Interview on Red River Radio hosted by Barbara Ehrentreu

Today I had an interview on Red River Radio hosted by Barbara Ehrentreu.
Barbara is a great host.
Joining us on the show was Shiju H. Pallithazheth Author of Katashi Tales and Founder of Motivational Strips.
Thank you Barbara Ehrentreu for this wonderful interview on your Radio Show. It was lots of fun speaking to you and Shiju H. Pallithazheth.
You were a perfect host.
If readers want to listen to the interview please click on this link.
Here are the Interview Questions and answers:

• Where were you born and where do you live now?
Barbara, I was born in Trinidad and I still live there. I have travelled to many Countries all over the world but I love my home in Trinidad.

• Besides writing what is your occupation now? What made you decide to stop being a banker and work in insurance? Why did you leave the insurance field if you are not there anymore?
I am a former Bank Manager. My job was to give loans and overdrafts to business people. I turned many of them into millionaires. I took early retirement from Banking and moved into insurance. I also excelled there. But I fell ill and had to go abroad for a few months for treatment. After I got better I wrote a book about my illness. I am Cancer Free. It was a best seller and it won many awards.

• Do you have any hobbies?
My hobbies are reading and writing. I go to the movies now and then and travel around the island with my nieces and sisters in my spare time.

• Who or what influenced you to begin writing?
As I mentioned earlier, the first book I wrote was, I am Cancer Free. Because of the success of that book, I continued writing.

• You have written 21 books and you keep adding to this number. In what way would you say this has changed your life?
Writing has changed my life because it has taken me in a different direction for which I did not plan.
I used to think Banking was the best occupation, but after leaving banking, a whole new world opened up for me.
I was very successful in Insurance and qualified for the Million Dollar Round Table, the Premier Association for Financial Professionals six times in a row.
I was made a Lifetime member of MDRT.
Since I started writing in 2013, I have won several awards and I still cannot believe that my books were that good.

• Please tell our listeners about a typical day of writing for you.
I do my writing late at night when it is very quiet and I can concentrate on what I am writing about.
There is no set routine.

• I know you have so many books we would need at least ten shows to talk about all of them. Please tell us about your latest one.
I will tell you about Zeeka Chronicles because that book won many awards.
ZEEKA CHRONICLES: REVENGE OF ZEEKA is a science fiction novel that consists of five spine-chilling stories.
It will Take you on a futuristic Journey into the year 2036.
These highly imaginative tales would keep you spellbound.
It is a story of one man's misuse of science for revenge.
Prepare to hold on to your seats as you will encounter zombies, robots using taekwondo skills, and you may have to dodge high tech weapons and shrinkenators.
Handsome doctors like Dr. Raynor Sharpe and Dr. Steven Sharpe along with beautiful Dr. Janet Jones-Sharpe will take care of you at the Gosh hospital.
Intertwined in the first part of this futuristic tale is a romance about Janet and Raynor which will warm your hearts.
The highlight of the story is the life of the protagonist Dr. Steven Sharpe who was kidnapped as a child.
Zeeka Chronicles: Revenge of Zeeka was an award winner in the Category Young Adult Thriller in Readers Favorite International Awards 2018, winner in Science Fiction in SIBA Awards 2017, winner of the gold award in the category science fiction in Emagazine Readers' Choice Awards 2018, and winner in the top ten finalists for science fiction in the Author Academy Global Awards 2018,.
Here is an extract from a Readers Favorite Review:
"Brenda Mohammed's writing style is evocative of the future and she handles the science in her fiction brilliantly: reading is believing!
I loved Zeeka Chronicles; it has worldwide appeal for anyone looking for an entertaining story that is different.'

• Looking at your bio you have compiled a huge amount of awards. Would you please let our listeners know what they are and why you received them?
In November 2018 I won two awards with Readers Favorite International for two of my books, I AM CANCER FREE in the category Health and Fitness and ZEEKA CHRONICLES in the category Young Adult Thriller.
I travelled to Miami to collect those awards.
I won other awards for some of my other books but those are not as popular as Readers Favorite.
The other awards you see on my Bio are Literature awards that I received from the World Nations Writers Union and Motivational Strips.

• You also have written poetry and you are an administrator for Motivational Strips. How is writing poetry different for you than writing prose? Which do you like better?
I was not a poetry writer before joining Motivational Strips.
I grew to love poetry after I became a member and read the fantastic contributions from other members.

