Alem Hailu of Ethiopian Herald interviews                        Author Brenda Mohammed

Read the full interview here:

A leap from a sickbed to a beacon tower

 By ALEM HAILU

To uplift the mood of the bedridden whose life despair has eclipsed, and to enthuse emerging authors, they could climb to ivory tower even dragging their last leg from a morass with perseverance, there could be no better example than the footpath of internationally-published-renowned-author-poet Brenda Mohammed.

This journalist has got the privilege of e-mail interviewing her. Excerpts below.

Could you brief us about your upbringing, your family, and neighbours with your village, country, and school as a backdrop?

 My father was a school principal. I was born when he was principal of the Union Village Presbyterian school in Trinidad, my home country. I had six sisters and three brothers. Because of my father’s status, we were well known and respected by all in the village. Neighbours and friends regularly visited our home to seek his help in getting their children accepted at the school.

The principal’s home was in the same yard as the school and church, and we attended church and Sunday school regularly. My father held positions of responsibility in the church too. My oldest sister was the church’s organist, and at times she sang in the choir.

When I was seven years old, my father was transferred to another village in South Trinidad, and the setting of the home, school and church was the same. The people were just as nice.

My father was granted a Government scholarship to further his studies in the United Kingdom, and my mother took charge of the home and cared for us singlehandedly until his return.

I won a scholarship to attend a prestigious high school in San Fernando, but after one year my father was promoted to Senior Inspector of Schools and transferred to East Trinidad. I and one of my sisters were therefore sent to St. Augustine Girls’ High School, another prestigious school in the east, from where we both graduated.

 How was your educational pursuit? Does the profession you qualified in cross-fertilize with authorship of both books--fiction and nonfiction?

My life in the early years was based around my father’s career and moving from place to place.  He was again transferred to the south, and he built a brand new home for us in Marabella in South Trinidad. After graduation, I did not want to return to school to do higher studies. Although I was just sixteen years old, I wanted to work at a bank and I got the job.

I also pursued studies in banking on a part-time basis and was successful. I received promotion after promotion and achieved managerial status. As a Commercial Credit Manager, I was required to visit large businesses, assess their worth, write proposals for finance, and send them to our Head Office for approval. Most of the time I received clean sanctions, meaning that they were approved with no questions asked.

That built up my confidence in writing. To answer your question, my profession cross-fertilized with the authorship of both fiction and nonfiction books. In fact, I wrote a story, ‘Dead Business,’ and part of the setting was in the morgue of a funeral home that I visited to assess finance for a crematorium.

 You were combating cancer? How was it like the life you spent? You have a book about how you overcame the dark spot in your life to flicker a ray of optimism. Will you allow as a chink into the book by way of a synopsis?

 I consider my near-death experience with cancer to be a blessing in disguise.’ I Am Cancer Free,’ was the first book I published. It became a bestseller and motivated me to keep on writing. It was an award winner in the category Health and Fitness in Readers Favorite International Awards 2018, and winner of Mc Grath House Indie Book Awards 2016 in the category Best Non-Fiction. It received a five-star review from Readers Favorite, and I will share the review instead of a synopsis.

Completed on:02/16/2017

Review Rating:5 stars!

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite 

“I Am Cancer Free by Mrs. Brenda C. Mohammed is a poignant memoir of the author's personal battle with cancer.

Her faith in God and proving that ovarian cancer need not be a death sentence are what make this memoir a heartrending read. The author's 'never say die' attitude, the decision not to give up in life, and finally being cancer-free will encourage everyone who has been diagnosed with the disease or who has suffered from cancer.

The memoir recounts from the time of diagnosis the experiences the author went through during the treatment, her emotions, fears, finances, until the successful treatment of the disease. It is a courageous story of survival, faith, and strength.

The author chronicles every step of her journey methodically, without leaving anything out, making the narration very personal, honest, and palpable to readers. The presence of God in everyone's life, a positive attitude, and the power of prayers run through the memoir.

The author reiterates the fact that faith in God removes all obstacles in life. The conversational style of writing connects well with readers, making it easy for them to understand her journey.

The author has also shared the poems she wrote during that phase in her life, where she again speaks about her story, faith in the Lord, and a Higher Power.

For all those who are suffering from cancer and are battling the disease, this book is a must-read as it will give them hope, strength, and courage to fight the disease.”

As a prolific and decorated author displaying a meteoric rise in the literary firmament, from where do you get the stamina to climb from one rung of the ladder to another, and still keep the tempo, which proves to be the difficult thing?

 I am humbled that you have seen my accomplishments in such a remarkable light. My secret is, that I pray to God for guidance for each step I take. I give all credit to God.

