Ingrid Brown is an Oklahoma native and was educated in
Illinois, Kansas and Oklahoma. She
earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Wichita State University and a Master of
Social Work from the University of Oklahoma. In addition to Village Vengeance,
Ingrid is the author of Miss Sadie’s Song. She has one adult son and one
grandson.
Contact
Information: Ingrid can be contacted
at author.ingridbrown@gmail.com
or on Facebook @author.ingridbrown
What inspired your book:
Village Vengeance is inspired by actual
events and was first written as a short story. When I shared the story with a
friend of mine, she informed me that she and her husband were producing
independent films and wanted to make my short story into a movie. The movie, by
the same title, was voted Best Movie when presented at a festival entitled Bare
Bones. During the filming process many people inquired as to where they might
purchase the book. Because of that encouragement, I developed the story into a novel
that was first published in 2008 with the second edition being printed in 2018.
What would you like
readers to take away from your book?
In addition to being entertained by
my story, I hope readers will empathize with the narrator’s emotional response to
a series of traumatic experiences and can understand how the impact of these
frightening incidents could result in remarkable changes in one’s level of
trust and feelings of safety. I also hope readers will be amused by some of the
harmless antics that the protagonist, her cousins and her friends enjoyed both
before and after fear became a constant in the young lady’s life.
Why did you choose to
write in the mystery genre?
Although Village Vengeance is a novel, it is
based on actual events and the occurrences were quite mysterious.
Why do you think AA
readers shy away from mystery?
I have always enjoyed a good mystery in
the form of a book or movie and I know many African Americans who also enjoy
this genre. However, after publishing Village Vengeance I found that many men
shy away from a “scary” book. I don’t know why but I think it’s funny.
Why should a reader
try a mystery?
For those who have avoided mystery works, I believe they
may find that the story lines are often much more than fright and may sometimes
not involve gore or other repulsive scenes at all. Very often it is an
exciting, fully developed story that will hold your attention and keep you on
the edge of your seat. A good mystery will certainly encourage one to keep
reading until they find out “who done it.”
Which character did
you have the most fun writing about?
Henry was my favorite. He was a hero
who was his cousin’s constant protector.
What are three things
you wish you’d known before you reached where you are now?
I must admit
that I was extremely naïve in 2007 so far as writing development is concerned.
I had no idea that there needed to be more than one edit and proof reading. I
only knew I had a story to tell and I wanted to make it available to others as
soon as possible. In 2018, I was more aware of the writing process but did not
have a total understanding of the business aspects of publishing. My third
hurdle has been marketing. I was not prepared to spend the amount of time and money
needed to properly promote my work. I have been surprised by the intensity of
the writing process, the numerous pieces of the business portion and the level
of marketing that is required. However, if you truly love to create prose, it
is worth the effort needed to master all portions of the writing profession;
even those that are outside of your comfort zone.
What do you do to
interact with your readers?
This interview is one example of my efforts
to connect with readers. I have had the privilege of visiting with numerous
Book Clubs and have given some presentations to other literary groups. I’ve
done several radio shows and podcasts and I communicate through my Face Book
author page.
What are you reading
this summer?
I plan to read the
second work by Dwayne Alexander Smith who is the author of Forty Acres and I
have a great number of unread novels on my kindle; hopefully I will be able to
finish a few of those.
When you are not
writing, what do you like to do in your spare time?
Although I am
retired, I continue to work as an adjunct at a local Community College. The interaction with young people gives me
some insight into our rapidly changing culture. Although my travel is limited
at this time, I do look forward to an ever increasing number of voyages in the
near future.
Oprah always asks,
“What do you know for sure?”
I know that no matter how much you may enjoy
life and new adventures there are no short cuts. Every gain involves certain
about of grueling work before experiencing a tremendous amount of joy. We must
learn to enjoy the ride.
Can you give us a
sneak peek of your next book?
I have recently published the second
edition of Miss Sadie’s Song. There’s a character in Village Vengeance who is
presented as Aunt Sadie. Sadie is an intriguing, care free, finger popping
woman that all of my readers love and constantly wanted more information about
her life. As a result I wrote a historical romance entitled Miss Sadie’s Song.
The story begins in the late 1920’s and spans the more than forty years of Miss
Sadie’s marriage to her no nonsense husband, Joe.
Anything you’d like
to say to the readers of SORMAG?
I appreciate the opportunity to
introduce myself and my work to you and I hope those of you who have not enjoyed
mysteries in the past will give Village Vengeance a chance. In addition to the
suspense and tension, you will find an opportunity to travel with a young lady
as she embarks on a turbulent journey from adolescence to young adulthood.
Even though the setting of this story is in an urban
metropolitan area, initially the neighborhood was one of familiarity and
closeness. Young people walked freely from one house to another without fear.
Friends rang the doorbell and opened the screen in one gesture, and surely no
one was afraid to sit alone on the porch at night. However, one young man
changed the atmosphere of the community into one of terror indicated by barred
windows, weapons and barren streets at night. One man changed not only the
neighborhood but the emotional state of all who were affected by his presence
for years to come.
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