Necé and Co’s Creative Profile: Author Untamed
Never Again, No More 4 explodes with secrets and lies that begin unraveling from one character to the next, showcasing what goes around, truly comes around again.
As Pooch works tirelessly to realign the Dope Boy Clique from prison, Trinity and Terrence seem to be falling apart at the seams. Trinity wonders if Terrence is truly the man she thought he was, and Terrence begins to question Trinity’s actions around those closest to him. Although they love each other, are they right for each other? Unknowingly, they must brace themselves for the wrath of Pooch.
Life has moved on for LaMeka. She has the career and the new man she’s always wanted. Gavin is playing for keeps, but Tony is alive and well. With a new lease on life, he wants his family back and will do whatever it takes to remove Gavin from the picture.
Lucinda struggles to adapt to the new normal of her stepdaughter, Jessica, and Aldris’ ex-fiancée, Jennifer. Admittedly, Aldris doesn’t make the transition easy, and as Jennifer and Aldris get close again, it causes a rift between Lucinda and Aldris. When Lucinda finds solace in an unexpected friend, Aldris is left struggling to keep his blended family together.
After Lincoln shows up and wreaks havoc for Charice and Ryan, it’s Ryan who’s left having to correct his errors to make his wife happy again. However, the secret they are withholding about the paternity of their baby may be the one thing that rips this perfect union to shreds.
“Lord, if you’re real, please let me live through this,” I prayed as I got out of my car and walked into the house through the garage. “No gunshots or baseball bats. Good so far,” I mumbled as I checked our bedroom which was untouched.
I walked to Nadia’s room, which was also untouched. Then, I headed into the living room. I paused when I saw Lucinda’s back. She was sitting up on the sofa — waiting. Waiting for me.
“You’re home,” she said, without turning around.
I slowly walked into the living room and around the sofa to stand directly in front of her from the other side of the room. “Hey,” I said sheepishly.
She looked up, her face marred from tiredness. “Hey,” she barely mumbled. “So you decided to come home, huh?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I didn’t know if…uh…I could or not.”
“Fair enough. I did kick you out.”
Stunned, I could only stare at her for a moment. That was not Lucinda. She was too calm. Way too calm. Something was up. “You did, but I know it was for the best at the time.”
She looked down and looked back up at me. “So, did you get my calls?”
“I did. I didn’t get them until this morning, though. I…uh…I was drunk.”
“Yeah, I could smell the alcohol on you as you came in.”
“Yeah, I was pretty faded,” I confirmed. “But I’m home now, and we can talk as much as you want. I honestly see what you were saying, and Lucinda, I want you to know that I am devoting my all to making our relationship stronger again.” I put in my plea quickly.
She exhaled deeply. “That’s great.”
“And I just — ”
“Aldris, where were you last night?”
She’d caught me off guard with the sudden question, so I rattled off quickly. “Baby, you wouldn’t believe it, but I went to the bar, and I got drunk. Man, I was so faded. The bartender wouldn’t even serve me any more drinks. So I actually ended up sleeping in my car.”
“Really?” she asked in amazement.
“Yep,” My answer exuded a confidence that didn’t meet my spirit.
She stood up. “Aldris, tell me the truth, please. Where were you?”
“Baby, I told you — ”
She put her hand up as a single bloated tear formed and slid down her cheek. “No. I mean after the bar. Please, just tell me the truth. I need to know where you were last night, Aldris,” she said, clearly trying to keep her voice despite the impending tears.
“Baby, I…I told you…I told you where I was,” I lied.
She huffed. “Please! Do not patronize me. If you don’t do anything else for me, tell me the truth. I deserve it. I need to hear it for myself. I’m begging you,” she cried.
“Baby, I can explain — ”
“Aldris,” she hollered.
With my hands out in front of me, I lifted open palms, begging and pleading for her to listen. “I can explain it to you. I just need you to listen first.” I had to let her know that I loved her and that what I did was a mistake.
She threw her hands up. “Last chance. Just tell me,” she pleaded, her tone steady and definitive.
We stood there staring at each other. It felt like I was in General Custer’s last stand. My palms sweated, and I could hear my heart racing in my ears. My breathing turned shallow as I realized that I was not going to get away with my half-truth plan. Looking into Lucinda’s face was like staring directly at pain. I could literally feel all of the pent up hurt and anguish that I’d brought to her life over these past few months. I couldn’t hurt her any further by lying. So I gave her what she needed…the whole truth.
I sucked in air hoping that we could survive this news. “I was at Jennifer’s house,” I confessed.
She fell back a couple of steps as if the truth knocked the wind out of her. Then, she composed herself and calmly asked, “Did you sleep with her?”
