ME! Newsletter: Winter Wonder Literature Land

Independent Authors Book Expo 2017

Hey people!

I will be at the Independent Authors Book Expo next Saturday. This is the third year that I will be in attendance. I am excited to see some of my fellow authors, meet new authors, and just sale some of my books. I have been very busy with many numerous projects that now it is time for me to sit down, relax, and sale these books.

Check out  my books below you can get at the festival or online.

All in Together Girls (Children's)

All in Together Girls is a children's book that displays and discusses two cousins who play a childhood jump rope game. The cousins take you on a journey to family, friends, and fun. This books allows children to learn the names of each month and experience the activities and weather associated with those months. Shay and Jaye will have you ready to take out your Double Dutch rope and sing with them in their journey down memory lane.

My Poetic Soul Unleashed

My Poetic Soul Unleashed is Melica Niccole’s second book of poetry. Melica felt that it was time that she unleashed her soul in the form of poetic words and allow people to witness her talented aura on paper. So many times in life, people tend to see the things that are on the surface without digging beneath the exterior and revealing a diamond in the rough. It’s time to stop recovering items from the surface and start digging for more than the obvious.

  

Dead Wrong Romantic Thriller

Dead Wrong is about a young woman name Tasha Marie Smith. Tasha's life takes a 180 degree turn down the wrong direction because of a man named Jacob. Jacob was everything she yearned for; educated, well-groomed, confident, financially set, didn't have any kids, and he was single. What more did she need? He was everything she thought she needed. He exemplified success and she wouldn't stop until she achieved success also. What she didn't know was that sometimes success comes with a high price and his price was everlasting. 

Poetic Outlets- Poetry

Poetic Outlets is a book of poetry that discusses depression, society, love, and attributes of a woman. Melica Niccole shows her ability in writing that readers will easily relate to many of her poems or they have a relational tie to someone that can. It can honestly be said that Poetic Outlets has a bit of everything in it that draws you deeper and deeper into the author's thought process. Witness Melica Niccole's transition as a writer, which is seen from the beginning to the end of the book.

Journey to the Truth- Poetry and Prose

The Journey to the truth is about searching for the truth by questioning common things, researching information, standing alone, formulating your own thoughts, and refraining from the common activity of "group think." It's time to free your minds and allow truth to have a constant resting place to call home.

The New Face of Disabilities- Self Help

The face of those with a disability is ever changing, making it more and more challenging to determine who has a disability and who does not. Wouldn't it be a perfect world if everyone was equipped with the right tools to assist those with a disability? Well, why not try to make it an almost perfect world? Melica Niccole provides you with effective strategies in with individuals with disabilities.

Jacob: In the Mind of a Mad Man- Romantic Thiller (Sequel to Dead Wrong)

Jacob: In the Mind of a Mad Man is the sequel to Dead Wrong. The book is about the thought process of a mentally unstable individual who could snap at any given moment and he only has one thing to blame; love. How will his love interest respond to his unwarranted advances? What happened in Dead Wrong to make Jacob flip the script? The only way to understand him is to think like him. Now, let’s go deep inside the mind of a mad man.

The Book of Quotes

 The Book of Quotes is a book of inspiration that helps people stay positive, keep their focus, and be honest with themselves. There are six different sections, which focus on motivation, understanding, inner strength, transformation, love, and positive thinking.

Sisters of the Shield- Friendship and Sisterhood

Sisters of the Shield is a book about being in a sisterhood and all the things that occur when they try to hang with the bruhs, stroll with the best, and protect their reps. Makela Johnson, a sophomore at Carlton State University in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, returns on the yard to get the full experience of belonging to The Sisters of the Shield. The sisters are known for being the baddest divas to run the yard with precision, grace, and style. They are sexy, smart, and have that hands-off rarity that makes men want them even more. 

Mount Vernon Avenue (Creative Non-fiction)

Mount Vernon Avenue is a book about a historical area in Columbus, Ohio called Mount Vernon Avenue. This book details the personal accounts of individuals who had the opportunity to visit the area and what they recall from their many visits there. These individuals range from the ages o 30 to 99 years of age. The information they divulge includes music, The Cameo, parades, Woolworth stores, meeting Robert Kennedy, and tutoring session. The book coincides with some of what part artist, Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinsons, displayed in her artwork. Her artwork gracd the Columbus Metropolitan Library in downtown Columbus, Columbus Museum of Art, and other places in the city. This literary work brings to life her artwork in the form of words with explanations of the people, culture, and different activities that took place there.

PJ's World- Children's

PJ’s World is a children’s book about family, adventures, and fun. . Interesting as his adventures are, he also talks Hip-Hop with his cousin, drives a train as a conductor, and becomes a dancer in the dance studio of Debbie Allen. The only way that all these things could happen to one little boy is in PJ’s World. Come and explore with him and be a part of all the adventures.

