It's Monday. The weekend flew by so quickly. But I had a nice smooth weekend. My youngest and I spent some time at the library. She found some great books, and I bought some great books from the library store. Win-win.
Also, don't forget to enter the Read Banned Books Week Giveaway and Hop. I am giving away six (6) gifts for six (6) different winners. And the contest is open internationally as well. Click on the photo below for more info on how to enter my giveaway or just scroll down to the previous post.
Connie Briscoe is a New York Times bestselling author. Her first novel, Sisters and Lovers, sold more than 100,000 hardcover copies and about 500,000 copies in paperback. She's had seven novels, one novella, and one nonfiction book published. A Long Way From Home, the story of my ancestors, was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Her work has appeared on the bestseller lists of theNew York Times,Chicago Tribune,Washington Post,Boston Globe,Boston Herald,USA Today, and Publishers Weekly. Her nonfiction title Jewels, a photo-essay book featuring luminaries such as actress Ruby Dee and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, was coauthored with photographer Michael Cunningham. The collection of novellas was coauthored with Lolita Files and Anita Bunkley. Both of these were welcome changes from what she usually writes. Her current novel is titled Money Can't Buy Love available in stores now. She currently lives in Maryland with her family.
One of my favorite Connie Briscoe books is Big Girls Don't Cry. I can still remember reading it while I was having some mircobraids put in for the first time. It took the stylist a significant time to finish, but I remember thinking I hope she doesn't finish my hair before I finish reading this book. It was that good. What traits do you think a book must have to have that kind of page turner appeal for readers?
I think something has to strike a chord with the reader: a character, the setting, the time period. The reader has to be drawn into the story by the author. And that “something” varies from reader to reader. Fortunately, we have many authors telling many wonderful stories. And thank you for the kind words about Big Girls Don’t Cry.
Your very welcome. How can we as readers help authors gain more recognition, especially with the closing of brick and mortar bookstores?
An author whose books sell well is going to get recognition. So the best thing readers can do is to keep buying the books of authors they enjoy, whether print or electronic. Authors have bills just like everyone else, and selling books is how we earn our living. If you don’t buy, we don’t sell and eventually we stop writing because we have to find another way to earn a living. Borrowing books from friends and the library now and then is fine. Those are great ways to discover new authors. But the next time you see a book by that author that looks interesting, please buy it.
Does fortune come with a heavy price? This is the theme in your latest book, Money Can't Buy Love. How did you come up with this concept?
Fortune can definitely come with a heavy price if you’re not wise about how you manage your fortune. This is true even if you don’t have a fortune and spend your money foolishly. Too many people think money is the ticket to happiness. They think that a new handbag or pair of shoes or car will bring long-lasting happiness. So they buy stuff even when they can’t afford it and then realize that they still aren’t any happier. Why not? Because that’s not what money is really meant for. And that’s what Money Can’t Buy Love is all about.
If you could collaborate with any other author who would it be? And why?
I don’t think collaborating on a novel would work for me. I wouldn’t want to give up that much control of the story. I once collaborated with photographer Michael Cunningham on a photo-essay book called Jewels and I really enjoyed that. But I wrote, he photographed. Perfect.
What projects are you currently working on?
I’m moving into a new house and that’s pretty much taking up all the time I have outside of spreading the word about Money Can’t Buy Love.
I have to do my WWW's. What have you just recently finished reading? What are you currently reading? And what do you plan to read next?
The last book I read was about social networking. I’m currently reading Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones and loving it. I have no idea what I’ll read next.
What's the best advice you've ever received in your literary career?
If you really want something, go after it. But be smart about it. Educate yourself until you know more about it than does the average person.
Thank you so much for taking the time out to do the interview with me. I truly appreciate it and wish you all the best in your literary endeavors.
Now for the Hill-Briscoe Giveaway... Talented author, Connie Briscoe, is giving away an autographed copy of her latest novel, Money Can't Buy Love!!! And she will sign it and address it directly to you!
To enter the giveaway of Connie Briscoe's new book, Money Can't Buy Love, you must do two things:
1) Leave a comment below about the interview 2)Tell us in your opinion can money buy love?
***Don't forget to leave your email address or blog address so I can contact you should you win. You don't have to be a follower, but it would be great if you did so I can do my happy dance :-) One winner will be chosen randomly using Random.org. Contest end this Friday, September 23, 2011 at midnight. Good Luck!
Hello Everyone. Praying you all are doing well. I have TWO book giveaways going on at the moment. The first is the Back to the Books Giveaway Hop. If you haven't entered there is still time, however, today is the last day. To enter click on the green Back to the Books Giveaway photo in the upper left hand corner. And from there you will find all the info you need or just scroll down to the previous post.
