Faith and Fiction Retreat

I'm still recovering from my sunny days in Destin Florida where I attended the Faith and Fiction Retreat (http://www.faithandfictionretreat.com/ ), which means one of two things, either it was really a great or I'm really too old for activity. Suffice to say you know the former would be the true statement. Here are a few pictures of some new and old friends. The first is Reshonda Tate Billingsley in her p.j.'s at the book chat for her novel, The Paster's Wife (excellent read by the way). Reshonda is officially the funniest person I've ever met. The second pic is of Ashea Goldson and Kendra Norman Bellamy from my writer's group and also my sisters on the Urban Christian Book Imprint.













If I had to pick one thing that was best about the retreat, I'd have to say it was meeting the book clubs. What a treat. I've never been a part of a book club, but being a part of the late night chats made me want to join one. I looked forward to attending just to observe how bookclubs discuss the actual books and I was pleasantly surprised at the discourse and/or banter that ensued. Wow! I knew this going in but books really speak into peoples lives. Made me proud I'm an author. Below is a picture of the ladies of the Phenomenal Women Book Club. It was phenomenal to meet them and all the ladies from the Regal Sisterhood Book Club, Glory Girls, Sip n Read, Circle of Friends II and Spirit of Sisterhood. There were also readers who weren't apart of book clubs who attended from as far north as Rochester, New York and Columbus, OH and Texas. It was great to see such devotion to Christian Fiction.



The second best part of the retreat was meeting the authors I've never met in person - Reshonda Tate Billingsley, Michelle Andrea Bowen, Mikasenoja, Bonnie Hopkins and of course our conference host, Tiffany Warren. It was great seeing Victoria Christopher Murray as always. Victoria and Reshonda hosted a great panel for writers about the publishing business and the advice they shared was life changing...that is for my individual writer goals and my marketing plan. I really appreciate these ladies transparency and willingness to share. The other panel discussions were great as well. Ooops, please note my local sister writer friends Sherri Lewis, Kendra Norman Bellamy, Ashea Goldson and Dwan Abrams. You know how it is when you're in Nazareth, I appreciate you all too!

In the first picture from left to right is Tiffany Warren, Sherri Lewis, Kendra Norman Bellamy, Bonnie Hopkins, Victoria Christopher Murray, Dwan Abrams, Reshonda Tate Billingsley and Mikasenoja. In the second picture are Sherri Lewis, Ashea Goldson and Dwan Abrams, my Urban Christian Imprint mates from Atlanta and members of the Visions in Print Writer's Group.




















Finally, the accommodations and the relaxation, superb. I didn't make it to the beach. Can you believe that? I was far too busy, but I did get to rest in a room with windows from floor to ceiling that had an ocean view. I also had some wonderful quiet time on the balcony in the early morning and the late evening hours. I listened to the waves come in on the beach while I spent some awesome time in prayer with the Lord. It was so peaceful and so needed at this time in my life. Yes, this is a picture I took from my balcony on at the Palms of Destin.






So with that all said, the retreat was a real treat. I'm already planning and looking forward to next year. The food was yummy, too. Who ordered the six layer chocolate cake?!!

Make sure to go over to http://www.christianfiction.blogspot.com/ to listen to interviews with attendees that Dee Stewart recorded.

As always, thanks for stopping by.

Blessings,

Rhonda

Interview with Author, Sherri Lewis

Today I welcome Essence Bestselling author Sherri Lewis to Urban Christian Fiction. I have the pleasure of knowing Sherri personally as I slid into the seat she vacated this year as president of our local writer's group. Sherri's also the one person who wouldn't let me give up on writing my novel, Issues of the Heart. I can't say it would be finished if it wasn't for Sherri saying, I think you should go back to that story and then she read the entire thing in a weekend and gave me feedback. Without a doubt, she's the most faithful writer-friend on the planet.

Welcome Sherri! (Cyber hug, girl.)Tell us about Dance Into Destiny. Dance Into Destiny is a coming of age, journey story of two young women and their quest for purpose and destiny. Keeva Banks is a black Atlanta princess whose life looks perfect from the outside. She’s the daughter of a Senator, has the luxury car, designer wardrobe, a gorgeous boyfriend in law school – everything a girl could want. But on the inside, she’s empty. She’s miserably depressed and often wonders why she’s even alive and has no sense of purpose or destiny. Shara Banks has that sense of purpose through her intimate relationship with God, but has no balance in her life. She’s a purpose driven church mouse. The two women meet and form an unlikely friendship that leads them on a journey of purpose, destiny, and intimacy with God.

Is there a personal story behind this book? The two women in the book are me and my two best friends and our experiences with the same struggles in our lives. Of course, it’s fiction, and so loosely based, but it’s the same heart dilemma of who I am and why am I here and why am I so unfulfilled.

You’ve made the Essence Bestseller List for both your novels. Then you finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer Book of the Year Contest. What an exciting debut. Tell us about. This has been so exciting! I feel like, of all the things I wanted to do, I sorta stumbled into this writer thing. It really wasn’t on my list of aspirations. I always like to write but never really imagined I’d write novels. It was difficult at first, because it took so long to get a deal, but God has blessed it tremendously.

My Soul Cries Out is a powerful story and clearly as a nominee for Book of the Year others agreed. Tell us a little about it. I always tell people that writing is therapy for me. Because of what was going on in my life, I wanted to write a story about a Christian woman going through a divorce and needed to create a situation dire enough that she and her husband wouldn't get back together. So i decided to have him cheat with a man. I also have had several friends and an awesome Pastor who had been molested in the church in their youth and therefore struggled with their sexual identity. My pastor laid an awesome foundation in me in worship, intercession, and the prophetic but because of his past, he ended up dying prematurely. It broke my heart that others in the body of Christ didn't get to experience his gifts because of what happened to him. It seems as if noone in the church has a solution for those struggling with the sexual identity, so I wanted to tell their story as well.

Your fans are itching for a sequel to My Soul Cries Out. Will they see these characters again? Absolutely! I am finishing the end to the sequel now. I had NEVER intended to write a sequel but everyone kept asking for one, so me and some sistahwriterfriends (including the awesome Rhonda McKnight) sat down for a plotting meeting and 2 weeks later, I had the first draft completed. It flowed easy! Not sure when it will hit the shelves yet, so keep an eye on my website, www.sherrilewis.com

Tell us about your publishing experience? My journey was one of those “all things work together for good” situations. It took me four years to get a publishing deal. Four years of rejection and discouragement. When I was ready to give up and had actually told God and my sistahwriterfriends that I was through, God showed up and I got my deal with Urban Christian. In retrospect, I realize it was God’s perfect timing because when I first starting submitting my manuscripts, I was going through a bad divorce and was dead broke, so in no position to promote my books like I’ve been able. God knew what was best and made me wait until my life was so much better.

What would you like your readers to take away from Dance into Destiny ? I really want people to understand the importance of purpose and destiny. Life isn’t complete if you’re not doing what God CREATED you to do. In fact, it’s pretty miserable. A life of destiny is the most exciting adventure imaginable. I want people to press into God to figure out who they are and why they’re here and then chase after it with all their heart!

Tell us about your community service work. I work as a physician in a women’s prison as my day job. On one of my patient visits, one of my inmates mentioned that she had been locked up for eleven years and had read everything of interest in the chaplain’s library and regular library. I thought how awful it would be not to have access to books. Out of the was born a prison book drive ministry that’s been awesome, myself and my local and international writer’s groups have supplied tons of new books for the prison. Circulation has more than doubled and inmates are reading. I could tell hundreds of stories of how their lives have been changed. My favorite story is of one of my sweetest patients who happened to be illiterate. She persuaded her roommates to read both of my books to her. She really enjoyed them and wanted to learn to read. I made a deal with her that when my new book, The List, comes out in March, she’ll be able to read it herself.

