Kottyn has performed in cities such as Chicago, Houston, Sacramento, Kansas city, Detroit, Indianapolis, Appleton, New York, and Atlanta.

Her accolades include the following:

2015 Poetry Author of the year
2015 UBAWA Poet of the Year 2012 Book Cover Award
2015 P.O.E.T award
Radio Host, Event Planner, CEO Of WBP, Performer #TeamKottyn Member TeamGPA Member

For more info, visit her website at www.wbproduction.net

After going through the most difficult chapters of my life as an illegal immigrant in Rome, by sleeping at the central train station, I worked as a house boy serving an Italian journalist. I was able to save some money as illegal immigrant, because, the Romans like tax evasion, which of course never improved my situation to be documented. I therefore shifted camp to Amsterdam.
In Amsterdam, I lived in a notorious neighborhood called Bijlmer, known for drug and arm trafficking. It’s a home for illegal immigrants. The blocks had ten floors. On many occasions illegal immigrants resisting police arrest jumped to their death. The news of Bijlmer never ceased appearing in newspapers. Investigations revealed that as low as 200 Euros could get one a gun, crime in Bijlmer therefore was abnormal.

The man I lived with at Bijlmer, deals in fake European and American passports. I was scared to death. Within three days through a pastor of a church I was attending, I relocated. A week after leaving the place, police invaded the apartment of the fake passport dealer and arrested everyone. It was the biggest news in Holland. Those arrested were jailed five years each. I escaped my first jail sentence.
Holland is a country which has sent many illegal immigrants to Africa. Many of the illegal immigrants deported were caught on train, trams or metro without tickets. Some were caught riding on stolen bicycles. I wasn’t ready for deportation. To prevent deportation, I went on foot to any place in Amsterdam. Some of my journeys were long and tedious. Some could take me between two to three hours. On many occasions I picked up broken parts of bicycles from the bush or road side, brought them home to fix them.

Despite all my efforts to steer away from crime, I thought I was free but I wasn’t. After four and a half years in Amsterdam Bijlmer, I was still illegal. I met a lady who promised to help me get my papers. She took over five thousand dollars from me. Unknowing she was a criminal preying on illegal immigrants. When the immigration police invited us for my documents, I was arrested and thrown behind bars.
The woman knew I will be deported, because that was what had happened to all her victims. The police told me who she was. She has never been jailed for her previous crimes; she therefore never ceased to prey on innocent victims. Behind bars, my deportation to Africa was very close. I was given three square meals daily and shower once a day. But one day something wrong happened to me. No shower and I weren’t fed for the whole day. Instead of protesting, I was quiet till the next day. When I was served food the next day, I asked them why they did that to me the previous day. The officer who thought I was joking, later found out that I was speaking the truth.

According to him I was very quiet so the officers on duty failed to realize that someone was in the cells. Because of this particular error they made, they handed back my passport to me and set me free. “Whatever I went through as illegal immigrant in Europe, sleeping at the central train station in Rome, detention in Amsterdam and what I’ve seen in my life had made me what I am today. I am now a Belgium national living in Antwerp, with my wife and three children.”

The full story is now published in the book “Overseas Chronicle-The Rome and Amsterdam Experience. Available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.

Teresa will continue to formulate creative and intriguing novels to provide page turners and eye openers for her readers. In less than 30 days, her book has soared in several states and is now being sold in 3 major book stores. It is also being cataloged in a local community college. Teresa B. Howell the Author has proven herself to be a creative, unique writer of fiction Christian romance and suspense.

About her book, That Church Life

The Church Gal Crew is leading the way to Salvation at Mt. Zion Holiness Church. Feisty Natalia Freemon is the “head” of the crew. Rebellious and outspoken, she has no problems challenging the church status quo. Years later however, her loss of faith will tragically impact her life. 

Michelle Hanks, a country girl from a hardworking farm family is the peacemaker and “soul” of the crew. Although struggling with self-confidence she is wise beyond her years and can’t wait to escape the farm life and find success; even if it costs her soul.

Missy Jones, the “heart” of the crew, has the face of an angel and a voice sent from heaven. A pastor’s daughter raised in the church, Missy loves the ministry and her place in it. But the flesh is tempting, especially when it comes in the form of sexy church musician and Mt. Zion playboy Tommy. 

These three best friends drift away from each other and the church but come back together through spiritual downfall, relationship crises, drug addiction, and even murder. Can the crew survive the drama involved in That Church Life?

