Angie Daniels was born on the South side of Chicago, Illinois. At a very early age, she spent nights creating soap operas with her younger sister until the two drifted off to sleep. Never did she realize that her longtime dream to become a published author would someday become a reality.
In 1999 Angie decided it was finally time to return to her love of writing. She took a year off to write her first book Intimate Intentions, which started off as a simple romance novel and later escalated into 542 pages of romantic suspense. After two submissions, Angie was offered a four-book contract with Genesis Press and her first book was released in 2001. In 2003, she also signed with BET Arabesque, and Kensington's Dafina imprint in 2004. In 2006, she added Parker Publishing, Aphrodisia and Harlequin Kimani Romance to her list. Angie currently resides in Missouri.
Careful Of The Company You Keep
Danielle Brooks isn't sure she's ready to commit and asks her best friend Renee Moore to test her boyfriend's fidelity, but when the seduction goes too far all their relationships may be in jeopardy. Meanwhile Kayla Sparks is getting married and she's counting on Danielle and Renee to help plan the wedding, whether they are speaking to each other or not. But with Renee now being threatened by a mystery woman and Danielle facing her most serious crisis yet, they can not help wondering if it is all going to get worse before it gets better.
What would you like your readers to take away from your book?
This is the final saga of a three book series. My readers have traveled a journey with these women. I want all questions answered and for readers to finish the book feeling satisfied. If I accomplish that then I'll feel as if I've done my job.
What did you learn while writing this book?
I've been writing back to back books for the last several years and I have realized writing is so much more enjoyable when you have the time to enjoy writing it. For me because I've been writing like a machine for so long, writing has lost that important quality. In fact I was so burned out I hated writing my last two books. And I don’t like feeling like that. I should feel bless that God has giving me the gift of storytelling. That's why I decided to take some time off from writing and spend the rest of the year working on just one book that I've been passionate about for years without the pressures of deadlines or contract.
What is the hardest part about the writing business?
The time you lose with your friends and family. People don't realize how much time it takes to write a book. I'm constantly under not one but two contracts at the same time and my evenings and weekends are already preplanned. I’ve missed out on spending time with my kids. My house looks like crap for weeks and a lot of things go undone for weeks. It's truly a sacrifice. But if you want it bad enough you have to be willing to give up a few things in exchanged.
What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?
Editorial mistakes are not always our fault. As an author I can not edit my own work because I am too close to it. That's an editor’s job. I love English but I'm not good at finding my own mistakes. I've gotten emails from people complaining about mistakes and I hope that readers can understand that it's hard to catch every little thing.
What marketing have you found that particularly works well for you? Word of mouth has been the best marketing tool. That’s why I don’t mind giving books away because if someone reads it and likes it they’ll tell someone who’ll tell someone else. I don’t particularly like book signings but it’s the same thing. Even if only three people come, think of all the people they will tell, who will tell someone else.
What are three things you wish you'd known before you reached where you are now?
Not to quit my day job. I seriously thought I was going to be rich after selling my first book. I still laugh at that one. Another thing is you have to invest in yourself. Publishers are not going to do a lot to market your books. It's up to you as an author to get out there and find ways to self-promote. Otherwise your book is just another one on the shelf. Plan to spend at least a small portion of your advance on marketing. The third thing I learned is to write was in your heart and what you feel most passionate about writing. If you write for contracts and not for the love of writing you're not going to be happy. Writing should be an enjoyable experience. It has to be about more than just the money otherwise it’s going to get old real quick.
This month our theme is Getting Out Of The Slush Pile. Do you have any advice for getting an editor/agent to request your manuscript?
It's the same as you wanting a reader to not only pick up your book but take it home with them, those first pages have to pull them in. Agents/editors are solicited daily by authors have to grab their audience from page one. No time for picking up speed because by then they're bored and have tossed it in the slush pile and moved on to the next. A writer has to come out of the starting block running full speed ahead.
