5 Questions with Author Jermaine Watkins
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Has gospel music inspired any of your stories?
No, not just yet... And the 546-page manuscript I'm presently re-working is Women's Fiction, without the Christian bent, unlike my current release, THE HARLOT.
How many books are in The Hartford Series?
There are only 2 books in the Hartford Series so far: A CHANGE OF HEART and THE HARLOT. Yes, I have already begun the third novel, which continues the suspenseful, scorching storyline that readers will enjoy in THE HARLOT: BOOK 2 OF THE Hartford Series. In the Harlot, readers will be introduced to Silvia, a young woman who has fallen into the business of selling herself for cash. Like many women, in the past, Silvia had other, more ambitious dreams: She'd been a studying actress, both at the high school and college levels. Now the wayward path she'd chosen has her at the wrong place at the right time. The FBI is trailing Silvia, on the hunt for one of her regular, lethal clients. However, God has other plans for her life, to set her back on track... all so she can deliver a special gift of love that can save the entire world.
What genre does your novels fall in?
I straddle the lines, from book to book, genre to genre. Although A CHANGE OF HEART deals with the supernatural, it's more inspirational and literary. THE HARLOT combines genres that women can't get enough of: suspence, romance, and the supernatural.
Are you writing full-time? If not, what is your day-job?
I work as an Office Administrator for a reputable company here in Connecticut. However, my goal is to go back to writing full-time, as soon as it's the right time.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
First, believe that God will see you through to publication. I feel fortunate that I’ve always known what I wanted to do, and to take it seriously enough to prepare for the long fight ahead. My hard work is a product of faith, and faith a product of my sincere belief in God, Who certainly must have created each one of us to become more than just job seekers, bill payers, fathers, mothers, et cetera. Who is undoubtedly the hardest worker in existence? The Creator Himself. He didn’t just have faith to produce galaxies, universes, stars, moons, planets, and life and all its many splendors—He worked hard to make it so. And if you have faith that writing is your destiny, you keep right on having it, and working toward it, and making it so, too.
Secondly, take a writing course, or find an editor to work with, one who might take you under his or her wing. Work tirelessly at defining your "tone" and refining your stories to near-perfection. Don’t be in such a rush for publication, concentrate on your stories. Trust me about this: Once your writing is flawless, the right publisher will be ready to accept you.
To learn more about Jermaine Watkins and his books, visit his website at http://www.jermainewatkins.com.
Interview by Shelia M Goss, an entertainment writer and author of My Invisible Husband and Roses are thorns, Violets are true. For more information, visit www.sheliagoss.com.
No, not just yet... And the 546-page manuscript I'm presently re-working is Women's Fiction, without the Christian bent, unlike my current release, THE HARLOT.
How many books are in The Hartford Series?
There are only 2 books in the Hartford Series so far: A CHANGE OF HEART and THE HARLOT. Yes, I have already begun the third novel, which continues the suspenseful, scorching storyline that readers will enjoy in THE HARLOT: BOOK 2 OF THE Hartford Series. In the Harlot, readers will be introduced to Silvia, a young woman who has fallen into the business of selling herself for cash. Like many women, in the past, Silvia had other, more ambitious dreams: She'd been a studying actress, both at the high school and college levels. Now the wayward path she'd chosen has her at the wrong place at the right time. The FBI is trailing Silvia, on the hunt for one of her regular, lethal clients. However, God has other plans for her life, to set her back on track... all so she can deliver a special gift of love that can save the entire world.
What genre does your novels fall in?
I straddle the lines, from book to book, genre to genre. Although A CHANGE OF HEART deals with the supernatural, it's more inspirational and literary. THE HARLOT combines genres that women can't get enough of: suspence, romance, and the supernatural.
Are you writing full-time? If not, what is your day-job?
I work as an Office Administrator for a reputable company here in Connecticut. However, my goal is to go back to writing full-time, as soon as it's the right time.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
First, believe that God will see you through to publication. I feel fortunate that I’ve always known what I wanted to do, and to take it seriously enough to prepare for the long fight ahead. My hard work is a product of faith, and faith a product of my sincere belief in God, Who certainly must have created each one of us to become more than just job seekers, bill payers, fathers, mothers, et cetera. Who is undoubtedly the hardest worker in existence? The Creator Himself. He didn’t just have faith to produce galaxies, universes, stars, moons, planets, and life and all its many splendors—He worked hard to make it so. And if you have faith that writing is your destiny, you keep right on having it, and working toward it, and making it so, too.
Secondly, take a writing course, or find an editor to work with, one who might take you under his or her wing. Work tirelessly at defining your "tone" and refining your stories to near-perfection. Don’t be in such a rush for publication, concentrate on your stories. Trust me about this: Once your writing is flawless, the right publisher will be ready to accept you.
To learn more about Jermaine Watkins and his books, visit his website at http://www.jermainewatkins.com.
Interview by Shelia M Goss, an entertainment writer and author of My Invisible Husband and Roses are thorns, Violets are true. For more information, visit www.sheliagoss.com.
