In order to refrain from overdosing on studying (it can happen), put the textbook down and pick up novel written by a fellow Eagle.
“Aloha… A New Beginning,” written by women and gender studies student, Chevetta Burton is about friendship, love and trust; something college students either know too much about or will learn soon enough.
In this fiction romance novel, a successful business owner Ja’Ron Moss hadn’t thought much about being a full time father until his sister waltzed into his home after years of non-communication and drops off her infant son. He meets the irresistible Renee Colby and later finds out a shocking secret about the nephew he’s been raising.
Burton always knew she loved to write, but didn’t realize her talent until receiving praise from professors at Eastern Michigan University when taking a class to complete her Masters of Science in Human Resources and Organizational Development in the ‘90s.
“It wasn’t until I took a class in Anthropology and was given a creative writing assignment that I realized I really had a gift which was waiting to be unleashed,” Burton said. “My professor expressed how much she enjoyed reading the story and that she felt as if she was there in every scene.”
From the confidence boost from her peers and professors, Burton decided to write her book and self publish it. Although it was challenging doing all the work on her own, Burton says that she’s been quite successful.
“Pushing all of this by myself with very little help, it’s been doing very well,” she said.
Burton sold a total of 30 books at her book singing at Simply de Vine Cards-N-Gifts in downtown Ypsilanti late August, at which the store owner told her is more than the average sale for any first-time author at the store. Burton, who works as a Human Resource Manager at Alpha Packaging, writes books as a hobby, but would love to become a best-selling author.
“What I try to focus on in my writing is to give African American women and men who are entrepreneurs and who have struggled to start a business or expand their businesses [advice],” Burton said.
“The story just came to me and I used to doing event planning back in the day so that’s probably how some of Renee’s story got started. And I incorporated the other stories into it and expanded off of that.”
While applying to PH.D. Programs in the area, Burton has decided to start writing her second novel, already titled “Dancing with Paris.”
“It’s going to be centered around a young woman who’s engaged to a successful business owner in the city and he cheats on her,” she said. “She finds out and breaks it off and she’s looking for love while trying to expand her business as well.”
When trying to escape the pressure and stress of school, Burton hopes that students will take time out to read her book. She urges that it will do a troubled mind some good.
“My writing style is aimed toward easy reading,” Burton explained. “When people read my books, I want people to feel refreshed. I don’t want them to have complicated reading. I just want them to read a nice story that flows.”
To buy a copy of Burton’s novel “Aloha… A New Beginning” make your way over to the EMU Bookstore located in the Student Center.
