Theatre- Platinum Selling Author Tells Her Secret on Stage

iMAG Go-Getter of the Year and Essence Best Selling author Miasha makes sure that she keeps her name buzzing throughout the streets. Just recently, she released Never Enough, which is the follow up to the book that made jaws drop. And on July 25, 2008 she complimented her jaw dropping, best selling book with a stage play, Secret Society.

This tell-all book is based on two young women, Celess and Tina, who are “professional women”. Not finding any reason to hold down a real nine to five desk job, or anything else related to being an “employee”, they become the masters of the art of getting cash from men that like to spend it. These beautiful women seem to have it all: the beauty, body, smarts and cash from their many admirers, which makes many people envious. As they journey from man to post and from post to man, they realize that the secret that has kept them at the top of the gold-digger game could soon be revealed and make their world turn upside-down and have them buried in drama... literally.

The Good
The adaptor, Marc Holley, and director, Tiffany Bacon, did a fantastic job at bringing the book Secret Society to life. For those who read the book, it was like meeting the characters in person and venturing with them each step of their extraordinary and outrageous life.

The theatrical performance was held at the Arts Bank Theatre in Philly, PA. The very well known and often frequented theatre that seated a little over one hundred was the perfect place for the first production of Secret Society. The house was full and there response after the play was more than pleasing to 5th Avenue Production which is the production company that presented, Secret Society.

The careful choice of actors that graced the stage made the play a treat for the five senses. Each and every actor gave you an up close and personal view of the thoughts and feelings of the characters which brought the book alive.

The timing of the show was also very well coordinated as there were very few, if any flaws. Each and every actor were on point, and the stage hands made sure that the actors were on post quickly and efficiently as they got props ready for each scene.

The Better
The actors were so believable!!! Each and every actor played their role excellently. Lee Mekhai who played the lead role Celess was very engaging and had the audience silently listening to her every word. She passionately delivered every breakdown about how her and her best friend lived it up and tore it down with their deceptive ways. Lee played up to her role as Celess and made the performance phenomenal. She will unquestionably be an actress in demand.

Roni Graham played the beautiful and boisterous best friend Tina. Her keeping it real attitude was appealing and hilarious as she spit her quick wit and sarcastic remarks that made the audience chuckle. Tina was the role that Roni needed to put her on the map because she embraced the role so well that it was hard to believe that she was acting.

All the actors did a great job and made the performance lively including, Lionel Dalton, Kevin Savage, Christopher Ward, and Hasan Bivings who played the hot-headed Khalil who did what he had to do to get back at the women who ruined his life.

Kenneth Jones who played Mayo, the gay friend of the two women was fun and sensational as he made the women recognize that the moves that they were making were eventually going to come to life.

Desiree Tunsall who played the mother that learned that her son Charles was gay was impeccable as she expressed the pain that a mother would feel when she loses a husband because of her son’s choice.

Gerard Joseph who played Michael was impressive as he portrayed the actor who fell in love with Celess and was devastated to learn that she was leaving him to go to California.

The Damn!!!
No one in the audience expected the dramatic and explosive ending that made many people in the audience grasp!!! Gunshots blared from the stage as Celess and Tina met their fate.

If you are not in the Philadelphia area, have no fear because the play is not only going to be available on DVD, but it will also be traveling from city to city. So be sure to visit http://www.miasha.com/ for further details and if you don’t see your city listed, be sure to send a request because this is a play that you don’t want to miss.

Book Review- Diamond Playgirls

What happens when four young successful women from different cities decide to further their careers in the Big Apple while living under the same roof? A little bit of everything.

Meet Dior, a beautiful young woman who just arrived from Canada and is filled with excitement—so excited that her compulsive shopping gets her in trouble but it also helps her find love with the furniture delivery guy. Chris is a wonderful man who is great in bed but when Dior learns something about him that she never expected, will she give up on love or will she meet Mr. Right on myspace.

