Dezanii Lewis

I am a writer based in Charlotte, NC

Featured Articles

Explore a featured selection of my writing work below.
Queen City Nerve •

Anti-Abortion Protesters Allegedly Harass, Assault UNC Charlotte Students

On Oct. 26, an anti-abortion group called Genocide Awareness Group (GAP) appeared on campus at UNC Charlotte, comparing abortion to genocide while displaying graphic images of unborn fetuses. While this is not the first time such a group has appeared on campus at the university, some of this group’s reported behaviors raised a discussion about what happens when anti-abortion advocates stretch the limits of freedom of speech and use actions that could be considered harassment or even assault.

GA
Queen City Nerve •

Brian O'Neil Returns to the Charlotte Comedy Stage

When we last spoke with Brian O’Neil in October 2019, he had recently launched a new comedy show, Revolt Comedy, which he hosted and featured a rotating cast of amateur comedians. We spoke about the momentum in the Charlotte comedy scene and Queen City Poly, a relationship podcast he was hosting about polyamory and ethical monogamy.

In the years since our last conversation, the pandemic altered much about our way of life. Restaurants transitioned to outdoor venues, concerts were held outdoors i

Feature Stories

Queen City Nerve •

Jimmy Pearls Plots Next Move While Staying True to Its Roots

From time immemorial, cooking has served as a way for people to tell stories of their culture, their history, and their roots, baring their honest souls to loved ones, community members or patrons.

This sentiment acts as the foundation upon which Jimmy Pearls was built, and co-founder Daryl Cooper believes it plays an integral role in the success his establishment has seen as of late.

On Jan. 24, Jimmy Pearls became the only Charlotte establishment to be nominated for the coveted 2024 James Be
Queen City Nerve •

Mia Love Live Navigates Anxiety in One-Woman Show

There’s nothing easy about anxiety, but when it comes to dealing with it, hiding from the issue is the most simply way out. Putting it on full display to discuss in front of thousands of people is another thing entirely. But if that’s what it takes to address something often considered taboo, then that’s what Mia Love Live is willing to do.

Drawing on her experience as a radio personality, poet and writer, Mia Love Live is the force behind This is My Brain on Anxiety: The Detailed Experience of
Queen City Nerve •

Chef Awo Amenumey Introduces Charlotte to Ghanaian Cuisine with Eh'Vivi

The sky was gray and the air cold — it was the type of weather that made you want to stay inside and never come out. The rain fell steadily outside of the small coffee shop. Inside, sequestered to the side, sat a woman sporting black, mauve, and amber braids. When Awo Amenumey noticed me, she smiled and greeted me with a warm hug, chasing away the outside chill. It was our first time meeting.

“I made you some cookies,” she said.

I noticed for the first time the small box with a clear lid that
Queen City Nerve •

Charlotte Professor Explores 400 Years of American Magic With New Podcast

As the hot, Southern heat becomes the crisp air that signals the transition of seasons, it’s hard not to think of all the things that go hand-in-hand with fall, otherwise known as spooky season.

While trick-or-treating, hayrides and horror movie marathons are prominent features of October, there’s one theme that underscores it all: magic, witchcraft, sorcery and enchantment.

Magic can mean different things to different people. For many, it’s reserved for those fantastical worlds seen on screen
Queen City Nerve •

'SwimCap' Aims to Correct the Narrative Around Black People and Swimming

The long-held stereotype that Black people either can’t or don’t swim has been upheld by generations of Americans — often in the form of jokes. It’s a myth that stands to be busted, but has largely gone unchallenged.

Charlotte’s Mixed Metaphors Productions (MMP) hopes to change that with SwimCap, an immersive theatre experience set to take place at Brooklyn Grace, formerly Grace A.M.E. Zion Church, in Uptown from Aug. 18-20.

Created in collaboration with local organization Evolutionary Aquatic
Queen City Nerve •

Empowering Bakers: The Story of Sweet Spot Studio and Kitchen in Charlotte

For many people, baking is a daunting hobby to pick up. Without the right tools and education, it can feel impossible to learn, with repeated failures making practice feel like a nightmare.

