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Q&A With Shelia Goss

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Meet  Shelia Goss, Author of "My Invisible Husband"

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MY INVISIBLE HUSBAND

BY

SHELIA M GOSS 

Excerpt

            “Congratulations Nikki on your wedding.”

            “Thank you,” Nikki Montana said as she looked up into the eyes of her co-worker, Kenneth Capers.

            “When will we get to meet the lucky groom?” Kenneth asked as he ate the last piece of cake on his plate.

              Her eyes darted downwards as she repeated to him the response she had rehearsed and given everyone all day. “As soon as his schedule allows, I’ll bring him up here for everyone to meet.”

            Nikki thanked everyone for coming to the wedding shower her manager insisted the department throw for her. Deep down inside she felt guilty about accepting the gifts her co-workers so thoughtfully picked out. She glanced at her watch and knew her plane for Las Vegas would be leaving in less than twenty-four hours and when she returned to work a week later, she would be a married woman.

            Some of her co-workers helped carry her gifts to her car and congratulated her once more. It was a beautiful spring day and under normal circumstances she would have driven with the top down on her convertible candy apple red BMW. As she stopped at a red light, the passenger in a midnight-blue SUV attempted to flirt with her, but she ignored his advances. As she sped away, she heard him yell obscenities. She blurted, “That’s why I didn’t acknowledge your existence.”

            She drove the rest of the way home listening to one of her favorite Dallas radio stations. The Drive at Five radio mix always calmed her nerves during rush hour traffic.

            When she pulled into her driveway, she spotted a familiar car. She was hoping to avoid her best friend until at least after her return trip from Vegas, but luck wasn’t on her side. They hugged and greeted each other without speaking a word. 

            Charlotte didn’t say anything until they were behind closed doors. “How could you plan on sneaking to Vegas without a word? I had to find out from your sister that you were leaving in the morning.”

            Nikki knew she wouldn’t be able to keep her secret for long and really needed someone to confide in. “If you give me a minute to get settled, I’ll explain everything.”

            Charlotte crossed her arms and with an attitude responded, “You’d better, because we’ve been friends far too long for me to hear about this from someone else.  This really hurts. I thought we were close, but I guess I was wrong.”

            “Calm down. I’ll explain it all in a minute,” Nikki announced, trying to calm her friend down.

            Charlotte rolled her eyes. “Whatever. You definitely have some explaining to do, missy.”

            “Make yourself at home, I’ll be right back,” Nikki said as she headed towards her bedroom.

When she returned, Charlotte was in the kitchen making herself a turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich.

            Nikki remained quiet as she took a seat on one of the wooden barstools. She and Charlotte had been friends and inseparable since first grade. Although they had siblings, they were more like sisters. They were both five feet eight and wore their hair in a short style Halle Berry made famous years ago. Although both were attractive, Nikki’s breasts were larger and her sparkling hazel eyes usually captivated most men. Charlotte on the other hand, was well proportioned and had legs to put Tina Turner to shame. When it came to dealing with issues and especially men, they were complete opposites.

            Nikki cleared her throat before telling Charlotte the reason behind her failure to mention her Vegas trip. “I know what I’m about to tell you might sound crazy, but please hear me out before you interrupt.”

            Charlotte took a bite of her sandwich and after swallowing said, “Sure.” She continued to eat while listening to Nikki.

            “I’m going to Las Vegas because everyone thinks the ring I’m wearing is an engagement ring.”

“Okay, I know that much.”

 “And they think I’m going to Vegas to marry my fiancé.”

 Charlotte almost choked. “What in the world? What fiancé? How could you keep something like this from me? Who is he? Do I know him?”

Nikki waited for Charlotte to stop blurting out a million and one questions. “Are you through, so I can finish?”

Charlotte took a sip of her drink.  “Go ahead,” she said as she looked at Nikki in amazement.

“The key word is everyone ‘thinks.’ I got tired of everyone asking me about my personal life. Asking me when I was going to settle down. I was watching this movie and this idea hit me.”

 “Uh huh,” Charlotte said as she stared at her in disbelief.

 “If everyone thinks that I’m married maybe they’ll stop asking me about my love life. Then I can go on with my life. I won’t have to worry about being thirty-four and unmarried.  And I sure won’t have to listen to the countless questions about why, when, etcetera.”

            Charlotte put her drink down and pushed her plate away. “So you’re telling me you’ve planned a fake wedding and everyone, including your family, thinks you’re going to Las Vegas to get married.”

            “Yes.”

            “Girl, are you crazy? How in the world do you think you’re going to pull it off? You do have to come back. When you come back, what are you’re going to tell everyone?”

            “Actually, I’ve told everyone he travels a lot and when he’s in town, we only have time for each other.”

            “You’ve been setting this up for awhile. I thought you bought the ring to ward off men you didn’t want to talk to. I never thought you would do something this stupid.”

            Nikki defended herself. “I don’t think it’s stupid. Besides, I was due for a vacation and this will keep people out of my business, especially the people at the office. Now maybe my director will stop flirting with me every chance he gets.”

            Charlotte shook her head and said, “I can see you telling those busybodies at work, but did you have to lie to your own family?”

            “You know my family. They’re just as bad as my co-workers. You know for yourself that they’re always asking me when I’m going to settle down.  I’m sick and tired of being made to feel like something is wrong with me because I’m not married,” Nikki said, in frustration.

            “I hear you, but still. This is going to back fire and then what?”

            “This will bide me some time. I can always tell them it didn’t work out and I got a quick divorce.”

            “Sounds like you’ve thought of everything.”