What advice do you have for a debut author? STUDY THE CRAFT. It’s so important to be excellent. Studying the “writing rules” and learning the craft will make you a better writer. Link with other writers. My relationships with my sistahwriterfriends, the ACFW-VIP chapter are invaluable. I wouldn’t be the writer I am today without them. Go to conferences. Be willing to do whatever it takes if you really feel like God has called you to write.

I asked Sherri to get personal and she shared these answers with me:

Favorite color: purple

Favorite worship song: Too many to narrow it down. I love Israel Houghton, Fred Hammond, and Joann Rosario.

Favorite scripture: Too many to narrow it down. I love Isaiah and Daniel, the book of Ephesians, and of course the psalms

Beach or Mountains: The beach every day of the week! Can’t wait to get to Destin!

If you could spend one hour with someone living or deceased who would it be and why? Jesus, of course. I mean, it’s cool to spend time with Him in the Spirit and in prayer, but face to face would be amazing. Who am I fooling though? His presence would be so awesome and overwhelming, I’d drop as though dead like John did. So to be safe, probably one of the healing revivalists of old like Smiths Wigglesworth or John G. Lake or Kathryn Kuhlman or Aimee Semple McPherson. These people walked in awesome miracles and I’d like to hear their experiences first hand.

If you were going to a deserted island and could only take one fiction book with you, what would it be? And why? The Shack. It was one of the most awesome books I’ve ever read. It has the potential to expand one’s understanding of God and therefore increase one’s intimacy with God. That’s my life’s quest.

What’s next for Sherri Lewis? I’m excited about my March 2009 release, The List. It’s about single, successful, saved but sexy women looking for their soulmate. It’s lighthearted and comical, but deals with a great burden many successful black women are facing. I’m about to start ministry school. I’ve already been ordained but I want to take it higher. I’ve also started singing again and can’t wait to start writing new worship songs. I’m praying about what book is next. I have three ideas fighting to be chosen, so we’ll see which one wins.

How can readers get in contact with you? http://www.sherrilewis.com/, sherri@sherrilewis.com

Thanks so much for stopping by Sherri. We look forward to more heaven sent success for you!

Up Pops the Devil

Today as I packed for the Faith and Fiction Retreat, I listened to an interview author, Angela Benson (http://www.angelabenson.com/) had about her new book "Up Pops the Devil". I'll be featuring Angela real soon, so she can share her very interesting publishing journey and great premise for the book. Her interview spurred a deep reflection about some recent events that could have stopped me from traveling to this coveted event for Christian readers and authors.

Life is full of twist and turns, good things and bad things and we all know the best laid plans can be interrupted as quickly as a flash of lightening. When life gets interrupted I spend time with God and ask him what's going on? I wonder did I hear God correctly when he said go left or was I supposed to go right? Was I disobedient or hasty about a decision, or am I living through a JOB moment in life when you know, up pops the devil.

I'm a person who has learned to find the root cause of situtations in my life and work. Self-examination and personal accountability go hand in hand in my daily walk with Jesus. When one's "locus of control" rest with external sources accountability is low and the devil we blame will pop up more than we'd like. Since I'm not interested in trial and error I journey inward, searching my heart for the reason for the trouble. When asking God why I'm enduring a particular thing sometimes he answers clearly, other times it comes to me in the still of the night and alot of times I just don't get an answer. What I have found and grown to completely understand is that surrendering it all to HIM has made it easy to accept the gravest of situations. I find peace no matter the situation and peace is what he promised us.

The retreat seemed almost out of my grasp for several months due to finanical issues, but I remember clearly God told me I could go, so even when a $1,400 auto repair popped into my world a little over a week ago, I stood firm on the promise God made that I would make the trip this year. The devil popped up, but because of faith and grace and mercy, this girl is still packing.

What experiences have you had lately with an interruption of life's plans that faith bought you through?

Welcome Author, Sharon Oliver

Today I interview author, Sharon Oliver. Sharon holds a special place in my heart, because she has relatives in the same South Carolina town that my "people" are from. We've yet to connect the dots on the family tree, but I'm convinced she's my distant cousin. I've gotten to know her well over the last few months and even if there's no blood relation, I love her like family.

Welcome Sharon! Tell us about your novel, Keeping Your Enemies Closer: The story is set in South Carolina because of my familiarity and love for the people AND the food. Keep Your Enemies Closer is a humorous tale about how folk in a fictional town in South Carolina learn how to deal with life’s interruptions and deceptions without falling apart or killing one another. When the pastor skips town with the church’s money and a pair of twin sisters mysteriously disappear right along with him, the protagonist, Charlotte Morley’s summer vacation almost turns into a nightmare on Elm Street. However, with a little help from an acid-tongued friend of the family, a millionaire cousin, her skeptical best friend and a host of others, Charlotte is able to show a reason to hope to an impoverished community. Eventually, she and her family discover the truth surrounding the disappearance of the conniving twins, who happen to be Charlotte’s cousins.

What inspired you to write Keeping Your Enemies Closer? One day while seated at my computer, a gush of memories came flooding in. The next thing I know, my fingers had typed out a couple of chapters. In my mind, I even knew what I wanted for the plot twist. From that point on, God kept the desire and determination going for everything else in between. The book was completed nine months to the day I started.

You originally self-published your novel, tell us about that experience. How does being with a mainstream publisher differ from the self-publishing experience? Aside from not having to come out of your own pocket to pay for publishing, mainstream publishers provide a support system such as getting your books in the stores, a little promoting, etc. Of course, the author has to do a lot of leg-work as well, but at least not all of it. Plus, at that house that I am with, we have an online group. The camaraderie is great, supportive and unselfish in sharing resources. But self publishing has its benefits. It introduces your book to family, friends, etc., and establishes you as being published. To have work published (self or otherwise) is an important credential that agents, publishers and editors often take into consideration.

What would you like readers to take away from your story? I want the readers to feel “light” and enlightened on some aspects about God. I say “light” because there are too many people whose hearts are heavy. Even though there are some serious points interjected throughout the story, there is plenty of humor weaved in. Life is too short and being burden down with so much drama and nonsense in our lives will only shorten it more.

Do you consider your writing a talent, gift or calling and why? Hmm, I would say a calling simply because writing was never one of my aspirations. Now I find myself getting excited over words and how I can center a story, line or situation around them.

What advice do you have for an aspiring writer who wants to become published? Once you become pregnant with the passion…research, research, research. Also, PRAY! Seek out an agent. Don’t get discouraged by the amount of rejection letters you’ll probably receive. This is typical. Familiarize yourself with publishers who accept your particular genre. The Writer’s Market Guide is an excellent resource to have and can be found in the reference section of your local book store or ordered online. Taking classes and/or joining writing groups are always good choices to make. And above all, trust God to open(s) any door necessary.

I asked Sharon to share some personal information and she answered the following questions:

Favorite color? None. I truly love all colors.
Favorite time of the year? Spring.
Beach or mountains? Oh, Lord. I had to sound fickle, but I enjoy both.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? England and Israel.
If you could have a one hour meeting with the person of your choice (living or deceased) who would it be and why? My mom, who has now been deceased for almost ten years. I miss her and a lot has happened since she’s been gone.
If you were going to a deserted island and could only take one fiction book with you, what would it be and why? Any nice and thick Agatha Christie novel. Her stories are my favorite and I can always visualize characters and scenes from them.
What would readers be surprised to know about you? That’s a tough one. The only thing I can think of off-hand, and its probably more quirky than surprising, is that I don’t like certain things in all forms. For instance, I love oranges, but can barely tolerate orange juice (crazy, I know). Love grapes, but detest grape flavored Kool-Aid. Give me a raspberry lemonade, tart or what-have-you, but not the fruit itself. Wow! Apparently, I have issues with fruit. This has been very therapeutic.