Sweet Spot Studio was launched with the goal to change that for the people of the greater Charlotte area. Opened in 2017, the company both offers classes for amateur bakers (Sweet Spot Studio) and provides kitchen rental space for more experienced bakers (Sweet Spot Kitchen).

“We have two parts to our busin
Queen City Nerve •

L'Ostrica Set to Open in Montford Park This Summer

A new addition to Montford Park was announced this week, with LʼOstrica setting an opening date for later this summer. The upscale restaurant will draw culinary inspiration from Italy, Japan, France and Korea, according to a release on Tuesday.

The restaurant will be located at 4701 Park Road, Unit D, between Montford Drive and Selwyn Avenue in a shopping center that’s currently home to Waterbean Coffee and will add Koibito Poké in July.

Launched by Cat Carter and Eric Ferguson, the idea for t
Queen City Nerve •

‘The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster’ Reimagines a Famed Tale

“Death is a disease,” Vicaria whispers. “If death is a disease then there’s a cure … And I’m going to find it.”

The line comes from the opening of The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster. Written and directed by Bomani J. Story, the film was shot in Charlotte and stars a number of local actors.

As one of countless reimaginations of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein — the famous American novel in which Dr. Frankenstein reanimates a corpse, creating Frankenstein’s monster — Story’s film is one of a kind,
Queen City Nerve •

Homage Exhibit Highlights Charlotte Couple’s Cultural Collection

In 2021, President Biden officially made Juneteenth a federal holiday. Having seen ups and downs in its popularity over the decades, some felt that Biden’s designation was a step in the right direction, albeit a long overdue one, considering how much of Black history goes overlooked.

Today, many celebrate the holiday, which marks the latest point at which enslaved people were informed of their freedom in Texas on June 19, 1865, with festivals and parties. Others, like historical collector Nia M
Queen City Nerve •

Charlotte Brothers Put Family Values to Work at Loyd Visuals

It’s rare when someone can find something they’re passionate about and manage to make a living off of it. It’s even more rare when they are able to make it a family affair. Charlotte-based production company Loyd Visuals, however, is the result of just such a dream come true.

The brainchild of Khaleel Loyd, Loyd Visuals specializes in video production, ranging from advertisements and promotional videos to documentaries. Khaleel owns and operates the company with his two younger brothers, Maleek
Queen City Nerve •

'The Glorious World of Crowns, Kinks, and Curls' Explores Black Hair Magic

For much of American history, Black hair has been a source of contention in society. Forced to hide behind Eurocentric standards of beauty, Black hair is often considered unruly or unkempt — rarely ever seen as beautiful by those outside of Black culture. In recent years, a movement to make feelings toward Black hair more inclusive has been gaining ground. One local theatre production, Three Bone Theatre’s mounting of The Glorious World of Crowns, Kinks, and Curls, will join that movement this w
Queen City Nerve •

Manny Flores Elevates Fast Casual With Que Onda and Que Fresa

After Picante, a more than decade-long staple in west Charlotte’s Wesley Heights neighborhood, closed down last fall, many wondered what, if anything, would fill its shoes and if it would be able to stand its ground.

When Manny Flores opened Que Fresa, a fast-casual taqueria similar to Picante, in its place, he hoped to continue in the tradition that Picante established while forging his own.

But first he made some menu adjustments.

“[Picante] was more burritos and bowls,” Flores said. “They
Queen City Nerve •

NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green Teaches Curating Your Own Past

People revere museums and exhibits because of the history and knowledge surrounding them and the way those institutions captivate them, but few people realize that they can house their own museums. North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green hopes to change that.

“If we walk through our homes, all our homes are museums,” she said.

