“I think writing is the best fun that anyone could ever have. Writing this review has made me reflect more on what I do and why.” – Michael Skyner
Michael Skyner, author of ‘Space Nutz,’ was kind enough to do this Q&A. He talks about the purpose of his book, moments of feeling uninspired and working through it, and why laughter is the best medicine. Born in London to a mother who was a champion swimmer and a ticket collector, and a father who was a decorator and who Skyner considers a very funny man, it’s no secret that whatever Skyner chose to pursue would be memorable.
Before becoming an author, Skyner worked in financial advertising and retrained as a psychotherapist and a Dyslexia Specialist. “I wanted to help others who have this condition because I have dyslexia,” he said. Skyner says he’s always been interested in nature and trees. He even created a wildlife sanctuary and expressed his proudest moment was having barn owls move into the sanctuary. And it seems he passed his love for nature to his children. His daughters both work in conservation: one as a zoologist and wildlife illustrator and the other daughter as an architect in sustainability.
MLR: What inspired you to become a published author?
MS: I wanted to write something which would appeal to dyslexic kids, and I had a lot of daft poems, so I put them together with some nonsense stories, and I had the support of Dyslexia Action, an organisation I’ve been working with for many years. I always wanted to write but not in long-hand form due to mild dyspraxia, which creates difficulties in writing for any length of time. Thankfully, technology has changed that.
As somebody with dyslexia, I learned to read through humour, beginning with comic books. One of the ways to reach people with specific learning difficulties is via humour. They will persevere through their reading difficulties if you can make them laugh. Whatever I write tends to have a humorous bent to it. Even my serious stuff, as I call it.
“Some children live in a world where they are scared, lonely, or are being bullied. Through reading a book, they can escape to a safe place and feel happy and be themselves, particularly if they identify with the characters. Of course, the stories aren’t just for dyslexic and reluctant readers but also for the mainstream.“
MLR: What was the inspiration behind ‘Space Nutz?’
MS: Discovering my inner child, I wanted to write something humorous for children, but not sure what. I was standing in my kitchen when an image of an emperor with haemorrhoids came into my head. Next two weeks, all these characters kept flying in and out. I spent a year creating this story which seemed to have been sent to me. I ended up with about 190,000 words, which is about five books worth. That’s how the madness, as I call it, began. The characters are vehicles for the humour, and Space Nutz is a cartoon in words.
MLR: What advice would you give aspiring authors about writing and publishing a book, and what has been some encouraging advice you’ve received from someone regarding your process?
MS: Ok, your Opus Magnus is finished. You polish the manuscript until it gleams and send it to agents/publishers or self-publish. It has involved considerable hard work and sacrifice on your behalf. But I’m afraid the hard work has only just begun. If traditionally published, there will be endless book signings, interviews, school visits, and promotions. If self-published, it will be the same, plus marketing, promotions, and a thousand and one other things. You are running a small business: paying for editors, proofreaders, copy-edits, illustrators, printing, and distribution.
Advice for authors: write a series; building readership with individual titles is more complicated. Enter competitions, and join writing groups. Be different. Find your voice. Read Anthony McGowan’s books to learn how to hook a reader. Read other authors. Never give up. Best advice from Kingsley Amis: write because you want to write; write for yourself.
MLR: Have there ever been moments where you didn’t feel inspired to write or didn’t want to finish your book? If so, what kept you motivated?
MS: Sometimes, I wonder why I put myself in what I can only describe as one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life. I have many manuscripts and unfinished symphonies. I love the writing process, the creativity, and watching characters come alive in my mind and on paper. I have yet to have had the dreaded writers’ block.
MLR: Is there anything else you are working on that you’d like to share?
MS: My latest book, ‘Spirit Wolf,’ is a dark young adult fantasy cross, which I will launch in September. It’s about the struggle to survive in the vastness of the Arctic and the conflict between wolves and man. It’s also a love story. I have also just completed a story for younger children set in Kenya about a young girl who dreams of becoming a dancer. And, with the aid of some magic slippers, a tenacious aunt, a lion, and the moon, she finally succeeds. I’m excited about both of these titles. I have also created the Daft Tales series as a platform for my funniest stories.
