AOTR is delighted to bring you an interview from author April Alisa Marquette. Please show your support by picking up one of her books from Amazon.
AOTR: Please tell us about yourself and your debut book.
April: I’m an author – who has the ability to grab a reader from any page, pull them into a story and make them a willing captive until that story’s end. My debut novel, entitled Absolution is the story of four friends, three women, and Beau, a gay male. In this— Book I of a trilogy, the friends call themselves Cohorts and believe their friendship is near perfect. That is, until one of the women betrays the male…by cavorting with his man! Then oh the drama; there is suspense, betrayal, heartbreak, laughter, and tears.
AOTR: Why did you write your book, and where did the inspiration come from?
April: I’ll let you in on a secret. Although Absolution was my debut novel, it was not the first I’d written. Absolution came about because I kept ‘hearing’ conversations while smack dab in the middle of writing a different novel, Turnabout, a love story. The pesky chatter wasn’t suitable for what I was writing, I ignored it. Then when I began to jot it down…the characters of Absolution started to take shape. As they further ‘came alive,’ I found myself toggling back and forth, between two completely different stories.
AOTR: What do you hope people will take away after finishing your book?
April: I’d like readers to feel satisfied, and entertained. I’d like them to feel provoked, to anger, to tears, or thought. I want them to experience laugh-out-loud moments, and I want them to sense the characters’ despair, or their happiness. After finishing my books I want readers to want more. I love what one reader wrote to me. In essence she said that upon finishing a story of mine, she felt saddened as though she would no longer interact with her ‘newfound friends and family members.’
AOTR: What important lessons or teaching where you trying to convey?
April: In Absolution which is also on Kindle, I wanted to convey the joy of friendship, the beauty of people as individuals. I try to convey that we’re not all the same; some people are heterosexual, others are gay, or bi-sexual. Some have very visible faults and demons. In this story I also pose a huge question: can friends forgive, even when things have gone horribly wrong?
AOTR: Does your book deal with any inportant social issues?
April: Yes, Absolution deals with quite a few. This novel takes a look at something we’re seeing quite a bit of in the news now days, the persecution of certain members of society. Absolution also deals with tolerance, and multi-ethnic people. There are other issues that I won’t mention for fear of giving away the story, but it is good. Some readers have actually said they read all night because they just had to find out what would happen…Books II & III in this trilogy may even be more interesting!
AOTR: In one sentence tell a reader why they should read your book for their next selection.
April: Well, if a reader wants a little escapism, if they’d like to laugh, or even cry; if they just want a good captivating read, then I’m their author.
AOTR: If you had a chance to have dinner with any author dead or alive, who would it be and what is one question you would ask him or her?
April: I’d want to hear from the late great Zora Neale Hurston, in her own words, how she started writing—what was the catalyst?
AOTR: What is the best advice someone gave you, and what advice would you give to someone right now who is going through hardships?
April: The best advice a woman gave me was to hang onto my dreams. She said not to share them with everybody, because some people—even friends and family members, are dream-killers. For someone going through hardships I wouldn’t go all cliché, I hate that when you just need someone to be truthful; therefore, I’d simply say that when life tosses me down, I pray. Help doesn’t always come immediately, or when I think it ought to, but it comes.9) If you were not an author what career field would you be in?
AOTR: If you were not a writer, what would you be?
April: I’d be a teacher! I love helping people learn new things, things they thought they couldn’t master. When I tutored young people, I loved opening the world of reading and writing, and watching them blossom.
AOTR: What do you pray your legacy will be?
April: I pray that my legacy will be long lasting, that it will be that of a writer par excellent who dealt with issues not easily penned or even verbally expressed. I want it said that although I tackled difficult subjects, I did so with candor, humor, and grace.
April's 10 favorite things:
Day of the week : Monday – It offers a new start; another chance to get it right
Holiday: Christmas
Food: Fresh soft, hot, buttered bread
CD: Here I Stand – Usher
Town or city: NYC
Friend Why?: My girlfriends. We laugh, we trust, we tell each other the truth. We drink, we eat, we commiserate, and we cheer each other on!
Quote : When people show you who they are, believe them—the first time - Maya Angelou
Book :Colored People – Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Teacher Why?: Mrs. Seryl – When I was in grade school she brought me a book a week from her extensive home collection, thereby igniting my love of reading. I thank God for her.
Hobby: Can I say eating? No, just kidding. I love to watch Brandy & Ray J.
