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5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, interview, virtual blog tour

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… ReShonda Tate Billingsley, author of The Devil Is A Lie

July 2, 2009 Joey Pinkney 5 Comments

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
ReShonda Tate Billingsley, author of The Devil Is A Lie
(Simon and Schuster/Pocket Books)

When Nina Lawson wins $16 million in the Texas Lotto, she and her fiancÃ© ecstatically begin planning their future. While counting her millions, Nina didn’t count on one other astounding twist of fate: her ex-husband, Todd Lawson, isn’t her ex anything — since the paperwork for their divorce was never officially filed. Now he’s shown up with his money-hungry girlfriend, Pam, to claim half of Nina’s winnings. Add to this the relatives coming out of the woodwork to seek a payday for themselves.

Nina must ask herself if scoring a fortune in cash comes with too high a price tag. With a little bit of luck, Nina will discern the real wealth in her heart, not just her bank account — or risk losing everything — to find out what matters the most.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write The Devil Is A Lie?

ReShonda Tate-Billingsley: I actually was visiting with a book club when one of the ladies told me she’d just gotten back with her husband after three years, during which she thought they were divorced. Since I’m always in ‘what if’ mode, my mind started churning.

JP: What sets The Devil Is A Lie apart from other novels in its genre?

RTB: I write reality, infused with faith and inspiration. Meaning, everything doesn’t wrap up nice and neat. My characters struggle in their walk with God. Like most of us, they often fall.

You’re not going to have one of my characters catch her husband cheating and she says, “Let us pray.” She may say, “You better pray that I don’t cut you and this tramp.” I also interject a lot of humor into my writing.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to The Devil Is A Lie getting out to the public?

RTB: Promotion, promotion, promotion. Word-of-mouth is the best way to sell a book, so it’s crucial that I pound the pavement in promoting the book.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish The Devil Is A Lie?

RTB: I have three small children, so I don’t go sit next to a waterfall in Maine and wait for my muse to arrive. I write whenever I can, wherever I can. There is no particular structure when it comes to my writing. I do get my best work done late at night. Like now, it’s 3:30 am and I’m wired and just getting my mojo flowing.

It took me about three months to write The Devil Is A Lie, which is my standard. I’m trying to write faster because I’m a full-time writer now. I don’t get paid unless I write, so that’s inspiration to keep it moving.

JP: What’s next for ReShonda Tate Billingsley?

RTB: I am so excited about working with Regina King on Let the Church Say Amen, the movie, which is based on my sophomore novel. She’s directing and I’m executive producer, so I’m really looking forward to that.

I’m also working on my 2011 book, Say Amen Again, which is the third (and final) book in the Amen series. My 2010 book, Holy Rollers is in the editing stage right now. So I hope to just keep creating stories that touch and inspire people.

http://www.reshondatatebillingsley.com/
http://www.myspace.com/reshonda_tate_billingsley
http://www.facebook.com/reshondatatebillingsley
http://www.fromcovertocovershow.com/

I’ve appeared on the Essence Bestseller’s list more than 20 times. I am also a Washington Post bestseller. The Devil is a Lie is currently in Ebony Magazine as one of its steamy, sexy, sassy summer reads.

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5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, interview

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Adrian “Ox” Mendez, author of End Of Sentence

July 1, 2009 Joey Pinkney 1 Comment

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Adrian Ox Mendez, author of End Of Sentence
(Muddy Footprints Publishing)

“Do your time; don’t let your time do you!” The advice given to Pain by an “O.G.” the morning that the Blue Bird transported him from the county jail to the prison yard echoed in his head for the duration of his forty-eight month bib. Forty-eight months was enough time to reform small time conman into mastermind conspirator.

While fellow convicts spent their time chain-gang hustling and pumping iron, Pain focused on getting his reparations for the time that he wasted in prison. Collaborating with a select few trusted acquaintances, he shoots for his goal with no remorse for whosoever stands between his team and their target.

With all plans blueprinted in his head, the only thing left to do is to await his E.O.S. date.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to share your story with End Of Sentence?

Adrian “Ox” Mendez: During my time of incarceration, I spent a lot of time reading and pondering my next step. Occasionally, I came across urban novels that intrigued me. While reading these books, I would voice my criticism to my cellmate. At one point he said, “Either write your own or shut the f*ck up!”

Taking it as a personal challenge, I decided to put pen to paper and unfold a story that related to what I know best. By the way, my cellmate’s name was Ray-Ray.

