Monday, July 7, 2008

“Take Ten” with author P. Elaine Archie

Already compared with some of the most erotic authors on the literary landscape right now, P. Elaine Archie is still humbled by the success she has encountered and the way she---like her characters---are beginning to be welcomed into the homes and bedrooms of readers all over the country. After a book deal didn't come her way, she struck out on her own to introduce the world to her talent as well as the woman we come to know as Nina.
Now in 2008, we are finding out more about both.
This is our conversation.



How would you describe the woman who is P. Elaine Archie?
Well, I am a very honest and hardworking person. I am very outspoken, caring, witty, and ambitious. I love my family and I try to make things happen to inspire my children to strive for their goals. It's never too late.

It's not easy to put yourself out there like you have. What made you decide on your particular writing style?
I would consider it to be racy! Actually, I did not have a certain style at first. I had just completed my Bachelors degree and I was zoned into writing two or three papers a week for class. That left me with a great deal of time on my hands, so I thought of my past relationships and the trials and tribulations I had with those. I thought of what I wished had been the outcome for some of those relationships. I thought of my conversations with my girls, and the issues they were trying to address in their relationships. I made up characters, added some spicy sexual encounters and it built from there.

Before you started writing what became THE WEEKEND, was there any indication to you or your friends and family that you had a book inside of you?
No I was just a working mom and grandmother. I went back to school for my Bachelors degree and I found a love for writing.

Your main character, Nina, is a woman that many can relate to because of the issues she is dealing with. How much of her is you or someone you know?
Well, they say you write what you know, unless you spend a lot of time researching a subject! (LOL) I would say she is about fifty percent me, maybe a tad bit more. I have experienced some of the issues Nina is going through. But writing this gives me and Nina hope that our Prince Charming, or should I say our tall dark and handsome partner, is still out there!

After you completed the manuscript did you initially decide to self-publish or was that something that came later?
No, I set my sights on getting a book deal. But reality set in and I realized it was not that simple. All the information I was receiving was for self publishing. So I took that route. I am still hoping to get picked up eventually in the traditional process.

There are books released every week with some publishers putting big promotions behind them. As the author and the publicist of your project, did you find it difficult going from one position to the other?
No. All this is still new to me. I have a great support team at Authorhouse. They are helping me through marketing and publicity process. As I stated earlier, with The Weekend I did not do much marketing, but with Gettin' Caught Up Wit' Nina, I am ready to get out there and see where this will lead me. It is still an ongoing learning process for me.

When THE WEEKEND was released, were you surprised at the response?
Well, I did not get a lot of response from the book. All my coworkers and friends purchased a copy. But it fizzled out quickly, since I had no idea how to market it or myself. But I have learned more since it came out, so I expect big things from myself and this new novel.

GETTIN' CAUGHT UP WIT' NINA is the sequel to your story with Nina and her beau Omar. Both of them had relationship issues in the past and we saw them begin to overcome that. What can we expect in the new book?
Wow! Well, you all can find the continuation of their romance. They are discovering more about each other. They are traveling down their road to see where it leads them. They are both being stalked and they have to figure out what is going on with that! Nina is torn between her developing feelings for Omar, her ex still pressuring her, and an island rendezvous. She also has some office drama, and even connects back up with her siblings. I am sure the readers will enjoy that along with all the steamy sexual encounters!

P. Elaine, people have various definitions of success. What is considered success for you with your writing career
For me, becoming a well known author will definitely be an accomplishment. Writing more stories that sell well, would also mean success. I am presently working on a story that I hope to sell to Lifetime or some other television entity upon completion. It focuses on rape and molestation. Not as racy as my two books out now. But it is an ongoing issue around the world. And it has touched people that I know. So I want to write a story about that.

The sky is the limit for me. Again, I want to show my children that any dream you have can come true if you apply yourself.

Thank you for the conversation. If our readers want to find out more about you or are interested in purchasing a book, how can they do so?
Thank you again Cyrus for this great opportunity. If your readers would like to purchase both my books, they can access www.50964.authorworld.com. Also both books are available at www.Bn.com and www.Amazon.com. If they would like to drop me a note, they can do so at swtladypam@yahoo.com or www.myspace.com/mythoughtsinprint.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

TAKE TEN: Our Interview with Bestselling author Theresa Gonsalves

In 1984 Star Magazine, a publication said to sometimes stretch the truth, was the first to reveal something that had puzzled many a music lover: who was the inspiration behind Superstar Michael Jackson's hit song BILLIE JEAN. They answered that question with not only an interview, but a series of pictures of the woman: Theresa Gonsalves.





