Founder of How to Write for Success Brenda Mohammed is interviewed by Author Mala Naidoo

Brenda is a prolific writer of 50 books and her passion and dedication for Literature is phenomenal.

Today we chat with Brenda Mohammed to catch up with her on her rapidly growing and expanding writing life and to get the scoop on her latest writing venture.

Tell us a little bit about yourself? 

I am a former Bank Manager of a leading bank in Trinidad and Tobago. Later in life, I moved into the Insurance field and excelled there also. I always loved dealing with finance, and never dreamed that I would fall in love with Literature.

When did you start writing?

Actually, I was always a very good writer in my school days and won the top English Language prize when I graduated from High school at sixteen years of age.

When I joined the bank my superiors at the bank were always impressed with my ability to learn quickly, my efficiency in every department I was assigned, and also my writing skills.

When I was promoted to the job of Assistant Manager Credit I had to prepare detailed financial proposals for the Manager’s signature to be sent to the bank’s Head Office for approval. The Manager rarely changed a word, and the Bank’s Head Office always approved the proposals without any questions.

The Banking term for that was “clean sanctions,” something other Managers wished they could achieve. Later on, when I was appointed as Manager I continued with that skill and moved on to Senior Managerial positions. Yet, writing books never crossed my mind and I moved into Insurance where I also excelled, qualifying for membership in the Million Dollar Round Table, The Premier Association for Financial Professionals, {the name pertains to sales achieved and not earnings}, until I was struck by cancer and told by my doctor in Trinidad that she could do nothing for me.

To make a long story short, I survived and wrote the book, I am Cancer Free, which became a bestseller, and gave me the encouragement to write twenty-four more books.

Can you tell us the genre of your books?

I write both fiction and non-fiction. The genres are Memoirs, Romance, Mystery, Poetry, Children, Christian, Thrillers, Science Fiction, and Self Help.

Tell us something about your multi-award winning book Zeeka Chronicles.

Zeeka Chronicles is about a vengeful man who misuses science in the year 2036 to create havoc in a small exotic island named Gosh. He is angry for two reasons. After his former lover jilted him, he married another on the rebound. His wife contracted the zika virus when she was pregnant. His child was born deformed as a result, and she died. He blamed the hospital for her death and his deformed child. This vengeful man kidnapped the son of his former lover and the story evolves thereafter.

The story is set in the year 2036 when there is a great advancement in medical and information technology. It is a high-tech world.

Skillful robots are used as home helpers, and police use high tech weaponry, electric cars, and smartphones. The hospitals are well equipped with state of the art equipment and doctors and scientists are making significant breakthroughs and inventing cures for patients with critical illnesses.

 Yet, in this high-tech world, the minds of some human beings remain evil.

Can Mankind ever achieve a sinless state? Will human beings forever continue to foster greed, malice, anger, jealousy, and the desire to control and take revenge?

I wrote this book to highlight the fact that material things can never improve the minds of some individuals.

 Today, in spite of all the new and advanced developments, crime has increased to unstoppable levels. What will change humanity?

The benefits to readers are the underlying lessons to be learned from the content, especially in light of the situation the world is experiencing today with CoVid 19.

 Who are the primary readers of your books?

My books are for both mature audiences and young adults and the children's books are of course for children.

What are you working on now?

I am working on the third story in a Mystery series – Barry Holmes Mysteries

The first story in the series – The Gift of Love,  made it to Best Seller No 1 in all three categories - one-hour mystery thriller, private investigations, and kidnapping fiction.

“What happened to Mary Loo” has elements of romance, mystery, and suspense. It will be a short story and should be ready for publishing by the end May.

The book cover was designed by Mary L Schmidt.

Can you leave us with a value quote on Writing?

Writing is a mysterious journey of thoughts that can unravel the strangest imaginary plots. Writing for me was exploring a new milestone.

What are your social accounts if people want to connect with you?

I am on Linked In, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, where I have nine author pages for each genre in which I write, and a personal page.

They are - Poetry to Enlighten, Zeeka Stories, Banker turns Writer, Romance Stories, Children’s Corner, Barry Holmes Mysteries, Brenda’s Video trailers, Fascinating Memoirs, and Brenda’s Publications.

Of course, I am also available as Founder of How to Write for Success Literary Forum.

Follow Brenda on Amazon. CLICK HERE

BIO:

From Banker to Author – Who would have imagined that a harrowing diagnosis of cancer could change your career and open up a whole new world?

Author Brenda Mohammed from Trinidad and Tobago, did not choose writing as her career. It happened by chance. She was a successful bank manager who moved into Insurance after leaving the bank. She excelled there as well.

Brenda pursued a Diploma in Banking at the Institute of Bankers in London, and obtained a Diploma in Life Underwriting from the American College, USA. [LUTCF].

She qualified for the Million Dollar Round Table, the Premier Association for Financial Professionals, [MDRT] six times in a row.

Those travel opportunities broadened her knowledge in new areas which prepared her for writing.

Her writing journey began after her bout with cancer which almost killed her. Miraculously, she survived after flying to Miami for treatment.

She wrote a book I AM CANCER FREE eight years after her near-death experience, and it became a best seller. The book won an award in Readers Favorite International in 2018 in the category Health and Fitness.

Thereafter, she continued writing and has published 50 books in multi-genres to date. 

Among her publications are five anthologies and three magazines for the How to Write for Success Literary Network that she founded.

Her superb writing skills won her several literary awards in the USA, Peru, Kazakhstan, Seychelles, Nigeria, India, Romania, Argentina, Ukraine, Morocco, Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Barcelona, France, Switzerland, Italy, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, and the UK.

Her genres include memoirs, science fiction, romance, self-help, mystery, children’s books, psychological thrillers, Christian books, poetry, poetry anthologies, and magazines.

She made headlines in several newspapers around the world.

Many of her books received five-star reviews from Readers Favorite International, and many attained the No 1 bestseller ranking.

In November 2018 she won two awards from Readers Favorite International for her science fiction book, ‘Zeeka Chronicles’ in the category Young Adult Thriller, and her Memoir, ‘I am Cancer Free’ in the category Health and Fitness.

Three of her books won gold awards in Connection EMagazine Readers’ Choice Awards - Zeeka Chronicles, [2019] Stories People love, [2020] and How to Write for Success [2020]

In Sept 2021 her mystery book, Barry Holmes Mysteries, won her BEST WRITER - FANTASY Award in the CLR [ Culture, Literature, and Research] Awards.

Brenda is the Founder of the Literary Network How to Write for Success with sub-forums - Poems for Suicide Prevention, Library of How to Write for Success, and Poems against Domestic Violence.

In May 2022, she was appointed President of Camara International Chamber of Writers and Artists Intercontinental [CIESART], for the Trinidad and Tobago office.

Brenda is an advocate for Peace and an advocate against Domestic Violence and Suicide Together with several bestselling authors, they have published five No 1 best-selling anthologies for these causes: A Spark of Hope I and II, Break the Silence I and II, and a groundbreaking anthology – Peace Begins with US.

Her YouTube Channel for her Video Book Trailers, songs, and travel memories, received over 141,000 views since its inception.