Skyner says many people with dyslexia tend to be sensitive souls, and that he tries to be as inclusive with his writing as he can. “We can be easily wounded and have to develop an armadillo skin. It also makes us empathic. For example, I have tried to be inclusive in my writing and not offend anyone, but with humour, you can find yourself treading a fine line.”
If you want to learn more about Michael Skyner, visit his website michaelskyner.co.uk. His books are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, YPDBooks, FeedARead, and Waterstones.
Morgan Lee Reviews thanks Michael Skyner for this interview.
A couple of days ago, I had the opportunity to read and review Best Selling author Jessica Lauryn’s novel, A Passionate Play. It’s a whodunit mystery filled with twists and turns and romance. What you have before you is a look into Jessica Lauryn’s work as an author, so without further ado, I give you Jessica Lauryn.
“I always loved books as a child, and when I was six, watching soap operas with my mother, I fell in love with romance. I kept the idea of one day writing for the soaps in the back of my mind for years. But along the way, I discovered romance novels and realized that writing a full-length novel was something I had to try for myself. When I graduated from college and was looking for my first job, I spent a lot of time asking myself what I’d do with my life if I could do anything at all. Writing kept coming into my mind, and I perused several non-fiction books regarding how to get started with a career in writing. I remember reading in one of the books that writers spend their entire lives in basements doing nothing but writing. I believe the comment was intended to discourage people, but I remember thinking that being left alone to use your imagination and write for hours on end sounded more fun than anything I could imagine!”
MLR: What advice would you have for someone interested in becoming an author?
JL:Write what you know and what you love! I would also take that statement a bit further and say that you need to fall in love with your hero with regard to writing romance. Write, write, and write some more! Be yourself, own your voice; let your imagination take you wherever it will!
And this is what Lauryn has continued to do writing both The Pinnacles of Power Series and her work in progress, The Rabourn Theater Series. “
“I am the #1 bestselling author of two Romantic Suspense Series, The Pinnacles of Power Series and The Rabourn Theater Series, a work in progress. In The Pinnacles of Power Series, amidst diamond heists and deadly secrets, five determined young men struggle against all the odds to get what—and who—they want. In The Rabourn Theater Series, as the Rabourn and Nathanson families battle for control of the world they love, five unlikely couples come together and discover a different sort of passion.
For years, Dangerous Proposal [The Pinnacles of Power Series # 2] was my favorite story for various reasons, not the least of which is that I fashioned the hero, Alec, to be like the sort of man I dreamed of meeting myself. Years later, having found my real-life hero, a man who reminds me of Alec in so many ways, I decided to expand my horizons. An Amorous Dance [The Rabourn Theater Series # 2] took me by surprise. In this second-chance romance, theater owner Hannah Rabourn battles for control of the world she loves against her greatest rival and former lover, Evan Masters. Evan wishes to have revenge for an injustice done to him long ago, and he plots to take control of Rabourn Theater by way of persuasion…and seduction. I worked with a slightly older heroine and hero than I typically have, and I was amazed by the way these two characters and their story took off as they battled in the boardroom and the bedroom! Their feistiness and determination blow my mind. As I was reading An Amorous Dance for the hundredth time during the final edit, I found myself still laughing out loud at the nervy things Evan says to Hannah throughout the story. I’m currently with my editor on book 4 in the series, An Intoxicating Interlude, and writing book 5, An Enchanting Song.”
Lauryn is determined more than ever and has worked tirelessly to see her dream come to fruition.“No matter what life throws my way, I always keep going. This year hasn’t been easy for any of us. But I try always to look at things positively and stay focused on my goals, of which I have many.” It hasn’t always been easy for her, however. She talked about some of her struggles and how she dealt with them.
“When my publisher cut their Mainstream line, it caused a major disruption for me as I was right in the middle of producing the Rabourn Theater Series. I attempted to find a new home, but few publishers are keen on publishing the final few books of a series that another publisher already has rights to. So I decided to self-publish the final three stories. There was a bit of a learning curve involved, but I found I liked having more control over the publication process, especially creative aspects like formatting and cover design. In the end, I became such a fan of what I was doing that I asked my publisher if they would reverse the rights to my previous titles. They agreed, and I’ve been working steadily to rerelease them all. Dangerous Magic [The Pinnacles of Power # 5] and An Amorous Dance [The Rabourn Theater Series #2] will release later this year!
