JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Shawn Jihad Trump, author of The Devil’s Game
(Wahida Clark Presents)
Chris Michael is caught in the struggle between family and the drug game. He wants out, but the moment is never right. The incarceration of his mentor, the death of his best friend, and the friends turned snitch isn’t enough.
Indebted to the Russian mob after murdering one of their high ranking officials for orchestrating the kidnapping of his wife and daughter, Chris is in deeper than ever.
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “The Devil’s Game”?
Shawn Jihad Trump: The struggle the main character faces was my own. I’ve given a large part of my life away to prison and still continued to hustle. While in prison, I started writing. It became a way for me to channel my emotions.
JP: What sets “The Devil’s Game” apart from other books in the same genre?
ST: I don’t glorify the game. Most hood books I read show this larger than life man who doesn’t have a conscience and is happy selling drugs. They write about characters who have multiple women and murders without thought.
My character is loyal to his wife, shows remorse for his mistakes, wants to be a good person and wants to live a legitimate lifestyle. I show that money from the drug game comes with consequence. I show that the choices we make affect more than just us.
JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “The Devil’s Game” getting out to the public?
S.T: Taking a chance. Instead of sitting in prison and not doing anything, I started writing. I took a chance and submitted my work to Wahida Clark and the rest is history. Wahida has guided me and showed me the way.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish “The Devil’s Game”?
S.T: “The Devil’s Game” was wrote in just under a month. However the editing process took almost a year and a half. I can’t even count how many edits were done. Every time I submitted an updated manuscript, I prayed it would be the last.
JP: What’s next for Shawn Jihad Trump?
S.T: I’m about half way through my next book. It’s called “Just Had To Learn The Hard Way”. However, I’m a Chef and work long hours, so it’s hard for me to find time to write.
http://facebook.com/shawntrump5
“I just want to thank everyone who has been there for me. I have been through a lot, put my loved ones through a lot and they have still had my back” ~ Shawn Jihad Trump
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