FEATURED AUTHOR: Celeste O. Norfleet

 

National best-selling author of over twenty-five critically acclaimed multicultural romance and young adult novels, Celeste O. Norfleet was a late bloomer to writing. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she is a graduate of Moore College of Art & Design. An art director and graphic designer for many years, Celeste now devotes her time to writing and creating novels letting her artistic imagination flow through the computer keys. Her romance novels, realistic with a touch of humor, depict strong characters with unpredictable plots and exciting storylines. 

Her young adult novels delve into dramatic fiction, reflecting current issues facing African-American teens. Celeste currently writes for Harlequin's Kimani Press Arabesque, Kimani Romance and Kimani Press TRU (young adult) lines. Celeste has won several prestigious awards including RSJ 2011 Best Sequel, 2011 Best Hero and 2011 Best Heroine. She has been nominated numerous times for her romance and young adult novels including the 2010 and 2011 RSJ Author of the Year Award, 2009 RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award, 2009 Urban-Reviews Best Romance Award and the 2009 YALSA "Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers" Award. 

Celeste currently enjoys a quiet life in Virginia with her family.

How can readers get in contact with you? 

conorfleet@aol.com, https://www.facebook.com/celeste.norfleet, Celeste O. Norfleet P.O. Box 7346 Woodbridge, VA 22195-7346 

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

One Night in Georgia has many layers and readers will experience a multitude of emotions. It will make you smile, laugh and cry, but most of all it will make you think. The year 1968 was not that long ago. I want readers to see that after fifty-one years we’re still experiencing the same social and political strife and frustrations. 

Why did you decide to write your book?

The main storyline of One Night in Georgia came to me in a dream. It was so real and engrossing and the characters so powerful that the dream stayed with me for days. After a while I sat down and wrote the synopsis. The more I wrote the more the story evolved. It was far different from anything I had previously written. I knew right then I had to write the novel.

Why advice can you offer for someone who deals with fear?

There’s nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. Getting help is what matters. There are a lot of skilled people available to aid and comfort.

What advice would you offer to someone whose book is about to be released?

First, I’d offer congratulations. You’ve achieved something amazing. Writing a book is hard and releasing it to the public can be scary. Self-doubt is always there. But be confident. Take a moment to enjoy the achieving moment then get right back to writing. 

What literary event can we find you this year?

I just returned from the National Book Club Conference in Atlanta. It was wonderful and I had an amazing time. Next I’ll be speaking at a number of local book club events and also at the Virginia Library Association Conference in October.

Do you plan on writing more books?

Yes, definitely. I’ll be writing both romance and women’s fiction.

Who was the first author you ever met?

I met both Candice Poarch and Michelle Monkou at a Washington Romance Writers event. 

What’s the most interesting change in your life as a result of being a published author? 

As an artist, I’ve always been imaginative and listened to my inner self, but since I’ve been a published author I’ve learned to enjoy doing research and I constantly ask myself, “what would happen if...” 

What has surprised you most about being a published author?

That organization isn’t a bad word. 

What about writing do you wish non writers would understand?

Interesting question. I think some non-writers would be surprised to know how long it takes for a writer to write a novel. The process can be months and even years.  

Can you give us one do and one don't for those aspiring to be an author?

Do focus on what’s in your heart and you’ll be passionate about what you want to write. 

Don’t listen to negativity from others or from yourself. 

What advice would you offer for someone who is having a hard time finishing the book?

I’ve been there. Finishing a book is like saying goodbye to an old friend. Since I usually write a full synopsis, I already know the ending, so when I have trouble writing the ending it tells me that I need to rethink it. I step away for a few days, re-read what I’ve written, trust my instincts and keep writing to the end.  

When you're not writing, what do you like to do in your spare time?

I love to relax in the backyard. I grab a cup of tea or glass of wine and read in the garden surrounded by butterflies and hummingbirds. It’s the perfect place to unwind. 

Oprah always asks, what do you know for sure?

Having a good heart is what matters in the end.

Any last words for our readers?

Thank you for your unwavering support over the years.

 

Set in the summer of 1968, a provocative and devastating novel of individual lives caught in the grips of violent history—a timely and poignant story that reverberates with the power of Alice Walker’s Meridian and Ntozake Shange’s Betsey Browne.

At the end of a sweltering summer shaped by the tragic assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Bobby Kennedy, race riots, political protests, and the birth of Black power, three coeds from New York City—Zelda Livingston, Veronica Cook, and Daphne Brooks—pack into Veronica’s new Ford Fairlane convertible, bound for Atlanta and their last year at Spelman College. It is the beginning a journey that will change their lives irrevocably.

Unlikely friends from vastly different backgrounds, the trio has been inseparable since freshman year. Zelda, serious and unyielding, the heir of rebellious slaves and freedom riders, sees the world in black versus white. Veronica, the privileged daughter of a refined, wealthy family, strongly believes in integration and racial uplift. Daphne lives with a legacy of loss—when she was five years old, her black mother committed suicide and her white father abandoned her.

Because they will be going their separate ways after graduation, Zelda, Veronica, and Daphne intend to make lasting memories on this special trip. Though they are young and carefree, they aren’t foolish. Joined by Veronica’s family friend Daniel, they rely on the Motorist Green Book to find racially friendly locations for gas, rest, and food. Still, with the sun on their cheeks, the wind in their hair, and Motown on the radio, the girls revel in their freedom. Yet as the miles fly by, taking them closer to the Mason-Dixon line, tension begins to rise and the conversation turns serious when Daphne shares a horrifying secret about her life.

When they hit Washington, D.C., the joyous trip turns dark. In Virginia they barely escape a desperate situation when prison guards mistake Daniel for an escapee. Further south they barely make it through a sundown town. When the car breaks down in Georgia they are caught up in a racially hostile situation that leaves a white person dead and one of the girls holding the gun.

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