with Lutishia Lovely
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Lutishia
Lovely
Along with
being a novelist, Lutishia Lovely is an actress, spiritual
life coach, and voracious reader. She’s been enthralled
with the “world of words” since saying her first one,
Tuffy, the name of the family dog, when less than a year
old. Whether poetry, books, screenplays or stage plays,
Lutishia loves using the power of the pen. When not
writing, she enjoys international travel, preparing
vegetarian cuisine, sports (especially tennis), the arts,
working out, and spending quality time with her family and
friends in southern California. Check out what she has
going on at
www.LutishiaLovely.com.
Read a Full Excerpt
of Sex In The Sanctuary:
Click Here
Read a Full Excerpt of Love Like Hallelujah:
Click Here
Author's Website #1:
http://www.lutishialovely.com
Author's Website #2:
http://www.sexinthesanctuary.com
Author's Myspace Page:
http://www.myspace.com/lutishialovely
Order Your Copy of Sex In
The Sanctuary Today:
Click Here
Order Your Copy of Love Like
Hallelujah Today:
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Urban Reviews: Tell us
about Love Like Hallelujah.
Lutishia Lovely:
Love Like Hallelujah
begins where Sex In The Sanctuary ended, following
the lives of the Montgomerys, Brooks, Millicent and Hope.
Readers are reintroduced to a very minor character in Sex
In The Sanctuary, Tootie, who was Pastor King Brook’s
old flame. She comes back to town when her mother becomes
ill. King’s wife, Tai, is cool about the situation until she
finds out about a teenaged son no one knew existed…a son who
could be King’s.
After a brief stay at her mother’s house in Portland,
Millicent is back in LA. Even though he’s about to be
married to Hope, the woman of his dreams, will Millicent be
able to leave her fatal attraction, Cy, alone?
And finally, a former assistant to Derrick Montgomery,
Robin, arrives in LA, throwing a hitch in the
perfect-Montgomery-marriage giddyup. And she’s not the only
one. What happens when love feels more like harried hell
instead of hallelujah? You’ve got to get the book to find
out!
Urban Reviews: When
can we expect A Preacher's Passion to be released?
Lutishia Lovely:
A Preacher’s Passion is already finished and will
arrive in bookstores December ’08 or January ’09. After a
short break, I’ll start work on book four of the “Hallelujah
Love” series, Heaven Right Here.
Urban Reviews: Can
you tell us how you started your literary career?
Lutishia Lovely:
I guess it officially started in ’93 when I wrote, produced
and co-starred in a stage play entitled Knowledge…Or What.
It’s about two Black women: Ngatashanta, who proudly
embraces her African heritage and Wendy, who runs away from
hers as fast and as far as she can. The play ran in Kansas
City, MO and received good reviews. I then relocated to Los
Angeles, wrote a few more stage plays, a couple screenplays,
and a children’s book. Then two great things happened to me:
one, I got a job as managing editor and senior writer of a
holistic magazine. Writing on a regular basis helped me hone
my skills. And two: the magazine folded, forcing me to “put
up or shut up” regarding my goal to be a full-time writer. I
put up: threw all my energies into publishing Sex In the
Sanctuary, my first, full-length novel. The modest,
first print run sold out. It was picked up by Kensington
Publishing’s Dafina line a year later.
Urban Reviews: Are
you working on any upcoming projects?
Lutishia Lovely:
Yes! I’m excited about this next leg of my literary
journey—the world of contemporary romance. My first romance
novel, Lies Lovers Tell, comes out in October ’08
under the pseudonym Zuri Day. I’m also involved with the
publishing of a non-fiction, inspirational, self-help book,
Untapped, with Nabil Issa, a successful film producer
and entrepreneur. It’s about tapping into our authentic
selves: who we really are, why we’re here, and in doing
so…become able to live our dreams.
Urban Reviews: What
is your overall impression of the book industry so far?
Lutishia Lovely:
“It’s like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I…”
Throw those hands up! But seriously, did you know that less
than 2% of the manuscripts that come across a publisher’s
desk get accepted? I feel blessed to be a part of this
industry; to wake up every day doing what I want and love to
do…write! But the publishing industry is not for the faint
of heart! It is a highly competitive, ever-changing,
intellectually challenging, high-level hustle, and takes
perseverance, hard work, and faith. In other words…you gotta
want success in this field, and you’ve got to believe it’s
yours.
Urban Reviews: What
are your goals as an author?
Lutishia Lovely:
To be a triple-threat: with bestselling success in novels,
theatrical productions and film. There’s interest right now
in developing the Hallelujah Love series, of which Love
Like Hallelujah is the second work, into movies. And I
look so forward to seeing my stageplays produced and
performed when the time is right. Ooohhhh, that is going to
be so much fun! And then my life goal, that this goal
actually sits inside of, is to bring a smile to a person’s
face, make them feel they can hold a positive space, and to
make the world a better place. To bring light, inspiration
and joy: that’s who I am, and why I’m here. And if something
I write changes just one life, makes one person feel
better...if even for a moment…then for me, that’s the sign
of a powerful pen.
Urban Reviews: Do
you have any favorite authors or books?
Lutishia Lovely:
Whenever I’m asked about a favorite anything, it’s always a
challenge. There are so many creative works out here, so
many talented writers. One of my early favorites, when I was
a kid, was Dr. Seuss. Love his simple yet engaging style. I
also love poetry and prose, which is probably why this
appeals to me, even today. During my teenage years I was
hooked on Harlequin and had no problem becoming the
beautiful, desired heroine even though I never ever saw my
“happy to be nappy” self written on the page! Just changed
blonde/blue-eyed to black/brown-eyed in my mind and it was
on! I really respect Maya Angelou, Alice Walker and Toni
Morrison’s careers. They’ve been down the road I’m trying to
travel. Other works that quickly come to mind are San
Culberson’s Nick Of Time, Neale Donald Walsh’s
Conversation w/God series, Christine Feehan’s paranormal
series, and The Fulfillment by LaVyrle Spencer. Oh,
and on my nightstand right now is Trisha Thomas’s Nappily
Ever After. Read about a fourth of it so far and am
loving it.
Urban Reviews: What
do you want people to know most about you?
Lutishia Lovely:
Hum…interesting question. The first thought that comes to
mind is this: that I’m just like you; with the same joys,
pains, challenges and triumphs. Which is why the fact that
I’m here living my dream, is proof that you can live yours
too. All you’ve got to do is believe… |
Read our review of Sex In The Sanctuary in the
AA Fiction section.
Read our review of Love Like Hallelujah in the
AA Fiction section.
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