Honey Mag

In the midst of our busy lives it is so important to take down time. Some of us like to jog or go to the movies in our spare time while others love to get comfy and curl up with a great book. And it usually helps when the book is relatable and you can even learn valuable lessons from what you are reading. We chatted with Lyah Beth Leflore to find out about her latest novel and what drives her creativity.

HoneyMag: What was your inspiration for your latest Novel “Wildflowers” and can you tell me a little about the book?
Lyah: My mother, sister, aunt, grandmothers, girlfriends, women that I’ve met in passing in airports, on the subway, at the grocery store. Basically, African American women. We are survivors and I felt like it was time to tell a story about generations of women in one family and their struggles and triumphs.

HoneyMag: What makes “Wildflowers” a must read novel?
Lyah: Page 1!!! The book opens with a powerful moment where the main character, Chloe Michaels is contemplating murder in order to protect not only her but her unborn child. It was emotional for me as the writer. I couldn’t type the chapters fast enough. Also because the character’s voices alternate in the book it’s almost like you can’t wait until the next character’s story unfolds. Each woman in the world of Wildflowers is so complex and their journeys will have you on the edge of your seat.

HoneyMag: What is your creative process when you write? Are there things you like to do or certain people that inspire you?
Lyah: When I write it’s almost like I go into it like a soldier going off to battle. I turn on the computer and just write until my fingers bleed, until the last WO-man is standing! I have to make myself stop to eat or go to the bathroom. I will go sometimes for eight hours straight. And then the next day I may be drained or the words don’t flow. That’s the downside. But I have a great deal of passion when I write. I usually have to come down from my high and I do that by listening to music. I’m stuck in the 80s and early 90s. That music inspires me. I also like sitting by water, a pool, or beach, or lake. I just need water around me when I’m writing.

HoneyMag: How was it working with Gerald Levert to write “I Got Your Back: A Father and Son Keep It Real About Love, Fatherhood, Family, and Friendship?
Lyah: It was awesome. He was a good friend so I could kick off my shoes and climb into a chair and just listen and write for hours around him. Same with his father, Eddie. Gerald was a special guy and he loved creating great music. He had a gentle and very kind soul, and that made it easy to work with him. But the best part was that sometimes we’d spend more time laughing and then I’d have to go back and re-record things. He had this beautiful, infectious laughter so he made it fun. I was like a fly on the wall for a year watching and listening to him and his dad. It was an amazing opportunity.

HoneyMag: I read that you have an extensive background working in Television. How did you get started and are you still doing that?
Lyah: I knew in college that I wanted to work in television. I was fascinated by tv shows and how they were created. I did a short documentary on a black day care center in my college town my senior year of college. Around that time Nickelodeon was getting popular. I was so intrigued by what the children were talking about I told myself that Nickelodeon was where I needed to be. So, I made it my business to figure out a way to get to NYC to work there. An alum from my school, Stephens College, was a big TV exec in NY and she hooked me up with her close friend who was head of Acquisitions. The rest is history. I got my first gig at Nick as the assistant to the VP of Programming. From there I went to the now defunct Uptown Entertainment/Records and Andre Harrell gave me a shot at the director of development. One of the first projects I worked on was New York Undercover. It was a co venture with Dick Wolf’s company, Wolf Films. When the pilot got picked up for a series on FOX, Dick hired me to work directly for his company and the show as an Associate Producer. After a couple of seasons I joined Alan Haymon’s company in Los Angeles and was an in-house producer and VP of Development. I was there for twelve years. What I will say to sum it all up is that I did my homework, my degree is in Communications, but I interned in television news as a college student to cut my teeth. I also learned early on that it was about “learning” and studying your field, then it became sharpening my craft, and with that ammunition you must network, network, network. Never be afraid to take your shot!

HoneyMag: Where do you see yourself next year?
Lyah: Sitting on a movie set for Wildflowers!

HoneyMag: What was your first job ever?
Lyah: Kentucky Fried Chicken

HoneyMag: What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
Lyah: Keep God first and stay humble!

HoneyMag: How do you balance work life and personal time?
Lyah: Yikes! That’s something I haven’t managed yet. I’m still working on the balance thing. I need to take more personal time. So that’s going to be my mission in 2010. I allow the phone and emails to control my life, and LIFE is too short. I need to make more time for me.

HoneyMag: What are five things you can’t live without?
Lyah: My cell phone, music, love, manicures and pedicures, God.

HoneyMag: OK so the job market is pretty scary right now. I think many of us know the basics but can you give us five tips of personal success armor that people need to wear to their next job interview?
Lyah: 1. A positive winning attitude, 2. A confident smile, 3. An updated resume with a strong mission statement, 4. Be prepared with a few key questions to ask the interviewer, 5. Know key facts about the company and incorporate them into the interview dialogue . What will REALLY make someone stand out? A fierce wardrobe!

HoneyMag: What do you like about HoneyMag?
Lyah: The fact that Honey’s mission is to empower women.

HoneyMag: Where can people find out more about your work?
Lyah: www.lyahbethleflore.com