All the Buzz

Hello Leslie! Thank you so much for agreeing to “chat” with me on All The Buzz! It is truly my pleasure to interview one of my all-time favorite authors.

First, let me congratulate you on The Darkness being featured on The Today Show & MSNBC! That is truly an honor. What was your first reaction when you got the news?

Renee, thanks soooo much! I was completely blown away and I am thoroughly excited :) My first reaction was to scream like a teenagers, LOL!

You write in so many different genres. How do you keep all the characters, plots, etc. straight?

Some days I don't, LOL... but I try to use those big white erasable flip chart sheets (that you can get from Staples) to keep plots and stories and characters straight. When I'm working on a story, I need a visual sometimes to keep me on the right path.

Which genre do you enjoy the most?

Ahhhh... the paranormal, hands down--simply because my imagination can go nuts and there are no boundaries... I get to create the world and the rules in it.

What is the hardest thing about writing in multiple genres?

Keeping the character's voices true to the genre. For example, in a romance, a hero just isn't going to respond to the heroine in the same manner as say a crime suspense or in a paranormal--it's grittier, a little more raw. Sometimes I'll be in the midst of writing a line of dialogue and have to shake my head and say, "No, Leslie! He can't say that to her in a romance! Clean it up!" (Laughing at myself on that--it's hard sometimes switching from vampires to hearts and flowers, LOL!)

What kind of research goes into your novels? How long does it take you to write a novel?

Depends on the novel--seriously. I can probably do a romance in about 2 weeks to a month. A Vampire Huntress novel has a LOT more research involved, whereby the research alone can take a month, then about a couple of months to write it (if I'm on fire.)

How hard is it to come up with fresh, new material for each book?

On that note, I've been blessed. I watch the news, especially world news, and cruise news sites like a news junky, and invariably this is ALWAYS something out there that would make a fantastic story. I guess I haven't run dry because truth is always stranger than fiction.

Can we expect more romance and mystery novels from you, or will it strictly be paranormal from here on out?

I can never rule out romances or mysteries, because they are head-candy for me... something soothing for my soul. I like being able to do a romance in-between "the rough stuff." Oddly, I found the romantic comedies to be my strong suit (in novels like Sister Got Game and Keeping It Real, et al.) In trying to clean my mental palate from "the dark side" of things that go bump in the night, those lighter fare romances would have me laughing out loud at the computer screen--imagine the antics of a black Lucille Ball kinda thing. So, they will always be near and dear to me.

What has been most surprising and upsetting part about your literary journey?

OMG, just how little the actual writer has control over the entire process of packaging (cover art), placement, the selling side of the product getting into the hands of the reader, unless you self publish. Another shocker was how bad the whole book-to-film thing is for the novelist... people want to option your book and then tell you to take a hike when it comes to developing "your baby" into a screenplay. That part really sucks.

With all that you write, do you find time to read? If so, who & what do you enjoy reading?

I honestly get very little "self time" to read like I want to, as so much time goes into research reading. It's hard for me to read in the genre while I'm writing in it, but there's always Tananarive Due (smile), I love her!

What is your life like now that you are a literary superstar?

LOL... I'm honored by the title but I feel real regular...like I still put out my own trash, clean my own house, and fuss at my teenager--who is so not impressed. Kids keep you grounded, you're still Mom (who doesn't know much, ha ha ha!)

Set the mood for us…when you’re writing, you have to have….

I have to have my huge mug of green tea (yes, I broke away from coffee with the shakes, but I did it, LOL)... and something to munch on (sunflower seeds, granola, yeah, yeah, I stopped smoking a while back, but the hand mouth coordination is part of the typing rhythm that I can't break.) Although I edit during the day, because the phones ring and break my flow, as does the Fed Ex deliveries, dog having to go out to pee, etc., when I really get down is after dinner at night. Then, I go up into my lair, smile... the later it gets, the better--because I know no one will break the writing zone trance. A glass of merlot, candles lit, lights off, the urban landscape is relatively quiet, save a distant police siren... and I can bang out 25 pages. Around 2-3:00 AM is "the magic hour" when things start really coming together. Of course I pay for it the next morning. Maybe that's why I edit so much better the following day--I'm mean, LOL.

