JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Gloria Dotson-Lewis, author of You Got Me Twisted
(Wahida Clark Publishing)
“You Got Me Twisted” is about a sixteen year old girl named Makenzie Pierce who is quick to fight anyone who rubs her the wrong way. When she finally goes too far, she finds herself in front of a judge who orders her to either go see a therapist to sort out her anger issues or spend time behind bars at the Juvenile Correctional Center.
When deep, dark family secrets, that had been buried for years, are suddenly resurrected, skeletons start falling out the closet. The Pierce family will never be the same again
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “You Got Me Twisted”?
Gloria Dotson-Lewis: “You Got Me Twisted”, as well as my first, “Ninety-Nine Problems”, was inspired by a small group of girls I use to mentor. I wrote a short story for them to open up dialogue about various teen issues. They were really into the characters and story line which motivated me to extend it into a book.
A light went off in my head showing me that I can reach other teens everywhere through my books. The rest, as they say, is history.
JP: What sets “You Got Me Twisted” apart from other books in the same genre?
GDL: There are a lot of great authors who write young adult fiction like Earl Sewell, ReShonda Tate-Billingsley & NiNi Simone. I don’t know if my books are too far set apart from what they bring. I do know that my books add to a much needed YA urban genre.
My characters & dialogue are authentic, believable and relatable. I choose to address serious topics that are relevant and that touch the hearts of the readers. I aim to entertain. More importantly, I want to send a message that I hope will change a life or at least make the reader think twice before making a bad decision.
JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “You Got Me Twisted” getting out to the public?
GDL: I post on social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter. I also hand out bookmarks to random people, so I can strike up a conversation. I always keep copies on me to sale. I also plan on hitting as many book events as I can this upcoming year.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish You Got Me Twisted?
GDL: This is only my second book, so I actually didn’t have a writing process. With my first book, “Ninety-Nine Problems”, I wrote the story as it came to me. With “You Got Me Twisted”, I did the outline first then added or changed things as needed. I think worked better for me. They both took me about seven months to write.
JP: What’s next for Gloria Dotson-Lewis?
GDL: I’m currently working on book three which is the sequel to “You Got Me Twisted”. I’m also looking forward to hosting my first book club meeting with a group of teens in the near future.
http://www.facebook.com/gloria.dotsonlewis.7
http://twitter.com/gdotsonlewis
I would just like to thank everyone who purchases my books. I hope they past the word to others. I’m so grateful for the opportunity that Wahida Clark Publishing has given me. And thank you Joey Pinkney for allowing me this platform to let people know about my books.
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