Naturals: The Paper People- Children's

The Naturals are paper people who live inside books, called “Naturals.” They come alive every so often to interact with people in the world and help them make decisions or learn new things. Their goal is to make the world a better place through love, education, helpful gestures, and unity.

Intimate Lies is about the lies people tell in relationships in order to make their lives a little less complicated. These people often believe that others are unable to handle the truth and they base past relationships on how they deal with future relationships. This book is dedicated to helping people identify intimate lies and the liars who tell them. 

Diversify Us

Diversify Us is about Alese Morrison is a fifth grade student at George Washington Carver Elementary School in Newark, New Jersey. Alese and her fellow classmates were tasked with a very tedious homework assignment to get their minds going. Some of them were up for the challenge, while the others relished in procrastinating. 

The Alphabet Monster



Gordon is The Alphabet Monster who takes delight and honor in making children misspell words. He enjoys making them uncomfortable and even laughs at them when they are put to the test in regards to their vocabulary words. Unbeknownst to him, he is in for a rude awakening. He will think twice about messing with these children. 

My Top College

The 4th Annual #MyTopCollege social media contest, by Forbes, is underway. Schools, large and small, have been competing on Twitter and Instagram in an intense contest to tell the world why their school is the best. Old rivalries continue and newbies shine in week 2. The old rivalries being: Cal State University Fresno, California State University, Fullerton, and Michigan State University.

The newbies who are not regulars in the contest are Otterbein and University of Iowa. It is a great feeling, knowing my undergraduate alma mater, Otterbein, is one of the newbies making headway. I commend the students, faculty, staff, and others for staying dedicated to showing the world the #CardinalPride, all the way from Westerville, Ohio. Going to Otterbein meant the world to me. I planned on attending the school, every since I was a young child in elementary school. It was all because of my mentor who attended the school. She visited me once a week, helped me with homework, and even sent me gifts home for my birthday. From that point on, I had already made my decision to go to the school. Although I almost missed my opportunity in going to college, I made up for it the last few weeks of the Summer to make sure I secured my place as an Otterbein student. I am definitely I decided to move forward with my education there. I would not change anything about my experience because it helped shape me into the person I am today and continues to shape me.

#MyTopCollege is Definitely Otterbe University. #CardinalPride

Posts from Social Media about #MyTopCollege

HSS majors. Help us win the @ForbesEDU #MyTopCollege contest. Tag @Otterbein and hashtag #mytopcollege and tell us why you love Otterbein. pic.twitter.com/Zujy88dYZC

— Otterbein HSS (@HSSOtterbein) July 6, 2017

ICYMI: @Fresno_State is ranked #1 for the THIRD week in a row in @ForbesEDU's #MyTopCollege contest, thanks to YOUR posts 🐾 pic.twitter.com/5uDhJuUufe

— Fresno State (@Fresno_State) July 16, 2017

@CSUF is in second place in the Forbes #MyTopCollege social media campaign. Help us when our fourth title. https://t.co/oXvL0A5RbS pic.twitter.com/R2zVOCdej8

— Cal State Fullerton (@csuf) July 7, 2017

15 Books and Counting...

May 18, 2017 marked the day that my 15th book was released and available for purchase. It is an amazing feeling to know that all of this was accomplished in less than 7 years. My very first book, Dead Wrong, was published in August of 2010. Every year, I have sought to publish at least 1-2 books a year; however in 2013, I failed to release any new books. I definitely made up for this in 2014 and 2015. The true reason why I keep writing and publishing my work is because I absolutely love writing. My ultimate plan is to continue to publish other projects, which I have started. This includes about five other projects. I am very excited about this new poetry book that I am working on. With this book, I feel as though I stepped back into my poetic style that helped me feel passionate about the subject matter. In this upcoming poetry book, I have tackled new ideas and found a new found respect for things. You will see and hear my old poetic flow, coupled with a renaissance of the mind type of vibe.

Check out all of my works below:

  

Dead Wrong- Romantic Thriller

Dead Wrong is about a young woman name Tasha Marie Smith. Tasha's life takes a 180 degree turn down the wrong direction because of a man named Jacob. Jacob was everything she yearned for; educated, well-groomed, confident, financially set, didn't have any kids, and he was single. What more did she need? He was everything she thought she needed. He exemplified success and she wouldn't stop until she achieved success also. What she didn't know was that sometimes success comes with a high price and his price was everlasting. 

Poetic Outlets- Poetry

Poetic Outlets is a book of poetry that discusses depression, society, love, and attributes of a woman. Melica Niccole shows her ability in writing that readers will easily relate to many of her poems or they have a relational tie to someone that can. It can honestly be said that Poetic Outlets has a bit of everything in it that draws you deeper and deeper into the author's thought process. Witness Melica Niccole's transition as a writer, which is seen from the beginning to the end of the book.

