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5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, barbara grovner, even numbers, interview, myspace, third eye publishing, violence

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Barbara Grovner, author of Even Numbers

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Barbara Grovner, author of Even Numbers
(Third Eye Publishing)

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Even Numbers?

Barbara Grovner: The inspiration to write Even Numbers came from a very close person in my life who had gone through a very similar experience. I actually wrote the book for her.

JP: What sets Even Numbers apart from other urban fiction novels?

BG: Even Numbers is written in narrative form because it was the type of story that had to be told. I found it extremely difficult to give James a voice. It seemed to give him too much power. For a pedophile, power is the one thing we do not want them to possess.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Even Numbers getting out to the public?

BG: I have been trying to target single-mothers who date in an effort to hopefully alert them to some of the red flags. Those red flags may make them take a closer look at the men they bring home to their innocent and unsuspecting children.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Even Numbers?

BG: I am a bit “Old School” when it comes to writing. I prefer to write in a notebook. Then I transfer everything to my computer. My thoughts flow better when I am physically writing.

Even Numbers, although a very short book, took about a year to write from start to finish. There was a lot of research involved. Also the topic of child molestation was difficult to write. I found myself having to take breaks from thinking of the horrors some women have endured.

JP: What’s next for Barbara Grovner?

BG: My next novel We Belong Together is scheduled to release in December. It’s a “who-done-it” mystery beginning with a senseless murder of a nurse. The characters are colorful, and the dialogue is off the chain. Nothing at all like Even Numbers, which is a narrative and extremely thought provoking.

At this time, I am working on the sequel to We Belong Together which is also a “who-done-it” mystery as well. I hope to have that book out sometime next year.

I am also offering editing services at the lowest rate in the business. In fact, I am offering first-time authors who are enrolled in school an incredibly low low rate for a limited time. I can be reached at bgrovner@hotmail.com for inquiries.

http://www.myspace.com/barbaragrovner
http://facebook.com/bgrovner

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5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, interview, urban fiction, urban lit, urban/street lit

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… D. I., author of Frostbite

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
D.I., author of Frost Bite
(Madd Mindz Publishing)

Humble, charismatic, charming and determined are characteristics to name a few when speaking of the rookie of the year author of urban-street novels, D.I. Considered by many as the Steven King of urban-street fiction, no genre or entity can captivate ones mind as D.I. when indulging in his movies on paper.

As vivid and raw as a bloody crime scene, D.I.’s no-holds-barred style of writing begs a read to question: are these masterpieces real and titled fiction in efforts to elude possible conviction? Or are these masterpieces truly fiction but just so well written that it leaves the reader astounded to one’s imagination of how he depicts the severity of the street life.

An example of D.I.’s writing prowess is the ninth chapter of Frost Bite. As the Venoms (a murderous female killing crew, led by Shanda) plots on Ghost (Americas living nightmare), D.I. depicts a brooding scene of carnage as victims fall for the deadly Venoms’ stunning and angelic looks. It shows how there’s no one role a woman or man could play, whether being the villain or victim.

Joey Pinkney: Where did I get the idea and inspiration to write Frost Bite?

D.I.: I was actually writing a poem to my mother while I was in the ‘box’ aka OBCC’s solitary confinement on Rikers Island. I received a letter from her, and she asked me how did I get to the point where I’m facing 12 ½ – 25 years in prison.

It was suppose to be a simple answer which I was setting up as a little poem called ‘Mother of a Stranger’. I started writing the poem. I was just thinking of all the stuff I was exposed to while in the streets and what I’ve done or saw first hand. From those past thoughts, I realized that question couldn’t be answered with a simple poem. Six hundred plus pages later, I gave you Frost Bite.

JP: What sets Frost Bite apart from other urban fiction novels, where the main character is torn between crime and love?

DI: Well first let me answer the second part of that question. The main character is torn apart between crime and love because he is a street monger, just like many other brothers raised with no other choice but the streets. He chases whatever brings him the quickest dollar whether its robbing, drugs…even murder. He does what he feels he has to do in the company of his childhood friend, Fam, at his side at all times.

Then by fate, he comes across a beauty by the name of Lisa and an ex-street tough turned business mogul which both show him a new way of life. That new way of life is the way he wants to live. Because the loyalty and the brotherly love he has for Fam, he’s stricken to choose who to go with and who to leave behind.

The twist is, if he goes with Fam, that new way of life which will bring him sure fortune and a honest living will be just a memory of what he could’ve or possibly achieved. If he goes with Lisa and all that comes with her, he’ll have to turn his back on Fam, who’s a homicidal maniac. Crossing him can more the surely end with a deadly result.

