Thank you Gary for sharing information with avid readers!  -The SCBC, Inc.

Where are you from?
Detroit, Michigan

Tell us your latest news?
I just completed my sixth novel, Deuce And A Quarter for William Morrow.

When and why did you begin writing?
I started at age 11 or so and I think I took it up because I wanted to escape what was going on in my life.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I first started. Being a writer is a state of mind.

What inspired you to pen your first novel?
The crack epidemic hit Detroit and it was terrible. I used it as a background for my first novel, Cold Medina.

Who or what has influenced your writing, and in what way?
Donald Goines was my idol as a kid. His work was very real and very exciting. He was from my neighborhood and so it let me know anything was possible.

How has your environment/upbringing colored your writing?
You keep coming back to familiar themes and stories that you want to share.

Do you have a specific writing style?
No.

What genre are you most comfortable writing?
I like thrillers...they give you a chance to fool people with excitement and teach them a lesson before they know what's going on.

How did you come up with the title for your book(s)?
It's usually tied to a them in the main story.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Yes, but I don't try to beat my reader down with it.

How much of the novel is realistic?
None. You draw general things from experience but not a lot.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your life?
Sometimes.

What books have most influenced your life?
Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, The Autobiography Of Malcom X, Invisible Man...the list could go on but I'll end here.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
I didn't really have one. I consider the writers I read to be my mentors.

What are you reading now?
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane.

What new author has grasped your interest?
Dennis Lehane.

What are your current projects?
I am working on a sequel to my science-fiction book SexLife.

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

Do you feel more African Americans are reading?
Yes and it is growing, thank God!

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
The fans of my work, people who spend money on your art are the best support.

How does your family and/or friends feel about your book or writing venture in general?
They were shocked at first but now, it ain't no thang.


Self-Publishing Questions:

How do you feel overall about self-publishing?
It's freedom, plain and simple.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of promotion for self-published authors?
You get freedom and that's great, but it's expensive and that's limiting.

What do you feel is one major benefit to self-publishing your book?
You get to have things your way and you have power over the finished product.

Would you encourage or mentor someone to become self-publish?
Yes, but save your money.

In closing...

Do you see writing as a long- or short-term career?
It's my profession.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything?
No.

Is there anything additional you would like to share with your readers?
Keep supporting black authors! We need it!

Visit: www.hardbooks.com and www.garyhardwick.com

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