Saturday, June 17, 2017

Writers4Higher features author Bob Ieva


Hi, Bob Ieva. Welcome to Writers4Higher.


Tell me about yourself. Your book(s), your life, your inspiration.

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y. I grew up in the '40s and '50s in the Bay Ridge Area of Brooklyn. There are four sections in that area, Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach, and Bensonhurst. Most of the big families came from those areas.

I moved to Long Island, with my family, when I was 17.
My father and my Godfather introduced me to the teamsters and I started driving semis, and also became an automotive technician.

I didn’t start writing until I was 71 when a friend asked me to write a story about myself. She told me she would put it in book form.

I wrote the first three books in five months and loved it. These are works of fiction and in the organized crime family genre. Those first three books are, The Hitman, The Franchise and The Final Offer. Not long after I was introduced, by another friend of mine, to a great publishing company, DocUmeant Publishing in New York City. Ginger Marks, my publisher, is the owner. I asked her to put these three stories into one book and it is titled, The Other Brooklyn, and we named the series, The Joey Toranetti Series. The Other Brooklyn became an award winning number one best seller and also won the national 2015 FAPA Presidents Award. Book four is The New Breed, and my newest, book five in this series, is The Italian Vendetta.

Where do you see your writing taking you in the future?

I firmly believe that my series will eventually end up as a TV series. I have a lot of confidence in my tales and believe they are action filled enough to warrant that commercialization.

How do you use your talents/time to help others?

All my life I have helped people build their business and met great people and learned how to understand what people want. They just want to be treated fairly. When I am asked about my writing and what my best piece of advice is for others who want to become published authors my answer is simply, “Everybody has a story to tell, so don’t sell yourself short. Just write it!”
I also own a travel agency where I am known as “The Godfather of Travel” and my goal for my clients is to help them create a great memory. I make their vacation easy to book, pay, and enjoy. That is my sole purpose in life, Make everything as easy as possible for everyone that I meet.











Would you like to find about more about Bob Ieva?
Check out these links:

Author website: Bob Ieva's Website
Twitter: @bieva

Thank you, Bob. I wish you continued success!

Rhett DeVane
Southern fiction author and blog master


Thursday, June 1, 2017

Happy Summer from Writers4Higher


Golly. It’s Summer. Already.

I know many of the Writers4Higher family of authors keep plugging away, even if they, like me, live in a steam-sauna state. My muses despise the heat and humidity. They’ve packed up and headed to their retreat in Canada. Meanwhile, I settle into my editor’s role and work on endless, mind-numbing but necessary revisions. Hey, it can’t all be first-draft play, right?

I have no worries; those misfit muses of mine will bounce back into town in late October, full of characters and plot lines, ready for me to sit down and follow their lead.

Recently, after I birthed my latest novel Parade of Horribles, I took a moment to check in with my author family. A few jotted emails to catch me up on their projects.

Jeff Weddle has a new book, Comes to This, a poetry collection.

Angela Yolanda Hodge’s latest book was released in March: Daybreak: 100 Powerful Breakthrough Moments for Women.

Scott Archer Jones has been busy, with two books released since he was a feature on the blog: The Big Wheel and A Rising Tide of People Swept Away.

Diane Sawyer has been promoting her book The Tell-TaleTreasure, and she had the honor of speaking at the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, in April.

Malcolm R. Campbell has released two books in his Florida Folk Magic Stories series, Conjure Woman’s Cat and Eulalie and Washerwoman.

Cheryl C. Malandrinos released her latest children’s book, Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving.

I find it comforting, knowing the rest of the gang is out there writing in spite of work, family obligations, births, deaths, the zoo of news, and the other countless blips circling the radar screen.

As for me, it’s a good thing air conditioning was invented. I shall dash from one cool cubicle to the next as fast as my feet will carry me. Mama always said “women don’t sweat, they glow.” If so, you might be able to see me from wherever you are, some clear evening.

I wish you a healthy, fun-filled summer and the best to your continued success.
Love to you!

Rhett DeVane,
Author and blogmaster


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