D. Magwood Interview Published on: 17, May 2018
What city/town did you grow up in? What is the earliest memory you can remember?
I grew up in Brooklyn, NY. The earliest memory that I have living there would be when I was around four or five. I remember playing double-dutch with my sisters.
As a child, what motivated you to write your first poem at 11? What was it about and do you still have the first copy you wrote?I wrote my first poem because I had started reading a lot of poetry within this large school book that was filled with short stories and poems. For some reason, I loved the poems more than I loved the short stories. After reading almost all, if not all, of the poems in the school book, I wanted to try it for myself. The first poem that I wrote, if I remember correctly, was about nature. I, unfortunately, do not have the poem anymore. It has gotten lost over these years.
How would you describe your passion for writing? What are some other things you're passionate about?My writing is an entry to my heart and soul. I am my writing and my writing is me. It is something that is natural. I did not go to school to learn how to be a writer. Once I had decided to start writing my own work, there was no stopping me. The words flow from my pen and my fingers fluently and effortlessly. I am also passionate about healthcare. I enjoy being a part of the chain of care that an individual receives. I love to help.
Where do you stand on the traditional publishing vs self publishing front?I will not say that it is not a phenomenal idea to use the traditional way of publishing. I just enjoy having my own publishing company. It is not easy to find a company to publish you. Especially the larger companies. The only hard part with self publishing, is having to do your marketing and promoting. It is a lot of work, but I enjoy it nonetheless.
What was the first job you ever held as a teenager/adult? Have you ever thought of leaving your day job and pursuing writing full-time instead?The first job I had was a summer job. I was a staff member at a summer camp. Yes, I have thought many times about leaving my day job and pursuing my writing career full-time. However, I work at a cancer and blood disorder facility. It is not so easy to leave my patients.
Can you tell us a little bit about your book "Down To The Core" and the revolving themes in this story? Who inspired your main characters Sayesha and Kayla?The Core Series is a Fiction-based story that shows how easy it is to give into temptation when one realizes that it takes more than love to maintain a healthy relationship. The Core Series talks about, what I like to call, The Triple L: Love, Lust, Loyalty. My main characters were created completely from my imagination. I wanted to create characters that I knew many individuals could relate to.
Are there any scenes in this book that have been inspired by your own experiences? Many authors like to base stories off of their own life events, but are there some things from your life that you would never write about?None of the scenes within my novels are based upon any of my real life experiences. And, yes, there are things that I have been through that I will not write about.
How do you manage to so accurately capture the dialogues and descriptions of urban "ghetto" life? How do you think the ghetto differs in real life from what is known in movies or is it pretty similar?I have been around individuals who talk in that manner, so it was very easy for me to capture the dialogue so accurately. There are a some things that are different from real life and Fiction, however, there are many similarities.
What kind of scenes do you find harder to write than the rest (romance, action, mystery, etc)?I find it harder to write scenes where there isn't much action happening. It is slightly harder for me to write a scene that is a foreshadow for another more action-packed scene. Especially if I need my characters to have a simple conversation.
Have you published any other books tied to this series? If not, can we know when they will be out?I have released part two to the Core Series. I am currently working on a separate series at the moment.
What has been the most fun part of your journey as an author? Can you share one experience you had that entirely changed the way you think about the book industry?The most fun part about being an author is writing a story that intrigues the minds of others. I love knowing that I can write something that lots of people enjoy. Publishing with a Vanity Press when I first came out with Down to the Core was a learning curve for me. I realized that it was a lot harder to publish a Fiction novel in my genre with a larger publishing company. Which is why I started my own company.
Have any of your children read your books or poetry? What do they have to say about them?None of my children have read my books. It is not for their age group. However, I have let my eldest child read a few of my poems. He enjoyed them.
If you could escape to any place for a week, be it a real place on earth or a fictional one, where would you go and what would you do there?I would escape to a place where I could relax and do nothing but write. A place of tranquility with no other noise but the sound of the ocean waves.
