About Ife Oshun

Ife Oshun is the author of The Angelica Brown Series. A professional writer and actor, she wrote and produced for the stage in New York and Los Angeles, for television (as a WGA intern on Star Trek Voyager and producer at Tyler Perry Studios) and produced a pilot for a Warren G reality show. She is currently working on her next novel and lives in Boston, MA.

Weekly Word: 7 Traits of a Highly Effective Mindset

Weekly Word: 7 Traits of a Highly Effective Mindset

I came across the following graphic, 7 Traits of a Highly Effective Mindset, on the instagram account of one of my new favorite bloggers, Twelveskip. The content comes from Marc Chernoff who, along with his wife run Marcandangel.com, a site chock full of “practical tips for productive living.”

7 Traits of a Highly Effective Mindset

7 Traits of a Highly Effective Mindset

Every now and then I get caught up in the million things I need to *do* and the multitudinous tasks that need to be *accomplished*. Last night I woke up at 3AM with my face, yet again, in my laptop. It’s at times like these where I’ve learned to pull back slightly and feed my soul with messages that will strengthen me and help shed some light on my personal resource management. This particular graphic couldn’t have come at a better time.

The first trait, enjoying and appreciating the present moment has been missing in my life as I turn automaton-like from one task to another–whether it’s writing my books, being supermom, or handling business matters. As I read that first trait, I made an important realization: during the past six months I had barely taken any time out to enjoy the present moment and its accomplishments. I forgot the most important step along my personal road to success–stop and appreciate all of my daily accomplishments before turning o the next task. It’s important to me that I pat myself on the back, and revel in how my accomplishments benefit my family and others around me, even if it’s just for a little while. Checking in with myself this way keeps me grateful, grounded in the present and happy.

I’m so grateful to have discovered this terrific graphic. Not only will I share it with everybody I know, I will definitely be mining Marc and Angel’s site for all the stuff I can get my eyes on! Thanks again, Twelveskip!

Weekly Word: 7 Traits of a Highly Effective Mindset

Blood To Blood: Second Edition

Blood To Blood: Second Edition – It’s here!

The second edition of Blood To Blood is now available for sale! Look for new cover art and a more compact size (5.5″ x 8.5″ in the paperback format).

The new edition, released March 18 (today) features a hot new cover. You’ll see a blood-filled wineglass in the process of shattering. Yum… Check it out:

Blood To Blood: Second Edition

Blood To Blood: Second Edition

This is a huge change from the original cover which featured the shadowy silhouette of a singer holding a microphone and a lot of red. I’ll post it down below so you can compare.

Blood To Blood: First Edition

Blood To Blood: First Edition

Besides the new cover art and paperback size, there is also a slight title change. The subtitle “Book One in the Angelica Brown Series” has been added to differentiate it from the upcoming sequel Heart To Heart (Book Two).

For all you who are interested, there are still autographed first edition paperbacks available here. You can also order an autographed second edition paperback as well.

The first edition is officially out of print as of the date of this post, while the second edition is available pretty much everywhere. Ask for it at your local Barnes & Nobles, that is if it’s still open. If you’re looking for it in your local indie bookstore, it’s available for wholesale ordering through Baker & Taylor and Ingram.

Thanks to all my fabulous friends and book-loving colleagues who helped me zero in on the best cover art! I love the new design and hope you do, too.

Goodbye first edition! Hello upcoming sequel!

Blood To Blood: Second Edition

 

 

Current Playlist: Top 3 Albums March 2014

Current Playlist: Top 3 Albums March 2014

Lorde

Lorde (Photo credit: GabboT)

 

Current playlist: Top 3 Albums May 2013

Current playlist: Top 3 Albums March 2014 – Adele – 21

 

It’s been a while since I posted a current playlist, but it’s not because I haven’t been listening to music. I’ve been so consumed with putting the finishing touches on my next books, I haven’t made any time.

Heart to Heart (the sequel to Blood To Blood) has been most prominent as it’s currently (still!) going through editing. There is an end in sight though, and soon the book will be available. In the meantime, the artists I’ve been listening to the most are Lorde, Ed Sheeran, and Adele.

As you can see from the Top 3 list, the tone of the HTH playlist is somewhat subdued. But things get a little more lively with the addition of the artists below.

Additional artists in current rotation:

Hole
Santigold
M.I.A.
Skunk Anansie
Muse
Van Cliburn
Beethoven
Daft Punk

English: M.I.A. performing at Outside Lands 2009

English: M.I.A. performing at Outside Lands 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I promise I’ll have a playlist for April. In the meantime, you can always visit me on Twitter to see what I’m listening to at any given time.

 

Current Playlist: Top 3 Albums March 2014

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How to Make Your Dreams Come True in 5 Easy Steps

How to Make Your Dreams Come True in 5 Easy Steps

In Blood To Blood, Angel Brown vows to follow her dream of being a singer despite incredible challenges. This is in line with the book’s theme: pursuing your dreams and conquering the blockages along the way.

Besides music and writing, one of my passions is talking to young people about following their dreams, and giving them concrete details about how to go about making those dreams into reality.

