Chicago Author's Novel Breathes Life through Live Production

Saturday, 27 October 2012 14:43 Written by  Iya Bakare

Author and entrepreneur Shoya Bowman used writing as a therapeutic means to vent, and as she wrote poems and letters to men from previous relationships, she discovered a way to release her frustration and to help others. Her second book, Goodbye Don’t Always Mean Gone, a work that focuses on domestic violence and relationships, took on a life of its own and evolved into the stage production, Love’s Got a Hold on Me.

“I didn’t know how I’d take the characters, put them on stage and into a production,” Shoya admits. “Writing a book uses more of one’s imagination so people can visualize it, while plays include more conversations and the actors tell the story.”

With the assistance of Christine Houston, who wrote the stage play and television sitcom 227, the Chicago native says she was in great hands to mold her literary work into a theatrical work of art. She also gives credit to her director Nina McAlpin, Mel Rob Entertainment, and her cast of actors a nd crew who believed in her and supported her project.

“I was very star struck at first, but our relationship [with Christine] quickly shifted from playwright/student to mother/daughter,” Shoya adds. “We became so emotionally connected to these characters. It was an interesting ride that I will never forget.”

The author’s rollercoaster experience with creating the play matches the emotional ride readers will take as they read the book and watch the story unfold as a production. The story tells the tale of two best friends who possess contrasting views of how love places a hold on someone. As a recent participant in the Atlanta Black Theatre Festival, Shoya says there may be a sequel in the works.

“Love can have a bad hold on you, and you can love so hard your life is changed by the experience,” Shoya admits.

The Six Brown Chicks member, who recently appeared on Iyanla Vanzant’s Fix My Life, shows her passion for her work as a creator, who started writing in 2003, but says her talent was noticed and nurtured as a child.

“My sixth grade teacher noticed my great note-taking and said I’d be a great writer,” she adds.

Shoya says through her work, she wants to encourage others to pursue their dreams, much like she continues to do with new ventures.

“With hard work, persistence and consistency, you can achieve your goals,” she says. “Don’t let a lack of finances keep you from achieving your goals. I balance my life with an awesome team who keeps me on track. When others say you can’t, know that you can.”



For more information on Shoya and her work, visit her website at www.shoyaswritings.com and follow her on Twitter at @shoyabowman.


Photo Credit for image of Shoya: Sangster Photography


Iya Bakare

Iya Bakare

Iya Bakare, GMO's managing editor, earned both her Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in print journalism. She earned her B.A. from Delta State University with a minor in English and graduated with a M.A. degree from Columbia College Chicago. In her spare time, the Chicago native continues to freelance and ponder ways to both inform and improve her community one story at a time.

She can be contacted at Iya@glossmagazineonline.com
Follow her on Twitter: @ibakare

Website: www.iyabakare.com