Elissa Gabrielle, Editor
www.peaceinthestormpublishing.com

Author, Publisher, Poet, & Visionary is the author of two poetry books and three novels.
We first met this incredible talent with her debut collection of strong and moving verse, Stand and Be Counted. Focusing on themes of love, race, religion, inspiration and society, Elissa Gabrielle has put together a collection of inspirational poetry geared toward positive change that is both moving and entertaining. Through insightful visions and strong declarations, Gabrielle instills confidence in readers as she illuminates the path to a more self-rewarding and gratifying life.
Utilizing the resurgence of her desire to write and "a God given talent that wouldn't go away," Elissa Gabrielle was inspired to pen Peace In The Storm, which has testimonials from some of the entertainment industry's finest.
Peace In The Storm came to Gabrielle while reflecting real life experiences, both her own and from the lives of others.
Elissa is the Creator and CEO of Greetings From the Soul: The Elissa Gabrielle Collection which is a greeting card line that features poignant messages and heartfelt poetry and themes. Find out more at www.greetingsfromthesoul.com.
A contributor to several outstanding literary works, Elissa has graced the covers of Disilgold Soul Magazine, Big Time Publishing Magazine and Conversations Magazine.
Gabrielle is a graduate of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. She also holds a degree in Communications. Elissa has a certificate in Business from Tulane University's A.B. Freeman School of Business which she earned March 2004. Gabrielle is a member of NABFEME, the National Association of Black Female Executives in Music and Entertainment, a professional empowerment, networking and support base for African American women in radio, recorded music, the media, and related entertainment industry fields.
Elissa is the creator of The Triumph Series, and the first book in the series, The Triumph of My Soul was nominated for several literary awards. The Soul of a Man and The Breakthrough are the second and third in the Triumph series, respectively.
Elissa is the Founder and CEO of Peace In The Storm Publishing, LLC, which will release incredible titles from gifted authors beginning in January 2009, www.PeaceintheStormPublishing.com.
Elissa Gabrielle is the Media Consultant for both First Bethel Baptist Church and the Baptist Ministers Conference of Newark & Vicinity in Newark, New Jersey. Find out more at www.TheTriumphofMySoul.com and www.PeaceintheStormPublishing.com.

"Elissa Gabrielle is this generation's Maya Angelou, Amiri Baraka and Sonia Sanchez. Her visualizations of inner and outer loves, of subterranean fears laced in anger, of unrelenting urgency to evoke change and betterment, is fresh, vital, and burning with eroticism. She creates new scents from familiar smells. She is confrontation, passion, love on fire. She is to be digested, discussed and passed on. She is to be cherished, protected and honored. She is our ancestors and our children yet to be born."
-Max Julien, Author, Filmmaker, Designer & Activist. Star and co-writer of "The Mack"

Jihad
www.jihadwrites.com

Jihad was an intelligent child who was raised by a single mother in Atlanta, GA by way of Indianapolis, IN. By the age of 16 he was selling drugs and embarking on a criminal career that six years later would lead him to prison, but not before his lifestyle would cause him to be stabbed, shot on three different occasions, and left paralyzed from a car accident. Although over time he miraculously regained the use of his legs he still served over seven years in six different federal prisons up and down the east coast. While serving time, Jihad gravitated towards a group of older, socio-political, self-taught prisoners who raised his awareness about himself and his past. He discovered a love of books, mostly by black authors and historians, which was something that had never grasped his interest while in school. Jihad started researching and writing about subjects that he was sure many misunderstood. Subjects like history, religion, hood-psyche and society in general. His focus and discipline prepared him to write his first book, an autobiographical novel entitled Street Life. Since penning his first title from prison back in August of 1998, Jihad has gone on to write four other thought provoking, enthralling novels, Baby Girl, Riding Rhythm, MVP, and his latest Preacherman Blues. Jihad is highly energetic, provocative and compassionate about youth issues. He's a highly sought after inspirational speaker who always avails himself for interviews. For more on Jihad, log onto www.jihadwrites.com.

