Name: Larry Wilson aka Dapharoah69
Accomplishments
* Three books on the Barnesandnoble.com Top 100 Bestseller's List at the same time in February of 2009, making him one of the first self-published authors to achieve that feat.
* The Men of Integrity Award in 2016
* The Certificate of Recognition from The New York State Senate in 2016.
* Featured in the late Stephen Maglott's Ubuntu Biography Project three years in a row
* Sixty- three 1st, 2nd, 3rd and honorary nods for my ten book “The Law of Beasts” Vampire series from the writing communities on Wattpad in Oct 2020 through December of 2020, including The Trendsetter Award and The Originator Award for completing ten books in an all-black literary vampire series.
Who are some of your mentors? My Heavenly Father. My husband John Wilson, James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, Janet Jackson, E. Lynn Harris, my mother, my grandfather and retired Master Sergeant Luther McCray.
How does it feel to now be looked up to as a mentor to others? It feels a bit other-worldly. I never expected it. It means growth and evolution. It’s a testament to what one can achieve no matter how the odds weren’t in your favor or to your benefit.
Its a means to know that my life serves a purpose and with that comes accountability and responsibility.
When did you know that you wanted to go into business or build a brand? The day I wound up homeless and had a dream to publish a book. Ninety-eight percent of the people in my life laughed at the idea and said that I wasn’t smart enough to write a book. They were right. I was smart enough to write one hundred of them. My brand was built in less than a year.
How did you identify your audience? By accepting constructive criticism. By being fearless. By knowing your value and your worth. By being steadfast with your gift and breaking all the rules of what is considered normal or the status quo. By writing to express yourself, not to impress. Big difference. By using social media platforms to showcase my writing. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that my work would be loved by all races and age groups. My diverse audience found me.
What role has social media played in your marketing and networking? It played a vital part. To reach people in all four corners of the world with just the click of a button. You build relationships with like-minded individuals that aids your growth. Its how I met Mr. Cyrus Webb.
Offline life has changed due to Covid-19. How have you adapted? It actually returned me back to basics. It gave me more time to write, edit and create. I was so focused on working a 9-5 that I neglected my books. If it wasn't for Covid-19 I wouldn’t have pulled my Vampire series out of my vault, a series I wrote 21 years ago in prison at age 22 years old. A series that was only intended to be a forty page short story.
Challenges come to us all. What helps you to fight through them and keep moving forward through the challenges? The love of prosperity, prayer and my firm belief that the Lord grants me what I ask for. Ask and you shall receive. I speak things into existence. I have an incredible support system. My husband John Wilson, my siblings, a close knit circle of friends, my grandfather. They keep me grounded. I treat people the way I want to be treated.
What are you excited about next? I wrote 87 books during Quarantine. I’m looking forward to not only building my brand and releasing my now 11 book all-black vampire series, but I’m also looking forward to being fearless in everything I do.
What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs: If you have a dream, pursue it. To whom much is given, much is required. Get out there and make it happen. You have to be willing to do the work. You are what you put into your art. Never give up. Surround yourself around successful people in order to succeed. The phrase “I can’t” should never be your reality. Own your creations, don’t change your voice for commercialism. Be true to you, and everything will conform to you.
How can readers stay connected with you and follow the journey? https://www.wattpad.com/user/JabreelWilson
www.facebook.com/BestsellingAuthorDapharoah
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