Roland is a Business Agility professional, SAFe program consultant and transition coach with more than two decades of experience within IT, program and project management.
Roland was born in Cameroon where he started his career in IT with a small internet service provider before moving to South Africa where he spent more than a decade in post-apartheid South Africa in the program and project management sector.
Roland was amongst the first team of 11 selected for executive support in project management by the National School of Government. During his time with them, he trained/coached thousands of public service executives on behalf of the National Treasury of South Africa through the National School of Government as part of the move to improve service delivery, which included e-government initiatives.
As an education, training, and development practitioner, Roland created a support network for accredited IT skills development startups, many of whom are training thousands across Southern Africa every year while creating jobs.
Roland is Student success Advocate for iCode Edu, an edu-tech startup operating out of Dallas Texas, which provides online coding lessons and futuristic courses aimed at preparing kids for a digital future.
Roland currently Lives and works for Silicon Valley Bank in the USA.
Roland is also a public speaker and has been invited to speak at many workshops and conferences with a combined audience in the tens of thousands.
Roland is a change agent/activist and has advocated for many causes including tech rights, good governance, gender equity, and children rights. A firm believer in the rights of every human being to be free and have equal opportunity to take charge of their own destiny, Roland has been greatly influenced by the life and teachings of Nelson Mandela.
Roland holds an MBA, is an SPC, PMP and ETDP practitioner, and is a member of both Project Management South Africa and the Project Management Institute in the USA.
Tune in to watch the live interview and ask questions on 30th January 2022 8PM CST on Facebook.
Where are you from?
I was born in Cameroon and currently live in the US.
Why do you write?
As a parent I was looking for answers to better prepare my kids for the digital future and realized there was a huge gap amongst parents. Growing underprivileged and having parents who prepared me for the future changed my destiny and I wanted to make sure other parents understand the importance of preparing their kids for tomorrow not today.
What do you write about?
The impact of technology on humans- specifically kids
What’s the most memorable thing asked/said by a reader about your work?
impactful
How long have you been writing?
Training manuals 15 years. This is my first publication Published book
Describe yourself in five words
simple, empathetic, giving, motivational and realist
What fact about yourself would really surprise people?
I see the world through the eyes of my kid in every decision I make
How do you work through self-doubts and fear?
I don’t have any. I am an optimist
What scares you the most?
No one.
What makes you happiest?
Giving to less privileged
If you could study any subject at university what would you pick?
IT
If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
USA
How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?
In bed
How much sleep do you need to be your best?
6
Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge and thank for their support?
Yinesha is a 23 year old self published poet. She has been writing for sixteen years and plans to continue sharing her story through her poetry. She also enjoys song writing, screen writing, and fiction writing. You can follow her on Instagram @ neshasnotebook or email her at neshasnotebook at gmail.com
Describe yourself in five words
Beautiful, Determined, Positive, Creative
What fact about yourself would really surprise people?
I want to be a professional song writer and I love elephants
How do you work through self-doubts and fear?
I pray and push my way though
What scares you the most?
Giving up on myself
What makes you happiest?
Nature I love The beach, seeing the beach and being close to the water
Why do you write?
I write because it is my outlet and my only effective way to truly express my feelings
Have you always enjoyed writing?
Yes, I have been writing my whole life since about 7
What motivates you to write?
My feelings
What writing are you most proud of?
My poem titled Dynamite Doves.
What are you most proud of in your personal life?
I am most proud of my perseverance despite the hardhsips I have endured
What books did you love growing up?
I loved any type of poetry
What do you hope your obituary will say about you?
That I was a light to the world and had a positive impact on so many lives.
Location and life experiences can really influence writing, tell us where you grew up and where you now live?
I grew up in Baltimore.
How did you develop your writing?
I didn’t like when my writing was developed in school and classes because I feel like it hindered my freedom and ability to express my true feelings with restricting rules and guidelines.
What is hardest – getting published, writing or marketing?
Marketing everything else is easy.
What marketing works for you?
I’m still figuring it out
Do you find it hard to share your work?
Yes, because I was opening up about my personal life
Is your family supportive? Do your friends support you?
Yes, my family and friends are supportive
What else do you do, other than write?
I am a teacher
What other jobs have you had in your life?