I recently spoke to the young folks at Fenway High School and Boston Arts Academy about my books, writing and manifesting dreams. I believe teenage life represents the perfect storm of opportunity. Like kids, teens usually have big dreams, but unlike kids, teens usually have people telling them what they can’t and can’t accomplish.

Like my mom used to say “There’s no such thing as can’t.” I love nothing more than showing people how to prove the naysayers wrong. Here are 5 easy steps to take to make your dreams, whatever they may be, come true.

  1. Identify – Target exactly what it is you want to do. Be specific.
  2. Educate – Whether it’s taking classes, reading books or picking the brains of someone doing what you want to do, you can never stop learning. Learn all you can about your chosen craft.
  3. List – Make a list of the steps you need to take to reach your goal. This is the foundation of your plan and something you will continue to tweak and adjust over time.
  4. Execute – Do the things on your list. Finish them one at a time, and do your best. Be patient with yourself and the process.
  5. Persevere – Never give up. Surround yourself with people who will support and/or inspire you. Ignore the naysayers, even if it is your own family. Don’t believe anyone who says you can’t pursue, and reach, your dream.

Repeat the above steps until you reach your goal. And then repeat these steps for any new goals you have. These are basic dream manifestation tactics.

Thanks to all the schools that have opened their doors so far and allowed me to meet all the fabulous young dreamers out there. Keep making your dreams happen!

 How to Make Your Dreams Come True in 5 Easy Steps

RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman

RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman

Success isn’t what makes you happy. It really isn’t. Success is doing what makes you happy and doing good work and hopefully having a fruitful life. If I’ve felt like I’ve done good work, that makes me happy. The success part of it is all gravy.

Philip Seymour Hoffman Imdb profile

I’ll never forget seeing Hoffman’s work for the first time. It was Boogie Nights, back in the early 2000s. Going in, I had no idea the flick was about the 70s porn industry in Los Angeles, and was a little shocked that the film, despite its subject matter, was so good. One reason was the brilliant characterization Hoffman brought to his character.

Through the years, he continued to deliver seamless characters, and although he was referred to as a character actor in Hollywood–a sign of respect in the industry, an acknowledgement among peers that you are an artist–he also proved to be a worthy leading man as seen in Capote.

I’ll always respect his devotion to doing good work, doing right by the characters he portrayed and focusing on the love of the craft. RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman.


Philip Seymour Hoffman tribute tweets

List of Artists – “Sun City” Video – Artists United Against Apartheid

List of Artists – “Sun City” Video – Artists United Against Apartheid

List of Artists - "Sun City" Video - Artists United Against Apartheid

List of Artists – “Sun City” Video – Artists United Against Apartheid – Bruce Springsteen, David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks                 Photo: 30daysout

 

 

It’s a day after the passing of the great Nelson Mandela and my mind is going back in time to when apartheid was brought to the attention of the world, and most importantly, youth such as myself, through music.

One thing that came to mind was this 80’s video. I’d seen it many times as a kid growing up in Boston on the awesome V66; a progressive, local music video channel that made MTV look like the joke we all learned it to be later.

While MTV balked at playing videos featuring black artists (Michael Jackson was the first in heavy rotation), V66 routinely played this political video which featured a new music called rap as well as legends of the industry such as Miles Davis. The video featured an exciting cross-section of genres, nationalities and generations; everyone from Ringo Star to Jimmy Cliff to a young-ish Bruce Springsteen to what was left of the original Temptations (David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks).

Below is a list of all the music artists, personalities and celebrities that appeared in the video. If I have missed anybody, please leave a comment and I’ll add after verification.

RIP Nelson Mandela!

Afrika Bambaataa
Big Youth
Bob Dylan
Bob Geldof
Bobby Womack
Bonnie Raitt
Bono
Bruce Springsteen
Charlie Wilson
Clarence Clemons
Darlene Love
Daryl Hall
Daryl Hannah
David Ruffin
Duke Bootee
Dumisani Kumalo
Eddie Kendricks
George Clinton
Gil Scott-Heron
Hart Perry
Herbie Hancock
Iqbal Akhund
Jackson Browne
Jennifer Davis
Jesse Jackson
Jimmy Cliff
Joey Ramone
John Oates
Jonathan Demme
Kashif
Keith Richards
Kurtis Blow
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Lotti Golden
Lou Reed
Malopoets
Mark Morales
Melle Mel
Michael Monroe
Miles Davis
Nona Hendryx
Pat Benatar
Pete Townshend
Peter Gabriel
Peter Garrett
Peter Wolf
Ray Barretto
Rene Gezan
Ringo Starr
Ron Carter
Ron Wood
Rubén Blades
Run-D.M.C.
Scorpio
Shenkar
Sonny Okosuns
Stanley Jordan
Steven Van Zandt
Stiv Bators
Tina B.
Tony Williams
Via Afrika
Will Downing
Winnie Mandela
Zak Starkey

 

Also see: Artists United Against Apartheid

Source: IMDB.com, Wikipedia

List of Artists – “Sun City” Video – Artists United Against Apartheid

Top 10 Nelson Mandela Links

Top 10 Nelson Mandela Links

Top 10 Nelson Mandela Links

Top 10 Nelson Mandela Links – Photo: ANC.org.za

My 9 year old asked me who was Nelson Mandela. At that moment I realized that I hadn’t sufficiently done my job.

