Chandra Adams

Chandra Adams

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"The Interview with Chandra Adams"

THE ROCK: Who is Chandra Adams; tell us something
about you?
Adams: I am the author of Shades of Retribution which
was published in May 2004. I also host two internet
talk shows/podcasts available on iTunes --
Mixed Matters at: http://www.NorthBayMediaReview.com
and The Chandra Adams Show at:
http://www.internetvoicesradio.com

THE ROCK: Where are you from and currently residing?
Adams: I grew up in Berkeley, California, and I
currently live in Vallejo, California.

THE ROCK: Are there any other writers in the family?
Adams: I am the only writer in my family.

THE ROCK: When did you start writing?
Adams: I started writing in college. Mainly for
classwork. I had developed a passionate interest in
African-American literature, and I wrote a lot about
it. After college, I felt that I needed a
creative outlet and found that fiction writing
satisfied that need.

THE ROCK: What prepared you to become an author?
Adams: I have been reading ever since I can remember!
I started reading at a young age, and the more I read,
the more I gained confidence that I could write as
well.

THE ROCK: What inspired you to become a writer?
Adams: Life is so short. One day I asked myself what
would I most like to do before my time on earth is up;
the idea of becoming a writer and author was the first
thing that came into my mind.

THE ROCK: What inspired you to write your book?
Adams: I wanted to see more of a variety of themes,
characters and viewpoints in African-American
literature, and I wanted to contribute to that
variation.

THE ROCK: Tell us about your newest creation. What is
the premise?
Adams: I resisted the idea of writing a sequel at
first but one of my main characters, who is just bad
and really kind of crazy comes back to redeem herself
in several ways.

THE ROCK: Any publishing contracts in the working?
Adams: No publishing contracts in the working.

THE ROCK: Have you ever self-published? Why or why not?
Adams: I am a self-published author. I self-published
after hearing all of the depressing stories about
rejection letters and meager royalties. In keeping
with my independent spirit, I decided that
self-publishing was the best route for me.

THE ROCK: What are "traditional publishers" looking for?
Adams: Traditional publishers are looking for stories
that will sell themselves. Romance and urban fiction
are usually sure bets. If a writer is trying a new
angle, something that Black people 'just
won't read', he or she should be prepared to go to bat
and be extremely confident in order to win over a
traditional publisher.

THE ROCK: If you were a publisher, what would be your
niche? Why?
Adams: I am a publisher, and in the near future I will
be looking for fresh new perspectives, good solid
stories, and writers who have the 'total package'. I
know that it isn't enough to just write a
book and expect it to sell itself. An author has to
have his or her own 'unique selling point'. What else
do you bring to the table? Knowing how to work with
others, developing a positive public persona, combined
with a little marketing savvy and a whole lot of
hustle are extremely important.

THE ROCK: For an author, is having a publishing
contract with a "traditional publisher" important
professionally? Why?
Adams: Just like having IBM listed on your resume can
open a lot of doors for you, so can a traditional
publisher's imprint on the side of your book; but it
is no longer the defining characteristic of a
successful writing career. Advanced technology is
quickly closing the gap between the traditional
publishers and small press, so any small publishing
house holds the potential to be as profitable and as
impressive as their larger counterparts.

THE ROCK: What are some of your professional achievements?
Adams: I am a proud HBCU graduate of Clark Atlanta
University with a finance MBA, and I also hold a BA in
Statistics from the University of California,
Berkeley.

THE ROCK: Who are some of your favorite authors?
Adams: Tananarive Due, J. California Cooper, Langston
Hughes, Sister Souljah, Colin Channer.

THE ROCK: Where do you want to be in five years?
Adams: I want to be in a position to make a positive
impact on literature and entertainment by people of
color.

THE ROCK: Well done, Ms. Adams. Where can readers find you?
Adams: Readers can find me at:
http://www.adrolitepress.com
http://www.chandraadams.com
http://www.northbaymediareview.com
http://www.northbaywriter.blogspot.com

Adams: Thank you so very much for the interview, you've been wonderful!