I'm glad I could help with your issues. :o)

What’s next for Sharon Oliver? More writing and whatever the Lord has in store. I will keep you posted.

I know God is going to do awesome things for you, cuz! Keep me updated.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Sharon is a resident of the Atlanta area. A former Systems Administrator for the Social Security Administration, she is also a contributing writer for an online magazine, The Light of the Low Country. Keeping Your Enemies Closer is with Urban Christian Books/Kensingston Publishers and is available at Amazon.com (click to the right), Barnes and Nobles, Books A Million, Wal-mart, Kmart and where ever books are sold.

Thanks for stopping by cuz! I'm praying for great things for Keeping Your Enemies Closer.

You can visit Sharon and learn more about her online homes:

http://www.sharonoliver.net/
www.myspace.com/sharonwrites

Why Buy the Publicist When the Publicity Is Free

I grabbed this post from May 19, 2008 from Blogginginblack.com and have to agree with the author, Angela Henry 100%, that is if said author has the time and inclination to handle their own campaign. However, there's certainly a place for publicist in this industry. One of my best friends is a publicist and when she talks about all the things she does for an author, my head spins. In my opinion, having a publicist is a good thing for those of us that work full-time, but are they absolutely necessary to the getting your name out there. Probably...definitely no. Share your opinions on the matter. Here is Angela's post:

Why Buy the Publicist When the Publicity is Free

When my first two books were published, I hired a freelance publicist to help me promote them. I spent a few thousand dollars, which is pretty reasonable considering many publicists charge three times that much. She was nice enough and I enjoyed working with her. She was able to get my book featured in several publications despite the fact that I actually hired her late in the process. Typically, you should hire a publicist at least six to eight months before your book is published. But I was happy with her results nonetheless. By the time book three was due to be released, funds were tight, which meant no publicist. But by then I’d learned a few things about the promo game, namely, that there are no guarantees that any promotion you do will result in book sales. I decided then that from here on out, unless I win the lottery or get that elusive six figure deal; I would be my own publicist. Guess what? I got myself better publicity than the publicist I hired. The most surprising thing was that the things I did that got the most coverage were the things that didn’t cost much. Here’s what I did that got the most bang, for little or no bucks?

I Wrote An Attention Grabbing Press Release:

The best thing I’ve ever done was to take an online class on how to write a press release. In that class I learned how to think outside the book, and pick out issues in my storyline that I could use to write a release that would peak the media’s attention. The release I wrote in that class tied an issue in my book: The lack of lead roles for African-American actresses, to the summer movie blockbuster season. As result of that release, I got featured in my hometown newspaper, as well as several other newspapers across the country, and many blogs, was invited to be a guest on three radio shows, and had my book included in AOL’s Black Voices Summer Reading List. I even had a reporter from The Wall Street Journal request a press kit, though ultimately I didn’t get interviewed. The cost of that online class: $19.00.

I Embraced Social Networking:

I’ve had a My Space page for about a year now and it has done a lot to help me spread the word about my books. I currently have over 1,700, and counting, my space friends. Through My Space I’ve connected with readers, reviewers, booksellers, and freelance writers from all over the world. I’ve gotten my book reviewed, and been interviewed by several people I’ve met through MySpace, who went on to post the reviews and interviews on their own pages thus maximizing the exposure. I’ve been contacted by lots of readers who said they’d been browsing in a bookstore and bought my book because they recognized me as one of their MySpace friends. Every time someone sees my friend profile on someone’s page it’s like a mini advertisement. I also have pages on Shelfari, Black Planet, and Crime Space. The cost of setting up pages on social networking sites: Nothing but time.

I Participate in Email Groups

I belong to several email lists for both mystery and women’s fiction. Not only do these lists offer opportunities to network and interact with other writers, but they often offer info on many promotional opportunities: Book fairs looking for authors to come sign or book promo materials to distribute, ezines looking for subjects to interview, and reviewers looking for books to review. You can find lots of opportunities posted on writer related email lists. Last year the editor of Spirit Magazine, the in-flight magazine of Southwest Airlines, posted a call for submissions on one of my lists for an upcoming article. The article was about unique, out of the way places featured in mystery novels. It just so happened that my last book featured a state park in the small village of Yellow Springs, OH. I was one of the authors lucky enough to get a small excerpt of my book featured in that article. Spirit Magazine has about 3 million readers. Cost of signing up for email lists: Free

All book promotion is a crapshoot. There is no way for me to tell how many books I’ve sold as a result of any of the things I mentioned. But since there are so many promotional things authors do that can nickel and dime us to death, I was happy to discover that book promotion doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.

Angela Henry

Author of Divas Last Curtain Call, Tangled Roots & The Company You Keep
http://www.angelahenry.com/

When I sold my novel last December, the very next thing I did was purchase a book on marketing and promotion. Although I never know what God is going to do, I don't anticipate having alot of money to hire a publicist to promote my book either. The books listed doing the things Angela is doing, save for the social networking, because the book predates the explosion in social media sites.

So with respect to this topic, I have a question:

Authors - What other things have you done for free or close to free to promote your books?

Readers - Tell me the types of things authors have done to draw you to their books?

Interview with Author, Marilynn Griffith

Today we welcome one of my favorite authors and an all around great person with a wonderful spirit, Marilynn Griffith.

Rhythms of Grace has a beautiful cover, very different from your other novels. I’m used to seeing bright colors when I see Marilynn Griffith. Tell us about the story and what’s different about this novel for your readers?

Rhythms of Grace is my true first novel. I started it almost ten years ago. It’s about a group of friends who all have a heartbreak growing up that makes them believe differently about God and about themselves. There is one woman common to all of them, a teacher whose love and strength once helped them all. Now she needs help and to give it, each of them much come to terms with their trouble pasts…and their uncertain futures. Especially Grace Okoye.

Who is your favorite character in the novel and why? Who is the character you found most difficult to write and why?

I’ve lived with these characters so long and loved them so much that it’s hard to say, but off the top of my head, I’d say Dr. Brian Mayfield. Brian isn’t always right (sometimes he’s downright messed up) but he always tries to be real. He has a good heart underneath it all. In this story, none of the characters were really hard to write, but sometimes I had to make sure that the reader could really see the good and bad in some of the people

What do you want readers to take away from this story?

Hope. I want readers to put down Rhythms of Grace knowing that there is hope and healing available, that God never stops playing your song, even when you run away covering your ears.


I absolutely loved your Sassy Sistahood series with Steeple Hill (Made of Honor, If the Shoe Fits and Happily Even After). Are we going to see any more of Tracey?

I never say never. Tracey is very close to my heart and I get emails all the time asking if the Sassy Sistahood is really over. We’ll see… I’m so glad you enjoyed the series though, Rhonda. I did too.

Where do you get your inspiration for your stories?

Writers see stories everywhere. I get many of my ideas in church, especially during worship. Other ideas come from poems, a few words someone might say, crazy situations that arise… Ideas are everywhere.

Marilynn tell us about your journey to publication and why you choose to write Christian Fiction?

My journey to publication started with me thinking I was having a heart attack. While my friends and family passed before my eyes, the characters to all my secret stories passed before my eyes too. I told God that if He’d let me get up from there I would write instead of waiting for the someday that might not ever come. I’d been playing around with some stories for a couple years before that, mostly the beginnings of Rhythms of Grace.

Joining ACFW was a turning point because there were workshops and critique groups available. There were some really hard years of waiting and working, working and waiting. And now…things haven’t changed that much though. Published authors get rejected too. It just takes one person to say yes!

Marilynn I know from following your career that you blog, you speak and teach at writer’s conferences, you also have a very large family – six kids that you used to homeschool, and obviously you write and market your novels. Please tell me how you balance it all? What’s your writing schedule like?

