Author A. Shane Etter: 'Writing' Each Day by Pursuing His Passion

by Cyrus Webb

This year I had a chance to sit down with author A. Shane Etter who now lives in Atlanta but will always be one of Mississippi's own. As we are saying goodbye to 2019 he is celebrating another great read called DEVIL'S SYMPATHY.

I have fallen in love with his way of storytelling, and the great thing about him is that you NEVER know where he will take readers next. In our most recent chat we talked about his career and what it's like to show others what Mississippi Success looks like.

Shane, what has this experience been like for you doing what you love as a storyteller and now to share it with all of us?
If you had told me a long time ago that I would be doing this, I would have called you a liar. Probably this is the best experience of my life, too. I mean, I work harder probably than I ever have. I write every day of the year, but some people--my closest friends--would say you don't work at all. You just write they say. Nevertheless, to be able to do that, just to let my brain go where it wants,and you can tell from what I write that it does, and then be rewarded for that in so many ways. I just feel like I'm living the dream.

Well, I'm definitely a fan and not just because you're from Mississippi, like I am. (laughs) I love the fact that you have not put yourself in a box. One of the things I love about your writing is we really never know what we're going to get with you. Whether we're talking about A War in the Bronx and even A Brain in Third Person. You have other books like Bottom Dwellers. Is that part of the fun for you that you get to do whatever you want to do?
It is. I do like series of books. My Dwellers were a series. I liked the supernatural or the out there on the edge element. I like just going wherever my brain takes me and not being led by anything. In fact, there's two camps in writing fiction. I think those who outline and those who don't. I just write and what I like to say is I like to be surprised just like the reader, letting the story take me where it wants to go. I don't outline therefore I'm surprised as much as the reader are many times..

Shane, in your work there's so many different types of conflict. There is internal conflict with the Brain in Third Person books. The conflict spills out outwardly in like A War in the Bronx. Do you find that conflict is one of those motivators for you as you are addressing the "What if?" question when it comes to your characters?
Well, that's one thing I had to learn in writing. I didn't have a plan or anything. I had to learn that if you make a character all good, he's boring. Or if you make your character all bad, he's boring. Even in A Brain, in a certain person went bad. So I had to learn that you have to make good characters, have some flaws, and have fun as well as have flawed characters that have some good traits in them. That's what I try to do in everything.

Shane, we have become good friends, but the funny thing is that this trip makes just three times that we have even been in the same room. Can you believe it? I use that as a transition to talk about the power of social media. That is the way we have stayed connected, right? What has it been like for you to use the internet to build your community?
I always invite people to reach out to me whether on Facebook or Twitter or even LinkedIn, because I hope it's the start of something with new people, and I enjoy it. Without social media I would not know you today. And we have become friends because of social media. That just shows the power it has to bring people together and form real relationships.

Definitely glad to call you a friend. Last question. What advice would you give to aspiring authors and creatives about the importance of starting based on your experience? 
That's easy. Start today. That is the best advice I can give anyone. You'd be surprised how many people I meet in the course of a day whether I go for coffee in the morning or have lunch or go to the mall or whatever. They see me and ask what I'm doing. When I say I'm a writer you'd be surprised how many tell me they always wanted to write a book. I tell them well start today. Go home and start writing. And I know that's easy for me to say, but I wasn't a writer when I started and neither was John Grisham and others. Everybody had to start someplace.

My Amazon Review of DEVIL'S SYMPATHY by A. Shane Etter

"He was already thinking he might have to decide, make a choice, about whether he wanted to live a normal life---albeit a boring,unfulfilled life---or continue to live the life he's already pursued for forty years.."

And with that passage the book that is DEVIL'S SYMPATHY unfolds into a book not just of good versus evil but the passion and pursuits that are part of life. With the character George Albert Frederick Drummond we are able to see how anyone can change, transform and even deceive---covering up who they really or and what they are capable of. And with Holmes we are able to see how life can change quickly and having something to fight for can definitely change your approach to life.