Tamara is excited about NY because she is hoping to further advance her party promotion career. She is working for two of the biggest names in the business, the Harold Brothers. She isn’t looking for love but love finds her twice. Maurice Harold takes a strong interest in Tamara but she doesn’t like to mix business with pleasure but Maurice can care less even if he is married. Tamara fears that she will be unlucky like her mother and grandmother who have been married again and again. When Aaron a man that she has strong feelings for reveals that he is ready to settle down, will she be ready... to run?

Then there is Chloe. She is the pretty rich girl who meets the man of her dreams. He is smart, handsome, and wealthy. Their love affair seems perfect and is running strong but Chloe is keeping a secret that could cost her the relationship.

Mona Lisa is a woman with a scorned heart. After her mother left she was raised by her father to be a player. She gives a man her body but nothing else. She has loved before but she let Nat slip away. When he finally surfaces again will they be able to continue where they left off or will she lose out on love again?

Diamond Playgirls was definitely a fun read as the authors created this anthology like a Sex in the City meets Girlfriends. The most interesting characters are Tamara and Dior because from each one you get a dose of humor and reality. There are other interesting characters like Jerome the annoying neighbor who tries to get with each of the women who live in the building using his tired mack game. There is also Ms. Margie, the dreadlocked straight to the point old head who actually owns the building that these ladies live in. She calls it her “Diamond Palace” thus the name Diamond Playgirls.

The book was definitely a fun read because each author had to blend each story together in order for these women to finally get together in the end. If you are looking for a book that breaks the usual street fiction drama, then this is the one to get.

Heather Elitou-Reviewer

Book Review- Sistah For Sale

Author: Miasha

Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Touchstone

Pub. Date: March 4, 2008
ISBN-10: 1416553371

Miasha is back with yet another gripping and controversial tale with her trademark twist of money, power, and respect.

Sienna at a very young age is traumatized when she witnesses the murder of her father, and her mother is taken away and sent to the Dominican Republic. With no parents, she is raised by her father’s business friend, Chatman who not only gives her the best in life but he also prepares her to manage her own well being in the sex slave trade making her a Sistah for Sale.

Sienna is not alone in the business of sex because her best and closest friend Ryan is on the come up as well, possibly, the man to inherit Chatman’s herd.

Sienna and Ryan became very close...too close. Sienna and Ryan begin to fall in love and being in love with Chatman’s men could mean destruction to Sienna.

When a secret is revealed that turns her admiration for Chatman into disdain, all hell breaks loose and Sienna is looking at having to start at square one.

Will she lose Ryan forever? Will she ever break free of Chatman’s hold? One will never know until they read the book.

What is interesting about Sistah for Sale is that the author has stepped out of the ghetto and into a world that most people are not familiar with. The sex hade is a very big business inside the U.S. and is growing rapidly. There are many women who will do anything to become U.S. citizens including selling themselves for sex. Although Miasha did a great job on making people aware of the world of slave trade, more research on the culture of the people she wrote about would have made the story extraordinary. Nevertheless Miasha continues to be a breath of fresh air and steps up the game in the literary world.

All About the Writing Diva

Miasha has definitely changed the game in publishing. In just two short years, Miasha has had success in all four books that she has released and she is ready to drop the sequel to her Platinum selling debut, Secret Society titled Never Enough. Her marketing campaign has reached new heights for authors. She has not only tagged to streets with her images, she has created a virtual website that includes a reality show, "A Day in the Life of a Boss."
For a first time author, Miasha had proven that she has what it takes to grab the attention of not just her dedicated readers but also major magazines, making their top list and iMAG’s Go Getter of the year.
What makes her books part of the literary buzz is that although she has very interesting twists to her stories, she feels it’s her duty to make people aware of what takes place in a society which is rarely discussed.
As a mentor, she has created the Ask Miasha Foundation which was inspired by the addage, "closed mouths don’t get fed." It is an opportunity for people to ask her questions on life, love, publishing, education, and much much more. One of Miasha’s protégés is the 13 year old author Tweety Elitou who was in inspired by Miasha’s never give up and always shoots for the stars attitude.

