Thank to the G.R.I.T.S. for this interview  -The SCBC, Inc.

Where are you from?

I'm originally from Los Angeles, California.

Tell us your latest news?

I have a new book out now that I'm excited to have everyone read. It's called My Life Is All I Have. It's about a young woman looking back on her life as she contemplates committing armed robbery. The moral of the story has to do with the consequences of the decisions we make in our lives. That was part of the main inspiration for this story. I also wanted to write a story which featured a west coast setting and give it a little street flavor with what I also hope is a more literary edge than your typical so-called "street" novels. I enjoyed the whole process of writing it, finding inspiration from memories that came to mind, researching by hanging out in the areas depicted in the story, and the final blessing of having a good friend of mine (Layloni) pose for the cover of the book. The end result is a great read with a beautiful cover.

When and why did you begin writing?

Many years ago because I'm not a big talker but I have a very active imagination combined with being a very strong listener. I love to sit, listen and watch life happen. I play creative games like visualizing how a total stranger might live their life, their thought process, the sound of their voice, the way they walk, etc etc. Sort of like creating a character in my head based on what I see visually. Writing is just an incredible way to get things out be it my own personal struggles and triumphs or the inspiration of life and people around me.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When the urge to write became undeniable. Meaning that, many years ago I started with inspirational quotes. I created books for myself using colorful markers where I would put together quotes that I made up that inspired me to keep, keeping on. Those quotes seemed to change and turn into poetry though in my mind I described it as poetic thoughts rather than real poetry. After a while, a friend of mine told me that if I wasn't careful, I'd probably be writing novels soon. I brushed that off. I never believed I'd be able to write a novel but sure enough, ideas started to form and I'd begun writing full fledge novels. It was an exciting discovery and in the beginning I churned them out but they were very short. Most ended up being a little over one hundred pages. Then as my storytelling ability expanded and grew, the stories became longer and more detailed and so did my need for more inspiration, research and time. In many cases, I allow my own life to influence/inspire what I write. Someone once told me that I am a "Method Writer" similar to how you have method actors. I like that.

What inspired you to pen your first novel?

Heartache inspired me. As I mentioned before, when I started writing inspirational quotes, a lot of that came from the need to get over the heartache I was feeling. I wanted to pull myself out of that funk I was in and getaway from the angry direction I was going. Then when I began writing my first novel, which was called "November Friend," I pulled a lot of inspiration from the messages I tried to convey with my quotes. This first novel later became my first published work, Daughter By Spirit.

DBS was initially inspired by the first woman that broke my heart named Yolanda and her beautiful baby daughter, Anjelica. It seems like a million years ago now when that experience went down but it was a very emotional rollercoaster ride in my life as I tried to pursue and be with that woman and the closeness that I developed with her daughter. I tried to place a lot of that emotion into the story though the story itself isn't about what I went through nor is it about Yolanda and Angelica. But again, heartache is what inspired me to pen my first novel and the need to pull myself up out of all that disappointment and discouragement I was feeling.

Who or what has influenced your writing, and in what way?

Life in general has influenced my writing, which I'm sure you can gather from the previous answers. I find that I work best whenever I do allow my own life to affect the direction of a story. I pay attention to everything and you never know when someone might say something that you can't resist having one of your characters say. Then the cool part is being able to put that in a conversation with another character that you've created. It's like living your life through someone else's eyes but you're in control for the most part when it comes to what ultimately goes down.

I've recently been privy to conversations with a couple of cheating husbands and what they say just makes my head spin but at the same time I've got my mental recorder capturing everything so I can have all that stuff available for a future character. I did a lot of that when writing what is now my latest release. (My Life Is All I Have) Whether it was talking to someone who I knew did some serious dirt in his life or observing fast young women exercising their control over young men trying to do whatever they could to win them over. Paying attention to life is the best source for writing inspiration in my opinion. The key is to expand your horizons and do some major traveling so you can be pull from a lot more experience(s).

How has your environment/upbringing colored your writing?

I believe I've answered this question to a certain degree already but speaking further on it, the answer is a definite yes. My upbringing has colored my writing tremendously. I feel like I'm extra blessed because I'm able to draw from my experiences growing up and living in Los Angeles while at the same time I have a very rich history by way of my family in east Texas.

In recent years I've been traveling to where my grandparents are from on my father's side. I'm speaking of the Mt. Pleasant, Daingerfield and Pittsburg areas of east Texas. These small country towns hold a lot of fond memories and discoveries for me. I have no doubt I'll discover more in the future as well because I'm always lucky enough to hear some new twists to a story about my family and other times I go to the county courthouse in Daingerfield just to research names and who owned what. I'm always proud to hear about my grandfather and his four brothers and how they owned many acres of land. These were hardworking black men that cultivated their land. They supported their families by raising cattle, chopping trees for wood, growing vegetables, etc etc. They all had colorful and distinctive personalities and the stories about what went on back then is amazing to hear. Everything from a drug dealing, moonshine running cousin named Playman to a 300 pound frontiersman named General to an incredible woman named Moriah Rivers who built a church with her own hands after slavery ended. She's the inspiration for my next novel entitled, Until Again. Mind you, the story isn't about her but her spirit inspired the journey and the emotions placed inside that story. She was my great great grandmother.

