Bridging The GAPÂ
Fall Issue- October 2018
Vol. 3 Issue 1
Deborah Dunson's Top 10 Fall Reads
Authors Featured *Tonya Franklin *Cedric J. Lyons *Lynnette Roman
How to WIN a $25 Visa Gift Card within This Issue
Author Carole McDonnell Subscribe NOW for $18
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VOL. 3- ISSUE 1- 2018 FALL ISSUE BRIDGING THE GAP MAGAZINE'S MISSION IS TO SHOWCASE CHRISTIAN AUTHORS WHO ARE WRITING TO GLORIFY THE KINGDOM OF GOD! SECTIONS 3- Publisher's Note 4- Author's Featured 12- Deborah Dunson's Top 10 Fall Reads 14- Cover Feature Author:Carole McDonnell 20- How to WIN a $25 Visa Gift Card
E-mail Bridging The Gap Magazine with your stories, questions or comments @ bridgingthegapmag2016@gmail.com
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VOLUME 3- ISSUE 1, 2018
PUBLISHER'S NOTE
Publisher's Note Welcome to this issue of Bridging The Gap Magazine, Fall 2018! It is hard to believe that we only have about two months remaining within this year and then we will be entering 2019. We are very appreciative of those who have supported this publication by either reading it, advertising within it,or even submitting excerpts to it! Sit back and enjoy the features that we have within this issue, as you journey into the wonderful realm of books and the imagination of some pretty talented Authors.
What we decided to do within this issue, is something a little different than the previous ones before; we have decided to reward one reader with a $25 Visa Gift Card from sharing their FEEDBACK from this Fall Issue. More details are within the pages as you read along;consider it as a way that we want to GIVE BACK with a grateful heart. So, Happy Autumn and may you always remember, "A GOOD BOOK CAN TAKE YOU ANY PLACE THAT YOU WISH!"
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AUTHOR'S FEATURED
Author Tonya Franklin 1. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer? When I was about 11 years old. I had always had a way of creating stories and fantasy worlds. By the time I was eleven, I started creating them in my journal and they expanded to me writing books, when I read other authors' work. 2. What is the first thing you wrote? I wrote a book at the age of 13 and by the time I was 15, I finished it. It was a story about my high school friend and a boy she had a crush on. But I didn't become published until 2015. I was a late bloomer. 3. How is kingdom writing different from secular writing? It's very different. I started out writing secular books. But my perspective has changed, and that change has effected how I write. I believe that with kingdom writing, there is a "hope factor" that secular writing doesn't always offer. There is a hope that not only will someone be saved or spiritually changed, but that the person themselves will change for the ultimate better because of the spiritual component. BRIDGING THE GAP MAGAZINE
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There is an added dynamic in kingdom writing that secular writing doesn't allow to blossom. 4. Is there one of your books that you would love to be made into a movie? If so which one and why? I've already been nudged into making my book, "Devil in Disguise" a movie, or at least a stage play. I can definitely see that happening, because of the rawness of the characters. My belief is the church lacks that kind of rawness to see people as humanly flawed, but striving for holiness. Usually we see only one or the other, not both at the same time. I think that would bring a fresh approach to the Christian walk. 5. Who are some of your favorite authors? E.N. Joy is definitely one of them, as well as Kendra Norman (Bellamy), and the great Toni Morrison. Toni's complex writing stretches my creativity. I love it. 6. What is your current Work In Progress, (WIP)? I'm currently working on Love Impaired, my first crack at Christian romance. 7. Give us a brief synopsis of your current WIP? Kiki Bankston hated men. She was completely done with them, and nothing and no one would change her mind‌ until Jared Graham collided with her coming out of the supermarket parking lot. A chance meeting between two people unintentionally causes Kiki and Jared to look at the three fingers pointing back at them instead of the finger pointing at others that will change their viewpoint about each other as well as love. 8. What advice would you give writers who want to write Christian fiction? Stay true to who you are and the genre you write. Be willing to explore real-life topics and bring those experiences to life; someone needs to read it.
9. When you hear Bridging The GAP Magazine what do you think of? "Hmm, I would probably say it makes me think of providing a means to get from one literary genre to the needs of the reader. To me, it says relationship; building a connection between the author and the reader past just getting someone to read your books; but actually get to know what it is they want or need to read about."
