Author Spotlight Article on Greg Pappas

“I believe that the reality that we see is important, but so is that which is unseen.”

If something is ensconced deep in your soul, it will but naturally come out in all that you say and all that you do. This pretty much sums up the essence of Greg Pappas’ work on his book, SoulBound, which he translated from the unseen corners of his mind into the tangible pages of his self-published work.

In June of 2006, after expressing disappointment over a book his nephew suggested to him, Greg started to write out a story that he felt could be better than what he had just read, birthing what would become SoulBound in a matter of hours.

“It wasn’t a brash reply in my view, because I just knew that there was a very creative soul within me, and a story was almost bursting to come out. The plot formed rather quickly, and by the following day, I had a general concept written down,” Greg says of the creation of his book.

Although he had not initially taken his novel seriously, he did find positive response to his work from people who were close to him during the spring of 2008. These same people encouraged him to finish writing his book and by summer that year, he did.

Greg then went on the Internet and searched for online publishers. He came across many options but found Xlibris’ presentation to be the most impressive. He says his publishing experience as a first-time author was “a rather difficult process for me… but in the end, when the job was finished, the final product looked great.”

It was a long journey converting his thoughts into words and his words into the pages of his book, but Greg’s creativity and hard work paid off. The result is SoulBound, his first self-published book, which does not only look great but was also received well by its readers. “Every single person has expressed an overwhelming sense of ‘wow!’ I’ve been genuinely excited that the book has been so well received and in a fashion that has them clamoring for more,” he says of the success of his book.

Greg shares this success with his family and the people closest to him who give him inspiration. From them he has learned to receive and give unconditional love, always had a helping hand when he needed it, and found joy and happiness in his family. He expresses this heartfelt inspiration through his interactions with his loved ones.

“I am inspired by the beautiful humanity displayed by those I love, and am loved by. My mother has always been my biggest supporter, and her love for me has shown no boundaries. My father has taught me how to be a man. My daughter is the single truest joy in my life… and I am overwhelmed that she rises ever upward as a human being, and is a far better person than I. There’s something beautiful in that.”

With enough inspiration to go around, Greg now looks forward to writing the follow-up books to SoulBound, which he plans to turn into a series. He also plans to share his book of poetry entitled Whispers, Shadows & Dreams, written from the perspective of Jimmy Kassakatis, the main character of his book. On top of that, the 44-year-old author is gearing up for upcoming book signing engagements in Maryland and is considering the option of having his series translated into movies or a television series.

The accomplishments that he achieved as the author of SoulBound, which the people around him and his readers now see and enjoy, all started with an unseen concept inside his creative soul. Greg’s success is evident and it stemmed from his philosophy: “I believe that the reality that we see is important, but so is that which is unseen. I am just at the beginning of believing in a universal essence… and that ‘beyond’ is remarkably closer and more wondrous than one can imagine.”

Author Spotlight on Adilah Barnes

“I believe that all is possible with a vision, hard work, focus and a very specific plan of action and follow-through.”

If you look up the word ‘journey’ in any dictionary, you would probably get this definition: ‘the process of travelling from one place to another.’ That pretty much sums up what life is all about – making transitions from one place or circumstance to another until we reach our intended destination or, more appropriately, our destiny.

If you look into the life of Adilah Barnes, you will certainly find a similar definition of the word journey but with more depth and substance. Throughout her lifetime, she has been on a series of transitions from her humble beginnings in a small agricultural California town to becoming an award-winning actor, producer, acting and writing instructor, retreat proprietor and self-published author of the book, On My Own Terms: One Actor’s Journey.

In her self-published book, Adilah recounts her life story and the important lessons she learned. Growing up in a single-parent, seven-sibling household in Oroville, California – close to where she worked in the dusty prune fields in Marysville – presented life lessons and blessings for her. Having descended from a grandmother who was born a slave gave her inspiration and fortitude. Moreover, through the determination of her mother, she received an impartation of wisdom, tenacity and leadership – qualities that enabled Adilah to flourish in life.

In the course of her youth, Adilah was inexplicably struck with petit mal epilepsy, causing her to retreat within herself. It was not until Project Upward Bound came into her life that she transitioned from having absence seizures to moving towards leadership, having a successful college life and embarking on a journey to a future career in acting.

Completing her formal college education at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she gained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre Arts, Adilah then began a series of transitions from acting to producing, from instructing to writing, all of which lent themselves to the development of her craft as an artist.

In the middle of 1980s while in one of her acting classes at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, Adilah received a blank notebook from her students. She was told that the gift was a reminder for when she was ready to write a book on acting where she could share everything she learned and experienced in life and as an actor.

“At that time, I had no desire to write an acting book but by 2004, I felt it was time. I initially began with the notion of writing a linear ‘how-to’ acting book but did not feel I could say anything the masters such as Stanislavski, Uta Hagen, Lee Strasberg and Sanford Meisner had not already said,” she relates, on making another transition on her journey.

In 2008, Adilah released her book On My Own Terms: One Actor’s Journey where she shares her personal account of her life and career as an actor. The book focuses on her battles, triumphs, frustrations, and joys set against historical events such as the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War, Black Power Movement, assassinations of public figures, and the unrest of the 1960s. But at the heart of it all, Adilah says her book "is about an ashy-kneed country girl with big dreams who has many angels along the way who support her in making her dreams come true."

One of the angels who have helped make Adilah’s dream of telling her exceptional journey come true is Xlibris. She had heard of the self-publishing company from one of her former acting students and eventually chose to have On My Own Terms published with them. “Quite honestly, I met a number of challenges along the way. However, in the end, we turned out a well-presented book of quality. I did have a team at Xlibris who supported me along the way until my book was completed and printed,” she says of her publishing experience.

Adilah points out the importance of being purposeful, hard working and staying focused in every step of the publication process: “Make sure you are clear on what your book is about, that there is an audience and market for your work, do the research needed, have an editor and allow the time to complete the process with excellence.” And excellent it was!

After the release of On My Own Terms, Adilah reports that her book has not only been received well by the reading public, but it has also been critically acclaimed and positively reviewed. Among these accolades, her book received a third place ranking in Essence Magazine’s Bestseller list, right behind President Obama’s books, which took the first and second spots. She also received a recent nomination in the 2009 African American Literary Awards, as well as five-star reviews from many of her readers on the Amazon and Barnes & Noble online bookstores.

Adilah continues to be overwhelmed with the success of her book and the recognition it has garnered. She experienced many transitions, obstacles, and triumphs on her journey to this destination. What got her through her challenges is summed up in her philosophy: “I believe that all is possible with a vision, hard work, focus and a very specific plan of action and follow-through. I also believe strongly in a spiritual base, supportive relationships and taking care of oneself through spirituality, diet, exercise, visualization and positive thought and actions.”

All these have come full circle in the life of Adilah Barnes. From humble beginnings to noble accomplishments, she has become a living testimony that one can be victorious over seemingly insurmountable odds, while holding on to the positive attitude of gratitude. She has proven that she has journeyed thus far on faith and her own terms.