I smile at how my upbringing has "colored" my writing because I'm able to on one hand step back in time by visiting family in the country and then on the other hand, live and work in this crazy city known as Los Angeles. I can go eat Pittsburg Hotlinks and chill by a huge lake in the backwoods or I can hangout at a hotdog stand on Crenshaw Blvd in LA and watch out of control folks spin their cars round and round in the middle of the intersection.

Do you have a specific writing style?

That's something that others would have to determine. I'm just doing me but I like what was said of me by Cheryl Ferguson of Ferguson Literary Agency. She's the one who said I am a "method" writer. I guess that's my style... *smile*

What genre are you most comfortable writing?

I don't strive to write in any particular genre. I only strive to tell a great story that hopefully says something and moves the reader emotionally. I love it when someone emails me or says to me that the book or character(s) made them cry. I had a young woman named Jaime from Los Angeles tell me she was shouting at my latest book as if she were watching the story unfold on the big screen. I thought that was so cool.

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

Inspiration... Titles come to me in the same way someone might hear a song in their head. I just hear it and hopefully I'm able to write it down or email it to myself so that I can place it in my journal. I have journals that are filled with titles. I love having titles for each chapter so I'm a big fan of titles especially when they make you wonder or attempt to guess what that story or chapter is about. I actually got the inspiration and/or love of titles from Prince because many times I would see titles of his song and it would make me wonder what he's talking about. Most times it would never be what you'd expect.

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

The consequences of the decisions you make in life. The majority of the time, everything you decide to do affects more than just yourself. Sometimes its not immediate but in some way it'll affect another person. In the case of Leesha, her drastic decision could get her killed, it could change the lives of those she involves and despite her relationship with her mother, I'm sure it would have an affect on her as well. All about consequences... All of us have the ability to ruin someone's day.

How much of the novel is realistic?

The majority of it is real. Even some of the conversations between the characters actually happened. The story is made up, of course but the inspiration is all real.

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

The experiences are inspired by both. The actual event that initially sparked this story was when I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I was searching for my ATM card as I walked in the direction of the ATM machine. Moments later I bumped into one of the guards standing outside an armored vehicle. Oops! I thought to myself later that if I was criminal minded I would've got the drop on that guy. Then my imagination took off and I began writing in my head a robbery scene. I didn't use that in the book but it sparked the story. Then for some reason I created this female character and wrote what became the prologue to the story where she meets her friend Scottie and another fella as they discuss the possibility of pulling off this robbery. She needs someone to help her but it cant be her best friend Scottie, it has to be someone else. After that, the story just took off but at the same time I wanted to again, allow my life to influence it so I wrote it over the course of one year and I believe I came up with an incredible emotional ride.

What books have most influenced your life?

I really cant think of any that have influenced my life though there's been three books that have gotten me so excited that I've read them twice or more. A Woman's Worth by Tracy Price-Thompson, A Prisoner's Wife by Asha Bandele and Redemption Song by Bertice Berry. Those three stories are amazing to me!

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Not a writer but definitely a literary influence/diva; Tee C. Royal. She's been instrumental in getting me into this literary world and continues to be a major influence/inspiration in what I do and achieve.

What are you reading now?

Knockin Boots by Tracy Price-Thompson. She's definitely on of my favorite authors...

What new author has grasped your interest?

I can't think of anyone new, per se but if I may just give a special nod to author, D.V. Bernard who I think is an awesome writer with an amazing ability to tell an interesting story.

What are your current projects?

Outlining possible sequel to My Life Is All I Have and working on another story inspired by my Texas roots and some folklore that I hear whenever I go back in time out there.

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

It's now been several years since the so-called fad happened so I hope we're beyond that stage. It's just all about supporting and seeking out great stories and literary talent.

Do you feel more African Americans are reading?

Yes I do thanks to the many authors, genre's, and writing styles available. I wish we had the same amount of choices available in film but until then, allow your mind's imagination to be the big screen.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Friends have been a big support to me both in and out of the literary arena. I'm very thankful.

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

Very positive, very proud. I'll always find an email or get a voicemail message saying something about my book or get some kind of update on where they saw my book or heard about me somewhere. It's nice. I don't get caught up into it but I celebrate when someone shows pride or especially when moved by what I write.

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

I see it as a blessing with a life of it's own. I can write forever but will it be a career forever? Not my call but either way, I've achieved and I'm grateful.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything?

Wouldn't change anything because most things happen for a reason according to the journey. It is what it is... Sorry can't be more specific. That's all you get on this question. *smile*

Is there anything additional you would like to share with your readers?

I hope you'll all pick up my latest book, enjoy the journey of this young woman named Leesha Tyler, and enjoy a different look at life somewhere else. Be sure to visit my website as well at www.vanthonyrivers.com.

 

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