My Poetic Soul Unleashed- Poetry


My Poetic Soul Unleashed is Melica Niccole’s second book of poetry. Melica felt that it was time that she unleashed her soul in the form of poetic words and allow people to witness her talented aura on paper. So many times in life, people tend to see the things that are on the surface without digging beneath the exterior and revealing a diamond in the rough. It’s time to stop recovering items from the surface and start digging for more than the obvious.

All in Together Girls- Children's

All in Together Girls is a children's book that displays and discusses two cousins who play a childhood jump rope game. The cousins take you on a journey to family, friends, and fun. This books allows children to learn the names of each month and experience the activities and weather associated with those months. Shay and Jaye will have you ready to take out your Double Dutch rope and sing with them in their journey down memory lane.

Journey to the Truth- Poetry and Prose

The Journey to the truth is about searching for the truth by questioning common things, researching information, standing alone, formulating your own thoughts, and refraining from the common activity of "group think." It's time to free your minds and allow truth to have a constant resting place to call home.

The New Face of Disabilities- Self Help

The face of those with a disability is ever changing, making it more and more challenging to determine who has a disability and who does not. Wouldn't it be a perfect world if everyone was equipped with the right tools to assist those with a disability? Well, why not try to make it an almost perfect world? Melica Niccole provides you with effective strategies in with individuals with disabilities.

Jacob: In the Mind of a Mad Man- Romantic Thiller (Sequel to Dead Wrong)

Jacob: In the Mind of a Mad Man is the sequel to Dead Wrong. The book is about the thought process of a mentally unstable individual who could snap at any given moment and he only has one thing to blame; love. How will his love interest respond to his unwarranted advances? What happened in Dead Wrong to make Jacob flip the script? The only way to understand him is to think like him. Now, let’s go deep inside the mind of a mad man.

 Book of Quotes is a book of inspiration that helps people stay positive, keep their focus, and be honest with themselves. There are six different sections, which focus on motivation, understanding, inner strength, transformation, love, and positive thinking.

Sisters of the Shield- Friendship and Sisterhood

Sisters of the Shield is a book about being in a sisterhood and all the things that occur when they try to hang with the bruhs, stroll with the best, and protect their reps. Makela Johnson, a sophomore at Carlton State University in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, returns on the yard to get the full experience of belonging to The Sisters of the Shield. The sisters are known for being the baddest divas to run the yard with precision, grace, and style. They are sexy, smart, and have that hands-off rarity that makes men want them even more. 

Mount Vernon Avenue- Creative Non-fiction

Mount Vernon Avenue is a book about a historical area in Columbus, Ohio called Mount Vernon Avenue. This book details the personal accounts of individuals who had the opportunity to visit the area and what they recall from their many visits there. These individuals range from the ages o 30 to 99 years of age. The information they divulge includes music, The Cameo, parades, Woolworth stores, meeting Robert Kennedy, and tutoring session. The book coincides with some of what part artist, Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinsons, displayed in her artwork. Her artwork gracd the Columbus Metropolitan Library in downtown Columbus, Columbus Museum of Art, and other places in the city. This literary work brings to life her artwork in the form of words with explanations of the people, culture, and different activities that took place there.

PJ's World- Children's

PJ’s World is a children’s book about family, adventures, and fun. . Interesting as his adventures are, he also talks Hip-Hop with his cousin, drives a train as a conductor, and becomes a dancer in the dance studio of Debbie Allen. The only way that all these things could happen to one little boy is in PJ’s World. Come and explore with him and be a part of all the adventures.

Naturals: The Paper People- Children's

The Naturals are paper people who live inside books, called “Naturals.” They come alive every so often to interact with people in the world and help them make decisions or learn new things. Their goal is to make the world a better place through love, education, helpful gestures, and unity.

Intimate Lies- Relationships

Intimate Lies is about the lies people tell in relationships in order to make their lives a little less complicated. These people often believe that others are unable to handle the truth and they base past relationships on how they deal with future relationships. This book is dedicated to helping people identify intimate lies and the liars who tell them. 

Diversify Us

Diversify Us is about Alese Morrison is a fifth grade student at George Washington Carver Elementary School in Newark, New Jersey. Alese and her fellow classmates were tasked with a very tedious homework assignment to get their minds going. Some of them were up for the challenge, while the others relished in procrastinating. 

The Alphabet Monster



Gordon is The Alphabet Monster who takes delight and honor in making children misspell words. He enjoys making them uncomfortable and even laughs at them when they are put to the test in regards to their vocabulary words. Unbeknownst to him, he is in for a rude awakening. He will think twice about messing with these children. 

