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5 Miles to Empty
by Jarold Imes
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Celeste O. Norfleet has over 10 novels to her credit including the young adult release, PUSHING PAUSE & the upcoming SHE SAID/ SHE SAID. Ms. Norfleet explores the possibility of a romance line for teens and the expansion of the young adult market for African American writers.
OTV: You have 11 Romance and Contemporary Fiction titles that you have either written or co-written; what piqued your interest in writing for young adults?
CON: I always wanted to write for a younger audience so when I learned the Kimani Press was introducing a fiction imprint targeted to African American young adults my interest was piqued and I was excited to submit a proposal. As a parent of two teenagers I knew that the market for acceptable novels geared to African American teens was lacking. Either the books content was too mature or my teenagers just weren't interested in reading books that didn't relate to them. Kimani TRU is the perfect response. The books reflect the issues concerning African American teens. Writing for TRU is a wonderful adventure and of course having two teenagers at home gives me firsthand insight and the best reference from which to write.
OTV: PUSHING PAUSE comes out in October (my favorite month due to A&T's and WSSU's homecoming.) Tell us what we can expect from your project that is different than the other books you have written.
CON: With Pushing Pause you can expect to read an intense novel about acceptance and forgiveness. It has a bit of humor and a lot of family love and in that way it's very similar to my adult romances. The difference is that Pushing Pause is written from a teen's point of view. It's geared specifically for young adults so the language is a bit different with references to music, dance and pop culture that will definitely appeal to African American youth. It's extremely relatable without being preachy. My romances include intimate scenes between consenting adults geared for mature readers. You won't find that in my young adult novels.
OTV: On your website, you mention SHE SAID/SHE SAID as the next YA title, could you give us a little bit of information about that.
CON: Yes, She Said/She Said is a very special book because I'm writing it with my fourteen year old daughter. We've been having a great time taking turns writing and editing each other's work. We work very well together and we're both looking forward to the end result. She Said, She Said is basically about a mother and daughter's struggle to accept each other, warts and all. The two, criticized and criticizing, wish each could see what it's like to be the other. Eventually they switch places but not in mystical sense. After a rocky twenty hour drive to the mother's hometown on business the mother, reunited with high school friends, begins acting like she's sixteen again and the daughter steps up to save the day.
OTV: As a Romance writer, what age do you recommend that teens/young adults read romance titles?
CON: There are many types of romance novels ranging from sweet to sexually explicit. I'd recommend younger teens being reading sweet romances. The stories are more appropriate and are just as satisfying and romantic.
OTV: Would you consider writing a romance line for teens (if you aren't working on one already)?
CON: Yes definitely, I would love to write a romance novel for teens. As a matter of fact I'm considering submitting a young adult synopsis with a strong romantic story line to Kimani TRU.
OTV: What books were your favorites coming up?
CON: When I was coming up books geared for African Americans teens were much scarcer then they are today. But I loved reading science fiction novels and classics such as Zora Neale Hurston and Jane Austin. I still enjoy reading There Eyes Are Watching God and Pride and Prejudice.
OTV: Any advice to aspiring authors along the way.
CON: My only advice to aspiring authors would be to keep writing what you love. As long as you love the subject matter the story you write will reflect it. Write what you know and make sure to do your research.
OTV: Tell us something about yourself that we don't know.
CON: I absolutely hate mall shopping, strange but true. I love playing games with my husband and teenagers. We have a family game room and there we shoot pool, play video and board games nearly all night sometimes. I'm very good at the video game Bust-A-Move and I'm getting better at playing Wii Tennis.
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