Hi Ananda!  Welcome to All the Buzz!  It is a pleasure to feature you.

First, tell me about your debut novel, Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One.

Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One tells the story of Karma Francois, a thirtysomething California-born BoHo BAP (Bohemian Black American Princess) with Louisiana roots and urban debutante flair.  The novel begins with Karma’s life in an uproar. Her relationships and the museum curator career that she struggled to form in New York City have crumbled, leaving no viable options to rebuild. Relocating to Washington, DC, Karma struggles with denial, depression, and debt. A lack of full-time employment opportunities forces her to craft a gypsy existence as a Jill of Many Trades: yoga teacher, art consultant, and freelance curator at Howard University Gallery of Art. Unable and unwilling to appreciate these jobs as gifts, she wallows in a pool of lost identity-and doesn’t see a way to keep from drowning. When she looks in the mirror, Karma sees a woman whose choices have dishonored her true character. Now, for the first time in her life, Karma must learn to see herself for who she really is.  

How did you come up with the storyline?

Spirit blessed me with the storyline.  Some of it is based on my life. 

How many stories are in this series, and when will the additional installments be released?

Right now there are three more books in the series that I am working on.  Book 2 will be released in December 2009. Book 3 will be published in December 2010. Book 4 will be published in 2011.  I am open to more books. We will see how Spirit moves me.   

What has been the response so far to your debut novel?

The novel has been positively received by readers.  Their feedback inspired me to create two social media projects, BAP Living social networking site and BAP Living Radio for readers who share life experiences similar to my novel’s main character Karma Francois, a BoHo BAP.  BAP Living is an online community for women of African descent who self-identify as Black American Princesses (BAPs) and educated Black women (EBW).  BAP Living Radio is a monthly Talkshoe.com radio show that airs on the first Sunday of each month.  It features programs about self-care, spirituality, health, finances, beauty, fashion, art, music, culture, films, travel, books, education, community service, careers, fitness, gender, race, food, entrepreneurialism, and so much more.

What message do you hope that readers take away from the reading of this novel?

 It is hard to say what readers will take from the book.  My prayer is that they get whatever they need from the book.   

How long have you been writing?

 I have been writing since I was 10 or 11. 

How much of your day is spent writing?

I write on a weekly basis.  I am not sure how much time I spend on writing, but I do blog several times a week. Right now I am working on my poetic memoir. So I am writing a lot more than usual. 

Who are some of your favorite authors, and how do they influence your writing?

Alice Walker, bell hooks, Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin, and so many more. I love the way Alice, Lorraine, and James tell stories.  Their characters come to life.  bell hooks’ commitment to writing about the healing power of love inspires me. I hope my work reflects my commitment to share how powerful it is for folks to love and heal themselves.

What are some of the highs and lows you’ve experienced in this journey to becoming a published writer?

The highs have been the moments when I meet readers online and offline.  These connections really touch my heart and remind me that my book is really a gift from Spirit. 

The lows have been not realizing how much time and energy it takes to birth a book. This past year has been filled with many life lessons on how to surrender my ego, take better care of myself, manage my time so that I have more balance, expectations of others, use more discernment on allowing people into my space, establish healthy boundaries, use my meditation/yoga/Reik practices to better support my creative process, speak my truth, remain open to the unexpected, ask for support, and say no to opportunities that are not in alignment with my current goals.

What is one piece of advice you would give to others who may be considering embarking on a literary career?

I have three pieces of advice. 

a. Learn how to surrender your ego. Surrender has and continues to be my greatest lesson and blessing in the creative process.  It allows me to step outside of myself and rely on a power greater than myself to navigate the creative birthing process and book publishing/marketing adventures. 

b. Assemble a team of support. You need folks to inspire and encourage you.  You need their prayers and positive energy.  You also need folks who can listen to you as you move through your creative process.  You need a team of folks to read your work, provide constructive criticism, and edit your writing.  It has been essential for me to use the support of legal counsel, a financial advisor, and life coach to help me create a strong emotional, business, and financial foundation for my books, services, and products.  I am blessed that my team of support consists of my family, friends, legal counsel, book editor, financial advisor, and life coach.

c. Utilize the Internet (web sites) and social media (i.e. blogs, YouTube videos, podcasts, Internet radio shows, video podcasts, Yahoo groups, Twitter, Flckr, Myspace, Facebook, other Ning.com social networking sites that represent your audience (i.e. Blck Author Showcase is a great one for authors) as your strongest marketing tools.  Most of the social media tools are free.  You can create your own author web sites by using sites like Register.com for $19.95 per month.     

Please tell readers how they can find out more about you & your books.  Thank you again for allowing me to spotlight you on All the Buzz!  I wish you much success in all your endeavors.

Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One is available for $20.95 on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Target.com, Borders.com, and Booksamillion.com

Readers can visit my novel’s official web site at www.lovestroubadours.com. They can also watch Love’s Troubadours’ YouTube videos – www.youtube.com/kiamshaleeke. 

There is a Myspace: www.myspace.com/lovestroubadours. 

I also invite everyone to check out the BAP Living social networking site (http://baplivingforbapsandebw.ning.com) and BAP Living Radio (www.talkshoe.com/tc/18598).  These social media projects were created in response to positive feedback from Love’s Troubadours readers who share life experiences similar to my novel’s main character Karma Francois, a BoHo BAP.