Jaki Shelton Green is North Carolina’s first Black poet laureate and the third woman to hold the position. She will host her Personal Museum Workshop at the Char
Queen City Nerve •

Counterculture Club to Host Charlotte’s First Nonalcoholic Beverage Festival

January is a time for new beginnings, when people attempt to start the new year off on good footing. In recent years, “Dry January” has become a more popular part of those efforts, with participants swearing off alcohol for the month. In 2022, data for how many people took on Dry January ranged from 20% of legal-aged adults (Wired.com) to 35% (CNN), but one thing that remains clear is that the movement has only trended up since originating in the UK a decade ago.

It’s not easy; alcohol has a ho
Queen City Nerve •

Tragic Death of Charlotte Artist Francis Wabibi Leaves Family Seeking Justice

It was about two years ago that Francis Wabibi, known around Charlotte’s art scene as Francesko the Artist, made the jump that every artist frets over and aspires to; inspired by a trip to Charlotte Art League, Wabibi quit his job in retail and decided to pursue his art career full-time.

“I was inspired,” he told the Charlotte Observer in a profile published in February 2021. “I had the money. I had the means. I said, ‘Why don’t I invest in myself?’ ”

Now, not even two years after the article
Queen City Nerve •

Four Women of Charlotte Comedy Reflect on the Scene

“Women aren’t funny.” Despite centuries of evidence to the contrary, the statement has become a misogynistic cliché to the point that it only serves as an effective red flag for those still saying it publicly.

However, this mistaken cliché still has an effect on whose voices do and don’t get lifted up in comedy. In Charlotte, several women are doing their part to strengthen the scene through their work not only as performers but as show producers in the Charlotte comedy scene.

Queen City Nerve
Queen City Nerve •

Greg & Subrina Collier Prepare Second BayHaven Food and Wine Festival

Subrina Collier and her husband, three-time James Beard Foundation nominee Chef Gregory Collier, didn’t always intend on launching the BayHaven Food and Wine Festival, a yearly event that prominently features Black culinary artists from around the world in Charlotte. But after attending numerous festivals in the city where Black chefs weren’t featured, they felt the time had long since passed to do so.

“I didn’t want us to be an afterthought at festivals,” said Subrina Collier. “I wanted Black
Queen City Nerve •

Performers Discuss Tragic Demise of Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte

A train horn blares in the distance disturbing the peaceful, wooded area near McAlpine Creek. A gentle, chilly breeze blows the leaves onto the ground and rain droplets mist the air. Maybe the sun will come out. Fall has arrived and with it comes the time of year to frequent the arts. Today I’m seeing a play, but this production isn’t inside an auditorium — it’s at a barn.

When the figurative curtain rises on Shepherd Shakespeare’s production of Twelfth Night at the Barn at MoRa, we see a six-m

News

Queen City Nerve •

L'Ostrica Set to Open in Montford Park This Summer

A new addition to Montford Park was announced this week, with LʼOstrica setting an opening date for later this summer. The upscale restaurant will draw culinary inspiration from Italy, Japan, France and Korea, according to a release on Tuesday.

The restaurant will be located at 4701 Park Road, Unit D, between Montford Drive and Selwyn Avenue in a shopping center that’s currently home to Waterbean Coffee and will add Koibito Poké in July.

Launched by Cat Carter and Eric Ferguson, the idea for t
The Borgen Project •

Development Projects in Dominica Helping Nation Rebuild and Grow

The Commonwealth of Dominica, not to be confused with the Dominican Republic, is a beautiful country located in the Caribbean. While the nation is still developing, it is making a lot of progress in improving its economic state. These five development projects in Dominica are helping to reduce poverty in the country.
• River Defense Wall Project

Like many Caribbean countries, Dominica is greatly affected by hurricanes. The country aims to lessen the effects of hurricanes with this project. In
The Borgen Project •

Access to Education in Uganda Improves With Exam Ban

In the country of Uganda, education is of high concern. Given that there are over 100 students in some classes, the quality of education is severely lacking. In an attempt to focus on quality and learning retention, Uganda has done away with primary entry level examinations. As opposed to the examinations, the focus will now be aimed at ensuring that the quality of teaching is up to par. Any school found violating the ban will face strict repercussions.

