Meet the winners of the Read to Lead/Write to Enlight Book Festival Scavenger hunt. This past Saturday, attendees were given a chance to win prizes for a scavenger. This family of five (Three pictured here) were the first and only attendees to complete the scavenger hunt successfully. It was only right for them to win the prizes.
They won six items, which were:
Kindle Fire Tablet
Kindle Fire Tablet Cover
Trader Joe’s Gift Card
Cash
Target Gift Card
Starbucks Gift Card
Not to mention this family also was gifted a book from Tyler Porter at the event on Saturday. If you know them personally, please wish them congratulations.
This past Saturday, I hosted the Read to Lead/Write to Enlight Book Festival. The book festival was geared towards helping individuals with making reading and writing a part of their daily activities. The event also spotlighted authors in Ohio and an author from Indiana.
Authors were given the opportunity to read their books in front of other people. The readings were amazing. We were presented with stories about unwrapping your gifts, God, overcoming harmful situations, suspense, 80’s Rock, and much more. We even had a book reading that included rhythmic drums and a host of other organized production techniques to tell a love story “that’s not a romance novel.”
This was the first book festival for some authors, while others had already attended 2 or more. The energy in the building was astounding. A reporter from the T&C spoke with me about the event and interviewed a few authors.
If you happened to miss the event, check out pics and videos here.
Author Tyler Porter gifts his book to this familyAuthor JAWS gifts this book to Author Alicia Wiggins Author Colette Harrell is supported by this beautyAuthor Sarah Johnson reads her bookAuthor Jamilah Ewing is supported by a patronThe Read to Lead/Write to Enlight Book Festival Authors Author Sarah Johnson is supported by Author Alicia Wiggins Author Colette Harrell is supported by Author Siarre Lashelle Massey Tyler Porter discusses his bookAuthor Siarre Lashelle Massey discusses her bookAuthor Colette Harrell is supported by Alicia WigginsJAWS talks to patrons about his booksAuthor Ron Cunningham gifts his book to this beautySupporters of the festival and Author Colette Harrell Author Colette Harrell is supported by a patron Author Colette Harrell gifts her books to these patronsPatron displays her goodies on social media appsVideo from Festival #VistaCreateBook Readings #VistaCreate
Today is the day! The Read to Lead/Write to Enlight Book Festival will be at The Point at Otterbein University from 1 pm to 4 pm. Come meet the authors, grab a book, enter to win a prize, and enjoy all the fun. Hope to see you there. #bookfestival #westerville #ohio #readtolead #writetoenlight
We are officially in count down mode until the Read to Lead/Write to Enlight Book Festival. Every day, until the festival, I will provide 5 things I am grateful for regarding the festival. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the gratitude.
Music from VistaCreate
5 days away- I am grateful for the organization, Black Children’s Books and Authors (BCBA). Because of them, I am able to support there efforts. In the next few days, I will make a donation to the organization on behalf of the festival. Each year, a new literary organization will be chosen to support and uplift.
Abby L. Vandiver, also writing as Abby Collette and Cade Bentley, is a hybrid author who has penned more than thirty books and short stories. She is both a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author. Her latest books are A Killer Sundae as Abby Collette, published by Penguin Berkley and Where Wild Peaches Grow writing as Cade Bentley, published by Lake Union. Abby spends her time writing cozy mysteries and women’s fiction, as well as facilitating and teaching writing workshops at local libraries and hanging out with her grandchildren, each of whom are her favorite.
Where the Wild Peaches Grow Synopsis: In a deeply emotional novel of family, cultural heritage, and forgiveness, estranged sisters wrestle with the choices they’ve made and confront circumstances beyond their control.
Nona “Peaches” Davenport, abandoned by the man she loved and betrayed by family, left her Natchez, Mississippi, home fifteen years ago and never looked back. She’s forged a promising future in Chicago as a professor of African American Studies. Nona even finds her once-closed heart persuaded by a new love. But that’s all shaken when her father’s death forces her to return to everything she’s tried to forget.
Julia Curtis hasn’t forgiven her sister for deserting the family. Just like their mother, Nona walked away from Julia when she needed her most. And Julia doesn’t feel guilty for turning to Nona’s old flame, Marcus, for comfort. He helped Julia build a new life. She has a child, a career, and a determination to move on from old family wounds.