I love the themes in this book, mainly because it has something that all of us can relate to: choices. Who will we choose to listen to? What will we choose to do with our lives? Are we aware of the consequences?

As this book unfolds we see the main characters wrestling with these very things. What the reader gets in the process is a book that moves quickly, keeps you engaged and curious about what's to come.

Get author A. Shane Etter's books on Amazon.

Conversations' Cyrus Webb Hosts Project Recognizing Yazoo City Radio Legends

On Saturday, September 9th Yazoo City’s own WYAD Max 94.1 FM will celebrate its 3rd anniversary on the air with a special presentation recognizing Yazoo Legends in Radio that paved the way for the DJs of today.

The brainchild of Joseph C. Thomas, Sr. of Bountiful Blessings Broadcasting, Inc, (Elizabeth W. Thomas, President), the project “Celebrating the History of Black DJs in Yazoo City” honors the contributions of trailblazers in radio that influenced radio and music in Yazoo City and throughout the state.

The project “Celebrating the History of Black DJs in Yazoo City” is narrated and Executive-Produced by media personality and Mississippi native Cyrus Webb. It includes exclusive interviews with Eddie “Ace” Smith, Vanassa Conston, Bobby Little, Randy “Wild Man” Brown, George Winford, John “Mighty J” Meeks, Frank “Scrap Iron” Robinson, Leroy Davis and tributes to the late Kenzie Moore (with his brother Sidney Lloyd) as well as the late Sharron Johnson Reed (with her sister Addie Tart) who was a longtime female DJ in Yazoo City.  Eddie “Ace” Smith served as Project Manager for the project and assisted in setting up the interviews.

The honorees will be recognized on Saturday September 9th in Yazoo City when WYAD Max FM 94.1 FM celebrates its anniversary, but the interviews with these distinguished individuals can be heard here: https://www.spreaker.com/show/2587802


The “Celebrating the History of Black DJs in Yazoo City” project is sponsored by WYAD 94.1 FM, the Mississippi Humanities Council through a grant from the Mississippi Development Authority and the National Endowment for the Humanities as well as The Yazoo County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

For more information about the project and the upcoming anniversary celebration contact Mr. Joseph Thomas at 662.571.2987 or by email at josephcthomas06@yahoo.com. Stay connected with Cyrus Webb at cawebb4@juno.com, 601.896.5616 and his website www.cyruswebb.com.

"Remind Yourself of Your Worth" by Just Jennifer

Another one bites the dust.  Another man I love is gone.  After all of my dating and loving and pain, all I want to do is stay home, focus on my job and kids, and NEVER fall for another man again.  Is this healthy? Probably not.  Is this going to last? Probably not.  But right now, I am so tired of dealing with heartache that I can’t fathom another broken heart.  Maybe it’s me? Maybe it’s them?  Maybe it’s a combination of me and the men I choose to love?  I have zero idea as to why it always ends this way.  Regardless of the “why” or the “who” in the situation, the pain is always the same: deep.

I love fiercely.  I do.  I give all my free time to the man I love.  I give him my loyalty, my time, and my trust.  I expect the same in return, but it never happens.  So what do I do next?  Do I give up on finding my “other half”? Would I ever be happy alone? I just cannot honestly tell you.  What I can tell you is… this is for the birds.  Sure, I have options.  We all do.  I can call a number of men and spend superficial time with them.  Will it amount to less heartache? No, it surely won’t.  When I return home from a fun night out, the old heartache will return to me in its full force.  I will probably be drunk and that will intensify the pain by a million.  So why do I do it? Because I am lost.  I am a lost woman who just wants a partner in this difficult life.

