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5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Donneil D. Jackson, author of Chante’s Song

March 6, 2009 Joey Pinkney

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Donneil D. Jackson, author of Chante’s Song
(Pure Bliss Publishing)

Chante Chambers is a self-proclaimed princess. What mama wants her ex fiancÃ©, Jason, makes sure she gets. The one task he failed at was being faithful, so Chante moved on. In a pursuit for love, happiness, and monogamy sometimes mistaken for sex, she encounters an array of men. If you took the best traits from them all and combined them, they still didn’t create the perfect man.

Just as Chante was ready to admit defeat in her quest for love in walks Keith, a caramel Adonis. Chante has plans of living happily ever after with Keith. That is, until Jason re-enters the picture. A lunch hour spent in between the sheets with Jason can complicate things, or can’t it?

What’s a girl to do when she’s torn between two lovers? Does she grab her panties off the floor and vow to never drop them again? Or does she go back for seconds?

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Chante’s Song?

Donneil D. Jackson: Back in 2000, Chante Moore had a hit single got called Chante’s Got a Man. I was on the phone with a good friend of mine Shauntae, and she was singing the song. I liked how it sound. I took the concept and began writing. As time progressed, I took all of my feelings and poured it into my writing.

JP: What sets Chante’s Song apart from other novels in its genre?

DDJ: The way the story is told. I tried my best to be as descriptive, candid and realistic as possible. I think we all have read a “Chante’s Song” before, yet we have never read the story being told in the manner in which I tell it. That’s what sets my novel apart from other novels in genre and same subject matter.

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

DDJ: The keys needed for me being a successful writer are determination, the ability to tell a great story and a strong support system. Determination is the Number 1 key to my success. I am determined to make this happen for me.

I believe you have to keep your readers entertained and coming back from more. This is achieved by being able to tell a great story. I pride my self in reeling the reader in as if they were a fly on the wall.

The next key is a great support system. My family is very supportive in getting the word out about Chante’s Song. My father stands outside of the bookstore and passes out bookmarks. My family is my street team. They are very good! Even, my daughter goes up to her friends’ parents like, “Do you enjoy reading?”, with a bookmark in her hand. She has watched me enough to know how to spread the word about “Chante’s Song.

I have recently enlisted the services of Dana Pittman of Nia Promotions to help take Change’s Song to the next level.

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

DDJ: In a perfect world, I set the atmosphere, slow music, the computer and me. Prior to my seven year old going to bed, it’s me, the computer and my munchkinneck asking me fifty million questions. It works. For the most part, I have something on paper. I can always go back and tweak it. I also get a lot of writing done at work (don’t tell my employer-LOL).

Chante’s Song was started in 2000. I finished it in 2004. I transitioned a lot since I first began writing Chante’s Song. I went from living with my mom, to living on my own, to becoming a mom and just being a full-fledge adult. During that transition, Chante’s Song sat on the shelf for a while. But once I picked her back up, there was no stopping me from seeing it to a finish product. And although it took 4 additional years to get it out, it’s out!

JP: What’s next for Donneil D. Jackson?

DDJ: Only greatness! I want my name to be a name that will be around for a while, if not forever. I want to be up there with the Terry McMillians and Lolita Files. I know I am not on their level yet, however, my goal is to one day be where they are.

Currently, I am working on my second novel, Happily Ever After. It’s a sequel to Chante’s Song. I am also getting my thoughts together for my third novel. I haven’t decided on a title yet. I have, but I don’t think I am going to go with Fairytale Bullsh*t. It’s a book about a scorned woman’s broken heart and her need for revenge.

www.pureblisspublishing.com
www.myspace.com/donneildjacksonthewriter
http://www.urban-reviews.com/insideout-donneildjackson.html
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/AAMBC/2008/10/11/Author-Exposure-w-Donniel-D-Jackson

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african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, criticism

The 14 Days After Q&A: I fell in love with my best friendâ€™s wife. What should I do?

