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Urban Reviews: Tell us about your debut novel Mr. H. I. V.
I. B. Freeman: Mr. H.I.V. is about a man who is H.I.V. positive and intentionally
infecting women.
Urban Reviews: Where did you come up with the idea for this novel?
I. B. Freeman: There was a case up here in New York City where a guy pressured his
girlfriend into having unprotected sex. They had unprotected
sex and later she found medical papers that belonged to him. That's
when she realized he had H.I.V. She was later tested and her
results came back positive. The boyfriend went to jail for
negligent homicide.
Urban Reviews: What research did you do prior to writing this book?
I. B. Freeman: The research was most important. I had to research how to
write a book and I had to research the facts about H.I.V. I
found a website thebody.com to be
very helpful. They have a Q&A section. I would email
them questions and doctors would email with an answer within 24
hours. I also went into H.I.V. chat rooms and spoke with
people who are H.I.V. positive to try get a feel for what a person
with H.I.V. is feeling.
Urban Reviews: Do you have aspirations of continuing to publish books? What things have you done to elevate your writing skills?
I. B. Freeman: At this moment I'm working on my 2nd novel, and I will publish that
on my own. Right now I focus on being universal. Mr.
H.I.V. will be the hottest book in America, I want my next book to
be the hottest book in the world. So to elevate my skills I
focus on being able to write a book people all around the world will
be able to enjoy. I want people in The Bronx and people in France to
read my next novel and to be able to walk away feeling like they
have been touched by my novel.
Urban Reviews: Do you have any upcoming projects that you are working on?
I. B. Freeman: Right now I'm doing research for my next book and developing
characters.
Urban Reviews: What things are you doing to promote your novel? How
do you feel about the competitive nature of the African-American
fiction market?
I. B. Freeman: I'm sending copies of my book to book review company's, radio
personalities and editorial writers. I also use my webpage
myspace.com/mrhiv
to promote my book because I have an excerpt of my book on there. I
feel that its cool cause competition generates dollars and it
motivates people to work harder. The fact that there are so
many writers putting out books it also forces writers to create
great story lines that stand out from the rest of the books on
stands. Maybe in a few years the book publishing game will be
like the rap game with writers owning their own major publishing
company.
Urban Reviews: Is there an author you can point to as your inspiration to
want to be a published author?
I. B. Freeman: Hmmm. Off the back I would say Donald Goines. I love his
gritty literature and Donald Goines presents a clear picture of what
things were like in the 70's.
Urban Reviews: What are some of your all-time favorite books?
I. B. Freeman: The Nigger Bible by Robert H. Decoy, Mama Black Widow by Iceberg
Slim, E.A.R.L. The Autobiography of DMX, The Mis-education of The
Negro by Carter G. Woodson, and Black Gangster by Donald Goines.
Urban Reviews: Is there a reason
for your anonymity? Has this
hindered you from conventional promotion such as signings, panel
discussions or conferences?
I. B. Freeman: I never show my face cause I'm ugly (just joking). I'm
uncomfortable with the thought of fame. I want my name to be
known, but I don't want people recognizing me on the street.
When people recognize you they wanna ask for pictures and wanna
shake a brothers hand. I'm born and raised in New York City
and in NYC people don't talk to strangers. So the thought of a
strangers approaching me makes me feel uncomfortable. Maybe
overtime I will start showing off this handsome face.
Urban Reviews: At the end of the day, what do you want the world to know
most about I. B. Freeman?
I. B. Freeman: That I'm unique and I love to go against the grain. That I write and
say most things that people feel but don't dare express for fear
of retribution. The reason why I write, its not only for the money,
but because a novel is my way of telling the world I was here.
I feel like when I'm an old man and I'm laying on my deathbed I will
be able to say that I at least contributed something to society and
try to make the world a better place.
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