I have worked almost every type of job possible in these 23 years
If you could study any subject at university what would you pick?
Music
If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
Mauritius
How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?
I write on paper
Tell us about your new book? Why did you write it?
It is called Heavy Heart I wrote at a time in my life when my heart was heavy and I was dealing with a lot on my plate. Poetry was the outlet I used to get through to the other side
If you could have a dinner party and invite anyone dead or alive, who would you ask?
Meagan Good I just love her, I always have.
When you are not writing, how do you like to relax?
I like to take trips anywhere there is a nice beach.
What do you hope people will take away from your writing? How will your words make them feel?
David Viau grew up near Seattle, Washington, where he first began writing stories and making films on his father’s 8mm camera at the tender age of nine. After graduating from the University of Washington, he spent a twenty-year career specializing in commercial production. Passionate about stories that move people emotionally, David has written and directed numerous music videos and short films, one of which garnered him an Emmy. SHADOWS OVER STARLING is his first book inspired by the repercussions of a massive airport expansion on his childhood community. David currently lives near Seattle with his wife and two children.
What fact about yourself would really surprise people?
I was so bad at the trumpet in elementary school that the teacher had to create a unique position for me as a baritone player (a brass instrument more petite than a tuba), even though that particular instrument had never been used in the band. I ended up playing baritone well into high school.
I inject my self-doubts and fears into my characters to give them shape. Each character’s process of overcoming their unique obstacles informs my own personal journey.
I’m happiest when I create—writing, filmmaking, playing music—anything that produces a creative product.
Why do you write?
I write to make sense of what I can’t understand. My character’s struggles are usually my struggles, thinly veiled. In doing this, I hope to make a personal connection with my readers by crafting relatable narratives.
Have you always enjoyed writing?
It’s a love/hate relationship. When it’s going well, it’s fantastic. It can be tedious on the days I have to pull each word out of my brain.
What motivates you to write?
As I said earlier, it’s the need to make things. I have to see the fruit of my labors daily to believe I’m making some kind of difference in the world.
What writing are you most proud of?
Well, I’m proud of my debut novel, SHADOWS OVER STARLING. Other than that, I’ve just finished the first draft of my second novel, which I feel is sharper prose.
What are you most proud of in your personal life?
My children. I have a teenage son and daughter who are growing into good human beings (in my opinion). I think my investments in people and relationships will last longer than words on a page.
What books did you love growing up?
DUNE by Frank Herbert, every Louis L’Amour book that I could find, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, several Robert Ludlum novels, but SHOGUN by James Clavell tops the list.
What do you hope your obituary will say about you?
David Viau loved greatly. He was a student of life, a pupil of creation, a child of God.
Location and life experiences can really influence writing. Tell us where you grew up and where you now live? Well, funny enough, SHADOWS OVER STARLING was inspired by an area close to my home.It all started some thirty years ago when I found myself walking through a neighborhood whose occupants had been displaced by an airport runway project. The houses, dilapidated and overtaken by weeds, had once been the dwelling place of people now long forgotten. I wondered who they were. In thinking about these individuals and families, I heard their voices and saw their children playing in the street at festive 4th of July gatherings. These images triggered a story, a fictional account, the history of the Baker family that is the foundation for my novel’s plot.
How did you develop your writing?
I feel like I’m still in my infancy as a writer. I read a lot, write a lot, absorb interviews from other writers, and take classes. So, I can’t claim I’ve fully developed. I’d put myself in the category of “aspiring” when it comes to craft.
What is hardest – getting published, writing or marketing?
I think that writing is the most challenging. To shape a narrative uniquely, give it depth and breadth, and write good dialogue—the bar for literature in our time is so high that it’s tough to stand out. However, I believe that publishing will follow if the writing is exceptional and the story is captivating. Unfortunately, marketing has a lot to do with timing and what is happening in society at any given time.
What marketing works for you?
I’m kind of old-school, so television commercials still hook me from time to time. I’m also a sucker for high production quality. So, if a commercial looks like a film, I will usually watch it.
Do you find it hard to share your work?
I won’t share my work until I feel it’s ready to be published. When it’s at the point where I don’t see any mistakes, then it’s ready to be shown to “beta readers.” But at that point, I’ve read the words so many times I need a second opinion.