Visit her online at Teresabhowell.com

Most Favorite Book Review

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Walk of Faith,
By Janice Woods on July 5, 2016
Format: Paperback
Intriguing characters in an all too familiar situation. The author did an excellent job of keeping the suspense without overplaying the strength and vulnerabilities of the characters. It’s hard to put this book down. You just have to see what happens next. Well worth the purchase. Enjoyable from beginning to end. Looking forward to the next one!

​Auketria enjoyed creative writing classes which contributed to her natural ability to write songs that told relatable stories which she hopes the world will hear one day. She credits "a real life experience" for the birth of her debut novel turning some of life's unfortunate encounters into entertainment filled with laughter, love and victory.

​"I sat visiting my grandmother one evening and I said, oh grandmother I forgot to tell you that I am writing a book. I explained what the book was about and she thought it was remarkable. Then she told me that she started writing a book years ago in her youth but never completed it. She said, baby that's good make sure you finish it though. I promised her that I would finish my book and the accomplishment would be for the both of us and I kept my promise to her. The completion of my first novel is dedicated to my grandmother who passed on August 22, 2013. I miss her dearly but I feel good about keeping my promise to her."
 
Auketria is currently a contributing writer for BlogXpressions.com and working to complete a second novel in Houston TX where she resides with her 16 year old daughter and 10 year old son.
 
IG: @auketriawrites
Facebook Discussion Page: Conversations with Auketria
 
 
About her book, Catching Feelings
 
Adrienne, Jaimie, Naomi, & Rita share a longtime friendship that has become more like a sisterhood. Naomi still believes in love and is sure it will come again but not before a new attempt at dating goes in an unexpected direction. Could this have something to do with the interference of her handsome ex-husband and his desire to have her in his life once again? Adrienne the self-proclaimed daddy’s girl hasn’t experimented very much with love compared to her girls except once which was years of play and pause. Although special surprises are found in the most unsuspecting places, they can come with dangerously unwanted baggage. Will true love cost Adrienne her life—or someone else’s? Jaimie’s insecurities definitely reach an all-time high causing some decision making that threatens the loyalty of friendship. Feeling inferior to love for so long has clouded her judgment, hurting those close to her in the process. Will Jamie get her shot at true companionship? No one has experienced more hurt and disappointment in love than Rita, the wisest of the group. From childhood through adulthood she’s had her share of heartbreak and has decided to take a hiatus. But when love in its purist form presents itself Rita is uncompromising. Will true love heal her old wounds? Follow these four friends as they navigate through tumultuous love lives, while trying their best to keep from catching feelings.

Felicia Scott was born and raised in Marietta, Georgia. Her earlier works have been featured in an online magazine- Hear Me Now. He current book can be found at http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/feliciali. She currently resides in Texas and is working on her second book, Love is Loved
 
About her book, Emotions
 
Everyday life can be described as a conversation between two beings, but variations occur each time this happens. They can be simple or complicated, trivial or meaningful. And when someone takes time to put these into words in variations that reveal all their flaws and whatever flatters, that is the poetry of Felicia Scott, and oh how profound and beautiful they can be.
 
The backdrop of Ms. Scott's poetry is urban, intimate, and as broad as the universe of the internet. Her poems take the shape of conversations, between female and male, between beliefs and reality, between truth and skepticism and strength versus vulnerability.
 
In Felicia Scott's work, she speaks in everyday language without pretentious elaboration. She doesn't select words to fit the moment. She listens, records and then replicates events into phrases that are revealing, witty and self-effacing. Scott takes you unashamedly into her world of relationships, both familial, romantic, spiritual, sexual and elevates them beyond mere examination. They are pictures in prose.
 
In her poems, aphorisms, metaphors and free-verse take on a mix of speech, style and uncommon wisdom without being preachy. There is sassy quality that blends with sensitivity, mixing universal themes into urban speech. Her words form a continuous stream that draws you closer to appreciating sensitivity rather than insulting your sensibilities, from the cynicism that catch the machinations of sex-starved, insecure, self-righteous men to people who are naive, superficial or genuinely trying to connect and finding disappointment or affirmations of faith.
 
Scott is unabashedly vulnerable while communicating a sense of confident self-awareness. She is hip, smart and funny in ways women and men can relate to without shaming either. In fact, many of her poems take you to places where we laugh or cry but also have experienced ourselves. She shows hidden agendas and thoughts, plus examines both ideas and expressions not for what they are on the surface but their surprising undercurrents of motivation.
 