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10. What do you think is going to take for different nationalities to come together in Christian literature? I'm not exactly sure. I think that more opportunities of networking and connecting offline as well as online, especially in this period of time, is one way of doing that. But overall, I truly believe that Christian believers of all nationalities have a common thread in literature. We would be surprised at how Christians from other continents are reading about us and wanting to connect with us. 11. Name an author you would love to write something with. I would love to write something with Kendra (Norman). The way she addresses drama, comedy, and romance has always stood out to me in how I write as well. 12. Give us three words that describe you as a person? Tenacious, supportive, hard-headed 13. What does it mean to you to bloom in the dark? How does it tie in with your current WIP? Ahh! Great question! To bloom in the dark is to go through the process to become the greatness we are designed to be. Every process is not out in the spotlight. Some of the most difficult and challenging times produces some of the greatest moments and walks us on the road to our Godgiven purpose. With "Love Impaired", Kiki and Jared are two people who have been "hiding" in the dark period of their own personal hurt, but finally realize it was just a process for them to meet and find the light of day together. 14. What do you want to leave behind as a legacy? That not only women of color, but people of color in general can and will fulfill their purpose that was seeded in them before they were even born. I want to be known for the person who manifested that, and watered that same seed in others. Connect with Tonya Franklin on social media: https://www.facebook.com/tonya.franklin.589
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AUTHOR'S FEATURED
Author Cedric J. Lyons Cedric J. Lyons was born in the Bay Area in California. He was part of a Christian Hip Hop Group called S.I.S.T.E.M from 2001 to 2009. During this time, he also was over a youth ministry at Family Bible Fellowship until 2013 where he then moved to the greater Houston Area in Texas. Cedric has approximately 15 years of experience in the security field, and 11 years primarily in the Health care industry, which is where he came up with the idea for his first book Code Blue, which he published in January of 2018. Cedric is now working on his second book, Ulterior Motives, which will be released in late 2019 . Cedric J. Lyons now lives in Round Rock, Texas with his beautiful wife and three adorable Children. Contact Cedric by e-mail at: CedricJLyons@gmail.com Coonect on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/CedricJLyons/ BRIDGING THE GAP MAGAZINE
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Chapter 22 (Excerpt from Code Blue by Cedric J. Lyons, Pgs 108-109)
Nicole Marshall was far from asleep. She had tried to lie down around 7:00 p.m., but she was very uncomfortable within her spirit. She did not notice the clock with its red LCD letters reading 10:21 p.m. because she had been on her knees at the side of her bed praying earnestly for her husband. She wanted to call Marshall very badly to see if he was alright, but the burden to pray for him was far too great. She resisted the urge and had been praying for his safety for the past few hours. She was special like that. God made her unique. She could sense things miles away when it concerned God’s people. Several times, she found herself praying for a situation she didn’t even grasp until later, finding out it was for a pastor on a missionary trip in another country or a child lying in the hospital close to death. She was a strong prayer warrior who got a prayer through. And on this very night those senses were going crazy within her. Her back was causing some discomfort. Her six-month-old unborn child was giving her a run for her money tonight. It was as if the baby could feel her discomfort. She placed a pillow on the floor and leaned back down on it to give her some relief. She put another pillow between the back of her legs and her behind so she did not have to strain her back too much. But the images in her mind were scaring her. She kept on seeing ambulances, which was not unusual because Marshall worked at the hospital, but then there were guns and police sirens and she could not make any sense out of it, so she just prayed. An image of a boy with demons around him stuck in her head. The demons were strong and no matter how hard she prayed, the demons didn’t move but laughed. They were attached to the boy as if he gave them permission to be there. When she noticed no results, she switched her prayers back to her husband. Tears fell from her face as she cried out to God asking for His protection. All of a sudden, a certain peace came over her. She heard a whisper saying, “The night is far from done, but be encouraged. Your husband is safe from any threat. He is in the hands of the Lord.” With that, she slid to the floor on her side and pulled her covers down from off the bed. She wanted to grab the Circular Disk heater from the closet because she knew she would be cold soon, but she was so tired. She stayed right there on the floor in case she had to pray some more. The fluffy cool carpet made it very bearable and quite comfortable. She then dozed off for some time.
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Author Lynnette Roman of the Book: Heaven Forbid (Excerpt) My mouth had grown almost too dry to speak as Kim Jun Hyjo stood a few feet away from me deliberately blocking the door. His eyes were as deep a shade of brown as the rich African soil, standing in complete contrast to his Asian skin. The sun had kissed him well, tanning his features into something a bit more exotic, like a Malaysian artifact. His body was trussed in thin muscular coils his button-down shirt could not hide. The span of his chest stretched the fabric as he heaved a breath of determination, coming closer, withdrawing his hands from his pockets and pressing them to the wall on either side of my head. I hadn’t realized my back was to the wall until that very moment. My fingers clutched the edge of the column behind me. I clung to it like the desperations of a young child instead of a grown woman, silently begging this man not to bend me to his will. I wasn’t afraid of him, but I had crossed his seduction before and barely escaped it the first time. I knew to be cautious. Kim Jun was dangerous. The kind of dangerous my grandmother always warned me about, but now I understood. His rich dark hooded eyes uninhibitedly roved all over me, making me wish I had worn a thicker dashiki, one that would keep his eyes from peeling back the silk fabric from my skin and seeing the most intimate parts of me. His head lowered to mine coming within a hair's breadth of my lips. But, instead of a kiss, he rubbed the blunt tip of his nose against mine and longingly whispered my name. BRIDGING THE GAP MAGAZINE “Keiza.” 11
Deborah Dunson's Top 10 Fall Reads 1. Renee: A West Bay Novel by T. L. Nelson
2. Heaven Forbid by Lynnette Roman 3. Flight 259 by Staci Stallings
4. Finding Amor by Allison K Garcia 5. Three Strand Cord by Tracy Krauss
6. Gods They Had Never Known by J. S. Helms
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7. Stillwaters by Yvonne Anderson 8. You Really Do Deserve Me by Tondeleya Allen The writer can also give 9. Where My Heart Belongs by facts and detailed Ann Marie Bryan information following answers to general questions10. like Number who, what, in Scripture by E. W. when, where, why and how.