The second giveaway is the Hill-Briscoe Book Giveaway starting today. One lucky person who comments on this interview will receive a copy of What Mother Never Told Me by Donna Hill.
To enter you only have to do one thing. Leave a comment on this interview post. Then this Friday, September 9th, a winner will be chosen from among all the commenters using Random.org. So please leave a comment and spread the word, you never know your one comment may be a winner. For an extra entry, you can be a follower of this blog (old follower or new follower) share this interview on Facebook or Tweet it. Just put in your comment what you did and you will get an extra entry for each. That's it. Also, leave a way for me to contact you should you win (e.g. your blog url, facebook page, Twitter handle, Email, etc). Good luck to everyone and I hope you enjoy the interview.
And now on to the interview with the talented Donna Hill. She has more than fifty published titles to her credit since her first novel was released in 1990, and is considered one of the early pioneers of the African American romance genre. Three of her novels have been adapted for television. She has been featured in Essence, the New York Daily News, USA Today, Today’s Black Woman, and Black Enterprise among many others.
Interview with Donna Hill
As a seasoned author who has written over 50 novels, is there anything you'd do differently or change at the beginning of your writing career?
Thinking back to when I began more than 20 years ago, the literary world was a much different place. I had no idea that when I started out, that what I was writing was laying a foundation for a sub genre in the romance industry. I don't think I was able to see how big it would ultimately become and I didn't look at it as a business that needed to be managed, but simply something that I loved to do. I suppose if I had to do it over, I would have planned better, I would have tried to see the bigger picture.
Three of your books, Intimate Betrayal,A Private Affair and the novella Masquerade from Love Letters, were adapted to television, can we expect any other television adaptions or film adaptions in the future? And what was the experience like, seeing your book adapted for television?
Hmmm, I don't have any plans in the works for the big or small screen at the moment. Having three of my stories made into TV movies was definitely an experience. Of course it was exciting. It was an honor. And it was very much an eye-opener. The television version has little to do with the actual books. But they were made for a specific audience that loved those adaptations. Readers, on the other hand, were disappointed with the portrayals. One thing I knew and full realized through that experience was that when someone else writes the script, your vision becomes their vision and their vision is what gets on the screen. Overall, it was a great experience. Even a few years later, I still get a kick out of seeing one of my movies on television!
You have been known as the pioneer of the African American romance genre. Have you or do you think you will ever try writing in a different genre? And what made you start writing in the romance genre?
I've written in several genres since I began writing in 1990. I kind of "happened" into writing romance because I started out by getting my short stories published in the confession magazines. My editor Nathasha Brooks Harris encouraged me to write my first novel and I based it on the company I was working for at the time and that novel turned out to be Rooms of the Heart. Over the years I've written mainstream fiction: In My Bedroom, An Ordinary Woman,Rhythms,If I Could,Say Yes,What Mother Never Told Me; Mysteries/Suspense; Getting Hers,Wicked Ways, Guilty Pleasures as well as erotic and paranormal short stories in several collections.
Can you tell us about your newest literary projects, including A Chapter A Month?
ACAM is the brainchild of author Victoria Christopher Murray which is based on offering serialized stories from a variety of writers every month for .99 per story. My contribution is The South Beach Chronicles, which is an ongoing, online soap opera that revolves around six women and how their lives intersect. It's fun, kind of demanding trying to keep up with the antics of six crazy women. There is a large selection of authors to choose from with a wide variety of stories at A Chapter A Month.
If you could collaborate on a book with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? And what would the title of the book be called? How do you come up with titles for your own books?
It would have to be Bernice McFadden. I so admire her work and her as a person. I have no idea what it would be called but it would be a great book!! Titles for my books come to me in different ways. I get inspired by a name, an event, an emotion or theme.
With many brick and mortar stores closing, how does this affect writers? And how can readers help authors increase their recognition and book sales?
With more stores closing it impacts writers because publishers will no longer publish as many books because there are not as many outlets available to place them. Less physical books clearly equals less revenue to the author. When the bookstore disappears from the neighborhood, so do the visits from the authors which would give them direct contact with their reader base and potentially new readers. Readers can help authors by supporting the bookstores, coming out to events, purchasing your books from the store. Not sharing your book! Telling others when you enjoy a book, posting reviews on amazon, B&N and other reading outlets.
There was some controversy about the book The Help by Kathryn Stockett (check out my review), many different viewpoints on a non-African American writing about the African American experience during the civil rights era. Can you shed some light on this issue and explain to readers where some of the discontent stems from?
This a long story. At the heart of it, I believe that those who were upset (me included) were upset by the misrepresentation of the facts and the notion that it took (as usual) a white person to tell a black person's story. I wrote a lengthy piece on the novel, prior to the release of the book. It can be found on my blog at Donna Hill Online.