What are three things your fans don’t know about you?

Oh, these are crazy things... 1. I'm a scairty-cat... yep, I'm the biggest chicken this side of the Mississippi, so what the heck I'm doing writing the paranormal is beyond me. I write what scares me--go figure? 2. For as much violence as shows up in some of my work, I'm really a pacifist and non-confrontational. 3. I used to be the quintessential "Kool Aid Mom" -- my house was the fall by place for teens, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

Again, thank you so much Leslie for taking time out of your busy schedule to catch your readers up on All The Buzz with Leslie Esdaile Banks. I wish you much continued success in all that you do.

BIG HUG, Renee... thanks sooo much for inviting me over to your shop--Much Love, Leslie!

Hello LaConnie! First, thank you so much for the opportunity to interview you, an aspiring new author in the literary industry. I would also like to congratulate you on the publication of your debut novel, When I’m With You.

Hi Renee and thanks so much for having me!!

How long did it take you to get published?

I started writing When I’m With You in August 2003 and finally completed it in May 2005. Four months later, I began working on When A Man Loves A Woman and finished it by the end of the year. However, I didn’t sell until October 2006. So, all-in-all, it was a little over three and a half years from first word to sale.

What was your reaction when you got the call/letter letting you know your manuscript had been accepted?

Believe it or not, I got the call the same day I’d been discharged from the hospital after undergoing same-day surgery. Needless to say, I left the hospital with some pretty ‘good’ drugs in my system, headed straight to bed and slept the rest of the day. My reaction was nothing short of giddy when I finally listened to the message thirty-six hours later.

How many rejection letters did you receive before you received the “one”?

Oh, Lordy . . . sixty-eight, although I received eleven requests for partials. In the end, they ended up amongst my collection of rejection letters, too.

Why did you choose to write in the romance genre versus mainstream fiction?

The romance genre drew me!!

The stories are fresh, smart and diverse. Simply put, romance fiction tells the story of two people. The only difference between romance fiction and other types of fiction is that the story centers on the love between two people and provides an optimistic ending.

I was first captivated by the genre in 1979 while a junior in college. As a matter of fact, I flunked an organic chemistry mid-term after staying up the entire night reading my first romance novel, The Flame in the Flower by the late Kathleen Woodiwiss. That night, I knew I was hooked for life.

While there are still a few romance stories stirring inside me, I’m currently working on two mainstream novels.

If there was one thing you could change about this literary journey what would it be?

Not one single thing!!! The experiences whether good, bad or ugly have helped me grow as an author. Yes, I’ve made mistakes along the way, but I’ve learned from those errors. There are some things in life only experience can teach you. Now I have better understanding of how the publishing industry really works.

Looking back over the last four years, I wouldn’t take anything for my journey.

If you had not been picked up by Genesis Press, would you have gone the self-publishing route? Why or why not?

Yes, I wouldn’t have hesitated to take the self-publishing route.

To a large degree, taboos exist for self-published authors. If you really examine things, authors who are with traditional publishers are responsible for a great deal of their own marketing and promotion, especially new authors. A major benefit for authors with a traditional publisher is the expansive distribution of their books. However, with detailed research, top-notched editing, a solid marketing plan, and industry networking, I believe self-published authors can successfully manage everything relative to their work.

Who are some of your favorite authors, and how do they influence your work?

They include and not necessarily in this order: Beverly Jenkins, Linda Howard, Brenda Jackson, Rochelle Alers and L.A. Banks, Eric Jerome Dickey, and Mary Morrison.

Being a wife and mother, both full time jobs, how do you find time to write?

Trust me, it ain’t easy!! It didn’t take me long to discover that I couldn’t write between the two hours after I’d made the cattle call to four kids and a husband that it’s time to get up while trying to whip out breakfast. There was too much hustle and bustle going on. How could I possibly write a scene when I was constantly going up and down the stairs to make certain the kids put on matching socks and clean underwear?