Theresa's relationship with Michael began when she was twelve years old. She became "obsessed" with him and wrote him numerous letters until they met in Las Vegas for her sixteenth birthday! The obsession continued as they stayed in touch from that point on. Their worlds have continuously gone full circle always leading back to each other. They last saw each other four days before his arrest for these current child molestation charges as she introduced her own son Mychal (named after Michael) to him. Michael had his kids with him as well and was genuinely happy to see that Theresa's son was so well cared for! However, it was Theresa's son Todd that was the controversy behind the hit song Billie Jean. Her friendship with Michael was such that she confided in him about all aspects of her life. In detailing her situation about her baby's daddy....Michael wrote the song Billie Jean about her!

Her new book THE MAN IN THE WOODS is another fact-based novel that will keep readers enthralled. Our conversation explores the story and the woman whose true-live experience has made her a part of music history.



Theresa, thank you for taking out the time to talk to CONVERSATIONS about your life and your novel OBSESSIONS. I want to begin if we can at the beginning. Tell us about your earliest memories of your childhood.
Wow, my recollection of my early childhood actually goes back to before there was a Michael Jackson in the public eye. It was a lonely life for a young girl who was the middle child amongst four brothers. I was not a physically abused child but I was extremely neglected. At six years of age, I was taking the bus alone from the projects of Columbia Point to the city of Jamaica Plain to visit my grandmother. The significance of that memory is that I had to go through the infamous city of South Boston where I had to often dodge whites who would spit on me and throw rocks. I was constantly ducking down to avoid getting him by a rock aimed at the bus window. I had witnessed numerous traumatic scenes, which included a friend of ours getting smashed by an elevator and brought out in a green duffle body bag.
Mother spent most of her time with a variety of men. She was a single mother, having been divorced twice, with five kids. She had never relished the idea of having a daughter, which is why I was left to fend for myself at such a young age. I used music and writing to escape quite a bit. Writing helps to heal the soul as well.

I read on your website www.obsessionsthebook.com that it was at the age of twelve that you felt drawn to one entertainer in particular. Would you tell us how their music affected you?
I was extremely drawn to the music of the Jackson Five and particularly that of Michael Jackson. I always felt he was singing directly to me. When Michael would sing I'll Be There, I personally felt that he was telling me that he would be there for me. He made me feel like there was someone who actually loved me. I wanted him to be proud of me so the direction my life took was to make him proud.

Theresa, there are alot of young people that are infatuated with certain entertainers: having all their records, posters and any article that they appear in. What were some of the things you would do to get to know Michael Jackson better?
I wrote Michael Jackson constantly….Okay, I wrote him almost every single day and I kept track of the letters (smile). I didn't write the normal fan letter. I wrote him about my life and everything that was going on it. I read everything that I could find about him. I would question some of the things that I read. But my letters were more geared towards telling him about my school grades, how my day would go and what I did in camp, etc. I learned how to get his home address under the freedom of information act because the post woman was tired of my sending him gifts to a P.O. Box. I never acted like a groupie and I never tried to have a sexual relationship with him.

When you began writing him, did you expect that he would actually respond? I never actually expected him to respond. There were letters I received from the fan club people with autographed pictures. That was discouraging, but somehow I still felt in my heart that he was reading my letters.

Reading letters from someone you admire it great, and a dream come true for so many. What was it like to finally meet him on your sixteenth birthday, and how did it happen?
Every day in school, I would write on the board, "Theresa Gonsalves loves Michael Jackson" and whoever was assigned to clean the boards after school would never erase it but would add a comment like…."but he doesn't love her" or "he doesn't even know her"…so I vowed to meet him by the time I turned sixteen. In July of 1974, I rode to New York to see the Jackson Five perform and even though I knew what hotel he was staying at I decided to go back to Boston instead of trying to be a groupie to meet him. When I arrived home the next morning, I called the hotel. Instead of asking for him, I asked for his road manager who was Reggie Wiggins at the time and they rang his room. He told me Michael was still asleep in the next room. I had their tour schedule in my hand and knew that they were going to be performing at the MGM on my birthday and I asked Mr. Wiggins if I fly to Las Vegas for my sixteenth birthday could I meet Michael Jackson and he said "Honey, if you fly from Boston to Las Vegas just to meet Michael Jackson, I will make sure you meet him." With that said, I began saving money to make this trip. I wrote letters to the MGM's President's secretary who arranged my room and I also wrote letters to every Black mayor I could find throughout the country asking them to contribute $5.00 to my dream. They all wrote back wishing me success with my endeavors but all stated they were unable to contribute.

