It is August and it's time to visit with another great author. This is a special time for me since my birthday is on the last day of the month. When I was a child I hated that it was in summer because I couldn't have a birthday in class when kids would bring cupcakes for their birthday. And none of my friends were around for it either. Though I was usually at camp where the entire camp sang "Happy Birthday" and there was a cake for my table only. It was funny because kids at other tables who barely knew me always suddenly tried to be friends so they could get cake.
This is a big birthday and we started celebrating it early. But as the years go by I still love my birthday and have come to terms with the number this year.
Anyway, on to my guest author for the rest of this month and most of next month:
Renee Drummond Brown ------- Drum roll please---------
My very accomplished guest author, Renee Drummond Brown, has published over 75 books including hard cover, paperback, ebooks, coloring and activity books. Here is her interview with me:
• Where were you born and where do you live now?
Reneé Drummond-Brown is a renowned author born on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, located in Onslow County, in southeastern North Carolina. Drummond-Brown now resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
• Besides writing do you have any other occupation? Do you have any hobbies?
I’m a retiree. My hobbies include: Deep-diving and delving in the Sacred Scriptures, providing child care for my grandson: Giovanni Dominic Antonelli (my ‘lil “Gio-Gio”) and creating his coloring book line “Gio’s Coloring & Activity Books: #1 - 10,” and attending college full-time - student at Liberty University (LU), pursuing higher and professional education. In addition, traveling across the globe.
• Who or what influenced you to start writing?
I began writing as early as five years of age (and just love it), however, there were several professors at college and a publisher (Judith Hampton-Thompson, Publisher of The Metro Gazette Publishing Co., Albany GA.,) who took a personal interest in my writing prose and convinced me to share my work with the world.
It is as equally important to note* The Civil Rights Activist/Songbird, Ms. Rutha Mae Harris, Original Freedom Singer of The Civil Rights Movement was solely responsible for having my first poem published in The Metro Gazette Publishing Co., that I wrote for her while in college.
The Father who art in Heaven and my beloved mother (who has gone home to glory) inspires/inspired me to write. Next, self-satisfaction and finally, the gratitude and comments that I receive from colleagues from across the globe while blessing their situation(s) with my unique style and form of poetic play on words
.• What made you decide to write your first book? Did you try to publish it with a traditional publisher?
My first book is self-explanatory: Renee’s Poems with Wings are Words in Flight-I’ll Write Our Wrongs! is a collection of poetic accounts designed to have colorblind justice, hear the truth, touch freedom, taste love, and smell the Rose of Sharon. This book is written with such conviction that it is sure to cleanse the soul, mend the broken heart, and ultimately transform one’s mind.
No, thus far, I have never been given the opportunity to work with a traditional publishing house to date but I’m open to that concept.
• Most of your books are self-published. Please tell our readers how this happened?
Poets often write what others are thinking but are too afraid and dare not speak ‘IT’. Each of my global Anthologies (listed below) address our contemporary stance relating to societal issues (and the ‘IT’).
• How has poetry changed your life?
As a woman of color, I use poetic language: imagery, metaphors, similes, allegories and play on words sealed in parables coupled with the biological human senses relating to sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing to convey the emotions of what ‘we’ the African American people feel in our struggles and plights, by addressing ill-wills, fights, hurts, sorrows, grief, heartaches, misery, woes and anguish bestowed on us on a daily basis. Not to mention our horrific loses and assignations during slavery, throughout the Civil Rights Movement, and unto this present date with so many of our sons being buried 6 ft. deep (a baptism of tears eloquently flow within our issues).
The uses of these senses add dramatic overtones and provides the reader with an ambiance of sensations. This evokes a heartfelt reaction to my literary works causing the reader to not only connect with my storylines but to place themselves in the place or space with me and/or the character.
• Please tell us about a typical day of writing for you.
My best writings are at an extremely fast pace and start at 3:00 AM., (sometimes for two days straight) which makes it extremely hard for me to work with others. I can only focus with complete silence. Talking to me while writing annoys and infuriates me.
You know I feel the same way. When I'm writing I close myself off and don't want any noise either.
• What made you decide to write coloring books?
I want my only grandson (thus far) to have a legacy long after I’m gone mirroring this Scripture:
“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,
till all be fulfilled” Matthew 5:18 King James Version (KJV).
• One of the ways we met was you sent me an invitation to be in your anthology many years ago. I also interviewed you on my radio show, Books and Entertainment Tales from the Pages, which has since gone off the air. How many books do you now have since that interview?
75 live titles and presently working on an International Anthology.
• What is your latest book? describe it for our readers.
