FEATURED AUTHOR: Barbara Mix

Barbara Mix wrote her first manuscript at age sixteen. She is a devoted Christian and gives God all the glory for her creative ideas and talent. In addition, Ms. Mix is focused on charities, family, art, decorating, and travelling. Ms. Mix is currently working with and providing assistance and compassion to our country s Veterans who have served this country with great pride and dignity. Ms. Mix resides in a suburb of Chicago and is currently working on her second novel.

Locks and Handcuffs

This is a wonderful novel about a successful woman of compassion and moral principles who happens to work for a prestigious law enforcement agency based in Chicago, Illinois who has found love under the most unusual circumstances. Imagine you are working for a federal law enforcement agency within the busy lockup unit. You view prisoners (some high profile individuals), marching by in orange jumpsuits all day and you hear the chatters of their dialogue, the smell of their daily stench as they all wait to appear before the judges in court. It is all second nature to Diamond Jackson, who works for the U.S. Marshals Service as a criminal specialist. Chicago s tough person, Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force Deputy, Charles Laurent is Diamond s new boss. Under Charles leadership as her supervisor, Diamond found Charles distant, rude and Unfriendly. Diamond is fascinated with the criminal justice system so she buries herself into her work by working late hours five days a week to keep up with her demanding workload. The attraction and tension between the both of them was becoming obvious each time he was explaining the different techniques to her. Charles placed his big masculine warm hands over Diamond hand. Diamond felt an electric pulsating shock all over her body as she focused on his sexy full lips as he spoke. Charles on the other hand found Diamond's interest in learning the basic of Locksmith fascinating and unusual. Locks and Handcuffs shows us by all accounts one woman who is successful, compassionate, caring and most of all her humanitarian ways tamed a man who was willing to following her around the world. The twist and turns unfold from Chicago, Georgia, Philadelphia, Paris andthe Principality of Monaco and all the way to the prestigious halls of the U.S. Congress. The magic of compassion, wit, intelligence and the difference that make all women unique and special brings two people together in the name of love.


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

Love will find you at the appropriate time when God sends the person who is destined to be your mate in life regardless of the current circumstances. We must wait on love and patience is your best friend.

Why did you choose to write this book?

I am a romantic at heart. I wanted to write a storyline about two people who simply fell in love with each other under unusual circumstances.

What did you learn while writing this book?

You need to be focused in writing your book. You must write everyday in order to complete your manuscript. You need to have an idea of whom your characters are and what conflict they are to overcome in your story.

What was your favorite scene/chapter from the book?

My favorite scene in my book is when the two main characters have a romantic dinner for the first time on the 70th floor of a French restaurant. This is also where the hero is ready to confess how he feels about the heroine in the story.

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

Writing is a gift from God. To be creative and to choose the right words in order to let your story flow from the images that are in your mind is something only God can give us.

What is the best lesson you have learned from another writer?

Write everyday if you can. Find a quiet place and write if only for an hour each day.

What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer?

You must believe in your work regardless of what your critics will say about your work of art.

What is something readers would be surprised you do?

I believe in giving to charities and helping others who are less fortunate.

How do you reach new readers?

By word of mouth and book clubs.

If you could have dinner with 3 authors to talk with about their writing (living or deceased) who would you invite and why?

I would like to have dinner with Michael Baisden to discuss how he sold 50,000 copies of his self-published first novel to hosting his own radio show and his Baisden After Dark cable TV show. I would like to ask Steve Harvey what was his strategy in marketing his current NYT best selling book, and his current walk with GOD in his daily life. I would like to have dinner with Barack Obama to discuss his best-selling books and his journey all the way to the White House.

Can you give us one do and one don’t for those aspiring to be a writer?

Write everyday and do your research for your novel. Don't ever think you can't succeed once you envision your dream. Because once you put you earnest effort into your work of art rest assured and eave it in God's hands.

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

I can be reached at Ladybobbie@gmail.com
www.blackbookplus.net

Our theme for this month is Getting The Call. How should a writer prepare after getting the call?

First after getting the call, you will want to thank our Heavenly Father by acknowledging Him for your blessing. IT'S A MANDATE TO HAVE THE SYNOPSIS TO YOUR BOOK WORDED WITH A FOCUS ON SIMPLICITY. CLARITY ON THE MAIN IDEA AND THE CHARACTERS DEFINITIVE ROLES. ALSO WHEN SHARING THE ENDING IT SHOULD LEAVES THE AGENT WITH AN URGENCY TO MEET WITH THE AUTHOR BEHIND THIS CREATIVELY WRITTEN WORK OF ART. You should be working on your next manuscript after getting the call.

Can you give us a sneak peek of your next book?

I want my next book to be a surprise. I would like to leave my audience in anticipation for my next book.