 Stunningly, not only being prolific you are also versatile in genres. What can you say about that? Do you conduct thorough research before writing books? The language fine-tunes with the theme to render your book palatable. Could you say a word or two about that?

 Your question made me examine the genres I have written - memoirs, science fiction, romance, self-help, mystery, children’s books, psychological thrillers, poetry, and poetry anthologies.

My memoirs and children’s books are based on my careers and travels.

My Life as a Banker begins with my childhood and continues with my career in banking.  

After leaving banking, I worked in Insurance and qualified for the Million Dollar Round Table, the Premier Association for Financial Professionals, several times. I travelled abroad to several conferences, and my books, Retirement is Fun and Travel Memoirs are filled with those experiences.

With science fiction, mystery, romance, and thrillers, I used my imagination and did some research too. Most of my poetry are motivational compositions. My self-help books are about writing, and I wrote this to help aspiring authors.

 You have bagged numerous awards. Tell us about the bright spots in your life concerning your authorship. What is the upside of giving an award? What must be the method of nomination (some complain about race/color... discrimination)?

 I have won several literary awards in the USA, Peru, Kazakhstan, Seychelles, Nigeria, India, Romania, Argentina, Morocco, Philippines, Hong Kong, Barcelona, Indonesia, and the UK.

I made headlines in several newspapers around the world.

Many of my books were bestsellers when newly released and many received five-star reviews from Readers Favorite International.

In November 2018, I won two awards on the same night, from Readers Favorite International for my science fiction book, ‘Zeeka Chronicles,’ in the category Young Adult Thriller, and my Memoir, ‘I am Cancer Free,’ in the category Health and Fitness. I received those awards in a magnificent ceremony at the Regency Hotel in Miami.

Three of my books won gold awards in Connection EMagazine Readers’ Choice Awards - Zeeka Chronicles, in the category science fiction, [2018] Stories People love [2019], in the category romance, and How to Write for Success, in the category non-fiction. [2019].

In Sept 2021, my mystery book, Barry Holmes Mysteries, won me Best Writer - Fantasy Award in the CLR [ Culture, Literature, and Research] Awards.

My science fiction book, ‘Zeeka and the Zombies, has been approved by Cinebooks.com to be made into a cinematic book, and it is presently in production.

To answer your question, awards motivate a writer to improve and that is the upside. I do not think that race or colour should be factors when nominating someone for an award.

I give awards in my Literary forum to poets who are deserving and are considered five-star poets. Awards should be based on a writer’s work and nothing else.

 Given your talent and the impacts your books about cancer and How to Write for Success, among others created, many wonder when is it you bag a Nobel prize in literature. What is your take on this?

 Alem, to win a Nobel Prize, someone who has already been nominated for one, must nominate a writer. I do not know any of the nominees or winners personally. It seems way out of my reach, but with God nothing is impossible.

 Have the five-star reviews you received motivated you for a further thrust into literature?

 Yes. They certainly have.

 Your poems appear in reputed journals. What inspires you to write poems that some think is a restricted domain to the select few? You have a circle of poets. Would you relate to us about that?

I do not think that writing poems are restricted to a select few. In fact, I believe there are more poets than writers of fiction and non-fiction. I am a member of numerous poetry groups on Facebook, and I am being invited to join more new ones, which are being formed every day.

Of the 42 books I have published to date, ten are poetry books. I expect to publish my eleventh one for my birthday on 1^st December.

 How and why did you establish a literary network on How to Write for Success?

 I started the How to Write for Success Literary Forum in February 2018, with a mission to spread Literary Talent Worldwide. At that time, I had the help of four Administrators.

In 2019, we were concerned with the number of suicides in the world, and decided to publish an anthology with poems to prevent suicide. Since it was our first attempt at an anthology we kept it low-keyed.

We opened a sub-forum to collect the poems and named it - Poems for Prevention of Suicide Literary Forum.

Poets from around the world participated in A Spark of Hope: A Treasury of Poems for Saving Lives, The Kindle versions of the book were given free of charge, and the book achieved Amazon's No 1 bestselling ranking within a couple of days.

In 2020, we published Part II of A Spark of Hope, and that too earned Amazon's No 1 bestseller ranking.

The Covid pandemic started in early 2020 and caused chaos in the lives of citizens all over the world. There was a rise in Domestic Violence and the Administration felt there was a need for an anthology against Domestic Violence.

Another sub-forum, - Literary Forum for Poems Against Domestic Violence was created for this purpose.

Volumes One and Two of Break the Silence: An Anthology of Poems Against Domestic Violence were published in 2020 and 2021.