Alvin C. Romer
www.authorsden.com/alvincromer

Alvin C. Romer, is a Freelance Writer, Journalist and Essayist calling Miami, Florida home, and is the father of 5. He is the Founder and Editor of a popular online African-American literature site, THE ROMER REVIEW and devotes quite a bit of time as an Editor, Literary Publicist, and as an Independent Book Reviewer in the African-American publishing Diaspora. He frequently hires himself out as a Demographer and as a Technical Writer in the corporate world. A successful businessman, Romer currently is self-employed as the CEO/President of ACR Data Research, Inc., a Deacon in his church working with the Children of the Kingdom, and a successful grant writer and motivational speaker. All things literary and a supporter of the humanities, he strives to keep the muse as directives in his quest for legitimacy. Teaching creative writing and giving workshops on the publishing industry are also a part of his legacy. Much of his literary acumen can be found on his website which houses the subsidiary Write On! Literary Services, an organization that helps aspiring writers, edits manuscripts, plan events; generate marketing & publicity, along with book reviewing. His non-profit organization, The South Florida Literary & Education Foundation (SFLEF) is committed to making life and attaining educational goals a priority for needy and risky kids. Mr. Romer aspires to one day join the ranks of published novelists, and is currently producing a two-volume set of essays, short stories, and poems.

Clarence "Baba Simba" Mollock

Clarence B. Mollock, a native of Maryland's Eastern Shore, is number five of eight children who grew up on a farm. He was diagnosed with a speech disorder while in the fifth grade. After speech therapy and years of practice he began to master the English language. Before and after integration in 1966, he developed a love for reading. That love enabled him to be the only minority to graduate in the National Honor Society. Pursuing his number one love - Pottery - he graduated from Bowie State University with a degree to teach Art. Shortly after receiving a Masters Degree in Art Education from Towson State University, he meant Mother Mary Carter Smith, a storyteller. She was later proclaimed Maryland's Official Griot. With her guidance he, too, became a storyteller. She inspired him to write his stories of accomplishments and failures - of pain and pleasures. In 2005, Clarence retired after teaching Art for thirty-two years. He is a member of the National Association of Black Storytellers, Inc. and a past President of the Griots' Circle of Maryland, Inc., the local affiliate in Baltimore, Maryland where he resides. Today, many know him as Baba Simba Mollock

Jarold Imes

Jarold Imes is the author of the Hold On Be Strong Teen Series, a collection of books that focuses on young black men and their issues. He is a contributor to OurTeenVoices.com and TheUrbanBookSource.com. He lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina with his family, where he is working on his first Street Christian Lit title. The Journey to Create Fiction for Young Black Men Continues... SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT!

Joey Pinkney
www.JoeyPinkney.com

Joey Pinkney's love for books and reading naturally turned into book reviewing. His book reviews have been featured on the websites of The Urban Book Source, C&B Books Distribution, RapWars, Glover Publishing as well as his own JoeyPinkney.com, and on Myspace, myspace.com/joeyreviews. He also produces the "5 Minutes, 5 Questions With..." series where he interviews authors of various genres. The closet novelist, Pinkney is honored to be a part of The Soul of a Man anthology. "Like Father, Like Son" is his first published short story. He wants to continue being a book reviewer/interviewer and add author as a regular part of his repertoire

Tyrell DeVon Floyd
www.myspace.com/keepitrell

Tyrell DeVon Floyd. This twenty-something innovative poet, writer, and radio personality hails from the Great Northwest. Although Seattle, WA is chiefly known for its beautiful scenery and memorable rain falls, it can also stake claim as being home to one of the up-and-coming minds of story & poetry.
Invoking passion and emotion through deep story lines and raw subject matters, the words of Tyrell DeVon Floyd are sure to resonate with readers.
Whether it be a love poem such as Butterflies Arrive as Beauty Flies Away, or a romantic poem of intimacy such as Into Her of Course, this young writer seamlessly connects his words with the interests of those who read them.

Eddrick Dejuan
www.eddrickdejuan.com

Eddrick Dejuan currently lives in St. Louis, Mo. He is a veteran having served a stint in the U.S. Air Force. He is the author of the entertaining book Madam Eve and the owner of Atonement Publishing. He is also building his publishing company into a brand, all the books released by the imprint will feature the theme of revenge and forgiveness. Every book that he writes will have the main character go on a journey from wanting to getting even to forgiving. Eddrick Dejuan can be reached at ed@eddrickdejuan.com. Please visit his website at www.eddrickdejuan.com