FEATURED AUTHOR: Nishawnda Ellis

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

Nishawnda Ellis: I was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts and attended Hampton University in Hampton Virginia where I earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing. Nonetheless, my passion and imagination led me to pursue another dream, writing. Juggling a full-time and part-time job, I financed my life long goal of becoming a published author by creating my own publishing company Kindle Eyes Books to house my two self published titles, Snowed, A Lesson In Love and Wives and Girlfriends. I currently reside in Boston and continue to work as a Registered Nurse, Writer and new Mom to my baby girl Niaomi. I’m also working on three upcoming novels, Mr. High Maintenance, Street Anthem and the sequel to Wives and Girlfriends and am the founder of the Boston Book Bazaar, an annual book fair held in August.

SORMAG: Tell us about your current book?

ELLIS: Wives and Girlfriends is about a professional girlfriend Tera Larou who only dates married men but decides to change the rules to the game when she falls in love with Dominic Jones, her latest suitor. When he refuses to leave his wife, Tera’s actions spiral out of control and she winds up murdered leaving behind a trail of suspects, including Dominic, his wife Donna and a host of others she crossed.

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

ELLIS: Wives and Girlfriends just isn’t a story about a love triangle or a scorned girlfriend’s revenge, it’s rooted in how greed, lust and envy can corrupt otherwise decent human beings. That is what I would like readers to take from this story.

SORMAG: Tell us about your publishing experience?

ELLIS: Both my titles are self-published under my publishing company Kindle Eyes Books. I submitted, Snowed to one publisher, with no reply and decided to self publish instead of hunting down an agent and so forth. So far it’s worked out but now I’m ready to seek an agent for representation.

SORMAG: Do you think an agent is necessary?

ELLIS: Depends on what route in publishing you want to take. Traditional or self published? If you want total control of your work then you self publish and don’t need an agent to do that. You just have to continue to pound the pavement and market, network and sell.

But if you want to be traditionally published, I think finding an agent to represent you is best.

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

ELLIS: Not everyone can be an author, and those of us that can take great pride in being able to do so. So instead of slamming authors if their work doesn’t agree with you, just appreciate the artist in them and agree to disagree.

SORMAG: Do you have any promotional tips for writers?

ELLIS: Book clubs are your friends; try your best to make them happy. Always offer special deals and presents help too!

SORMAG: What is a favorite book from your childhood?

ELLIS: Black Boy by Richard Wright and Taming of The Shrew by Williams Shakespeare

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

ELLIS: Secret Dramas by Angela Wallace

SORMAG: What resources do you use on the net?

ELLIS: Google, book-remarks, writers.net, Constant Contact and Yahoo Small Business

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

ELLIS: Readers can contact me via email nishawnda@yahoo.com, nishawnda@kindleeyesbooks.com or visit my site at www.kindleeyesbooks.com