Michele Sims is the "author-ego" of Deanna McNeil
and creator of the Moore Family Saga and the Fire God Series. She loves writing
hot love stories and women's fiction with multidimensional characters in
multigenerational families. She is the recipient of the 2019 RSJ Debut Author
Award, 2018 RSJ Aspiring Author Award, and first runner up in the Introvert
Press Poetry Contest for February 2018.
She is a member of the LRWA, in Charleston, SC, the From The Heart
Romance Writers’ online group, SC Writers’ Association, and RWOWA.
She lives in South Carolina with her husband who has been her
soulmate and greatest cheerleader. She is the proud mother of two adult sons
and the auntie to many loved ones. When she's not writing, she's trying to
remember the importance of exercise, travelling, listening to different genres
of music, and observing the wonders of life on this marvelous planet.
How can readers contact you?
Amazon author page-
https://www.amazon.com/Michele-Sims/e/B07KPVCMKG/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Email-michelesims2122@gmail.com
Twitter- https://twitter.com/dmichele2123
Wordpress- https://michelesims22.com
Tell us about your manuscript to published author journey.
I’ve always been a reader and having a little more time in
semi-retirement allowed me the opportunity to start working on my bucket
list. Since learning more about creative
writing was high on my list, I attended the Romance Writers of America’s
convention in San Diego and one of the presenters challenged all of the
aspiring writers to come up with a bigger than life character, ie. a
politician, entertainer, businessman, etc. The character Miles Aridio Moore,
the hip-hop mogul born with an unusual genetic condition was created after I
returned to my room that night. Miles was not the first character created in
the Moore family saga but, he had more to say and spoke to my imagination. I already
had a presence on social media in my profession as a physician so I needed to
create not only new characters but a pen name. My legal name is Deanna Michele
Simmons McNeil and out of that came my pen name, Michele Sims.
How did it feel to see your manuscript in print?
I was elated! It was definitely exciting the first time I held
my book in my hands.
What did you learn while writing the book?
I learned that completing the first draft isn’t the end of the
process but for me, still a part of the early stages of creating a story. I
wrote many drafts before I settled on what I wanted to convey. After that, it
was on to the editorial process where I’ve learned that red marks and delete
recommendations aren’t a bad thing. As in anything, growth as an author can be
painful.
What do you hope to accomplish with this book?
Simply put, I want to add my voice to an evolving narrative.
I’m still shocked by the number of African American women who can’t name more
than one or two African American romance writers. I also find it difficult to
accept that while many women can readily accept that African American women are
loved and capable of love but, romance? Really? Our lives don’t contain
romance, but instead are filled with mostly struggle, disappointments, and
strength through adversity. Yes, those issues are true for most women but we,
African American women, also deserve to be romanced and cherished. I want to add
to the pantheon of writers who embrace and perpetuate the belief that our lives
are made better by filling it with love, excitement and adventure. Flowers and
candy are great on Valentine’s Day but I want women to expect it, just because. I also hoped to show through my series of
books in the Moore Family saga the power of love and family. I used fire as a
metaphor for red-hot passion and romance, the intensity of the bonds within
family, and the potentially destructive forces than can erupt in the relationships
we develop with those closest to us.
What was your greatest roadblock in publishing your first book
and how did you overcome it?
The decision to go traditional versus Indie wasn’t a road
block as much as it was a fork in the road. I’ve been blessed to spend thirty
years in the medical field and I completed an obligation as a Naval Officer
prior to starting my career as an author. I wanted more freedom to choose my
own path and being an indie author was a better fit for me but, how would I put
together the team I needed? There was a lot of trial and error in the process.
I researched it and discovered there were those out there willing to help. I
reached out to organizations such as Romance Slam Jam, Black Romance Authors
Network, and my local chapter of RWA. They were godsends. They gave me
recommendations and I was able to put together a team to help me through the
editorial process, formatting, book cover design, and marketing the books.
What are three things you wish you’d known before you reached
where you are now?
