JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
DeiIra Smith-Collard, author of Secrets, Sins and Shameful Lies
(Anexander Books)
“What is told into the ear of a man is often heard a hundred miles away” and the women of Love, Lust & a Whole Lotta Distrust have the halls of Synergy Wireless a buzz. Five years have passed since a storm of betrayal and deceptions swept through the call center halls. Everything seems calm, but underneath the peaceful quiet lurks long forgotten secrets and lies that threaten to expose sins, both past and present.
Nicole, still hungry for love and craving attention, is desperate to find a man to show her true affection. True to her nature, she is willing to have it at all cost. Carmell constantly longs for Louis. But is she willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of his love? Natina is devastated by loss and blames others for her misfortune. Anger causes her to employ her by-any-means-necessary tactics of revenge. Years after, Kendra is still torn between desire and obligation as she struggles to find her way. Can she end up finding herself?
Satiate your appetite for drama with Secrets, Sins and Shameful Lies as some secrets will be revealed while others concealed. Get ready for another turbulent voyage.
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Secrets, Sins and Shameful Lies?
DeiIra Smith-Collard: Secrets, Sins and Shameful Lies is the sequel to my first novel. Initially, I said I was leaving those crazy characters of Love Lust & a Whole Lotta Distrust alone and moving to someone one new. I started a different novel, but I wrote halfway through and couldn’t finish it. Those characters started to speak to me, and I listened. I felt there was so much more to tell of their story, and my readers were demanding to know what happened to them.
JP: Where did you get the idea to incorporate a wireless company into the lives of the characters we find in Secrets, Sins and Shameful Lies?
DS: I am influenced by my environment. For the past ten years, my day job has been in the call center of a prominent wireless company. Working in a call center is quite the experience. If you ask anyone who’s ever done the job, they will surely say it’s a whole new world. I took in the countless rumors and drama that seemed to take place on a daily basis.
On the surface, it was business as usual. Everyone was working hard to make sure our company ran smoothly. But underneath the calm exterior, if you listened close enough, there was always some office drama. I thought it would be a great setting for all the antics of both Love Lust & a Whole Lotta Distrust and Secrets Sins and Shameful Lies. While sitting at my desk taking in my surroundings, Synergy Wireless was born.
JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Secrets, Sins and Shameful Lies getting out to the public?
I think the greatest key is hard work. Working with such a great publisher and publicist has taught me to constantly think outside of the box, and it has helped me to achieve success. Because there are so many means and methods in which to market my work, I’ve explored various promotion opportunities such as book signings, readings, book clubs, online marketing and book giveaways.
Word of mouth is extremely effective, so I never miss a chance to tell everyone who I think maybe interested. I always have books with me just in case. Every event won’t be a success, but there is always something positive to take away from the experience.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Secrets, Sins and Shameful Lies?
DS: There are many methods to my madness. It depends on my mood. I keep a recorder to record my ideas when I’m on the go. I also make notes on the direction I would like my story to take. I write out a simple outline with a clear destination in mind. Sometimes the characters of the story have a different idea. So what may start out one way, may take a completely different turn and I will begin to freestyle.
Depending on what I am writing, I have other strategies and techniques that I use. Music always seems to inspire me, and it played a large part in the writing of Secrets, Sins and Shameful Lies. I started the book in Feb of 2008. Partially through, I experienced writers block. I didn’t write for months. I tried, but nothing I typed was good enough. With a little over a month to deadline, I was hit with a gust of fresh air while listening to my iPod. I began to write, write and write. I averaged no less than a 1000 words a day. Within a month and a half, I completed the novel and walked away proud of what I had written.
JP: What’s next for DeiIra Smith-Collard?
DS: My next project is an anthology with four other fabulous authors. Bedtime Stories was released on July 21, 2009 and will feature my story The Sin, which is an erotic short story with an unexpected twist. My goal is to continue writing and entertaining my readers, while challenging myself to grow as a writer and further master the art of storytelling. I see great things for DeiIra Smith-Collard!
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