FEATURED AUTHOR: Joy King

SORMAG: Please give the readers a brief bio on you the person and the writer.

Joy King: I was born in Toledo, Ohio and raised in California, Maryland, and North Carolina. I attended NCCU and Pace University where I majored in journalism. In the late 90’s I emerged in the entertainment industry working at the Terrie Williams Agency and then heading up the Hip Hop Artist Relations for Click Radio. I now write full time and live in New Jersey with my son.

SORMAG: Tell us about your current book?

KING: Dirty Little Secrets is centered on the character Tyler Blake. As a young child she watches her mother leave her father for a rich man who she later finds out is abusive. This triggers a recipe for disaster with Tyler because she grows up insecure, yearning to be loved unconditionally by a man but ends up being attracted to men like her step father, who are rich, powerful and abusive. Tyler also has dreams of being a star which leads her to New York City. But in her pursuit of stardom she’s constantly sidetracked because her desperate need to be loved supercedes any sort of rational judgment on her part. Tyler is a flawed, complex character, whose behavior and actions aren’t sugar coated. The raw truth is exposed whether you agree with it or not.

SORMAG: What would you like your readers to take away from your book?

KING: Of course I want readers to be entertained, but to also understand the importance of self love. The character Tyler Blake takes her life literally to the edge on more than one occasion because she doesn’t truly value herself. She places her value on the love from men she doesn’t feel worthy of.

SORMAG: Tell us about your publishing experience?

KING: I was thrilled when I got my publishing deal with St. Martin’s Press. I felt that I would finally have the opportunity to have my voice heard with a major publishing house backing me. But being a new author and not having an agent I didn’t get a huge advance so I decided to write a street lit novel under a pen name to make some extra money and to also have my writing reach an entirely different audience that only read that genre of books, while awaiting the release of Dirty Little Secrets. Needless to say the whole situation turned into a nightmare and what should’ve been a very joyous time in my life soon became pure drama. I learned a lot from that, and I advise everyone that even if you don’t have an agent get a very competent attorney to dot the i’s and cross the t’s.

SORMAG: Do you think an agent is necessary?

KING: When I got my first two publishing deals I didn’t have an agent. But now I do, and I recommend that people eventually obtain one. An agent can think of perks for your contract that as an author you wouldn’t imagine asking for. They also have no problem with saying, “Show Me the Money,” where as an author you might feel uncomfortable doing so. But if you don’t want an agent get a savvy literary lawyer.

SORMAG: What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

KING: That writing a novel is a creative experience and sometimes you want to take characters to dark places that some people wouldn’t actually consider normal but for a writer that’s part of the fun. But a lot of times as a writer if you step out of the box you get bashed by your readers. So please try not to be so hard on us!!(smile)

SORMAG: Do you have any promotional tips for writers?

KING: DO YOU!! The majority of big publishing houses only care about selling books and crunching the numbers, not the author. You must take every opportunity to reach out to book clubs, vendors, and readers so they can get to know you as an author and your work. No one is going to work harder for you than you.

SORMAG: What is a favorite book from your childhood?

KING: I was a huge fan of the Sweet Valley High book series. (ha ha ha)

SORMAG: What was the last book to keep you up at night reading it?

KING: I used to read books all the time, but ever since I became a writer it’s almost impossible for me to find the time to read. But I am a huge Jackie Collins fan.

SORMAG: What resources do you use on the net?

KING: I’m a Google queen. If I’m writing a story that takes place in a city that I’ve never been, then I always use Google to get the details on key areas or landmarks that represent that area.

SORMAG: How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)

KING: Please visit me@ www.joykingonline.com or email me at jk@joykingonline.com