Interview with Denise Bold

Have you always wanted to be a writer?
I have been writing since I was very young, writing is part of my life. I never made an effort to be a writer, I just am a writer.

What genre do you write and why?
I write fiction and I also write non-fiction. I write about real life incidents/situations. I write fiction to explore my imagination. My ‘community writing’ is about experiences that I have encountered involving social issues and I use my knowledge, values and skills in my writing.

Please tell us a bit about your book 'Raising Princes to be Kings: The Black Single Mother's Guide to Raising Her Black Son'.
My book is an empowerment tool for single black mothers. In my research I have encountered four types of single black mothers. My book covers motherhood from pre-conceptual health to college for the black son. My book is like having a black single mother right next to you, speaking to you as you are reading the book. My book covers relationships, finances, history of black motherhood in America, education, spirituality and much more.

What inspired you to write this book?
Being a single mother for 18 years, I was and am inspired as the result of so many people complimenting me on how well I raised my own son. It was suggested to me time and time again that I put into writing what I did to raise a young black son into a man who is drug, crime and baby free and is a sophomore in college. As a parent advocate, I have witnessed too many black single mothers and their black sons be blamed for consequences that society perpetuated. The issue of black single motherhood is a chronic, systemic breakdown that has resulted in both black mother and son being a profitable statistic. There is also an imbalance of representation of black males telling black single mothers what these mothers should do – my book empowers these black mothers on what they can do.

How did your Master's Degree in Social Work and having worked as a Medical Social Worker for almost ten years, help when writing this book?
My training as a Master’s Degree Social Worker in a second time career for me; my first career many years ago was that of a trauma technologist. My academic exposure and immersion provided me with a broader view of the world and issues that exist. My education changed my life by the revelation it provided. Being in the medical field I thought was a place of diversity and equality; after all everyone looks the same on the inside. I learned that this is not the case in the United States of America – healthcare here is grossly unequal. This observance and awareness transferred over into my role of motherhood and my awareness grew in this area as well.

Want other projects do you have coming up?
I have another book drafted. I also am available for seminars and to facilitate workshops for Black Motherhood Empowerment Series.

Where can people find out more about you and your writing?
I have a web page: www.boldlioness.com and I am also found on Face book under Denise Bolds and Raising Princes to be Kings. If one were to Google my name – there are many articles I have written for newspapers over time.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Our children are or future and America has to place the importance and value back onto our children who can continue on after we are gone. The attitude of motherhood in America has to be elevated.

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