Tennessee
State Nickname: The Volunteer State
Population: 7,001,803 (as of 2022)
Capital: Nashville
Fun Fact: The state got its nickname from some impressive volunteer work. During the War of 1812, an estimated 20,000 troops volunteered to fight, and in 1846, 30,000 Tennesseans enlisted for the Mexican-American War.
Kela Marchi Calvin
Tell us about yourself.
Hello, I am Author Kela Calvin. I am a small town girl from Virginia with worldwide aspirations. I have had the opportunity to live in Memphis, Tennessee as well as to visit from time to time. That is where my Father’s side of the family is actually from. I am the oldest of three siblings. Since grade school I have always loved to write. I knew that I had a knack for writing. In the seventh grade I created a story titled “Attack of the Feet Monster” for a class assignment and received an A plus. I could hear the teacher laughing quietly as she graded my assignment. She requested that I read it aloud with my classmates as my audience. The class went hysterical! I also write under two different pen names which are Therapeutic_Poet and K.C. Nightfall. Just as I have advocated for others in my professional career, I also tend to advocate for others in my writing.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Believe it or not, I wanted to be an accountant. A certified public accountant visited our middle school class for career day. That was the start of my college path.
What is your favorite book/story you have read as an adult?
One of my favorite books read as an adult is The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. The Vignes sisters are actually identical twins. They ran away at the age of age sixteen in hopes of a better life. Years later , one sister lives with her black daughter returning to the town she tried to escape. The other twin passes for white and her white husband doesn’t know the truth about her past.
Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with your readers?
I recently published an Easter children's book titled K’Miyah and Kaiden’s Easter Rain. Siblings K’miyah and Kaiden set about on a journey to Granny’s house. They are excited about making Easter eggs. However, the children become disappointed when Granny
does not have any eggs to paint. In this story, Granny shares with the children the true meaning of Easter that will instill faith and values in their hearts.
What is the significance of the title of your latest novel?
In this novel Worthy: A Modern Love Drama, the setting was in Memphis, Tennessee. Cynthia Gates, Belinda Rhoades and Tanya Harper are three single and well-to-do women with established careers. Each of them are experiencing their own dilemmas of the single life until they decide to step out on lust. However, the women are put in a position to find more than they’ve bargained for. Their journeys take them down a path of curiosity and self-doubt. Will the women come full circle as a result of their issues and make change, or jeopardize their characters? Worthy is a novel about relationship experiences that are relatable to women from various backgrounds. It will inspire you to examine your love life, learn to embrace your unique self and most importantly to recognize the need to engage in self-love.
Does one of the main characters in your novels hold a special place in your heart? If so, who and why?
I would have to admit that all of the characters hold a special place in my heart. Each of the main characters hold a piece of me in each of their story lines. It inspires them to examine their love life, learn to embrace their unique self and most importantly to recognize the need to engage in self-love.
If you could invite any three authors for dinner, who would they be and why?
Three authors that I would invite to dinner would be Maya Angelou, Delores Phillips, and Eric Jerome Dickey. Maya Angelou; I would thank her for writing the book I Now Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. This was the first book that my mom had me read and it has encouraged me to continue writing my feelings in the form of poetry. Delores Phillips; I would thank her for writing her book The Darkest Child. I am a dark-skinned child and her book shows that you can be the master of your own destiny and inspires you to be encouraged. Eric Jerome Dickey; I would thank him for being such a great writer. Although we are family and never had the chance to meet in person. I would love to finally make that introduction.
What books have you read more than once in your life?
Sister Souljah’s The Coldest Winter Ever.
What would you say to an author who wanted to design his own cover?
I would encourage that author to design their own book if you have all of the necessary tools to do so. It would save them money. I actually used a site called Canva to design my own book cover for the book Worthy: A Modern Love Drama.
How do you deal with the emotional impact of a book (on yourself) as you are writing the story?
I keep writing. There were times that I cried as a wrote, but write through those tears. That may be the only time that you have to release that emotional tension and those feelings. It will make you feel better and it may help someone too. You will also realize that you were never alone during your times of trial. I like to write to motivate and inspire my readers through the art of storytelling.
What would you like to say to your readers?
Thank you for reading my books. Continue to be true to yourself while writing. Your words will truly touch someone’s heart.
K'Miyah and Kaiden's Easter Rain can be purchased on Amazon.
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