Interview with Author Tisha Andrews

EA: Creatively Creative's author spotlight continues to shine brightly this month. Today, I spoke with Community Activist and author Tisha Andrews.

EA: When did you discover a passion for writing?

TA: I think it discovered me. The passion leaped into bits and pieces of writing assignments I was given in middle school. My friends would read them and ask for more or asked me how or why I came up with what I did. I was naturally descriptive in anything I captured. Pretty much vivid from smells to sounds. Again, it discovered me because initially I was just completing class assignments.

EA: Were there any authors who influenced to become a writer?

TA: E. Lynn Harris, Sister Souljah and Kimberla Lawson Roby. All different, right? Sort of like me. I cannot be pigeon-holed although this industry has a way of doing that to you if you want to be successful or deemed a success when it comes to rankings and reviews.

EA: What is the concept of The One That Got Away 3: A Miami Love Affair? Is this the last installment of the series?

TA: The concept initially was about the struggles of a young girl that was dark hue. I remember growing up always being the darker one in my crew. My two best friends, gosh I love them, were much lighter than me. I saw no color until boys brought it to our attention. The guys who publicly chased them, secretly pined for me. I guess in their own way they were, too, were struggling with peer pressure and being accepted.
Overtime, those same guys publicly came forward but I had no interest in entertaining them later on in college and even adulthood. So in this storyline, my main character, gets the pretty, bad boy but not right away. They have an encounter in middle school. That's all it was; an encounter where they did not connect until 15 years later.  During that time, this same guy has a "situationship" with her older, light-skinned sister unbeknownst to any of them as she has gone off to college and comes back in a long term relationship. That's all I will say because I need you to read my book. LOL. The series is complete but now I am working on a spin-off. I would love for you to join me on that journey.

EA: What's your view on the literary culture as it is today?

TA: Well, I think I touched on it earlier or alluded to it by saying my writing has been pigeon-holed. How you may ask? Well one, it's in the urban genre. That alone denotes a stereotype that is not necessarily accurate. An urban setting is one thing, but we all are not writing about side chics, drug dealers etc. although these are very much ingrained in the real world in the urban culture. I said that to say I had to insert some of those elements in order to be deemed successful because that is what readers want to read but I made sure I still told a love story. I found a way to show a man unveiling his love and fears for a woman he had only dreamed of being with. Well, at least I tried. I can even feel the love thinking about how much she meant to him. He saw no color. He saw her innocence and her selfless heart. She saw a man that had his issues but those issues did not have him.

EA: What do you think the future holds for the literary culture?

TA: Blogging, radio show and definitely publishing. Oh, and a multitude of New York best sellers. I plan to write until there is no more breath left in my body on some level.

EA: I understand that you're also a community activist. Would you share some detail on what you do in the community?

TA: I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and have been in the human services arena since 1995, working with foster children to sex trafficking victims. I also enjoy public speaking in various community forums and have been a member of my church since 1997 where I served as the lead servant for new members. That is by far one of my favorite things I enjoy doing. It's about inviting people into a family, not a church and retaining them after the benediction. If they need food, clothing, medical care, etc., the ministry I was over connected them to these resources or at least we tried to.

EA: What's your advice for aspiring aspiring authors?

TA: Research, research, research. Do not flock to the loudest voice in the industry. Cling to the most honest and credible one.

EA: Finally, tell the readers why The One That Got Away series is a must buy.

TA: Because I take a woman of darker hue and show you how beautiful she is without looking at her skin color. I also touch on mental illness and the impact it has if left untreated. I also add some humor which, I think, sets my writing apart from others. When they meet her good girlfriend, Rickey, they will see what I mean. Oh, and definitely Skebo. Now Skebo is a supporting character but secretly his humor has made me fall in love with him. There is a spin-off with his storyline coming after the one I am dropping later this month.

Epilogue

I can only imagine how humorous he is with a name like Skebo. I too believe in researching subjects, gathering as much information that I can when embarking on writing projects. There are a lot of stereotypes that comes with the Urban Fiction genre, but I'm realizing more and more-- although a percentage of those novels reinforce those stereotypes-- some of these authors have a deeper meaning and message in the work.

I don't believe all of them are writing to sell sex or glorify stereotypes. Some of them-- perhaps more than people think-- are writing about situations they have witnessed, experienced, or know some individuals who were involved in these incidents. In other words, they're simply translating life into art. They put in a book what we see or hear about everyday.

I would like to thank Tisha for speaking with me today. For more on Tisha, and her novels, visit her author page on Amazon in the link below.

Amazon Author Page: Tisha Andrews