What inspired you to become a writer, and how did your upbringing in Detroit influence your writing?
It's not so much as what inspired me, but who. When I was growing up, ironically I didn't do a lot of reading, but my mom sat me and my siblings down and told us many stories all of the time. Some were funny, some were suspenseful and others were scary, but we hung on to her every word. So, I would have to say that my mom inspired me to write. As far as Detroit having an influence on my writing? I'd have to say, not much. Not other than the things that I may have seen in everyday life when I was out and about. Other than that, I'd say very little influence.
As someone who loves both cats and dogs equally, do your furry friends ever make appearances in your writing? If so, how do they influence your characters or storylines?
Well, there was only one instance (so far, lol) that one half of these adorable creatures made its appearance in my work. A dog, to be more specific and his name was Mansa in book 1 of my series, My House. Although he didn't get a lot of "screen time", he was my character, George's, partner in crime. Mansa didn't influence George one way or another, but he was always down for whatever his human friend was into. I don't know. Maybe Mansa will make another appearance when I start writing George's story.
You've been married for almost 17 years. How has your relationship influenced your writing, if at all? Are there themes of love and companionship that you explore in your work?
Yes, I've been married for 17 years now and some of the things I've experienced in those years have had some influence on my work. For example in book one of My House, when Mike & Jakyra (married characters) argued. The disagreements that can definitely get out of hand really quick is something that I've experienced being married. Of course, what happens in my books is nothing like the reactions of the disagreements I've had in real life, but it has influenced some things in my work. As for the themes of love and companionship in my work? So far I've explored friends to lovers, love triangles,second chance love, as well as obsessive love. And there's so much more in the area of love to delve into!
Nature walks seem to be a significant part of your life. How does nature inspire your writing process, and do you incorporate elements of the natural world into your stories?
Nature has always helped me to relax, so when I'm stuck in my writing or have writer's block, I venture out. I take walks, go to the park and walk the hiker's trail. On a few occasions, I've gone places where there's water and look out over the river, lake, etc. It usually does the trick. There's something about being out among Most High's creation that clears your mind. At least for me anyway. Now, I have incorporated the natural world
into my work in a few instances. Like, in book two of My House, I have my two main characters Harmone (pronounced Harmony) and Brooklyn in a secluded part of a park that is surrounded with beautiful trees, flowers and little furry chipmunks/squirrels scurrying around. All the while, Harmone & Brooklyn are realizing for the first time that they love one another.
Your goal is to own your own publishing company. What motivated you to pursue this dream, and how do you envision it helping aspiring authors?
Yes! I've always been someone who loves to help others and when I think about everything I've had to do to get my work published: the scams, the people who try to take advantage of a novice (like I was), the expenses in trying to publish a book on your own, the difficulty when trying to query for a traditional publisher. It's extremely hard for us as authors-- whether traditionally or self published. So, I determined in myself that I wanted to help authors who've struggled or are struggling just like me. I desire for all of us to get our work out for the world to discover without the worry of manipulators, scammers, or those who want to exploit your naivety. My motivation is success for all authors, and if I can help bring that about, then I'm going to do what I can to make that happen. Aspiring authors will have the chance that I never got: to have someone believe in their work and give their work the opportunity to speak for itself-- I will be that person who will believe in you when no one else will.
Can you share a bit about your journey as a writer? What have been some of the challenges you've faced, and how have you overcome them?
Well, as I've probably already mentioned, I started writing when I was fifteen. I'm self taught when it comes to writing; never been to school for it, so I learned by trial and error. By age seventeen, I finished my first book. As proud as I was of it at the time, I knew it needed a lot of work. Throughout the years, I stopped writing altogether for a long time (20 year to be exact). I started doubting myself, doubting the talent I had. Then, when I finally started writing again in 2020, writer's block set in. I also struggled with writing descriptions in my work (still struggle with that). It seemed like I was never gonna publish a proper book until one day while writing I thought to myself, "I really wanna get my book published." And I kid you not, there was like an inner voice (I believe it was Most High) saying, "what are you waiting for. Do it." From that moment on, my entire perspective changed. The following year, I published my first book, My House, Book 1. It's, ironically, the very first book that I finished when I was seventeen years old!
