Hi Eartha thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I am a mother of 2 and, like many, have been trying to write (poetry) since I was 11 years old. In 2001, I decided to write a novel. I taught myself at the New York Public Library, borrowing fiction writing books. I was seriously expecting to write 10 pages a day, (like Steven King), finish my manuscript in 3 months, and being on the New York Times Best Sellers list in a year and a half.
But no. It took me 5 years to write my first draft. And before that, at one point, I was honestly ready to throw in the towel.
BUT FOR THIS....My Aunt had taken the first half of the manuscript to her job. She worked at a very large, call center. She called me to ask for the rest of it, because her co-workers were fighting over the pages. And that is when I registered for a workshop here in New York, called Write Your Novel In 30 Days. My first draft was completed 5 months later (2006). Then came the research and rewrites. 5 more years of taking writing workshops, doing research and gaining permissions.
My debut, Love Changes, was self-published, won an award from the NYCHA Branch of the NAACP, has been endorsed by Nikki Giovanni and was featured in the 2014 Congressional Black Caucus.
What are your ambitions for your writing career?
I always wanted to bring forth incredible writing…that sells. I soon learned that I had to come out of hiding to sell the books. Every role I fill as an independent publisher, I would love for my business to flourish to where I could fill those positions with someone equally qualified, and have that business run, churning revenue.
Which writers inspire you?
Jamaica Kincaid, Iyanla Vanzant, Zora Neal Hurston, Valerie Wilson Wesley, Terry McMillan, E. Lynn Harris, Omar Tyree, Marsha Hunt, Dorothy Allison.
What are you working on at the minute?
Couples Night, Chocolate Love, Graffiti Mural 2, His Tori, and a couple of nonfiction titles.
What genre are your books and why?
I write women’ s literary fiction, set in the inner-city, based on true-to-life, everyday, urban professional characters, because this is a landscape that I knew very well. My characters would be an investment banker from the Bronx, a valedictorian who went to Georgetown on a scholarship, whose best friend is actually smarter than him, but lost focus and dropped out of college running behind her boyfriend.
In 10 words or less can you create a quote that describes you and your writing?
I write life and love’ s teachable moments and hard solutions.
Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?
I would love to see Natori Naughton (Tasha from Power) as Mia.
When did you decide to become a writer?
I announced it when I was about 6 years old because my aunt was an avid reader who’ d read hundreds of trade romance novels and none featured black people on the cover. I made the decision in 2001.
Do you write full-time or part-time?
All the time. Fiction, poetry, articles, market copy, legal copy.
Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?
This is really hard to explain. I used to have scheduled writing sessions 4-6:30. Since publishing, I promote/sell more regularly than anything. And if I am in an artsy mood, I am designing something. Or editing, When I am more focused. And when I have an event scheduled, things get pushed up or pushed aside.
Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?
I aim to tap into the essence of the characters. Accumulation of pages can become endless but still not form a story. I have thousands of pages, but if it ain’t a story, it ain’ t a story. And there have been days when I have written, very eloquent circles.
Where do your ideas come from?
Everywhere: art (Alonzo Adams is among my favorites), music, life, the sky, the ground, everything I find fascinating. LOVE CHANGES was inspired, in part, by the 80s tune of the same name. And one of my all-time favorites “Same Place, Same Time” by 80s sensation, Krystol. Love Changes was meant to be a journey of 80s and 90s music with a complete music soundtrack of my own original music. The music aspect was the factor that made it very difficult to place with a literary agent.
Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just to see where an idea takes you?
I free write poetry, articles and short stories. If I want to finish a novel, I have to outline. Without an outline I get stuck.
How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?
I have learned to love my characters from a distance. When I hold them too close, too tight, the writing process becomes agony. And I do have to stop protecting them from their choices.
What is the hardest thing about writing?
For me, this is a tossup between second-guessing your gift and wrapping up a story, being sure to tie up all loose plotlines.
What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?
Calling Chocolate Love my latest book, the hardest thing about it has been empathizing with the male species enough to write a young 20-something brothah, in 1st person from his perspective, understanding his cares and frustrations without making him a girly-boy.
What is the easiest thing about writing?
For me, that is dialogue. Dialogue has always been my gift.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
Love Changes took 5 years to a completed first draft. 12 years to publication. It’s a 56 chapter opus of nearly 120,000 words, and I tracked down 18 music publishers for permission to quote their song lyrics (Mary J. Blige, P. Diddy, Curtis Mayfield’s estate, etc.). I wanted this book released exactly the way I wanted, and I was very happy with the finished product.
Where can you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
I would have to say the …on line at the bank making larger deposits. I wanted to produce quality books (I love paperbacks) with meaningful content. I have more or less smashed my goals. Right now, I am more focused on sustaining the profitability in my book publishing business.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I have been different ‘people’ at different stages in my life. Wishing I turned left instead of right is mildly ridiculous, so I would just say to my younger self, “You’re gonna be just fine. God got you.”
Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
Phyllis Hyman. I was inspired by her beauty, poise, style, talent, and sophistication. Her suicide was heartbreaking. I know, more than likely, she had her own circle of friends who poured into her, but I would have loved to have given her a hug. Depression is real.
If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?
If I could have been the original author of any book what book would that be and why? I would have to say Joy by Marsha Hunt. Joy by Marsha Hunt is the first book I fell in love with. It was delicately written about a family and issues within the family and how those experiences shaped and explained who they become as adults years later. This was first women’s fiction drama and my first introduction of plot twists and the reversal of expectation. I feel it was grossly underrated. I read Joy decades ago until it fell apart, and I still have my original.
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