Again, the Kindle versions of the book were given free, and both volumes achieved Amazon No 1 bestseller rank.

With the success of How to Write for Success Literary Network and the popularity of my book How to Write for Success, many members published books. We saw the need to establish the third sub-forum, Library of How to Write for Success – Books only.

The fourth sub-forum, Grupo Hispaniomundial De Escritores - UHE Trinidad and Tobago was formed as a result of my appointment as National President of UHE Trinidad and Tobago, by the President and Founder of Grupo Hispaniomundial De Escritores, Carlos Hugo Garrido Chalen.

Today, we have sixteen efficient persons who help with different aspects of the Administration of the Literary Network which comprises the main forum, four sub-forums, and members in excess of 13000.

In February 2021 we started a half-yearly magazine and have published two issues in March and September 2021. The next issue will be on the fourth anniversary of the network.

We also have a website and YouTube channel.

 Did covid-19 and the economic meltdown affect your penmanship? (Some say on the other end covid-19 promoted readership)

 Covid19 brought about many changes. It stopped me from travelling, but I spent the time writing.  I believe it also promoted readership because book sales have increased.

 Do you have a plan to be a publisher and help emerging authors?

 Becoming a publisher would entail hiring a big staff. I do not have future plans to do so. However, I believe that if I have succeeded in mastering self-publishing, every writer can do it. My reasons for publishing’ How to Write for Success Volumes One and Two’ are to help emerging authors master the art of self-publishing, and save the expense of hiring a publisher.

 Do you have a plan to write fiction about Trinidad so that others enjoy the story of your motherland?

 Some of my fiction books are set on the beautiful island of Trinidad. They are The Gift of Love, The Axe Murderer, What Happened to Mary Loo, Barry Holmes Mysteries, and Heart-Warming Tales. I may write another one soon.

 You are an advocate against domestic violence and suicide. What works did you (and friends) do to such effect?

 Together with several bestselling authors from my literary forums, we have published four Amazon No 1 best-selling anthologies for these causes: A Spark of Hope I and II: A Treasury of Poems for Saving Lives, and Break the Silence I and II: An Anthology Against Domestic Violence. We have had many heart-warming reports that these books have helped to save lives.

READ THE INTERVIEW IN THE SUNDAY ETHIOPIAN HERALD. CLICK HERE  Read Page 8

 

ALEM HAILU of The Ethiopian Herald reviews HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS

I received a beautiful surprise from Alem Hailu of the Ethiopian Herald.

HERE IS THE LINK
I have transcribed the review below.

Book Review
How to melt the world into words

Book: HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS
Author: BRENDA MOHAMMED
Number of Pages: 196
Review: By ALEM HAILU GABRE KRISTOS
Publisher: Amazon
Price: US $9.00
BOOK LINK

Aside from relating how the author-poet Brenda Mohammed in an exemplary manner consummated her life journey full of hairpin turns and precipices, and with success navigating the twists and turns of the arduous track of life engaging in different walks of life like insurance and banking, her book entitled HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS renders a handy comprehensive toolkit for writers, critics, and editors.

As a novelist, book reviewer, and editor myself, I wish I had this book by my bedside for reference in my previous literary pursuits, for unlike other books I made recourse to, in a bid to fathom the literary devices authors, as well as book reviewers, are expected to well digest, HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS profits a wide array of writers if they, in good time, upload it in their backpacks.

In demonstrating the devices, presumably at the tip of her fingers, in a vivid and lucid as well as friendly manner, no instructor comes close to Brenda Mohammed, who was in the chalk and talk business earlier in her life, before she branched off into literature.

For instance, tragically as it may sound, most of the books I read recommended “Better show than tell,” while they had the propensity of telling.
In sharp contrast to this trend, in her book “HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS!” Brenda pragmatically displays the merit of show over tell by inspiring writers to go for it, reviewers to sniff it, editors to weed out flaws, and readers to know what is encumbering them to read fast, and thereby tell a good book from one that compels critics to say the game is not worth the candle.

Substantiating theory with palatable examples that remains seared on the mind, Brenda walks readers of her book through the jungle of literary devices promising a safe return.
This way HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS portrays by what means authors unerringly sail to readers’ hearts.

As it is true of the other brainchildren of hers like “I'm CANCER FREE,” this one too inspires people to go for their burning dreams with a spirit of never say die against the teeth of daunting and innumerable challenges.