• What are you doing to promote your latest book? Will you be doing any online or in person promotions?
I do all my promotions on Social Media and they have worked well for me.

• What was it like to edit a book like Katashi Tales? As an editor, I understand the problems involved with editing another person’s work. How did the distance and the time affect your working on this book?
I was hesitant at first to take on an editing job.
I had never edited another person’s book before.
I could not refuse a man like Shiju H Pallithazheth.
He is very kind-hearted to all the members in his group and the affiliate groups.
When he approached me I agreed immediately.
The distance and time difference of eight hours did not affect our working on the book.
I always wondered if Shiju slept at all.
He was intent on producing the best book that would be read all over the world, and he succeeded.
I am truly grateful that I had a major role to play in getting that book out to the public.
It was a great deal of fun working with Shiju. He made me laugh a lot.

• Please let our listeners know where they can find your books.
All my books can be found on Amazon. Here is the Amazon Universal link. CLICK HERE.


• Finally, this is a question I ask all of the people here on Tales from the Pages, are you a pantser or a plotter? In other words, do you just write or do you outline before you write?
Barbara, I do an outline, but I never stick to it because my characters start writing their own stories.
Sometimes the whole plot gets thrown out when I write the dialogue, and the story takes a new and exciting turn.

FOLLOW BRENDA ON AMAZON

Author Interview with Brenda Mohammed

Interview with multi-genre author Brenda Mohammed
Posted: October 10, 2018 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Author Profile, Books, Fiction, Interview, Memoir, Nonfiction, Science Fiction, Travel, Writing | Tags: Author Interview, Brenda Mohammed, Memoir, Science Fiction, Travel Memoir

Brenda Mohammed Portfolio

I have the pleasure of interviewing independent author Brenda Mohammed today. She is not only a multi-genre author, but a multi-award winning author, who seems to dabble in a bit of everything. She comes from a background in finance, but became an author when she wrote a memoir about her battle with ovarian cancer. Since then, she’s written several other memoirs, as well as a science fiction series, a horror novel and a crime novel, as well as a wonderful self-help book for aspiring authors. She has done so much, and made so many travels, and I’m thrilled to have her share all that with us here, on Writing to be Read. Please give a warm welcome to Brenda Mohammed.

Kaye: When did you know you wanted to be an author?

Brenda: I never planned to be an author. I was a successful Bank Manager for many years. After I retired from the Bank at an early age, I became an Insurance Professional. I loved working in Finance and helping many people achieve their financial goals. In 2005 I was stricken with ovarian cancer. My doctor in Trinidad told me that she could not help me, and no other doctor in Trinidad at that time was qualified to do so. I sought treatment in Miami and gained a new lease on life. In 2013 I wrote a book about my cancer ordeal and recovery, I am Cancer Free. That was my first book and I have never stopped writing after that. To date I have written nineteen books.

Kaye: You’ve written 6 memoirs, 2 children’s books, a science fiction series, a crime novel, and a nonfiction book on writing. What’s the secret to tackling so many different genres?

Brenda: There really is no secret to writing in multiple genres. I have always loved a challenge and constantly seek out new opportunities. I write whatever I feel passionate about.

Kaye: You have written books in multiple genres: science fiction, memoir, self-help, etc… What are some of the differences you run into in writing different genres?

Brenda: When I am writing science fiction I maintain my focus on science fiction, and similarly with the other genres. The secret is to stay focused on the plot or the subject to achieve the end result. However, the problem I faced was in promoting my books.
I discovered a way around that and made Facebook Author pages for each genre. I have seven Facebook author pages. I also joined several Facebook groups that specialise in genres in which I write, to promote my books.

Kaye: Which genre is your favorite to write in? Why?

Brenda: I really enjoyed writing my science fiction series because it took me to another world for a while. When I wrote it I found myself becoming the hero or heroine and doing impossible things.

Kaye: You won a Readers’ Favorite Award in the 2018 International Book Awards for both your YA science fiction series Zeeka Chronicles,and your memoir I Am Cancer Free. What, if anything do these two books have in common besides both being Reader’s Favorite Book Award recipients? What makes them award winning books?

