Featured Interview With Michellene Barrett
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
As an high school senior, I published my first juvenile fiction Englisha and David’s Adventurous Vacation. The story of Englisha and David is about two teens who embark on a journey of independence and self-discovery where they learn the value of love, forgiveness and living life to the fullest.
I graduated from Columbia University Teachers College with a master’s degree in Literacy and I am currently an elementary school teacher in Brooklyn.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
In the fourth grade, I begin writing stories about the adventures of Englisha and David. My classmates would gather around and listen. They would say, “Michellene, you need to be a published author. Your stories are so funny.” Right there in my classroom, my desire to be a writer was born. I began my quest to becoming a published author and eight years later, it became a reality.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
As a child when I first began writing fiction, my favorite authors were Judy Blume, Louis Sachar and Roald Dahl. These authors inspired my writings. My favorite genre is fiction but I really enjoy reading self-help books now like Act Like A Success, Think Like A Success by Steve Harvey and Break Out! by Joel Osteen.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
My first book is Englisha and David’s Adventurous Vacation. The main characters are Englisha and David. Englisha had a crush on David since her freshmen year of high school but he always had a girlfriend. When David broke up with his girlfriend, Englisha thought it was time to make her move. Englisha was hesitant and nervous about how to approach David. But with the encouragement from her friends, she gained the confidence to invite David to her sweet sixteen party. To Englisha’s astonishment, David quickly agrees to attend her birthday party. At Englisha’s party, her mother makes a surprising announcement that she has helped arrange a weeklong vacation in Los Angeles for the teens. Englisha and David arrive in LA with high hopes. But when a series of unfortunate events begin to cloud their happiness, these teens soon realize the value of love, forgiveness and living each day to the fullest.
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