Oprah Winfrey once said that everyone has a story to tell. That statement resonates true for thousands of authors. According to Forbes Magazine.com, Amazon’s current annual revenue from book sales is $5.25 billion accounting for seven percent of the company’s $75 billion in total yearly revenue. Hundreds of authors in the Pittsburgh area are contributing to Amazon’s bottom line.
Just last year JoAnn R. Forrester, Sharise M. Hemby, Penda L. James, Claudia Mason, Rev. Dr. Judith C. Moore and LaToya Johnson-Raniey were among the area women that penned books. Each will get a chance to share their experience Sunday, Feb. 8 during a local Authors Pavilion at Greater Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church at 3600 California Avenue.
“Writing a book is an interesting experience,” says Moore. “Everyone writes for different reasons whether to share a personal experience, to educate or to entertain it is a source of self and personal expression.”
Having the opportunity to participate in the 2014 Congressional Black Caucus Author’s Pavilion, Moore said it was an awesome experience and she wanted to provide a similar situation for local authors. She defined an author’s pavilion as a venue for attendees to meet authors in one place to share experiences, to hear excerpts from book readings, to purchase books and to receive encouragement to write their own book. “The power of the written word is marvelous,” says Moore. “It creates curiosity and stimulates the imagination. Pittsburgh has such a variety of writers in its mist I thought the Author’s Pavilion would be a way for them to meet and share with each other as well as for the audience to expose what other new and interesting books are on the market in the area.”
Moore also expressed that her motives are to demonstrate that penning a book is a way to earn additional income. “Often people are thinking of ways to make extra money and never consider their own expertise and experiences.”
She identified Hemby and Johnson-Rainey as two examples of participating novelists that utilize expertise from their professions. Hemby is a Licensed Social Worker and Clinical therapist. She is co-founder of HandinHand Counseling Services, LLC. She has over 15 years of experience dealing with patients ranging from children to the elderly to assist them in managing issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Personality Disorders, ADHD, Anxiety, Family Conflict and depression, particularly in the African American community.
Hemby describes her book, Vitamin C—Healing for the Mind Body and Soul as a blueprint for healing along life’s journey. She says the book provides practical resources and life-applicable tools to facilitate sustainable change.
Johnson-Rainey is the owner of A Hair Boutique located on Centre Avenue that sells high-end wigs, skincare, and caters to natural hair styling. She identifies the shop’s mission as “Just Be Beautiful: Restoring Confidence and Empowering Women.” Her book, The Hair Commandments is a reference of “shalls” and “shall nots” from the combined point of view of hair stylists, dermatologists, beauty suppliers, distributors, and the client. She says the information in the book is an unbiased approach that helps you make wiser choices for your hair while saving time and money.
Like Hemby and Johnson-Rainey, Moore says Forrester, is also an entrepreneur augmenting her income. For over 35 years through S.I. Associates, her business development consulting firm she has assisted in accelerating businesses to success. Known as the Empress of Biz she utilizes her blog and podcaster/talk cast to assist entrepreneurs.
Forrester describes her fictional children’s book, The Gift of Holiday Valley as a story depicting Holiday Valley as a special place where all would like to be. Where no matter whom you are, what you look like, or where you come from, you belong and everyone wants to be your friend and help you. Although…even in a perfect place like Holiday Valley… there are some new things to learn and different ways to be helpful and share the joy and happiness of everyone there.
Mason, with a long career in the corporate world has a background in Professional Leadership, Training and Development. She describes The Water Ain’t Blue Enough her debut project as capturing many issues of the heart and mind as a fictional novel, which seizes the issues of love, life, rejection, and redemption.
With a Master’s degree in Education, James utilizes the art of writing in a dual capacity. For over 20 years she has worked with writers including songwriters, playwrights, students, pastors, and poets through her business, InSCRIBEd Inspiration. Her business she says strives to help authors create works that inscribe, impact and inspire.
The author of two books, Free to Fly: Wisdom for the Seasons in a Woman’s Life (2009) and Girl, Pray for Me (2013) she also is the publisher of both. Girl Pray for Me she describes as a beneficial book for anyone that needs motivation and inspiration to verbalize their God-given dreams. Also the book, she says can be utilized as a partial lesson or treatment plan by professionals in the ministry, education, psychology and counseling.
An author herself, Moore points out that she uses her writing ability as an educational tool. The pastor of Greater Allen AME Church she is also a lecturer and advocate for issues affecting Black women and girls. Her book, God and I Navigating a Mysterious Illness is considered an invaluable tool that supplies inspirational and practical instructions to break through barriers and become empowered to make better and informed decisions about one’s health.
“I am excited to participate in Sunday’s Authors Pavilion,” says Johnson-Rainey. “I spent five years working in my family’s beauty supply business and have spent countless hours researching hair trends and hair products. I know what it takes to be an entrepreneur, to write a book and to work on my education while pursuing a dream.
Having the opportunity to share with others is a joy.”