Author and poet, Untamed brings about enlightenment and amusement through real-life, everyday stories with resonating characters. This Cum Laude graduate of UMUC attributes her passion for the literary arts to her magnet school educational background. Her unique style of writing landed her awards such as Coca-Cola Young Writers Award and UBAWA’s Top 100 Authors 2018. Her creative talents afforded opportunities with SWAG Magazine, Boss Magnet Media, and a multi-book deal with Urban Books. As an expert movie quoter with a hankering for the 90s, her infectious spirit infuses with those she encounters, but none greater than her family with whom she resides in Georgia. Most importantly, she relishes family time with her husband and children. She continues to push the creative envelope — delivering content unapologetically for the real, the ratchet, the raunchy, and the righteous.
Tell us more about your latest release, “Never Again, No More 4: What Goes Around”?
Never Again, No More 4: What Goes Around is a continuation of the Never Again, No More series. While the first two books focused on the four women who were best friends, books three and four encompass both the women and men in their lives. Book 4 picks up exactly where book 3 left off and the men are the ones who have made some questionable decisions and in this book it starts unraveling and their accountability begins to surface. Some of the decisions could cost them their marriage, freedom, and even their life.
Emotionally, what was the most challenging part of writing this book?
Without getting into too much detail, the revelations about the characters’ relationships that surface in this book were the hardest to write. These instances weren’t surface level; they were real and raw. Therefore, writing the character’s reactions and experiencing their feelings in those moments was an emotional journey for me.
Tell us more about your characters in this book?
It’s centered around four best friends so you have a broad circle and their inner circle. So I always group them for ease.
Trinity is the party and down chick turned slightly bourgeois chick. She is an amazing artist who owns a tattoo parlor and an art gallery. She’s married to Terrence, but is in a constant tug-of-war between her two children’s fathers, Pooch and Terrence. Both men are former dope boys, but Terrence stacked his paper and is now legit while Pooch is serving time in prison.
LaMeka is the homebody who is devoted to her kids. She’s a nurse and has a budding relationship with Gavin, who is a nurse as well. Tony is her children’s father and he’s a recovering drug addict who is HIV positive. His addiction and abuse ended his relationship with LaMeka, but now, he wants what they used to have back.
Lucinda is the spitfire of the group. She pulls no punches with anyone, but she stands for what she believes. By trade, she is a medical claims and billing agent from a large family with one daughter, Nadia. Nadia’s father Raul is a deadbeat, so she is the true definition of a single parent. She ends up dating and getting engaged to her former employer Aldris only to find out Aldris has a daughter from his previous engagement to Jennifer, that he knew nothing about.
Charice is the mature and sensible friend and the oldest. She is a nutritionist and dancer with triplets by NFL playboy Ryan. When Ryan decides he wants to be a part of her and the triplets lives, she is engrossed in a relationship with his teammate Lincoln. She goes through twists and turns but ultimately ends up married to Ryan…but it’s not without its troubles and secrets.
All of the women are best friends and journey through these ebbs and flows of life together.
Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
I gather ideas from many places. Never Again, No More is based on my and a few other people’s experiences as teen mothers. My other novel, The View was sparked from a picture. I’ve gotten an idea from someone dialing the wrong number! It doesn’t take much to ignite an idea in my mind. Once I commit that idea to paper, I do a ton of research on Google, interview people, or travel to those places to get visuals.
Why do you write in different genres?
As African-American creatives, we get a certain stigma that we can only write one genre. I never wanted to be pigeon-holed into one type. Therefore, I made it my business to practice writing a few genres and I’m still learning more. I want to be the example that black writers can write about whatever they choose.
Why do reviews matter?
Reviews matter for several reasons. For one, it encourages the author to keep going. It is a very intimate feeling to allow the world into your creative mind space. It’s a vulnerability, so to speak. So feedback through reviews is like a breath of fresh air for an author. It quenches our artistic well. Reviews also help us understand what works and what doesn’t. It allows us to see our errors in our craft. These things are needed for our improvement. Lastly, reviews help give visibility to our books on sites like Amazon. The more reviews you have the more credible your book appears and the more traction your book will gain.
What’s the craziest reaction you’ve ever received from someone about your books?
Wow. The craziest reaction I’ve ever had is that a lady who’d read my first book, Never Again, No More emailed me and said that after reading the book, she’d become a super fan. She then went on to explain how she felt connected to me and summed it up by saying that we should meet because the universe is telling her that we are meant to be together as a couple. She was counting the seconds until we could be together and make sweet love. My husband and I got a kick out of it, but I never responded and made sure she was blocked from my social media just for security purposes.
Which of your characters can you most identify with, in terms of personality?
Lucinda is probably the one I identify with the most. She’s fiery, tells like it is, and she fights for what and who she loves.
Which book of yours do you most recommend?
All of them. I feel that all of my books have something unique to offer depending on what you’re looking for. My blood, sweat, and tears are drenched in the pages of each novel, so feel free to read them all.
How would you describe your books?
Literature for the Real, Ratchet, Raunchy, and Righteous!
Purchase Links
Amazon
Untamed Publishing Website
www.untamedpublishing.net/product-page/never-again-no-more-4-what-goes-around
