Your Subtitle text
Above The Fold - January 11, 2010
Up-And-Coming
Urban Fiction Author
Antwan Floyd has always had the heart of a writer, even at the young age of 12 writing short films with family members and recording with a VHS camcorder...writing has always been in his blood. He also wrote rap lyrics and poetry and performed in talent shows and spoken word venues. He wrote a screenplay and traveled out West to Hollywood, CA, to shop it, but finding no such success, he returned to Minneapolis and penned and published his first novel, Crew Love. He has garnered respect as a young voice on the rise of the Urban Literature scene, earning recognition as the winner of the first ever "Best of the North Side" Award as best Author in Minneapolis.
Born in Chicago and raised in Minneapolis, Antwan has been a North Side representer since 1986 and is passionate about becoming a literary spokesman for the entire Midwest Region. Antwan writes for the ordinary Blue Monday People, and, serving as a catalyst for the struggle, he aims to redefine Urban Literature and represent with integrity.
To learn more about Antwan, visit his website at:
Born in Chicago and raised in Minneapolis, Antwan has been a North Side representer since 1986 and is passionate about becoming a literary spokesman for the entire Midwest Region. Antwan writes for the ordinary Blue Monday People, and, serving as a catalyst for the struggle, he aims to redefine Urban Literature and represent with integrity.
To learn more about Antwan, visit his website at:
BOOK VIDEO TRAILER:
Crew Love
(Antwan Floyd)
Crew Love
(Antwan Floyd)
Official Apex Reviews Interview: Antwan Floyd (Crew Love)
Apex Reviews: Antwan, thanks for joining us for this interview. We're looking forward to sharing more about your book with our readers.
What inspired you to bring this engaging, enlightening story to life?
Antwan Floyd: I always had a fascination with organized crime, and as I got older I began to wonder about the gangsters of color. I knew there had to be men who were more than corner hustlers, so I did some research and found a book called African American Organized Crime "A Social History," written by Rufus Schatzberg and Robert J. Kelly; although vague, it was a start. After some time passed, the movie "Hoodlum" came out, and I found out about the numbers runners - not only the illegal aspects of the game, but the social impact it had on the community. So, I wanted to tell a story about the streets from the beginning.
AR: What's the significance of the book's title?
AF: It's just as it states: "Crew Love," A crew of men who stand by each other through thick and thin, prepared to kill or die for one another - all in the name of brotherly love.
AR: Are any parts of the tale autobiographical in nature?
AF: No, everything is all fiction.
AR: In the book, you highlight the beginnings of organized crime in the early 20th century. Did you perform considerable research prior to penning the tale?
AF: Yes, I did. It was interesting to find out that a lot of the things that we do or say today stem from our ancestors, and people have very little knowledge of these things.
AR: What sets Crew Love apart from other urban fiction offerings?
AF: The fact that I did start at the beginning in my mind. "Crew Love" is set as a saga, my version of the Black Godfather. Some may admit it, some may not, but there are families out there that, generation after generation, gravitate to a life of crime. It doesn't really matter what race one comes from; it's just certain families where they pass the torch down to their sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, and cousins.
AR: How have readers reacted to the book thus far?
AF: The response and feedback have been great. When I first began to pen this tale, I wrote it for myself. I know that I love a good gangster tale, but I didn't expect for others to take to it as passionately as I did. I mean, even the women who've read it show love, and I really appreciate that.
AR: Please share more with us about the publishing company that you founded, Bleeding Pen Publishing.
AF: Bleeding Pen Publishing, that's my baby. I'm in the bottle-feeding stages right now, still learning the ropes, but I plan to release three titles a year and expand to Graphic Novels.
AR: Any advice for aspiring authors & publishers?
AF: As far as writers all I have to say is write, I meet people who say that they are writers or they want to write a book and I say write just do it nothing will happen until you do it. Take that leap and do your research on the business. The same goes for aspiring publishers: do your research, utilize the public library and the Internet.
AR: What's next for you?