What was the last conference you attended and what did you like about it? The last conference I attended was Romantic Times Convention 2007. What I like most is the networking. That’s really what this business is all about. I make so many connections every year at that convention. Attending the workshops you find out about what’s coming out, what editors are seeking. It’s not at all about selling books it’s about making the connection so that we as authors can continue to stay in the know.
What do you do to make time for yourself? Hide out in a nice hotel room for the weekend away from computers, kids and housework. There's nothing like room services and a bar in the lobby.
What was the last book to keep you up at night reading it?
Valerie Wilson Wesley's “Dying in the Dark.” I love her books!
How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)
This is the final saga of a three book series. My readers have traveled a journey with these women. I want all questions answered and for readers to finish the book feeling satisfied. If I accomplish that then I'll feel as if I've done my job.
What did you learn while writing this book?
I've been writing back to back books for the last several years and I have realized writing is so much more enjoyable when you have the time to enjoy writing it. For me because I've been writing like a machine for so long, writing has lost that important quality. In fact I was so burned out I hated writing my last two books. And I don’t like feeling like that. I should feel bless that God has giving me the gift of storytelling. That's why I decided to take some time off from writing and spend the rest of the year working on just one book that I've been passionate about for years without the pressures of deadlines or contract.
What is the hardest part about the writing business?
The time you lose with your friends and family. People don't realize how much time it takes to write a book. I'm constantly under not one but two contracts at the same time and my evenings and weekends are already preplanned. I’ve missed out on spending time with my kids. My house looks like crap for weeks and a lot of things go undone for weeks. It's truly a sacrifice. But if you want it bad enough you have to be willing to give up a few things in exchanged.
What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?
Editorial mistakes are not always our fault. As an author I can not edit my own work because I am too close to it. That's an editor’s job. I love English but I'm not good at finding my own mistakes. I've gotten emails from people complaining about mistakes and I hope that readers can understand that it's hard to catch every little thing.
What marketing have you found that particularly works well for you? Word of mouth has been the best marketing tool. That’s why I don’t mind giving books away because if someone reads it and likes it they’ll tell someone who’ll tell someone else. I don’t particularly like book signings but it’s the same thing. Even if only three people come, think of all the people they will tell, who will tell someone else.
What are three things you wish you'd known before you reached where you are now?
Not to quit my day job. I seriously thought I was going to be rich after selling my first book. I still laugh at that one. Another thing is you have to invest in yourself. Publishers are not going to do a lot to market your books. It's up to you as an author to get out there and find ways to self-promote. Otherwise your book is just another one on the shelf. Plan to spend at least a small portion of your advance on marketing. The third thing I learned is to write was in your heart and what you feel most passionate about writing. If you write for contracts and not for the love of writing you're not going to be happy. Writing should be an enjoyable experience. It has to be about more than just the money otherwise it’s going to get old real quick.
This month our theme is Getting Out Of The Slush Pile. Do you have any advice for getting an editor/agent to request your manuscript?
It's the same as you wanting a reader to not only pick up your book but take it home with them, those first pages have to pull them in. Agents/editors are solicited daily by authors have to grab their audience from page one. No time for picking up speed because by then they're bored and have tossed it in the slush pile and moved on to the next. A writer has to come out of the starting block running full speed ahead.
What was the last conference you attended and what did you like about it? The last conference I attended was Romantic Times Convention 2007. What I like most is the networking. That’s really what this business is all about. I make so many connections every year at that convention. Attending the workshops you find out about what’s coming out, what editors are seeking. It’s not at all about selling books it’s about making the connection so that we as authors can continue to stay in the know.
What do you do to make time for yourself? Hide out in a nice hotel room for the weekend away from computers, kids and housework. There's nothing like room services and a bar in the lobby.
What was the last book to keep you up at night reading it?
Valerie Wilson Wesley's “Dying in the Dark.” I love her books!
How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)
I love to hear from my readers. My email is angie@angiedaniels.com and my website is http://www.angiedaniels.com/
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