When asked what advice she’s received either professionally or personally that’s been beneficial to her life, Lauryn stated, “Let me say that the single piece of advice that made me a strong writer was, show vs. tell. A fan of older publications, I have a natural tendency to narrate everything, and I fight this every time I write a new story. This is “telling,” essentially, whereas “showing” engages the five senses through dialogue, description, and action taking place in the here and now. It makes our stories move faster, and it brings them to life in a rich, colorful way. One of the most effective ways I’ve found for getting this accomplished is to write the story as I would instinctively (for me, this means just getting my thoughts out, and doing so by “telling”) and then adding the “showing” later on, as I edit. I do the best I can with a rough draft, but I work a lot faster by just getting my ideas down on paper. I do what works for me. But my stories definitely came to life (and I was published for the first time!) when I mastered the art of “showing.”
MLR: What or who inspires your writing style and the type of books you publish?
JL: One of my favorite things to do when I’m writing is to reform a former villain, a man or woman who’s lost their way for a time, having committed any wrong from white-collar crime to murder. I’m greatly inspired by characters and people who fit that bill, because, let’s face it, we all make mistakes, and it is incredibly uplifting to see another person bring themselves back from their lowest point—it reminds us that we all possess the same ability. It demonstrates just how powerful the phenomenon of love is, as love is always at play somehow when a villain turns his life around. And let’s face it guys when you take a former villain and place him in the role of hero you get to satisfy your dream of kissing him and even meeting them between the sheets!
Suspense inspires me (nothing too graphic or violent for my taste, I’m not one of those romantic suspense authors!), but I definitely want to see my characters in danger, perhaps several times leading up to the climax, or beyond it. Characters are often highly motivated to act on their desires when they fear their lives are in danger, and passion is what my readers and I want to see the most! That said, I’m also inspired by the amazing stories some of my closest author friends tell, and real-life scenarios and quite often, whatever crazy ideas find some other way inside the well of my imagination.
When she’s not creating best-selling books, you can find Lauryn with her husband in their newly purchased home or painting a room, or in her garden, which she joyfully admits that she loves flowers. As for what people can take away from this interview, Lauryn states, “I hope, no matter what your favorite genre is, you’ll always take the time to read for pleasure because we all deserve that no matter how busy we think we are!Books are such a wonderful part of life.”
Morgan Lee Reviews would like to thank Jessica Lauryn for this opportunity and wish her much success with her endeavors. Links to Lauryn’s social media will be available below, and as promised, here is a sneak peek of Lauryn’s newly released novel, Dangerous Ally! Enjoy!
Dangerous Ally Excerpt:
Feeling the warmth of tears in her eyes, Lilah rose from the table. She never became so emotional over nothing. What in God’s name was wrong with her?
Lucas’s strong hand came against her shoulder. She didn’t pull away. In fact, she had the strangest urge to just lean into him, like somehow, he would take away all her doubts.
“Lena’s happy in her life with her children, and with Alec Westwood. I’d never begrudge her that. All I ever wanted was her happiness.”
The way he said the words, she almost believed them. He seemed to care, or at least, maybe was trying to be a better person.
“You’re trembling.” He reached in before she could stop him. His finger brushed her quivering lip. Her instinct was to smack his hand. But the tingling sensation racing from mouth to spine kept her in place. Lucas’s touch was so soft. It made her crazy. She was consumed by the strongest desire for his lips to be where his finger was now.
He took her wine glass and held it out to her. “Here,” he said. “This’ll calm your nerves.”
Senses returning with a bang, Lilah held up two hands in protest. “Are you trying to get me drunk?” she snapped, not entirely sure whether it was him she was angrier at or herself.
“Am I that obvious?” Lucas laughed as if the whole thing was funny and set the glass back down.
She enjoyed being in the company of a monster—there was nothing lighthearted about it!
“I’m guessing you’ve probably been down this road too many times, hmm?” Lucas replaced his hand on her shoulder.
“What road would that be, exactly?”