Upon Nona’s return to Natchez, a cautious reunion unfolds, and everything Nona and Julia thought they knew―about themselves, each other, and those they loved―will be tested. Unpacking the truth about why Nona left may finally heal their frayed bond―or tear it apart again, forever.
Welcome James A. Wright Sr. (Jaws) to the Read to Lead/Write to Enlight Book Festival. He was born in Lima Ohio. Raised in a military family, he traveled a lot throughout his childhood. He currently lives in Columbus, Ohio, where he works in various engineering fields, such as electrical and Information Technology (I.T). He has received 8 film festival awards, named a finalist 7 times, and received an honorable mention.
Quote from Jaws “My audience of my books will like the up and downs, twist and turns. There is a positive message in all the stories. I hope the readers can find it, through all the insanity and emotion of the book. Ultimately, having readers that like my creativity and the twisted style of the writing, is enough one could ask for.”
Pharafaneelya Thriller Book Series Synopsis: The most recent series takes place in an asylum. An asylum that exits in a world of cursed pages of a cursed book. An asylum that consumes tricked souls as its victims. Victims that are specifically chosen by the spirits that cursed the book, which lands in the town of Pharafaneelya . The first book was released on Amazon in April 2018. The book is packed with action and suspense that is guaranteed to keep reader’s interest from the beginning to the end.
Welcome Ron “Buster” Cunningham to the Read to Lead/Write to Enlight Book Festival. He is a newcomer to the title published author. Although Unwrapped Gifts is his first book publication, his writings span 37 years, beginning with poetry. His haikus and sonnets won middle school writing contests, and his talent would eventually progress him into a lyricist, writing both R&B and Hip-Hop. Ron, or Buster to some of us, would rekindle his youthful passion for poetry, engaging in community readings and developing a passion for the spoken word. His desire to write expanded further into script writing for the NuTalkNow podcast. From here, his writing creativity would further grow into ideas like the NuLeague for Freedom, which was his rendition of our freedom fighters as superheroes with superpowers fighting for freedom in both modern and historical contexts.
Buster, or Ron to some of us, has been grooming his various artistic gifts for years. Musically he was a member of Greenhouse Effect, PipeDown, and the Prophetionals. He also partnered to create Weightless Recordings and would eventually create GyeNyame/God Only Recordings, where he was either a featured lyricist on albums or collaborated with others to bring musical art to its fruition.
“I no longer fear the responsibility of my purpose. I love helping others, which allows me to live in my optimum self. So, when I wrote Unwrapped Gifts, I found my freedom. I found confidence in my authentic self, which is a sense of liberation that is euphoric – borderline indescribable. More importantly, I now know that this euphoria is something that belongs to you also. Therefore, I encourage you to Unwrap your own Giftsand LIVE!”
Synopsis of Unwrapped Gifts: Have you ever asked yourself, “What can I give to make this world a better place?” Your answer may lie within the talent or gift you possess. You may not know what that talent is yet, or maybe you do. If your goal is to leave a legacy by sharing your talent or gift then you should read Unwrapped Gifts to help guide you through the journey while overcoming pitfalls such as fear, self-doubt, procrastination, and distractions. We all need a boost to remind us of our capabilities of doing great things in life. A wake-up call is necessary to cue our urgency in this lifetime. It is critical to know how we impact others and ourselves when we share our gifts and when we do not. You are not too young or old. You can conquer your fears, excuses, and unforeseen challenges. You are good enough to share the gifts inside you; read why!
Welcome Brieanna Wilkoff to the Read to Lead/ Write to Enlight Book Festival. She is a debut author who lives in Westerville, Ohio with her husband, daughter, and dog. As described in her novel, she believes wholeheartedly in the power of kindness, the importance of theatre, and the awesomeness of ’80s rock. In fact, she married her husband on stage of the oldest surviving theatre in central Ohio and their first dance was to Bon Jovi. Kudos to Brieanna for completing 100 random acts of kindness in a single day.