When I first started writing, I figured I could squeeze in writing a couple of pages during the graveyard silence while everyone ate. That only lasted about fifteen minutes. No sooner had I settled at my desk and booted up my laptop did I have to search for my stripped shirt and whistle and head back upstairs at the speed of light. A fight just broke out between two kids, although I’m not sure which two and I had to switch from writer to referee in a hurry before they kill each other. Grrrr!!!

Stumbling down the stairs, I grope in semi-darkness for my best friend, the coffeepot. The illuminated numbers indicate one o’clock in the morning. The duties of maid, cook, chauffer, doctor, business owner and referee have ended.

It’s the right to time for me to write!!

What has the reaction been to your debut novel?

Phenomenal!! The reviews have been great and readers have been really supportive.

What can we expect in the future from LaConnie Taylor-Jones?

Readers have totally embraced the Baptiste Clan and I want them to hold on to their seats. I recently sold the third saga entitled, If I Were Your Woman, which hopefully will make the ’08 production schedule. Also, there are two other Works in Progress as well. With all of this, I plan to stay pretty busy in 2008.

Thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with me on All the Buzz! I wish you continued success in all you do!

Woo hoo!!! Tonight I will be blogging with Francis Ray as she talks about her newest release, Not Even If You Begged. I absolutely loved that book so I can't wait to talk to her about it. She'll be logging in at 8:00 p.m. CST.

Good afternoon Donna! Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. It is truly a pleasure to get the chance to speak with a literary icon such as yourself.

First, what does a normal day in the life of Donna Hill consist of?

A normal day! LOL What is that? Well, I get up at 6 to wake my very slow moving son so he can get ready for school. Once he is finally out of the house, I usually make my requisite pot of coffee, turn on the news, feed the dog and the cat and watch the Today show for about 15 minutes. Then I get ready for my day at the Borough President’s Office where I am a speech and proclamation writer. After a grueling day of “putting words into other people’s mouths,” I come home do everything in reverse, zone out on TV for a while( if one of my “shows” are on), check emails, blogs, do some posting and on a really good day, I actually get some writing done. I’m usually in bed by 11, more often than not, later.

What fueled your desire to be a writer?

I guess it would be that reading fueled my imagination. I’ve always been a reader from Greek mythology to classic romances, murder and mystery, some non-fiction. And my aunt who recently passed away was a teacher. She always made sure I had a book to read. I started creating my own worlds in grammar school, writing love letters for my girlfriends to give to their boyfriends. LOL. (had a regular racket going!) Then in my teens I began writing poetry. My first published short story was actually in Black Romance Magazine while Nathasha Brooks Harris was the editor. It was Nathasha who encouraged and insisted that I start writing a novel and stuck with me until I did. Not sure where I would be if she didn’t give me that extra push of encouragement.

You started out as a romance writer, but have also published novels in the mainstream and mystery/suspense genres. Which genre do you prefer and why?

I actually prefer mainstream fiction and that is only because I have a much wider landscape upon which to write. There are no specific guidelines or rules. I can explore issues and people in a different way and I don’t have to have a happily ever after if I choose not to. To be truthful, romances are hard as hell to write—good ones that is. It’s extremely difficult to stay within the boundaries, include the must-haves and wrap it all up in a bow, time after time after time and still be original. It's not easy.

Why did you choose to venture into writing in other genres?

As a writer, at least for me, you want to stretch and explore different avenues with your writing. I was fortunate in that I had a editor and Kensington, Karen Thomas who saw the direction that my romances were going in and she gave me a chance to write my first mainstream title, IF I COULD, which came out in 2000. And ever since then I’ve been able to do romance, mainstream, mystery, paranormal etc.

Do any of your characters mirror you or anyone close to you?

LOL. Neither me nor my friends and family are half as interesting as my characters. And I truly hope that I don’t know anyone like Tess, and Nikki and Kim from Getting Hers and Wicked Ways! LOL. But seriously, I don’t write “about myself” or my friends and family. What I write about are people. But as a writer you based everything that you write on some reality. My characters will never “be” my sister, but they may have her hairstyle, or her job. My male character would never “be” my man or my dad, but they may have their height or mannerisms.

