Where are you from?

Gainesville, Florida. Home of the Gators "Chump"

Do you have any children or pets?

I have a daughter who is four years old going on 21, and is wiser than most teenagers. She's a great kid with a large vocabulary. (It gets scary sometimes.)

Are you married?

I have been divorced since 1996.

Did you go to college and where and what did you study?

Yes, but I did not graduate, my major was adult psychology.

Current occupation, if other than author.

I am a full time mother, part-time writer, part-time actress, and part-time Insurance CSR, I'm pretty     busy.

Who are your favorite author(s) and why? 

Michael Baisden, His novels are very suspenseful and stimulating.  He has a way of making you talk out loud towards the character. You know the same way we do when watching television.

Where do you see your writing career in the next ten years?

Screen-writing of course, I plan to continue to write books, which make good movie material.

What are your hopes and dreams, now that you're a published author?

For my first novel to become a screen play, stage play and/or best seller.

How do you feel (overall) about self-publishing?

I had a great experience with Bookman-marketing whom recently experienced a name change to Air-leaf, they made it easy, and with them you have total power.

What are you reading now?

A novel written by Wendy Turner titled "With No Harm" The story is about five friends discovering one of their own children has been raped at an annual after-graduation party. This causes Twenty-five-years of secrets to bubble to the surface.  It's somewhat stemmed from an actual true story.

When you write, what things do you have to have?

Privacy and complete silence are the things I must have.

What inspired you to write DESTINY?

My best friend encouraged me to re-kindle my career in writing. I wrote Destiny because I wanted to write about dealing with love, family, real life drama, bad career choices, religion, and a mother's love.  I weaved them all together to make one great and entertaining story that could be effective towards today's youth.

Are the characters symbolic to people you actually know? 

Actually some personalities were borrowed from actual real life people.  Nothing I've written was re-produced from anyone's past. The story was totally made up, including the locations.  However, I did do major research.

How much of DESTINY is realistic or reality?

80% is realistic. People even today experience what I allowed my characters to experience and go through.

Is there a message in DESTINY that you want readers to grasp?

Easy come easy go, nothing lasts forever, patience is a virtue. Know yourself, set some boundaries, and stop blaming others for your own mistakes. And most of all love your family and trust in God almighty.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of promotion for self-published authors?

The Weaknesses-

The never ending marketing, knowing how and who to target, and being able to afford to send out novels or invest in promotional packages.  Knowing who to trust, there are plenty of marketers who target new writers, that can cost you more than they’re worth, so be careful. 

The Strengths-

Having control over your title, cover, layout, price, and earnings.

What is your next novel about and when will it be in stores? 

"Shame" is my next novel to be released in early 2006 (hopefully the title will not change.) However per my publisher "Black Pearl Books Publishers" I'm not permitted to release information or go into detail. If you've read Destiny, then you know it will be just as entertaining and juicy, with drama and suspense with characters of different backgrounds. Trust me you will enjoy it.

How does your family and/or friends feel about your book or writing venture in general?

They were shocked, impressed and supports me 100%.  I am grateful to have them around.

Why did you feel the need to pen DESTINY?

I wanted to write a novel that had a  hidden message and could show common problems in relationships but at the same time highly entertain you.  I wanted the readers to have that Michael Baisden effect, where you could easily feel angry enough to talk back to the book, as well as jump from all the surprises that were written throughout.  I made sure that it was hard to put down after you picked it up.  Not to toot my own horn, but Destiny has a strong way of grabbing the readers and not letting go until the ending!  Most of my readers read all 523 pages in less than one week and some even in two days.  I am proud of that and the reviews have been great.     

 

This interview was taken by Chantay W. for Euro-Reviews.
Thanks Tangelika and Chantay!