INTERVIEW . . .
When did you first know you wanted to write?
My earliest memories of writing were in Middle School. I remember keeping a journal and writing in it every day about stories regarding my family, friends, and the combating the peer pressures in school.
Being a published author is at times stressful. . . where do find the inspiration to continue your craft?
Writing is my outlet for my emotions from both work and home. It also serves as my entertainment, so I don’t allow the pressures of the publishing to distract me. I even write about the pressures of being a publishing author.
Tell us about The MPire trilogy, of course the first and the upcoming installment?
The MPire Trilogy is premised on an enchanted journey into family drama, corporate greed and scandals and epics wars older that Revelations.
The trilogy begins in The MPire: In Search of the Lost. Readers are introduced to the erotic and sensual picture perfect world of a rich and handsome “Texas Englishman”, Mallory Towneson Haulm. His world collides with reality when he is summoned to return to the family that cast him away when he was seven. This gives way to much of the family drama, on the surface, but as the story progresses readers will quickly learn that there is much more to the Haulm family.
The journey continues in The MPire: Death Cometh as Mallory Towneson Haulm, financial thaumaturge and consummate ladies man, brings the four horsemen to completion as he reluctantly embraces his destined charge as Death. While struggling to maintain his lavish façade, Mallory witnesses bits of his glamorous world slipping through his hands.
Life shattering secrets move Heaven and Earth as Mallory's true destined charge transforms him, requiring him to take his rightful place. However, his father, Malcolm is not quite ready to relinquish control. The battle lines have been drawn and the most consecrated ritual will allow only one to be Death.
Since your introduction into the literary world, has there been anything that has surprised you?
The number one thing that has surprised me is being forced to choose a genre box. The MPire Trilogy is different because it is a hybrid genre. It is somewhat classified as an Urban Fiction because I’m a black writer but it doesn’t fit the Urban Fiction style. It is a family saga peppered with “religious undertones”, but it is not Christian Fiction. The “religious undertones” can be construed as Science Fiction. But, it is just a unique story about a strong powerful and enchanting black family, who just so happen to control the fate of the world, nothing major. Right?!
When you are not writing, do you get a chance to read? If so, what's your preference? Do you have a favorite book or author?
I am currently writing now but I do take out one week in the month to read a book. I have my favorites, but since I am in the publishing area I have expanded my reading selection to include new authors. I have read some great stories by Jean Holloway, Destiny Carter and P. Renee.
What impact do you believe book clubs have in the world of literature? Have you ever been a member of a book club?
I think book clubs are vital to an author’s existence. I have become the “underground movement” to catapult authors into the mainstream light.
If you could collaborate with anyone in the literary field to produce a work of art, who would that be?
I would love to work with Walter Mosley on a story. He has some wonderful characters that live beyond the story. I would like to work with someone to have The MPire Trilogy become a series. I even dabbled with the idea of making it a graphic novel, after having a discussion with a cool guy in New York.
What can you fans expect from you in the future?
The second installment is The MPire: Death Cometh (available November 2008). And the last installment is The MPire: The Trinity (2010).
I have also penned The MPire Chronicles Series (2009/2010) to explore the other side of the family.
Fans will be the direct beneficiaries of my love for writing through my raw emotions. They benefit from my thorough research and how I cleverly interweave my ability to write literary classics with a contemporary swagger.
The Sistahs love to know about the woman behind the book . . . So, tell us what do you do to relax.
I'm a native Houstonian and reside in Houston with my son. I have a MBA and currently work as Commercial Analyst at for an energy company.
Tell us something interesting about yourself that you wouldn't normally expose when first meeting someone (we call this the sistah-confession to break in newbies at our meetings)?
The MPire Trilogy is an imaginary tale that I begin writing after having my son. So some may argue it was the epidural and hormone imbalance that gave this story its sci-fi edge and romantic twist. Some of the research that did for my character development was VERY INTERESTING!
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