I actually have seven children and yes, we homeschooled for seven years. I’d love to tell you that my life is all perfect and balanced, but that would be a lie. We all try to support one another in our gifts, knowing that might mean that someone has to be away or unavailable. I don’t travel as much as most authors though, especially during the school year. During school, I try to do most of my writing during the day, though sometimes I have to edit after the children go to bed.

What are some recommendations you have for aspiring writers seeking publication?

Don’t give up. God’s delays don’t always mean denial. Read. Write. Read. And write some more. Keep seeking the Lord first in all things.

You’re a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, and in the past have served in leadership in this organization, tell us the benefits of belonging to ACFW?

I’ve been a member of ACFW almost since its beginning and the organization, critique groups and fellow authors have helped in more ways than I can name. I’ve served on the national board as vice president and publicity officer and both those experiences taught me a lot about the Christian book industry and publishing in general. I look at you Rhonda, a president of one of the chapters that I proposed from the office in my bedroom closet and I think of how amazing God is! It’s a wonderful organization and I always recommend that people join it whenever I’m speaking. This year, two authors we both know well, Sherri Lewis and Stacey Hawkins Adams are finalists for the ACFW Book of the Year. I’m so proud of both of them.

Who are some of your favorite authors and what’s on your nightstand right now?

Oh…I dread this question because I read so much and I love so many books, all for different reasons. I just finished Trading Dreams at Midnight by Dianne McKinney Whetstone, who can turn a phrase on its nose and make it do the cabbage patch. This week I also read Graceling, a debut fantasy by Kristin Cashore (it came with a tattoo! How cool is that?), Think Big by Ben Carson, Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Balwin, Who am I Without Him? By Sharon G. Flake, The Folk Keeper by Frannie Billingsley (another YA fantasy) and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

I’m blessed that many of my friends are my favorite authors, so you’ll always hear me talking about Claudia Mair Burney, Lisa Samson, Sharon Ewell Foster, Amy Wallace, Pat Simmons and so many of the authors I’ve been blessed to meet on the Internet and in real life. As for favorites, my short list (for today) would be: Delores Phillips (The Darkest Child), Kalisha Buckhanon (Upstate), Khaled Hosseini (A Thousand Splendid Suns), Lalita Tademy (Cane River) and Ralph Ellison (Invisible Man). That’s a short list that changes about every day. LOL

Let’s get personal with Marilynn:

What’s your favorite color? This week? Gold. That changes too.
What’s your favorite food? Grr! Another hard one. I love anything ethnic, but not to spicy. Pizza and cherries rank high.
If you could spend one hour with anyone living or deceased who would it be?
Oh boy. Of course, I’m supposed to say Jesus, but He’s always with me now and I probably wouldn’t have known what to say. Virginia Hamilton, the late children’s writer, I think. I would just want to listen to her and write her a poem.
Beach or mountains? Hmmm…. Are we talking hotel or cabin? LOL You’d think I’d say beach since I live in Florida, but I’m going to go with mountains.
If you could visit any country in the world, where would you go and why? That’s easy. I’d go to Nigeria to meet my father.

What’s next for Marilynn Griffith? What are you currently working on?
I just finished my January release and I’m working on the conference for Sistahfaith, a wonderful nonfiction anthology I’ve been blessed to edit. Other than that, I have ideas, but we’ll just see what God does. J

Thanks so much for having me and everyone please stop by MarilynnGriffith.com and say hello.

Thanks again, Rhonda!

Marilynn has several Internet sites where readers may reach out to her. Her books can be found at Amazon.com, Walmart, Barnes and Nobles, Borders, Books a Million and where ever books are sold. You can also look for Marilynn on the Soul Expression Book Tour. More details about the tour can be found at Marilynn's website http://www.marilynngriffith.com

http://www.sistahfaith.com/

http://www.faithchick.com/

http://www.wordpraize.com/

http://www.myspace.com/marilynngriffith

http://www.shoutlife.com/marilynngriffith

Destin take me away...

I am not a summer person. That's really not a good thing for someone who lives in a hot city like Atlanta where we only have two seasons - summer and winter. I turn off the heat for the air-conditioning and the air-conditioning is on for more months than I care to run it. By the time August rolls around, I'm sick of long, sunny, hot and humid days. Add the business of life and Atlanta traffic and I'm a complete lunatic by 6 pm, Monday through Friday. Seriously, if I didn't pray I'd have to be medicated. However, unlike the summers of the past, this year right when I'd usually be approaching maximum misery, I have something to look forward to. That would be four days and three nights in yummy Destin, Florida. Six members of my writer's group, Visions in Print and many other authors and avid readers of Christian Fiction will be attending the second annual offering of the Faith and Fiction Retreat. ( http://www.faithandfictionretreat.com/ ). The hotel is a five star resort with a spa where some body treatment awaits me. The seafood in Destin is right off the pier and the beach... let's just say, the picture below can't capture the magnificence of the emerald green water splashing against sugar white sand. It's absolute perfection.


I grew up one mile from the beach in New Jersey where the water was dark blue. I miss the beach, like most who live so close to the water, I took it for granted. Now that I'm land-locked I crave looking across an expanse of ocean, especially when life is particularly troublesome. Not only does the beach make summer bearable, but when I'm close to it, the presence of God penetrates my being. I've made some of the best decisions of my life staring at water. It really is a healing balm. I believe the ocean is the most poignant reminder of God's infinite desire to give us good gifts that soothe the soul in a way that no wrapped present can. My mini-vacation is just what the soul doctor ordered. It's the break I need to help me get my creative mojo back, so I can make better headway with my second novel. I don't even feel guilty about not taking my kids, September will be here soon enough and my oldest has requested Orlando, Florida. So this is mom's little excursion that will bring her back to them rested and spiritually refreshed. Just the thing I need to help me make it through until I can turn the air-conditioning off. Destin, here I come...take me away...


Tell me where you've gone or plan to go for the summer? If you're not getting away, what types of things do you do to refresh your soul and reconnect with God?

Interview with Author, Reshonda Tate Billingsley

"Noone knows more about drama than the GoodGirlz!
Don’t let the name fool you...we’re no goody two shoes...we’re just four girls who strive to do what’s right, and have major fun in the process. Along the way—and through all the drama—we’re learning some valuable lessons, which we hope will inspire and motivate you."
- from http://www.goodgirlz.org/ -

Sounds exciting. Today I wrap up Teen Fiction month with national best selling author, Reshonda Tate Billingsley. Reshonda has long been a favorite women's fiction author, entertaining and inspiring readers with her books Let the Church Say Amen, Everybody Say Amen and several others. Two of her books were optioned for a movie and last February, Reshonda had the pleasure of traveling to Los Angeles and watching her novel, I Know I Been Changed become a movie. But women's fiction isn't the only genre Reshonda has been successful at writing. Her young adult series is literally flying off the book store shelves. Join me as I interview this dynamic voice in Christian Fiction.

Welcome, Reshonda. Tell us about your series.
There are four books so far in the Good Girlz series. Nothing But Drama was the first one, followed by Blessings in Disguise, then With Friends Like These, then Getting Even. Each book is based on an inspirational theme, but is full of drama, scandal and intrigue. I know teens see some of everything in the world today, but my teen books are profanity-free and you won’t find anything inappropriate in the books. The books focus on a group of teens. The Good Girlz, who are sentenced to a youth group because they keep getting into all kinds of trouble. Although the books are a series, you can read them in any order.




What about writing for young adult appealed to you? Why did you decide to branch off into this genre?
I love writing for young people because I love incorporating a message that could make a difference in their lives into a story they find entertaining. I decided to branch off into this genre because I was having a hard time finding good, clean, page turning books that my teenage nieces wanted to read and I wanted them to read. Everything they wanted to read was too adult for my tastes and everything I wanted them to read was “too boring” for them. So I decided to write that happy medium.