His eyes looked into hers. “I’m sure I’m not the first man who’s tried to get you into a relaxed state, Lilah.”
“Actually—” Lilah hesitated, not wanting to get so personal yet feeling she could probably tell him anything and he’d somehow understand. “It’s been a long time, longer than you’d imagine. After I finished college, I had every intention of becoming a journalist, meaning I’d be out most of the time chasing a story despite whatever danger came with it. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, for as long as I can remember.”
Lucas nodded, coming closer. “You must have been very persistent. It takes a good deal of perseverance and sacrifice to become a success at such a young age.”
Lilah sure knew that. While her friends had been enjoying their last semester of college, she’d been frantically gathering writing samples, sending them out to every newspaper who would give her the time of day. But had her father noticed? Even when she became one of the youngest reporters at the New York Times, he’d barely raised a brow.
Deep down, she knew this was why she’d accepted Raphael’s offer, even in spite of the danger that came with it. A story about Raphael Ramone’s family laundry wasn’t going to impress Blake Benson. But exposing Lucas’s diamond smuggling operation would be a print-worthy unearthing that would win her father’s admiration as well as her first Pulitzer.
She lowered her gaze. “I haven’t given up anything so wonderful.”
Lucas lifted her chin. “But if it came to that, do you think you’d be willing to make that sacrifice, give up something you want—maybe something you want more than anything—to attain some ultimate level of self-victory?”
A chill came over her at his words. Lilah stepped back, unsure of what had just happened but wanting desperately to pretend it hadn’t.
Lucas cleared his throat. “Let’s get some air, shall we?”
Something she needed desperately. She followed him to the balcony, welcoming the cool night breeze as it caressed her hot skin.
“It’s beautiful here,” she said, hoping very much to steer the conversation in a new direction.
“It is.” Lucas came beside her, bracing the rail with one hand. He slipped an arm around her back.
His body was warm, like a furnace, and he felt strong, as if he spent his days loading lumber instead of dabbling away at a computer.
Lilah shivered, goose bumps forming along her arms. It felt so nice being close to Lucas, too nice. Maybe she’d just stay there with him a few minutes longer. They weren’t exactly hurting anyone by being in each other’s company.
Lucas leaned into her, speaking in a tone she could only describe as husky. “Those men you never met,” he said, “that was their loss.”
Lilah blinked, keeping her eyes on the night sky. “Please. A man’s the last thing I need in my life.”
“Are you sure about that?” Lucas asked, his warm breath coming against her ear. “Or is it possible you’ve been hiding behind your work for so long, you don’t even know how things could be?” His palm brushed her bare shoulder as he turned her to face him. “No one knows what it’s like to be hidden from the world more than I do, Lilah. You can trust me on this. I think we’re more alike than you realize. And it’s possible we’re both missing out on something incredible.”
She didn’t push his hand away as it cupped her cheek, or his arm as it encompassed her waist. No, she let him do what he wanted. She wanted him to touch her.
“We’re not remembered for the things we say or think we will do, we’re remembered for our actions, and the impact we make in the world.” – Marques J. Clark
Reinvention: Simple Actions for Achieving Success explores ways to achieve success in every facet of your life. Written by Marques J. Clark, Reinvention is a vivid lookbook that includes memorable quotes from CEOs and educators, as well as helpful tips and mini exercises to stimulate and engage readers. Morgan Lee Reviews went one on one with Clark discussing his reason for writing this book, what he wants African American males to obtain, and the importance of God’s presence not just with this book, but with the individuals he had the opportunity of interviewing.
Morgan Lee Reviews: Why don’t you share a little bit about yourself?
Marques J. Clark: I am an educator, writer, researcher, photographer (by hobby), husband, and father of two toddlers (Micah and Noah). I’ve been in higher education for over ten years, holding various positions within colleges and universities, and I’ve always had a passion for writing, but I wasn’t always sure I would be an author. It has now become a part of my everyday life. What else? Oh, I also love anything pesto-related. Not an addiction but close to it, haha.
MLR: What inspired Reinvention, and what has the response been since its release?