I’m certain we all want to find someone who compliments our lives.  Human nature is to want to find our “other half”, right? We couldn’t possibly feel whole without having a spouse to share our lives, right? So then we sacrifice and settle for the first person who is willing to love us.  Does it matter if that person’s love is dangerously greedy? Does it matter if the person you choose doesn’t completely give you 100%? As long as you have someone, right?  After all, who wants to become a lonely old lady? Who wants to be the old woman down the block who never married?

Let it be noted that I do not care one ounce about becoming that old lady.  I have made a decision in my life, for my own benefit, for a change.  I will either have amazing or be amazing alone.  No longer will I allow anyone to make me feel “less than” wonderful.  No longer will I allow a man to be my sole focus if he only has time for me when everything that’s important to him is complete.  Why shouldn’t I be a priority? The answer is: I should be.  I should be his strength, his weakness, his love, his supporter, and his best friend.

Ladies, never settle for less than you deserve.  What if we all stood up for ourselves and demanded better?  They’d have no choice but to give us better.  If that leads to all of us becoming the unmarried old lady on the block, we will just have to get together and drink wine every weekend.  That doesn’t sound at all like an awful life to me.  But, that’s just my opinion.

(*** Just Jennifer is proud to call Mississippi home and welcomes your feedback on this topic. Email your thoughts and questions to Jennifer at justjennifer.cmg@gmail.com. You can also find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/imjustjennifer. (The views expressed here are those of Just Jennifer and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts of Conversations Media Group or Shadow Play Entertainment.)

MODEL CITIZEN: Introducing TraVion Blair

by Cyrus Webb

One of the things Conversations has tried to remind readers and listeners of our platforms of is that with faith nothing is impossible. No matter where you are from or what others might say, there is nothing you can't do or achieve if you are willing to do the work.

On December 31, 2015 Mississippi native TraVion Blair wrote on his Facebook page: "God has major plans in my future." Not long afterwards the 17 year old was walking in his first fashion show, doing photoshoots and on his way to seeing his goal of being a model and actor come true.

In an exclusive interview he talked with Conversations about the journey and what it's been like to remind others of what is possible.

"I like to motivate people to follow their dreams" TraVion told me. "This is a dream of mine.  Just to do it it makes me happy."

Talking about his walking in his first fashion show he says he was nervous at first but became more relaxed and it ended up being one of this greatest feelings and experiences of his life.

Though he was initially interested in pursuing acting first, TraVion says his mom told him that modeling might be the way to get his foot in the door. "I went to a modeling show and realized I could do this," he says. "One of my friends told me 'That that could be you'. It motivated me to pursue my career in modeling and acting."

Never to be seen as the shy one, TraVion says this is more than about him. "I want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to follow their dreams and make the world a better place."

To do anything towards your goal and dreams takes courage. I asked him how he has not allowed fear to stop him. "Fear is something that shows weakness," he told me, "and for me to show weakness is to show that God is not in control. I want to show everyone that God is in control of my life."

His advice for others? "Never give up on your dreams. Keep following your dreams, follow your heart."

Stay connected with TraVion on Facebook at www.facebook.com/travionblair12.

*Photo by Photoz by Paul Photography

Rapper Hollywood Luck: A Mississippi Native with Nationwide Appeal

by Cyrus Webb

I've said it before but it's worth repeating: Where you are doesn't have to define or limit where you can go. We all have been given amazing gifts. It's just up to us to use them and allow them to take us as far as they can. So many times we allow where we are born or currently live to be the end---when it really is just the beginning. Just ask rapper (and Mississippi native) Hollywood Luck.

He may live in Mississippi, but his music and his presence if being felt across the country and beyond. Recently he released his new mixtape called MSRepresentIt, and I asked him what it's been like to see the response. "It's nice to see that people like the music," he told me. "It's been a long journey, but it's nice to see it is appreciated."