I’ll Be There For You
I’ll Be There For You synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Rae Ballester loves watching movie musicals and, thanks to her dad, listening to ‘80s rock. This has been the only way of feeling close to him since he died a year ago. Still struggling to move past his death, she keeps her head down and her earbuds in, while still trying to deal with it all. Shunning the world has cost her friendships, while leaving her the “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” When she meets a boy named Mac, she cautiously welcomes their easy banter. Mac slowly worms his way into her heart with his humor, enthusiasm, and well-curated Broadway playlists. After he proves “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” Rae’s instinct is to withdraw to the comfort of hair metal and the silver screen. Rae must decide whether to retreat and jeopardize what she and others have started performing or put herself out there to hold onto her new friends, take a second chance on love, and honor her father’s memory.
Here are a few of the books that will be in attendance on Saturday, September 17, 2022 at the Read to Lead/Write to Enlight Book Festival. Books will consist of the following genres: Suspense, Thriller, Romantic-Thriller, Children’s, Self-Help, Poetry, Non-fiction, and more. Check out my home page here to get details about the attending authors, their books, and sponsors.
Welcome Author Tyler Porter to the Read to Lead/Write to Enlight Book Festival. Tyler is an American Author with a focus on suspenseful, thriller novels. He launched his writing career with the debut of his novel, Love Before Law. From a young age, he has been involved in creative writing and has always had an interest in storytelling. There are many exciting things in the works for him, so be sure to follow him on his social media outlets!
Eyes Never Lie Synopsis: A ruthless killer. A retiring detective. A game of life and death. After thirty years on the force, Detective Casey Norris has finally accepted that the time has come for him to retire. His body is slowing down, his mind can’t be far behind and he won’t allow either to decide his fate. He is ready to go out on his terms. But, before it can be made official, a killer emerges from the darkness with a mission. A mission that must be carried out through blood and death. A mission that will not be complete until the killer has the thing they want the most; the death of Casey Norris. Norris has never been a step behind, but as he and his team of detectives work to stop the rising body count, the murders begin hitting too close to home. It becomes evident that the killing will not stop until he or the killer is dead. Will he be able to protect those closest to him? Or has he finally met the monster he cannot stop?
As I prepare to present to a group of 1st year students, at Otterbein next week, I always ask myself, who am I? For a while I was stuck on this statement. Only thinking about who I actually am and not what I represent. The truth of the matter is what I represent is also a part of who I am. So when I think about this statement now…Who am I? Well, I’m a mother, author, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Artist, Event Planner, and Owner. And I love 💕 it! I am something and at the same time I am nothing. I am wise and at the same time I am foolish. I am certain and at the same time I am ambivalent. I am curious and at the same time I am uninterested. I am who I am, where I am, and when I need it most.
So next week, I have the pleasure of presenting career and #writing information to a group of collegiate students who are first year students at Otterbein. I love things like this because I am able to provide guidance to these individuals with the hope of helping them pursue their dreams and go after what they really want in life. No one said it would be easy; however, with hard work and determination, anything can happen. You just have to be willing to make it happen.
On Tuesday, February 8th at 6 pm, I will participate in the African American Read In event at Otterbein University alongside Rayshawn Wilson. I am truly grateful for opportunities like this. If you would have asked me in undergraduate school if I saw myself public speaking in the future, the answer would have been to no. I was extremely afraid to talk around others and I often forgot my lines. I sometimes stuttered as well.
As time progressed, so did my presentation skills. I have presented to college students, attended numerous authors events, and have been given a great amount of time to increase my confidence in presenting.
Hoping you all with join me in this Zoom conversation about publishing, writing, authorship, and upcoming events.
A virtual conversation with two Otterbein alumni authors, Rayshawn Wilson (’02) and Melica Niccole (’04) as part of the African-American Read In. They’ll be discussing their path to publishing, their inspiration, and more. #FYS #INST and #cardsSTANDtogether approved.
Here’s my 2022 news! I’m hosting my 3rd book Festival and first one in Ohio at my alma mater. I am looking for 10 #authors and #sponsors to participate in a book festival in September of 2022. Spaces will fill fast, so make sure you register. Registration will be released on my website MelicaNiccole.com by 1/31/2022.
Melica Niccole 