Check out all of my interviews as a published author!~

– Writer Interview #16 –

Today’s guest author was sent our way from Brandi Drury of BK Walker Books  Urban fiction writer and entertainment blogger, Vogue – was born April L. Blanding. She is holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work and is passionate about her work as a Program Contractor with the Teen Health Center for York County in South Carolina (USA). Currently, Vogue is writing a ten-book series titled The Diamond Collection. The first novel is Diamonds in the Rough, which is being published through Passionate Writer Publishing. You can visit Vogue at www.simplyvogue.net.  The discussion below between April and I reveals how she works as a writer, how she handles some of the difficulties in this career, where she gets the motivation for her work and more:  

Lillian: What motivates you to write? 
April: My motivation to write comes from anything that I may have seen or heard that sparks my imagination. It could be a conversation with another individual or even a song. Wanting to expand on the idea or vision, I immediately begin to turn that thought or vision into words. Before long, I find myself staring at the first ten pages of a novel.
Lillian: How do you spend your writing time? 
April: Before I start writing, I always review what I have written the day before. Sometimes, I may even start at the beginning of the novel. It allows me to see discrepancies and gives me new ideas for a possible twist in the storyline. Once I have reviewed my past days’ work, I then begin adding on new chapters.  
Lillian: What is your favorite genre of writing? 
April:  Narrative writing is my favorite genre of writing because it allows the author to use all aspects of their imagination. The author has full control over the setting, characters, and plot unless it is a nonfiction novel. Aside from grammar, I feel that there shouldn’t be any rules when it comes to writing. Everything should be uninhibited.

 
Lillian:  Do you write only non-fiction? Or fiction? 
April: As of right now, I write only fiction. However, I have brainstormed ideas for a nonfiction book because I do not want to limit myself. I chose to write fiction versus nonfiction because there were fewer boundaries. With fiction, you can create your own fantasy world.
Lillian: What keeps you writing while getting rejection letters or struggling with writer’s block? 
April: If a novel has been rejected, I take into consideration the feedback that I’ve received. My drive to give quality work is what keeps me writing. If I am experiencing writer’s block, I try my best not to write. I step away from the novel for a couple of days or maybe even weeks until I feel the urge to write again.
Lillian: Do you use certain tricks that help prevent you from straying from your goal? 
April: Before I start working on a new novel, I make an outline of the entire book. It allows me to see all of my ideas on paper before I actually start writing. I can make major changes to the novel without having to rewrite chapters since it is only an outline. Not only does it save time, but it allows me to work on my novel even when I’m not in front of my laptop.

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VBT Pit Stop #2 with Vogue and Diamonds In The Rough

Please give a warm welcome to newly published author Vogue.  She has written “Diamonds In The Rough” ,  her first installment in The Diamond Collection.  Welcome Vogue and thank you so much for stopping in .

1. What is needed for a story to be good?

In order for a story to be deemed as good, it must have a memorable character (s). A memorable character is one who has distinctive characteristics that allows the reader to relate to them. The character may remind the reader of someone they know. This makes the reader more drawn to the novel.

Just as important as the characters, there must be a plot that will generate the reader’s attention. Twists in the plot help keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Most readers already have an idea of how they want the book to end. It seems as if the majority of the time, the book never ends the way the reader presumes. Some people like this, others don’t. It depends on the reader.

In addition, a story must be able to teach a lesson. At the end of the book, the reader should be able to take something from the novel that they can apply to their own lives.

Also, originality is always a plus. There will always be books with similar storylines, but each book has something different about it. It is what makes the book stand out amongst the others on the shelf.

2. Till now how many books have you written?

In terms of books that have been published, there are only two. Diamonds in the Rough is available for pre-order through www.passionatewriterpublishing.com, while Diamonds are Forever, the sequel, has been accepted by my publisher. As far as unpublished works, I have written approximately twenty-one books.

Diamonds in the Rough and Diamonds are Forever are a part of a ten book series, collectively known as The Diamond Collection.

In high school, I wrote a series of five books entitled Urban Drama. Then, there were a few novellas: The Fair Fight, Backstage Love, The Caretaker, Sebastian, Black Reggae, and Enamorado. Unfortunately, I no longer have copies of these. I can remember what the books are about, but that is about it. Most of the books were lost when I made the transition from Greenville to Rock Hill, SC in 2003.

3. How much time do you take to finish a book?

When I am feeling comfortable with a story, I try to devote as much time to it as I can. A lot of times, I multitask. I spend, on average, between eight to nine hours a day working on a book. Even when I am at work, I carry around a notebook, which will allow me to write down ideas. Typically, it takes me four to five months to finish a book. Even when it’s fully written, I may take a few weeks to edit it. This allows me to see discrepancies in the storyline and it also sparks new ideas.