Is your family supportive? Do your friends support you?
My family is generally supportive. They are supportive as long as my writing doesn’t interfere with my familial responsibilities—smile.
What else do you do, other than writing?
Sadly, writing is not my full-time occupation. My day job is as a Creative Director working on branded video content. Yes, marketing (ironically).
What other jobs have you had in your life?
Paper Boy, Lifeguard, Shuttle Driver at an airport, Illustrator, Designer, Video Editor, 3D / VFX Artist, Director of Live Action (to name a few).
If you could study any subject at university, what would you pick?
I would go for a Master’s in Creative Writing most likely. I’ve been told this degree is worthless, which would make it all the more fun. Not having to stress about converting schooling directly into a return on the investment would be pure bliss.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I have a picture of my alter-ego as a tanned, muscular Adonis-like figure, living in a place where the water is crystal-clear and the sand is white.
How do you write – laptop, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?
Sometimes on a pad of paper, mainly at a desk on a laptop in a basement laundry room.
How much sleep do you need to be your best?
8 hours +. I am a firm believer in sleep being the key to a stable mind and body.
Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge and thank for their support?
I dedicated the book to my family. That includes my nuclear family, wife, son, and daughter for their support, as well as my extended family. It’s my mother who encouraged me to write. She was an English Lit major and is currently still a voracious reader. She is also a great editor I’ve partnered with on several projects. Her tastes are incredibly high. My goal is to write something at her reading level eventually.
Every writer has their own idea of what a successful career in writing is; what does success in writing look like to you?
At the moment, I’m a self-published independent author. Many authors in that category have notable career stories that would be wonderful to emulate. Like everyone else in the world, I’m not immune to big dreams. However, the truth is that I’ve been making art all of my life and have never made money at it. With all of the content available to people these days, it’s very hard to shine. It’s the lucky few who make a living as an author of fiction. So, I write for myself as much as I do for potential readers. I enjoy the process of creation. Ultimately, I would love to write a book that people just can’t put down. That would be my idea of success.
It is vital to get exposure and target the right readers for your writing; tell us about your marketing campaign?
I’ve already promoted my book to the small group of social followers I’ve acquired throughout my career, and that’s given me some sales. I have also made a book trailer which has been seen and shared. I plan to spend the next year marketing and am still looking into options.
Tell us about your new book? Why did you write it?
SHADOWS OVER STARLING is a complex family saga set in the fiction town of Starling, USA. The bulk of the story takes place in 1984, where we find 17-year-old Chris Baker and his dying mother Kathryn living in a house that’s in the way of the Jones County Airport runway project. With the final eviction notice comes the return of Chris’s older brother Jake from the military. The brothers reluctantly promise their mother to let her die in the house despite the house’s demolition being only two weeks away. The plan that Chris and Jake conceive and execute stirs up a hornets’ nest of unseen forces that inevitably plot to destroy them.
As I said earlier, I imagined that the Baker family lived in the abandoned neighborhood near my childhood home. I asked myself: What if the people who lived in one of the houses decided to fight the runway project? How would they have done it? SHADOWS OVER STARLING (though highly dramatized) is one possible scenario.
If you could have a dinner party and invite anyone dead or alive, who would you ask?
If we’re speaking in literary terms, I’d have to say John le Carré (David Cornwell), who unfortunately passed away in 2020. I believe that he was one of the greatest dramatists of our time. Though he wrote in the Espionage genre, he was Pulitzer Prize level and could capture all aspects of the human condition like no one else. In his interviews, he always struck me as a genuinely kind person.
When you are not writing, how do you like to relax?
I mentioned reading, but I also enjoy exercising, playing music (guitar and bass), and spending time with my loved ones.
What do you hope people will take away from your writing? How will your words make them feel?
I’d like to move my readers emotionally. To have them laugh at the comedic parts, cry at the sad parts, and root for the Baker boys. I hope that people find Starling as real as I do and enjoy spending time there. More than anything, I want the words to disappear so that the act of decoding them becomes effortless. That way, the story will be immersive, the experience cinematic.
Start each day with gratitude. This is a self-exploration journal, designed to make you feel more thankful and build a new outlook on life. Each day dedicate some time to self-reflect and check in with yourself.