We sat down with Miasha and talked to her about her latest endeavors and being considered The Literary Diva.

Miasha, it is always good to see you.

You as well.

Your name is everywhere and you are doing everything. Tell us about what you have been up to since Diary of a Mistress.

Well, Diary of a Mistress has made the Essence Best Sellers List.

Congrats.

Thank you. Mommy's Angels, went very well and of course the anthology Diamond Playgirls was recently released and now Sistah for Sale is on the shelves. I am gearing up for the release of Secret Society Two: Never Enough which is the follow up to Secret Society and I am also getting ready for the play, Secret Society. I have also played host to several events.

How does it feel to be on the Essence Best Sellers List?

It is great! I wanted that to be one of my achievements but I was not sure how that was going to happen. I knew that it was a lot of people's claim to fame, but I was not sure how to do it. I made the list at my own merit which made it feel even better.

How did you get in the anthology Diamond Playgirls.

Well, my mentor Karen E. Quinones Miller, the person who inspired me from the beginning came up with the idea. She had me in mind as one of the characters. I was glad to do it.

What has been the response so far?

The response has been very good. We were not able to do as much promotion as we wanted to because we were wrapped up in other promotions but we sold 19,000 copies in one month!

Tell us about Sistah for Sale.

The book is about an orphan who witnessed her father's murder, her mother's deportation, and she is being marketed in the sex trade. She thinks that the only way that she can get out of it is to buy her freedom. She becomes one of the highest paid girls because she learns many languages and cultures, but her owner is not ready to give her up.

How much of your books are related to politics?

Most of my books become political because of what is going on in our society. There is a lot going on that people are not even aware of and since I am an entertainer I see it as my duty to make readers aware of what is going on through my books.

Each of your books are written about different topics. Does it make it hard to market your book? Does it make it hard to keep the same readers or do you gain new ones each time?
I don't think that it makes it hard to keep my fans but it makes it possible to get new readers. The people that read my first book and absolutely loved it then go out and get the second one, etc. People have so far expressed that they love my work because I have proven that I can write and not about the same thing time and again. They can expect to be surprised.

People have said that you have changed the game in the publishing industry with your marketing and promoting. How do you feel about that?

I am glad that it is being noticed (lol). My husband (Rich) jokes and says that I am like the Jay-Z of the book industry, but this is really who I am. Rich and I both like flashy things and we have been blessed because we were not born with silver spoons in our mouths. We like to show our blessings and we wanted to bring it into the industry.

What do you feel about those that are following in your footsteps or "biters"?

I tend not to look at it that way. I think that it is good because it means that they liked it, I made a statement and I have created a trend. I see nothing wrong with being a trendsetter. I hope that what I put out works for others and they too share their blessings.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see retirement-- that doesn't mean that I won't write anymore because that is what I love to do, but I won't have to do it. I see production work in film, theatre or television. I want to take the book industry to different heights.

Tell us about the play Secret Society.

The play will actually be the release for Secret Society Two: Never Enough. The play will only be in Philly (so far). That gives people the opportunity to see the play live and then they will be able to take the book home and read what happens in part two.

Tell us about AskMiasha.com.

AskMiasha.com is my foundation that was created in order to get close to the youth that are in need of mentoring. I had previously set it up with my first website where people would email me their questions, and it has grown from that. We had our first event, "Get Fresh, Get Knowledge" in September, 2007 so that young people that were going to school could get a free haircut and school supplies. I am putting together an anthology for young women.

What is something that you would like to leave with people that are interested in publishing?

Well, so many people come to me and say that they want to write a book and I say, you have to write the book. Once it is written, then send it to as many people that you can get to read it, and be sure to build a buzz around that project. Know your angle with your book and be sure to promote the best way that you can and go the extra mile. You can't wait for the royalties to roll in, you have to sell the book. Be unique so that people will remember you.

Be sure to visit Miasha's website for all information on the Literary Diva...

Heather Elitou- Interviewer and Reviewer