Urban Reviews: Tell our
readers about Nina's Got A Secret.
Brian W. Smith: Well,
Nina's Got A Secret is about a single mother (Nina) who
has an eight yr old daughter. She marries a single father
(Larry) who has an eight yr old autistic daughter. Nina
doesn't really want to be the stepmother to a handicap child,
but she accepts it because Larry is wealthy. Nina has a car
crash. Her daughter and Larry's daughter are trapped in the
back seat drowning. She chooses to save her daughter and lets
Larry's child drown. She then tries to keep what happened a
secret, and tells Larry an "altered" story. But, someone saw
what she did.
Urban Reviews: How did you
come up with the story for this novel?
Brian W. Smith: I thought it was a unique
topic. It deals with various issues: marrying for money and
not love; lying to your spouse; step parenting; and blackmail.
Urban Reviews: Was there one
thing that made you want to become a writer?
Brian W. Smith: My story is not like so
many other authors; the ones who have been writing since they
were kids. I didn't think about writing until I was 35 years
old (I'm 39 years old now). I went through a traumatic
experience and started venting on paper. Those notes became
the basis for my book, 2006 Best Seller, Mama's Lies -
Daddy's Pain.
Urban Reviews: Hollygrove
Publishing is your publishing company. What's the hardest
thing about running a publishing company?
Brian W. Smith:
The hardest thing is arguing with my
distributor (specifically their sales and marketing dept)
about securing shelf space for our titles. It's also a risky
proposition. I know my books are going to sell, but I'm
rolling the dice with new authors. But, it's cool - no risk/no
reward.
Urban Reviews: Some
independent publishing houses have inked imprint deals with
major publishing houses. Have you ever been approached or
considered doing this?
Brian W. Smith: I haven't been approached
yet, but I would listen if approached. If none of the "big
boys" approach me then I will keep grinding and growing
Hollygrove Publishing.
Urban Reviews: Is there
anything that you know now that you wish you knew at the
beginning of your literary career?
Brian W. Smith: If I had known how
crowded this "game" was I probably wouldn't have done it.
Ironically, it's the competitiveness in the industry that I
like...I'm accustomed to winning at whatever I do. I guess
it's my "Type A" personality.
Urban Reviews: What's
next for you and your company?
Brian W. Smith: Hollygrove Publishing
will be releasing six new titles between May and December. The
books will be in the Contemporary Fiction, Christian Fiction,
and Erotica genres. I have a double book release on June 1,
2009 (My Husband's Love Child and Donna's Comeback).
Urban Reviews: Is there an
author you'd love to work with in the future? If so, what kind
of project or genre would you want to do?
Brian W. Smith: I'm from New Orleans, so
naturally I would be interested in collaborating with Mary B.
Morrison on an Erotica joint. I have an idea for a
Contemporary Fiction book that I want to put out in 2010 (I
can't say the title because someone might steal it.) I want to
write the lead male part and I'm looking for a talented female
author (with at least three books on her resume) to write the
lead female part. I think it would be cool because I wouldn't
have to think like a woman in that book - the female
characters perspective would be straight from a woman's mind.
Any female authors out there who meet the requirements need to
holla at me at
my email.
Urban Reviews: What do you
think about the state of the African-American Fiction market?
Brian W. Smith: I see a lot of "hating"
in the game amongst authors and publishers. This current
economy has made it worse. It's unfortunate because some of
the owners of black publishing houses can be so narrow minded
that they bypass great collaboration opportunities. It's about
cross marketing and cross promoting. To me it's simple
economics - split the cost, get exposure to the other
company's audience, and we all make more money. Unfortunately,
not everyone thinks like that.
Urban Reviews: Is there
anything else you would like to share about yourself or your
novel?
Brian W. Smith: My most recent book,
Nina's Got A Secret was released on Dec 1, 2008 and it has
already made the Dallas Morning News Best Seller list, Oprah
Book Club list, been Book of the Month for 37 book clubs
nationwide, and has already sold more than 5,000 copies. Like
all of my books, it's full of suspense, humor, steamy sex
scenes, and a plot twist that will blow the reader away. Those
who have read my books know that I write "grown folk" books
about "grown folk" topics.
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