You’ve established yourself in two genres – women’s fiction and now young adult fiction. How do you juggle it all? What’s your writing schedule like? And what do you find the most difficult to write?
I believe you make time for your passion and writing is my passion. Since I have three small children, I don’t have a particular schedule. I just write when I can, how I can. I write every spare moment I can. I just make sure that I write every single day. With three children, a lot of people will ask me how do you find time to write, but I believe every moment you spend talking about what you don’t have time to do, could be spent doing it. I can’t say that any of my writing is difficult although writing teen fiction has reminded me that I’m not as hip as I thought as I was.

YA novels are generally pretty short compared to women’s fiction. Tell us a little about the difference in the markets.
The markets are totally different. Publishers want the teen novels quicker. If you think about it, there is only a small window when a young reader may read teen novels, so you have to build a following a lot quicker than an adult book. You will also find teen books to be a little smaller because young people want a quick read so that’s what we try to give them.

Good point about he window being smaller. I never thought about that.

I imagine it’s difficult to juggle it all. What are some tips you have for an author who wants to establish themselves in more than one genre?
Work hard. No matter what. Some people think that just because they land with a major publisher, they can sit back and just write. But writing a good book is only half the battle. You have to then get out there and let people know about your book. And don’t limit yourself. If you’re wanting to write in multiple genres, then do it. Just devote as much passion, commitment and dedication to each genre and you’ll be successful.

I’ve noticed the teen fiction section in my local Barnes and Nobles has tripled. In your opinion, is the market saturated or is their still room for growth?
Publishers jump on whatever is the hot bandwagon and right now, teen fiction is hot. But I don’t think there’s a such thing as too many books. The challenge is getting more teens in the store to read those books, but I definitely encourage writers of teen fiction to keep writing.

I’m thinking you have to get into the psyche of a teenager to establish voice and authenticity. Tell me how you accomplish that?
Oh wow, that’s the hardest part. I thought I was cool, but I had my niece burst my bubble when she let me know no one says “that’s da bomb” anymore. So for that reason, I keep a teen advisory board that assists me i n keeping up with the trends and latest slang so that I can stay true to a teen voice. I don’t want my books to read like an adult writing teen fiction, I want them to actually reflect a teen voice.

I love the teen advisory board. Guess I need one too, because I still say "the bomb diggity".

Tell me about a rewarding experience you had since writing for teens?
There have been so many I don’t know where to start. But one in particular was when a young lady in Muncie, Indiana showed up to my book signing wearing a sign that said “Today is my 13th birthday and I’m getting the best gift ever, meeting my favorite author ReShonda Tate Billingsley.” The girl was so precious and her mom said she had been withdrawn and going through some things until she discovered my teen books. They’d renewed her spirit. That was priceless. Then there was an email from a 15 year old who said she was going to run away from home until she read Blessings in Disguise and the book made her realize her life really was a blessing. Or the email from a mother who had never seen her daughter read a book outside of school, until she discovered the Good Girlz. Things like that totally validate everything I do.

Would you share some early insight into who you were as a teenager with your readers? What were you like as a teen? Does that influence your writing?
I was shy and quiet, until I made the drill team in high school. Then it’s like this whole other person emerged. I became outgoing, vocal and involved in everything. But I had a mama who didn’t play, so I didn’t get into much trouble. I was however, very dramatic. I remember one time acting like I had passed out at a family gathering. I don’t know why. I was just bored. I just pretended to faint and wouldn’t open my eyes – even as my family rushed me to the emergency room, even when they wheeled me back to see the doctor, even when the doctor examined me – I kept my eyes closed and tried not to laugh. Needless to say the doctor figured it out, made me open my eyes and sit up. I did and cracked up laughing. For some reason, I was the only one who thought that was funny. Maybe that “drama” in me, helps in spiking my creativity.

Who were some of your favorite authors as a teen?
I didn’t really have a big selection of African American authors. There was Maya Angelou, but other than that I read a lot of Judy Blume, V.C. Andrews and Nancy Drew mysteries.
What do you hope young readers will take away after finishing one of your books?
I hope they will be entertained, enlightened and learn a valuable lesson or two.

What’s next for your teen fans?
Fairweather Friends comes out in September. That book is about racial division between Blacks and Hispanics at a high school after the Good Girlz learn that one of them was rejected from a high school sorority because she wasn’t Black. The Good Girlz series has also been optioned as a movie, so hopefully you’ll see them.

Fairweather Friends sounds like another winner for our young people. Thanks so much for joining me today, Reshonda. Your interview was extremely informative and it was great getting to know you.

Readers may visit Reshonda at http://www.reshondatatebillingsley.com/, http://www.goodgirlz.org/, or www.myspace.com/reshonda_tate_billingsley Also check out her extensive book tour for her recently released adult title Can I Get a Witness?

Let's Talk About Teen Fiction

I was really excited about Stephanie Perry Moore's series for young men. My 16 year old son is very picky about his reading selections and he absolutely loved this series, devoured each book in a day or two.

Let's talk about Young Adult Fiction.

1. Do you monitor or censure what your teens read?

2. What are your teens favorite books and do you think the values of the characters in those novels are aligned with yours?

3. What is a subject or social issue you'd like to see addressed in YA fiction?

4. What were you're favorite books to read as a teen?

I'll begin with my answers.

1. Yes, I do monitor what my son reads, but that's extremely easy, because he doesn't read very much outside of required material for school, which is a lot of material in Honors and AP classes. Most of the recreational fiction he reads is either checked out of the library or purchased by me. Makes it easy.

2. Stephanie Perry Moore's series for Perry Skky Jr. First book is Prime Choice, then Pressing Hard, etc. For part two of the question refer to #1. I make sure it does.

3. I would love to see more books for African American males that subtly mentor those that don't have fathers in the home. I'd also like to see a book where the main character is interested in something other than sports, maybe a car fanatic who wants to be an engineer or a computer geek who creates a video game.

4. My absolute favorite were Judy Blume. I enjoyed the required reading in high school, so the classics were my favorites. I sure wish the explosion in YA fiction happened in the early eighties. I would have spent all my babysitting money on books.

Janice Said... Book Review for the Exorsistah

Starting with this entry, Urban Christian Fiction will begin to post book reviews by Janice Ingle of J. Ingle Reviews. Welcome Janice, glad to be partnering with you.

This is what "Janice Said" about Exorsistah by Claudia Mair Burney:

Ms. Burney has introduced us to Emme, a young sister who has survived the perils of the foster care system only to step straight into the ominous world of demon possession and at the same time is ambushed by the precariousness of young loves first bite. Now Emme is used to seeing demons and knows that by using the Word of the Lord she can keep them off of her. But on her first day of freedom she meets a young, fine Blacktino brother who is not only kind but can also feel the demons she can see!

Their first encounter is with a dude who is obviously up to no good. Emme can see that big ugly demon hanging onto, and trailing behind him and that fine Blacktino brother can feel it. Between the two of them they have on the full Armor of God and by fiercely welding the Sword of the Spirit they take that big demon down!

Now her Blacktino wants to feed her, buy her Prada and introduce her to his exorcist papa. Emme is down with the first two but she is real leery about number three until she finds out her very best friend, Jamilla, is the one who needs exorcising. What’s a girl to do?

The Exorsistah is a great read for young adults and all readers. Ms. Burney not only gives our younger readers insight on young love but she also eases in lessons on abstinence and restraint. She takes us on a journey into the similarities of our different faiths and shows us that as children of God we can all work together in unity when it comes to doing His work.

This is the kind of book that is entertaining, informative and a great read. Thank you Ms. Burney!