Using short, simple, and toothsome sentences she is a past master at making true modern style never fail to arouse readers’ appreciation.
They are showcases of the power of the pen for authors who have to emerge tall scouting the footprints of literary giants like herself.
It exemplifies poetic prose that glues to the pages of the eyes of those who happen to pick the book. Literariness is how to make things picturesque without using pictures.
Brenda is gifted in doing that simply leaning on word pictures.
She knows how to use the best word at the best place as she is a poet too, and as she states, “to make readers gravitate to you!”
Make your expressions flowery she says in flowery words.
In short, she melts the world into words inviting writers to follow suit.
It is not only in how to use the writers’ craft the page-turner book stands tall, but it also hones emerging authors’ skill demonstrating how to trim unnecessary words and expressions.
For instance, it practically shows how to avoid weak verbs or verbs modified by adverbs.
She demonstrates to writers, “He sprinted,” is by far better than “He ran quickly”.
She also shows the advantage of avoiding hidden verbs “We will announce the winner next week” to “We will make an announcement of the winner next week.”
This is a good tip for those engaged in editorship as well.
Such useful tips she raises, apply to non-fictional works too if the balance mix is well checked.

Observably, her background with an educator like her father has lent her the necessary skills to drive her point home effortlessly.
Author-poet Brenda recommends the writer has to lean on his/her intuition to effectively portray body language.
This lulu that shot up to the global helm of success advises writers to put themselves in the shoes of the character under description.
By way of exemplifying this, she says the way the writer’s body gives away his/her emotion to flattery could be easily adapted to the characters, whose behaviors and physical features have to be well expressed.
She capitalizes on the need to focus on characters’ internal dialogues, (monologues) as well as the external ones.
To engage the readers in using their feelings, HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS shows the importance of using action than dialogue tags that slows the story’s pace. << Instead of “Yes,” he said>> it is better to use<< “Yes” he nodded.>>

Writers have to come up with a clean sheet as much as possible as spelling and grammatical errors could belittle them in readers’ eyes and strips them of credibility.
In a world full of skeptics, one typographical error, especially on cover pages, could make readers put an axe on the neck of the author.
It is no secret that book stations back off if a reader draws their attention to such mistakes.
I know firsthand that most publishers, even those that claim they publish for free ask for payment to correct such silly mistakes even if they know most authors are financially constrained and live in a country where the transaction of hard currency is virtually impossible.

Books that sell like hot cakes standing out from the crowd are ones that have a good blurb, advertisements and book reviews.
She advises authors to take time to produce works that wow their target readers and attract attention to the sale of their books.
“Use active voice to passive voice,” is also among the writing tips she demonstrates with better examples.
Regarding novels and short stories, the story premise must be clear for readers to keep track, she stresses.
To ram this home “Believable characters are the lifeblood of the story,” she points out.
Life in the story must not reflect a bed of roses, nor must characters be flawless and physically striking, she recommends to authors expected to evade the relegation of their work to the category prosaic.
The protagonist and main character should face physical or other shortcomings they have to overcome
Though show not tell, is recommendable narration and dialogue must be in the right mix, advises Brenda.

When painting, the setting be it historic setting— with political and cultural wrangling— or otherwise, writers have to conduct research to avoid mistakes like an anachronism.
As the story has to be believable double-checking things is a must-do.
She substantiates this with the study she conducted to craft a science fiction.
“Take readers on a literary pilgrimage!” and “Create a believable world!” “Use all of your five senses,” Brenda recommends.

Though it is recommendable to design plots at times, characters could allow the writer a room to go a bit astray in so far as this action does not contradict the main plot.
“A story arch is not set in stone!” she says.
She underlines the need to focus on subplots as well.
She appreciates plot summaries before attempting writing to evade getting sucked in a black hole.
When it comes to the narrative she advises limiting description and avoiding ramblings resorting to intriguing and dramatic situations. The problem and the story must be well-grounded.
The premise has to be clear.

Before publication, it sure is good for readers to get their book perused by friends or relatives who are avid readers.
Beta readers and editing software could render invaluable services in weeding out errors and checking self-contradictory issues.
It sure is good if a seasoned editor sees the final output before publication because a professional has experienced eyes in rendering the masterpiece a finishing touch.
She also shows how novelists could keep on writing to the end in a three months’ time setting, with a program of writing, say 500 words per day.
She also highlights the advantage of quietude such as night time, while writing as a distraction is formidable of creative art.
Her book also throws light on the significance of growing in a close-knitted, well-educated and reading family.

Above all, she capitalizes writers must well know their target audience to tailor works accordingly.
They as well should have a worldview to make their work a hit.
As I found the writer imperfectly perfect I could not find any flaws in the book.
Check this must-read yourself.

GET THE BOOK ON AMAZON.