Brenda Mohammed - Interesting facts...
Tell us a Little about yourself.
My name is Brenda Mohammed and I am a Trinidad and Tobago-based multi -genre writer and former Bank Manager who has written thirteen books to date. I like to read books by other authors. I love to travel and am a fan of photography and art. After retiring from the bank at an early age, I worked at an Insurance Company and qualified for membership in the Million Dollar Round Table several times. I was offered Life Membership in MDRT. The Million Dollar Round Table is the Premier Association of Financial Professionals.
Tell us your latest news
Three of my books were nominated for the Metamorph's Publishing Summer Indie Book Awards 2016.
They are:
My Life as a Banker: A Life Worth Living – Category:
Memoirs/Bios
Retirement is Fun: A New Chapter – Category:
Memoirs/Bios
Revenge of Zeeka: Horror Trilogy – Category:
Young Adult
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Want to know more about Brenda Mohammed? Continue reading her in depth interview...
When and why did you begin writing?
I decided to become a writer after I left the corporate world. I needed to keep busy. The positive reviews I got from the first book I wrote, led me on to write more books.
What inspired you to write your first book?
I wrote a biography of my father while I was still employed at the Bank. I did that book out of love for my deceased father who was an Educator. He wrote all his notes in diaries and scraps of paper and I compiled his memoirs from those. The book was very popular among my father’s friends and relatives. A past President of Trinidad and Tobago and a current President requested copies of the book for their personal libraries.
I am inspired to write mainly on topics with which I am familiar. I love to write autobiographies of people I know and to tell true stories. .I believe that people can learn from the experiences of others. For example, I have written a book about my bout with cancer in the hope that my experience can help someone or even many people. I tried my hand at writing some fiction and on spiritual subjects. So far, those books have received good reviews. I even wrote a few poems and they are included in some of my books.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Each of my books has a message for my readers. When my readers read my books, they will grasp the message.
What books have most influenced your life most? A mentor?
When I was at High School, I read the book, “The Power of Positive Thinking,” by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. It was the most interesting and educating book I had ever read at that age. The contents of that book influenced my life in a most powerful way. I learned at a very early age, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me.”
I must add that it was my father’s influence that drove me to love literature. He had a library full of every kind of books – even books for children, and I indulged a lot in these books. He was a great educator.
What book are you reading now?
Would you believe that I just downloaded ‘The Complete Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm’
For some reason, I feel like re-reading all those stories that I read in my childhood.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Yes, I am impressed with some of the authors in the IASD Group and other groups that I have joined.
What are your current projects?
I am working on a Ghost Story but it will be ready later in the year. I do not want to disclose much about it at this stage.
Do you see writing as a career?
Writing for me has been a pastime. However, I love to be successful at everything that I do, so I give it my best.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
I am always making changes to the books that I wrote .With self-publishing, it is easy to do so, and I have also made changes to the covers of some books.
I
s there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
I never learned to type, so typing my manuscripts takes up a lot of my time. Editing is also very challenging. Even proof readers and beta readers overlook simple errors.
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
I admire the author Lee Child. His stories about Jack Reacher have been made into movies and I love to watch those movies.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
My advice to other writers is to keep writing whatever you feel like writing. Someone once said that a writer really writes to himself. A definition of a writer on the Internet is as follows: ”A writer is a person who uses written words in various styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce various forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, poetry, plays, news articles, screenplays, or essays.”
We writers express ourselves in different ways. My way may not be your way. Just do your best.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Yes, I would like to tell my readers that I love all of their reviews. Their reviews give me encouragement to write. I recently joined a Facebook Group called Best Book Reviews and I have been posting their reviews and expressing my thanks to my readers openly.
What do you want written on your head stone and why?
My name and the period I lived in will do just fine.
What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
I love to watch Lifetime TV shows and true-life stories.
Favorite foods / Colors/ Music
I like Asian and local cuisine. I love bright colors but red is my favorite. I enjoy all types of music but love the steel band music here in Trinidad.
One final question...Do you have a blog/website? If so what is it?
I have both.
Click Here to visit my website. You can find
My blog here.