The country’s Ministry of Education found
The Borgen Project •

Sale of Diamond Funds Development Projects in Sierra Leone

The Peace Diamond, the second-largest diamond ever mined in Sierra Leone, sold on December 4, 2017 for $6.5 million. The sale comes as a relief to the government. as the proceeds from the sale of the diamond will go towards development projects and infrastructure in the country.

The village where the diamond was found, Koryardu, has no running water, electricity, roads or schools. Given that the country is still recovering from the recent Ebola virus outbreak, these are much-needed funds. These
The Borgen Project •

Entrepreneurship Boosting Women's Empowerment in Moldova

In the Eastern European country of Moldova, women have a very peculiar place in society. Men revere and admire women in their society, but many men also hold traditional views which say that women should be the caretakers and the nurturers of the household. These views can stagnate women’s empowerment in Moldova.

Domestic violence is also an issue. About 22 percent of women in Moldova claim that they have been abused at the hands of a partner. This number can increase as the parties get older,
The Borgen Project •

Good News About Quality Education in Kenya

In an attempt to increase quality education in Kenya, 90,000 teachers are set to be trained. Instructors are required to participate in a government-sponsored program that will boost learning in primary schools, according to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).

Over the years, more and more students have had increased access to education in Kenya. As a result, the adult literacy rate is almost 80 percent whereas the regional average is 61 percent. There are still some hurdles to cross, h
The Borgen Project •

Her innovations a light to Women Empowerment in Algeria

In Algeria, women are typically viewed as insignificant and lesser than their male counterparts. Ironically, the honor of a family rests almost solely upon the shoulders of the women.

The literacy rate of women in Algeria is 73 percent, for men it is 87 percent. The unemployment rate for women rests at 41 percent, for men it is only 22 percent. There is clearly a disparity in how women are treated in Algeria. Fortunately, efforts are being made to encourage women’s empowerment in Algeria.

Alge
The Borgen Project •

Women's Empowerment in Eritrea

Eritrean society, like that of many underdeveloped countries, believes women to be inferior to men. This mindset has lasted for a long time but attempts are being made to change the “patriarchal culture” of the country, which would greatly benefit women’s empowerment in Eritrea.

Women’s empowerment in Eritrea is a major goal of the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Eritrea. Since women’s independence was gained in 1991, the UNDP has been making meaningful strides in increasing the status of wom
BORGEN •

Good News About Polio Eradication

SEATTLE — Polio, a highly infectious disease that invades the nervous system and can cause paralysis in a matter of hours, was once found in over 120 countries across the globe. It can be fatal and there were “40 cases an hour” according to Bill Gates. Now, polio eradication is within sight.

The disease that was once ubiquitous around the globe has seen a steep decline in recent years. In 2014, there were 300 cases reported, in 2015, the number was 74 and in 2016 the number was 37. How many hav
The Borgen Project •

Good News About Access to Hepatitis C Cure

More than 300 million people worldwide are infected with Hepatitis C. With recent efforts to increase access to the Hepatitis C cure, elimination of the virus is now possible, according to the World Hepatitis Alliance.

Over the past two years, three million people around the world were treated for Hepatitis C. The biggest deterrent to access to the Hepatitis C cure was funding, with prices for the drug being as much as $1000 for one pill. Fortunately, though, Doctors Without Borders has made ac
The Borgen Project •

Ending Child Marriage Could Reduce Global Poverty

In many developing countries it is common practice to marry off girls before the age of 18. Consequently, when girls are married at such a young age, they do not receive an education. This practice can cost countries billions of dollars, according to the World Bank. However, recent studies show that ending child marriage could reduce global poverty.

Child marriage, which primarily affects girls, has many consequences. It causes overpopulation, poor health for said child and it tends to lead to

Opinion

Niner Times •

Opinion: Spring break should be scheduled later in the year

Spring break is when students can blow off steam after enduring rigorous midterm exams and various assignments. Unfortunately for UNC Charlotte students, spring break will be much earlier this year, which should not be the case.

