In Touch with Thread of Gold Beads Author Nike Campbell-Fatoki

Amelia, daughter of the last independent King of Danhomè, King Gbèhanzin, is the apple of her father’s eye, loved beyond measure by her mother, and overprotected by her siblings. She searches for her place within the palace amidst conspirators and traitors to the Kingdom. Just when Amelia begins to feel at home in her role as a Princess, a well-kept secret shatters the perfect life she knows. Someone else within the palace also knows and does everything to bring the secret to light. A struggle between good and evil ensues causing Amelia to leave all that she knows and loves. She must flee Danhomè with her brother, to south-western Nigeria. In a faraway land, she finds the love of a new family and God. The well-kept secret thought to have been dead and buried, resurrects with the flash of a thread of gold beads. Amelia must fight for her life and what is left of her soul.

Set during the French-Dahomey war of the late 1890s in Benin Republic and early 1900s in Abeokuta and Lagos, South-Western Nigeria, Thread of Gold Beads is a delicate love story, and coming of age tale of a young girl. It clearly depicts the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversities.

Order your copy of THREAD OF GOLD BEADS today at CreateSpace and Amazon US and UK!

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Nike Campbell-Fatoki was born in Lvov, Ukraine to Nigerian parents. She spent her formative years in Lagos, Nigeria, listening to stories and folktales told by her maternal Grandparents. Her fondest memories were the weekends her mother took her and her siblings to Kings Way, on Lagos Island, returning back with bags of story books.

Though a social science major, she found great pleasure in taking literature classes. She graduated magna cum laude in Economics from Howard University and further went on to receive a Master of Arts degree in International Development from American University, Washington, DC. She worked for several years in International Development field working with International Development consulting firms managing projects and programs overseas.

Presently, she is a Budget and Finance Manager in the municipal government in the Washington DC area. She is an avid reader. She loves traveling, watching movies and listening to music. She is also the Founder of Eclectic Goodies, a party favors and gifts packaging company. She lives in the Washington DC area with her husband and three sons.

You can learn more about Nike at the following online spaces:

[Website] [Twitter] [Facebook] [Facebook Fan Page]

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Watch the book trailer to THREAD OF GOLD BEADS below!

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Do you feel like your background or upbringing influences your writing style? If so, in what way(s)?
Yes it did.  The idea came from the stories my grandmother told me about her grandmother’s quick departure from the war-torn  kingdom of Dahomey (present day Republic of Benin).  I was inspired by her will to survive.  It inspired me personally because it proved that anyone of us can overcome challenges, no matter how difficult they are.  The events that occurred in the heroine’s (Amelia) life are a mixture of true events and fiction.

Describe Thread of Gold Beads in 10 words or less.
Princess Amelia’s flight from war-torn 1890s Dahomey to a new land risking life and love.

When and why did you begin writing?
I began writing when I was nine/ten years old in Lagos, Nigeria. I always loved reading so it felt natural transitioning into writing.  It was a way of expressing myself and it also felt comfortable.  I always considered myself a writer even when it was only my sister who read my stories.

Is there a central message or theme in Thread of Gold Beads that you hope readers will come away from the reading experience with?
I hope readers will realize that they are stronger than any situation or circumstance.  When life deals us blows, we can always get up and continue.  The main character in this book had so many trials and challenges, but she managed to keep going.  She found the strength and the faith.

What has been the toughest criticism you’ve received as an author? What has been the best compliment?
That there are certain cultural aspects of the book that they don’t understand.  The best compliment has been that I wrote in such a manner that they were transported to that place and time.

What’s next for you? What can readers look forward to from Nike Campbell-Fatoki?
I am currently working on a compilation of contemporary short stories. I also have another historical fiction down the line.

If you had to go back and do it all over again, is there any aspect of writing your novel or getting it published that you would change?
No, nothing. It has been a great learning experience that I wouldn’t trade.

What has been the most effective method of marketing and/or publicizing your books so far? Why or how?
Nothing beats getting out there physically and talking about Thread of Gold Beads.  Physical contact is key; however, social media has also gotten to be a very useful tool.

View the Wonderful Cinematic Trailer to Cecilia T. Capers' Novel, TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN

Purchase your copy of To Whom Much Is Given at Amazon!

Set in New York City, To Whom Much Is Given tells the tale of Avery, a talented, intelligent, and beautiful ‘30-something’ attorney with all the trappings of success as a member of the modern, African American “Talented Tenth.” She has the love and support of a multicultural mosaic of dynamic women friends who augment her life.

Avery is in a serious relationship with Antonio Dawson, a professional football player four years her junior whose family is part of Atlanta’s wealthy and influential ‘African American elite.’

However, like so many contemporary women, she longs for the days when she pursued big, passionate dreams. During this introspective period, her former lover from law school, Dean Everard Swithin, a British aristocrat, re-enters her world making her an offer she cannot possibly refuse. That is when Avery’s own drama begins. Scandal and deception change her heart as well as her perspective. Ultimately, Avery must take steps to confront her past, mend the wounds of her present, and and the strength to fulfill her destiny with the man she loves by her side.

The Cinematic Book Trailer of

To Whom Much Is Given

Capers, To Whom Much Is Given's author, wrote and narrated the cinematic trailer that highlights scenes from the novel as well as insight into her background. Actor Lawrence Saint-Victor, who appears on the CBS soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful, appears on the cover as the fictional Avery’s love interest, Antonio. Moreover, Saint-Victor directed the To Whom Much Is Given cinematic trailer in which he stars along with actors Toni Robison-May as Avery and John J. Thomassen as Dean.

About the Author

Cecilia T. Capers is a Long Island native who honed her writing skills as an English major with a concentration in theatre and film at Hobart & William Smith Colleges. Following a brief career as an elementary school teacher, she attended Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. As a member of the New York State Bar, she has worked in government, as a lobbyist with a major law firm, staff attorney at one of the largest unions in New York State, and political campaign consultant. Capers writes and speaks frequently about the new age of publishing and digital marketing. You can learn more about Cecilia at her Website and Facebook page.