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Other reviews FOR KEEPS (5) OUT OF THE BLUE (4) |
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PREVIOUS AUTHORS Candice Poarch ( February) Donna Hill (January) Vickie Andrews (December) |
This month, AUTHOR OF THE MONTH is ARABESQUE's Janice Sims... by LaShaunda Hoffman.
1. What is your current
book and what inspired you to write it?
A BITTERSWEET LOVE is my March 2000
release. Actually, it was my sister, Elaine, who inspired me to write
about a single mother. I've observed how she works hard to provide for her
two daughters and I wanted to write a sort of tribute to single mothers
everywhere. And to assure them that there is a special love out there for
them.
2. Do you have a full-time career outside of your writing?
Yes. I'm a stay-at-home mom. For personal reasons, I choose to be at
home while my child needs me.
3. When you're not writing, what do you like to do in your spare
time?
I enjoy reading books from diverse genres. I like visiting museums and
galleries, especially science museums. I love movies, especially old
movies. I like to watch Imitation of Life, the one with Juanita Moore, and
sit there and cry my eyes out.
4. What is something about you that your readers would be surprised
you do?
I'm a stripper. I started stripping at nineteen in order to pay college
tuition. Now I just do it for friends and family. Of course the type
of stripping I'm talking about is the act of taking old paint off walls so when
you apply the new paint, it'll go on smoothly. I like carpentry work.
Had you going there for a moment, didn't I?
5. What should a reader expect from one of your books?
A rollicking good time. And a warm, satisfied feeling once they've
finished reading it.
6. Which character did you have the most fun writing about?
Cheyenne Roberts Kincaid. Whenever I think of her now, I always think of
her as married to Jackson. For Keeps was an all-around fun book to write.
Writing in first person was wonderfully freeing. If I ever do a follow-up
book to For Keeps, it'll be in first person as well. The critics and fans
alike seemed to get a kick out of it. That made me extremely happy.
7. If you could pick one of your books for a movie, which one would
you
choose, and whom would you cast in it?
OUT OF THE BLUE simply because I'd like
to see what sort of special
effects they'd come up with for the underwater scenes, the whales, dolphins
and how they'd portray the metamorphosis of dolphin-to-man as in the case of
the characters, Taras and Serame/Xavier. That would really be wonderful to
see.
8. What do you like about African American Romance novels?
They're life affirming. The women who write them truly believe in family
and true love and fidelity. All things that strengthen us as a people.
Romance novels also take us away from the everyday pressures of life.
9. How did you get started writing your novels?
I've written since I was a kid. I started out writing poems and black
versions of fairy tales. Progressed to writing short romantic stories in
high school. By college I was working on my first novel. Which is
STILL gathering dust in a desk drawer. So, I've been writing a long time.
10. What process do you use in writing your novels?
I start with an idea that simply won't get out of my head. Then a
scenario. From the scenario I develop characters that will best fit into
my scheme. After that the characters seem to take over and tell their
stories. That's when I start typing to record the action.
11. How long does it take you to complete a manuscript?
It depends on the story. OUT OF THE
BLUE and FOR KEEPS were both a cinch to
write. They went pretty swiftly. However the book I've just
completed, which won't be released until January 2001, was more difficult to
write because it's the sequel to All the Right Reasons, my June 1997 release. I
agonized over it because I didn't want to write a sequel that wasn't as good or
better than its predecessor. On an average, I complete a manuscript in
about 3-4 months.
12. What was your becoming a published writer journey like?
I couldn't sell a short story to save my life! But the first time I
submitted a full-length romance to a publisher they wanted to buy it. I
know that sounds strange, but it's true. I've been writing romance novels
ever since.
13. Is being a published writer what you thought it would be like?
Absolutely not! Like most writers, I expected to sell a million copies my
first time out. But that's not how the business works. There is a
lot of competition and most writers are struggling to publish that breakthrough
novel that will establish them as star in the literary galaxy. With each
book we publish, we tell ourselves, "Maybe this will be the one."
We're hopelessly optimistic. You have to be if you're going to survive.
14. What do you feel has been your greatest accomplishment as a
writer and
why?
The fact that OUT OF THE BLUE got
published at all is an accomplishment. An African American romance with a
sci-fi twist? I thought for sure my editor would tell me to revise it.
But, God bless her, she let it be published as I wrote it. I love that
story. Of course, when FOR KEEPS earned me a ROMANCE IN COLOR AWARD OF
EXCELLENCE I was thrilled. It's on my office wall now in a place of honor
right next to all my book covers.
15. How do you feel about critique groups?
I'm a solitary writer. No one else reads it before I send it to my editor.
It isn't because I don't value other opinions. It's because it's an
ingrained habit by now. It's just always been the way I write.
However I believe each writer should choose what works best for him/her.
I've just never been a part of a critique group.
16. Do you think an agent is necessary?
I'm beginning to think so. I've never had an agent. Although as I
progress, I'm beginning to see the need to have someone represent me so that I
can concentrate on my writing. This is the main benefit of an agent I
think. That and if they're real bulldogs they can probably get you bigger
advances and percentages.
17. If you had known then what you know now, what would you have
done
differently in terms of your romance writing career?
I would have done more research on the publishing business itself. I was
very naive going in. I'm wiser now, but I could have saved myself a lot of
grief if I'd known more about contracts and so forth. So, you new authors
out there, read up or get someone to represent you who DOES know what they're
doing.
18. Any advice for those aspiring romance writers?
Just one word: WRITE. Let
me elaborate. A lot of people simply talk about writing and never get
organized to the point where they're actually writing. Don't dream about
it. Do it!
19. Do you like communicating with your readers? In what forms.
And how
can a reader contact you?
Hearing from my readers is one of the most enjoyable aspects of this business.
Some of my readers have become close friends. That's how I feel about my
readers!
Anyone can reach me by E-mail: jani569432@aol.com.
Or snail mail: P.O. Box
811, Mascotte, FL 34753-0811 or check out my website at
http://romantictales.com/janicesims.html.
I reply to everyone eventually.
But be patient.
20. Can you give us a peek at what we can expect from your next
romance?
My next romance will be a short story in the Mother's Day anthology
entitled, A VERY SPECIAL LOVE Kayla
Perrin and Courtni Wright also have
stories in the book. My story is a warm, sensual tale about a man who goes
to a small Florida town in order to collect his niece, who has recently
become an orphan. You see in his brother and sister-in-law's wills he was
named guardian of his niece. However when he arrives in Damascus, Florida
(my first ever fictional town) he is confronted by a woman who sets his heart
on fire. That woman, unfortunately, also wants to be the one to raise the
orphaned niece. They're at odds. Sparks fly. And plenty of the
pleasant
kind.