Joy Alantis Interview Published on: 04, May 2021

I didn't get to experience Chicago until I was an adult, so my most cherished memory is about family more than it is about the city. The family gatherings in my parents' backyard were so much fun! I got to hang out with my cousins, eat lots of yummy food, play games, and listen to my uncles sing. It was a great time.

I don’t really remember, but it probably was my sister.

Good Lord, I’ve read at least 1,000 books in my life. It’s probably way more than that because I’ve been reading for a long time. Also, I read everything, so 1,000 is being modest.

Relationships seem to be everyone’s struggle. It’s one thing that’s so relatable, intriguing, and entertaining that it always becomes a major topic of discussion. I thought it would be fun to highlight how we all navigate through the dysfunction of our romantic life and beyond.

Yes! I wrote a book with the working title, Men Cheat On Stupid Women. I never published it, but I do plan on revising it and publishing it in the coming years.

The biggest challenge was committing to the time to get it done! Getting out of my way and squashing any insecurity I had about whether it was ready or good enough to release. The other challenge was creating the structure around my creative work to make the story appetizing for the readers. Many creatives are scattered and work in chaos. I had to take the pieces of the story and put them together to make them cohesive. Sometimes that was a little challenging.

For me, it’s being deliberate in how you introduce your characters into the story and staying honest with dialogue. I believe the introduction should reveal so much about a character and set the tone for who they are and who they become throughout the story. And, as far as dialogue, I hate unrealistic dialogue. It's like, 'who would say that?' If the answer is nobody, then you have to spend more time making that character's purpose make sense with how they speak.

The Goddess Journal is actually what I call my personal journal. The title suggests coming to terms with your true self by going within through journaling your thoughts. It’s really the inspiration behind this entire project.

There are so many! But the first to pop in my head is Kindred by Octavia Butler, The Coldest Winter Ever by Sistah Souljah, and The Holographic Relationship by Zo Williams. All very different, but all very good reads!

Therapy. Lots of therapy.

I believe it’s possible. Perhaps the reader will feel the writer's inability to feel powerful emotions, and it might bring about a fresh perspective to the story being told. I see it as similar to dry humor. It's not for everyone, but there's definitely a place for it.

I usually buy paperbacks because I travel a lot. It's just easier to stuff a paperback into a carry-on. However, my preference is hardcover.

I hate to say it, but I am this person. I've learned to shut down when needed, but there are always multiple projects on my plate and let's not even talk about personal life projects. Sheesh.

Book 2 of The Goddess Journal is underway. dys[FUN]ction ended with such a cliffhanger, and my readers are looking forward to finding out what's next. Hell, I'm looking forward to it as well.

I love it! It's a great tool that helps promote but there's so many resources for the writers. I also love how we can connect with other writers on the platform.