At the halfway point in the semester, spring break gives students the refresher they may need to make it to the finish line of the marathon that is the spring semester.

Spring break will occur from Feb. 27 to March 4 – about a week earlier than it was last year and onl
Niner Times •

Opinion: Printing should be free for students

The cost of printing for a student can add up over a semester, and since many students use printing services exclusively for assignments, students should not have to pay for printing.

At UNC Charlotte, printing a single piece of paper with black ink costs nine cents. For color, it is thirty cents. When college tuition costs are considered, some students fall short and avoid unnecessary spending. Unfortunately, many students are forced to print out their assignments.

Many professors still requi

Listicles/How-To

Queen City Nerve •

Caribbean Takeout Spots To Check Out in the Hot Season

Finding good Caribbean takeout can be hard. Sometimes the restaurants lack a certain something, be it authenticity or maybe even a website, making it quite literally hard to find.

Fortunately, Charlotte has grown into a place where immigrants come to thrive, and that often means serving up the national cuisines they grew up learning to cook perfectly. There is no shortage of great Caribbean food in the Queen City, you’ve just got to know where to find it.

Just in time for summer, we’ve compile
Niner Times •

Where in Charlotte to take graduation photos

Graduation season is right around the corner, and finding ways to commemorate this achievement can be stressful yet exciting. One way to observe this milestone is by taking graduation photos on or off campus. Here are some places in Charlotte to capture graduation photos.

Romare Bearden Park in Uptown is a popular destination with lush, scenic gardens. It also features a color-changing waterfall that is often the backdrop for photos ranging from weddings to casual ones. If the photographer's ti
Highview Apps •

Using Social Media for Support

When you acknowledge the fact that billions of consumers utilize social media in one form or another, it's hard to ignore the role that social media can play in your business. It is likely that, in this day and age, you have some sort of social media presence. You may have been using it for marketing most likely, but if you have only been looking at social media as a means of marketing, you're missing out on additional opportunities. There was once a time when, if someone was outraged about some
Highview Apps •

How to Effectively Support Your Customers

In your quest to be the best, a few things can fall by the wayside. When you're trying to make your site visible, when you're trying to increase sales, there's one thing at the base of all of that and you cannot forget that base. Your base is, obviously, your customers. You cannot forget about them. You're probably thinking, "How can I forget my customers? I need them if I want to meet my sales goals." That is not what I mean. You can't just remember your customers when you're trying to meet you
Highview Apps •

Grow Your Business Using Affiliate Marketing

Some days owning an e-commerce business is easy and others it's very, very hard. So hard, in fact, that you want help in order to acheive the best results. There's nothing wrong with wanting or needing help. The only thing wrong would be if you don't know what kind of help to enlist. For store owners, their help comes in the form of various marketing techniques. Marketing is at the crux of every retail or commerce business structure. One cannot be successful without it.

Think about a youngster,
Highview Apps •

Understanding Your Marketing Funnel

There are ways to be successful in your line of work and there are ways to fail. There are so many moving parts to being in ecommerce that it might seem like it's impossible to win in this field. Everything in ecommerce takes time, but it's worth it in the end. But what's the endgame for you? To be successful? Well, how do you measure success? For many, success is equivalent to how many sales are made. This is totally fine and normal, but do you understand the journey your customers take to make
Highview Apps •

7 Ways to Use Instagram to Market Your Products

In case you were otherwise unaware, Instagram has become a huge marketing giant. So much of a giant, in fact, that its marketing has increased to the tune of 2 million advertisers. While that can seem superfluous and oversaturated, rest assured it's actually pretty good. In fact, Instagram can boast that 75% of all users take action after viewing the post of a business. Coupled with the fact that 50% of all users follow at least one business on Instagram, I'd say it's a pretty decent model. Ther
Highview Apps •

How To Be Productive When Working Remotely

Once upon a time, human beings needed to be present in a collectice space in order to work. Then, technological advancements and different job varieties occured that allowed human beings to work remotely, thus making their lives easier in many ways. The end.