J. L. Ingle, Reviewer

Interview with Author, Claudia Mair Burney

Today I welcome author extraordinaire, Claudia Mair Burney. Claudia is one my favorite authors and just a great person to talk to. She, like several of the authors I've featured this month has followed the call of God to write for our young adults. I had the pleasure of receiving an advance review copy of Claudia YA novel, The Exorsistah and while I don't do book reviews, I must say, this was the best book I've read in years. I handed my copy off to a reviewer friend who also enjoyed it immensely. I'll post her review later this week. In the meantime. Let's meet Claudia.

Welcome Claudia, tell us about your exciting new Young Adult novel, The Exorsistah?
It's about a homeless teen who has an extraordinary gift of discernment of spirits. She can actually see in the spirit realm, and not just demons. She's run away from the foster care system and is living with a super morbidly obese mystic named Kiki. Kiki protects her, but when that situation goes bad, she's on her own again. Fortunately, she meets a hottie, and he makes her an offer she no can’t refuse. She gets a home. She only has to fight the devil to keep it.

You've been writing mysteries and women's fiction. Tell us why you decided to write a young adult novel?
It's really funny Rhonda, the idea was a joke. I was jealous of my friend Gina Holmes because she'd written this kick-butt novel, The Demon Chaser. I said, "I wanna write a kick-butt book." I'd make my demon chaser a teenager, and I'd call it, and like a gift the title dropped out of heaven into my head. "The Exorsistah." Then I laughed like a loon, because that was the funniest thing to me.

Tell us about your schedule? How do you keep up with writing deadlines and marketing for two genres?
I really do what I have to do. It's simply that. I write more or less, depending on what I'm doing, when it's due, and how this fibromyalgia broken body is cooperating.

How do you establish voice and authenticity for YA fiction?
I listen to kids. Or I try to. I remember that I actually was a kid once upon a time. The Exorsistah was my first ghetto girl protagonist, so it was really hard to balance the Emme I could hear speaking very naturally, and putting that hood speak on the page. I struggled and struggled. Sometimes I failed.

Who were your favorite authors as a teenager and why?
I really loved the classics, especially African American classics like Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye. I was crazy about poets, Langston Hughes and Sonia Sanchez being perpetual favorites. And lemme tell ya, I read The Catcher in the Rye sooooo many times. And it's the favorite novel of sociopaths. That's hilarious to me.

Did you learn anything about yourself while writing this book?
I always learn about myself. And of course, the same old things crop up. I usually have to tone down the sexy, and the books tend to always end up being funnier than I intended them to be. I really missed being 17 when I wrote The Exorsistah. It conjured all those feelings. And wow! When did I get so old!?

Did this book require research? Any particular resources you want to share?
Sure. I really had to look into some creepy things. I read many books about exorcisms and demons, and some of the things were wild! I read a lot of Malachi Martin, but I wanted to have a firm grasps of demonology from both Protest and Catholic perspectives. It was a real education. And I must say, demons don't like their antics to be revealed. They fight back, and fight dirty. These are the hardest books I write, bar none.

What do you hope young readers will take away after finishing one of your books?
That we are empowered in Christ, but demon warfare is no joke. I started it all in jest, but it's a very serious matter. There are times I regretted choosing such an awful subject matter. I also want kids to enjoy the romance. What's a Claudia Mair Burney book without a love story?

Claudia Mair Burney--you can call her Mair--is a writer, artist's wife, and mother, not particularly in that order. She lives in Inkster, MI with her husband, five of their seven kids, and a crazy dwarf rabbit.

Thanks so much for stopping buy and all the best with The Exorsistah!

Exorsistah can be purchased on Amazon.com on the link below or where ever books are sold on July 22nd!


You can also learn more about Claudia and her other novels at the following site:
http://claudiamairburneybooks.blogspot.com/

Interview with Author, Victoria Christopher Murray - Divine Divas

Today we welcome back author, Victoria Christopher Murray. This month Victoria is visiting to talk about her Young Adult series Divine Divas and the the first novel from the series, Diamond.

Welcome back, Victoria. Tell us about the Divine Divas Series.

The Divine Divas are four fifteen year old girls (Diamond, India, Veronique and Aaliyah) who have been best friends since third grade and they form a gospel singing group to compete in an American Idol type competition. They want to be the hippest-hottest new girl group in gospel music.

What about writing for young adult appealed to you? Why did you decide to branch off into this genre?

I’d been speaking at a lot of schools and noticed thirteen and fourteen year old girls reading the erotica books. Now, that’s not the authors’ fault. The authors didn’t write those books for those young ladies. But what I discovered is that our young people want exactly what we want in novels – they want drama, they want to be entertained, they don’t want to be preached too. So, after complaining for a while, I finally decided to give the ladies what they wanted – drama-filled, entertaining books with a message.

You’ve established yourself in two genres – women’s fiction and now young adult fiction. How do you juggle it all? What’s your writing schedule like? And what do you find the most difficult to write?

None of the writing is difficult to me. What’s most difficult is writing three books in one year. That doesn’t give me much time to do anything else. But my friends have a hard time understanding that. They always want me to “come out and play” and most times I can’t do that. I try to write every day, although that’s not always possible. Most days, I do get to write something. Write now (sic, I’ve got writing on my mind!), I’m past my deadline and I’m writing 12 hours a day! I’m on tour, so if I’m not on the radio or at a television station or at a book signing, I’m writing!

YA novels are generally pretty short compared to women’s fiction. Tell us a little about the difference in the markets.

I’ve only had one book released, so I don’t know a lot about this market yet. I’ve heard that teens like series, but I don’t know how that’s different than adults. Adults like series too. The books are shorter, I guess because of the attention span, although I don’t buy that. Although I am not an advocate, look at the Harry Potter series book lengths. And, I have many adult readers who would like my books to be shorter. And the twice a year release, I haven’t figured that out yet. But, I’m sure a year from now, I’ll have this all down.

I imagine it’s difficult to juggle it all. What are some tips you have for an author who wants to establish themselves in more than one genre?

You know, this is all about what you’re called to do. I think God makes room for the gift. If you’re supposed to write different kinds of books, He’ll make the time, He’ll make the way. I truly believe that because not everyone will write anything the same way, so my process won’t help anyone. I don’t even write all of my books the same way. I will say this – no matter how many books you’re writing, make sure you write every day. And if you’re truly trying to establish yourself as a writer, I think you need one book a year to compete with the thousands of titles that are released annually. I believe one book a year will help you build a market because your name will stay on the reader’s minds.

I’m thinking you have to get into the psyche of a teenager to establish voice and authenticity. Tell me how you accomplish that?

Well, you have to do that because I think teens, more than adults, are less forgiving and they want you to “bring it” and “be real ‘bout it.” So, I spend a lot of time watching teen shows. My favorite is Baldwin Hills. I get to see the teen issues, hear how they talk, see how they relate, check out what they wear. I’ve watched a couple of other shows, but Baldwin Hills has been invaluable.

Tell me about a rewarding experience you had since writing for teens?

The best email I received was from a young lady who said, “This was the best book she’d read in her entire life.” She went on to tell me that she was 11 ½, but that she was very mature for her age and that she ‘loved the imagery’ in my books. I’ve received dozens of emails like that and they reinforce to me that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing.

Would you share some early insight into who you were as a teenager with your readers? What were you like as a teen? Does that influence your writing?

My teen years do not influence my writing at all. I don’t even remember them enough to put my experiences into a book. The times were so, so different. When I was growing up, there was one girl in my high school who got pregnant Senior year and not only was everyone whispering about her, but she wasn’t allowed to march at graduation. We were all shocked that someone had actually gotten pregnant at our school. It was unheard of. I grew up with a bunch of goody-two-shoe kids. NO ONE would want to read about us.

Who were some of your favorite authors as a teen?

Richard Wright, Maya Angelou, Claude Brown.

What do you hope young readers will take away after finishing one of your books?

That they can do anything through Christ! And that no matter what they do, God still loves them. He is a God of second and third and fourth.....chances.

What’s next for your teen fans?