Brenda: Strange. I think I just answered that question above. The books have nothing in common yet there is a common thread. One is a futuristic thriller and the other is a survival story. As I said above when writing science fiction. i.e. Zeeka Chronicles, I found myself becoming the hero or heroine. In I am Cancer Free I am the heroine.
Seriously though, I quote from Readers Favorite: “Contest entries are judged all year long and are given a rating score based on key literary elements. The judges simply read the book and score it based on its merits.”

Kaye: Those are not the only award winning books you’ve written. Two other memoirs, My Life as a Banker received a second place award in memoirs in the Metamorph Publishing’s Summer Indie Book Awards in 2016 and Your Time is Now received IHIBRP 5 Star Recommended Read Award Badge. What can you tell us about those two books?

Brenda: My Life as a Banker is a memoir about my life in Banking. Banking was my first love. I always wanted to work in a bank. I love serving and helping people and seeing them prosper. Banking gave me the opportunity to do so and especially when I climbed the ranks to Commercial Area Credit Manager and was able to help business people with startups and expansion. Banking allowed me to play my part in building the economy of my native country, Trinidad.
Your Time is Now is intended to help people understand their own lives and to realize that we are all here on earth for a purpose.
The reviews for both these books speak a lot for them.

Kaye: What is it like to receive notification that your book is the recipient of a prestigious award?

Brenda: I have won many awards before in both Banking and Insurance.in my home country.
However, as this was an International Award it was a most joyous feeling to tell my friends and family that I won two prestigious awards with Readers Favorite International and will be attending the Awards Ceremony in Miami. In November.

Kaye: What’s something most readers would never guess about you?

Brenda: I dabble in art, poetry, and graphics in my spare time. Some of my art work hang on the walls of my home.

Kaye: What time of day do you prefer to do your writing? Why?

Brenda: I prefer to write in the still of the night. When everyone is asleep I find peace to think and write.

Kaye: What is the biggest challenge of being a writer?

Brenda: Only a few days ago I penned this poem about writing:

Writing takes me into a fantasy world.

Sometimes I find myself in a black hole.

I edit and fight to come out of it

But not before I get into a fit.



My books have gathered great reviews

Won awards and made the news.

Is it worth it, I sometimes ask?

Writing a book is a great task.



A writer’s life is a rather lonely one.

All day behind a computer is no fun.

An author must make the time

Read others’ books and go out and lime.



Do not sit at your computer all day.

Join the family in travel and play

Love of a family is life’s greatest gift

When you need to relax they give you a lift.

Kaye: Is there anything unique or unusual about your writing process?

Brenda: Before writing a story I write an outline of the entire plot in a couple of pages. I then use that to build my story. It sounds simple, but it is not.

Kaye: Your book on writing is titled How to Write for Success: Best Writing Advice I Received. Can you briefly share what the best writing advice you ever received really was? What is the main message of this book?

Brenda: The Best Writing Advice I Received was “Keep the Reader in mind when writing. In other words write for the reader and your books will sell.”
To answer the second part of the question I will quote one of the five-star reviews. The one from Readers Favorite is too long so I will share this one from an Amazon Reviewer:
“Having read a couple of Mohammed’s books, I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed in this self-help book, and I was not. The book covers not only the gamut on the art of writing, but the formulation of an idea for a book, to proofreading, and eventual marketing of his/her book. This is an excellent book for anyone who finds him/herself contemplating becoming a writer. With Mohammed’s book in hand, there should be little, if any, room for error. I highly recommend.”

Kaye: You like to travel. Do the places you travel end up in your books?

Brenda: Yes they do and they did. I wrote Travel Memoirs with Pictures: Exploring the world. It is an illustrated picture book filled with reflections of my travels around the world.

In this pictorial travel book of my priceless memories, I describe places visited and the wonderful times I and my family had in our tourist trips. The book is great to read while on a vacation or for some travel inspiration.

I want to thank Brenda Mohammed for joining us here today and sharing a little about her lovely books. You can learn more about Brenda and her books on Amazon at: http://Author.to/BCM786. I love how she turned her own life experiences into books to be shared by all.

Like this post? Follow Brenda on Amazon.

An Interview with Brenda Mohammed

Yvonne Daniels interviewed Author Brenda Mohammed

1.How did you decide what genre to write?