AF: Promoting and marketing, let people know I'm here. A list of book fairs and writing seminars are in my future the first, starting in Februrary in Texas at the NBA All Star Weekend. There's a fair at the Houston Convention Center called the Author All Star Book Fair on Saturday Februrary 13th, and a fair every month thereafter. Check my MySpace page for a complete listing of my appearances at www.myspace.com/antwanfloyd.
AR: How can our readers learn more about you and your ongoing efforts?
AF: Although my page is still under construction at www.bleedingpenpublishing.com, you can go to www.myspace.com/antwanfloyd and check out my blog.
AR: How can they contact you directly?
AF: www.myspace.com/antwanfloyd
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share?
AF: If you have a dream or passion go for it and go for it hard you get out of it what you put into it.
AR: Thanks again, Antwan, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!
Apex Reviews: Antwan, thanks for joining us for this interview. We're looking forward to sharing more about your book with our readers.
What inspired you to bring this engaging, enlightening story to life?
Antwan Floyd: I always had a fascination with organized crime, and as I got older I began to wonder about the gangsters of color. I knew there had to be men who were more than corner hustlers, so I did some research and found a book called African American Organized Crime "A Social History," written by Rufus Schatzberg and Robert J. Kelly; although vague, it was a start. After some time passed, the movie "Hoodlum" came out, and I found out about the numbers runners - not only the illegal aspects of the game, but the social impact it had on the community. So, I wanted to tell a story about the streets from the beginning.
AR: What's the significance of the book's title?
AF: It's just as it states: "Crew Love," A crew of men who stand by each other through thick and thin, prepared to kill or die for one another - all in the name of brotherly love.
AR: Are any parts of the tale autobiographical in nature?
AF: No, everything is all fiction.
AR: In the book, you highlight the beginnings of organized crime in the early 20th century. Did you perform considerable research prior to penning the tale?
AF: Yes, I did. It was interesting to find out that a lot of the things that we do or say today stem from our ancestors, and people have very little knowledge of these things.
AR: What sets Crew Love apart from other urban fiction offerings?
AF: The fact that I did start at the beginning in my mind. "Crew Love" is set as a saga, my version of the Black Godfather. Some may admit it, some may not, but there are families out there that, generation after generation, gravitate to a life of crime. It doesn't really matter what race one comes from; it's just certain families where they pass the torch down to their sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, and cousins.
AR: How have readers reacted to the book thus far?
AF: The response and feedback have been great. When I first began to pen this tale, I wrote it for myself. I know that I love a good gangster tale, but I didn't expect for others to take to it as passionately as I did. I mean, even the women who've read it show love, and I really appreciate that.
AR: Please share more with us about the publishing company that you founded, Bleeding Pen Publishing.
AF: Bleeding Pen Publishing, that's my baby. I'm in the bottle-feeding stages right now, still learning the ropes, but I plan to release three titles a year and expand to Graphic Novels.
AR: Any advice for aspiring authors & publishers?
AF: As far as writers all I have to say is write, I meet people who say that they are writers or they want to write a book and I say write just do it nothing will happen until you do it. Take that leap and do your research on the business. The same goes for aspiring publishers: do your research, utilize the public library and the Internet.
AR: What's next for you?
AF: Promoting and marketing, let people know I'm here. A list of book fairs and writing seminars are in my future the first, starting in Februrary in Texas at the NBA All Star Weekend. There's a fair at the Houston Convention Center called the Author All Star Book Fair on Saturday Februrary 13th, and a fair every month thereafter. Check my MySpace page for a complete listing of my appearances at www.myspace.com/antwanfloyd.
AR: How can our readers learn more about you and your ongoing efforts?
AF: Although my page is still under construction at www.bleedingpenpublishing.com, you can go to www.myspace.com/antwanfloyd and check out my blog.
AR: How can they contact you directly?
AF: www.myspace.com/antwanfloyd
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share?
AF: If you have a dream or passion go for it and go for it hard you get out of it what you put into it.
AR: Thanks again, Antwan, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!