There are wonderful descriptions of life experiences, insecurities, reluctant lessons and how things don't always work out or appear to be. Her directness is unapologetic, but feels reticent and laid back at times. If anyone wanted to see an episode of reality mixed with wit, wisdom and nod at the reading of such down-to-earth narrative and descriptive free verse, look no further than the poetry of Felicia Scott. You will laugh, cry, shake your head and whisper “uh huh” and come back for seconds!
 
 
Most Favorite Book Review
“There are the poets that I can read their work and it strikes me wrong, I bristle up like an animal for lack of a better description, but over time reading your poems sometimes it is like sitting with a group of women and the honesty cuts the air like a knife and everyone says did she just say that and laugh because the person came so real. That is what I get out of your poetry fiction or non-fiction it gives the affect you lived it watched it experienced it and can talk about it not as contrived words pulled from the air but soul that is in the marrow of the bone.” -Pamela Moorehead

Dr. Felicia Arnetta Williams McGowan was diagnosed with Kidney disease over 32 years which did not stop her from achieving educationally. She has completed undergraduate work at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Graduate work was completed at Webster University in Mental Health Counseling in Greenville SC, and she received add-on certification in School Counseling from UNC Charlotte. Finally, a doctoral degree in educational leadership from University of Phoenix was completed in 2013.
 
A reason Williams McGowan authored her book Hattie’s Journey is that she has a passion to bring awareness about kidney disease/transplantation and how it affects children. Her experiences as a child led her to have a different childhood but, she created an environment for herself to make sure her childhood was as normal as possible. Dr. Williams McGowan and her mother has spoken at a local school during a Health Fair about McGowan’s experience with kidney disease and receiving a kidney from her mother. Even though the illness was difficult at certain times with family support and Williams McGowan own persistence helped her to make it through the process.
 
Dr. Williams-McGowan is currently working on more books in the Hattie's Journey Collection. Dr. McGowan has presented in schools and she provides workshops discussing self-love and embracing being different. Dr. Felicia Williams-McGowan quotes “No matter how short no matter how long keep traveling through your journey.”
 
About her book, Hattie's Journey-A Child's Second Chance at Life after a Kidney Transplant
 
Hattie’s Journey is a story of a little girl who loved school and all things fun. Experiencing a roadblock in her journey caused Hattie to reroute her path. Was Hattie able to overcome these obstacles in her life? Hattie’s Journey, is a children’s book that can be used to familiarize readers of the different ups and downs families could face when a child has been diagnosed with kidney failure.
 
Hattie’s Journey: A Child’s Second chance at life after a Kidney Transplant Book and Coloring Book is available as an eBook and paperback on all the popular online bookstores such as Amazon.com, Barnesandnobles.com, Goodreads, and iBook store. It can also be bought directly from Dr. Williams-McGowan website using your PayPal account to get special deals at www.drfeliciawilliamsmcgowan.com.
 
Most Favorite Book Review
By Shanley McCray on November 12, 2015
 
Format: Paperback
This book is truly heart felt. The storyline highlights the importance of family and love during the tough times. Hattie's Journey is a great book to bring awareness to kidney failure as it effects children. There aren't many books for children that give insight to such a difficult time, because it's a hard thing to talk about. But, Dr. Felicia Williams-McGowan did an excellent job keeping the balance of a great story for children to read and highlighting real events that happens through this process. I would recommend this book be read by all children so they can gain an understanding of what some other children go through when dealing with illness and disease.
                               

Kiara was born and raised in Ville Platte, Louisiana. She began writing at the tender age of 11 starting with journals and diaries. She endured many trial and tribulations, such as losing her mother a week before her high school graduation and her father to the system two years later. She used all of those things as fuel to go harder. Now a college graduate and best selling Author. Her debut Urban Fiction series "Mancell's Reign: Daughter of a King Pin" was released in February 2016 and she hasn't stopped yet. She is taking her words and painting pictures and hopefully write her way into your hearts.
 
About her book, Diamond N' The Rough
 
Kya African-American origin meaning a diamond in the sky.
Kya G. That names ring plenty of bells. She’s the most successful club owner in the south owning multiple clubs from Georgia to Louisiana. She is also an amazing mother to her 3 year old daughter. She’s the “GOAL-digger” that every woman strive to be, and the one every man wants, however life hasn’t always been like this for her.
 
Kya has a very sticky past that she is not proud of and she promised herself that she would never go back down that lane, if not for herself, but for her daughter. What happens when her past resurfaces? Will this diamond crash and burn in the rough or will she remain shiny and untouched?
 