I worked a part time job after school and saved all my money sacrificing any new school clothes and I made sure that I had straight A's in all my classes so I would be able to take a week off of school. In October of 1974, I called the Sahara Tahoe Hotel in Lake Tahoe where the Jackson's were performing and at this time I did ask for Michael's room and was shocked when they put me through. When I identified myself to him, he knew exactly who I was. I was in total shock as he recited the dates I was coming to meet him telling me I write it in every letter that I send him! So during the week of Nov 20-Nov 28, I was made their guest as we met for the first time.

The relationship developed into a friendship. I continued to write him and he continued reading my letters. I flew other places to hang out with him. I was invited to his home and when he was filming the Wiz, I spent two separate weeks in New York visiting him. Once I was going to fly to London just to meet him there! My relationship with him actually affected me in a good way. I became a strong woman, independent and it surely kept me out of trouble. In wanting him to be proud of me, I never did drugs. I have never smoked cigarettes. And, I can gladly comment that I have never been drunk in my life. On the other side of things, I also never learned how to have a real relationship with men.

Now, that we have set a foundation, Theresa, let's talk about your son Todd and the song "Billy Jean" and the controversy that followed. First of all, did you know he was going to be writing the song, and how did you feel when you first heard it?
I didn't know that he was going to be writing the song. I wrote him letters about my situation. At this time I was 23 years old and of course involved with the wrong type of man. I was living also in Encino at the time so I would see Michael from time to time. I didn't feel betrayed or anything when I heard the song. I didn't feel honored. That situation exists with so many women, more so now than in the past, or perhaps it is being put out there more. I had been with this man for over a year and here he was claiming my kid wasn't his. His song let me know he could understand what I was feeling, but that women often put men in that situation.

Since Michael Jackson has had his negative dealings with the press, were you afraid of how the cloud of curiosity would affect your own family?
No, I didn't feel that his negative dealings would affect us. We are very open and outspoken. I named my second son Mychal after Michael Jackson but spelled after the ex-lover Mychal Thompson who was from the Bahamas. I named my son after Michael as an honor for how he affected my life. I have been asked my opinion often and I will say that I do not believe Michael to be a child molester. But I will also say that you never truly know what a person is capable of as you take a look at all of the ministers that have sexually abused children. Michael Jackson has always worried about children. I remember being with him in New York and I had bought him a gift which was a book on child abuse and we shared our feelings on that even way back then (around 1977). As for being asked would I let my child visit him…that answer still remains yes but I would not allow him to sleep in bed with him or any man for that matter.

All of this has the makings of a great movie, so it is no surprised that you wrote the book OBSESSIONS. What I am curious about is why you call is a novel, and did that make it easier for you to not feel a responsibility to tell the world all the details of your relationship with Michael Jackson?
"OBSESSIONS" isn't really about me and Michael Jackson. It is more about how my relationship with him actually led me to have an obsessive behavior towards men. I am not ashamed of my relationship or friendship with Michael Jackson and I shared with the world as long as it didn't hurt either one of us. It was hard sharing my story of being obsessed with this man who happens to be my son's father.

This man that I was involved with was a very handsome charming man. I was with him for eighteen years and we have my son Mychal together. Underneath the charm however was a chameleon. He was leading three different lives (that I now know about…could have been more) and when I found out what he was truly about I felt that he had wasted numerous years of my life with him. I was truly obsessed with this man because I really didn't know how to be any other way just as I was obsessed with Michael Jackson at a young age to the point that it directed my life.

One of the reasons I wanted to talk with you, Theresa, was because I read on your website that you wanted your story to help women to see that they can overcome adversities in their life. I am curious to know some of the responses you have gotten from others about your experiences.
I am actually amazed at the responses I have received from women who have read my book. Most have read it in two days. I have received phone calls from strangers telling me that they saw themselves in the pages of the book and that it helped them get out of their relationship. Sometimes it takes reading about the same behaviors in others to see it within ones self. If my book helped just one woman, I am happy that I wrote it. It is hard to put yourself out there. I am not ashamed of the things I can only change and go forward. I had one girl call me the first week it was out and told me it made her rethink her unhealthy relationship and she said she was going to keep it by her bed every time she was tempted to go back. I spoke to her a month ago and she is not back. I am glad my book gave her strength.



