1 post from August 2009

Meet Author Monique Mensah
Monique D. Mensah is a native Detroiter. She declared her dream of becoming an author at eight years old. After earning a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan, she completed her first manuscript. Shortly after, she launched Kisa Publishing, and published her first novel, Who Is He To You.  Monique now resides in Southfield, MI where she is raising her daughter and working on her second novel.

Readers will be intrigued by the intelligent exploration of sensitive issues such as cutting, emotional abuse, depression, and drug-addiction.The first page which is filled with intense emotion and a descriptive setting that pulls the reader right into the scene.
 

 Who Is He To You
by Monique D. Mensah
Kisa Publishing

When love involves incest, self-mutilation, drug-addiction, and murder, will Simone, Jessica and Ryan fight to hold on or will they escape before it's too late?

Simone, a shockingly beautiful teen, is on the downward spiral of destruction as she battles incest and self-hatred. She finds cutting to be the only way to relieve her pain. She must do something to regain control of her life and restore her family back to normalcy. But Simone may be too late as unexpected events threaten to throw her dream of contentment far out of reach.

Jessica lives the upscale lifestyle of a refined society matron. She strives to be the perfect wife, but without her husband, Ross, she would be nothing more than the abused stripper he rescued 16 years ago. When their marriage is threatened and it forces her to face her past, Jessica vows to do whatever it takes to protect what she has rightfully earned, even if it means murder.

Ryan, a fiery thirty-something, is quickly slipping into depression and prescription drug addiction. As her boyfriend, Anthony, artfully dangles the empty promise of marriage, she watches helplessly as their relationship dissolves. In an attempt to regain her sanity and self-esteem, she finds herself on a mission of self-restoration while trying to save the life of someone she doesn't even know.
 

As the shattered lives of three very different women collide, they find that they have one thing in common: They're all in a desperate fight to hold on to love. Experience their emotional journey through to the shocking end where these women will experience injury, imprisonment, and even death while crafting new lives from the ashes of their ruination.
Book info: ISBN-10: 0578023482; ISBN-13: 978-0578023489. Visit Monique's site: www.MoniqueDMensah.com

Tell us about your passion for writing. Why do you write? What drives you? 
I write because it is my God-given talent. I believe that everyone is blessed with a talent and writing is mine. Writing gives me a great sense of satisfaction and value. I am fulfilling my purpose. When I am writing I can be whomever my imagination guides me to be, go anywhere I desire, and I can express myself in ways I could never do otherwise. It is an outlet for emotions I may have been holding inside. I found my identity in writing. I am an author. 

Finish this sentence – My writing offers the following legacy to future readers 
I have coined the term “Dramatic Fiction” to describe my style of writing. In creating this genre, I will offer a legacy of literature that is bold and uninhibited. I will write about issues that are infrequently discussed in the African-American community and offer a realistic portrayal of characters and plots. Although my characters are African-American, the themes and underlying messages in my novels are universal which means that readers of all races will be able to identify and relate. I will leave the legacy of a writer that is not afraid to explore the unexplored and bring fresh, alternative perspectives to those issues that may be more familiar to us. 

How did you start your writing journey? 
I was born in Detroit, but I was raised most of my life in the nearby suburb of Southfield, MI. I began my writing journey at the age of eight when my third grade teacher first recognized my talent. She would have me read my short stories to the class and during PTA meetings and assemblies. My mother always loved art and literature; consequently she prompted me to begin reading African-American novels at an early age. My passions for reading and writing are almost parallel and they sparked my desire to become an author. As time progressed, however, I put my dreams on the back burner, thinking I needed to be more practical. So after graduating from college, I entered the corporate world. Although I made a decent living, I was never satisfied and I felt unfulfilled. Then, in 2007 a close friend reminded me of my purpose and urged me to get started on making my dream a reality. I started writing Who Is She To You that same week. Two years later, I started Kisa publishing and published my novel. Now I am doing everything I can to spread the word and make my mark in the literary world. I write as much as I can and although it is hard work, I enjoy being an author. 

Share with  us the story behind Who Is He To You. 
Simone, a shockingly beautiful teen is on the downward spiral of destruction as she battles incest and self-hatred. Rapidly losing faith in a seemingly unresponsive God, she has no hope or refuge. She finds cutting to be the only way to heal her wounds. As she loses herself in uncertainty and mixed emotions, she realizes that she must do something to restore her family back to normalcy and happiness. But Simone may be too late as unexpected events threaten to throw her dreams of contentment far out of reach. 

Due to her husband, Ross’, business acumen and affluence, Jessica lives the upscale lifestyle of a refined society matron. She strives to be the perfect wife, but without her husband, she would be nothing more than the abused stripper he rescued 16 years ago – and he never lets her forget it. When their marriage is threatened and it forces her to face her detestable past, Jessica vows to do whatever it takes to protect what she has rightfully earned – even if it means murder. 

Ryan, a fiery and fashionable thirty-something, is quickly slipping into depression and prescription drug addiction. The only thing that keeps her dangling on to hope is the faint sound of wedding bells as her boyfriend, Anthony, artfully dangles the empty promise of marriage. As she watches their relationship dissolve, she finds that she must dig deep within herself for love and self-esteem. But when she digs, she uncovers much more than she bargained for. She finds herself on a mission of self-restoration while trying to save the life of someone she doesn’t even know. 

As the shattered lives of three very different women collide, they find they have one thing in common: they are all in a desperate fight to hang on to love. But when love involves incest, self-injury, drug addiction and murder will they fight to hold on? Or will they find out who he is to you and escape before it’s too late? Follow Simone, Jessica, and Ryan’s emotional journeys through to the shocking end when these women will experience injury, imprisonment, and even death while crafting new lives from the ashes of their ruination. 

