It has been a pleasure for us here at TimBookTu's to bring our readers interviews with both up-and-coming writers and established authors. It is especially gratifying to feature one of our own. Continuing with tradition, this month, we have former Featured Writer of the Month, and recently book published author Lawrence Christopher.

Christopher: My art teacher (Mr. French) at Fulton Elementary School asked me to write a poem about a drawing of a pregnant woman sitting in a rocking chair. The woman looked sad, so I wrote the following: "I bet you don't know, that the man you love, is the man you hate. I bet you don't know that the man you are crying for is the man you don't even know. I bet you don't know, that the man who gave you your first baby, is the man that is gone." To my knowledge that was the first ve piece I wrote. From there I went on to write more poetry and won school held poetry contests. I suppose the award recognition then and the encouragement of my teachers saying that I had a vivid imagination validated that I had a talent for writing.

Christopher: Jeffrey Knuckles, to my knowledge has written only one book. Private Conversations (Holloway House) was his book, which is no longer in print. I believe I have owned half dozen copies of the book and allowed others to read it, never to see them again. It is a paperback with 158 pages and it tells four stories within those few pages. It's awesome for a novella.

Christopher: I'm not sure it's something I always wanted to do. It is something I always liked doing. As I said, I wrote poetry when I was in grammar school. The passion for creative writing came when I began writing love letters to girls I liked and slipped the letters in their desks.

Christopher: No. Like many of us starting out, I have a nine-to-five. Writing is my five-to-nine. I like to put it this way, writing isn’t my bread and butter, it’s my jam.

Christopher: Life. I see and hear story ideas every single day. News stories, conversations I overhear on the street or at lunch. I don't intentionally eavesdrop but it seems that sometimes I hear just what I need to complete a scene or create a character.

Christopher: Mainly, I watch sports and listening to music while writing.

Christopher: Instrumental jazz is best for me to write by because I don't have any lyrical influences. Then if I have a mood scene that I'm working on, I will find whatever music fits best, and that could be any type of music there is. I actually create a musical soundtrack as I develop the story.

Christopher: I like writing mysteries, and of course, romance is a part of life. Oooo, I like that answer. I'm going to have to write that down. J

Christopher: It would have been easy to write a female love interest who was pretty in the face and slim in the waist. I chose to write Mary, nice to look at and also phat (pretty, healthy and tempting) to help dispel the myth that a woman has to be a wafer to be attractive.

Christopher: It depends on how the male writers approach their stories and write their characters. I don't believe in pandering to female readers by writing nice guy characters all the time. I have some bad boy characters that I think some women will find appealing, such as Jehovah Joe. The truth is to write the truth. On the other hand, women find it welcoming to read stories told from a males point of view, which makes it all the more important to write honestly.

Christopher: I really can't say. I've only read Walter Mosely of those you’ve named.

Christopher: Yes and no. The truth is, some men have a sensitive side. I write the truth. I don't write any of my male characters to purposely appeal to female readers.

Christopher: Be encouraged. Within days of one another, I have received acceptance letters and rejection letters for the same manuscript. I met my personal editor through a rejection letter. There is always some good with the bad.

Christopher: Do whatever it takes to get your work out there. Online sites like TimBookTu.com are excellent springboards for getting published and feedback from readers. You have ePublishing, where you can download stories and novels for pages or chapters at a time. The publishing industry is forever changing, so the traditional route to getting published is becoming obsolete. Writing can be a crazy business, "so seek help."

Christopher: Once again, be encouraged. Getting published can be an arduous task. It depends on what level of being published the writer is looking for, that will determine how to accomplish that goal. At first, I submitted article manuscripts to the major black magazines at the time (Black Enterprise, Ebony, and Essence). Rejected. To be honest, I wasn't a polished enough writer when I approached them. After honing my writing skills and writer's professional etiquette, I realized these mag azines weren't about publishing the best work. Some accepted work from only in-house writers, others magazines only are interested in publishing recognizable names.

That's when I stopped taking the rejection letters personally. Why should I? The rejection letters weren't personal. I accepted being published in any way it came. My first published writing appeared in a company newsletter. For my first paid article I received $50. My first nationally published piece appeared in an adult men's magazine. I have had letters to the Editors published on numerous occasions. I claim even them as an accomplishment. I would suggest submitting to local newspapers and lo cal magazines, neighborhood publications even. Get acceptance anywhere you can, then branch out.

Christopher: Yes, but not through a vanity press. Look at the classified ads in a mainstream magazine and then look in a magazine targeting African-Americans. In the latter, there is at least one ad from a Vanity Press, trying to solicit black money. There are plenty of how-to-books on the subject self-publishing and the process of becoming your own publisher. Secure the capital to fund the project so you won't have to answer to anyone except yourself.

It takes about $3,500 dollars to publish a book. I know many of us are living on shoestring budgets and are struggling to keep are shoes tied, but it can be done.

Christopher: The advantages are control and empowerment. It is your project from beginning to end and you have the final word within the boundaries of the industry. The whole experience I liken to giving birth. The writing is the conceiving, the initial orgasmic pleasure of spewing out your thoughts on to paper or into your computer.

You then go through the labor pains of nurturing those thoughts into a little bundle of joy. Once it has been molded (typeset or made camera ready) it leaves your hands to become a book. But you are still responsible for its promotion and distribution. I just pray that post-pardum depression doesn't set in. I might end up ripping the pages out of my book. J

Christopher: It has been a matter of communications both personal and professional. As far as on the personal side, it has been word of mouth, letters and e-mails to friends and acquaintances. At the same time, you have to approach those same folks professionally to let them know that this is also a business for the writer. Everyone whose family or friend thinks they should get a free copy of your book. If they don't want a free copy, they want the first copy autographed at a family or friend discount. Everyone can't get the first copy and what is a family or friend discount?

The professional approach has been working with talented people who know how to put together press releases and promotional kits. Networking has proven to be most important. I have been working with other authors who have self-published and we exchanged our "lessons learned." Helping others help themselves.

Christopher: Speed. Everything from sending artwork to my graphics guy to promotional announcement of the book was done in a few clicks of the mouse.

Christopher: I have nothing but the utmost admiration and respect for the writers I have met through TimBookTu.com. I have equally networked with the up-and-coming along with the accomplished. The contribution of both levels has been invaluable.

Christopher: This is to accomplished and best-selling writers. Whenever asked and if it is possible, help an up-and-coming writer. The idea here should be to help others help themselves. Simple hun? One other thing that comes to mind and I wish you say in encouraging others, reading and writing should be fun and mental. Get it, fun-da-mental. J