|
Urban Reviews: Tell us
about Tennis Shoe Pimp.
Jacqui Smith: Tennis Shoe Pimp is an unique urban
fiction novel which is loosely based upon my life, and the extraordinary
experiences that I had to endure when I was a teenager in the foster care
system. Claudia and Angel ran away from their abusive foster home, only to
find themselves selling their bodies for a place to live. Overnight their
dreams come true when Ruben Palacios takes them into his home and Angel
into his bed. Life couldn’t be better, until Raymond “Black” Smith decides
the turf he built into a money-making empire is too small for he and
Ruben. He sets out take what he feels is rightfully his, even if it meant
snatching Angel and destroying lives in the process. Angel might have only
been seeking love, but when Claudia realizes-Black-the same man who killed
her sister ten years ago-is the master mind behind her friends fall from
grace, it becomes a straight-out war.
Urban Reviews: Where did you come up
with the idea for this novel?
Jacqui Smith: T.S.P.’s original title was called
Shave The Dog. I had to change the title to what it is now, but the story
idea arose from the original name. It actually came about in a funny way. I
adopted a grey poodle by the name of Grace. Her previous owners were
unkind and her hair was mangled. The groomers couldn’t untangle Grace’s
hair and they had to shave it off. On the way home, my ex-husband called a
friend who owned a Chi Juana. The conversation went like this: “Hey,
Tommie! Get the sweater. The dog’s been shaved.” I thought that was the
funniest line ever. The story idea clicked a couple of seconds later and
the finished result is Tennis Shoe Pimp.
Urban Reviews: Will there be a sequel?
Jacqui Smith: Yes. The sequel entitled Foster Child
is picking up exactly where the characters left off.
Urban Reviews: How did you get your
start in the business?
Jacqui Smith: I joined RealSistaWriters three years
ago. I started posting my shorts on the board and the sisters critiqued
them. One of my shorts Shave The Dog caught the eye of one of the sisters. She
encouraged me to turn it into a novel and submit it to Urban Lifestyle Press.
I took her advice. I turned it into a novella and I called the publisher,
K. Elliott. He loved the story and said he’d take it if I did one thing-
increase the word count. I did and the rest is history!
Urban Reviews: What have you learned
about the book industry as a relatively new author?
Jacqui Smith: Marketing is necessary in order to achieve
success. I also learned that bookstores may be stocked with thousands of
books, but the AA bookshelves usually consist of one or two book racks.
The world is thirsty for more AA writers.
Urban Reviews: How did it feel when you
first held a copy of your book in your hands?
Jacqui Smith: I was full of mixed emotions. The first
thing I felt was anxiety. I thought, now that it is out, will anyone buy
it? Then I was filled with dread that no one would. Then I bounced to a
state of happiness. I was a published author and that within itself is a
remarkable achievement!
Urban Reviews: What advice would you
give to aspiring authors?
Jacqui Smith: Never stop believing in your talent. It
is a gift from God and you don't have a right to give it up. When times
get tough and you're in your darkest hour stop thinking about what you
don't have and praise God for what you do have. Get off your knees, dust
yourself off, and get back to work. I would also tell them that to never
forget that writing should be treated as a hobby and not a tedious job.
Urban Reviews: Name one thing that the
world does not know about Jacqui Smith-the person?
Jacqui Smith: I wrote the conclusion of this book in
a homeless shelter for abused women and children. I had to go to a series
of shelters after suffering years of emotional, psychological, and brutal
physical abuse at the hands of my ex-husband. He beat me with a belt
buckle on April 4, 2005 and that was the last time he ever laid a hand on
me. I bounced around from one abused women’s shelter to the next. It was a
tough time, but I continued to pen the book. Under no circumstances did I
ever give up.
|
