JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Dwan Abrams, author of My Mother’s Child
(Urban Books/Kensington)
Lyric Stokes lives, by most standards, a charmed life. Married to Michael Stokes, a prominent heart surgeon, she has financial security and lives in the lap of luxury. All is not perfect, though. Lyric feels inadequate because she gave birth to a daughter, rather than the son that her husband so desperately wanted.
After an unexpected turn of events, Lyric discovers that she’s pregnant again, but now she has to decide whether she even wants to keep the child she has longed for. She seeks solace in her church, where her daughter also feels at home; but they can’t get Michael to join them. Disagreeing with organized religion, he has put his job before all else, including God. The distance between the couple grows further every day.
Nigel Fredericks has a history of stalking women. He’s been accused, but never convicted. Now he’s set his sights on Lyric. She’s at a low point in her life, and Nigel knows just how to take advantage of that vulnerability. Lyric’s life is turned upside down; Nigel is like a cancer eating away at her mental stability, her marriage, and ultimately, her life. Will Michael reevaluate his priorities and his faith in time to save his family?
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write My Mother’s Child?
Dwan Abrams: My Mother’s Child is actually the sequel to bestselling novel, Divorcing the Devil. In My Mother’s Child, Dr. Skyler Little makes a cameo appearance, whereas in Divorcing the Devil, she was the main character. There are new characters in My Mother’s Child, but Nigel made his debut in Divorcing the Devil. Now the readers will go inside of Nigel’s twisted world.
JP: There are many wives around the world who, like the main character Lyric Stokes, feel guilty for not being able to provide that son their husband yearns for. What do you expect your readers to get from that particular aspect of My Mother’s Child?
DA: Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it.
JP: What have you learned from your previous novels that makes My Mother’s Child a better book in terms of constructing a finished product?
DA: I’ve learned that my readers like for me to bring them drama with unexpected plot twists. My Mother’s Child has the right amount of tension, and the readers will not be able to guess the outcome.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish My Mother’s Child?
DA: I’m a full-time novelist, so I don’t really have a writing process, per se. For the most part, I sit in front of the TV with my laptop and type. I’m also a freelance editor and founder of Nevaeh Publishing, a small press independent publishing house. My editing and publishing duties can sometimes pull me away from writing. Even still, I try not to neglect my writing for extended periods of time.
In the case of My Mother’s Child, it took me approximately 9-12 months to write. That’s long for me, though. During that time, I had numerous editing assignments and even co-authored a non-fiction book. Because of that, finishing my novel was delayed. Funny thing is, after I turned in the manuscript for My Mother’s Child, my editor told me that it was her favorite amongst my books. Since she had read all of my previous books, I was happy to hear that.
JP: What’s next for Dwan Abrams?
DA: Good question. For Dwan Abrams the author, I’ll be on tour in 2010 promoting the release of my fifth novel, My Mother’s Child. My publisher, Urban Books/Kensington, recently accepted my book proposal for a 2011 release. That book is based on Shania and Greg, characters from my novel, Married Strangers. I’m currently working on a manuscript that centers around Rayna and Bryce, the interracial couple also from Married Strangers.
As a publisher, I’m excited about the authors signed to Nevaeh Publishing. We have ten titles coming out in 2010 beginning in January. We will even release our first children’s book. Please visit www.nevaehpublishing.com for a listing of our upcoming releases. Be sure to visit often, we make regular updates. In addition to that, we’re accepting submissions for 2011.
My novel, Divorcing the Devil, was nominated for the 2008 African American Literary Awards Show. My novel, Only True Love Waits, won the 2007 POWER Award for Best Fiction. Readers can email me at dwanabrams1@aol.com.
http://www.dwanabrams.com/
http://www.nevaehpublishing.com/
http://www.myspace.com/dwanabrams
http://www.myspace.com/nevaehpublishing
Facebook: I have a regular page for Dwan Abrams and a Dwan Abrams Fan Page. There’s also a page for Nevaeh Publishing.
http://www.twitter.com/dwanabrams
http://dwanabrams.blogspot.com
http://nevaehpublishing.blogspot.com
http://nevaehpublishing.ning.com
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