I am a multi-genre writer and have written eighteen books to date.
The first book I wrote was I am Cancer Free – A Memoir in 2013.
I wrote that book to tell people suffering from that disease, cancer does not have to be a death sentence.
That book won first place in non-fiction in McGrath’s House Indie Book Awards in 2016.
It also received a five-star review and five-star seal from Readers Favorite.

After that, I wrote six memoirs My Life as a Banker, Retirement is Fun, Travel Memoirs with Pictures, Memoirs of Dr. Andrew M. Khan, [my father’s memoirs, which received four five-star reviews from Readers Favorite] a spiritual memoir, Your Time is Now, and a Dog’s Tale She Cried For Me.

I tried fiction because of something that my brother said to me prior to his death. He wrote in reference to my book, ‘My Life as a Banker: A Life Worth Living,”
“Your book makes very pleasant reading, and your literary expression is superb and easy to follow. You have an excellent talent, and I think you should follow up on a leisurely basis with perhaps publishing a book of short stories. With fiction, you will have greater opportunity to use your imagination and your undoubted descriptive ability. You used the word “fantasize” to create a situation. This is an outstanding quality, which you should continue to use because it is imagination, which disposes of everything, coming from within you. It creates beauty, justice, and happiness, which are everything in this world.”

I took my brother’s advice and in the year 2014 wrote, ‘Heart-Warming Tales,’ ‘Stories People Love, and Adventures of Squeaky Doo.’ The three books are short story collections.

An idea for a science fiction series came to me and in February 2016, I published Zeeka and the Zombies: Revenge of Zeeka Book 1.
Within a few months, I released Zeeka’s Child Book 2, and Zeeka Returns Book 3.
The series scored a double with Readers Favorite.
I had compiled the first three books into a trilogy called Revenge of Zeeka: Horror Trilogy.
In September 2016, I submitted the trilogy to Readers Favorite for a free review.
The book received a five-star review and five-star seal.
The following year I added two more books to the series - Zeeka’s Ghost Book 4 and Resurrection Book 5.
I compiled the five books into one book called Zeeka Chronicles: Revenge of Zeeka.
I sent it to Readers Favorite for a free review and it received a five-star review and five-star seal.
A fan nominated the book for the Metamorph Publishing Summer Indies Book Awards.
It won Best Science Fiction third place in September 2017.


2.When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I did not plan to be a writer.
I loved my former careers.
I was a former Bank Manager and upon retirement I ventured into Insurance Underwriting.
I was successful in both careers but a diagnosis of cancer changed my life.
I am now happy to be a writer.

3.How do you research for your plot and characters?

I must admit that I had no fixed method for writing my books.
My Memoirs and that of my father’s are life experiences and required no research.
With the fictional short stories some of them are based on true events in the lives of people I know.
For the Zeeka series the upsurge in the zika virus led me to compile the series. I was rather immersed in that series and felt as if the characters told me what to write.
I used certain medical terms which I researched on the internet.

4.What's your latest book you published?

The latest book I published was How to Write For Success in December 2017.
I wanted to share my knowledge and experience with new and aspiring writers.
The book received a five=star review and five-star seal from Readers Favorite on 31st December 2017.

5.You have travelled a lot. Do you use your travels as setting for your books?

No. I have travelled a lot and details of my travels are in one book, Travel Memoirs with Pictures: Exploring the World which is an illustrated picture book filled with reflections of my travels around the world.
In this pictorial travel book of my priceless memories, I describe places visited and the wonderful times my family and I had in our tourist trips.
The book is great to read while on a vacation or for some travel inspiration.
I have referred to some of my travels in my other memoirs.
However, most of my stories, besides the Zeeka series which is set on a fictitious island in the future, are set in my home country, Trinidad in the Caribbean.

6.What type of heroine do you like to create - a strong one that's not afraid of tears, or a meek one who overcomes her fears?

Depending on the story I use both types of heroines to provide contrast.

7.Do you have someone who you base your hero on?

No. I do not have any particular person in mind when I write my stories.

8.What makes you decide to write a series or standalone?

Writing a series gives me time to figure out in what direction the story should take.
A series is also easier on the reader.
Reviewers commented that they appreciated the break in the stories as they are bedtime readers.

9.What about your family: do they read your books?

Yes. My sisters and children look forward to reading my books.
My husband although very supportive, does not like to read. However, he loves to read the book reviews.

10.What subject will you write about in the future?

I love to experiment with other genres and right now I am writing a romance novel, The Gift of Love.

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