February 27, 2009 Joey Pinkney 21 Comments

I fell in love with my best friend’s wife. I think she likes me, too. I’m single and don’t want to ruin my relationship or their marriage. But the attraction is overwhelming. What should I do?

Cassandra Washington: This is no doubt a sticky situation and one that should be avoided at all costs. I have to question if that is really your best friend if you have fallen for his wife. True friends don’t do that, to be quite honest with you. In any case, you’ve fallen, so now it’s time to deal with the heart of the matter: this union will never work, even if it works. This means that if she does leave her husband for you, she will never truly be yours.

The cycle can very well continue, and you to be the one that’s left hanging in the future. Why even waste your time or risk your friendship for a situation that is doomed to fail from the beginning? At the end of the day, you are going to do what you want to do. However, if you go with your mind and not your head, I’m sure you will do the right thing.

Big Boom: Get ready to die! And go to hell! It’s too many single women in this world for you to break up someone’s home.

Dedan Tolbert: If this man is truly your best friend, you need to end this relationship with his wife immediately. No friendship is worth ruing over something that’s just an attraction. You said you fell in love, so this sounds like it’s more than just an attraction.

You may want to remove yourself from the situation all together. Stop going to family get-togethers and cookouts where you know you’ll be around her. That will only cause trouble and lead to temptation. If you want to preserve the friendship, I wouldn’t recommend telling your friend about this affair… Sometimes its best to just walk away.

Tanya White: NOTHING! Married people are off limits no matter how much the marriage is in jeopardy. Your attraction, while valid, may be temporary due to other feelings such as loneliness, loss, etc.

No matter what the wife’s feelings are towards you are, you seriously need to distance yourself from that couple until you conquer these inappropriate feelings towards your best friend’s wife.

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Wed 02-25-09 How do I get my boyfriend of 8 yrs to understand my desire to marry him with losing him?

Thu 02-26-09 How do I cope with my boyfriend sending me mixed messages?

Fri 02-27-09 I fell in love with my best friend’s wife. What should I do?

Sat 02-28-09 Each author gets a special question just for him or her.

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african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, criticism, love, sex

The 14 Days After Q&A: Do I tell my friend she’s dating a married man?

February 21, 2009 Joey Pinkney 22 Comments

A thirty-year-old female friend of mine has been dating a man for three years. He has yet to propose marriage to her. I recently found out that the man is married! Do I tell my friend what I’ve learned and insist she dump the guy, or do I mind my own business?

Cassandra Washington: If she is truly a friend of yours, then you shouldn’t even have to ask. Of course you should tell her that information if you know the information is true! It is up to her whether she wants to accept it or not, but I wouldn’t sit on that truth, not at all.

No, it’s not your job to tell her to dump the guy. That’s a decision that she has to make on her own and live with. However, telling her what you found out is critical; she may very well indeed hate you for it today, but she’ll thank you for it tomorrow.

Big Boom: If you tell her, you could lose a friend. However, once she faces reality you could gain her back because she probably already know. Only reason she’d be mad at you is because now she mustÂ to do something about it.

Tanya White: I believe your friend already knows and has decided to pursue the relationship anyway. Think about it. You found out that he was married. It must not be hard for her to find out. As for insisting that she dump the guy, that only creates more tension. Healthy friendships are not ones of insistence but of unconditional love.

Dedan Tolbert: The first problem with this situation is that the man hasn’t proposed after three years. It doesn’t take a man that long to figure out if he wants to spend the rest of his life with someone. Women need to stop being so understanding when it comes to relationships.

Let your man know how you feel about your relationship. If it’s marriage that you want…tell him. If he’s not on board with that, you need to keep it moving. Too many women waste the best parts of their lives on men who don’t really want them.

As far as him being married, I would tell your friend what you know about the situation if I was in your shoes. I’m sure you would want a true friend to do the same for you. Never sell yourself short and settle for less than you truly want or deserve.