Who are some of your favorite authors, and do they influence your work at all?

My list is long…. Bernice McFadden, Tina McElroy Ansa, Daniel Black, Deborah Johnson, Victoria Christopher Murray, Lolita Files, Colin Channer, Gwynne Forster, Mary Monroe, James Patterson, Jeffrey Deaver, Patricia Cornwell, Rochelle Alers, Francis Ray, Percival Everette, Diane McKinney Whetstone, Ernest Gaines… there are so many, much of it depends on where my head is at and what I’m interested in. I enjoy them all for different reasons, some I simply study and try to figure out how they were able to do certain things with the twist of a word.

What has been the reaction of your family & friends to your success as a writer & after reading your books?

Ha! My family… two daughters and a son… still want to know when dinner will be ready, can I babysit, are there any clean socks…. Sigh… My mom and my sister however, have it in their heads that I’m famous! Hehe.

One last question…what are three things your fans don’t know about you?

Now if I told you they would know!!!

Hmm.

I’m really very shy, you have no idea!

Doing book signings even after 18 years still freaks me out.

I went to Catholic school for 12 years and I’m sure it somehow warped me! I’m loaded with Catholic guilt! lol

Thank you again for taking time out of your busy to schedule to allow me and your other fans a peak into the life and times of Donna Hill. I wish you continued success!

Good morning Beverly! Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. I've been a fan of yours for a long time and look forward to learning a little more about you.


How long have you been writing, and how did you get your start?

I’ve been writing most of my life it seems. I was the editor of my elementary school newspaper in the 4th grade. Had no dreams of being a writer though. All I ever wanted to do was to work in a library.


Why did you choose to write historical romances instead of contemporary?

I wrote historicals because of my love of our history and because I was just writing for myself when I started Nightsong. I wasn’t writing for publication.


What made you branch out into the romantic suspense genre?

Writing romantic suspense came about when my editor asked me if I had any contemporary stories. Oddly enough, the very first book I ever submitted to Avon was a suspense and it was rejected and well it should have been because I was not the writer I am now. That story became Edge of Midnight my first published suspense. Life sure is strange!


What are your best and worst experiences as a writer?

Best was having my first book published. There is nothing like seeing your very first book for sale in the stores. Worst? Trying to meet deadlines because I’m always behind.


What is the one thing that has surprised you the most during your writing career?

Most surprising is that I’m still doing this! LOL I never knew I had 23 books and counting in me or that the readers would embrace my stories the way they have.


How long does it take you to write a novel?

I write two books a year.


Do you write full time, or do you split your time between work and writing?

I write full time.


What authors influence your work?

I grew up a voracious reader and I read everything, so I’d like to think that every author I’ve ever read has gone into making me the writer that I am. I always tell aspiring writer that the writer who reads the most books and reads widely, wins.


Who are some of your favorite authors/books?

Favorites - Some are historians like John Hope Franklin, Dorothy Sterling and Benjamin Quarles. Faith writer - Anne Lamott. YA writers - JK Rowling and Rick Riordan. Mysteries - Walter Mosley and Steve Barnes. Paranormal - My sistah writer LA Banks and Jim Butcher.


If you could pass on one tidbit of knowledge to your fans and aspiring writers, what would it be and why?

Finish the book! When we are aspiring and unpublished we spend a lot more time talking about writing a book as opposed to writing the thing.


What does a normal day in the life of Beverly Jenkins consist of?

Hectic. Crazy. I’m like one of those plate spinning acts that used to be featured on the old Ed Sullivan show. I’m active in my community and my church. I also like to garden so trying to put my butt in the chair to write is a challenge sometimes.


What are three things your fans don't know about you?

That I am the oldest of seven. Never graduated from college. Never took a writing course.



Thank you again for agreeing to this interview. It's always a pleasure for me to interact with authors whose works i immensely enjoy reading, and you definitely fall into the top five!