That's the world we live in.

Gone are the days where every job requires you to be physically present at the job site at all times. We live in a world where it is necessary for some employees to work remotely much of the time if not all of
Highview Apps •

Link Building Strategies for New Ecommerce Stores

So, you just opened an ecommerce store?

I'm guessing you might be a little overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. How do you spread the word? How do you increase your site's SEO (search engine optimization)? There are a lot of questions to ask and oftentimes not enough answers to go around. One helpful thing that would be helpful for you as a new ecommerce store owner is link building. What's link building? Well, it's simple. At the very least, it can be described as an SEO strategy that will b
Highview Apps •

How to Manage Inventory Across Multiple Sites

It almost goes without saying that one of the main goals of running an e-commerce site is to increase sales and be successful. In this day and age, though, it can be a little difficult to manage such a feat. With the need to maintain visibility, be alluring, and increase profits, among other things, it may seem like you're working with the cards stacked against you. Chances are, you know the deal and you want to give yourself as many chances as possible. Let's say you want to try your hand at se
Highview Apps •

3 Ways to Better Manage Back Orders

There is no way around it. As often as many store owners try to avoid it, back orders can happen to the best of them. It's unavoidable when a particular product may be extremely popular. While this may seem like a good thing for your profits, it can also spell bad news for you as a store owner. Most consumers don't want to wait for anything and hardly anyone subscribe to delayed gratification. That doesn't mean that an instance of a back order is hopeless cause, though. It is a manageable situat
Highview Apps •

Choosing the Right Supplier

Having the right supplier is a critical facet in the diamond that is your e-commerce business. For all intents and purposes, think of a supplier as your business partner. In effect, they are and having the right, or wrong, one can make or break your business. You've probably given some thought to whether or not you need a supplier of any kind and found that yeah, you do. Honestly, it makes things a lot easier when you have someone to help. Or maybe you already have supplier and you're not entire
Highview Apps •

5 Ways to Increase Ecommerce Sales

It goes without saying that one of the goals of running an e-commerce store is to generate revenue. Of course, you do it because you love it, but you want to make money off of it too, right? That's the whole point: to generate income on your terms and be your own boss. It's a dream come true! Unfortunately, it isn't always as easy as all that. Generating revenue for your business takes work and sometimes seems an impossible feat. With all the competition out there, it's always difficult to disce
Highview Apps •

Ways to Write Product Descriptions that Sell

Think about what makes you buy a product. There are always a great many contributing factors, but what's the biggest? Is it when the products are described in the simplest of fashions? I'd be willing to bet not. Just as we need visual representation when browsing a product, so too do we need a quality description of said product. Anyone can see the blue coat on your site so there's no need to describe to us that it's a blue coat. What makes this blue coat special? Why should we buy it? How would
Highview Apps •

5 Ways to Avoid Cart Abandonment

I'm guilty. I'm not going to lie about it. I have been one of those shoppers who abandon their carts during the checkout process. I’ve done it multiple times and it’s possible that I will never stop. But guess what? I’m not alone.

Nearly 70% of consumers abandon their carts during the checkout process. That’s a steep number! If you were to calculate the amount of the consumers who visit your site and subsequently abandon their carts, I’m sure that you would find that you’re almost hemorrhaging
Highview Apps •

Tips for Taking Photos That Increase Your Sales

There is absolutely no way around it. People are extremely visual creatures. This becomes even more true when it comes to online shopping. Because we cannot see the products in person or experience them, it is critical for the customer to be able to trust that they can see the product in enough detail. Speaking from personal experience, I have totally forgone getting a product if the pictures weren't available or up to par. Clearly, you don't want this to happen to you. You want your customers t
Highview Apps •

5 Profitable Channels to Sell Your Overstock

As an e-commerce store owner, you're thinking of all of the year-end things you need to do, I'm sure. One thing plaguing you is what to do with all of this excess inventory you possess. You may have a few items left over from a time earlier in the year that didn't sell too well to being with. Or perhaps you simply ordered too many of them and the supply was greater than the demand. Maybe you're just making room for everything new coming in. Or maybe your excess items are seasonal, making it diff
Highview Apps •

5 Tips for Choosing the Right Virtual Assistant

As the owner of your business, you probably want to do everything yourself because you trust yourself to get the job done. You know what needs to be done more than anyone. Your business is your baby. Your precious, if you will. But listen up, Gollum, you have to let other people help you with it sometimes. In fact, it's critical that you do so.

