HOTSPOT~ Ward 8 Book Festival Teleah Scott, R. Kayeen Thomas, Kelle' Avent, and LeGrand Latney

Author Feature

Teleah Scott

www.teleahscott.com

Free To Grieve: A Mother’s Memoir In Black and White' is a powerful and compelling narrative about a mother whose life begins to quickly unravel when her 16-year-old-son, a high school football player, is found lifeless in his bed. Her son had died without warning. After a harrowing plunge into the depths of despair and grief, she resurfaces with a greater sense of purpose to help spread awareness about the number one threat to young athletes. Intertwined with personal excerpts from her journal she began weeks after her son’s death, this moving memoir offers a chronicle of her emotional devastation and unspeakable pain to how she moved forward through the gravity of her loss towards acceptance, wholeness, and renewed strength. 

Teleah Scott-Williams’ life has been a courageous journey of tragedy and triumph. The unexpected death of her son, Timothy, sparked her to conduct research to deepen her understanding and knowledge about what has become the number one killer of young athletes. In doing so, she gleaned a deeper insight on how important it is for children to receive heart screenings. A native of Harrisburg, PA, Teleah currently resides in Owings Mills, Maryland with her family. Never ashamed of her testimony, Teleah is a living witness that God is bigger than any tragedy life can bring you. She founded the Timothy Q. Scott Foundation, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to help spread awareness about sudden cardiac death in young athletes.

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R. Kayeen Thomas

www.whoisrkayeenthomas.com

R. Kayeen Thomas is an author, director, playwright, and hip hop artist.  His passion for the written word and his affinity for social critique, make all of his creative endeavors powerful and fearless.  He is a thunderous voice emerging from the hip-hop generation.  

Kayeen was recently nominated to receive the 44th NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Debut Author.  His latest project constitutes the conversion of his first stage play, “After Church” into an independent, short film that is being created and developed under the umbrella of his emerging company, RKT Productions.  In today’s world, Kayeen Thomas’ commitment to social justice and to being a creative change agent truly sets him apart as a unique Millennial  who advocates looking back in order to effectively move forward.      

Kayeen currently resides in the nation’s capital with his wife and young daughter. He also is scheduled to complete a Master’s degree at Wesley Theological Seminary in 2014. 

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Kelle' Avent

http://kelleavent.webs.com

KELLE' AVENT is a native Baltimorean raised by grandparents from the age of 10 months. She is more than a survivor. Faced with many trials as a result of her parents’ addiction to substance abuse throughout her childhood, she chose to rely on faith to fuel her future. A 2001 graduate of Baltimore City College, 2006 graduate of Delaware State University, Kelle’ has received the opportunity to work in many industries including: radio, film, theatre, and fashion designing to name a few, earning many honors. However, her most prized honors are personal: as wife to Carlos, mother to Lyric and mentor. 

Avent's latest work, Makes Me WannaHolla, is a life changing inspirational writing designed to minister to the needs of teen girls and women of all ages. This book, written in a down to earth tone, highlights the issues   surrounding today’s woman, both young and seasoned. 

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LeGrand Latney

www.legrandlatney.blogspot.com

LeGrand Latney is a native of Washington DC and grew up in the historic LeDroit Park community neighborhood of Howard University. LeGrand is an Author, Musician, Graphic Designer, Avid Book Reader, and Inspirationalist and has written award winning poetry that has been published. 

LeGrand’s written works include the award winning poem Herstory as recorded on the The CD titled: The Sound of Poetry. Girlfriend! Who You Tellin is his first published book along with a collection of poetry unpublished and other books still a work in progress. LeGrand has a broad writer’s genre from fiction to non-fiction and inspires to write more while motivating others as a role model, currently is working on a motivational book. 

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