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VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1- 2018
COVER FEATURE AUTHOR: CAROLE MCDONNELL
COVER FEATURE AUTHOR: CAROLE MCDONNELL 1. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer? I’m not sure. When I was a teenager, I think. Definitely by the time I was in college. 2. What is the first thing you wrote? I wrote poetry for a long time, and then stage plays. After that came short stories. 3. How is kingdom writing different from secular writing? I write primarily to please God. Not any organization, publisher, or fellow Christian. 4. Is there one of your books that you would love to be made into a movie? If so which one and why? The Constant Tower. Because it is a great little book. It’s evangelical in its own way because it breaks up fallow ground in the hearts of those who are not Christians. Basically, I love the book and I want everyone else to love it as well. There are two scenes that most Christians would dislike but I think the secular world would be okay with that.
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5. Who are some of your favorite authors? Contemporary: Kari Sperring, Milton Davis, Mirtika Ana Schultz, Parker J Cole. 6. What is your current Work In Progress, (WIP)? I’m working on several. About eleven. Not the best habit but that’s how I work. There are five that are almost finished. “Who Gave Sleep and Who Has Taken It Away” is multicultural apocalyptic Romeo and Juliet. “SeaWalker” is the second part of a trilogy in the Malku universe, a world where fae, merfolk, and humans all live together. The first part is “The Charcoal Bride.” And there is a cowboy trilogy about three cowboy brothers and their relationships from youth to middle-age: “Black Girls Have Always Loved Cowboys,” “A Town for Timothy,” and “Charlie’s Romance. 7. Give us a brief synopsis of your current WIP? The synopsis for Who Gave Sleep: The USA is destroyed and balkanized after a series of natural disasters. Different ethnic groups take over different regions. Our hero and heroine are from different races. 8. What advice would you give writers who want to write Christian fiction? The advice would differ depending on what kind of Christian reader the writer is aiming for. I tend to tell all writers to write their truths. But if you’re a Christian writer who is aiming for the Christian market, I would say to try to follow the written and unwritten rules of most Christian publishers and readership. 9. When you hear Bridging The GAP Magazine what do you think of? A magazine that tries to bridge the gap between Christian and non-Christian readers, between secular and Christian books, and between writer and reader. 10. What do you think is going to take for different nationalities to come together in Christian literature? In all honesty, if we are thinking about American Christian publishing, the minority character will have to seem more part of the “white culture” in order for most Christian readers to accept them. Usually Black characters appear as stereotypes in Christian books – people in need of social or emotional help because of some racial trauma or carefree happy worldlywise types. The different nationalities will have to be normal regular people and not overlylinked to social or racial trauma. 11. Name an author you would love to write something with. Parker J Cole BRIDGING THE GAP MAGAZINE 15
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COVER FEATURE AUTHOR: CAROLE MCDONNELL
12. Give us three words that describe you as a person? Christian. Mother. Lover of stories.
13. What does it mean to you to bloom in the dark? How does it tie in with your current WIP? Many Characters bloom in the dark. Or get stunted in the dark. There are treasures in darkness, as well as hidden depths one can fall into and not be able to get out of. Characters that bloom in the dark may not turn out the way a well-lit character might. I think in my present WIPs, several characters become worse, some become better. People are people. 14. What do you want to leave behind as a legacy? Great characters. A lasting effect on Christian and/or Black speculative fiction. Connect with Author Carole McDonnell on social media @ www.facebook.com/carole.mcdonnell1
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Connect with Author Joyce Stewart on Social Media @ www.facebook.com/authorjoycestewart/ www.facebook.com/thelovebusiness/ Page 18
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Attention: WIN A $25 VISA GIFT CARD WITHIN THIS ISSUE! WILL YOU BE BTGM's FIRST CONTEST WINNER? READ THE DETAILS IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN WINNING A $25 VISA GIFT CARD FROM BRIDGING THE GAP MAGAZINE! Deadline for this contest is December 15, 2018, and the WINNER will be announced in our WInter Issue 2018, 12.31.2018 HERE IS WHAT YOU MUST DO: 1. Leave a review after reading our magazine on our Facebook Social Media page and be sure to LIKE the page as well, www.facebook.com/GODSAUTHORSPROSPER2/ 2. Answer the following questions, starting with number 3 and send your responses via email to: bridgingthegapmag2016@gmail.com 3. What is the page number that has three books and a lamp and what are the colors of the books? 4. Within Deborah Dunson's Top 10 Fall Reads, what book did she list as #3 and who is the Author? 5. What is the Mission Statement of Bridging The GAP Magazine? 6. What VOLUME and ISSUE NUMBER is this Fall Issue? NOTE: We encourage you ALL TO READ THE MAGAZINE in its ENTIRETY and please bring us back your FEEDBACK because we would LIKE to know that EVERY ISSUE is being READ! GOD BLESS and many BLESSINGS to the READER who will WIN! Page 20
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