Interview with LaJill Hunt
SC: When did you decide you wanted to write?
LH: About two years ago, I was stressed at work and my supervisor suggested
that I take my negative energy and do something positive with it. She
gave me a pen and a pad and told me to write
the next great American
novel.
SC: How many novels in all have you written?
LH: I've written 3 novels, Drama Queen, No More Drama and the third has yet
to
be titled. I've also contributed to two anthologies: A Dollar and a
Dream and Around the Way Girls.
SC:
How long did it take you to write your first novel?
LH: About thirty days
SC: Where do you get your inspiration for your
stories?
LH: My friends and co-workers
SC: What made you decide to write a
story like Drama Queen??
LH: A girlfriend of mine told me about the greatest Valentine's date of her
life right before my supervisor suggested I write a book. I decided to
write about her date and the story took off
from there.
SC: Are the characters based on real people?
LH: Most definitely...
SC: After writing your first
novel, did you self-publish??
LH: No, fortunately,
God blessed me immediately with a contract.
SC:
What made you decide to write a sequel to Drama Queen (No More Drama)?
LH: My editor, along with Carl Weber suggested it.
SC: In Around the Way Girls, you wrote the story "Southern Comfort", do you
plan to expand that story into
a novel or was it just for that
anthology?
LH: People have suggested that I expand it because they love the characters
in
it.
SC: In A Dollar and a Dream, you wrote "Easy Street" along with Carl Weber,
what was that like?
LH: I had a ball writing with him. He is such a comedian and our writing
styles
are simliar which made it easy to do.
SC: Do you plan to write any more stories with him?
LH: People have asked us to collaborate and write Baby Daddy Drama,
lol...but
we've been talking about doing another project together.
SC: What feedback have you received from fans?
LH: A lot of people tell me that they like the book because they feel like
they
know the people I write about.
SC: What authors do you admire?
LH: I admire Carl Weber, Zane and Dwayne S. Joseph. Carl and Zane I admire
because not only are they awesome writers, but they take it to a whole
new level with their business talents. They
also give great advice and
are approachable. Dwayne has become one of my best friends and he is so
true to his craft
and determined.
SC: Did one of them inspire you?
LH: Carl did. I enjoyed the comedy he used in his writing and wanted to use
that in mine.
SC: Is writing your only passion?
LH: No, my daughters are my passion also.
SC: Where do you see yourself
in 5 years?
LH: Hopefully, as a successful author with a list of best-sellers behind
her
name. I also have some other aspirations that I hope to achieved by
then.
SC:What advice would you give
aspiring authors?
LH:Be persistent and commit to writing something every day.
SC: What
would you like readers to learn from your stories?
LH: I would like to give them the opportunity to leave their own drama and
get
caught up in someone else's drama for a change. All with a sense of
comic relief.
SC: Are you working
on another novel? What is it about?
LH: The next novel I'm working on is about a woman who was involved with a
guy
for 7 years and then finds out he's not at all the man she thought
he was. So it's about Drama, of course, lol.
SC:
Where can people purchase your books?
LH: At any African American book store or major book chain store
SC:
Do you have a website?
LH: Yes, www.lajillhunt.com
