Urban Reviews: Tell our
readers about Hollyhood.
Valerie Joyner: Well,
Hollyhood is about the life of Ty Hart, a young black
television producer. His hit show comes under scrutiny when
the ratings drop and the studio executives want to change the
format of his show to appeal to the white audience. And
everyone else around Ty is pushing their own agendas. His
girlfriend pressures him about marriage. Leede and Naja, the
stars of the show, are competing for power. And his
co-producer is hiding a drug habit.
Urban Reviews: How much
of the book is based on true events?
Valerie Joyner: The book is
a good mixture of fact and fiction. The story takes place over
one week and I take the reader thru the entire process of
producing a show. Several situations in HOLLYHOOD happened in
real life. And a few characters in the book have similarities
to people I worked with over the years.
Urban Reviews: Are things
getting any better for black writers in Hollywood? What does
the future hold for them?
Valerie Joyner: Things have
gotten a bit better for black writers. More often black
writers are being hired on non-black shows. And this is
growth. Overall, as the industry cuts back on the number of
shows produced, there are less opportunities for black
writers. So, the future of black writers depends on how well
the industy rebounds.
Urban Reviews: What are
your goals as a writer? Do you see yourself doing this long
term?
Valerie Joyner: My goal is
to build a career as a writer. I intend to write several
novels and build a body of work. I can't see myself doing
anything else long term.
Urban Reviews: Has the
literary world been everything you had imagined it would be?
Valerie Joyner: As a new
writer on the market, I did not have many expectations.
Publishing has become very celebrity driven and I'm not a
celebrity. So, I was prepared to market myself, do what I
could on my own and make the best of this opportunity. I have
used social networking sites and bloggers to promote me book.
And my publicist, Christine Maddalena, has been fantastic.
Urban Reviews: What
things did you do to help prepare yourself for the book
business?
Valerie Joyner: I
researched book clubs all over the country to email. I found
the most visited bloggers to contact. And I built a website to
promote myself. The rest I am learning as I go.
Urban Reviews: Are you
working on or have any ideas for any upcoming projects?
Valerie Joyner: I am
writing in general but not on one particular project. I have
picked up an older manuscript I have yet to complete. It's a
family saga. And I am contemplating a sequel to Hollyhood.
Urban Reviews: Do you
have any favorite authors or books?
Valerie Joyner: One of my
favorite books is "Kindred" by Octavia Butler. I recently read
"The Air Between Us" by Deborah Johnson and I really enjoyed
it. There are numerous writers I admire. For instance, Edward
P. Jones, Terry McMillan, and Nichelle Tramble to name a few.
Urban Reviews: What do
you like to do outside of writing?
Valerie Joyner: I like
dinner parties with close friends. I like playing tennis,
riding my bike and reading books.
Urban Reviews: Is there
anything else you would like to share about yourself or your
novel?
Valerie Joyner: HOLLYHOOD
is a novel for all ages and it's a bit more serious than one
might anticipate. |
