AUTHOR
SELENA HASKINS
Author bio: Selena Haskins just penned her third book, Riding
the Waves,
a follow-up to her best-selling novel, A
River Moves Forward. As a native Washingtonian, Selena knows all about
urban-life, and therefore writes what is true to her heart. Thus, Selena
contributed “Mirrors Don’t Lie” to the best-selling book, Just
Between Us,
which continues to rank #1 on Amazon.
Personal favs:
Drink – Starbucks
Coffee
Food – Seafood
Vacation –
California
TV show – The
Steve Harvey Show
Movie – Wow! How
much time do we have? I have a long list. “Love and Basketball” would be one of
them.
Animal – Dolphins
Sport – Basketball
Book - Bible
Book title:
Riding the Waves
Brief synopsis of
your book: In this sequel,
Tracey writes a tell-all book that exposes her family and friends. When her
ex-lovers decide to seek revenge, things start to spiral out of control, and
Tracey finds herself having to choose between fame and money or the love of her
family.
Current book or
project you’re working on: I’m
working on a short-story comedy.
What was the
inspiration for your novel? Riding the Waves is the sequel to my
debut novel A River Moves Forward. My inspiration came from readers who
responded well to A River Moves Forward, and demanded I release a second
book.
Please share
three interesting facts about your book which are not covered in the synopsis.
1) Someone gets a
divorce.
2) Someone dies.
3) Two characters
from book one become lovers.
Who is the most
complex character from your current novel? The most complex would be the main character, Tracey.
Are there any
characters in your book that remind you of yourself? Connie and Kay-Kay.
If you could pick
any well-known or famous author to review your book who would you pick and why?
I would go with
Nicholas Sparks. Nick likes coming-of-age stories, and contemporary romance.
Although my book is not under those categories, part of the plot includes those
subjects.
What, who, and
when were you first inspired you to write? In high school, I wrote all the time and one of my English teachers
saw one of my manuscripts and encouraged me to keep going.
Genre/Author/Reader:
What genre does
your book fall into?
African American/Family Life/Urban Fiction.
Which genres do
you write? African American Family Life/Urban Fiction.
What is the first
book you remember reading that affected how you thought or felt about something?
The first book was Forever by Judy Blume, when I was a teenager.
Is there a book
you loved that was also made into a movie that you also loved? If so, how did
the movie connect with you? For me, it’s never been both. Either I liked the
book better or the movie better. It usually depends on which one happens first.
I love the movie, “The Help” , but when I read the book afterwards I didn’t
like it. On the other hand, I read the book, “The Great Gatsby” and couldn’t
finish it, but I loved the movie.
Which three
authors have inspired you the most, and why?
1) Margaret
Johnson-Hodge, she paints pictures with her words.
2) Omar Tyree,
he’s the king of urban fiction, good businessman.
3) Carl Weber,
good businessman, and his stories are funny.
Have you ever read
a book you couldn’t finish reading? Unfortunately, yes. LOL.
Do you read a
book, while you are writing a book? Yes
it doesn’t bother me. I know some authors don’t because they think the other
author’s thoughts will become their own. In my opinion, you wouldn’t be able to
control that even if you weren’t writing. Everything we take in from the world
around us will at times come out in our creativity.
The process:
How many books
have you written? Which book is your favourite and why? Three books, and my
favourite is my first novel, A River Moves Forward. It’s like having a child.
You’ll always remember everything about your first child, and you record every
milestone.
Is there anything
that helps get you in the mood to write? All it takes is an inspiring thought
and I’m on my laptop clicking away.
What were three
challenges you faced when writing your book?
1) I had
different narrative voices initially, it was a challenge to change it, but I
understood where my editor was coming from.
2) Having to cut
certain scenes.
3) Rewrites- I
hate it!
What lessons have
you learned as an aspiring writer? I’ve learned to take the craft of writing
seriously. With each book I write, I aspire to get better. For me, it’s not
about money it’s about sharing good stories that can reach the hearts of
readers.
Do you ever
experience writer’s block? If so what helps you to ‘overcome?’ Taking a break
helps. Stepping away from the story for awhile.
What is the most
important thing you’ve learned, either in the self-publishing or traditional
publisher, route? Set a budget, work with people who come highly recommended. Be
patient. Learn to adjust as the industry changes. Become a good marketer.
How can people
connect with you? The easiest way is through my website. Through my website
readers can follow me on social media by clicking on the icons.
Where can readers
find your book?
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