Featured Author: Cherilyn L. Azubuike

Cherilyn L. Azubuike

An avid reader since the age of 5, Cherilyn is no stranger to expressing her ideas and captivating her audiences by inspiring them to live powerfully and purposefully.

After a corporate layoff, Cherilyn started putting faith in motion by living her life to the fullest and on her own terms, armed with nothing more than a pen in hand and a will to succeed; she started her entrepreneurial journey as a transformational speaker and business coach. July, 2007 she launched her syndicated radio show: Unveiling the Mask to more than 1,000,000,000 listeners. Currently she resides in St. Louis with her three children.


Weekly Wisdom: 52 Ways to Live a More Fulfilled Life

Weekly Wisdom acts as a mirror reflecting those images that we often avoid looking at because it reveals the truth about ourselves that we often try to disguise or avoid all together. As women we are taught to be strong and never reveal our insecurities are fears and yet in trying to be everything to everyone we often loose ourselves in the process. This book serves as the foundational platform that allows you to be stress free, drama free and debt free in order for you to live your life to the fullest.

What would you like your readers to take away from your book?

Since I write non-fiction books I want readers to be able top take a deeper look into who they really are. Dropping all pretenses, other people’s perceptions, releasing the grips of their past and see the truth of who they really are, knowing that it doesn’t matter what you did, your social or economic background what matters is you and your belief in yourself and know that you alone have the ability to change sails and rewrite the script of your life.

What did you learn while writing this book?

I learned that we don’t get in life what we want; we get in life what we are. I learn that people will be people and that we are all here on our journey in life learning our lessons the best way we can. Some have excelled to different phases of life and others may not be as far along as others are but we are all where we are suppose to be at each moment. I learned that wherever you find yourself at any given time you made a divine appointment to be there.

What inspired this book?

It’s been said that when the student is ready the teacher will appear! When I finally decided that my past does not dictate my future and that I have the power to change my life just by willing to do so, then all those areas that I had the most difficulty with constantly kept resurfacing in my life. I began to see just how out of balance my life really was and as I started working on myself, changing people , places and things then I began to see excel in various aspects of my life and began attracting new experiences and new people in my life that was parallel to the direction I wanted in my life. I was inspired to help other women who are constantly finding themselves in the same vicious cycle year after year and are blaming their spouses, their finances, their parents, their past for the conditions and situations they are facing in their life. Weekly Wisdom gets down to those core principles that allow you to stand face to face with your biggest enemy which is the in-a- me!

What is the hardest part about the writing business?

Getting your name out there and establishing yourself.

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

I wish that non-writers would understand that this is a business and that we take our love and passion for our craft seriously.

What marketing have you found that particularly works well for you?

I am still learning the game of marketing. Right now I can say word of mouth and networking.

What are three things you wish you'd known before you reached where you are now?

I wish I had researched every aspect of the writing and publishing world; you must educate yourself on every aspect of the business not just writing your book, but also know about every phase of the writing industry.

Also I wish that I had understood that marketing is vital to your career and that everyone is not going to be supportive of your endeavors.

This month our theme is Mainstream Fiction. Can you give us five mainstream authors you read?

Lately I have been focused solely on the inspirational/self-help genre, but five of my favorite mainstream authors are Kimberla Lawson Roby, Eric Jerome Dickey, E. Lynn Harris, Donna Hill, Connie Briscoe and I must mention the late great Bebe Moore Campbell.

Do you have any advice for the aspiring writer?

Yes! The best advice I believe I could offer aspiring writers would be to study your craft. Research every aspect of your craft from A-Z, you should be informed and educated in every aspect of your writing journey from writing, to publishing to marketing. Ignorance is not bliss and know that no one is going to have your best interest at heart like you, there’s a bottom line in it for everyone so make sure you know that this is a business and not just a hobby or favorite pastime. Keep the faith in all that you do. You have to know, that you know, that you know that everything will work out for your good and that with GOD all things are possible.

How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)?

Yes, I love hearing from readers as well as aspiring writers. I look forward to connecting with you all.

I can be reached via snail mail at Unveiling The Mask Enterprises P.O. Box 5960 St Louis, MO 63134

Website: http://www.unveilingthemask.com/

Email addresses: info@unveilingthemask.com

www.myspace.com/unveilingthemask

www.shoutlife.com/cherilynspeaks