Which authors or books have had the most significant impact on your own writing style or storytelling techniques?
Books like, The Deal by Stella Gray; The Four Horsemen Series by Laura Thalassa; The Miles High Club Series by TL Swan , are just a few books that impacted my writing style and storytelling techniques. I originally started out writing in 3rd person POV, but as I read these talented authors' work, I loved their styles of writing/storytelling and wanted to test it out on my work. Now, I have improved my storytelling, learned about the different POV's and mixed it all up to create a style that is uniquely my own.
How do you balance your love for both reading and writing? Do you find that one inspires the other, or do they serve as separate creative outlets for you?
It's honestly hard to balance the two because I love reading just as much as I love writing. I can go an entire day just reading! Reading definitely inspires me to write sometimes. I can be stuck in my writing and take a few days to indulge in reading some dark romance (yeah, I have a type lol) then out of the blue, an idea will break through the dense wall that was preventing me from moving forward in my work. All because I took the time out to read!
Detroit has a rich cultural history. How do the city's atmosphere and diversity influence the settings and characters in your writing?
As you know, every city has good parts and not so good parts. Well for me, I take both parts equally and incorporate it into my writing. Detroit is predominantly African American, so a lot of my work is based on that. Not to say that I don't have other races in what I write, but it's what I gravitate to. The lifestyles, behaviors, and struggles of the people I've seen around me is what I tend to write about. Everything isn't all bad, but it's not all good either. The things I write about are raw, realistic and relatable to many people and that's what I want to convey through my work.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors who are just starting their literary journey?
My advice to aspiring authors would be to believe in yourself. Believe in your work. I didn't believe in myself or my work for a long time and it held me back for years. I wasted a lot of time with what ifs and I can't do this/that. That thought process doesn't do anything but hinder you from doing great things. So aspiring authors, if you don't believe in anything else, always believe in the incredible talent that you have. You have an amazing gift. Go out and share that gift with the world. Go be great!
Are there any specific rituals or routines you follow when writing, such as a favorite writing spot or a particular time of day?
I don't have a particular time of day that I write. I suppose whenever inspiration hits me is when I do. Whether it's early morning or late night or anything in between. As far as routines, I have an office area that I write in. That's my main go to, but occasionally I write while sitting in bed (I'm usually just being lazy at that point lol). I also have to have some type of snack, be it chips, cookies, fruit. And don't forget about the coffee, lol!
How do you approach character development in your stories? Do you draw inspiration from real-life people or experiences?
Okay, so I am so NOT a planner when it comes to plot, character development, etc. I'm a total panster. My characters develop on their own. I allow their actions to speak for them. Sometimes they develop for the better, at other times, they don't learn from their mistakes and they suffer the consequences of it.
As a future publisher, what qualities do you look for in manuscripts or authors that you would like to represent?
I honestly never gave this much thought. I just want to help these wonderfully gifted authors. If I had to look for a quality in a manuscript, I would say it has to grab my attention: The title, the first few pages of the book. I'm looking for an interesting plot and great storytelling. I want the manuscript to have me asking the author are they working on the next book yet!
How do you stay motivated and inspired during the writing process, especially when facing writer's block or self-doubt?
There's no easy answer to this question. Sometimes it's hard to motivate myself, especially when writer's block rears its ugly head or self-doubt seeps through the cracks. The only thing that usually inspires or motivates me to keep writing is reading other authors' work. That's an instant motivator for me! That, and getting out in nature. I get to think clearly when I'm out amongst the beauty of the natural elements.
Who or what introduced you to AllAuthor? How would you describe your experience so far?
A fellow author/poet, Bethany James, introduced me to AllAuthor and I am so grateful that she did! My experience here has been nothing short of amazing. It's here at All Author that I gathered the courage to enter my very first book cover contest. Although I didn't get top three, I was still among the top 20 and I'm extremely proud of myself. I love the resources that you guys provide and the amazing authors that I've met. Thank you for this incredible platform. You have no idea how much of a blessing this is for me and I'm sure other authors' here!
