Today my guest is Arlene Crenshaw, author of Twelve Roses for Uretta. This title touches on a very meaningful subject...Domestic Violence. Please give her a warm welcome as we discuss her book.
Thank you so much for stopping in Arlene?
Thank you for having me.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself.....
I’m a 48 yr woman with one son and two grandchildren, I raised my son on my own. We struggled many of days but we made it. I blessed in so many ways. I lost my job about a year ago for something that was not my fault. It’s been difficult, finding work, and I prayed everyday for God to help me find something in this world I enjoyed doing, and in a dream a voice came upon me (God) and said to me. “You are here for a purpose and it is to write and inspire people.” Something I’ve did all my life…inspire people, who would think that I would be writing novels today. Dreams do come true if you believe.
Is Twelve Roses for Uretta your first novel?
Yes it is, and I’m so very proud of myself.
What inspired you to pen this novel?
I had reached a point in my life that the pain became too much. I was tired of suffering mental and physically with my health and everyday life I was just plain unhappy no matter what I did or what other did for me. I realized I had be crying my entire life and sometimes I didn’t even understand why, so I decided It was time to go right to the cause and this was my way of healing within. Thank God, it worked now I feel like a whole new world has opened up to me.
Do you relate to your characters in any way?
In my book I am Erica who tells the story.
What was the hardest thing about writing this particular novel?
This is a true story, the hardest thing was all the memories I had to deal with, and how the more I wrote the better I felt getting it all out of my system after 47 years of carrying this pain around. It was very hard for me but it was something I had to do for myself. I wrote, I cried and I got it all out. I got rid of the pain that claimed most of my life.
Have you received much controversy with this book? If so, how do you handle it?
I have… most people really enjoyed my book; they said it was a very emotional read. I did have some problems within my family, but I had to remind them this story was told through the eyes of a child. It was not meant to hurt anyone, it was told for self healing and remembrance of someone that was so special to me. And I also wrote it for awareness that things like this happen everyday, and It happens to those who you least expect it to happen to. They just may be going through situation like in my book or going through something even worse.
What message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
My book “Twelve Roses for Uretta” takes this message seriously. Love should not hurt and domestic violence can kill, don’t be a victim, there is always help. “Just reach out.”
What dreams have been realized as a result of your book being published?
My wildest dreams, that I able to do something wonderful and that is creative by me, something people enjoy and seem to really like and they want more and more. I realized that dreams do come true. I was once told that the only thing that comes to a dreamer is a dream. Well I’m living proof that dreams do come true and I’m enjoying every bit of the ride.
Where do you hope your writing will take you in the future?
I love writing I hope to put out as many books as I can but my goal is for someone out there to see my writing talent and pick me up to be one of the writers on HBO or Lifetime Channel. I would love to be a writer on projects like 24, Treme, Flash Forward, Big Love or even True Blood I love those series. Wish me luck…
Are you currently working on any new projects?
I’m always working on something, I have another book coming out in mid July 2010, a book of short stories and also I’m putting together another book for later this year.
What advice can you give to aspiring authors?
If people listen to what you say when you talk or even write it down, both in my case, and want more and more from you, give them what they want…write books. I’ve always been told I was in the wrong career, which was the medical field all my life. Then one day I decide to take charge of my life and do what I loved to do and that was. “Write stories and quotes” and I do them both daily.
What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to know about you?
That would be I never thought I would be a writer. I can write stories all day but, my punctuation sucks…
Any events or news you would like to share with us today?
Yes, my next novel is called “Hidden Closets” due to be release the middle of July 2010. This novel is a book of short stories about people’s hidden secrets that they keep hidden, and want to remain hidden. There is a variety of stories that I challenged my self on, there is a lot of drama, suspense, comedy, and down right outrageous things that people hide. In this book, I really put secrets out there a truly must read.
Where can your readers connect with you? Facebook, Myspace, Twitter?
I’m on facebook daily, where I do my daily quote of the day. I do that to encourage, enlighten, inspire and, motivate people to keep on keeping on, no matter how tough any situation in their lives may be, they can always come to my facebook for a quote of the day to be inspired.
Any parting comments?
Always inspire to be the best at whatever you are, and with you’re dreams there is no dream that can’t come true. It’s you’re world as well as mine spread your wings and soar high.
Thank you so much for taking time to chat with us today.
You’re so very welcome…stay blessed!
Arlene is on virtual book tour with Twelve Roses for Uretta, so be sure to leave her a comment here today for your chance to win a copy of her book. Her next stop will be June 15, where she will be guest blogging at http://waterytart23.blogspot.com
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