Blog Archives
If I Want The World To Change
Mothers Vol. 1 follows a widowed mother of two boys who is working in a job she hates while caring for one child with cancer and the other who feels neglected. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I based some of the story and characters on my mother, other mothers I’ve met, and my earlier childhood. This story was needed because I believe there is a negative stigma about single mothers and people who live in and/or come from housing projects. While impoverished areas might have higher crime and negative aspects than some areas, good people live in and come from these areas too. My main goal with every book I write is to improve race relations. If I want the world to change, I have to help it change, and I’m trying to do that with my writing.
What were the morals you were trying to capture while creating your characters?
There were a lot of morals to the story, but a few are: Don’t judge a book by its cover. Always think before you act. Your actions have consequences.
What was the chosen theme of the novel or did it develop organically as you were writing?
The theme was to honor single mothers. Juanita is a widowed single mother working a job she hates to provide for her two sons. Tracy is a single mother working nights at the hospital as a nurse’s aide to provide for her twins, Akeem and Ebony. Unfortunately, the father of her two children abandoned his responsibilities and enjoyed street life more than being a father, leaving Tracy to pick up the slack alone. Debbie is the only Caucasian mother in the novel, but she represents that single mothers come in every race, shape, and kind. She has Multiple Sclerosis and still struggling to raise her only son to be a man alone after her husband left her because he didn’t want to be a father. (This also shows that situations like this happen to every race and is just the typical stereotype for minorities) It is one thing to be a mother taking care of a sickly child, but to be a sickly mother that has to muster up the energy every day to raise your children takes strength and fortitude.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next book I am working on is Mothers Vol. 2 which will be somewhat of a sequel to my novel “A Father’s Sacrifice: Daddy’s Girl. I’m a huge perfectionist when it comes to my writing, so I hope to have it finished in a year or two.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
In 1995, tragedy struck when Maurice Wilson returned home from the grocery store and was killed by a stray bullet, leaving his wife, Juanita, a widowed single mother of two. Having no life insurance and barely any savings, Juanita is forced to sell what few valuable items she has to give her husband a decent burial. With her husband no longer around as the primary breadwinner and without his salary, Juanita struggled to financially keep her and her children’s heads above water, but she managed to survive.
Tragically, two years following the death of her husband, her youngest child is diagnosed with cancer, leaving Juanita deeply in debt due to copayments for treatments, surgeries, prescriptions, and transportation to and from her job and doctors’ visits. Overworked and underpaid, Juanita works a job she hates at the prestigious law firm of Wayne, Rothstein, and Lincoln to provide for her children. When her oldest child, Jalen, begins to feel neglected because his mother cannot afford to buy him the things he wants, constantly works overtime, and is always taking care of his younger brother, he is lured by the streets and a local drug dealer named Drastic. Will Jerami, Juanita’s youngest son, survive cancer? Can Juanita endure being drowned in debt and working a stressful job? Will her eldest son, Jalen, continue to be drawn to and consumed by the streets? Mothers, Vol. 1, is the riveting prologue to the award-winning novel, Defining Moments: Black and White, about a mother’s bravery and fortitude to do whatever is necessary for her children.
Mothers Vol. 1
In Mothers Vol. 1, Ben Burgess Jr. masterfully weaves a poignant, multi-layered urban narrative that delves deep into the heart-wrenching struggles of a single mother, Juanita, raising two boys in a crime-infested neighborhood. Tragedy strikes when Juanita’s son is diagnosed with cancer just two years after the devastating loss of her spouse to a stray bullet. As she grapples with financial woes and the constant worry about her older son’s brushes with the law, Juanita’s job as a senior executive assistant and administrative manager at the prestigious New York law firm, Wayne, Rothstein, and Lincoln, hangs in the balance.
Enthralling and thought-provoking, Mothers Vol. 1 captivates readers with its intricate plot twists, memorable characters, and a potent exploration of the challenges faced by resilient, independent single mothers in today’s world. The workplace antagonist who schemes to oust Juanita in favor of his illicit lover adds a layer of tension and frustration to the story.
Though the novel features some violent episodes and explicit intimate scenes, making it most suitable for mature readers, its emotional core shines through. The narrative switches between the perspectives of Juanita and her son, offering a comprehensive view of their internal struggles. While Jalen spirals into a life of crime, resentful of his mother’s perceived inadequacies, Juanita strives to provide for her children and maintain a semblance of normalcy amidst chaos. The engaging storyline is further enriched by powerful lessons on empathy, bridging racial divides, and embracing tolerance.
This compelling novel is sure to resonate with fans of urban literature and stories that celebrate the fortitude of single mothers. Upon turning the final page, readers will not only gain a newfound admiration for the heroic efforts of single mothers but also develop a deeper understanding of the hardships faced by children raised in crime-ridden communities. Mothers Vol. 1 is an unputdownable, eye-opening literary gem that leaves a lasting impression.
Pages: 499 | ASIN : B0C1MN2NW3
LITERARY TITAN 