Welcome to the first annual Black History Month Hop hosted by Reflections of a Bookaholic and Mocha Girls Read a month long blogging event which focuses on giving black authors, books, and those who support them a month in the spotlight.
For the third week of the hop we have a few things planned for you. What’s a hop you ask? At the bottom of each post you will find a list of other sites participating in the hop. This way you can easily hop from one blog to another.
Weekly Topics for the Black History Month Hop
1st – 7th Black History Month Giveaway Hop
2nd – 4th Around Town
5th – 11th The Business of Black Books
12th – 18th Black Love
19th – 25th Black Books
26th – 29th The Best of…
We have a lot of giveaways going on right now from great Black authors. All winners will be announced on 2/29/2012.
Alice Walker’s “The Chicken Chronicles” (Ends 2/16)
John Garrett’s “How to Deal Wit Stupid Clowns” comic e-book (Ends 2/17)
Shelia Goss’s e-book “The Bad Twin” (Ends 2/18)
Anna Black’s “Who Do I Run To?” (Ends 2/19)
Terri D’s “Yesterday Lies” (Ends 2/20)
Beverly Jenkins’s Book (2 winners) (Ends 2/21)
Delaney Diamond’s “The Temptation of a Good Man” (Ends 2/20)
This is the week of LOVE♥♥! Black Love! (and all the craziness that encircles it) This week we will be featuring black romance novels and the authors that write them.
Welcome Author Reena Jacobs
Reena Jacobs is just your typical writer who loves to see her words in print. As an avid reader, she’s known to hoard books and begs her husband regularly for “just one more purchase.” Her home life is filled with days chasing her preschooler and nights harassing her husband. Between it all, she squeezes in time for writing and growling at the dog.
MGR: Thank you Reene for stopping by Mocha Girls Read and for doing this interview with us. Can you tell us about your book “Regina’ Story“?
RJ: Regina’s Story is the second book in the Control Freak series. The series features an interracial married couple (bwwm) who deals with everyday relationship issues. Add whipped cream and erotica on top for the perfect bedtime dessert.
MGR: SAY WHAT? WOW!! What was the inspiration for this book?
RJ: Mostly reviews from Brandon’s Story. A few people felt his story was unresolved. The couple worked out one issue, but not the other. Brandon also didn’t put Regina in the best light, and I wanted to give her the opportunity to redeem herself.
MGR: By any chance, are there things in this book from your life?
Regina and I are similar in a lot of ways. She’s a writer and so am I. 🙂 Our family structure is the same. Okay. Let’s be honest. She’s very much modeled after me but without the sexual inhibitions.
MGR: Reena, what are you working on now? Can we get a sneak peak?
RJ: Lately I’ve been dragging my feet in the writing department. After December 24, I entered some kind of time warp. I released a psychological thriller (Injustice is Served), then everything is a bit of a blur. I think I wrote a very rough draft of She’s Mine, the third book in the Control Freak series, while in the time warp. Now that I’ve stumbled my way out, I’ll have to see about polishing it up. We’re back in Brandon’s point of view again, and Regina’s up to her mischief again. This time around she wants to introduce a third party into the relationship.
MGR: So I am curious, how did your family react to your title of published author?
The feedback I receive is rather mixed and changes from day to day. Sometimes my family is very supportive of my writing, at least verbally. “That’s nice, Reena. Whatever you want, Reena. I just want you to be happy.” Other times, I get the impression they just want me to get over the writing bug… move on. That’s when I receive the same lines above, but with the monotone voices. 🙂
MGR: What are you reading now?
RJ: “Replication: The Jason Experiment” by Jill Williamson. I just started reading it, but I’m really digging it so far. All I can tell you right now is it’s about clones, and the clones don’t realize there’s an entire world outside their clone farm.
MGR: Finish this sentence…”If I had to do this all over again, I would…”
RJ: Advertise less and write more. Worry less about querying agents and write more. Spend less time on social media sites like Twitter and write more. 🙂 See a trend?
MGR: Reene, do you have any advice to black indie authors?
RJ: My advice to black indie authors would be the same advice to authors in general. Write. With any skill, practicing goes a long way. Spend some time critiquing the work of others. It’ll help you determine your likes and dislikes. Plus, you’ll pick up nifty tips just by observing the style of others. Read. It’ll provide opportunities to learn what works and what doesn’t work.
MGR: You know it’s February and that means Black History Month in the US. What does Black History Month mean to you?
RJ: Even though it’s called Black History Month, for me it’s a time to recognize different cultures in the United States, not just African Americans. Our country is so diverse, yet there’s a trend to push everyone to conform to one standard. We’re not drone ants. We’re a group of individuals with unique backgrounds and experiences. Those differences add color and flavor to our world, and that’s definitely something to celebrate.
MGR: Thank you so much for Reene.
RJ: Thank you for sharing your readers with me, Alysia.
Authors Links
www.reenajacobs.com
www.reenajacobs.com/blog
http://twitter.com/ReenaJacobs
Giveaway!
Reene is giving away two e-books to two winners. One person will win a copy of “Regina’s Story” and other person will win a copy of “Brandon’s Story“. The winner MUST be 18 years old or older. This giveaway is open to international winners and will end on 2/24/2012 at midnight PST.
Check out the other blogs and the books on “Black Love” they are talking about. Bloggers add your link to the linky as well. One lucky blogger will win a great prize for joining this week.
Mocha Girls Read 