Why do we endlessly discuss only the people that have passed on; King, Ghandi, Teresa, Jesus, but the living legends remain spoken about only every now and then? Why must death precede canonization?

It has been twenty minutes since I learned of the passing of one the world’s greatest leaders. So many emotions are flooding my head and heart. I want to give an answer that will really address the question. Who was Nelson Mandela?

It’s a simple question but the answer is epic and, perhaps, as endless as the man’s impact on the world and future generations.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” ~ Nelson Mandela

The easiest way for me to answer is to compile a list of authoritative links that will collectively do justice to the magnanimity of the life of, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest people to walk the face of this earth. Instead of relying on my rambling attempts to explain in a few breaths, I hope this list will help my son, and anyone reading this, to truly understand the enduring power of humility, forgiveness, grace and strength in the face of great adversity.

Rest in peace, Madiba. You are with the Ancestors now.

Top 10 Nelson Mandela Links

  1. The Life and Legacy of Nelson Mandela: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/05/world/africa/Mandela-Timeline.html?ref=africa#/#time216_6663
  2. Nelson Mandela on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela
  3. Nelson Mandela.org – Send a message of condolence to Mr. Mandela’s family: http://www.nelsonmandela.org/p90/index.html
  4. Mandela: An Audio History (NPR): http://www.npr.org/2004/04/26/1851882/mandela-an-audio-history
  5. BBC – A wealth of information on Mr. Mandela: http://www.bbc.co.uk/search/news/?q=nelson%20mandela
  6. Nelson Mandela – The ANC Archives – Video, audio, documents, photos and so much more. This is a virtual treasure trove.: http://ancarchives.org.za/view/collections/leadership/nelson-mandela/
  7. Youtube – Nelson Mandela – Decades of video clips on Nelson Mandela: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22nelson+mandela%22&sm=3
  8. Nelson Mandela – Biography.com: http://www.biography.com/people/nelson-mandela-9397017
  9. The Nelson Mandela Museum: http://www.nelsonmandelamuseum.org.za/
  10. Nelson Mandela – ANC.org – Send messages of condolence, read speeches and writings, and more: http://www.anc.org.za/nelson/index.php

Weekly Word: Sarah Ban Breathnack

Weekly Word: Sarah Ban Breathnack

You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you. ~ Sarah Ban Breathnack

Thanks, Sarah Ban Breathnack!

Upcoming 2014 Novels

Upcoming 2014 Novels

Hi folks, I have great news! I’m happy to announce release information and titles for my next two upcoming books. Here are the upcoming 2014 novels with a little taste of what to expect:

The first release will be To Protect and Serve. It is the first in a series of books based on a character from Blood to Blood, Justin McCarthy. In Blood to Blood we met Justin who is a blood donor for the book’s blood-drinking heroine, Angel Brown. In To Protect and Serve, we enter his world before he meets Angel. Eighteen year-old Justin hails from a long line of Boston Police Department officers, so prepare yourself for plenty of crime and action. The book is due to drop in April 2014.

The second release will be Heart to Heart, the highly anticipated sequel to Blood to Blood. Due in May 2014, Heart to Heart will see newborn Shimshana Angel deal with the highs and lows of her way-to-complex teen love life while dealing with new pop star fame, blood lust, and immortal powers.

Keep your eyes peeled for excerpts, cover reveals and more over the coming months.

Ok, I’m going back to writing. Cheers!

Upcoming 2014 Novels

Perseids Meteor Shower: 2013

Perseids Meteor Shower: 2013

I love meteor showers and every year always do my best to see them in action. Recently, we got blessed with the Perseids Meteor Shower, and it was fabulous.

In the Northeast, it was challenging to see the shower clearly on the last peak night, August 11. Fortunately, the viewing was extended to the 12th, which is when I got to see it. I didn’t get any good pictures; I leave that to the real photographers. What I did do was compile some of my favorite pics to share with you. These all come from www.nasa.gov. Feel free to share links of any other ones (not photoshopped or pics of satellites) you’ve found over the ‘net. Enjoy!

Perseids Meteor Shower 2013

Video allsky image of Perseid shower over Colorado – Credit Chris Peterson
This shows 85 Perseids (non-Perseids have been removed) captured between dusk and dawn.

Perseids Meteor Shower 2013

Rainbow Perseid – A multicolored Perseid Meteor, from the Red Desert of Wyoming on 8-11-13. Credit – dakotalapse

 

Perseids Meteor Shower 2013

Perseids from the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center – Credit Steve Coates

Perseids Meteor Shower 2013

Monster Mojave Perseid Meteor – Credit – Wally Pacholka

Perseids Meteor Shower 2013

Credit – conemmil