Tell us a little bit about you outside of being an author.I am a mother of two sons ages 20 and 18. I love to cook as well as bake from scratch. I’m deathly afraid of flying and usually drive where ever I travel to.
Tell us a little bit about your work in progress and/or your upcoming release. My next release is part 2 of Like Night & Day it’s entitled What’s Done in the Dark. It was originally supposed to be released in October, but there is a demand for the book so we had to push it up. I’m also working on a book entitled Dead Wrong about a psycho-therapist who may just need a shrink of her own. Finally, I’m completing my short story Murda Mitten that was featured in the anthology Bitch I’m From the D.
How many years of professional writing experience do you have? What have you written? I’ve always wrote something. It started with poems in my early teens and escalated to rap songs in my late teens. Once I hit my twenties I talked about writing a book but I didn’t actually start Like Night & Day until 2004. So far I’ve written Like Night & Day, What’s Done in the Dark and Murda Mitten. I’m currently working on two additional books I’ve yet to name.
Do you have an occupation in addition to being a writer? If so, what is it? In addition to writing I also own an editorial services company named HDB Editorial Services. For years I worked in Corporate American and I was miserable. I’m blessed to be able to do something I love to do and also make money doing it.
What credentials establish you as an expert in your field or have contributed to your success as an author? I have my Bachelor of Arts in Communications as well as my Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from the University of Detroit Mercy. I also graduated from Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts where I received certification in the broadcasting field and learned how to be an on-air personality among other things. I recently received my M.B.A from the University of Phoenix. I’m also an avid reader and have been for many years.
About the Book
What was your motivation for writing this book? My true motivation for writing Like Night & Day is my fear of death. I always said I wanted to leave something behind when I’m gone that would let others know that I was here. I also felt like I’d experience so many things in life and I wanted to share some of my stories with others in hopes that they would learn from the mistakes of others.
Tell us some of the factors that make your book unique. It takes place in Detroit, and I’ve never read a book quite like it myself and I’m an avid reader. I think the characters display a Detroit swag that I’ve yet to see in any other books. My book is also very realistic, yet unpredictable. You won’t see any dead characters come back to life in this one.
What is the single most important thing that readers of your book will be able to do after reading your book that they could not do before? Like a Tyler Perry movie, my book will not make you a different person after reading it unless you allow yourself to learn from it. I’m not trying to change the world, I just love to write exciting stories for readers to enjoy.
What emotions does your book evoke from readers? I’ve heard that my book is evoking all kinds of emotions from readers. It makes me feel good when I hear others talking about how stupid a character was or how much they hated another character. That tells me that my characters are believable and makes the reader feel as if they really exist.
Are there any controversial elements in your book? Yes, Like Night & Day have many controversial elements. There’s the drug trafficking issue, physical and mental abuse, dead beat dads, controlling men, black on black crime, drug abuse and I’m sure I’m leaving something out. Life is controversial for most of us who grew up in the hood.
In researching your book, did you come across any surprising facts, figures or statistics? I always learn something amazing while conducting research. One thing I learned that surprised me was the fact that there are a lot of authors out there, especially in the Urban Fiction genre. The readers have tons of options so I knew I had to bring something totally different to the table.
If your book were for sale in a major bookstore, in what section would it be found? It would probably be in the African American section of most major bookstores. It is Urban Fiction and they usually tend to clump that selection together. However, in the smaller bookstores my book is usually prominently displayed because the cover pops out.
What did you learn while writing this book? I learned that I have truly been blessed and that anything I put my mind to I can accomplish. I learned that the publishing industry can be very shady and not everyone wants to see an author accomplish success. Finally, I’ve learned that there are a lot of lazy, want to be authors out there that expect someone else to put in all the work and research then just tell them what to do or “hook them up.” I’m accepting the fact that I can’t help everyone.
What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand? That everything is not for everybody and if you choose not to read a certain genre then you don’t have to criticize that genre, because somebody out there loves to read it.
What are three things you wish you’d known before you reached where you are now?
- Publishing companies are shady – even the big ones
- Writing a book is just the beginning – writing it is the hard part
- It’s important to write every day – even if it’s just a little bit
How and why does your book differ from books of a similar topic? What would you like your readers to take away from your book? Like Night & Day differs from books of a similar topic because it is my story exclusively; things that either myself or people close to me may have experience in life. I’d like my readers to understand that this is just a work of fiction, much like that of a movie or a rap song. While some things in the book may be true, as an author I’ve learned to fabricate even the truth to make it more interesting for the reader. I don’t want them to think I condone the behavior that some of the characters may display, but I love to write for entertainment purposes. I write stories that readers can relate to. They may or may not learn a lesson from my books but as long as they enjoyed the story then I’m happy.
If you could change one thing you did during your road to publication, what would it be and what would you have done different? I wouldn’t change a thing because everything I went through, from the bad deal with Triple Crown Publications, to my book being held up for two years, I think all of those things I endured helped me to get where I’m at today. I learned a lot of valuable lessons that will only benefit me in the end.
What advice would you give an aspiring author? Do your research, don’t believe everything you are told, write everyday, and get ready to work your butts off. You are a brand now and every minute of every day is a chance to promote your brand.
Where can readers learn more about you and your books? Readers can contact me direct at
- renitagoldie2000@yahoo.com
- www.myspace.com/renitamwalker
- therealgoldie@blackplanet.com
- www.rockydpublishing.com
I can also be reach at renitamwalker on facebook, tagged, and twitter.
Please identify five recent books that compete most directly with yours.
- Out for Self – 978-0976999133
- The Bitch is Back – 978-0-9799517-6-3
- Pink Palace – 978-0-9799517-5-6
- True II the Game III – 978-0-446-58168-4
- Black Widow – 978-0-345-49387-3
