"The
strongest among us are the ones who cry behind closed doors, have the
ability to smile through silent pain, and fight battles that are
obscured by shame.”
For Sierra, Alex and
Latrice, the innocence of childhood was lost at an early age. The three
cousins transition into womanhood carrying a secret that would influence
their lives and threaten to destroy their family. Choosing
significantly different paths as they struggle to deal with the
psychological effects of abuse, the three are eventually driven apart.
Through a series of unlikely circumstances, the heroine of the story,
Alex, reconnects with Sierra and Latrice. The meeting would ultimately
set the stage for atonement.
Excerpt
“Why, Keith?”
She didn’t ask if he was guilty, she simply asked “why?”
Everyone looked at her as Keith looked at the floor. Suddenly it all
made sense. His mom must have known about his sick attraction for little
girls all along. Incredible, I thought, trying to put everything into
perspective. If she knew her son was capable of such horrible things,
why didn’t she do something to protect us? The silence was uncomfortably
thick, and then all of a sudden my grandmother made a statement that
was barely audible, but I heard her.
"Aw shucks, y’all stop all this nonsense. That boy is just like his granddaddy. Peabody was the same way.”
I
couldn’t believe it! Just like that he was justified. Recalling a scene
from The Color Purple, I guess Miss Sophia was right when she said, “a
girl child just ain’t safe in a family of men…”
“Sure was,” my grandmother’s sister chimed in.
Finally, my mother spoke.
“Sierra, how could you let him do that to you?”
This
would become one of the worst days of my life. It is permanently etched
in my mind and replayed on a daily basis. I never know when the
thoughts will come and I haven’t determined a specific trigger. The
images just suddenly appear and I’m held captive by my own mind until
they fade away.
Dr.
A.L. Smith read her first full-length novel (The Boxcar Children, by
Gertrude Chandler Warner) in the third grade and it spawned her passion
for reading. According to Dr. Smith, the hallmark of a great story is
the resounding presence of a character that transcends the final pages
of the book.
Dr. Smith is a native of Frierson, La. She attended
Grambling State University on a basketball scholarship and later joined
the school's Army ROTC program. Upon graduation in 1996, she became the
university's first Army ROTC cadet to receive a commission in the Army
Nurse Corps. She's a practicing Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
with a Doctorate of Nurse Anesthesia Practice degree from Texas Wesleyan
University. Her research study ("Evidence-Based Selection of Sedation
Agents for Patients Undergoing Endoscopic Retrograde
Cholangiopancreatography") was selected for publication in the 2016
edition of the Journal of Gastroenterology Nursing issue 39 volume 2.
In 2010, she participated in humanitarian relief efforts during the
devastating earthquake in Haiti and provided anesthesia services to a
countless number of victims, many of whom were children. This experience
would have a profound impact on her views concerning socioeconomic
disparities here in the U.S. and countries abroad. She's a member of
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and takes seriously the organization's
motto "Service to all Mankind". "In as much as you've done to the least
of the..." is her personal motto.
Get to know Angela:
1. What was the inspiration for your first novel?
Some
years ago, I attended a book club meeting in Atlanta Georgia, where I
was surrounded by a group of extremely intelligent and successful women.
Ten women were present and nine of them shared personal stories of
childhood abuse. Surprisingly, a majority of the women were sharing
their stories for the first time. Fear and shame were the common
denominators which led these women to suffer in silence. This would
become the primary inspiration for writing my first book.
2. What process did you use for character selection?
The characters are largely a product of my imagination but they were
created specifically for the purpose of demonstrating some of the
potential effects of childhood abuse, which include drug and alcohol
addiction, low self-esteem/promiscuity and relationship dysfunction.
3. Is there a particular character that you identify with the most?
Alex, hands down. I found myself channeling many of my personal ideas
and emotions concerning dysfunctional relationships through her
character.
4. The urban fiction genre is an extremely competitive
market and seems to be growing by leaps and bounds. What are your
thoughts concerning the future of the industry?
Competition is
essential for growth in any industry. The urban fiction industry is
overflowing with an abundance of talented authors and avid readers. I
believe the urban fiction market has the potential to sustain itself.
5. What are the keys to success for urban fiction authors?
Capturing and maintaining your audience is most important. I'm still
new to the author side of the industry and still trying to build my
brand. However, I listen to the readers. Currently, the most critical
commentary is related to the issue of repetitive story lines and a
perceived lapse in the overall quality of finished products. The urban
fiction genre is extremely unique because it embraces a particular set
of characteristics, issues and circumstances that are consistent with
urban life. Therefore, it stands to reason, these stories will be
repeated time and time again. In light of this reality, an author's
ability to recreate these stories in a unique fashion with attention to
detail and quality will ultimately determine individual progression and
long term success within the industry.
6. What is the primary message for the Behind Closed Doors Series?
According
to recent statistics, one in five girls and one in twenty boys are
subject to some form of childhood abuse. Sexual abuse is often hard to
identify due to the lack of physical wounds and the veil of secrecy
which further obscures the crime. Without a doubt, my primary goal is to
increase awareness concerning this issue and provide victims with a
platform for healing.
What are your future plans as an author?
Behind Closed Doors 2: Redemption is scheduled for release in the
coming weeks and I'm currently working on my third project which is a
stand-alone urban fiction/medical thriller. The production of my trailer
for Behind Closed Door 2 was an extremely exhilarating experience for
me. I'm currently exploring some ideas concerning the production of
"movie-like" trailers for other authors.
Find the author and the book:
Website
Amazon
Links
Twitter @akangela1
Facebook A.L. Smith
Instagram @akangela1
Trailer for Book 2
Watch “Behind Closed Doors - Official Trailer (2)” on Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/137321122
If you enjoyed this post, please consider becoming a member of SORMAG's community - Join Today
Do you need help with your promoting? - http://sormag.com/advertise.htm