I wish I knew how important it is to find your tribe as early
as you can before you start writing. Join reader groups, follow other authors,
and research the genre you’re most interested in. Secondly, I wished I knew how
much writing is not only about inspiration but perspiration. You’ve got to be
willing to put in the work and, it’s hard work. Third point, I wish I knew
early in my career how much fun it is to be a part of the fellowship of
readers. I participated in Oprah’s reading club and prior to that, reading was
a solitary activity where I retreated into the world of the written word. This
past year, I’ve had a blast meeting so many people across the country and don’t
be fooled, readers know how to party. The fellowship has been fantastic.
What advice would you offer to someone whose first book is
about to be released?
Congratulate yourself on your wonderful accomplishment and
don’t forget to enjoy the process!
What do you do to interact with your readers?
I use several avenues to interact with my readers. I’ve
attended numerous reader retreats, I have a social media presence, a
newsletter, and I have an Author Michele Sims Facebook group.
What would you like readers to take away from your book?
I want them to take away that most good things are better when
shared. I also want them to celebrate the concept of self-acceptance and know
the power of giving and receiving love as we go through the trials of joy,
grief, and pain.
What character did you have the most fun writing about?
I had the most fun writing about Miles who is complex and
successful. He has high visibility gifts of music and charisma but he also has
his stuff he has to work through. I also used Miles as the character who
demonstrates we all have superpowers, the most important being our ability to
love.
What do you believe makes your stories stand out?
All authors bring their own unique voice to their work that’s
unlike any other author’s voice. I’ve worked in the medical field, been in the
military, done tens of thousands of interviews, and have travelled extensively.
I share some aspects of all of those experiences in my writings.
What three literary events would you recommend to a writer in
your genre?
I couldn’t possibly limit it to three. I recommend the Atlanta
Kickback, Indie Love, RWA, Romance Slam Jam , the Reading Warriors’ Retreat if
they have it again, Lights!Camera! Action, and the Cavalcade of Authors.
Who was the first author you ever met?
I stood in a very long line that wrapped around one of
local bookstores to meet Mrs. Rosa Parks
and to have her sign a copy of her book, Quiet Strength. She was one of our civil
rights icon and I was humbled to meet and speak briefly with her about her book.
What’s the most interesting change in your life as a result of
being a published author?
I’ve discovered how time feels like it’s suspended and the
cares of the world float away when I enter my writer’s bubble. I sit at my
computer to write and when I get up, four hours have gone by, wow! I also
appreciate that being a published author is a blessing and a way to feed my
passion for life.
What has surprised you most about being a published author?
There are people who are going to support you whom you least
expect will support you and they encourage you just when you need it most. To
them I say, thank you.
Thank you LaShaunda for
this wonderful opportunity to spend time with you and readers of SORMAG. I hope
all of you enjoy reading about the Moore Family saga as much as I enjoyed
writing about this phenomenal family. Reach out to me when you can. I’d love
hearing from all of you.
The novel Act I. Seed on Fire is a sexy, contemporary romance
with elements of suspense and fantasy. The book introduces the reader to the
protagonist Kaiden Moore, affectionately known to his family and friends as
Cade, the twenty something son of Charles and Lauren Moore and the youngest
child from an affluent Charlotte, NC family. Cade is coming off a successful
media tour of his first album with his jazz band Fortune. He and his wife
Alicia Moore, known as Lecia, a nurse practitioner and also a transplant from
North Carolina, were enjoying a life full of love and passion. As a young, beautiful and an upwardly mobile
professional couple who had made their home in New York City, they were busy
balancing their careers with the demands of their new marriage which as fate
would have it, included an unexpected bundle of joy. They got pregnant on their
honeymoon and so began their adventure in this novel, The Seed on Fire that is
also the prequel to the novel The Fire God Tour.
Nothing about Cade and
Lecia’s lives together has ever been typical and their relationship will
forever be changed by a series of nightmarish events. Come and join them on
their journey as they experience the joys and excitement awaiting the birth of
their son, Miles Aridio Moore.
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