30-Day Gratitude Journal
Gratitude Daily Habits
Explore Self-Reflective Questions
Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
A great 30-day gratitude journal that helps to develop the attitude to practice gratitude. A pretty book that makes you want to look forward to spending time for self-reflection. The writing prompts include:
1. Name three things you are grateful for today. 2. Use the emoji’s below to rate your level of happiness. 3. Use the space below to reflect on your day. What went well? What are you looking forward to tomorrow?
I would recommend this book to anyone wanting kickstart their journaling habit in a sustainable manner.
Robin Brooks is a new writer, and author of the gratitude series Attitude of Gratitude: 30 Day Gratitude Journal. An educator at heart, Robin has spent the last several years researching the importance and benefits of gratitude, mindfulness, and happiness. Robin has enjoyed reading self-help books for years and began creating journals and habit trackers three years ago. Robin lives and works in her hometown of Washington, DC, and spends her free time traveling and researching. If you are interested in making gratitude a daily habit, look no further, Robin’s journals are sure to help.
Where are you from?
I am from Washington, DC.
Describe yourself in five words
I am funny, thoughtful, genuine, smart, and kind.
What fact about yourself would really surprise people?
A fact about myself that would surprise people is that I am a homebody. I enjoy relaxing around the house and creating crafts or writing.
What do you write about?
I enjoy writing self-help books. Gratitude and mindfulness are my areas of interest. Both gratitude and mindfulness can have a long-lasting impact on one’s life by improving our emotional health and physical health.
Why do you write?
I am a new writer. I realized last year after losing my grandmother that I wanted to pursue my passion for writing. I’ve just begun to self-publish books beginning with gratitude journals.
How long does it take to write a book?
It takes me about a week to write a gratitude journal. I like to take time and be thoughtful about the journal content.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
My interesting writing quirk is that I like to appeal to everybody. I have gratitude journals for women, men, and children.
How do you work through self-doubts and fear?
I work through self-doubts and fear by being completely present in the moment. I do a lot of positive self-talk to combat self-doubts and fear. I’m big on speaking things into existence, so I say a mantra or set an intention for myself.
How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?
I do my best writing on my laptop at a desk.
How much sleep do you need to be your best?
I need about 6 hours to be at my best.
Is your family supportive? Do your friends support you?
I would like to thank my family and friends for their support. No matter what, they are always in my corner and rooting me on. I love them!
Tell us about your new book? Why did you write it?
My latest book is a gratitude journal for pregnant people. I wrote this journal so pregnant people can take note of the moments that they are most thankful for during their pregnancy. A little something to help them receive a positive mindset for themselves and their baby.
What do you hope people will take away from your writing? How will your words make them feel?
I want people to take away that my journals were designed to be simple and yet thoughtful. They were designed to serve as a self-exploration tool to make you feel more thankful and build a new outlook on life. These journals are perfect for oneself or as gifts.
Have you ever wished you could run away and leave your life behind? Born on the “Day of the Wanderer,” Lisa Dailey has always been filled with wanderlust. Although she and her husband had planned to take their family on a ’round-the-world adventure, she didn’t expect their plans to come together on the heels of grief, after losing seven family members in five years. Square Up shows us that travel not only helps us understand and appreciate other cultures, but invites us to find compassion and wisdom, heal from our losses, and discover our capacity for forgiveness, as well as joy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Lisa Dailey started travelling with her family after losing 7 loved ones in only a 5-year period. She started the journey with her husband and two sons after quite a bit of contemplation, due to her grieving and anxiety. The family cover many months of travel from one country to another, some without pre-planning and with little preparation. Part of the reason they couldn’t pre-plan all of their travel is because they travel mostly via miliary air travel, as her husband is in the military. Along the way, her husband reminds her to trust “The Force” and over time, Lisa begins to trust The Force that is taking care of her and her family. She also learns to deal with the grieving better. |She learned to reassure herself that she will find her way back to herself. I like how the visit to a temple in Singapore was an eye-opener in Lisa’s life, and many other visits taught her invaluable life lessons. The family also educated their children on life as a whole, and their experience is something we all could relate to, especially when we are missing travels post Covid.
A live interview of Lisa is coming up on the 6th of Feb on Facebook. Watch out this space
What fact about yourself would really surprise people?
