Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m from Annapolis,me near the Naval Academy. The town is a like me it’s a middle of the road place. Thirty minutes from D.C & thirty from Baltimore. I’m always kinda middle of the road. Never to right or left. As for my background I started writing at seven my teacher liked that what I write wasn’t bland. It was the first time I stood out, as I said before I’m the middle of the road kinda person. I was hooked with writing since. I had a few works published three years later, for those keeping count, that is ten years old. Again, at seventeen I was published but it wasn’t a big thing.
I have written three series: widow’s debt- this is really twenty six novels long, but I promised myself I wouldn’t self-publish until I was finished the last book of the series. I just completed the last installment using those characters so I’m publishing the series now.
Flyaringaron- is part of a series as well. It is planned to be six novella size books in length. This a science fiction children series.
And I Thought Divorce was Bad- is the most recent series. This is a collaboration of five authors. We will write three books together. These are inspirational books. Mostly they will have stories and poems about growing up, life changes, and entering the sunset years. The next book in that series will be out in May.
There are a few novels that I self-published:
(1) There is an autobiography named “Willette”. It is an epic mental journey of perceptions begining with one sentence that send four year old Willette hurtling into a tornado of racism, self-loathing, unrealistic yet accomplishable goals, that land her in a world of smoke and mirrors as to her true self. Have a bird’s eye view of her journey as she rediscovers the girl she lost eighteen years ago, and gains a respectable awe of a heritage she had disowned
(2) Is an Urban novel entitled- Powders-Powders is a hardcore gritty look into the inner workings of a thug from the other side of the spectrum. At the age of six young Davie was dumped in the middle of the toughest hood in Fort Lauderdale because his mother married a man of little means. Survival on the unforgiving streets is a hard reality for adults, but for Davie it was especially so. He was the only white face on the block and he came from a formerly well to do background. Readers are given the rare opportunity to get a birds eye view into the mind of a true white thug from initiation to rulership ; from ruling to demise, jail, fatherhood and rebirth to a path of stability all before he hit thirty.
(3) There is another urban novel The Story of X-The inner workings of a man on the precipice of sanity in the name of family is revealed with artistry of a canvas of words are abstract but captivating , the story contains a tight grasp on a main character teetering on the brink of serial killing.“X The Beginning” is the narrative of Malaki a now honest man trying to do the best he can for the well being of his family until his younger sister is beaten, raped, and left for dead in Druid park. These events are put into motion as direct result of his former life. The new leader of an especially odious gang is calling him out for an old fashioned duel with an urban twist. He knows they are gunning for him and they aren’t going to stop attacking him until he answers their call to return to the street. Must he return to the place where the conscience he grew will kill him and his family or can he walk away without leaving his peaceful law abiding existence in tact?
(4) Is my first ever try at romance titled- Learning to Love my Heartastroke-Five years ago Yvette aka “The relationship assassin” had failed to snuff the love out of her assigned relationship. In actuality she had quite the opposite effect on the couple their love grew and flourished to the point of long term commitment. The man she was hired to lead astray walked off with her well paying client, and Yvette’s heart. Still Ms. Downs had to provide a refund to the client. Half a decade later the one that got away is back, he wants her, and is willing to wait as long as it takes to have his affection returned. Unbeknownst to him Yvette never stopped loving him, but before she can jump into his arms she has to resolve the problems she is juggling: a soon to be ex-husband, that would rather have her back instead of seeing her happy with another man, her true loves conniving sister-in-law that with hideous plans of an affair with him, her former client that wants her man back at all cost, his stalker of 4 years who promises to put Yvette in a body cast if she calls him again, then there is her financial woes associated with the long messy divorce, the recurring illnesses from stress, her prejudice stereotypes about black men, and the overwhelming fear that she will fail him again like she did five years ago.
(5) I wrote one family saga called Grey Haired Bones-As the patriarch of this African-American family is passing away; with his ensuing death a large part of the family history will be buried . The youngest member of the clan plans to save what she can of this precious heritage all of it the good the bad and the ugly, although she is assigned to sit by the bedside of her barely coherent grandfather. Within the past lies the unspeakable explanations to the families’ modern day mysteries. It’s amazing what you find in the family closet of “Grey Haired Bones.”
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I had been through a messy marriage and worse divorce. My sister, my cardiologist, my friends, my co-workers would hear about my divorce and the things that happened after the break up and they would say write a book. It took me ten years to listen but I finally did.ruthfully this book was a purge. I had so many toxic feelings just building up over the last decade about everything that had gone wrong and how all my personal growth was stunted eventually by a mistake from my past. When I was finished, I felt happy for the first time in a long time.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I still hand write all my books. I start at the back of the notebook and move forward this works for me because I always come up with the conclusion of the book and map my book backwards.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My biggest inspiration is Mickey Spillane. He is raw, gritty, dirty and classy at the same time. How these qualities co exist is beyond me, but I’m head over heels with the mixture. I aspire to write a female Mike hammer with his secretary’s dimensions.(By the way, I know I took it way back, but a classic is a classic.)
Slightly below Mickey Spillane is Janet Evanovich, Stephanie Plum series. I believe she has a magic wand of balance at her desk. Humor, action, romance, and suspense are always in balance. I can never pick my favorite character, scene, or book. I digress the most inspirational scene is when Grandma Mazur gets in a fight at a funeral. That is pure gold. She makes Stephanie getting sexually harassed at gun point laugh out loud hilarious. I strive for that ability to be over the top and balanced at the same time
What are you working on now?
I’m finishing up a romance novel with another author named Free Falling and Loving It. Also I’m overseeing the completion of the next book in the And I Thought . . . series. Lastly, I am working with editors on the last Widow’s Debt book. There are a few others novel I am writing on but they don’t have titles,yet.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodreads has saved my life and google is awesome. Really it is diligence and hours of searching for what I want then, how to submit my work.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. No matter the rejections, or low book sales. It is vital to remember that writing is for you not for money.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I needed to develop my characters. I wrote a twenty six book series trying to do just that, and I had the time of my life doing so.
What are you reading now?
Mating rituals of the north american wasp
and the smart one and the pretty oneN
What’s next for you as a writer?
Next year isn’t planned. I hope for a bigger and better career, but I like to go with the flow. I know I will finish a novel that has haunted me for three years, so that is about all I know for certain.
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?
Black Alley, The bible, and Everything and The Moon.
Author Websites and Profiles
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