Urban-Reviews.com - Inside Out with Abiola Abrams

Abiola Abrams

Abiola Abrams is a TV host, filmmaker, and published author who gives motivational talks. Watch Abiola weekly as the host of BET's film show The Best Shorts.

Abiola's debut novel Dare is an intelligent, fun and sexy story about finding true love and self esteem in the crazy world of entertainment. Abiola Abrams' artistic mini movies ranging from edgy 'chick flicks' to socially conscious docs investigate the themes of gender, race and empowerment. Her work has screened/ been performed in theaters, museums, galleries and festivals in London, West Africa, Germany, South America, the West Indies and in the US. The goal of all of Abiola's work is to use pop culture entertainment to create uncommon inspiration: culturally, politically, emotionally and sexually. Abiola has BA from Sarah Lawrence and an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

A writer, filmmaker and TV personality, Abiola Abrams is also the creator of The Until the Violence Stops Women's Film Festival in association with V-Day. Former Producing Host of HBO's interstitial politically incorrect talk show CHAT ZONE and syndicated NBC hip hop news show THE SOURCE: ALL ACCESS, Abiola's writing is featured in current anthology A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant, and a Prayer by Eve Ensler alongside the writings of Maya Angelou, Edward Albee and Alice Walker. Her writing is also featured in upcoming anthologies Behind the Bedroom Door by Paula Derrow (Self Magazine) and Dirty Words: A Literary Encyclopedia of Sex by Ellen Sussman.

Abiola Abrams is an opinionated tastemaker, cheerleader, feminist, fashionista, cultural critic and all around blabbermouth.

Read a full excerpt of Dare: Click Here

Author's Official Site: http://www.abiolaabrams.com
Author's Myspace Page: http://www.myspace.com/goddessfactory
Author's Official Blog: http://thegoddessfactory.blogspot.com
Author's Page on BET.com: Click Here
Author's Tour Schedule: Click Here
Contact The Author: Click Here
Order Your Copy Today: Click Here

Urban Reviews: Tell us about your debut novel Dare.
Abiola Abrams: First Radiah I just wanted to say what a wonderful site you have! It is such a blessing for us as authors. Thank you.

Dare is a fun, high energy adventure of two women aspiring to be more than they are. The story is inter-cut with poetry, affirmations and music. The story is about Maya, a sociologist who becomes a rapper, and her best friend Athena. Maya thinks that her mission is finding true love but she learns, as we all do, that her true mission is to find herself. A lot of book clubs are reading Dare, and it’s been great to dialog with them so I created an interactive website at www.daretogetalife.com with extended affirmations and other fun stuff. There is no greater blessing for an author than to interact with your readers.

Urban Reviews: Where did you come up with the subject matter for Dare? Did you have to do a lot of research?
Abiola Abrams: That’s so great that you ask that question. I definitely did a ton of research, which as a former geek is the way that I approach everything! I wanted to tell a story of a woman like myself, a women who loves hip hop but feels that hip hop no longer loves her. I felt that this was perfect metaphor for so many things in the realm of life, love and black love in particular.

Urban Reviews: How did you go about getting your book deal?
Abiola Abrams: My agent sent out my manuscript to several different publishers and Simon and Schuster Pocket Books was the strongest bidder. I have an extremely supportive agent who completely rallied for me to tell this story in the way that I needed to and allowed me to ignore advice to dumb it down. It’s so disrespectful that people feel that a hip hop tale can’t be literary or well written. We want good writing like everyone else. We want to be motivated and empowered as much as the so-called mainstream readers want as well. I have met so many people that say that they found Dare through a friend at were shocked that they also enjoyed my voice as a writer. That’s the best feeling.

Urban Reviews: How has your environment/upbringing colored your writing?
Abiola Abrams: My parents are both writers and my experience as a first generation Caribbean American of African decent in definitely a part of everything I create as an artist. I also grew up knowing that I was loved and safe in the world. I feel very fortunate and blessed in that way.

Urban Reviews: How has being a BET J host helped you when it comes to Dare?
Abiola Abrams: What was really great was that I was experiencing new things in the world of entertainment the same time that I was writing the book—things like dealing with a publicist, spin, and wardrobe faux pas so it definitely helped in developing the character and some of the twists and turns that she took. I have written many books before, but this was my first published project. I was a writer actually before anything else.

Urban Reviews: What are your long-term writing plans?
Abiola Abrams: I will write both fiction and non-fiction books, with my non-fictional books being a fun approach to the motivational genre. I have been a writer my entire life. This has been a long time coming so thank you for taking the time to speak with me.

Urban Reviews: What can we expect next from Abiola Abrams?
Abiola Abrams: Launching soon I have a daily online show called Planet Abiola, which will be a lot of fun. I am also proud to say that Paper Magazine chose me as one of their beautiful people for 2008—coming out in the April issue. That was very cool. I have an upcoming advice column Dear Abiola that you can find in Rolling Out magazine and a lot of other goodies that people can find on my interactive site—video and film clips, games, excerpts, blogs—http://www.abiolaabrams.com. I am also working toward having a radio show.

Urban Reviews: Do you find time to read and, if so, who or what do you enjoy reading the most?
Abiola Abrams: I enjoy classic African-American literature like works by Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, Maya Angelou, Gloria Naylor, Ntozake Shange and Toni Morrison. I also read motivational work by Louise Hay and Iyanla Vanzant.

Urban Reviews: What else would you like the world to know about Abiola Abrams...the person?
Abiola Abrams: One of my nicknames has long been the Goddess of love, because I preach self love. I want people to know that I am just you with a pen and a microphone. Thanks so much!