This month we are happy to bring you an interview with S.A. Brown. Enjoy and please support this authors work!
AOTR: Please give the
readers a brief Bio on you the person and tell us about yourself.
SA Brown: I love
telling stories. Even as a child, I made up characters and gave them little
lives. I wrote most of them down and still have them in worn-out notebooks.
Today, I write for the stage, the screen, and the page. Ultimately, I want to
share all of my stories with the world.
AOTR: When did you
begin writing?
SA
Brown: I started writing at an early age. I was in the sixth grade when I wrote
an essay for English class about my grandfather. My teacher entered it in a
local contest and I won. From then on, I knew an audience for my stories was out
there.
AOTR: What pushed you
to write your book?
SA
Brown: I would snippets to my friends and they would love it. They would tell me
you got to finish this story and do something with these words. People should
hear about this.
AOTR: How did you come up with the characters in
your book?
SA Brown: It started
out as a coming-of-age story and it still is. The characters just kind of
appeared to me, one by one, urging me to tell their story. Over the course of
writing, the characters changed and reinvented themselves.
AOTR: Were the
characters and writing the story easy for you, or did you have to outline and do
research?
SA Brown: It was easy
when I could focus on the story. I do outline so I can stay on
track.
AOTR: How long did it
take you to complete your book? Will there be a sequel. If so, when do you plan
to release it?
SA Brown: It
took me ten years to get the first draft on paper. That means the story was
always in my head, but I needed to get it on paper. The process took so long
because I'd write for three months and walk away from the story for three
months. Initially, a sequel was not in the works, but as more people read it,
they demand a sequel. I am not sure of a release date but it won't take me ten
years to get the first draft done.
AOTR: After reading
your book, what do you hope the reader will take away?
SA Brown: Honestly, I
want the reader to understand that no matter what wrong you do, no matter who
you betray or disappoint, God is always there for you. He is waiting for you to
let Him in. God in the sense of whoever is your Higher Power, the existence of
whatever or whoever is better and bigger than you.
AOTR: Has anything
about the publishing Industry surprised you?
SA Brown: I feel a
sense of 'hurry up and wait' situation. Your deadline is two weeks. Now give
your editor two months to get back with you. Hurry up with your idea of a cover
and them give your graphic artist time to create it. Time is so relative in this
industry.
AOTR: Would you like
to share a few things you learn while in the publishing
industry?
SA Brown: One thing
I've learned is the importance of a marketing plan and the finances of
completing that plan. SA Brown is not just an author but a brand that requires
lots and lots of time to build. My biggest is lesson is that patience is its own
reward. All things come together in due time.
AOTR: If you could
write a book together with any author, dead or alive, who would it
be?
SA Brown: I would love
to write a book with E. Lynn Harris. He was my favorite author and gave me the
inspiration to tell a different kind of story.
AOTR: If your book
was made into a movie, what actors would you choose for the characters?
Why?
SA
Brown: I am actually working on a script adaptation right now. Mehcad Brooks would
be a perfect Christian Goodman with Kerry Washington playing Dr. Devin Rainey. Mehcad has the looks
and confidence to pull off Christian's bravado. Kerry can show off Devin's tough
exterior but also reveal Devin's tender and insecure interior. My favorite
character in the book is Dane. I think Wesley Jonathan would do wonders as Dane
and would ultimately steal the shine from the two leads.
AOTR: Besides
writing, what are some of your other talents and hobbies?
SA Brown: I love going
to the movies. I act, produce, and direct. I golf quite a bit and I love
collecting vinyl.
AOTR: What words of
wisdom do you have for aspiring authors?
SA Brown: Learn the
craft of writing and then never stop writing. If you have a story, someone
somewhere needs to read it.
AOTR: What current
projects are you working on? Will you be attending any events, book fairs or
have any book signings?
SA Brown: Currently, I
am producing a play called Stop the Funeral. I write for a tv talk show called
The Attic which is aired on Bounce TV. I am in pre-production for my web series called The Inner
Circle. I am working with TBell Actors Studio to improve my acting muscle.
I have a lot of pots cooking on the stove.
AOTR: Where can
readers find more information on you and your
work?
SA Brown: My website,
www.sabentertainment.com You can order an autographed copy of Still Not
Satisfied. On Facebook, you can add me: SA Brown and Author SA
Brown.
S.A.'S ten favorite things:
Shoes:
Nike--The
only athletic shoe I wear
Season:
Autumn, I
love watching nature go into relaxation and revitalization mode
Food:
Just
about any kind of fruit
Song:
Cannot
narrow that down to one song, not even one genre.
Fruit:
watermelon: In the
summer, I eat it all day long.
Day
of the week: Sunday, my time to
relax and still prepare for the week ahead.
Friend/why?
I am blessed with an
inner circle, not just one friend. We all need each other and are there when the
time comes, no matter what.
Radio
station: My Marvin Gaye station
on Pandora
Blog:
SA Brown Blog, www.authorsabrown.blogspot.com
Holiday:
Father's
Day. It's the time my family has our biennial family reunion in honor of my
grandfather, James Brown, whom we lost in 2001. We began the tradition in
2002.
Thanks to the Authors
on the Rise Blog for this opportunity to share with you a small piece of my
world. Blessings to all!!!
SA Brown