Children's Book Festival 2017

We are looking for donations for children's books, book bags, and even financial donations for the children of Camden, New Jersey. Camden has been identified as an impoverished area with great resources in increasing the literacy among the children there. ADC Kid and I have been charged ourselves with creating an event to bring in local authors, where these authors: Talk to the children read to them, and potentially give out some of their books to the children with the right financial backing. Please join,, sponsor the event or book/book bag, and assist these children with increasing their literacy activities at home and school. Feel free to use the contact information attached or message me here. 

Dead Wrong Book Trailer Coming Soon

I am truly excited to let you know that the Dead Wrong Book Trailer has been recorded and will be released very soon. This has been a work in progress since March of this year. 

Dead Wrong was the first book that I had ever written and released in 2010. This book was my heart and soul. It was my baby. I had to go to a deep and dark place in writing this book. It was a place I had never been before and never wanted to go again. It was a challenge for me at first because how does a person so happy, go to a dark place? I truly had to use my poetry performance techniques so the reader would be able to feel and identify with exactly what I wrote on the page. When I was done, I was completed satisfied and sold over 120 books within three weeks. 

In helping this trailer come together, I would like to personally thank Ms. Liyah Moni (Actress), DeVante Hampton (Actor), Cassaundra Hampton (Co-Director), ChemVision (Producer), and Copious (Location of Video Shoot) for going the extra mile. The video was completed in my hometown, "The heart of it all", Columbus, Ohio. 

Thanks guys! Much success on your endeavor. Check out a snippet of what took place at the video shoot below.

Diversify Us

Have you seen the new cover for Diversify Us? Diversify Us is a book for young adults. It tackles a subject that is sometimes hard to talk about; Diversity. Read below for information about the book. 

Alese Morrison is a fifth grade student at George Washington Carver Elementary School in Newark, New Jersey. Alese and her fellow classmates were tasked with a very tedious homework assignment to get their minds going. Some of them were up for the challenge, while the others relished in procrastinating. This homework assignment would open up discussions for debate, create open dialogue, and show various perspectives on life. 

Diversify Us allows youth to think and talk about diversity in various environments. It allows them to look at it at school, home, work, and in the communities where they reside. Diversity is a very big topic and is sometimes, which people narrow to one of two things. The objective of this book is to broaden the views of diversity and what it means to other people. 

This book will give youth the opportunity to look at diversity in genders, race, socioeconomic status, states, and much more.

The New Face of Disabilities

The New Face Of Disabilities from Melica Hampton

CCFA Trenton's Read to Achieve Day

 

 Today marked the 3rd Annual Read to Achieve event that the Center for Child and Family Achievement has implemented. The event was very well organized. This was shown by the agenda, set locations that authors would go, and the different grades the authors would engage in reading. This was my second year attending the event, so I was very excited to read to the children again. I worked with children in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. These kids were so cute, especially when they tried to define curious, bewilderment, and special. I would not trade this day for any other day in time. These children were definitely set to achieve more.

Special thanks to the Center for Child and Family Achievement of Trenton and ADC Kid for extending a warm welcome to all of the authors in attending and participating in the event.  Some of the authors who will be featured in the Children's Book Festival 2017 were in attendance. Check out Davon Clark, Anthony Tucker, and Aisha Toombs below.

Check out below readings, activities, and a video of the event.

Ms. Lopreato's second graders

Davon from ADC Kid engages the kids

Aisha inspires the youth

Anthony and his warm up activities before reading his book

Melica's little helper, helps her ask questions

After the show is the after picture

These first graders rock in reading

We're here and ready

Tell me, what do you know?

Let me dab on reading

Gordon is the Alphabet Monster

Young, gifted, and readers

Let me tell you about Gordon...

Verdict: Guilty, "Help! I Need Love", Was Just What The World Needed

The time leading up to and after the premier of Help! I Need Love was supercharged and a classic display of a community coming together to show the world what it really needed; Love. People of all different races, genders, and socioeconomic statues came together because it was evident that they felt something was missing in their lives. Whether the absence was love, an enjoyable show, or a display of realism, the internet went wild. The show was trending on Twitter as number three. People showed their love and support for the program on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and other places. Although there are current reality shows that address love and helping people find love, this show seemed to represent love at its truest form.

The portions about the show that I really loved were Paul's tips on flirting, the makeover, and him saying "Stay laser focused on the here and now." I also loved how Paul discussed potential things the woman looking for love should consider changing because it had made some of her dates uncomfortable. I am sure we all can relate to being our genuine selves and not realizing we were offending others with our comments or actions. Sometimes people do not realize those certain things about themselves until others bring it to light.

Kudos to Paul for bringing us into his world of matchmaking and what it takes to start and continue to process of finding love.

Check out tweets, videos, and photos below of people enjoying the show. Feel free to leave comments on your thoughts about the show. 

Tweets about #Ineedlove #PaulCBrunson