The new project begins by sharing Luck's own experience with Hip Hop and even addresses some of the concerns he has about how music is being heard today. He told me that his career in Hip Hop began "by accident." His initial passion was basketball, but when things didn't work out with that he started making beats and later fell into rap. Today he is an artist that is known for speaking his mind and carrying himself with a confident that lets you know he is comfortable in his own skin. "The confidence took some time," he told me, but says it is definitely a project of the journey he has been on as an artist.

The new project MSRepresentIt showcases some of the club songs that fans of the artist have gotten to know but also shares some more thought-provoking messages about life and the industry he is a part of. "I've always been able to create that balance," Luck says. "I can give you different stories in my music." He says he believes this shows he is more than just a rapper. He's a human being. "Some people treat artists like they aren't human. I just want to show I am a regular person."

One of the songs that is most known by the artist is the suggestive single POLE IN MY PANTS. I asked Luck if he was surprised that this one single has become such a staple for his fans. "I'm very surprised," he says. "It's been almost four years and they still play it at the club and people ask for it when I'm booked for a performance." With that song's popularity I had to ask if there was a fear that it would be the only way people saw him. " I never had that fear," he admitted, "but it became a reality." He then added: "A lot of times people just expect those kind of songs from me, but it's not the only type of music I make. It's just a part of me. I guess the way people see you the first time and like it can make them stick you in a box and expect to see you like that all the time."

MSRepresentIt shows that he is so much more than a man who likes to party, and that has been what Luck has been able to share with his fans both in person and through social media. When talking about the Internet he says it "definitely helps when I see my music reaching other markets. That lets me know that what I'm doing not only works in my area but around the whole world." Though he is still working to get more radio play this doesn't deter Luck from sharing his music every chance he gets. His work ethic is one that other artists are taking notice of and emulating, something that makes him feel good. "That definitely encourages me to keep going," he says. "For me it's more than just about being seen. It's about being true to who you are. I do this not just for myself but for a lot of people."

Hollywood Luck believes that MSRepresentIt definitely shows his growth and that fans will "get the complete package" of who he is. Stay connected with Luck on Twitter, Instagram at Hollywood_Luck and at 1stupluck.bandcamp.com.

Melanie Calvert Benton: New From the Inside Out

by Cyrus Webb

When I first met author/actress/photographer Melanie Calvert Benton in person not long ago it like being welcomed by a ray of sunshine. She really did light up the room with her smile and magical personality, and her sense of humor won the room over. It would be difficult to imagine her any other way.

Unfortunately, just about three years ago, she wouldn't have been the same playful, vibrant woman that I met. In telling me her story, Melanie showed how she is a living example of our theme of the year: New from the inside out.

"I was very closed off to myself," she related to me during our interview on Conversations LIVE in late October. "No one would pay attention to me." Being overweight at the time Melanie says she felt almost invisible. Not only did it seem as though no one could see her. It was almost as it the world felt like she had nothing to share.

When she began making what she calls "lifestyle changes" it was as if the whole world noticed.

"I started losing the weight," she relayed to me. "At that time people became interested in what I  was doing: the photography, acting, motivating speaking." Melanie used the changes she was making as an example to others as to what was possible for them. "The more I was speaking with people [about it] the more I felt I was healing myself from within."

Because she knows firsthand what it's like to be ignored and to feel less than, Melanie makes sure that no one around her feels that way. "It's as simple as sitting down and sharing a genuine interest in what others are doing," she explains. "Others have to know that we like them and love them for who they are on the inside."

The lessons that Melanie Calvert Benton have learned have definitely aided her as in all areas of her life. Through her website www.fatkat.us she shares her story and that of others and allows them to see what is possible for them as well.

For those who are looking to make serious changes in their lives, Melanie offers these questions for reflection: "Are you where you want to be? Would you like to see yourself in a better place?" By answering these questions honestly and openly you begin the process of changing your life for the better.

As she continues to do what she enjoys the most, Melanie realizes that there is a special assignment for her life. "God has something better for me to do, and I'm walking on that pathway. I'm climbing higher."

May we all learn how to do the same, becoming the person we are truly meant to be.