The three WWW's. What have you just finished reading, what are you currently reading and what do you think you will read next?
Well, since I am just finishing up grad school, much of my writing has been required reading. Fortunately my degree is in Creative Writing! I recently finished, Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones (very good) I'm currently reading The Easter Parade by Robert Yates( also very good) and next I will read The Marrow of Tradition by Charles Chestnut.
What would you like to tell readers that they may not already know about you?
I have three incredible grandkids. :-)
Any advice you'd like to share to help aspiring writers?
If writing is truly what you want to do, then be good at it. Study, read, study and read some more. Make what you have to say on the page count!
Thank you so very much for taking the time to do this interview. I personally enjoy your books and have them on my bookshelf and I will continue to offer my support to you on your literary journey. Blessings Ms. Hill.
Don't forget to leave a comment so you'll be entered into the Hill-Briscoe Book Giveaway.
*Winner has 48 hours to claim prize once announced and notified. Or another winner will be chosen. Stay tuned for the Connie Briscoe interview coming next week and another chance to win a free book for the Hill-Briscoe Book Giveaway. I haven't chosen the book for the Connie Briscoe giveaway yet, so if you have any suggestions please feel free to share them.
This week has been hectic. I'm trying to get my blog mojo back. What have I been up to? I've been putting the finishing touches on my book with my editor. It's like going to school. I'm thrilled when she sends my work back to me and I notice there is not alot of red. Then there have been a couple of times when I see so much red, I am appalled at myself. But that's the great part of editing, getting it polished so the readers don't see red, right?
Well, my book is coming out this fall, it's called Waiting on Heaven. So stay tuned for that. Plus, I have an anthology called If I Had My Way, which is a collection of short stories due to release in September. Each short story will be sold separately or you can buy all ten short stories as a collection sold as an anthology. I will be giving away the anthology (all ten short stories) to the readers of my blog as an eBook for those that want to do a review, interview or just want it to read in exchange for an honest review on Amazon. My way of saying thank you for the support.
Also, next week I will be posting the book trailer for Waiting to Heaven and hopefully soon thereafter I will post the book trailer for If I Had My Way.
What else...hmmm. Oh I can't forget this. My interviews with Donna Hill and Connie Briscoe will be posted next week. I'm so elated. These two women are phenomenal. If you don't know who they are, I will give you a crash course. Ready?
~Donna Hill ~
She has more than fifty published titles to her credit since her first novel was released in 1990, and is considered one of the early pioneers of the African American romance genre. Three of her novels have been adapted for television. She has been featured in Essence, the New York Daily News, USA Today, Today’s Black Woman, and Black Enterprise among many others.
~ Connie Briscoe~
She has had seven novels, one novella, and one nonfiction book published. Her first novel, Sisters and Lovers, sold more than 100,000 hardcover copies and about 500,000 copies in paperback. It's one of my favorites, I have it on my shelf now. So I suppose I was one of the 500,000.
Did that jog your memory? Hope so. If not, that's okay. I will bring you up to speed next week with each of their interviews. So stay tuned and check back because I always love your feedback.
Another giveaway, The Hill and Briscoe Book Giveaway, will run during the interviews with Donna Hill and Connie Briscoe. Winners will be chosen from followers who comment on the Donna Hill or Connie Briscoe interview. One winner will receive a book written by Donna Hill and the other winner will receive a book written by Connie Briscoe. Winners will be chosen by Random.org. I will announce which book is up for the giveaway at the time I post the interview.
Also don't forget to enter the Back to the Books Giveaway Hop. I am giving away two lovely book baskets filled with lots of bookish treats and relaxation for U.S. residents. And $25 towards purchases at the Book Depository for international participants. So anyone can enter and win. Click Back to Books Giveaway Hop for more details.
---------------------------------------------
That's all I got today. Stay tuned for the start of the blog hop and have a happy Wednesday.
I am a writer, filmmaker, wife and a mom of five beautiful, intelligent, quirky kids. This blog is for writers, aspiring writers, filmmakers and movie lovers. Bringing you my favorite books, films and photos, as well as giveaways and updates on my journey. I'm currently in the process of producing my first short film from my collection of short stories titled, If I Had My Way. The first story to be filmed will be Tandarin Drive.
My award winning book, If I Had My Way, is available now. You can purchase a copy at Amazon.com and BN.com. You may contact me via email at: blog@lenasledge.com
This week has been hectic. I'm trying to get my blog mojo back. What have I been up to? I've been putting the finishing touches on my book with my editor. It's like going to school. I'm thrilled when she sends my work back to me and I notice there is not alot of red. Then there have been a couple of times when I see so much red, I am appalled at myself. But that's the great part of editing, getting it polished so the readers don't see red, right?
Donna Hill ~