What puts Frost Bite in a league of its own? Well it’s not the same recycled story of a drug king pin or how someone came from nothing, got it but lost it all in a hail of gun smoke. It’s not a story about some chick chasing some drug dealer or rapper to gain a come up to do whatever she thinks is best for her.

Frost Bite is what I’d consider a bitter street-love story with the main character sacrificing himself to protect those he consider dear to him. With the intertwined connection of the characters, it gives the reader a humorous but shocking cliché on how small the world is.

Yes it’s filled with violence, sex, lies, betrayal and all those good elements which one would consider is an urban fiction, but the bottom line is that those elements don’t short change the reader into another too short, undisrupted, and unrealistic street tale. Truly, you can kick up your feet and watch this movie on paper unfold in your mind as you read Frost Bite.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Frost Bite getting out to the public?

DI: Well, that’s on you and the general public to realize a diamond in the rough! But seriously, some would consider Frost Bite is a reflection of the life I once lived. Of course, some areas were exaggerated. For the most part it’s so easy to identify with because you can envision it to be someone’s actual life.

The public is tired of make believe stories. They’re tired of people going school, becoming CO’s then proclaiming to be a gangster. You can dissect Frost Bite for what it is and do your homework on me and what I’ve been through and realize the authenticity in it and come to just two conclusions.

This has to be based on him or he’s one hell of a writer. If you go to one of these other urban fiction writers and do the same, it just doesn’t add up when you do a background check on that individual author. Yeah, they’ve been locked up or what have you, but they go to jail for credit cards but write about drug kingpins.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Frost Bite?

DI: Well, when I wrote Frost Bite, I was incarcerated. I had nothing but time and hardly any distractions. So it took me about eight months to pen out. I take it old school with writing: Intro/Body/Conclusion. I start with the beginning, the middle, and ending, then fill in the in between.

I do that so I’ll know the middle of the story just as well as how it’ll end. I use that format because I’ve realized how descriptive I can be. Description takes up a lot of space. If you’re zoned out your story can go anywhere, and I don’t want it to lose the reader.

JP: What’s next for D.I. and Madd Mindz Pubishing?

DI: Well the next stop is Black Dayz: The Filroy Black Story. Then I’m putting out The Code. After that, Frost Bite 2 will be unleashed. I have quite a few novels already done, about 6 in total. I’m working with other writers as well, which will be released under Madd Mindz Publishing. I’ve been talking to a few people about a possible movie on Frost Bite.

http://www.myspace.com/frostbitebook
http://www.blackplanet.com/frostbite_
D.I.@MaddMindzPublishing.com

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african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, blogging in black, book reviews, criticism, monica jackson, myspace

Would you pay for a review?

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I was reading a blog post by Monica Jackson on Blogging in Black that interested me simply because it’s something that’s been on my mind lately. Should I start charging for reviews? Somebody sent me a message asking me if I did on MySpace. (http://myspace.com/joeyreviews add me)

At this point, no. But in the future, I hope to broaden the amount of outlets that I have to put my reviews on. When that happens, I might consider charging a fee to review a book. Now that I think about it, I might charge the fee only if I’m going to broadcast it on multiple outlets. Otherwise, send it, I read it and it gets reviewed…

Monica stated that her ideal world would have reviews and advertising at separate entities. The reality is that reviews are indirectly advertising and marketing. It’s advertising in the sense of promoting the book in a public forum. It’s marketing because the strategy of getting reviews for a books is executed in hopes of generating sales of the book.

Another reason I should be compensated is the amount of time it takes to read a book and write something significant. I takes way more than 60 minutes to accomplish this. Why shouldn’t I get paid for my time and effort? Theoretically, you are not going to send me a book for it to “probably” get reviewed. No, you’re sending that book expecting proper time and effort goes into it to see what it’s about.

Right now, I have about 40 books to review. I’ve had to stop accepting books, so I can focus on the ones I have. The cool thing is that I like to read. I especially like to read books that everybody doesn’t know about. It makes if more fresh that way. But if I’m going to put your book out there, shouldn’t I make something off the front end?

What happens if you pay for a review, and I think you book sucks? Shoot, I might just give you your money back. Better yet, half…I still had to suffer the reading of it, lol.

At this point, I’m just coming up with ideas. But I might be asking for a little ching-ching if I’m going to be doing a lot of promoting of my reviews.