MJC: Reinventionstarted as a passion project. It was never intended to be a book, more so a list of “hacks” that I could use in life and pass to my sons as they got older. As I began making progress on my list, I wanted to share it with other people who may be interested in learning what simple actions they could incorporate in their daily life to achieve their version of success. The response to Reinvention was beyond anything that I could have expected. I released the book without any major marketing or advertising campaigns, so I wasn’t sure how it would be received and who would read it. Within two days, it was #1 on Amazon in multiple categories. I was shocked but extremely grateful.
MLR: How do you feel your book has or will impact African American males?
MJC: In the book, I discuss the concept of our inner critic – the voice in our head that causes us to doubt ourselves constantly. This is something that holds every person back in life. We all have big dreams and huge aspirations, but they get shot down by the voice in our head that tells us that we’re not good enough, or that we aren’t smart enough to achieve our goals. I wrote Reinvention to encourage people (and myself) that success can be achieved by first learning how to silence your inner critic.
In the African American community, we don’t spend a lot of time discussing topics about success, how to achieve goals, and building generational wealth. The media often shows negative images of African American men, and I saw a lot of that growing up. I wanted to write a book that changes the narrative of African American men. To do that, I called on friends, mentors, and mentees to serve as professionally dressed models in Reinvention to show the reader a different side of what is normally shown in the media.
MLR: What was the experience like for you interviewing these gentlemen for your book?
MJC: In Reinvention, I mentioned surveying and interviewing over 100 successful entrepreneurs, attorneys, real estate investors, and millionaires. The nerdy side of me approached it as a research study to find out what strategies successful people used to achieve their success.I reached out to each person via email or LinkedIn, and I asked them to share their personal strategies for success. It was very intrusive, not to mention risky because I had no prior relationship with them before reaching out. Once I decided to turn Reinvention into a book, I promised to conceal each person’s identity for publishing reasons. Otherwise, it would have taken me a lot longer to gain permission to use each person’s name, and Reinvention might not have come out.
MLR: What advice do you have for African American males dealing with unfortunate circumstances and might be looking for an uplifting message?
MJC: Don’t let your mind trick you into believing that you can’t accomplish a certain goal you have.The key to overcoming those difficult situations is to expect that they will happen, and when they do, know that you are always in control of your actions. Respond to situations instead of reacting to them, and look for the lesson in every obstacle you experience. By doing this, you will become a stronger person, and you will learn to overcome difficult situations with ease.
MLR: What is some advice that’s been instrumental in your career?
MJC: Some of the best advice I’ve received is to be open to making mistakes and expect failure to happen. We often set expectations of how we think our life should be and what we want to accomplish. When those things don’t happen in the time we want it to, we get upset and get discouraged. Sometimes it causes us to give up on our dreams. One thing that has always stuck with me is that failure comes before success. I’ve made so many mistakes and am still making mistakes, but I embrace them, and I look forward to the opportunity to try again. That is something we all must remember to stay encouraged daily.
When asked what he has coming up, Clark says that he’s working on more books, and that a sequel to Reinvention is due out next year. He’s also launched a blog called ThinkAmazing, which he says, continues the conversations about your inner critic, achieving personal success, and overcoming various personal struggles and obstacles. “I strive to solve the problems of the people around me. We’re all here on earth for a reason, and that is to make the world a better place by helping each other. I consider it an honor to be able to serve other people and provide assistance in any way I can.”
He continued, “I want to encourage people to step outside of their comfort zone. Take a chance on yourself. We’re not remembered for the things we say or think we will do, we’re remembered for our actions, and the impact we make in the world.”
Clark says as he was wrapping up Reinvention and looking at each person’s advice that they provided, he was mind – blown. “I noticed that there were similarities in every answer. It was like the successful people I had interviewed were reading from the same book. At the time of working on Reinvention, I happened to be getting deeper into my faith and realized that all of the simple actions in the book had similarities referenced in the Bible. I was mind-blown. Many of us spend years trying to figure out what we can do to become successful when the answers are in the most popular book of all time. That completely changed my perspective on life.”
Morgan Lee Reviews would like to thank Marques J. Clark for this interview. Reinvention: Simple Actions forAchieving Success is available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold and be sure to check out his blog, ThinkAmazing!
Morgan Lee Reviews 