Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
If you look up miracle in the dictionary, you’ll see my smiling face staring back at you. Twenty-one years ago, if you had told me I’d be an author with five published books, I would have directed you to the nearest lost and found so you could hopefully locate your mind. There’s no way a young, black girl raised in a San Francisco housing project, with a sickly mother on welfare, and an abusive jailbird father could be a writer. There’s no way that girl, who finds her mother’s lifeless body on the living room sofa, at the age of fourteen, could even think about writing, let alone, graduate second in her high school and get a scholarship to U.S.C. There’s no way that girl, who becomes anorexic, bulimic, and addicted to drugs and alcohol, could have any hopes of becoming a writer. Well, miracles do happen, and with determination and faith in God, I was able to overcome my obstacles and fulfill my fifth grade teacher’s prophecy, that one day I’ll be a published author.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “Four Ladies Only.” One day I was at the gym and I had just gotten out of the shower. I looked around at all the other women who were there, thinking about what a sacrifice we all make each morning, getting up early to stay fit. That thought led to other thoughts about women and friendships and how those friendships can go from blissful to baleful over minor and not so minor issues. Shortly thereafter I began writing “Four Ladies Only,” a story that deals with four women who after experiencing a tragic event give up on their friendship and cease speaking to each other for twenty years. I was excited about writing this book because for the past several years I’ve been writing a series featuring the couple, Cass & Nick.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I really get emotionally involved with my characters when I write. Actually, I go through the scenes as if I’m the character, so I’m feeling what they are at any given moment. This can be exhilirating and emotionally draining. Every hour or so I have to stand up and shake it out. When I’m witing I will also pace and walk around the house, thinking about my next move. I open myself up to receive ideas from the Universe and believe it or not, ideas that I know I could not have developed on my own, pour into me and I pour them onto the page!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve been influenced mainly by contemporary writers. A few are: Terry McMillan (Waiting to Exhale, A Day Late a Dollar Short); the late Bebe Moore Campbell (What you Owe Me); Wally Lamb, (She’s Come Undone); the late Frank McCourt (Angela’s Ashes); Bernice McFadden (Sugar); Doris Dancy (Jagged Edges); Barbara Grovenor (Clothesline Blues); and Sienna Mynx (Bad Habits). And so many, many more.
What are you working on now?
I am working with my editor at Soul Mate Publishing, Deborah Gilbert, on getting the first book in the Cass & Nick series, Married in the Nick of Nine,” ready for its 2014 Summer Release.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have an author website–www.Alrethathomas.com. I am also very active on my Facebook Page and Twitter Page.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you know and love and be open to constructive criticism. Once you have a finished product, don’t be afraid to query agents/publishers. The worst thing they can do is say “no.” I’ve been rejected over 900 times. It took me thirteen years before I finally landed a book deal. But during those thirteen years, I learned a great deal about writing and promoting.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It may me an overused phrase but it’s true — NEVER GIVE UP.
What are you reading now?
I just finished reading “Gone Girl” by Flynn Gillian. It was a little hard to make a connection. The characters were not very likeable. Flynn is a talented writer and she went out of the box with this story. I applaud her for taking the risks that she did, but it didn’t quite work for me.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’d like to write the sequel to “Four Ladies Only,” my third indie book. However, at present I am promoting “Four Ladies Only.” In January 2014, I landed a four-book deal with Soul Mate Publishing and they are publishng my Cass & Nick series. “Married in the Nick of Nine” will be released Summer 2014. The second, third, and fourth books in the series, “The Baby in the Window,” “One Harte, Two Loves,” and “Renee’s Return,” respectively will follow.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible for spiritual support, Sienna Mynx’s “Bad Habits” because it’s over 700 pages long and would keep me occupied, and a good bio.
Author Websites and Profiles
Alretha Thomas Website
Alretha Thomas Amazon Profile
Alretha Thomas’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account