“I have to keep working until I have achieved all my goals. I hope to leave behind a great legacy and books that people will want to read years to come.” – Author Vanna B.

I recently interviewed Vanna B., a successful print and television model who managed her own career while earning a Communications degree with honors. After college she balanced a music career, started her own modeling company, and published her first novel. But speaking with Vanna is just like speaking with your best friend – she’s warm, honest, and down to earth. She never lets her accomplishments go to her head, and she always keeps business first.

“I just always retain my friendly yet professional demeanor,” she told me. “I am not confrontational and if I feel someone is rude, I just won’t deal with them. That is one of the great things about being self-employed. You don’t have to do business with anyone you don’t want to.”

That’s perfect advice given by a beautiful woman who – naturally – deals with businessmen often. The reality is that women are increasingly taking over power positions that were previously reserved for men (but don’t doubt us…there’s many a woman who can outshine any man wearing her own three-piece suit). For better or worse, we’ve all had to get use to the idea of working side-by-side with an attractive colleague.

I asked Vanna, who is happily married, how she balances doing business with men who don’t hide their attraction to her. “By knowing how to politely turn down any dating interest and staying professional,” she courteously replied.

Vanna’s congeniality took her so far, but it was what she learned along the way that propelled her career to a new level. “Persistence and consistency definitely play an important role [in my success],” she said. “Working diligently and regularly, even though you may not always feel like it.”

Vanna began branching out as a writer while she was in college. “I did freelance writing and was published in a few small publications and several websites,” she recalls of her days at Temple University. “It wasn’t much, but it gave me a few credits for my resume and some experience.”

When she graduated, she used her writing samples to land a job. “There was a local African-American newspaper I knew of and I decided to email them to see if they had any openings. It just so happened that they needed a proofreader so I applied, was interviewed, and got the job.”

And in her case, the teacher didn’t always know best: “I actually was not expecting [finding a job] to be that easy because my professors always told us students how difficult it would be for us to find jobs in our field.”

Some might call her lucky, but she says… “I would recommend getting as much experience in your field as possible, whether it’s through an internship or a part-time job,” she advises. “It could be the defining factor leading the employer to select you over another candidate who is also fresh out of school, but lacking the experience.” Sometimes preparation (and perhaps placing yourself at the right place, at the right time) trumps everything.

“I certainly have to give credit to my education, both formal and what I’ve learned on my own,” she said.

As Vanna was preparing to self-publish her first novel, Fancy, she used what she learned in school to improve her natural talent. She also started doing research on novel writing and the publishing industry.

“Even though the writing I’m doing now is more creative and fictional, I know my classes at Temple definitely made me a better writer and editor,” she said. “The design and multi-media skills I learned frequently come in handy also.”

And with so many celebrity book releases and glorified dramas on the Bestseller list, Vanna wanted to make sure that her work stood out for something bigger than exploiting people’s lifestyles. “I included a positive message in Fancy, which makes it unique,” she said. “Most urban fiction books simply glorify violence, crime, promiscuity and drug use and that is not the case with Fancy. Throughout the story, my main character Maribel grows and matures. She suffers the repercussions of her actions and ultimately learns from her mistakes.” While Fancy is not autobiographical, Vanna says that she’s learned a great deal in her life that has helped her mature.

“When I was a teen, I used to really let little petty things get to me. Like, if I found out my friends were hanging out without me, I would feel left out and get upset. But as you mature, you learn that getting mad over stuff like that is just plain silly.”

“Don’t sweat the small stuff. Looking back, I wish I would have directed more energy into nurturing myself and my goals instead of worrying about trivial things.” – Author Vanna B.

What she did hold onto from her childhood was the goal to author a book.

“It was definitely something I had always planned on doing, but I never had the time to until I stopped working full-time to stay home with my son,” she said. “The idea for Fancy came to me one night as I was lying in bed. I originally was going to write it as a screenplay, but I decided that this would be a good opportunity for me to finally write a book as I’d always planned. I started with a basic outline of the ideas I had. I didn’t know how the book would end yet, but I started writing based on the ideas I did have. I would usually only write at night after my son went to bed.”

Accomplishing that goal hasn’t satisfied her yet, though. Instead, she uses it as fuel to tackle new dreams.

“Finally having completed my first book is helping to make me more confident in business,” she said. “I now plan to publish other authors later down the line, something I had never considered before but am looking forward to now. Helping others is a great habit that also helps me.

“People usually put themselves and their interests first, so if you’re helping them or offering something that can benefit them in some way, they are likely to notice and appreciate that and, in turn, want to help you. Working collaboratively is great because several people banding together in a mutually-beneficial effort can accomplish more than you would be able to alone.”

That collaborative partnership is something like the one she shares with her husband, whom she gushingly credits as being a great supporter of her career.

“He’s always had my back and encouraged me to pursue my writing career. He’s always there to listen to my ideas when I want to run them by him. He even helped out by doing the photography and graphic design for my book cover and promotional materials. We make a great team.”

Vanna B.’s debut novel, Fancy, is available on Amazon and on her website, www.vannabonline.com.

The shooter is James Holmes he is 24years of age  a PhD student at the University, is suspected of a shooting rampage that  killed 12 and wounded 58 at the midnight showing of a newly released Batman movie in Aurora,Colo.

James appeared in Colorado court Monday,with his colored orange-red and wearing a dazed look on his face .He  is expected to be formally charged at a hearing on July 30th. Prosecutors are weighing whether to pursue the death penalty.

After Friday’s Attack

Authorities discovered an unopened package in the  mail room at the Colorado University that was mailed by  James Holmes  and sent him to a  Psychiatrist according to the law-enforcement official. In the package contained  ” communications” for Mr.Holmes to Dr.Fenton but no further specifies  were  given in the court fillings.

In a response filing, Carol Chambers, the district attorney for Arapahoe County, stated that news media reports on the contents and seizure of the package supposedly leaked by law enforcement had been rife with inaccuracies.

James E. Holmes, who was in the process of withdrawing from a graduate program at the University of Colorado Denver’s Anschutz Medical Campus, was being treated by Dr. Lynne Fenton, medical director of the school’s student mental health services, the court documents state.

If you will please pray for the people in the hospital he should really be  dead!

Mug shot of Mr.Holmes

Emmanuel Ohuabunwa not only graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a degree in neuroscience, but he did so with a 3.98 GPA.

That’s an academic record!

“Ohuabunwa who hails from Abia State, has been able to make the nation proud and with his efforts has won himself a scholarship to Yale University to get a degree in Medicine.

He has also become a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society, a prestigious honor group that features membership of 17 US Presidents, 37 c, and 136 Nobel Prize winners.”

Read more at Channels

Ohuanbunwa will attend Yale University Medical School in the fall.

Congratulations to Emmanuel Ohuabunwa on this phenomenal achievement!

[Article courtesy of the BlackYouthProject.com]