On the ‘Net with Author Donna Hill
By APOOO • May 23rd, 2010 • Category: Author of the Week •
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Greetings Donna and welcome to APOOO!
In 140 words or less, tell readers why What Mother Never Told Me would make a great addition to our personal library.
I really believe that anyone who picks up What Mother Never Told Me will be able to relate to the message because no matter what your relationship is with your mother, good, bad, or indifferent we ALL have one. And the influence that she had on our lives helped to shape us into who we are today. The relationship between a mother and her child (in this book her daughter) is a powerful one. Mother is the source of our existence and when that image is shattered, or altered, or removed it has many repercussions.
How did you come up with the plot for What Mother Never Told Me?
Actually, What Mother Never Told Me is the conclusion to my novel Rhythms which was published ten years ago. (Yeah, it kind of took me a while. LOL) There were so many readers over the years that wanted to know ‘what happened next’ and I too felt that there was more to the story to tell. But it took me to get to a certain place in my life and my writing career when I could actually put the story together the way I wanted to tell it. I knew the centerpiece of the story would be my main character Parris and the family secret about her mother. But there were also other elements of the story that lent themselves to fleshing out, such as the roots of Parris’s other family.What I wanted to especially bring across in this novel is that no matter where we come from, what race, we are, we all long for the same things.
Are you working on another book and, if so, can you share a brief summary with us?
LOL. I am always working on something! Sometimes multiple somethings. I recently finished the fourth and final installment of my Ladies Cartel Series Longing and Lies, which will be out in April of this year. And even more recently I finished Harte’s Reward which will be out in August. It is part of the Millionaire Matchmaker series for this summer. My story is about Melanie Harte, the owner of the elite matchmaking agency who finally meets her match in Claude Montgomery, the Chief of Staff to a senator and Rafe Lawson, the senator’s gorgeous playboy son. I’m also working on a special project for Harlequin called More Than Words, which is an anthology based on real people and the funds raised go toward charity. And I’ve just started working on Private Lessons, an Arabesque novel that finds Naomi, a tenured profession in a hot love affair with one of her students.
Thus far, what has been your favorite 2010 moment ?
My favorite moment was getting my acceptance into the MFA program for Creative Writing and attending my first residency week in Vermont.
Which living person do you most admire?
The person I admire the most is definitely my mom. My mom is so awesome. She is everything that I am turning into!! And I love her for it.
What are your most overused words or phrases?
Wow!
If you could meet any historical character, who would it be and what would you say to him or her?
John F. Kennedy. I’d ask if he really had something to do with the death of Marilyn Monroe and did he think the FBI was behind his murder?
What is your biggest pet peeve?
My biggest pet peeve is the segregation of books in the bookstore and the misconception that African American is a genre!
What is your most surprising talent or interest – the one that makes people say “I didn’t know you (did/liked/knew)…”?
Hmmm. Good question. I don’t know what you would call it but I love gadgets! Anything that is the new techie thing, I have to have it.
What’s one song that people would be surprised to know is on your IPod (or in your music collection)?
The Essential Hezikiah Walker
Name five things that make your world go round.
My kids
My grandkids
My man
A great book
Finishing a manuscript and being happy with it.
Donna thanks for taking time out of your busy schedules and spending a few with APOOO.
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APOOO is an online author and reader community dedicated to advancing African American literature. Our mission is to expose readers of all ages to a good book in any genre; to support African American authors, books, literary events and bookclubs; to provide marketing resources, tools and tips to authors; and, to promote literacy within the African American community.
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Great interview. Donna, you have a busy writing life and you’re a student. Can you bottle up your energy, strength, and determination and send me a little? Blessings and much such in all that you do.