As previously stated, I have over 75 published book titles (under my belt) via Amazon, AuthorHouse and Westbow Press.
Read Between the Lines Poetry Book, and Haiku Anyone? Poetry Book are my latest publications. Read Between the Lines, comes from the African American’s perspectives on life, while, Haiku Anyone? speaks to the art of Japanese writings, form and artistic craft in which, I absolutely love.
• You have won a great many awards. Please tell our readers about these and list them for us.
They are just too numerous to mention; my latest are from:
Well Read Magazine: Three Dogs Write Press bestowed International Author Reneé Drummond-Brown the “Well Done” March 2024, Award for her poem “Last Night I Cried!”
LAST NIGHT I CRIED by Reneé Drummond-Brown - Issuu
~ Fraternidad Poetica Mundial, World Poetic Fraternity 120 paises/120 countries - Founder: Juan Antonio V. Delgadillo – bequeathed International Author Reneé Drummond-Brown, MA, BS, AA., the Global Poet 2024 Award representing the United States of America (USA).
~Wordsmith International Editorial Issue #38 - By: Dr. Omatee Ann Marie Hansraj of Trinidad
(Drummond-Brown’s woks also appear in issues #13 and #36, sold via Amazon).
Author/Publisher/Poet Drummond-Brown, graced the July 2024, international magazine cover:
https://www.facebook.com/renee.drummondbrown/videos/480768338027861
~Bizcatalyst 360 – Life Culture Biz Reimagined Humanity Rediscovered – Conferred International Author Reneé Drummond-Brown, MA, BS, AA., the Columnist Award for 2024, publication
• In each of your anthologies and magazines you have your contributing authors give you a quote. When did you first begin to do that and why?
I have done that in every Anthology and/or magazine. Quotes add an experts’ point of view to their genre of writings and confirms their credibility from different positions.
Thank you for explaining that. Each time I submit I have had to dig to find a quote. But that is an inspirational moment too.
• Please tell us your website and all the places we can find you.
Drummond-Brown’s Hardcover, Softcover, eBooks, Coloring books (adult and children), Anthologies, Magazine and Children’s book are sold via Amazon:
Pittsburgh author Renee Drummond-Brown
(Renee's Poems with Wings are Words in Flight!).
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07V4GW9SH
AuthorHouse:
Westbow Press:
• My last question for you is one I always ask all my guest authors. Are you a plotter or a pantser? In other words, do you plot out your work or do you just write?
A little bit of both a plotter and pantser (here and there) in the sense that I don’t plan and yet I have a strong intuition of what I feel within my body of literary works as I’m going along.
Moreover, as far as a plotter is concerned my artistic nature knows how to strategize to complete my literary projects on hand.
Renee Drummond Brown Bio:
Reneé Drummond-Brown, is a renowned author, visionary in literature, writer, publisher, and poet residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She earned a Grad certification in Christian Leadership from Liberty University (LU). She holds a Master of Arts degree in creative writing with a concentration in poetry from Chatham University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Christian Ministry Leadership with a minor in biblical theology studies, graduating summa cum laude from Geneva College of Western Pennsylvania. In addition, she received an Associate of Arts degree in Christian Ministry at The Center for Urban Biblical Ministry (CUBM), where she served as class president and is presently in pursuit of higher education. Drummond-Brown is an accomplished poetess with experience in creative writing and authored several books to her credit. Her poetic prose is recognized across the globe.
Thank you to the renowned and esteemed Pittsburgh author and poet Renee Drummond Brown for sharing her thoughts with us. I am honored to have her on my blog and I invite people to leave their comments here. She is truly a gift to the world and I look forward to seeing the next anthology in which I will have two poems.
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I'm hopefully posting this on my birthday or the day after that. It goes into the month of August. I always think of my birthday as halfway through summer. I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer. It is my favorite season though it gets very hot. I practically live in air conditioning so I don't get out much. But when I do it is hot out there. Anyway, August will bring new adventures including one of my favorite things to do: sell books in person. I have my books all ready for the Norwalk Book Festival on August 24th. Anyone who lives near there should come and say hi. You won't miss me. I will have my pink poster and my books out in front of me.
Have a great rest of summer and don't miss checking out Renee Drummond Brown's books. I am in a lot of her anthologies and magazines too. She gives all writers a chance to be seen. Thank you to Renee Drummond Brown for the opportunities she has given to me and all other international poets.,
Unitl the next time, please check out my newly republished book, If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other online bookstores. You might find one in your library or local bookstore. But if you don't, tell them to order it. LOL
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The next guest author on the blog will be: Cheryl Carpinello, who is another YA author and friend.
Happy Summer!!!!
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