Q: When did you decide you wanted to write?

A: I was very young, about five, when I fell in love with words and the way they made me feel.

Q: How many novels in all have you written?

A: I have written three in total. Going Broke, Fly On The Wall, and Chocolate Covered Forbidden Fruit.

Q: How long did it take you to write your first novel?

A: Though people will read it as my third book, Chocolate Covered Forbidden Fruit was actually my first work. I wrote it back in 2000, and it took me a total of 11 months.

Q: Where do you get your inspiration for your stories?

A: Real life and love is my inspiration. I deal with the good, bad, and ugly sides of life and love in my writing.

Q: Are the characters based on real people?

A: Oh yeah! A lot of my characters are living, breathing, and stirring up drama somewhere.

Q: After writing your first novel, did you self-publish? If so, how was that experience?

A: No, I did not self-publish. It took two and a half months to write Going Broke and, immediately after, another two months to get a publishing contract with Urban Books. Things happened rather quickly for me. Which I have since learned is unheard of and I am thankful for such a blessing.

Q: What feedback have you received from fans?

A: I've received hundreds of e-mails from fans. They all love my writing style and have compared me to some of the best. Readers love Gong Broke and are patiently awaiting Fly On The Wall. Each e-mail humbles me, inspires me, and encourages me to write on.

Q: What authors do you admire? Did one of them inspire you?

A: I love Terry McMillan. And after meeting and talking to her in November, I'm her biggest, craziest fan.

Q: Is writing your only passion?

A: I enjoy doing other things, but I don't feel the way I feel for writing about anything else in life. As of right now, writing is what I am most passionate about.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

A: Maybe not as long as five years, but at some point I will be watching Going Broke on the big screen. Going Broke was optioned by Triumphant Pictures to become a movie. And there are some other develops that may land my works in other markets as well, cannot speak on them just yet.

Q: What advice would you give aspiring authors?

A: Seek advice from others, but don’t expect to be given a golden ticket. Earn your ticket so that no one else can lay claim on how or who you came to be.

Q: What would you like readers to learn from your stories?

A: As I mentioned before, real life inspires my talent. And although it may not, in whole, mirror my life some parts are personal. And somebody somewhere sees themselves in the mirror of my words and knows that though it's a work of fiction, they are not alone.

Q:  Are you working on another novel? If so, what is it about?

A: I am currently working on the sequel to Going Broke (tentatively called Dead Broke).

Q: Where can people purchase your books? Do you have a website?

A: People can purchase my books at most major bookstores and some smaller ones too. Of course on www.amazon.com. They can also visit my website: www.TristaRussell.com to read the first chapters, e-mail me, or learn more about me.