Michelle Valentine
Michelle Valentine is an American author, writer, and novelist. She has been a part of the entertainment industry for the majority of her life in many capacities. She's done jingles, radio, theater, film and television & has now cultivated her love for writing.
Beating out hundreds of hopefuls, in the early 1990s Michelle was chosen to help revive the pop dance group, The Cover Girls. Although the group was already in existence prior to her arrival with hits like Show Me and Because of You, Michelle not only gave the group new life as the lead vocalist of the Billboard chart topping hit Wishing on a Star, she also wrote the title track of the CD titled Here It Is, igniting her passion for the craft. However, as music changed and the spotlight dimmed, she eventually put down the mic and went on to graduate Cum Laude from Marymount College, earning her Bachelor's Degree in Speech, Drama & Communications, while minoring in Marketing & Creative Writing. As she accomplished her academic goals, she simultaneously created and edited stage plays for the college's drama department, wrote for the campus newspaper, hosted a radio advice show and conceptualized music video treatments. In the midst of pursuing her degree, she also freelanced for several magazines, contributing stories on celebrities such as Beyoncé and Snoop Dogg. Never one to rest, Michelle also co-hosted a nationally syndicated radio show where she conducted live on-air interviews with some of today's hottest recording artists.
As a natural progression, Michelle ultimately embarked on a career as a novelist while working full-time at an entertainment law firm and management company as a Client Coordinator. As she learned the business side of the industry, she took pride in creating characters that possessed universal stories, proving that we are all far more connected than we think. Her first book, Nyagra's Falls, was written in 2002 and quickly caught the eye of New York Times Bestselling author, Zane who published the work under her by Strebor Books/Simon & Schuster imprint. Pushing the meter further, Michelle went on to co-author the Essence best selling fictionalized autobiographical epic titled, Insatiable with adult film star, Heather Hunter before St. Martins Press published her sophomore effort, A Girl's Gotta Eat. Taking a leap into mainstream contemporary fiction, Michelle completed her fourth novel titled The Year it Snowed in April, under the pseudonym Eva Bottiér. A dark tale of love, psychosis and abuse, the book has gained critical acclaim and was a main selection for the prestigious Black Expressions Book Club.
In an effort to take her career to the next level, Michelle has now ventured into the world of film and television, writing and creating several projects, two of which are currently in pre-production. A true new millennium woman, this mother of one stays deep in the trenches of her musical roots as she also runs her own company, The Epitome Group, LLC, a boutique artist booking agency that represents several of today's hottest artists.
Valentine graduated from Manhattan's Marymount College with a degree in Speech, Drama and Communications, and minors in Marketing and Creative Writing.[1] She grew up in New York City raised by a mother involved in the entertainment industry. By age 3 she became a regular on Sesame Street.[1]
In 2007, Valentine founded The Epitome Group, LLC, "a boutique artist booking agency that represents several of today's hottest artists."[1]