don't want to do it. The second piece of advice is to write what you know well or don't mind researching. You want your books to be sound in information. Lastly, I'd tell authors to make sure they spend time on their craft. Spend a lot of time reading other authors in your genre. Read books on writing. Re-read your own works, particularly as you write and publish more works. Encourage yourself by seeing how much you are growing from article to article, book to book.



Me: I enjoyed this interview, honey. I love nearly everything you write. Please give us book titles, purchasing information and contact info.



L.H: Thanks for doing this for me, Kim. Here are my book titles and their Amazon links.



~THE RAPE OF INNOCENCE, about surviving abuse and other personal tragedies in life. My bestseller. Get it at http://tinyurl.com/ygbd9xp or visit the blog at http://therapeofinnocence.blogspot.com
~TRUTH AND INTIMACY: A COUPLE'S JOURNAL, about building a solid marriage and rebuilding it when it begins to crumble. Get it at http://tinyurl.com/y5eucnq or visit the blog at http://truthandintimacy.blogspot.com
~BECOMING: MY PERSONAL MEMOIRS, a book of poetry and reflection about surviving and thriving in the midst of troubles.
~POETIC INFINITY, a book of poetry on the woes of life today.
~RAW REDEMPTION, the fictional story of Cheyenne that deals with abuse, denial, anger and eventual resolution.
~TANGLED, the fictional story of Shannon that deals with ideas of success and failure, divorce and Christianity, and learning to be happy again.



My website is www.lacreshahayes.com and my most popular blog is P3, http://learntofeelpretty.blogspot.com. I can be reached via email at lacresha.hayes@gmail.com.

Writers Versus Authors

There's this school of thought that writers are those who write, whether published or not. Authors are those who have signed contracts with publishers to produce a book.

Within the category of writers, you have freelancers and staffers. In fact, there are so many kinds of writers and authors that we can get lost in definition. To me, the qualifications for writers and/or authors are not so strict. If you have a book, self-published or traditionally published, you are an author. If you write regularly, whether it be blogging, articles, research pieces, etc, then you are a writer.

Just My One Voice and One Opinion

As a reader, I'm just one person with one voice concerning books, blogs, authors and their influence in the world. I believe in being honest, though, and I must say that even though last year saw us top and surpass one million books published, I am highly disappointed in quality.

Where are the originals? When one thing sells well, everyone else writes their interpretation of it as if we readers are only topic prone. Well, we're not. We want variety, originality, and heart. For me, I want authors who are not afraid to be different, to be bold, to make a statement and help change the mindsets of others.

Making Use of Facebook

I've never seen more authors than those who lurk around Facebook daily. But it doesn't help them to be there if they are not making full use of everything Facebook has to offer. For me, the reader, I have a wealth of info at my fingertips now because of FB. I can pop over to any author's page or profile and see what they are writing and take a peak at what others are saying about it before I buy.

I recently met a great group of women and one comes to mind, Nichole Gibbons Osborn. She's a writer, blogger and soon-to-be author. I also had the pleasure to befriend Janet Chester Bly, an awesome writer, and to become closer to Joyce Sterling Scarbrough. Other great writers I've met there are Lee Ann Ward, Linda Kozar, Julie Malone, and Tricia Goyer.

I'm making good use of Facebook, getting close to the authors I read everyday, and posting to further the kingdom of God. What could be better?

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's day from the Jamisons to you. Celebrate by purchasing a couple's book and working through it together. Have a romantic evening.

What is Your Responsibility as an Author?

As an author, what is your great responsibility? Some say to provide entertainment. If that is the case, you are missing the biggest picture. You are missing the point of the power of the wielding the pen.

As a pen-wielder, your biggest responsibility should be social reform, education and then entertainment. A true author can master them all flawlessly. Those are the ones I love to read. I want a book that can make me cry, make me angry, make me smile and call me to action. Maybe I'm alone in this regard.

Joyce Scarbrough has a New Release - "SYMMETRY"

I'm proud to announce that Joyce Scarbrough, the Belle in Blue, finally has released her third novel, entitle SYMMETRY. And you don't want to miss it.

Check it out on Amazon and then visit the Belle in Blue on Facebook. She's a truly amazing author.

Children Are Authors Too

What is an author? Someone who creates with words.

Who is more creative with words than children? Encourage your child to write and be creative with their words. You never know, there may be a prodigy awaiting your encouragement. If they are artistic, support them with classes. Have you even fathomed what a good artist brings in today? Children can be authors and artists too!

Bookstores in Jeopardy

I am so much like the movie, You've Got Mail. I love books. More importantly, I love bookstores. I remember going to various ones every weekend as a child. It was a family outing for us. I got a new book every weekend. We'd spend hours browsing through books because my mom so desired to be an author. Bookstores became a huge part of my life.

Now with online giants like Amazon selling books at deep discounts, the chains are even suffering, let alone the small independents that has all the history and knowledge. I encourage you to stop by your bookstore today and support them with a purchase of at least $20, even if you are sacrificing your Starbuck's money.

Thoughts on Amazon's Kindle Reader

There are varying thoughts on Amazon's Kindle reader.

I personally love it. It's as easy on the eyes as a regular book versus the harshness of most backlit electronic devices. If you have the extra hundreds lying around, then invest in one, particularly if you are a veracious reader like I am.