Finally, when was the last time you spoke to Michael Jackson, and what has been his response to the book?
I haven't actually spoken to Michael Jackson since he was arrested. I took my son to meet him for the first time. He seems to have put most people at a distance. I was trying to get in touch with him though because I want to let him know he is not alone. See with Michael, I have never been a "YES" person. I never treated him like a star. He needed to have real people in his life. Yes, I came to love him for who he was, but I love him more for what he did for my life. He was okay with my using the title as such and I know he received a copy of the book…I have not heard any comments from him.





In closing, I will say that parents should take a look at the stars today that their children idolize. Today's entertainers would not be the savoir of any children. We should try to save our own children and not let them drift into the world of today's entertainers, sports stars, etc. We need to teach them to have their own identities.

TAKE TEN: Our Interview with Bruce Williams

"I worked with (Dr.) Dre for over 16 years. I started off with the Death Row era. I came out to Cali to be an actor and I met Dre through a chick named Robin. Robin was a girl that was interior designing Dre’s house. I went with her just to kick it for a minute. Me and Dre started talking and the next thing I know he was like, “Yo, what are you fittin’ to do now?” and then just said, “Why don’t you just roll with me?” We’ve been rolling ever since then."--- Bruce Williams, author of ROLLIN' WITH DRE

A native of Riverside, California, the life of Bruce Williams has had its share of twists and turns, each taking him to levels that would seem impossible to the average man. That is because Williams is far from average. Transitioning from growing up under the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses to entering the service to finally becoming linked with one of the most powerful names in the entertainment industry, he has shown that hard work and loyalty does pay off in the end.

Working with famed author Donnell Alexander*, he has penned the memoir ROLLIN' WITH DRE, recounting many of the experiences that have shaped the life he has lived and the person he has now become.


This is our conversation. (Interview conducted by Cyrus A. Webb, President of Conversations Book Club and Founder of the Hiphop and Books Initiative.)

Bruce, thank you for your time. Before we actually get into ROLLIN' WITH DRE, I want to talk about the firestorm you seemed to have set up just by writing it. Are you surprised that there has been such a frenzy over your book?
Yes and no. I think people have been starving to find the realness that you don't hear about in the hip hop world.

During an earlier interview you mentioned to me that your idea for telling this story was because you didn't like the way hiphop was being portrayed. Tell our readers about that.
Hip hop takes a lot of heat so I wanted people to really see what hip hop artist goes through. It's way more to it than what you see on TV or hear on the radio.

There is a great deal of responsibility laid at the feet of entertainers. From working so closely with artists, do you think too much is expect from them?
Yes because the pressure sometimes make people tend not to be who they are because of what everybody wants them to be. We should let them decide who they are.

One of the things that impressed me about what you had to say in ROLLIN' WITH DRE are the various facets to the man himself. How would you describe the private Dre versus what the public got to know.
Dre is a great person that has some of the same morals everyone else have. People have to understand his job is pure entertainment, and its up to you on how you receive it.

In the book you talk about the work ethic of Eminem and how Dre knew he would be a major player in the game. Success changes people in different ways, Bruce. How do you think you were changed from being trained in a more disciplined setting such as the military and going into the fast paced life that is the entertainment industry?
Yes I was changed in ways where I had to think different. I went from being an outdoors kind of person to closed inside a studio for years and outdoors made me happy.

I know authors tell me that they don't really pay attention to reviews and what people are saying about their work, but I am curious as to what you have heard or read about your book that has surprised or even disappointed you the most?
Well for me its different because I been around the biz and know how to handle the press, but I was surprised that they really got what I was trying to do.

Many people will take what you say in your book about Suge, Snoop, Dre and others and use to it confirm their personal feelings about hiphop and the immoral lifestyle attached to it. Tell our readers why that is unfair?
Like anything in this world no matter what you hear or read don't let that be enough to base how you feel about someone until you have investigated more on your own, then take a position.

I'm curious as to how writing this book has made you examine some of the decisions you have made.
It has helped and made me understand things now that i didn't back then which has helped improve my life greatly.

Do you see yourself keeping on with this topic, schooling us on the ins and outs of the industry? What is next for you?
Yes I will keep putting the word out. As for what's next, I will be at the Essence Music Festival signing books on July 4&5, then going to the Charlotte Literary Festival on September 6th. A college tour will follow after that.

Thank you for your time, Bruce. For those who are interested in more information about you and your upcoming events, where can they go?
Thank you for the opportunity. They can visit me onilne at http://www.myspace.com/rollinwithdre.

* Both Bruce Williams and Donnell Alexander are proud supporters of the Hiphop and Books Literacy Campaign. To find out more information about H&B, visit http://www.hiphopandbooks.com.