JP: You are big on making sure that the youth don’t get caught up in the same traps you have escaped. What can a young man gain from End Of Sentence that is better read and not experienced first hand?

Ox: Choices!! Too many wrong choices can lead to having no choice at all. Consequences of today’s actions will last for a lifetime. My advice is that young men stop and evaluate their actions and strive to be positive no matter what their surroundings are.

Being a product of the environment is a tired excuse that is only music to the ears of those that believe that today’s black men are good for nothing but making bastard children and populating our prisons. Use the struggles of the streets to fuel you as motivation to make a change. The most precious flowers in the world are fertilized from sh*t!

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to End Of Sentence getting out to the public?

Ox: Networking! I was fortunate enough to meet some of the best authors that New York has to offer, whom weren’t hesitant to give guidance through their words. The most impactful piece of advice I was given was, “your book will only be as successful as you make it!”

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

Ox: I cannot say that I have a specific writing process, as things unfold in my mind I attempt to interpret it on paper. Writing is more comfortable as a spontaneous act rather than sitting down and making completing a chapter into a chore. Being that E.O.S. was more than just fiction to me it took me a little more than two years to complete as I watched the “true” story unfold.

JP: What’s next for Adrian Ox Mendez?

Ox: Currently Ox is working on his second novel High Risks which should be ready before 2010.

http://www.muddyfootprints.com/
http://www.myspace.com/wordofox
getatox@yahoo.com

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5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, interview

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Tiffany A. Flowers, author of I Am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy

June 25, 2009 Joey Pinkney 6 Comments

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Tiffany A. Flowers, author of I Am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy
(Gold Butterfly Publishing)

I Am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy is an endearing story about a little girl who decided to join her mother’s sorority when she attends college.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy?

Tiffany Flowers: I wrote I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy about seven years ago while I was teaching kindergarten. During the first two weeks of school, I always have a time where my students and I get to know each other. So, I would bring pictures to my classroom and share them with my students.

I would tell my students about my sorority, but I always wondered what their reaction would have been if I had a book to share some of the experiences that I was exposed to being a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. So, I wrote I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy, because I wanted to have a way to convey the rich and beautiful history behind my sorority to young children.

JP: What has been the response to I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy?

TF: I began promoting my book by reading to elementary classes during Black History Month. I was really pleased with the response of young children toward my book. I have read hundreds of books to children. However, I noticed that as I flipped the pages of I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy and read the book, the children would ooh and ahh. All of the students seemed to relate to the story and the images in the book, so I believe that the response from children has been positive thus far.

My release date for my book is May 2009. However, I started self-promoting the book during the first week in April 2009. The response has also been truly positive from lovers of African-American children’s literature. I believe that the positive response to the book has been because of James Eugene’s (my illustrator) vivid and lifelike illustration on the cover of the book. I think that once the readers buy the book they will be pleased and surprised by the modern and tasteful images in this book as well as the warm story line.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy getting out to the public?

TF: I started promoting my book with my own social network on many different sites (Facebook, Myspace, and Divine 9 online). I plan to work with several businesses to get my book advertised. However, what I have found is that as an author it is imperative that whether you go with a large company or self-publish you must promote your own book.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy?

TF: As an author, I always keep journals in a tote bag at my side to write whenever I get the inspiration to create. I do not really like carrying laptops around. I found that laptops are way too bulky. I would rather copy my work into a journal and type the story later.

As far as how long it took me to start and finish my first book, it took me almost two years to complete this book. I took 6 months to write this book. I took another 3 months to read the story aloud to myself and make my own edits. Then I worked closely with an editor for another 3 months. Once that was done, I took 9 months to work with my illustrator doing countless revisions.

I studied children’s literature in school. As a children’s author, I feel that it is important to make sure that the illustrations are an accurate depiction of what the writer is trying to convey. I believe that the illustrations should tell the story as much as the written text in the story.

JP: What’s next for I am a Sigma Gamma Rho Legacy?

TF: I will continue to market the book. I believe that I have a pretty large market of consumers that would really enjoy this children’s text. I plan to schedule book signings, appearances and readings. I look forward to working with community centers, libraries, book stores, schools and colleges to market the book.

If lovers of African American children’s literature are interested they can purchase the book at http://www.goldenbutterflypublishing.com/.

http://www.goldenbutterflypublishing.com/
http://www.myspace.com/goldenbutterflypublishing

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