Editor's Pick
of the Month
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Listen to an excerpt from LaConnie Taylor Jones' New Release,
When A Man Loves A Woman
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INTERVIEW . . .
If you encountered a stranger one day, and you could only say one word to describe yourself, what would that word be?
Tenacious
Congrats on the release of your second novel! Tell us about When a Man Loves a Woman?
When a Man Loves A Woman hit store shelves April 1st and is the sequel to When I’m With You, which by the way, earned me the Romance Slam Jam 2008 Emma Award for Debut Author of the Year.
When A Man Loves A Woman is a story of betrayal—not just any kind of betrayal, but the ultimate unfaithfulness no woman should ever have to go through. Readers will see how a woman’s life that was once shattered is made whole again.
Since our last interview, you've changed the look of your website. What goodies can readers expect from www.LaConnieTaylorJones.com?
I’m blogging these days (http://www.laconnietaylorjones.blogspot.com) and over the next couple of months, I’ll be working with my web design team to incorporate that feature onto my website, along with a couple of other features. Stop by back. I believe you’ll like what you see.
You're an established author with two novels under your belt; in the past year, how has your life changed? Has anything in the literary world surprise you?
Oh, God, I’m sleep-deprived!! Working on deadlines, revisions, promotions while juggling the life I used to know leaves little time for sleep, but I LOVE IT!!
I think the biggest shocker for me has been the amount of time it takes to properly promote a new release.
Who are your favorite authors? Are there any you'd love to work with?
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If I start calling names, I know I’ll leave someone out, so let’s just say I adore all of my fellow African American romance authors.
Besides romance, I really enjoy a good mystery every now and then. Brandon Massey and Walter Mosley are among my favorites in this genre.
What impact do you believe book clubs have in the world of literature? Have you ever been a member of a book club?
Book clubs have had a tremendous impact on the literary world from showcasing new talent to the continued support of seasoned authors. Publishers listen to the strong, collective voices of book clubs and the dollars spent by book club members has greatly increased the revenue generated by the literary market each year. Think of it this way, authors can write stories all day long, but if there’s no one to buy them, what’s the point?
Not only are book clubs supportive of authors, I personally commend them for their commitment to literacy within their local communities.
Yes, some years ago, I was a member of a small book club in Northern California. The friendships I made through that association still exist to this day.
You mentioned that you were planning to "stay busy in 2008" . . . What can readers expect from Mrs. LaConnie in the near future?
Well, right now I’m working on the third installment of the Baptiste Clan entitled, IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN, which will hit store shelves April 2009. I’m also juggling a couple of other works-in-progress that’s more mainstreamed, but with a strong romantic element.
What advice can you give aspiring authors?
The first tip I’d give is to prepare. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways: reading books from authors published in the genre you’re writing in, taking courses or workshops, entering contests, and if possible, speaking with published authors in your targeted genre. Once you have a workable draft of your manuscript, join a critique group and above all, accept constructive feedback. All of these things will help in the end so that you’re providing a quality product for agents and editors to review.
A couple of books I’d highly encourage writers to purchase are: Building Better Plots by Robert Kernen and Writing Novels that Sells by Jack Bickham.
We, the sistahs of the SistahFriend Book Club, love to relax and pamper ourselves. Tell us how LaConnie likes to wind down.
I’ll take a long, hot bubble bath and a cold glass of wine any day of the week!!
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
On the personal front, hopefully, all of my kids will be out the house and my husband and I can enjoy peace and quiet once, again – LOL!!
Professionally, I still see myself in front of my computer, breathing life into my characters.
Of course, we need another Sistah Secret! Tell us something interesting about yourself that you wouldn't normally expose when first meeting someone (we call this the sistah-confession to help break the ice between newbies and vet-sistahs ).
Oh, well, this might not be interesting, but I must confess: I still take naps during the middle of the day, the same way I did when I was in kindergarten—curled in a ball and wrapped in my favorite blanket.
My sincere thanks to all the members of The Sistah Friend Book Club for hosting me, and until next time – stay well and be blessed!!!
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