Emma Rodgers and Daryl Diggs @ Black Images

Thanks, Daryl, for answering a few question so that the reader can get to know you!

-SCBC, Inc.

Where are you from?

I’m originally from Howell, New Jersey which a small town just off the Jersey Shore. I currently reside in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, New York.

Tell us your latest news?

Reviews of That’s the Way Love Goes have really been positive. A lot of book clubs are picking up the book as their monthly selections and I love meeting with book clubs to interact with readers and get their spin on the novel. Black and independent bookstores have shown me nothing but love over the past few months and I am truly grateful. The book has been picked up by Waldenbooks and should be available nationwide in their stores shortly. My East coast tour has been going well, and I have many more upcoming dates throughout the end of the year.

How does your family and/or friends feel about your book or writing venture in general?

My family and friends were like “you wrote a book?” and then proceeded to look at me strangely.  I have a degree in finance and outside of getting A’s in English, I never showed any acumen for having a talent in writing.  After they read the book, they all like to find small pieces of themselves in the writing.  It’s fun to hear people say, “you were talking about me right there, right?”

When and why did you begin writing?

I began writing during winter break of my senior year at Morehouse.  I was inspired to start writing my novel after seeing The Best Man. Similar to Harper (Taye Diggs’ character) I wanted to write a fictional account of my collegiate experiences, but one that wouldn’t catch me a beat down. I started writing and the first twenty pages just seemed to come out all at one time.  When I returned to school, I only had class on Tuesdays and Thursdays during my second semester, and I just took Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to work on the writing.  By the time I graduated, I had something that was pretty substantial.

How did you come up with the title for your book?

The title is a funny story.  My editor and publicist vetoed my original title, and I was having the toughest time coming up with another one.  I had been racking my brain for weeks, and came up with nothing.  I was talking to my roommate about it and he blurted out “That’s the Way Love Goes.”  A light bulb went off in my head and I had my title.  It’s funny because he hadn’t even read the manuscript.

How much of the novel is realistic?

I would say 90%-95% of it based on real-life experience.  The book is very personal to me because you really get an insight in to who I am when you read the novel.  You can read me like a book if you read between the lines.

How has your environment/upbringing colored your writing?

That’s The Way Love Goes is loosely based on my experiences at Morehouse College.  I wrote the majority of the book at Spelman College just across the way.  Just listening to people interact and converse—or conversate as we like to say—with one another is my inspiration for writing.  I just write what I see and hear and put a fictional twist on it.

What books have most influenced your life?

I love the Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley because it shows how a person can do a complete 180 and change from being the worst kind of person there is to one who affected the way generations to come view our people.  Another favorite is The Art of War by Sun Tzu, which has taught me a lot about human nature and when to fight and when not to. I love books about strategic thinking.

What do you do to set the mood for writing?

I don’t think I do anything to set the mood.  My writing is pretty impromptu.  I just start doing it.  I could be on a train, plane, or bus, and I’ll just take out my pen and paper and go at it.  A lot of writers I know like to be alone when they write or have it quiet.  I’m just the opposite; I love to have plenty of activity when I’m doing my thing.

How do you feel overall about self-publishing?

I love being self-published.  I have an anal personality and I love to be in control.  I take great pride in the fact that the book came out exactly as I wanted it to.  The flip side of that coin is that I don’t have deep pockets like most publishing houses do.  Overall, it’s a very rewarding experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything. 

What are the strengths and weaknesses of promotion for self-published authors?

It’s really difficult to get the book into all of the big stores.  Going back to the deep pockets thing, it’s also tough to get in the magazines and get your voice out there.  I find that word of mouth is my best friend.  Word of mouth is what really builds the audience.

What are your current projects?

I’m currently working on the as-yet-untitled sequel to That’s The Way Love Goes.  There’s an interesting cliffhanger at the end of the book (don’t read the last page), and people want to know what happens next.  The sequel deals with the characters’ post graduation experiences and how they deal with the real world.

Do you feel that the boom in African American writers is a fad or another renaissance?

I definitely feel like there is a renaissance happening now.  This is a very interesting and exciting time for black culture as a whole. As some of us (not nearly enough) gain economic status, we’re able to carry more weight in the market place.  We’re also finding and creating more outlets for us to voice our stories.  I think that it’s a great thing that so many of us are getting the opportunity to tell our stories in new forums.

Do you see writing as a long- or short-term career?

I see writing as something that I’ll do for the long-term or for as long as I have something interesting to write about. My favorite part of the process is just being with my pen and paper and creating a new world at my fingertips.  As I said before, I love to be in control.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I want my readers to understand that things don’t always go the way you want them to, but the true measure of a person is how they can overcome obstacles and move on.   I also want them to know that life is precious and you should live each day to the very fullest.

Visit: www.darylcdiggs.com