All the Buzz

Hello Niambi! Thank you so much for “chatting” with me on All the Buzz. I’m a huge romance junkie, so it’s a pleasure to interview an up & coming new author in the romance world.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Actually, I never set out to become a writer. As with a couple of other defining moments in my life, it just happened. I call it the domino effect. A few years ago, I bought a computer and found my way to the wonderful world of African-American literature. That led to an online writing class taught by authors whose work I had read and loved. The story I developed in that class formed the foundation for “From Dusk to Dawn.”

What was your reaction when you received the news that your manuscript had been picked up?

The “call” came in an email. It’s a good thing I was alone, because anyone who saw my face would swear I was having a seizure. Once I recovered, I read the text until it I could recite it verbatim. Then I printed it out and took it to my husband. I couldn’t speak until he read it. And then the celebration began!

How many rejections did you receive before you were picked up?

I believe there were nine, including both agents and publishers. But the constructive criticism in one of those rejections was the roadmap for revisions that ultimately led to my novel’s acceptance.

How long did it take to write your first novel?

I would say four years, because over time I came up with three different and nearly complete versions. This story has had more lives than a litter of cats!

What has been the reaction of your family & friends to your literary journey?

My family knew I was writing something, but they didn’t know I was writing a novel. When I won 3^rd place in the 2003 Romance Slam Jam Aspiring Writer’s Contest, my husband knew I was serious about this writing thing. Each time I’ve had a success, they’ve been my greatest supporters and cheerleaders.

Why did you choose to write in the romance genre? Will you ever venture into other genres?

I was given a box of classic Arabesque novels about the same time I began my own literary journey. I loved those stories – they had a happy ending, and even though there were challenges, nobody was getting slapped upside the head, cursed out or living in their car. That “happily ever after” was the kind of story I wanted to write. Because I love historical fiction, I plan to try my hand in that genre as well.

What or who fuels your passion for writing?

There’s an old Chaka Khan song in which she sings “once you get started…” That’s how it is for me with writing. It has become a part of me, something that I must do, no matter if it’s a journal entry, a short story or an idea for an article. But I have to do it. And then there’s imagination and observation. Some things just beg to be put into words.

How much of your own personal life is reflected in your writing?

In From Dusk to Dawn, you’ll find me in my heroine’s love of sunrise, spring, coffee and the Caribbean. She and I make soap, creams and body balms, a business that we both love. But in some of my short stories you couldn’t find me, even with a magnifying glass!

What’s next in your literary journey?

I have a partially completed manuscript of historical fiction, a story for an anthology, and another script for a digital novella.

Again, thank you so much Niambi for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with me. I wish you success and prosperity in all that you do!

Thank you for your good wishes and thanks for having me on “All the Buzz!”