Urban Reviews: Give us a brief synopsis of The Rolexxx Club.
Méta Smith: The Rolexxx Club is hot, steamy, sexy “bling” fiction; it’s a tale of sex, drugs, and hip-hop set in South Beach, Miami - the hottest place on earth! It chronicles the struggles of a troubled young woman, Dez, and her rise from naïve stripper to manipulative music video model to hip-hop superstar. Coveted by men and envied by women, her sheer drive and determination propel her to heights she’s only imagined. And just when she thinks her painful past is dead, it comes back to tear apart her newly charmed life. Unless Dez learns to how to play the deadly game she finds herself trapped in, her life and dreams will burn out faster than a shooting star…

Urban Reviews: Is The Rolexxx Club a real strip club or is it a combination of several different clubs?
Méta Smith: The Rolexxx is a very real club in Miami. As far as strip clubs go, The Rolexxx is as real as it gets. It is legendary. Some guys call it “The Office” because they spend so much time there, and I guess some business goes down there too. Kind of gives new meaning to the old excuse “Honey, don’t wait up, I’ve got to stay late at the office.” All kinds of women work there and all kinds of men go there.

Urban Reviews: What made you want to write this particular story?
Méta Smith: I had to have something to show for my English degree! Just kidding! My experiences as a promoter and nightclub junkie on South Beach and the things that I saw as a music video model and during my stint as an exotic dancer were the source of inspiration for the novel. I lived in Miami for 6 years, and got to see the real Miami not just the Miami people see on vacation. During that 6 year period I met all kinds of women from diverse backgrounds; some had really horrible life experiences and others were from affluent families, but all of them had a story to tell. It all swirled in my head until the character “Dez” came to me while I was visiting my mother back in 2000, while I was expecting my son. I wrote a short story but felt compelled to give her character more depth, to make her real. Over a 4 year period I kept writing and the story kept growing. I also wanted to write a story that would tell young women that no matter what kinds of mistakes they’ve made in the past, and no matter what their background or upbringing is, that they don’t have to let that define who they are now and who they are going to become. The Rolexxx Club is ultimately a story of redemption.

Urban Reviews: You have worked in many facets of the music and entertainment industry. What was the most exciting thing about it?
Méta Smith: There are so many things that made working in entertainment exciting for me. When I worked as a promoter I loved meeting new people and going to events and that whole vibe of being a “tastemaker.” When I was modeling the most exciting part for me was hair and makeup because I’m a kid at heart and it’s like playing dress up. I also loved just seeing how the sets and shots and cameras were set up and technical side of it all. I’m still a DJ and I’m branching out into production so with my music I love experimenting with new technology and just tightening up my skills and being mentored by some really talented DJs and producers. I’ve always been “allergic” to all things ordinary, so the appeal for me is definitely that I’m doing something creative. From the time I was a small child I knew I wanted to work in entertainment, it just took me a while to find my niche.

Urban Reviews: Was there any down side to the industry?
Méta Smith: There were many downsides on this journey but I never let it get me down. Every facet of the industry has its little quirks. When you’re a student or really young, everyone wants you to work for free, and even when you’ve got a little experience the pay can be crap. You have to pay your dues. I also think that there’s a stigma that goes with being a “video girl”. Lots of models don’t consider it “real modeling”, lots of dancers don’t consider it “real dancing” and actors don’t consider it “real acting”. And of course there’s a lot of criticism about rap videos in particular being too sexual and degrading, and unfortunately in too many instances that is indeed the case. But all videos and all “video girls” aren’t the same. My experiences in videos were very positive; my only complaint was that there was too much waiting. You’d sit on those sets all day. It got boring.

Urban Reviews: How did you secure your book deal?
Méta Smith: I was so blessed because the process was so smooth it felt like a dream. It still feels a little surreal! I went on Publishers Marketplace and looked up a ton of book agents. From there I crafted a query letter and began furiously emailing it, along with an excerpt from the finished manuscript. One of the agents in particular stood out. I liked the books by his clients, the fact that he had been a writer, and I really liked the fact that he had famous celebrities as clients. I’ve always been “a legend in my own mind” and I thought to myself that this agent would be perfect. I put a big star and exclamation point on his printout and told my mother that he would be the man to make my dreams come true. Well, out of all the agents I queried, only two wanted to read more. One of them was Marc Gerald, of The Agency Group, who promptly signed me. It was my son’s birthday, November 29, 2004. I got a phone call while at my old job from Marc in January 2005 telling me that the deal with Warner Books was on the table. I sat at my desk and cried tears of joy! My coworkers thought I’d finally lost it! I signed my contract in February 2005. My former editor Jason Pinter has moved on to another publishing house, but I’m forever grateful for him believing in me early on, and my new editor Devi Pillai is wonderful, as is my publicist at Warner, Linda Duggins. The support they’ve given me has been phenomenal. I am thrilled at being a part of the Hachette Book Group/Warner Books family. It’s been a great experience.

Urban Reviews: Do you consider yourself as a full-time writer at this point?
Méta Smith: Oh yes, because I quit my day job last August and haven’t looked back since! It’s been an adjustment going from the corporate world to writing; I miss those bi-weekly paychecks! I was really good at what I did and it paid well. But I’ll never ever regret stepping out on faith to do what I love, and be able to spend more time with my 5 year old son, because it has been a dream come true. There were some shaky patches but Warner bought my second title, and things all worked out for me. I always felt that writing was my destiny, and if I can help it, I’ll never work a “day job” ever again! If I can write books, be a mom, and make music for the rest of my life, I’ll be a happy camper!

Urban Reviews: Are you working on any upcoming projects?
Méta Smith: My second book, Queen of Miami will be released by Warner Books in March of 2007. It’s about a sexy female DJ from Chicago named Ms. Bobbi who escapes her extremely wealthy and overbearing family to become the hottest DJ on South Beach. She hooks up with a mysterious and sexy Russian named Mikhail, who opens up a world of private jets, yachts, and party hopping in Ibiza, Mykonos and St. Tropez. Mikhail makes Bobbi an offer she can’t refuse; she has money and fame and her life is perfect. That is until she realizes how dangerous Mikhail truly is, and in one intense deadly night, she must decide whether or not her dreams are worth dying for. I’m also working on a novella for an anthology to be released in July 07 and starting my third novel. And naturally I’d love to see The Rolexxx Club turned into a movie.

Urban Reviews: What has been the biggest challenge getting into the book industry?
Méta Smith: The biggest challenge for me personally was actually finishing my first novel and then letting it go and letting people in a position to help me read it. I sat on the finished product for almost a year. Finding the time to write while working full time and being a parent was difficult, and while I’ve always thought I was a pretty good writer, I’ve always been super-shy about sharing my work with others. But as for getting into the industry, I am lucky to be able to say that the time it took for me to get an agent and secure a deal was about 8 weeks.

Urban Reviews: What do you want people to know most about you?
Méta Smith: That I appreciate the support that they’ve shown me and the love that I’ve gotten for The Rolexxx Club, and I’m going to keep bringing the heat in many novels to come!