JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Kendra Dunn, author of The Preacher’s Daughter
(La’ Femme Fatale’ Publishing)

If Shar Reid is guilty of anything, it’s of leading her life with her heart instead of her mind. A preacher’s daughter, she disobeys her father’s commandment never to fraternize with “thugs” and falls head over heels for big-time hustler Slay.

Young, beautiful and smart, Shar never sets out to ruin her future—definitely not for the unfaithful and abusive man Slay turns out to be. But, that’s exactly what she does—all in the name of love. She goes from being college bound to being swept up into a world of grit, grime and crime where a chain of events conspire in her life that can’t be undone and lands her where she never expected to be…behind bars.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write The Preacher’s Daughter?

Kendra Dunn: As I’ve mentioned in previous interviews, a lot of people have made the assumption that the book was inspired because of my life as a preacher’s kid. I’m not a PK, but Shar—the protagonist in the book—is the daughter of a stern Baptist minister. And interestingly enough, the book was originally titled Babygirl; however, there were already several books on the shelf with the same title. So, after a few brainstorming sessions, we agreed upon The Preacher’s Daughter.

The story itself was inspired by some of my teenage experiences—fiction, of course, is only reality embellished to the utmost. I briefly dated a guy who was involved in the “game.” His nickname for me was “Babygirl”; hence, the original title of the book.

If I hadn’t made the right decisions in life Shar’s story could have easily been my reality, which is why I wanted to pen an urban fiction tale that wasn’t just an entertaining street read but one that acted as a wake up call for young girls everywhere—diving into the loss of innocence, abuse and the self degradation that lies beneath the glitz and glamour associated with being a hustler’s girl. The title does come with its’ share of consequences and repercussions.

JP: What sets The Preacher’s Daughter apart from other novels in its genre?

KD: In a lot urban fiction novels being released there’s no sense of redemption amongst the sex, drugs, violence and hood rich lifestyles of the characters being created. The Preacher’s Daughter has its fair share of the essentials that make an entertaining street read; however, my goal was to intertwine some positive messages and learning lessons throughout the story and to create a character that realized and eventually regretted the bad decisions that she had made.

Also, coming out of the gate, I wanted to establish myself as a writer that not only writes to entertain but also to enlighten. I believe that’s what sets me apart as an urban fiction author and what distinguishes The Preacher’s Daughter from the abundance of urban books hitting the shelves. I believe urban fiction fans are growing tired of mindless street stories. They’re coming to the point, in which, they want both—to be entertained and enlightened.

In addition, The Preacher’s Daughter isn’t your ordinary story of a girl being led astray by a drug dealer. Shar and the cast of characters are candid, witty and smart. There are also several twists and turns in the book and of course, a shocking ending that readers won’t see coming!

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to The Preacher’s Daughter getting out to the public?

KD: Authors—especially new authors under smaller publishing houses—have to be the driving force behind marketing and advertising their work. Along with doing book signings to push The Preacher’s Daughter, I’ve tried to make contact and build relationships with people in the media, book reviewers, book clubs, bookstore owners, etc. Also, social networking (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) has played a huge role in my spreading the word about The Preacher’s Daughter.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish The Preacher’s Daughter?

KD: My writing process consists of me going wherever my thoughts take me. Rarely do I create an outline for a book because I never know the direction of the story or the characters until the end is near. Each day I make an effort to devote time to any project that I’m working on to bring it to completion before jumping on the next idea. However, I never force myself to write when I’m not in the mood; it only leads to a failed attempt. And, I usually write with music playing in the background…music is my muse—from gospel to R & B to rap and sometimes jazz. Music stimulates the mind.

When writing The Preacher’s Daughter, as I stated above, each day I devoted time to hammering out the story. In my eyes, I wasn’t writing a book but on my way to making one of my dreams come true—that thought pushed me to finish the manuscript in four months.

JP: What’s next for Kendra Dunn?

Currently, I’m finishing up my second novel. To the chagrin of those who’ve read The Preacher’s Daughter, it’s not the sequel. I haven’t nailed down a title for my second release as of yet, but here’s a quick blurb:

Ramada, Toi and MissyLynn all live in the same housing project—The Bottoms—where everyone has a hustle, including the three of them. Instead of treasuring what’s between their thighs, they use what they got to get what they think they need only to lose what’s most important—their self-respect and for two of them…their lives.

I’ll keep you posted on the release date. In the meantime, I’m launching a new blog! Readers can check me out at http://sistahgurlfriend.wordpress.com/, where I’ll be blogging about life, love, lessons learned and everything in between! Thanks. It’s been a blast.

http://lafemmefataleproductions.com/
http://facebook.com/kendradunn
http://twitter.com/kendradunnlffp
http://sistahgurlfriend.wordpress.com/

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