Where are you from?
Washington, DC

Tell us your latest news?
Well I am proud to say that my Website, www.skylarwrites.com has been redone, and is ready to accommodate writers as well as readers. The site is geared towards intellectual stimulation and Urban Fiction. Feel free to peruse our site. We host a free forum for writers so that they may express themselves openly. I have a lot of things in the works. All I can say is keep up with the site if you wish to stay informed. My novel, “Fire and Rain,” is scheduled for release summer 2006.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
You know, that’s a funny thing that you asked. I would say that others considered me a writer before I considered myself a writer. My uncle knew that I was going to be a writer and he actually helped cultivate my talents buy buying writing and reading materials, and because of this, I actually dedicated a piece to my uncle Larry. You can find this in my first book Nappy is Good.

What inspired you to pen your first novel?
My first novel wasn’t intended to be a novel. In the beginning it was nothing more, nothing less than a list of frustrations. The day that I decided to do something about my situation is the day that my list became a novel.

Who or what has influenced your writing, and in what way?
My wife has influenced my writing the most. She pushed me to write on a level that all could identify with in some way. She has great taste and she is such a people person. She’s creative in her own right, and most of all, she knows what people like. If I want to know what to write about, or what people would like to read about, I go to her. She influences my arrangement – my placement of characters and situations.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Yes, there is a message. Success is attainable. Don’t let troubled times, or unfortunate mishaps deter you from discovering true success and happiness.

What genre are you most comfortable writing?
I don’t know. I do know that I don’t ever want to be comfortable with one genre. See, to me the key is being able to write on all levels. Writing is something I enjoy, so it’s not work to me. I guess you could say I’m still playing with it.

How much of the novel is realistic?
The places I write about are always real. I love my city. The situations and settings are real. I do this so that my audience can relate. I try not to get too personal. I am careful with how much I reveal of myself, because when I write I am supposed to be writing about someone else, not myself.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
That is easy… I would consider Michael Baisden a mentor. I love his story. I would listen to him every day on WHUR radio in D.C. He was on the air one day and he was encouraging writers and telling people about how he wrote a book nearly a decade ago that is selling like crazy in modern day. His tenacity kept him afloat. I like how he put himself in a position to be available to people throughout the country.

What are your current projects?
My current projects are
1. Publishing the novel, “Fire and Rain.”
2. Working on the release of “202,” a book about black organized crime.
3. Working to provide a release for aspiring writers. Our ultimate goal is to offer publishing alternatives, and ways to get writers started.

Do you feel that the boom in African American writers is a fad or another renaissance?
Everything goes in cycles. We grew up reading Richard Wright, Alex Haley, and Langston Hughes. They were great writers but still we are borrowing from literatures best and now it’s time to discover our own Wrights and Claude Browns. We need to support them the way black schools did back in the days. We need people to recognize their talents and arrange it so that our generations can have something to call ours, something to embrace. Some think that it’s easy to write but the truth is, it can take years to fully develop your own style. I don’t think that it’s a fad but more should take this movement seriously.

Do you feel more African Americans are reading?
I do. I feel that more African Americans are reading, but we still need more to read – especially males.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
One entity that I feel supported me and others like me was/is WEAA Radio in Baltimore. WEAA stands for We Educate African Americans. This boastful station is incredible. This is the first and only talk show that I enjoyed listening to. They had some of the most intellectual, educated and accredited African Americans on the shows. This station was/is dedicated to empowering and supporting Black entrepreneurs.

Self-Publishing Questions:

How do you feel overall about self-publishing?
There are entities that bash self-published authors and we tend to get a bad name, but what I want to know is how can these organizations that are supposed to be geared towards positive development criticize a sister/brother for having the courage to step out on their own to publish their work. Remember we are talking about writers who are without representation. I know that some of the entities I have in mind resent the fact that more and more authors refute the idea of someone else how good/ not good enough they are. We don’t need you to define our worth as writers. The funny thing is that a lot of famous writers started out self-published – just something to think about.

What do you feel is one major benefit to self-publishing your book?
One major benefit of self-publishing is that I maintain all the rights to my work. I can self-publish and turn around years later to publish that same book through a traditional publisher, I can also sell the rights to playwrights and made for TV executives, but the best luxury is being able to write and publish what I feel.

Would you encourage or mentor someone to become self-publish?
Absolutely… This is a good way to learn about the demand for books, who reads them and how they are sold. You will be forced to learn all the things mentioned because you will be doing all the work yourself. I suggest hiring a publicist before anything else. He/She can help you get organized and started in the right direction to successful promotion of your work.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts and allow others to gain insight as to who Devon Callahan is. Feel free to visit my website www.skylarwrites.com.

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