When You Write

When you write as an author, think about who will read it. Think about what it says to them today and what it will say to them in the future. Think about whether it is something you'd want your child to read or live by. You have the power, the power of the pen. Wield it wisely.

What's Happening to BOOKS?

When I was growing up, my parents made me read. I had to bring my work home from school and complete every bit of it. When it came to those dull stories in those thick literature books, I hated to do them. Even so, mom made me read them until they spoke to me through my prejudice. I wanted something exciting and fun, not dull and lifeless as I assumed most of these stories were.

Now, I see children who tell me they've never completed even one book. Children now go online and get cliff notes, etc to complete their literature assignments. They'd rather do iPods and iPhones, but not books. It's a tragedy if we allow this to happen.

Books must survive this digital age, else will we lose a major part of our history and culture. Whether print or digital books, our children should be made to read. Reading expands the imagination, broadens horizons and can shape and mold good character. Don't allow books to die. Even if you don't care to read, make book purchases a part of your monthly budget and reading a part of your weekly schedule. Do it for the sake of a culture that is trying to sweep our children into a whirlwind of lifeless living.

Lacresha Hayes and her book, Raw Redemption

I'm very happy to announce my interview with Lacresha Hayes, a publishing, pastoring, grantwriting, parenting, social reform maven. This woman is so anointed and special. I enjoy any chance I get to be a blessing to her. I think you'll find this interview to be a very special one.

Me: Hi, Lacresha. I'm glad you brought your tour to my blog. Give us an overview of your book.

L.H: Thanks, Kim. Raw Redemption is my first work of Christian fiction and it deals with issues of family secrets, incest and abuse, insecurities, fears and eventual healing and happiness. It deals with the issues of the heart. Since it has been on the market, several people have mentioned that I should do a Johansson family saga of books.

Me: In the book, Cheyenne has to overcoming losing both parents. She is molested by a wealthy but psychotic uncle. She goes through a bad marriage. She ends up pregnant. Are those the major themes of the book?

L.H: No. Actually, those are more like the issues she has to overcome. The primary theme is healing. I chose the death of the parents and molestation by an uncle as trials because those are some of the worst imaginable situations. Cheyenne beat them in the end, which is to signify that people can overcome any challenge with faith. Divorce is common place, and so is accidental pregnancies. I wanted her to be a real person and thus these trials made her someone anyone could relate to.

Me: This book has some highly sensationalized parts. What was the purpose in that?

L.H: When I read, I read for knowledge or entertainment. I knew I needed some pieces that were not as common and not as likely to happen to most people. Therefore, I used her inheritance and the family's secrets to make the book more entertaining without losing it's believable factor. Who doesn't want to dream? That's why I used what I used.

Me: Who do you think will enjoy this book most?

L.H: Young women, definitely, though there is much in there to attract men too. It's not for children.

Me: Do you have any other writing in the works?

L.H: Definitely! I have finished The Snare of a Strange Woman and Black Dakota is being edited. Snare is about the perils of sexual infidelity and is mostly aimed at ministers and leaders. Black Dakota is another work of fiction and is a Christian thriller. I look forward to both of these books hitting shelves before Christmas. I'm also writing and editing my entrepreneur series of books. I'm not sure any of them will see the market this year, though. I'll have to keep you all posted.

Me: Can you give us further contact info and purchasing information?

L.H: For those who want more info about me, please visit my website at www.lacreshahayes.com or email me at lacresha@lacreshahayes.com

You may purchase discounted copies of my books on my Truth and Intimacy blog in the right sidebar from the pull down list. I'm in the process of adding buy links on my website. You can also order via Amazon or BN, Powell's and anywhere else books are sold.

Raw Redemption Book Tour is Here Tomorrow

Lacresha Hayes, an author full of surprises, is on tour with her latest book, Raw Redemption. Come back tomorrow for a wonderful interview and glance into this superwoman's future books.

Amazon versus Barnes and Noble

Okay, so we all know that those are the powerhouses of online book sales. Seems BN is trying to compete with Amazon, but there's no stopping the super power. Amazon has a hand in publishing, distribution, printing, and secondary sales sources. There's books, downloads and movies. There's jewelry, electronics, and much more.

I've honestly began buying most of my books through Powell's and Diesel for my ebooks. However, I find myself on Amazon's website daily while BN is rarely ever a stop for me. How about you? Which do you prefer?

Releasing Your Inner Story

Most people have an imagination. Most of us can sit down and tell a story. Writing a story is not as easy, but with modern technology, even the worst writers can find themselves in print with a bestseller. With the popularity of ghostwriters increasing, many people are getting to see their names on the cover of a professionally published book.

Over the past two weeks, I've been outlining and brainstorming. I want to begin writing short stories to feature right here on my blog. I will keep everyone updated as I work on releasing my inner story. In the mean while, maybe you should consider what muse lives inside of you.

Tribute to Michelle Sutton

Just yesterday, I finally received my Michelle Sutton book, It's Not About Me. I ordered her book after she came highly recommended by several members of our book club. While I haven't finished it yet, I'm very pleased to say I have researched her and am very impressed with what I see.

Christian fiction is a booming genre, but often not appreciated as much as it should be. It can be just as effective at lessons and is often more effective at witnessing. Michelle's fiction has been talked about all over Goodreads and LibraryThing, as well as several Ning groups. If you haven't read her work, I suggest you grab up a copy and start reading.