4. Where do you get ideas for your writing?

For Diamonds in the Rough, the story idea came from a dream. In the dream, I visualized a girl whose whole mindset was controlled by her lover’s hazel eyes. He had a certain power over her just from the way he would look at her. Wanting to incorporate that into a novel, I began putting several ideas together to form an urban fiction novel. Thus from the dream, Diamonds in the Rough was born.

5. Tell about your first book?

Here’s a synopsis of Diamonds in the Rough:

“I see a woman who is just like the stars outside. She is shining as bright as she can with hope that someone sees her except this woman is far better than them. She’s a diamond.”

Carmen Davenport is living the American dream. Born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she has anything that a twenty-one year old college student would want: supportive parents, a set of fly friends, and an inheritance to one of the most lucrative clothing companies in New York: Flame, Inc. The only thing missing is love, but that doesn’t seem to faze her until she lays eyes on Jay Santiago, a Puerto Rican drug lord who is destined to make Carmen his at any cost. Almost instantly, Carmen begins to fall for him despite his reign as the head of a multi-million dollar drug cartel.

After securing the rights to her inheritance, Carmen soon learns that Flame, Inc. is headed towards a downward spiral. Too ambitious to allow her dream to go down the drain, Carmen begins pulling at all lifelines to save her company. Putting aside everything she’s ever believed in, Carmen soon finds herself entangled in a web of lies, betrayal, and crime. However, Carmen knows that in order to achieve her goal, she must remain focused no matter how dangerous the road to success may get.

Diamonds In the Rough is the first of ten books known communally as “The Diamond Collection.”

6. What is the hardest part of writing?

The hardest part of writing is remaining dedicated to the craft. It is so easy to let life’s everyday tasks distract you from your goals. Once you have the mindset that you are moving forward with a project, every little thing will try and stop you. Encouraging yourself is the only way to make it to the finish line.

Vogue is currently on virtual book tour with Authors Supporting Authors.  You can view her schedule on her website at http://simplyvogue.net  Leave a comment here today for your chance to win a copy of book number 1 in this fantastic series!

Diamonds In The Rough is set to release on June 1,  but you can pre-order a copy through her publisher at http://passionatewriterpublishing.com 

Thanks again for stopping in Vogue!  It’s been a pleasure.

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Interview with author Vogue – BK Walker Books virtual book tour

As I continuing to host the BK Walker Books Authors Promoting Authors virtual blog tour, today I welcome author Vogue.

Welcome, Vogue!

Please tell us about your current release, which releases today through Passionate Writer Publishing.
Diamonds in the Rough tells the story of Carmen Davenport, a twenty-one year old college student, hailing from Brookstone, New York. Carmen is the perfect example of the “good girl.” She also comes from a high class background. Her father owns his own real estate firm while her mother owns her clothing store, Flame, which Carmen is set to inherit. Carmen’s life is ultimately changed when she meets Jay Santiago, a Puerto Rican drug lord, at a local diner. Instantly, they become attracted to each other and begin to date. During the course of their relationship, Carmen inherits her mother’s clothing store, which is headed towards bankruptcy. Possessing an ambitious spirit, Carmen begins searching for every lifeline possible to save the struggling store.

What inspired you to write this book?
In most street fiction-based novels, there seemed to be an absence of a high-class, female character that becomes a victim of a criminal enterprise. Most of these characters grew up in public housing and did not have good support systems. There was also an absence of spirituality in the storylines. Wanting to create a female character that was well off, innocent and ambitious, but who slowly transitions into a femme fatale, the idea of Diamonds in the Rough was born.

What exciting story are you working on next?
Diamonds in the Rough is the first part of a ten book series known collectively as, The Diamond Collection. Diamonds are Forever, is the second book in the series, which has been accepted by my publisher. Currently, I am rewriting and editing the third book in the series, which is entitled The Ace of Diamonds.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I first considered myself as a writer when I was in high school. I had started working on a series of novels entitled Urban Drama and it was through that experience that I discovered my desire to be a published author.

Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I do not write full-time, but my mind is always focused on writing. When I am at work, I always carry a notebook around with me just to write ideas down in. If I am adamant about finishing a book, I push aside all other tasks in my life to concentrate on writing.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
My most interesting writing quirk is that I outline each one of my novels. Before I even start working on a novel, I know exactly how many chapters the novel will have as well as what is set to occur in each chapter. Therefore, when I actually start writing, I stay on track with the plot as well as the timeframe.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Growing up, I wanted to be a teacher. My mother was a teacher and I simply wanted to follow in her footsteps. As I got older, I realized that teaching wasn’t for me. I always had a desire to express myself creatively and I knew that ultimately, my goal was to become either a published author or poet.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Besides writing, another one of my pastimes is blogging. You can visit my blog at www.simplyvogue.net.

Thank you for your time today, Vogue, and I wish you well on the blog tour and with your books.

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