Urban Reviews: Tell our
readers about Love Trumps Game.
d.y. phillips: Well, Love Trumps Game
is about Hattie Sims...a brave and spicy grandmother that goes
up against a drug-dealing, murdering Topps Jackson who wants
to pull his two children away from her temporary custody.
However, Hattie Sims made a promise that she would keep the
them until their missing mother returns.
Urban Reviews: Where did
the idea for this story come from?
d.y. phillips: From my observation that
many children are now being raised by grandparents when their
younger mothers and father can't step up to the plate. The
main characters, Hattie Sims is based on my own mother, who
raised a lot of kids before passing: her kids, her sister's
kids, and a few other batches of kids that weren't family
members.
Urban Reviews: What was
it that pushed you to want to become a writer?
d.y. phillips: I don't think that I had
to be pushed because I didn't choose to be a book writer. It
chose me. As a younger girl, I was always writing something,
but back then it was poems or songs for the girl singing group
I thought I would be in. I get characters that take up
residence in my head, prompting me to tell their story, which
is why I don't write in any particular genre. I just love to
write.
Urban Reviews: What are
your ultimate goals as far as the literary industry?
d.y. phillips: To have at
least two of my books to make the New York Bestseller list,
then go on to be made into a movie. However, I'll settle for
The Essence Bestseller list any day.
Urban Reviews: What
things did you do to help prepare yourself for the release of
your debut novel?
d.y. phillips: Love Trumps Game by
d.y.phillips is my fourth book. If I had to think back on the
release of my first book, I would have to say coming up with
ways to promote my book. A lot of new writers think that once
their book is published and it's out there, that's all they
need to do, and now they're on easy street. But this is so far
from the truth. If a writer don't find ways to promote,
promote, promote, her book could easily slide into oblivion in
four to five months. Learning about publishing rights is a
must also.
Urban Reviews: What was
your biggest challenge when it came to actually writing your
novel?
d.y. phillips: Profanity and graphic sex
scenes, put them in or don't put them in? I struggle with this
for every book I write because I'm a Christian (in backsliding
somewhat). I have to constantly remind myself that there's no
such thing as perfect Christians, and they have sex too.
7. Do you have any upcoming
projects that we can look forward to?
d.y. phillips: Yeah, I'm working on a
couple of projects. A story of a beautiful woman born
struggling with her true sexual identity while falling in love
with a brutal man that hate alternative lifestyles.
My next book, When Devils Pray, is almost complete
as well. That's more drama in the church coming.
Urban Reviews: Do you have
any favorite authors or books?
d.y. phillips: There are so many
wonderful authors out there, and good books to read, it would
be literally impossible to name them all. I can say that I'm a
big fan of books written by Mary Monroe, Allison Hobbs, Meesha
Mink, and Noire.
Urban Reviews: What do
you think about the current state of African-American fiction?
d.y. phillips: The economy might be a
little slow right now. There may or may not be a lot of money
to buy the big homes and cars, fancy clothes and tickets to
expensive shows, but we can always find some money to buy a
good book to sit down with, have some hot cocoa and read.
There are more AA Authors now than every before. Some are just
testing the water, but us Die Hards, like myself, will be
doing this until it's time to go to the grave.
Urban Reviews: Is there
anything else you would like to share about yourself or your
novel?
d.y. phillips: I just want to thank each
and everyone that bought a copy of my book: Love Trumps
Game by. d.y. phillips. Without the fans, authors would
just be people that like to write.
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