Tell us about WHITE LINES.

White Lines was a book that I wrote in order to shed light on both sides of the drug game - the user and the addict. I wanted to open up a dialogue within our community about the drug game, its effects on ourselves, our families and our society and to get young people who are enamored with the drug game to see that there is nothing positive about it. It really is a raw and uncut look at the disease of drug addiction.

What can teens learn about WHITE LINES?

I think teens can learn that the things that are glamorized about the drug game are not the whole story. Yes, there are diamonds, furs, fly cars, fancy homes, and all of that. But what is NOT often told are the stories of loss, of pain, of death and incarceration and most of all the stories of prostitution in order to support a drug habit. I've had young people come up to me and say that the book changed their perspective on thier parents' drug addiction. I've also had young people tell me that the book changed their mind about SELLING drugs as well.
 

What was it like growing up as a teen in "the Crack Era"?

It was tough, violent, just crazy. I grew up in NYC in the crack years, and I recall seeing the colored crack vials in the hallways, stairwells, and lobby of my project apartment building. I also recall seeing those same empty crack vials in the playground of my Catholic elementary school. It was a devastating drug that terrorized a community. Thankfully, my friends and I managed to steer clear of crack. But some of my neighbors weren't so lucky. Families were destroyed. It opened my eyes to the fact that there was a very hard and cold world outside of my own safe and secure home. All of us grew up fast during that time in order to survive.

What made you want to become an author?

I have always had a love of the written word. Writing short stories, poems, essays, and even songs was my favorite past time. It wasn't until I was grown and raising my three children that I began to take the notion of writing as a career seriously. But it was always something that I dreamed of doing.

What books did you read as a teen?

I loved Beverly Cleary books, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Roots by Alex Haley, A Separate Peace by John Knowles. I loved books as a teenager and I spent a lot of time in the library. There wasn't much that I wouldn't read. I read Jackie Collins and Danielle Steele LONG before I should have. Hahaha. But I always loved the way that words can paint a picture.

What authors are your favorite?

I love Terri McMillan, Diane Whetstone McKinney, asha bandele, Kalisha Buckhanon, John Grisham, James Baldwin and Candace Bushnell.

How do you feel about teens reading street lit?

It depends on the teen. Some teenagers, like myself growing up, have seen and heard so much that urban lit won't come as a shock to them. If the teen has been sheltered or if they haven't seen the uglier sides of life up close and personal, I wouldn't recommend that they read urban lit. It really depends on the parent and whether or not they feel that their child is ready for such raw honesty.

Which of your books do you feel would be appropriate for teens? Inappropriate?

All of my books are appropriate for teens...again, depending on the teen and what they've seen and heard. I have three children, ages 13, 17 and 19. My 13 year old has not read any of my books yet. Just this summer, I handed him "Black" (my first novel) and told him that he can read it. He started it and read a few pages, but hasn't finished it yet. I believe that he is ready for what he'll read since he already sees things much worse on TV. Parents have to determine what their child is ready for. And every child is different.

How has the readership change since you first came on the scene with BLACK?

Urban fiction is reaching a much wider audience. When I began my career, our books were sold in mostly African American bookstores or online. As the genre grew, we were soon featured in major bookstores and today the titles are even in your neighborhood Wal-Mart. I have readers of all ages and ethnicities and I think that is wonderful.

What advice would you give to aspiring teen authors?

Write from your heart. Don't try to write the way that anybody else writes. Don't mimic anyone else. Write in YOUR voice and tell YOUR stories and the rest will fall into place.