Allowing others to help you with certain tasks will allow you to focus on the more critical tasks that your business needs in order to survive. For obvi
Highview Apps •

Ethical Ways to Increase Your Followers

As an e-commerce store owner, it can be pretty hard out there. There are so many factors that determine success and so many millions of ways to attempt to achieve it that you might not be entirely sure of the best way to go about getting it. In theory getting followers, or increasing sales, or optimizing SEO may seem like it'll be a home run. In theory? Not so much. In fact, sometimes it may seem so hard to attain that you'll want to take shortcuts from time to time. Toeing the line of ethics ca
Highview Apps •

Stress Management for Entrepreneurs

Managing your own business is tricky. Sometimes it seems like your best is never enough. Other times it seems like there's just too much to do. It can get really hard out there. Plenty of times it may seem as though there is advice out there for entrepreneurs, but it's not always the right kind.

Day in and day out entrepreneurs get business advice, but very seldom do they get personal advice. I've got a little secret for you: you are your business and it is important to take care of yourself to
Highview Apps •

You're Not Sending Enough Emails

Building a solid customer base is something any e-commerce store should strive to do. Otherwise, how do you plan on growing? Ask yourself, where would you be without your customers? Where would any store be without its customers? In a world of trouble, that's where. And it isn't enough just to have customers, you must have returning customers above all else. New customers can be a flash in the pan, but your customers who return are your bread and butter. The best way to get customers to return i
Highview Apps •

5 Free Tools to Help You Run Your Ecommerce Business

It can seem like a dog-eat-dog world out there, especially where it concerns starting your business. There are so many factors that come into play with regard to starting up your business that it's hard to figure out where to begin. Generally, you have to spend money to make money, but sometimes you can catch a break. Every now and again you can come across free tools to help you run your e-commerce business.

In our day and age, social media is the glue that holds our society together. You can
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Reviews

Niner Times •

Book Review: You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty

Genre: Romance, Fiction

Rating: 4/5

It all happens so quickly: an orange, blossoming fire; the sound of shattering glass; blood. Boom. You're a widow. That's what happens to Feyi Adekola. She's lost the love of her life in a car crash before their first anniversary, and she spends five years mourning him. When we first meet Feyi, a very talented artist, she's broken and guilt-ridden. She feels guilty for surviving the crash and living without her husband, Jonah. She never feels that he's her ex because they never broke up; he died.
RiceBall •

Bring Spider-Man Home

Let’s get excited. Let’s get VERY excited!!

We’ve all seen the new trailer for the upcoming movie Spider-Man: Far From Home. This trailer looks amazing to say the least, but it also causes more questions than it answers. The last time we saw Spider-Man he was saying, “I don’t feel so good” and fading away into the ether, leaving us all broken-hearted and sobbing uncontrollably. I am not afraid to admit that that movie made me bawl like a baby. And from the louder sobs I could hear in the theate
RiceBall •

The Cards Have Fallen

All the cards have been dealt and laid on the table for the series finale of House of Cards.

If you’re like me, this was a bittersweet viewing. Yes, you’re excited to see how everything will end, but also anxious because, well, it’s ending. Being emotionally involved in a show for six years can do that to you.

The biggest buzz surrounding this show was the fact that Frank Underwood, played by Kevin Spacey, would not be featured on the final season. The announcement came on the heels of sexual
RiceBall •

The Legacy Begins: Children of Blood and Bone

“You know how to win. Just make sure you know when to fight”

The New York Times calls this book “a magnificent, heartrending, earthshaking debut.” The West African inspired fantasy novel was the buzz of the book world long before its release. I first heard about this book on Goodreads. From the way the cover looked, to the title, this was a book I instantly wanted to read. The cover features a girl with daring eyes, beseeching the reader. Her white hair defiantly soars high. Her skin is as deep
RiceBall •

Let’s Go, Solo!