Connect: amazon.com/author/kiarajonai
Facebook: Author Kiara Jonai
 
 
Most Favorite Book Review
 
 
5.0 out of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this story and the flow of it By Lakeisha on May 31, 2016
 
"I have to say that Kiara, your pen game is strong. I really enjoyed this story and the flow of it. I love Ky because she is strong. Great Job!"

Writing has always been my passion since I was a young girl and becoming a book author was my desire as I got older. Before my dreams turned into reality, for many years I was suffered from "Epilepsy" complex partial seizures. In 2010, I got tested twice at UCSD hospital in La Jolla to see if I was a candidate to get brain surgery to prevent and stop my seizures. Because of the grace of God, I found out the second time I got tested to confirm where my seizures were coming from that I was a candidate. January 24th, 2011, at UCSD I had an eight hour brain operation on my left temporal lobe including hippocampus which was causing me in the past to have seizures. Since my brain operation I have been seizure free five years.
 
What made me pick up my pen again and get serious about writing was when a guy from my past that I took to my grave came back in my life in 2010 when I just stepped out of a rocky relationship with my ex boyfriend who I was dealing with since I was 17. I knew deep down dealing with the guy I took to my grave was a sticky situation but I took the risk. I didn't realize until it was too late and things turned into a huge thunderstorm and got very ugly when he got released from prison in 2011 to where he messed with multiple girls; he had me stalked by one specific chick who I used to run the streets with and he ended up messing with. This specific chick she always wanted the ingredients to be me anyway. Things got so hot that the guy and this chick both snitched on my mom and got her fired from the Sheriff's department (paperwork don't lie). So going through that and the emotions made me write; and reading books by Wahida Clark, Ashley & JaQuavis, Kiki Swinson, Cliff Johnson, and Brandi White also motivated me.
 
 
This year of 2016, my heart said sign with book author/Publisher Racquel Williams and April 5th, 2016 my book dropped. When it first dropped I got tagged on Facebook how my book went on the best selling list on Amazon. My next goal is to continue to write more books and continue to write my autobiography based on my life and brain surgery and turn my story into a movie. In addition, I want to create my own lip gloss, perfume line and TV show with my twin cousins Sherice & Klanice.

Marcus Campbell was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia in a single parent home with his brother, by their mother. As a young adult, he got involved in the street life and in the process was eventually incarcerated. While incarcerated a friend he knew from the street suggested he try writing since he read so much. Not paying any attention, it took for Marcus to get out and get reincarcerated before he gave writing a try. After reading Zane's Sex Chronicles, he thought to himself, I can do that and thus his first novel 'Club S.E.X. was written. After another setback, he wrote Rich City Thug-Life. He does all his own writing, editing, proofreading, typing, and printing. The true meaning of self publishing. So far he has gotten Rich City Thug-Life in his home library system, and on October 12th, he will be having an Author Speaks at his main library featuring Marcus himself.
 
 
About his book, Rich City Thug-Life
 
 
Rich City Thug-Life, is about the tough grimy streets of Richmond, Virginia and the thugs who live to survive them. https://sites.google.com/site/richcitythuglife/home
​

Book Synopsis: At some point we all must ask ourselves the question, "When is enough enough?"
Jamya Adams grew up on the streets of south side Chicago. At an early age she learned that she needed to go after whatever she wanted, because nothing would be handed to her. She set and lived by her own rules, allowing no one or anything to stand in her way. Hustle was her middle name. She stacked her money and got herself, her mother, and her sisters out of their not so ideal environment.
​
Emerick Jeffries grew up in Beverly Hills, California. He was not only born with a silver spoon in his mouth but he also had the matching bowl and sippie cup. Nothing was off limits to the multimillion dollar playboy. As the heir to the Diamont Brut international jewelry empire, Emerick did not always move in a straight line. He too like Jamya lived by his own rules.

Savannah Biggs wreaked havoc on the streets of Raleigh, North Carolina as a child. It wasn’t until a situation landed her in a North Carolina juvenile detention center that she realized it was time for a change. Life happened quickly for Savannah after her release. Things that once seemed impossible suddenly became obtainable.

Though the three came from different ways of life, circumstances brought them together. During that time Jamya, Emerick, and Savannah learn the lesson that sometimes enough is enough.
Savannah after her release. Things that once seemed impossible suddenly became obtainable.
Though the three came from different ways of life, circumstances brought them together. During that time Jamya, Emerick, and Savannah learn the lesson that sometimes enough is enough.
Website: http://www.authorjasmara.com/