Saturday, June 29, 2019

Author Interview - Shante' J

Image result for finding solace in a rap king

Shante' J is an Amazon top 100 best selling author. At 36- years-old, Shante is a mother of two and a Memphis, Tennessee native. When she's not writing, Shante loves to sing, read, listen to music, do makeup, and spend quality time with her family. Shante's love for writing started at a young age. She started off by writing poems, songs, short stories, and eventually books. Being an avid reader, a hopeless romantic, and a lover of urban romance stories she instantly knew that urban fiction was the genre she wanted to write in. Her ultimate goal is to write amazing books, become a national best-selling author, and to inspire others to fulfill their dreams. To date, Shanté has penned 5 novels in which 3 were deemed as Amazon best sellers. Her debut novel "Something in my Heart" was released in March 2017. Shante is best known for her best selling stand-alone "Upgraded by The Connect," it debuted at #4 where it remained on Amazon's best-selling charts for 3 consecutive months. 

When did you decide writing was something you wanted to pursue as a career?
When I started reading urban fiction books.

Can you briefly explain your journey as a writer? 
My journey as an author hasn't been easy. In fact, it's been a struggle for me battling with depression/anxiety. However, I try and push through and please my readers.

Who are your favorite authors outside of your genre?  Alexandra Warren

Who are your favorite urban authors? 
Noire, Silk White, K'wan, Shvonne Latrice, K. L Hall, etc.

Can you name some titles you recommend to aspiring authors in your genre read?
My Baby Is A West Coast King 1-6 by Shvonne Latrice 
Animal by K'wan
The Hood Princess 1-3 by K.L Hall

Can you state and explain some of the writing aides you use when you write (e.g. Thesaurus, Dictionary, Grammarly)?
I use Grammarly, urban dictionary as well as the traditional dictionary 

What advice would you give to aspiring Urban Fiction authors?
1. Educate yourself on self-publishing. If you can't afford it and decide to go with a publisher, I strongly urge you to do your research on the publisher. 
2. Hone your craft 
3. Make sure your cover and title are good. Often times a reader will pass up a book if the title or book is trash. 
4. Proofread your work 
5. Do not indulge in any drama. It's not a good look! 
6. Edit your work or search for a reputable editor. If your book is filled with grammatical errors the reader's won't hesitate to inform you. 
7. Know your audience  
8. Don't allow everyone to test read your work (people steal) 
9. Engage with your readers,  post sneak peeks. 
10. Lastly, be consistent as possible 

Tell us about your latest book release.
My latest project is a book titled, "Finding Solace in A Rap King." This book reached the top 20's on Amazon. 
In this book, the main character, Lyriq, is a singer/songwriter who deals with heartbreak and abandonment issues that stem from her strained relationship with her mother. Upon meeting, fellow artist, Naz, she falls for Naz's charm and find solace in the fact that they both are motherless children. 

Ways to connect with Shanté J
Twitter: @author_ShanteJ
Instagram: authoress_shante_j
 

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