Haven’t you always wanted to know about Han Solo’s history? Like where his ne’er-do-well, bad-boy persona originated? Or the true details of the Kessel Run? You know—that amazing feat of myth that’s as ubiquitous a story in the Star Wars Universe as the bad aim of a Stormtrooper? And what about how he became the owner of the Millennium Falcon—wouldn’t you love to see that card game?

And now we can! It’ll be extremely interesting to see Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon in their prime. Lando Ca
RiceBall •

The Thing About Phasma

The lights glint against her armor

And now no man or beast can harm her

She carries herself within her armor with purpose

And now no one will ever see beneath the surface

And now you’re out of commission

The only one willing to take a stand

I am yours to command

This article reveals details about The Last Jedi and the book, Phasma . You have been warned.

I’m a huge fan of Phasma. I was a fan of her when I found out that she was being portrayed by the illustrious Brienne of Tarth, a.k.a.
RiceBall •

A Review From A Galaxy Far, Far Away…Star Wars: The Last Jedi

So, before we get started I simply want to say that I enjoyed Star Wars: The Last Jedi. That being said, I expected a lot more. I heard someone say that this movie was better than Empire Strikes Back. If you agree with that, then to you I say this: you need to reevaluate your life choices. There will be spoilers in this so if you have NOT watched The Last Jedi…then you should NOT read this review.

The Last Jedi picks up where The Force Awakens left off. Rey, in the noblest of gestures, handing

Blog

Nefels Anonymous •

Done in a Flash

I’ve said before how I have always struggled with finishing pieces for myself. Writing for publications, school, and work allowed me to help meet deadlines, but the things I wrote about were always for someone else. One would think that this would help me with meeting my own deadlines, but if you say that then you’ve never met the Imposter (the name I’ve bestowed upon my imposter syndrome). Writing stories for myself has always been hard–in fact, I struggle with posts for this blog constantly. C
Nefels Anonymous •

Is Love Truly Blind?

“Love is blind.” How many times have we heard that phrase? An adage as old as time, it has become ubiquitous in conversations concerning why people make questionable decisions in their relationships. Typically, it is used in relationships where we can see the other person. So, when we say “love is blind,” we’re usually saying that love allows one to ignore any and all red flags–love gives you blinders. But what if it were different? What if you were capable of seeing the person, but you didn’t a
Nefels Anonymous •

My Dog IS My Baby

A little over 10 years ago, I made my way to Logan International. I wasn’t catching a flight, but I was going places. In order to begin my journey, I needed to get to the cargo area of the airport. It’s been a long time now, so all I remember is a blur of faces and signs and my cell phone ringing infrequently with someone on the other end telling me that if I didn’t get to them in time they would close and who knew what would happen to my precious cargo.

I grew confused when every worker I aske
Nefels Anonymous •

In Defense of Pamela Isley

Have you ever heard of Pamela Isley? Well, if you haven’t, let me tell you a little about her: she’s someone who cherishes her friends, is a staunch defender of all things plants and has the most spectacular green thumb, and, in some incarnations, has even given her life to save others. Despite this, she’s been thrown into an insane asylum on multiple occasions and is often times one of the targets of a very well-known caped crusader.

It’s not her fault she has a better bond with plants than wi
Nefels Anonymous •

Why Do This Now?

4 years to the day, on January 7, 2018, I created my first WordPress account. Primarily, I did it to link to a separate site for which I was writing as a contributor. I didn’t think anything of it until I realized I could use it to publish my own blog.

I picked a [now defunct] site address, picked a few stock images to represent the hero image for pages, wrote, what I thought was, a quirky little message, and took a break.

In my eternal optimism, I thought someone might stumble upon my homely