Interview with Barbara Roberts, Author of The Vineyard on Mulberry Street

Barbara Marolla Roberts, born in New York City, is a graduate of Skidmore College where she majored in art. She taught elementary school and was an executive recruiter before working for Pace University in Westchester, New York, first as the Assistant Director of Graduate Admission and currently as the Graduate Program Coordinator of the Master’s in Counseling Program. She resides in Putnam County, New York, with her husband.

Six Questions for Barbara Roberts

1. Why and how did you go about publishing your first novel, The Vineyard on MulberryStreet?My first novel was a story I felt needed telling for many reasons. I almost felt it was a mission and once I started writing it seriously and consistently, I didn’t stop; making many sacrifices until it was finished. But I loved every moment of it. 
2. Was self-publishing your first option?Self-publishing was not my first option, sbut after reviewing other options, self-publishing proved to be the most expedient way to go and less complicated than the others. 
3. As an established author, what are the hardships you still encounter as a writer?The biggest hardship as a writer is finding the time to write. I can only write in the mornings when it’s quiet and I have no distractions. It is very solitary but immensely fulfilling. 
4. Can you say that the character, Catherine, reflects who you personally are: strong independent and enigmatic?The character, Catherine, is based on my mother – strong, independent and enigmatic. I, too, am strong and independent, but not enigmatic. I am not as compelling or interesting a person as Catherine is. 
5. What does your book have that will give readers a different turn from the usual forbidden love stories?The moral code in America was stricter in the 1940’s and 1950’s. To deviate from the established norm, “Backstreet” love was not viewed at kindly. There was a great deal of stigma attached to non-conventional lives. I want the readers to know Catherine as a person, understand her dilemma and have compassion for her.When Kirkus referred to her as “brave and loyal” it warmed my heart. That is exactly what I wanted to portray. 
6. What is your view on writers who are afraid to take the self-publishing route?I would recommend writers to take the self-publishing route, especially with Xlibris. My first contact at Xlibris was Cheryl Gratz, who was professional and helpful. She made the first step easy, and the following steps easier than one would think. The transition from one phase to another was not complicated.

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Gilbert Griñie — Xlibris Author Spotlight

“We need to learn to work through our behavior, attitudes, and habits. That we can achieve any goal that is set before us, that control is the connection between goals and accomplishments.” – Gilbert Griñie.

The gang phenomenon is a major problem in the United States today, with young people exchanging blows with each other and/or preying on innocent people. In fact, in a 1992 survey sponsored by the National Institute of Justice covering metropolitan police departments in 79 large and 43 small U.S. cities, statistics revealed that 72 (91%) of these large cities and 38 (88%) of the small cities were troubled by gangs.

Gilbert Griñie knows this very well, being at one time or another, in a community of Hispanic gangsters. The streets were not kind to him, as he was told at a very young age that he would never amount to anything. His future held the prospect of either dying early or winding up in prison for the rest of his life.

Now he could only smile at his dark past. “To everyone’s surprise, I made it and now I am a role model to all who are told the same,” he states.

Gilbert adds: “I am a person that positively speaks to my self and to others, because we have to remember that words trigger pictures, and pictures trigger emotions.”

All these dark visions of Gilbert’s past, his vehement determination to stay on the right path, and his desire to inspire others who have apparently fallen into the same stereotype lifestyle of violence and crime, have given him the impetus to pen the compelling, life-changing book, The Way Out.

The Way Out is a book that gives hope and the strength to move forward. Gilbert notes that his book has the ability to “give individuals solutions on how to turn their lives around.” It emphasizes that there is no glamour in gang life, and that it only creates a never-ending cycle that spreads from generation to generation.

Answering the need to share his thoughts about the ills of the gang life with more people at the soonest time, Gilbert decided to have The Way Out published with Xlibris. He has not regretted his decision, and in fact, is happy with the audience response. “People who have read it say that it is excellent material, considering that it tackles the problem of gang-related violence and the way out of this life,” he says.

The success of The Way Out has earned Gilbert quite a substantial number of public engagements. He has just concluded an interview in Telemundo, a Florida-based American television network, and he has an upcoming interview with Channel 7’s Danny Romero.

Gilbert’s personal crusade in fixing individuals bogged down by the harsh gangster life behind and urging them to rebuild a new one has made him a better individual himself. “My inspiration in life is helping people turn their lives around, and helping them in realizing that they have the capability to become leaders.”

With inspiration such as this, Gilbert Griñie is definitely on the right track.

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