Remembering Designer Patrick Kelly

by Cyrus Webb

Passion is something that can't be confined by location, current circumstances or even the negative energy that may surround you. When it comes to what you were really meant to do, not even death can stop your destiny from being fulfilled.

As I was thinking about the start of the new year I kept going back to the thought of how many people are willfully inching towards what is a slow creative death. They know what they are good at, they know what really drives them but they are allowing something to hinder them and stunt their development and progress.

An example of someone who would not let location or even poverty stop him from reaching his personal greatness is fashion designer Patrick Kelly. Born September 24, 1954 in my home state of Mississippi, Kelly rose from obscurity to become the first American designer of any race to reach the top in Paris. At the age of 33 he had inked out a $5 million deal Warnaco, propelling him towards the greatness that he believed was possible.

The road was not an easy one though. There were some homeless nights when he didn't know when his next meal would be coming from. There were also the naysayers that told him what was not going to be possible. Patrick Kelly just chose not to listen. There was an inner voice cheering him on along with those around him who knew what he could achieve. That is where he focused his attention.

So how was he able to do it? How was a man that seemed destined to be just another statistic able to separate from the pack and succeed? It was passion. For him there was no way he was going to live on this earth and not be doing what he knew was meant for him to do. That is what so many of us can learn from. Regardless of how many "nos" we hear, there will be those who will believe and give us the "yes" needed to keep going. If you give up now, however, you will never know what could have been.

Sadly Patrick Kelly left this earth in January 1990. He was just 36 years old. Though we don't have him physically with us to learn from, his example is a lesson all of us should take the time to study and emulate. People like Patrick Kelly remind us that the possibility for greatness is there if we never let our goal out of our sight.

Three Literary Voices Come Together To Promote Reading In Mississippi

(Saturday, November 20, 2010) Mississippi may be seen as having one of the highest illiteracy rates in the country, but that is being chipped away each and every day by organizations like Conversations Book Club.

Under the leadership of Founder/President Cyrus Webb, Conversations Book Club began in Jackson, MS with only three members at the Medgar Evers Library in November 2006 but is now undesputedly the largest co-ed book club in the country with chapters in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and meetings in Tennessee. Now four years young, Conversations is continuing its mission of providing something for everyone.


On Saturday, November 20th, Webb hosted authors Joseph Henderson (I DON'T WANT TO DIE ALL ALONE), Diane Hassan (ANGELS AMONG US...EVEN IN IRAQ) and Tommie Watkins, Jr. (LIVING OUT LOUD) in events for the National Day of Reading in the cities of Jackson and Pearl in Mississippi.

The day began with "Breakfast with Books" where patrons at the Medgar Evers Library in Jackson, MS were treated with refreshments and an opportunity to socialize with the authors.
Stanley Clark, President of For The People Productions, joined the event as well. Being one of the founding members of Conversations, he shared his appreciation for the authors coming together to promote reading.


At the end of the event, author Diane Hassan donated a copy of her book to the library, presenting it to librarian Shirley Simmons.


The next stop was the Pearl Public Library in Pearl, MS. There authors Hassan and Watkins shared information about their books and talked about their individual experiences.


There Hassan donated a book as well, presenting it to the supervisor on duty.


Finally it was on to Appetizers Restaurant in Pearl, MS where the authors talked about their day and shared their plans for the new year.


To date Conversations Book Club has scheduled events for 93 authors since it began in November 2006, with many more already planned for the upcoming months. To stay in touch with Cyrus Webb and the Conversations literary movement, visit www.thebestbookclub.info or contact Webb at cawebb4@juno.com or 601.214.0286.

If you are interested in more information about the authors, you can find it below:

Joseph Henderson --- http://www.joseph-henderson.com
Dr. Diane Hassan --- http://angelsamonguseveniniraq.blogspot.com
Tommie Watkins, Jr. --- http://www.twgllc.biz