 Who are your two main characters and what do you like most about them? 
I actually have three main characters – Simone, Jessica and Ryan. Although they have their own identity and lives, separate from my own, I can see pieces of me in each one of them. Often after reading the synopsis, people will turn to me and ask, “Now which one of these women is you”. None of them are me, but I identify with Ryan the most. I like Ryan because she’s real. Although she is a successful accountant, with a nice car and closet full of clothes and shoes that most women would envy, she’s undergoing an internal battle in search of self-satisfaction and validation. She’s sexy and outwardly confident, with a walk to kill and a fierce attitude to match, but the tough exterior is just a smokescreen, subconsciously created to hide her insecurities and lack of self-worth. That’s real. So many women, including myself, struggle with these issues. Ryan brings them out in the open and offers insight to a possible solution. 

Jessica is so desperate to leave her past behind and forget that it ever existed, that she is willing to become someone that she’s not and ultimately hates. But Jessica is not to be underestimated. She may have allowed herself to be misguided for the past 16 years, but she’s still the fighter that her hardcore upbringing has bred. She plays the role of a refined woman of society, but Jessica isn’t a punk and I love that about her. She represents that side of me that wishes I was a little more bold and uninhibited. If Jessica is pushed far enough, her past resurfaces within her and it’s on. There is no escaping her wrath. She fights for what is hers and she’ll do whatever it takes to protect her own. 

My heart goes out to Simone. Although I have never suffered sexual abuse, I empathize with her the most. She is an unbelievably beautiful girl, but she is unable to look herself in the mirror because she believes her beauty to be a curse. She’s lost and she doesn’t understand the conflicting emotions that she is experiencing and cutting is the only thing that provides the comfort she seeks. I admire Simone because of her loyalty and devotion, although misplaced. She is a beautiful person, inside and out. She seeks harmony and sees the good in people when others don’t. I love that about her. 

 What makes your book stand out and would entice a reader to pick it up. 
I believe the cover of Who Is He To You is a bold, striking image that will entice readers and have them wondering what this book is all about. In reading the synopsis, I believe readers will be intrigued by the intelligent exploration of sensitive issues such as cutting, emotional abuse, depression, and drug-addiction. After scanning the synopsis, the potential buyers may opt to read the first page which is filled with intense emotion and a descriptive setting that pulls the reader right into the scene. I believe the combination of the cover, synopsis, and the first page will grab a hold of readers’ attention and compel them to give Who Is He To You a try. 

 Ultimately, what do you want readers to gain from your book? 
When I started writing Who Is He To You, I did so with the sole purpose of entertaining. It wasn’t until after I completed the manuscript and read the story in its entirety, did I recognize the underlying messages weaved throughout the plot. Women too often count on the men in their lives to make them happy, to validate them, or complete them. For Simone, it was her father, Jessica’s husband, and Ryan’s boyfriend. Women must learn to love themselves more than anyone else and more than anyone else loves them, recognize their self-worth, and learn to be happy instead of expecting a man to fill in the gaps in their lives. If you’re not happy and satisfied with yourself, independent of anyone else, you may never have a successful relationship. Simone, Jessica, and Ryan had to learn this the hard way and so did I. I want my readers to identify with my characters and their struggles and hopefully they will learn something from their journeys. 

 What advice would you give a new writer? 
I would advise aspiring authors to find their own writing style, perfect it, and stick to it. Don’t compare yourself to other established authors. Don’t try to write like your favorite author. Write In a way that identifies you as an individual and differentiates you from everyone else. While I was writing my manuscript, I read a lot of novels. Often after reading a book by one of my favorite authors, I would immediately begin to feel insecure about my own writing because I did not write like him or her. I had to learn to be confident in my writing and secure in my talent. Even though I don’t write like Eric Jerome Dickey or the late BeBe Moore Campbell, I am still a great writer with my own unique voice. You don’t want to be just like someone else. You want to stand out and be different. That’s how you build a reputation and make a name for yourself. 

Name three things that it takes to make a successful writer. 
1. The number one requirement of all successful authors is to read. You must read frequently in order to enhance your writing skills, vocabulary and overall knowledge of what readers are looking for. Reading will make you a better writer. 

2. Create a polished work of art. Professional editing is such an important key to an author’s success. If your writing is riddled with typos grammatical errors, and an overall bad structure, it will have a negative impact on your success. Hire a professional who will comb through your work with an unbiased eye and help to turn your writing into a polished work of art. 

3. Get out and promote your book and spread the word. A lot of authors (especially self-published) find that they didn’t gain the success they were hoping for and most of the time it’s because they didn’t give enough energy and effort into promoting their work. You can have the greatest novel in the world, but it doesn’t matter if no one knows about it. Network, do online marketing, get reviews, and get on the scene. 

 What can we expect from you in the future? 
My readers can expect more dramatic, intense novels filled with literary adrenaline. I will always provide original plots, real dialogue and compelling, believable characters. I like to read the type of books that make me want to flip back to the beginning once I’ve finished. I hope to provide that same type of experience for my readers. My novels will evoke strong emotion and audible reactions. Overall, my readers can expect a unique experience. 

Just about every author has dreams of topping a bestseller list and I am no different. I want to be able to reach a wide range of readers and make my mark on the literary world. I am currently working on my second novel and I plan to keep going from there, making a successful career for myself as an author. My ultimate goal is to earn the privilege of being a full-time author. I look forward to the days when I will make a living from my passion. 

Book:  Who Is He To You by Monique Mensah 
Website: http://www.moniquedmensah.com

Buy the book from Barnes and Noble
Buy the book from Amazon.com