The Divine Divas has been optioned for BET. I have NOTHING to do with that, so I don’t know when it will happen. But that’s what’s next on the horizon.

That’s fabulous news Victoria. We’ll be praying for you. All the best with the October release of India. We look forward to great things from you for our young ladies.

You can learn more about the Divine Divas at http://www.divinedivas.com/ and view the trailer.

Diamond is available where ever books are sold and the second book India will be released in October and is available for preorder on Amazon.com and Barnes and Nobles.com.

Christian Fiction - Giving Us A Hand With Our Young People

Diamond

by

Victoria Christopher Murray

Chapter One

We're gonna be so paid!"I waved my magazine in the air and dumped my messenger bag onto the lunch table. I waited for my crew to say something, but not one of them even looked at me. "Hello? Anybody home?"

India stuffed half a hot dog into her mouth. "I heard you."

"So, if you heard me, why aren't you excited?" But I wasn't just talking to India. I wondered what was wrong with Veronique and Aaliyah, too.

"Because," Aaliyah began, not taking her eyes away from whatever book she was reading, "you're always excited about something, Diamond."

"And what's wrong with that?" I asked. "I'm fifteen and fine! I'm supposed to be excited."


Indeed she should. Fifteen, even with all it's ups and downs, hormonal, emotional and otherwise is a great age, but it's also a time where teens struggle with their own identities. Our young people are bombarded with messages and images all day long, so much so that many are on sensory overload. Music videos that show them they are worth little more than the sum of the their body parts and ridiculous reality t.v. shows that make being FWB, "friends with benefits" seem like the right way to have a relationship, when in reality it's simply another way to be used. Like us, our young people have a very real and strategic enemy who desires to tear them down before they even reach adulthood, so that their womanhood, manhood, fatherhood and motherhood are all stripped of excellence. Indeed we live in scary times, but God is a provider.

I have a two year old and he's a busy little guy. This month my sixteen year old has been visiting with my parents and it's just been me and the toddler. I miss his big brother, because he's a big help. Always available to be the extra hand I need when I'm cooking or cleaning or even taking an important phone call. I can say, "Aaron, do me a favor, will you look after your brother," and he's right there to give mom an extra hand. I liken this to the ministry of writing Christian Fiction.

We, Christian Fiction authors, while entertaining are the extra hand Jesus uses to educate, remind, reveal, encourage, challenge, promote, and even convict those who read our work. I know when I read a Christian Fiction novel I close the book with a lesson learned or a reminder of something I'd forgotten or I'm challenged to consider something a different way. It's not mindless reading. In the same way, young adult/teen Christian fiction can speak to our young people. They need to read books written for them that have characters they identifiy with who may speak to their souls and imaginations in a way that an adult may not be able to. The right books may reinforce the morals and values we want instilled in them. Those realistic portrayls of their everyday dilemmas are written to remind them that their problems are not unique to them, nor are they insurmountable. There are solutions in Christ.

Please visit http://www.divinedivas.com/ and share the trailer and the rest of the chapter one with a teen young lady you know and then purchase the book. It may be just the extra hand you need to help her choose to identify with Jesus.

Thanks for stopping by. Please make sure to come back for an interview on Wednesday with Victoria Christopher Murray.

Blessings,


Rhonda

Interview - Author, Stephanie Perry Moore

Today I welcome author, Stephanie Perry Moore. Stephanie holds the honor of being the trailblazing author of African American Christian Teen Fiction. She has several series for pre-teens and teens and an online novelzine. She's also stretched her wings and published two women's fiction novels.

I'm excited to have you with me this week, Stephanie. Tell my readers about your most recent teen fiction project, the Perry Skky Jr. series and your other books.

The Perry Skky Jr. books is a spin off from my Payton Skky series. Perry is her enormously popular younger brother. He’s two years younger than Payton and the start of the series is his senior year. The five books takes you through a journey of Perry being highly recruited by the top division one schools and actually becoming a man has he handles the pressure of staying pure, trying to be drug free, dealing with racism, having unshakeable self esteem, and spreading the gospel.

This series is my 5th YA series. There are five Payton Skky books and five Laurel Shadrach books that deal with dating, peer pressure, racial issues, confidence and salvation. My preteen series is called Carmen Browne. With the younger readers, the goal is to give them life issues that can make their journey brighter. Those books focus on friendship, honesty, bossiness, jealousy and moodiness. In addition, tougher topics such as affirmative action, adoption, domestic violence, breast cancer, menstruation are mentioned so that the readers understand these issues from a godly perspective. The Faith Thomas novelzine series is the first book mixing a novel in a magazine format. Writing for young people I feel has been my calling.

Let me begin by telling you, my sixteen year old son (the non-reader) read each one of the books in this series in one or two days. I have never seen him enjoy books so much. Please tell me what inspired you to write the Perry Skky series and what has been the response from readers?
My husband is the team chaplain for Georgia Tech athletics on staff with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Since he is a part of the coaching staff, I get to see and know quite a lot about the inner struggles of many dynamic young men that come to school with big dreams and tons of talent. Whether you’re the starting feeling the pressure to continue doing good or the red shirt freshman desperately praying for just a chance to play, all these young men need to know there is more to this life than the world they know. So I wanted to write a series to uplift all young men. Also, I wanted to write something for girls letting them know how guys think. wink wink. So happy to hear your son was blessed by reading Prime Choice (Book 1).

I’m thinking you have to get into the psyche of a teenager to establish voice and authenticity. In the Perry Skky series you’re writing from a young man’s point of view. Tell me how you accomplish that? Just talking to so many young men, with my hubby, I was able to capture their world.

Tell me about a rewarding experience you had since writing for teens? Daily I get emails that young people write telling me how the books have moved them to want to please God more. Those type comments make my day. Bottom line, I do it all for Him and I’m so very humbled young folks are being saved after reading a Stephanie Perry Moore book.

Would you share some early insight into who you were as a teenager with your readers? Does that influence your writing? Didn’t always make right choices and had no books were I could see myself in the tiles to teach me that I could still be cool, yet do it God’s way. I was popular and all, but I also was one that could not cut up and still get my lesson. So my tough choices led me to take remedial English in the 9th grade. My teacher Ms. Pulley, told me that I had tremendous talent and could go far in life, but I had to worker harder and smarter. Thankfully, I took in her advice. I bucked down and the next year I was in advanced English and now I have over 25 books in print. Understanding wrong choices does influence my writing.

What do you hope young readers will take away from your books?
I want young people to know that staying on the right path and doing the right things on the path towards greatness. And as long as you please God then it doesn’t matter who you displease.

You’ve established yourself in two genres – young adult fiction and now women’s fiction. How do you juggle it all?
Prayer and God influenced. I’m so happy to simply write stories where people need Him.

What are some tips you have for an author who wants to establish themselves in more than one genre?
Don’t talk about it, do it and really study books and read books in the genre you’d like to write in. Do research and take time to pray. If God has it for you don’t be discouraged if it takes a minute.

Can we expect to see another series for our teenagers now that you’ve completed the Payton Perry and Skky Perry series? What’s next for your teen fans and what’s next for Stephanie Perry Moore?
Yes, in 2009, I’ll release two new series. Beta Gamma Pi and made up college sorority series and Yasmin Peace series for preteens.

You may find out more about Stephanie's books at her website www.stephanieperrymoore.com

Thanks for stopping by Stephanie. I look forward to sharing your new series with the youngsters in my life.

Young Adult Fiction Author, Brittney Holmes

We begin our Teen Fiction Month Series with Christian Fiction Author, Brittney Holmes.

