JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Dell Banks, author of Shady
(Heir to the Throne Publications)
A world that is ruled by greed, betrayal and secrets! Giselle Whitfield’s life has always been full of surprises. It all started with Ms. Greta Mitchell, her jealous-hearted mother, who abandoned her at a young age only to barge back into her life to create hell on earth.
To cope with the drama of her past, Giselle does what’s expected of her: scheming, lying and keeping secrets.
Now, as a grown woman holding her own, will Giselle be able to extinguish the hellish flames of her conniving past and deceitful ways? Will the red carpet treatment from her Prince Charming be the beacon of light to escape the darkness of her past?
Join Dell Banks in his highly anticipated debut novel Shady as he introduces some of the shadiest people to ever hit the streets of Detroit. Experience it all as it untangles toward a state of undoubted destiny…or fate.
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write Shady?
Dell Banks: I read a lot of books by tons of authors from Eric Dickey to Ashley&Jaquavis. After reading some of my favorite authors’ material, I would find myself saying, “How I would do ‘this’ and not do ‘that’?
I also had and have many of my own stories to tell, most that are based on true events. So, I decided to challenge myself and add some missing links to the industry…three years later, Shady was born. Writing has and will always be my passion.
JP: What sets Shady apart from other books in the same genre?
DB: As critics and nationally known editors has stated, Shady created its own genre, Contemporary Urban. It’s not a street fiction book, however, there are a few Urban elements in the book. Shady tells a story that some people are afraid to tell, jealousy between mother/daughter.
While some people may opt to touch on various topics, Shady and its soon to be released counterparts will be sure to push the envelope as far as possible to reach people who need a message.
JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to Shady getting out to the public?
DB: From the start, I knew that I wanted to self-publish. And with that path, more work and dedication was required. I made sure that I could roll with the best of the best, from the cover to the editing down to the layout of the content.
I treated my book release like a presidential campaign. Everywhere I could think of…they were made aware of the release of Shady. And it hasn’t stop, I’m still promoting like my book just came out yesterday.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish Shady?
DB: My writing process is pretty unique. I usually draft up an outline. I then give my characters full descriptions and personalities. I always write my last chapter first. That keeps me focused and grounded.
I never write more than one character at a time. I make sure that I dedicate certain times to certain characters to avoid getting their voices confused. Shady took me two years to complete. With my current recipe, my future projects won’t take half as long.
JP: What’s next for Dell Banks?
DB: I’m currently working on the follow-up to Shady, which is expected to be released late Fall 2011. By the way, readers can get a sneak peek of the next installment of Shady at the very end of the first novel to stay connected to the characters in between books.
Also, I am in the final stages of adapting Shady into an on-stage production. I’ve recently confirmed some very talented and well-known actors to portray the characters of Shady so it will definitely be something to see.
This is my way of answering some of the many questions that readers had as well as bringing the character to life as an added bonus for my readers.
http://facebook.com/DellBanksJr
I would like to thank Joey Pinkney and the staff of http://joeypinkney.com/ for this opportunity.
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I enjoyed reading this! I was glad to have Dell on Black Diamond’s Book Reviews this week. It’s always interesting to read other interviews!
This was a good interview and then to see it is listed as Contemporary urban Lit , I am truly gonna purchase to see the difference in the genre, should be very different.
Several of us have read his interview and found it very interesting, especially his writing process. Shady is our reading selection for July and we are definitely looking forward to it.
Great interview, especially loved learning more about his writing process, especially writing the ending first. I introduced Shady to my reading circle and we have selected it as a July read and when we met yesterday, we read and discussed this interview.