LaToya: If you could choose a famous African American who has impacted your life who would it be and why?
DINA: This is probably one of the most difficult questions to answer. To narrow down the list of (famous) African Americans who have impacted my life to one, is nearly impossible! But the first to come to mind is Madam C.J. Walker. She had a scalp disease, which caused her to suffer from baldness. However, instead of allowing herself to become a victim, she became a hair guru, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the first female self-made millionaire in the United States! Talk about facing challenges head on – pun intended.
LaToya: Where are you from? Where do you live now?
DINA: I was born and spent most of my childhood in Miami, Florida. My entire adulthood has been spent in Tampa, Florida.
LaToya: Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
DINA: No. For a long time, I wanted to be a secretary, an actress, and teacher.
LaToya: When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?
DINA: In some way or another, I’ve always been a writer; however, I didn’t take it seriously until 2012 when I wanted to tell my story, hence my first published book, Rewriting My Story which was released on October of that year.
LaToya: How did you choose the genre you write in?
DINA: I didn’t; it chose me.
LaToya: Where do you get your ideas?
DINA: This may be a typical response…but EVERYTHING inspires me! From my family, friends, books, news, taking a stroll at park or beach…there’s a story everywhere! The problem is narrowing down my ideas.
LaToya: Name one book that you would categorize as a life changing read.
DINA: That one is easy – Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. What I find profound about the story of Clarissa Dalloway is that it doesn’t matter what your background is, some way every woman can relate to the main character. Note, that this book was initially published in May 1925, yet it addresses many social and internal issues women face today.
LaToya: Who is your favorite author?
DINA: William Shakespeare.
LaToya: Name one book you wish you’d written.
DINA: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
LaToya: Tell us about your latest book.
DINA: My latest book is actually a short story titled Lost & Found. It’s the story of My-Joy Avery Summer, a young lady who is seeking for one thing – love. But love must come with a hefty bank account. And the sexy business tycoon, Mr. Uri Beaulieu had exactly that – money. What she soon found was that a life filled with lavish shopping sprees, fancy car, a beautiful home, and exotic vacations weren’t enough. She wanted love… and so she left him. But she quickly discovered that her decision to leave Uri came with a price. And she soon uncovers a web of deception that lifts the veil on her past and changes her future forever. The result? Kidnapping. Betrayl. Human Trafficking. and Death… But will she ever find what she desires? Will she ever find… Love?
Lost and Found is currently available only via eBook and can be purchased on Amazon.com.
DINA: Readers are welcomed to visit the following sites/pages:
Website
Amazon
LaToya: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
DINA: Just write! It boggles my mind how many people want to become authors, yet have not written a word. There’s no point in focusing on publishing your book, if you don’t have a book to publish!
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