AOTR Interviews S.A. Brown

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