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- What inspired the central theme or idea behind your latest book?
The central theme behind the book is revolutionizing the role women play in building wealth. The anthology features the inspiring stories of 15 trailblazing women. We wanted to show how women could challenge the norms, rewrite the rules and redefine wealth creation, as an individual or business owner. I was inspired to participate as there was a time in my corporate career, where I felt like my story didn’t matter. So I never shared it. Since becoming a business owner, I’ve realized that my story does matter and it should be shared to inspire others. My chapter in particular, covers milestone moments in my career leading up to where I am now. It’s an opportunity to inspire millions of women to create legacy in their lives and break barriers.
- Could you share a bit about your writing process and any unique techniques you employ?
My writing process started off with more reflection than anything else. Our writing cohort met monthly for several months and there were exercises we did to help us get in tune with ourselves. Those sessions, including breathing exercises, allowed me to mentally ‘reach back’ and reflect on all I had experienced. The highs, the lows and everything in between. Once those moments were captured, I started creating audio clips when I remembered something I wanted to share. I then transferred those thoughts to a Google Sheet where I could expand and reflect more. I focused on getting the information out of my head first instead of any formatting concerns. My first draft was a bit of a mess, but at least I had my ideas down! I wanted to make sure I sat in the moment so I could truly express what I was feeling in words. I wanted to take my readers on a journey.
- How do you develop authentic and memorable characters in your stories?
Everyone in the book is actually a real person. Some of the names have been changed to protect the innocent (or guilty). These persons contributed to my journey and makes it a truly authentic recollection of my story and how these scenarios led me to building my own company.
Are there any personal experiences or real-life events that have influenced your writing?
I’d share – how this book collaboration manifested itself and became an opportunity for me through – organic networking. In my chapter I talk about when I was laid off for the second time in 2011, I had 5 people I could call on. When I realized I needed to do better, I set out on a mission to intentionally build my network. This opportunity came from efforts I’ve put into building my network on LinkedIn. I connected with a woman, where we serve a similar market (e.g., financial services companies) and I wanted to learn more about her work so that I could refer clients to her. She ended up referring me to one of her clients and boom – the rest is history. Some say that social media doesn’t work, let me tell you – it does and has now given me the chance to be a published author!
Fun Fact: Is there an interesting backstory behind any particular scene or character in your book? Something readers might not guess just from reading the final product.
The opening quote in my chapter is something I continue to model, with intention. “The biggest shift in life happens when you believe you can. Take a chance on yourself. You’re worth it.” In my chapter, I talk about the moment I was told, basically, you’re not going to find success here, so look elsewhere.
At that moment, I knew I had an opportunity. What was I willing to do? I thought, “Cameo, the shift is happening. You’ve been preparing for this. Will you take a chance on yourself?”
That catalyst moment is something I reflect on everyday. It’s also a spiritual market in my life and created a resilience to take risks and believe I can do it.
Authors Page: www.cameoroberson.com
