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Interview with Shermell K. Ward, Author of Compositions of Me

Author’s Bio: A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Shermell K. Ward now lives in the State of Maryland. Growing up all over the United States as an Air-Force brat gave her diverse experiences and upbringing. Ms. Ward has one son. She graduated and received a dual Degree in Business Management and Marketing (2009), along with a Master's Degree in Management (2011). Ms. Ward continues to strive for awareness in the community by speaking at various events empowering women and men to learn, leave their past behind, and focus on their future. Her hobbies are writing, reading, exercising, traveling, and continually gaining new profound knowledge, spiritual growth, and rebirths.

What inspired you to write your book?
What inspired me to write the book was the process to heal from my pain, disappointments, of relationships, marriage, divorce, and losing a baby. I am not ashamed. I am not a failure. I am a successor, why? Because I survived all of those experiences.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
Growing up I always liked biographies, Oprah’s Biography, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee, book titled A Kind of Grace, as an adult my late father’s James Russell Ward book titled Passion & Tears which discussed him growing up with an alcoholic father and other traumatic experiences. 

Is this your first book? How long did it take to start and finish your book?
No, this is not my first book. When I was eleven years old I wrote my first unpublished book. Compositions of Me is my first published book. The manuscript took a year give or take and my poems are my testimony. I wrote about my pain to help deal with and heal from those situations.

Do you write with an outline, or just let it flow organically?
I let my writing flow organically.

Do you listen to music when you write? If yes, is there a theme song for this book?
Yes, I have listened to music when I wrote. This book does have a theme song, “Read All about It” by Emeli Sandé. Yet, my favorite is to write with complete silence and allow myself to feel all the emotions.

What are the keys to success in getting your book out to the public?
The key to success in getting my book out to the public is promotion, social media, networking, and reading my book at public/private events.

What advice would you give to new authors?
The advice I would give to new authors is to write in your own truth, allow readers to see your life, or story through your eyes, and be patient when promoting your book.  Finally, shop around for good publishing companies. 

How about sharing an excerpt from Compositions of Me?

                                                            Plan B Poem
Plan B- damn, now I see, believing the lies and deceit he told me. I married for love you see, but now my husband has no love for me. In his mind love is to hate, destroy, misuse of me. I look into his eyes and all I see is the wicked plans he has in store for me, giving me false hopes of our union and how it’s supposed to be. Becoming someone else like an enemy, I promised to love, honor, and respect, now knowing my husband had no intent. This marriage has been hell from the start, the man I married has strife in his heart, neglect in his veins, and deceit in his smile. I am so disappointed. Why? Because I didn’t have plan B.

What’s next for you?
What is next for me is to continue having book signings, promoting Compositions of Me, motivating others to also break their shackles of shame.

Where can readers find out more about you and your book(s)?
·         Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Shermell-K.-Ward/e/B016261XW4
·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shermelll
·         Twitter: https://twitter.com/SHERMELL_K
·         Website/Blog: https://compositionsofmeblog.wordpress.com/
·         Book buy Links: www.rosedogbookstore.com, www.barnesandnobles.com
·         www.amazon.com (Shermell K. Ward) Compositions of Me

It’s been a pleasure having you here with us today. I know my readers will enjoy getting to know you and your work.



Comments

  1. I had the privilege of meeting this beautiful and intelligence woman in high school. She is such a beautiful person inside and out.

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