1. How old were you when you discovered writing would be a part of your life?

 

Well seasoned…lol I was in my early 30’s and was encouraged by those around me to “write more” after some scribbling.

 

 

2. What is your reaction to someone who doesn’t know “Lesbian Authors” exist?

Why wouldn’t they know or think we exist? There are lesbian everything’s in the world, why not author? So my reaction would probably be a slow blink and the side eye…lol

 

3.  Speaking of the term “Lesbian Author,” do you feel that the label Lesbian keeps you in a box and limits what you can write?

The only thing that limits me is me so the term means nothing in that regard. Can it restrict? Of course, the world isn’t perfect and will never be. When you google me “I’m gay as hell”...lol So the possibility exists that I might have been passed over for a job opportunity or something of that nature but when it comes to writing it helps. I write for me and where I’m at, at this stage in my life. Fortunately, others are with me on this pathway so my writing connects and that is a beautiful thing.
 

 

4. Have you ever written anything that wasn’t same-sex associated?

I don’t intentionally write “gay” but I don’t stop what comes forth either. I’m happy with what comes out be it straight or gay. So
 

 

5. If you could change one thing in your first publication, what would it be?

Oh wow, great question. Story wise, I would add more, subtract less...lol So many things but in the end I love it and like the birth and growth of a child in the end you have to stand back and let them be. So I would change nothing. It’s a solid book.

 

6.  Your writing space catches on fire, what are the first three things you try to save?

My laptop, flash drive and my power cord.
 

 

7.  Who is one person in the writing community that you admire and why?

Lisa C Moore! I “stan” for her, just think she is all around amazing.  Writing wise Octavia Butler is my favorite author, followed closely by Toni Morrison, though Sharon Bridgforth is slowly becoming a fav as well.
 

 

8.  What is one book that you’ve read more than once?

Many! I’ve read everything by Octavia Butler at least 10x (except for Kindred, which I haven’t read once) though “Wild Seed” is my absolute favorite. “Water in a Broken Glass” by Odessa Rose is probably second in regards to number of reads.

 

 

9.  Do you have a stash of snacks reserved only for those long hours of writing?

Nope, I honestly rarely have snacks in the house, well outside of potato chips. Are they considered a snack or a meal?...lol I bake so there are generally baked goods floating around so I probably carb out more than snack out.

 

 

10.   Who is one character, that you’ve written, that is the closest to your personality in real life?

There’s a little piece of me in every character, be it a line that I would possibly say, a thought I would think or even a reaction I would have. There is no one character who is really close to me but there’s enough to make me smile sometimes when I reread a story or two.

 

 

11.   What was your reaction to your first bad review?

 I took it in, fucked it real good and moved on...lol Seriously I looked at the review from all angles, separated truth from fiction and THEN moved on. I accepted that as a reader I don’t like everything that everyone else does, so my book isn’t going to be the exception to the norm.
 

 

12.   How do you deal with bad reviews?

Again separate fact from fiction and then move on.

 

 

13.   What is your creative process when preparing to start a new novel?

I don’t have one. I scribble all the time, walk away, come back scribble some more. I try to tie it all together on the days I don’t scribble..lol Now I do have this one little thing if I’m typing a sentence and I catch myself spelling word wrong I have to delete the entire word instead of just correcting it.

 

 

14.   What is your writing space like?

Random. I write in so many places including my bed, at my desk, at the dining room table, on the couch, in a notepad at work. I wrote most of “SistaGirl” on notepads scattered around my desk at work. On the weekends I would transcribe.

 

 

15.   What genre or writing best suits you and would you think about trying one that is completely left field from what you write?

I read mostly fantasy/sci-fiction and would love to finish up the book that I have going in that direction. I write non-fiction shorts and it suits me. It even suits my reading style. I tend to not like over flowery writing and to me you can’t do that in shorts, you have to get in and get out quickly while telling the complete story.

 

 

16.   I don’t know many children that dream of being writers, so what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be grown if that makes any sense. I had this weird thought that I wouldn’t live past 21, so I figured if I made it past that, life would be okay. I also didn’t want to continue the trend of having a kid by 19 like my mother and grandmother. I joined the military in my Junior year of High School and left for basic training a week after graduating. I had the next four years covered of my life and that was good for me.

 

 

17.   What are your top five must reads whether they are lesbian or not?

“Wild Seed” by Octavia Butler

“Love” by Toni Morrison

“Water in a Broken Glass” Odessa Rose

“Magic Bites” by Ilona Andrews

“Push” by Sapphire

 

18.   To whom was your fist book dedicated to?

 

My ex

 

 

19.   What can we look forward to in the future from your writing? (books, articles, anthologies, etc.) Lots and lots!

 

“Purple” a story from “black girl love” is being turned into a film and will be out for viewing in the not so distant future.

Fall 2013 I’ll be in two anthologies:

"Geechee to Gumbo: Black Southern Womanloving Culture & Politics"

"G.R.I.T.S : Girls Raised In The South- An Anthology on Southern Queer Womyns' Voices and Their Allies".

 

April 2014:
Fifth year anniversary of “Shades Retreat: Personal, You”! Empowerment, growth and change for Queer Women of Color.

 

Fall of 2014:

My novel “PatGreen”

 

 

20.   Last hurrah: If you ever lost the ability to write physically, how would you complete a novel?

There’s an app for that!..lol Seriously there are apps for everything these days including transcribing so I would just “speak” it into fruition.