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| Jay
Tyvon, a Philadelphia born—South Jersey raised,
thirty-something urbanite who has lived in such metropolises as
Atlanta and Chicago. Now ensnared by the serene atmosphere of
small-town USA, he spends much of his daytime hours
introspectively writing. By night, while gainfully employed at a
renowned aerospace company, Jay shares his other talents with
the rest of the world. Between work and writing, he can be found
enjoying quality time with his wife of nine years, and their
three children. Currently, Jay is hard at work on his second
novel.
Check
out Jay's world, but hitting up his
website
and his MySpace
page!
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Click
cover to purchase YOUR copy of What is Luv? today!
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Meet
Justin Vaughn—charming, attractive, and successful. From the
outside he appears to be at the top of his game. But underneath
the glossy exterior lies a past fueled by bitterness and anger.
The abuse and neglect suffered during his adolescence spills
over into the present becoming the scapegoat of his many
misguided actions. Caught in the consummate struggle between
right and wrong, Justin wears a variety of faces as he straddles
the fence over what kind of person he wants to be. While
striving to do the right thing—like raising his teenage son,
he demonstrates little control when it comes to fulfilling his
every lurid desire. As he desperately yearns to receive the love
lost amidst his broken childhood, he finds himself willing to
compromise everything to get it.
Indulge
yourself in this emotionally charged tale of love defined by
life, lust, and liberty. Follow Justin as he learns the true
meaning of love—realizing that the superficial conditions we
so often confuse for the real thing are nothing more than mere
myths of our own mind and the strongholds on our soul.
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You have 50 words or less to make us want to buy WHAT IS
LUV….GO!
How about 20? …Relatable characters, an unpredictable plot, steamy scenes of passion, and a MAN in search of love. Need I say more?
What was the initial spark that brought WHAT IS LUV into being?
Well, truthfully, What Is
Luv? started off as a challenge to myself. I love to write and felt as though I had something to say, so I went for it. I wasn’t sure if I could hold a storyline the entire length of a novel, but I think it all worked out :-)
How was your experience in writing the main character, JUSTIN, a complex man whose past dictates many of the mistakes he makes in life?
It was cool. I pulled aspects of my own life—flaws and all, to bring his character to life. So, I couldn’t help but to, at times, reevaluate my own situation. Often, it was Justin’s thoughts that drove him to many of his actions. He was literally crippled by them. But that was the point I wanted to make, because of issues of self-esteem—and lack of self worth, we sometimes have a hard time grasping the relevance of certain relationships in our lives. For Justin, the past was just an excuse to act as he did.
What’s
your favorite thing about WHAT IS LUV?
The detail… From start to finish, I think the story and the characters are vividly portrayed.
Lol, I didn’t leave very much to the imagination.
What are three adjectives that best describe WHAT IS
LUV?
Insightful, Vivid, and Sexy
What are three adjectives that best describe YOU?
Ambitious, Adventurous, and Calculated
What have you done and what are you doing—as an author and publisher—to promote WHAT IS
LUV?
Probably the biggest thing I’ve done is to make myself visible within the writing community. I credit MySpace’s networking forum for much of that because through this one avenue I was able to reach out to avid readers, others authors, reviewers, book clubs, and even distributors. As a publisher, besides using bookstores and online retailers, I make it a point to sell my own product. I find various venues to push my books. It’s been a great way to introduce myself to the buying public.
How do you spend your time when you’re not writing?
I’m a big movie buff, so when I’m not working or writing I can be found in front of the big screen, especially on the weekends, along with my two sons, watching some ole’ crazy horror flick. …That’s how we do!
Jay Tyvon: THE SOUNDTRACK! What three tracks would make it onto a soundtrack of your life, and why?
Well, I love slow jams. So, I would say, number one on my list is A Woman’s Work by Maxwell (theme from Love & Basketball) because the song epitomizes the outcome of things left unsaid—actions left undone. When you find yourself in the unenviable position of wanting a do-over, but of course it’s too late.
…Lol, the story of my life.
Second, would probably be, The Greatest Sex by R. Kelly. I think the title says it all but what better gift to have, if accomplished in the proper setting such as in marriage. The act of two people becoming one in the name of love, that’s the kind of stuff I enjoy writing about. …Let’s just say, I thank the heavens above for my wife.
Finally, Yolanda Adams’ Open My Heart. There was a time in my life when I had to let go—and let God… I had to come to the realization that I couldn’t fix me—through my own power, I couldn’t get past certain hurts that were going on in my life. That’s when I broke down and asked God to open my heart and help me. I’m glad He did!
Do you have a standard process to your writing? Are you an outliner or a jump-right-in writer?
I definitely don’t jump-right-in. Anytime I start a project, I have to jot everything down first.
Lol, I always have a lot to say, so the only way I can remember to get everything in is to put in the form of an outline. I never stick to it, but at least it gives me an idea of where I’m going.
Word Association. What comes to mind when you see the following words:
LIFE: Complicated
WRITING: Organized Chaos
THE PAST: Educational
JAY TYVON: Talented
WHAT IS
LUV?: Unconditional
What advice would you offer aspiring-to-be-published authors?
If you truly believe in yourself just stick with it and never give up! Patience and persistence will pay off in the long run. And by all means, learn your craft!
…Lol, there’s more to writing than just writing. I think a lot us find that out the hard way.
What is one big thing you’ve learned about the industry since you created Tyvon Books and published WHAT IS
LUV?
That patience is definitely a virtue. I think we all want things to happen faster than it sometimes does, but I’ve learned, especially as someone trying to get their foot in the door, that if you stay focused and stick to your game plan, eventually you’ll achieve your goals. Discipline and persistence are also important factors within that process.
Dream-on: You’ve just been told that someone wants to turn WHAT IS
LUV? into a movie. Who would play Justin Vaughn?
Aaah, that’s easy… Allen Payne
What projects are you currently working on?
Right now, I’m working on the sequel to What Is
Luv? called Unconditional, which I plan to release sometime early 2009.
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