Author, Stacy Deanne, tells readers about her writing career. 

Where are you from/how long have you been writing?
I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. I am twenty-six and I've been writing professionally since I was nineteen.

Tell us your latest news
Coming in 2004 I will have three music biographies coming out with the award-winning Amber Books Publishing aka Amber Communications, Inc. I am getting ready to submit fiction for publication. The biographies were presented at the Book Expo America in Chicago in May.

What inspired you to pen your first novel?
I'm twenty-six and I have been writing since I was a child. When I finished high school I began it as a career. I write because it brings me happiness that I never found on my own. It allows me to take a break from the real world and problems and focus on the lives of others ( my characters ).

Who or what has influenced your writing, in what way?
A number of black women who've beat the odds. I've found role models in singers, authors and movie stars. My number one influence was my mother because no matter how worthless I thought I was, she always showed me I was special. She supports me fully.

Has your environment/upbringing colored your writing?
Well I never had financial struggles that friends had. I was lucky to come from a two-parent home and my parents had good paying jobs. But emotionally I was in deep turmoil. The emotional problems I experienced through childhood and low self-esteem have made me stronger and I feel that if it hadn't been for that pain I wouldn't have fought to prove I was worthy of anything. That helped me chase my dream and make writing professionally come true.

Is there a message in your writing that you want readers to grasp?
I don't write books with messages in mind. I write fiction and biographies. I want people to feel good when they read my books and of course I want to gain fans. My goal in writing is to entertain people in books for generations to come. I want to be able to take people away from daily life and help them escape to something they never dreamt possible. The message is left up to the reader and how my work makes them feel.

What new author has grasped your interest?
Alex Garland. Alex's novel " The Beach " is truly a work of art. I was completely blown away by this novel. It left a lasting impression on me. You don't read many books like that anymore. It shows that new talent is vibrant to the literary world.

What are your current projects?
I am currently working on one of my fiction novels and intend to send it off. I am always working on books in my celebrity biography series. I am also looking into writing screenplays.

Do you feel more African-Americans are reading?
I've always felt blacks read but some people pushed the myth that black kids and adults don't read. My entire family reads on a regular basis and my friends have always been interested in literature. I've seen more blacks reading in public than I see whites. Walk into a bookstore and there are just as many blacks buying books and browsing. Black people have always read everything they got their hands on it is just that we were perceived as a culture that only cared about music and dancing when we were so much more.

Do you see writing as a long—or short-term career?
Writing is what I do to live and to be happy. So if I want to be happy I know writing is not only a long-term career, but also it's a part of my life and it always will be.

Do you have tips to help others get published?
When I first started out I read so many books that claim to help authors get published. It wasn't until I learned things on my own that I realized it's a game of fate. No one can tell you when or how it is going to happen. You just have to believe. You have to be determined and realize that writing your book is only half of the game. You have to handle criticism and speed bumps you wouldn't imagine. You have to believe in your talent and know why you're writing. If you're writing for any reason other than it makes you happy you will not last a year in this business.

What is your ideal fan/reader?
My ideal fan or reader is anyone who enjoys my work and enjoys reading and expanding their minds.

Do you think of yourself as a role model?
Hopefully I will be thought of as a role model to someone. It doesn't matter if it's one person or one thousand. I just want to make a difference in someone's life and inspire other girls or young women ( especially minorities ) to follow their dreams and not give up even if it seems like it won't come true. I live by the saying that nothing's worth it if it isn't hard to achieve.

Visit Stacy-Deanne's Official Website: www.stacy-deanne.net