Now that summer is officially here, authors Monica Garner and Electa Rome Parks are inviting you on a Road Trip. I recently talked with them about their first joint release.
Electa Rome Parks is the bestselling author of Diary of a Stalker, The Stalker Chronicles, When Baldwin Loved Brenden and several other contemporary and erotic novels. She currently lives outside Atlanta, Georgia and is divorced with two adult children. Electa is currently working on her next novel and living her best life during Covid times.
Tell me about your contribution to Road Trip.
My contribution to Road Trip is a story titled, “End of the Road.” Arlington is a bestselling novelist. After spiraling into a depression after her recent divorce, dealing with an ex-husband who is still trying to control her life and writer’s block all at the same time, Arlington finds herself on an impromptu road trip in a rural town where she finds herself caught up in a proposition that she only writes about in her novels.
What inspired you to write it?
Road Trip, as an idea, has been a work in progress for a few years. Monica Garner and I had talked numerous times about penning a novel together. However, we wrote in different genres, and we always had other projects and commitments we were working on at the time. Finally, an opportunity presented itself, we had a conference call, brainstormed, and here we are. Monica and I decided on this storyline, because at the time we were recently divorced. We wanted to write about being a middle-aged black woman, divorced and picking up the pieces of her life because many of our readers were going through this or had been through this scenario.
When did you fall in love with the written word?
I fell in love with the written word as a young child, maybe at five or six years old. Being a shy child, I spent countless hours lost between the pages of a good book that transported me to exciting and interesting places and allowed me to meet new friends by way of the characters. My addiction spread as I became an avid reader. As a child, I kept a diary and later as a young adult, a journal. The written word gave me my voice. At that time, I was able to capture my feelings in written word that I couldn’t express verbally. As I discovered, there is power in words and the written word became mine.
If you had to pick another career, what would it be and why?
Hands down, if I had to pick another career, I would be a psychiatrist. I almost majored in pre-psychology in undergrad. I am a very observant person, a people-watcher, and have a strong curiosity to understand why people act and think the way they do. I also possess a strong desire to help and heal people.
What black fiction are you excited to read next?
I am excited about reading the last and final novel, The Son of Mr. Suleman, by the late, great Eric Jerome Dickey. I purchased his book when it was released in April, but for some reason, I still have not devoured the pages. I am a huge fan and avid reader of Eric Jerome Dickey novels. EJD was my favorite male author and will be greatly missed. The realization that this is his last work of art, that saddens me, but I’m excited to partake of his last creative endeavor. It is bittersweet.
What’s the best part of being an author?
The best part of being an author is two-fold. I love, love, love being able to create characters that come to life between the pages of my books. It still blows my mind how just my vivid imagination and my laptop can create characters that readers can relate to and talk about as if they are living, breathing people who will live on, within the pages of my novels, forever. Secondly, I adore my readers. There is nothing like bonding over a good novel. Over the years, I have attended many book club meetings and have bonded with women across the country over my novels, good food and lots of wine. It is an undeniable connection that is priceless. Those are sisterhood moments I will never forget.
What’s next for you?
Hopefully, Monica and I will complete another project together since we are a great writing team, and I plan to release a novel, currently untitled, that I wrote three years ago. Regardless of what is going on in my life, I will continue to write, nurture my creative spirit, and be an avid reader. It’s in my blood.
To learn more about Electa Rome Parks, connect with her on social media or email her.
www.facebook.com/electaromeparks
novelideal@aol.com
Monica Garner, Essence bestselling author, writes contemporary fiction, including romance and young adult. She began her publishing career with BET Books, under the pen name Monica McKayhan with her debut novel As Real As It Gets. The first book in her young adult series, Indigo Summer, was the launch title for Harlequin’s imprint, Kimani TRU, which made its debut in January of 2007 and snagged the #7 position on the Essence bestsellers list, a first for Kimani Press. Indigo Summer appeared on the American Library Association (ALA)’s list of Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers for 3 consecutive years. Monica received a film option for the Indigo Summer series. Under the pen name, Monica Richardson, she published a romance series based in the Caribbean Islands, the Talbots of Harbour Island, published by Harlequin’s Kimani Romance. She also recently published a romance novel, Last Sunset Over Mexico, with Rose Gold Press.
Tell me about your contribution to Road Trip.
My contribution is a story called “Saint City.” Dee is a cop, working in a male-dominated industry, middle-aged, divorced, scorned. Always guarded, she takes a road trip with the girls and completely lets her guard down. Though she finds herself in sort of a “situationship” she has a few takeaways from the trip. This is my first try at erotic fiction.
What inspired you to write it?
Electa and I knew that we wanted to collaborate on a project. At the time, we were both middle-aged, divorced women and wanted to write a story that our middle-aged, divorced readers could identify with. Also we wanted to tap into that whole girls’ trips theme and really bring to life the idea of “what happens on the road trip stays on the road trip.” Women need to feel safe to let their guards down and free their inhibitions without being judged. There’s growth in that.
When did you fall in love with the written word?
I was about twelve when I first realized I had a knack for writing. Back then I wrote poetry and short stories. That’s when I first fell in love with the written word. After I read Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, I realized that there were books out there written by and for black people and I wanted to devour them all. Then Eric Jerome Dickey and Terry McMillan came along and made the idea of becoming an author real, and that inspired to write and to seek publication. My first full-length novel was published in 2004 (As Real As It Gets, BET Books).
What’s the best part of being an author?
By far, writing stories for and connecting with readers. When I wrote my first YA series, there were several young people who told me that my book was the first full book that they’d ever read and that some of the lessons that I had woven in my books were lessons that they actually used in their everyday decision making. Nothing could compare to hearing that.
What’s next for you?
I’m hoping to finish a couple of projects I have in the works; hopefully find a home for them. Also, Electa and I have tossed around the idea of doing a sophomore project together. We had fun with this! So we’re going to brainstorm and see where that takes us.
To learn more about Monica, visit: https://www.amazon.com/Monica-Richardson/e/B00R3PAFH8?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1622558115&sr=8-2
Use the Black Fiction Addiction link to purchase your copy of Road Trip.