OTV: Tell me about your literary experience. What made you want to
start writing?
Katina: My literary experience has consisted of both great
experiences and not so great. The best part is the readers and the
wonderful love they show me. I love reading the wonderful emails, it
touches me more than I ever thought possible. The worst part of this
business is that some people are greedy and will try to eat off your plate
when they don't have a right to. It's actually very pathetic and sad, but
it's a real part of this business. So you definitely have to be careful.
OTV: Why Young Adult fiction?
Katina: I believe young adult fiction is imperative because you're
directly targeting a market that is eager to embrace literature. But
what's important is writing something that will hold their interest.
OTV: Where did the idea for RIDE WIT' ME come from?
Katina: I got the idea for Ride Wit' Me because I wanted to touch
on young love. I believe young love is the most powerful love there is
because when it happens for the first time you truly believe this is it
for you and it will never happen again and sometimes it doesn't. And if it
does it may not be as strong. I also wanted to explore how when young love
is tested or when a teenager believes it is trying to be destroyed by
their parents how they will react. I tried to keep the scenarios as real
as possible.
OTV: What makes it easier/harder to promote this book than an adult title?
Katina: Promoting a young adult book is a little bit more difficult
because people assume it will be kiddie. As we all know teenagers want to
feel like an adult so with this book I tried to give the presentation an
adult feel without all of the adult content, but still have the street
life entertainment that they appreciate.
OTV: Will this be an individual book or part of a series?
Katina: This will be a part of a series but the next book by Katina
King won't be the sequel to Ride Wit' Me it will be a totally different
book with a new set of characters.
OTV: What makes Mercedes like you/different?
Katina: I can relate to how rebellious Mercedes became when she
fell in love for the first time. I can also relate to her wanting her
father's approval but then choosing to follow her heart.
OTV: You also own Young Diamond Books, will you be looking to publish
other teen and young adult authors in the future? If so what are you
looking for?
Katina: I definitely plan on publishing other authors on Young
Diamond Books. I actually have a young lady named Janay Brown who is
working on her debut novel, that I'm really excited about. I'm looking for
authors who can give an entertaining urban tale without any curse words,
explicit sex or violence. You have no idea how hard it is to get that from
an author. Either the story is boring or it wouldn't appeal to the market
I'm targeting. I want to publish young adult books that both a teenager
and their parents can read. Because it's about creating a source of
communication between the two. Kids today are very mature and understand
what is going on in the world. So if you want them to open up a book to
read you have to give them a topic they can relate to. Then if the parent
can relate to the book also now it enables both to have a reason to talk,
which is always a good thing.
OTV: Tell me anything about you that you want us to know.
Katina: Never mistake my kindness for weakness.
Autographed copies of Ride Wit Me are available on this site for a
LIMITED TIME in the book store. Ride Wit Me is available in
bookstores nationwide.