I’m an extrovert (Just a quieter one).
How do you work through self-doubts and fear?
I just go for it and hope for the best (and feel anxious the entire time lol).
What scares you the most?
Turning into my mother.
What makes you happiest?
Thinking about my children.
Why do you write?
It just comes out sometimes. It’s like I can’t not write.
Have you always enjoyed writing?
As long as it was a topic that I was interested in.
What motivates you to write?
Random urges of inspiration.
What writing are you most proud of?
The poems that I wrote for my children.
What are you most proud of in your personal life?
Not to sound like a broken record, but I’m most proud of the six amazing people that I made.
What books did you love growing up?
Just fiction or non-fiction stories about everyday people living everyday lives.
What do you hope your obituary will say about you?
That my children love me.
Location and life experiences can really influence writing, tell us where you grew up and where you now live?
I grew up all over, but mostly near Los Angeles, CA. I currently live in Phoenix, AZ.
How did you develop your writing?
Taking affordable courses (like on Udemy) and practicing.
What is hardest – getting published, writing or marketing?
Marketing for sure. I have no skills there lol.
What marketing works for you?
I’m still trying to figure that all out.
Do you find it hard to share your work?
Oh my goodness yes.
Is your family supportive? Do your friends support you?
They are incredibly supportive. It’s very sweet.
What else do you do, other than write?
Volunteer, go to school, hang out with my 17-year-old daughter.
What other jobs have you had in your life?
Aerobics instructor, pet groomer, hotel maid, etc.
If you could study any subject at university what would you pick?
American Sign Language, (I’m hard of hearing).
If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
Norway. Or North Carolina if I’m being more practical.
Tell us about your family?
I have the most amazing little sister in the world. She does so much for me and I wouldn’t be where I am without her and all of her support.
How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?
Laptop. So many open tabs lol.
How much sleep do you need to be your best?
8 hours? I’m a big insomniac though.
Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge and thank for their support?
The Facebook friends who read my poetry and gave me their honest feedback.
Every writer has their own idea of what a successful career in writing is, what does success in writing look like to you?
I suppose just some popularity? I don’t expect to make writing a full-time job. But I’d like my work to get seen by some people.
It is vital to get exposure and target the right readers for your writing, tell us about your marketing campaign?
Ugh. This is reminding me that I need to be better about this lol.
Tell us about your new book? Why did you write it?
Pretty Dysfunctional by Veianya Hansen. I just had a lot of thoughts and feelings about some intense topics that I felt like sharing with others. Especially when it comes to the adult industry.
If you could have a dinner party and invite anyone dead or alive, who would you ask?
Chester Bennington.
When you are not writing, how do you like to relax?
Walking, cleaning, or playing on the internet.
What do you hope people will take away from your writing? How will your words make them feel?
I just hope that they might see something from a perspective that maybe they hadn’t before.
When did the Human Relations Indie Book Awards begin?
The Human Relations Indie Book Awards was founded in 2016.
What is the purpose of the Human Relations Indie Book Awards?
The purpose of the Human Relations Indie Book Awards is to recognize indie authors who have written books with a human relations focus related to various interactions among people in different settings such as work, organizations, school, home, family or in personal lives.
When is the deadline for the 2022 Human Relations Indie Book Awards?
2022 Human Relations Indie Book Awards final deadline for entry is April 1st, 2022- but earlier entries are encouraged to allow more time for judging the book entries.
When will the winners be announced?
Winners will be announced in May 2022 when judging is completed.
Where can I get information about the Human Relations Indie Book Awards?
An exciting page-turner that features 5 kids whose parents are scientists. Their parents are on a dangerous and secret mission, and these kids try to decipher the mystery along the way. An enjoyable fast-paced read that takes place within three days and therefore offers a lot of suspense and thrillers for readers. A great middle-grade read that would entertain just about anyone who reads it.
The characters set in the fitness center in this sitcom are completely hilarious and entertaining, while also reflecting the current situations like the Covid-19 and the new normal of wearing masks. This sitcom is a page turner and I find it very well-written with witty characters entertaining the readers all the way. Highly recommended if you are looking for a relaxing and enjoyable leisure read.
International Book Promotion 