            Nikki stood up and walked towards the door. “I sure did. Now help me get my wedding presents out of the car.”

            Charlotte laughed. “Girl, all I can say is, you’re something else.”

 

©©©

MY INVISIBLE HUSBAND will be available December 2006. 

 

 

Meet Shelia Goss
 Author of "My Invisible Husband"
 
 
Q:  When did you decide you wanted to write?
 
A:  I've been writing since I was 9 years old, but didn't decide to pursue it professionally until 1997.
 
Q:  How many novels in all have you written?
 
A:  I've written over 8 novels, however only 2 have been published--Roses are thorns, Violets are true (drama to the tenth power about twin sisters Rose and Violet Purdue) and My Invisible Husband. Both will be re-released by Urban/Kensingston; with My Invisible Husband being released in December of this year.
 
Q:  How long did it take you to write your first novel?
 
A: It took me a month to write the first draft. I've found if the characters are developed and the story is flowing in my head, I can write a first draft in a month.
 
Q:  Where do you get your inspiration for your stories?
 
A:  Inspiration comes from life. I can be dreaming, on the phone, watching TV, at the store...etc. Ideas will pop into my head at odd times.
 
Q: Are the characters based on real people?
 
A: The characters are only figments of my imagination. I may take personality traits from a variety of people (whether it be someone I know or a stranger) but for the most part, if a character resembles someone you know, it's strictly coincidental (smile).
 
Q: Tell us about  "My Invisible Husband"
 
A:  My Invisible Husband is the tale of one woman’s desperate attempt to stop the age-old question posed to all women at some point in their lives: So when are you getting married? To appease her family and friends, 34-year-old Nicolette (Nikki) Montana fakes a Las Vegas wedding. How she handles her web of deceit makes for a dramatic and sometimes comical story.
My Invisible Husband will be released by Urban/Kensington and will be in stores in December.
 
In the meantime, I have a My Invisible Husband interactive blog, where readers can go and participate in the weekly "Nikki" question. The topics are about relationships and issues that single women and married women deal with.
 
 Q:  After writing your first novel, did you self-publish?? If so, how was that experience?
 
A:  The first novel I wrote has yet to be published. I decided to self-publish the second novel I wrote--Roses are thorns, Violets are true. With its success, I then decided to self-publish My Invisible Husband. With its release, it was on several lists including the Essence Bestsellers list and mentioned in the New York Times. My experience was a good one, not only because of those reasons, but it educated me on the publishing business. 
 
Currently, however, I'm at a stage in my career where being with a major publisher is more beneficial because it can reach a broader distribution.  Fortunately, Urban/Kensington believes in what I can do as a writer and will be re-releasing My Invisible Husband in December.
 
Q:  What feedback have you received from fans?
 
A:  The feedback from readers has been astounding. I'm always elated and amazed when I check my email and there's an email from someone who read one of my books.  My Invisible Husband is a story that stemmed from  talking to women of various ages who are single, yet family members act concerned or bug them about their maritial status.
 
Q:  What authors do you admire?
 
A:  There are really to many authors to name. I will only name a few for the sake of space. Maya Angelou because I admire her passion with words. I met her when I was freshman in high school and she left a lasting impression on me. Other authors that reached out to me prior to being published and offered advice were Vincent Alexandria, Magdalene Breaux, Nathasha Brooks-Harris, Linda Dominique Grosvenor, Deidre Savoy, and the list goes on and on.
 
Q:   Did one of them inspire you?
 
A:  All of the authors I mentioned above inspired me, plus there are many more authors that inspire me also.
 
Q:  Is writing your only passion?
 
A:  Of course. No, seriously, besides writing, music is one of my favorite pasttimes. I listen to music in all genres except for hard rock.
 
Q:  Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
 
A:  I want to be a household name among readers of fiction.  Just like readers know who Jackie Collins is and what to expect when they pick up a Jackie Collins novel, I want the similiar reaction when they pick up a Shelia Goss novel. I want them to be able to see some of my stories come to life in films (whether it be the movie theater or made for TV). I hope to keep putting out stories with a twist and keep my readers entertained.
 
Q: What advice would you give aspiring authors?
 
A:  If you feel that you have a God given talent, then practice your craft and be the best that you can be. Despite the rejections you may get, do not give up. Believe in yourself. Take a chance on your self and do not accept no. Another thing that I find when I meet aspiring writers is that some have yet to finish that first draft, so it is very important if you want to be a writer to JUST WRITE. Get at least the first draft done.
 
Q:  What would you like readers to learn from your stories?
 
A: Each one of my stories have at least one message. The messages vary. I hope that the readers are able to not only be entertained, but think and learn something from the characters.
 
Q:  Are you working on another novel? If so, What is it about?
 
A:  Yes. I'm always working on something. Some stories that are completed that I hope to see published in 2007 are My Three Beaus (about a single woman afraid of committment), My Catered Affair (part of a chick-lit anthology), From Fab to Fabulous (about a single woman dealing with her weight, relationships and life in general), and I could go on & on.
 
Q:  Where can people purchase your books? Do you have a website?
 
A: In December, you'll be able to purchase My Invisible Husband at all national chain book stores such as Barnes and Noble,  Waldenbooks, etc as well as online outlets. I'll be sure to send you all an email when the buying information is up and available. Please visit my website at www.sheliagoss.com for updates.
 
 
 
Thank you very  much for this interview. You asked some real good questions. Keep in touch.
 
 
 
Shelia M Goss
Entertainment Writer &
National Bestselling Author of

My Invisible Husband
Urban/Kensington - December 2006
www.sheliagoss.com
 

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