Leah Mullen resides in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn with her husband and their two children. Her publishing experience dates back to the mid nineties when she worked in both editorial and marketing capacities for John Wiley and Sons. In 2005, Leah was named the Life Coaching Editor for Bellaonline.com, a position she still holds today.
A prolific journalist, Leah has penned hundreds of essays, articles, reviews, and profiles which have appeared in over twenty publications and websites including: African American Literature Book Club.com, WritersandPoets.com, Conscioushiphop.com, Fiercemag.com, The Black World Today.com, A Good Black Man.com, Bahiyah Woman.com, Black Planet.com, The Doe Network.com, CaribbeanBeatz.com, Mosaic, African Voices, Black Issues Book Review, The Daily Challenge, The New American, Sisters in Motion, The Black Track, Our Times Press, The New York World, Awareness Magazine (AMAG), The Lyrical Times, Black Star News and Broward Times.
As an educational grant writer, Leah has worked on grants for several New York based organizations including the Youth Service Coalition, Flatbush Action Community Daycare Center , Educators for Children Youth and Families and Sunshine Daycare Center . She's currently a database volunteer with the international nonprofit, AmazingKids.org.
To expand her knowledge of children and early childhood programs, Leah recently completed two certificate level programs in Child Day Care and Teacher’s Aid from Ashworth University and Professional Career Development Institute respectively. She contributes to Today’s Child Magazine as a free-lance writer and editor.
Adding to a diverse career Leah is now exploring another love—romantic fiction. Since 2004, several of her short stories have appeared in Dorchester Media publications. Leah’s debut novel, Again and Again, a coming of age love story was released in 2005 through iUniverse.
Leah has a BA in Print Journalism from the Pennsylvania State University with a minor in Black Studies. She has taken writing classes at the Frederick Douglas Creative Art Center and online with Shades of Romance magazine and Brownstone University .
What is your earliest writing memory?
I wrote a poem when I was in the 3rd grade and my teacher Mrs. Bishop told me it was the best poem that she’d ever read by a child of my age. I was very hungry for compliments when I was a little girl. I always wonder what would have happened if a teacher told me I was good at math or science. lol.
While I always look forward to completing a project, my sense of satisfaction is usually short lived. I’m one of those writers who always has to be writing, every single day. That’s what I enjoy most about writing, not really the finished project, but rather the act of filling pages and pages with words.
As a self-published author, how do your feelings differ now compared to before? How are they the same?
I thought I would feel differently once I self-published my first book Again and Again. I’d already written for tons of magazines, newspapers and websites, but looked forward to being an author of a book. As it turned out I feel practically the same. I’m still doing the same menu of things. Thinking up story ideas, doing research, writing and trying to sell my work. What is different is that I can articulate what I write about. I write about self-actualization and love. Also I have more to say about writing as my knowledge of the craft has grown exponentially since I self-published.
My current book is Again and Again. It’s a coming of age love story. One of the main characters is Sarah a woman who is raising her daughter while she’s trying to heal from the trauma of her own upbringing. When I started to write the book I was 29 and a new mother. I just wanted to tell a story with all of it’s arms and legs. You know interesting plot, believable characters, etc. Only later did I appreciate the story’s relevance. There are so many parents today who didn’t get the nurturing they needed as children and are struggling to raise themselves and their children at the same time. This is a monumental task to break negative patterns and legacies that were handed down to us. I’d actually like to do a lot more research on this very topic.
I’d tell you that I’ve gotten lots of positive feedback from various demographics, which surprised me since I’d intended it to be women’s fiction. It’s an inspiring, uplifting family drama and a love story, very PG 13. And it’s been endorsed by best-selling author Donna Hill.
I consider myself a tough critic when reviewing books. What do or would you do when if receive a mediocre or less than average rating from a reviewer or reader?
I’ve been part of a writing group for many years and have lots of experience with critiques. First what I do is to listen very closely to the critique, then I decide if it’s something I want to change or can change about my writing. If the critique has to do with my voice or the subjects I write about then there is nothing I care to do about that, I write what I write. But if I’ve done something wrong technically, I definitely try to fix it. Sometimes writers get so close to a project, we can’t see the plot holes, inconsistencies and other errors. Ultimately I don’t take criticism personally. It’s my job to put out the best article/book I can. Reader feedback is crucial in terms of my improving as a writer.
What authors influence your writing dreams, goals and aspirations?
I’m very inspired by authors who describe a character’s inner journey. I enjoy first person observations, which is also the form of writing I do best. I’m a fan of Ralph Ellison, asha bandele, John Van Druten, Charles Bukowski, W. Somerset Maugham, Don DeLillo, Anais Nin, Erica Jong and many others. And then I have my self-help gurus like Elaine St. James who writes the Simplify Your Life series.
What books would you recommend on writing?
Hands down that would be Ansel Dibell’s book, Plot. There’s a great quote in the book where Dibell says you don’t have to be the best, you just have to be the best you can be right now. I actually apply this piece of advice not only to my writing but to my life! Just do your best every day and eventually you get better.
If you could change one thing you did during your road to publication, what would it be and what would you have done different?
I think I might have waited a few more years before publishing, but the story was burning a hole in my metaphorical pocket. I had the finished manuscript, I knew so many other self-published writers so I said, why not? I have no regrets really, not one.
Learn how to write well by writing every day—and I mean every day even if it’s only for ten minutes. Do write for yourself but also keep in mind that you’d like to have an audience at some point so you must learn the craft. Read the books on writing, take classes and workshops. Frequently submit your work. Once you finish one project, start another and read, read, read.
Readers can contact me at leahmullen@yahoo.com or visit www.leahmullen.com.
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