Brittney Holmes is a recent graduate from Redan High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia, where her outstanding GPA earned her the title of Salutatorian of her senior class. For her outstanding academic and extracurricular status, she was recognized in Who’s Who Among High School Students. A gifted journalist, Brittney is a youth contributing writer for Global Woman magazine. Published through Urban Books (Urban Christian imprint), her debut novel, Living Consequences gained recognition from the African American Literary Awards Show where she received the 2007 Open Book Award for Best Young Adult Fiction of the Year. Her second novel, Testing Relationships, was released in June 2008.

Welcome Brittney!

Tell us about your two novels Living Consequences and Testing Relationships.

“Living Consequences” surrounds the lives of several teens who go through various issues concerning sexual intimacy and have to learn to deal with them by relying on their faith in Jesus Christ. The novel focuses on Nevaeh Madison who has been dating Ronald McAfee for three years. They have a great relationship until Ronald request that they take things to a more physical level. Nevaeh must now decide to stay committed to the vow she made to God to remain pure until marriage or if she is willing to give up all of her morals and values in order to please the guy she loves. Other problems arise when Nevaeh’s best friend, Shimone Johnson, finds out she’s pregnant, and their worst enemy, Sierra Monroe, is worried that her promiscuous lifestyle has finally caught up with her. They all have to learn not to rely on their own ways, but the way of God, in order to get through these challenges.

“Testing Relationships” is the sequel to “Living Consequences” and deals with the same characters and their families as their relationships with one another are put to greater tests than they could ever imagine. This story focuses on Shimone Johnson as she tries to raise their three-year-old child, attend school, and salvage her fading relationship with her boyfriend, Marques Anderson. But when Marques finds himself in a compromising situation with another woman, it may be too late to avoid losing the best thing that has ever happened to him—his family. Their relationship is not the only one that must survive hardships. Nicole McAfee’s family is falling apart and her life seems to be headed in the same direction, and when she can’t rely on her best friend, Imani Madison, to be there for her, she finds other ways to deal with her problems. While Sierra Monroe is living a good life with the hopes of making it a wonderful life by marrying the man she loves, her best friend, LaToya Thomas is trying to maintain a relationship bound for destruction. All of these characters must try to be strong for one another and learn to allow God to handle the outcome of all of their situations.

Tell us about your writing journey and the road to publication? What’s it like to be a published author?

It’s always funny to answer this question because most people find it hard to believe that I never had any intentions of becoming a published author. When I first began to write “Living Consequences” it was meant to be a personal journal for my eyes only, but the story took an unexpected turn and blossomed into a novel that would influence many young people. When I realized that I had actually written a book, I allowed my cousin to read it; he, in turn, gave it to my mother to read. My mother, Kendra Norman-Bellamy, thought it was worth publishing and began to shop it around to different publishing houses without telling any of them that I was her daughter. Soon, she received news that Urban Books’ newest imprint, Urban Christian, wanted to offer me a two-book deal. She revealed the news to me in front of an audience during one of her book release celebrations. From there, my career as a writer took off.

I love being an author! It’s nothing like getting paid for doing something you love and are truly passionate about. It’s such a blessing because I get to travel around the country, participating in panel discussions, interviews, and book signings simply because I took a life-long hobby and decided to make a career out of it. Being able to use my gift to share the word of God and inspirational messages with others my age also makes this a dream career because teens may not listen to their parents, teachers, or other adults, however, they will listen to someone their age. And I appreciate being able to speak with different groups of readers about how the decisions they make today will impact their future.

What do you hope readers will take away after finishing one of your books?

The one message I hope readers will take away from all of my books is that no matter what they may be going through, God is always with them. Regardless of their backgrounds, their pasts, or their individual beliefs, God is with them, bringing them through whatever it is that may be holding them back from fulfilling the plan He has for their lives.

You’ve just graduated high school with high honors and salutatorian of your class, you’re involved in various high school and community activities as well. How do you juggle it all? What’s your writing schedule like?

I was involved in a lot of extracurricular activities—National Honor Society, Beta Club, P.I.L.O.T. Program, Ladies of Redan, and the Blue Thunder Marching Band/Silver Essence Auxiliary were just the organizations I took part in at school. These, along with the community organizations I was a member of, took up a lot of my time, but I learned to balance it out with school work and writing by prioritizing. I tried to make sure that I put my school work before the extracurricular activities. Sometimes I would take my homework with me to any meetings I had to attend. Once I finished studying, I would spend any extra time writing. Most times, I wouldn’t finish my school work until midnight or later and I’d end up on my laptop, trying to get out my ideas for a story until two or three o’clock in the morning. So most nights I’d only get a few hours of sleep, but it was something I had to settle for if I wanted to continue to be a part of all the activities I was in and keep up with my school work.

Tell me about a rewarding experience you had since being published?

Although I desired to be an award-winning author and that dream came true when I won the Best Young Adult Literature Award from the African American Literary Show Awards in 2007, I believe my greatest award is receiving emails from my readers. My most memorable email came from a young lady who told me that she had been going through some of the same dilemmas that were presented “Living Consequences.” She had no idea how to handle her situation, but when she read my book, she figured out that she needed to let God take control. She also informed me that my book changed her life. She was a Christian, but hadn’t been living her life as such. Reading my book allowed her to find her way back to God. We’ve been emailing each other for since August 2007 and she has allowed me to advise her in certain situations. She has grown so much since we first connected and it blesses me to know that I’ve had such an impact on her life.

I’ve noticed the teen fiction section in my local Barnes and Nobles has tripled. In your opinion, is the market saturated or is there still room for growth?

I don’t think the teen fiction market is saturated because I strongly believe teens need as much help as they can get in dealing with life’s issues. Every teen is different and will learn a different lesson from each book they read. Every teen is not going to pick up a Christian novel, even if it is geared toward their age bracket. Nor will every teen choose to read a more urban teen novel. They will gravitate toward whatever piece of literature they can connect with, so having so many teen fiction novels adds variety to the market and gives authors a better opportunity to reach out to those who are in need of a inspirational message inside of a great story.

Who are some of your favorite young adult fiction authors?

My favorite young adult fiction authors are definitely Victoria Christopher Murray, Stephanie Perry Moore, ReShonda Tate Billingsley, and Sharon Draper.

What advice do you have for a young person who wants to be an author?

Anytime someone asks me that question, I always reply with the old Nike slogan: Just Do It! I use that phrase because I honestly believe it’s that simple. Usually when people want something they do whatever they need to do to get it. Why should the desire to be an author be any different? So to any young person who wants to be an author, stay focused and set goals for yourself, have people in your life who support your dream and are willing to help you achieve it, and make sure you’re willing to do what it takes to make the dream a reality—which means work. If you are truly determined, you have no other option but to be successful.

You’ve got a big year ahead of you. You’ll be a freshman in college. Do you plan to continue writing novels? If yes, what’s next for your fans?

I do plan to continue writing in college, though, not as much as I was in high school. The only downside to getting into college and related activities is that I may not get to travel as much to promote my novels. However, my readers can expect my third novel to be released in the next year or so. It is entitled “Grace and Mercy” and it delves into the life of a young lady who dates guys based on what they can give her and eventually finds herself trapped in an abusive relationship. It is my prayer that this book touches a lot of teens who have been in similar situations.

In addition to reading and writing novels, Brittney has also authored several pomes addressing the subjects of Christianity, peer pressure, and social issues. In her free time she enjoys reading, writing, singing, dancing, listening to music, shopping, and spending time with her family and friends. In the fall of 2008, Brittney will enroll as a full-time student at the University of Georgia in Athens, where she plans to major in Mass Communications with a focus in Journalism. Brittney currently resides in Stone Mountain, Georgia with her parents, Jonathan Bellamy and Kendra Norman-Bellamy and her younger sister, Crystal.

Her books Living Consequences and Testing Relationships are available at Barnes and Nobles, Borders, Amazon.com and where ever books are sold. Her online homes are http://www.brittneyholmes.com/ and www.myspace.com/authorbrittneyholmes

Thanks so much for stopping by Brittney!