Author Untamed (Augusta, GA)

3 things about Untamed that you may not know

1. She was very shy about her writing at first.

2. She’s a PK.

3. She speaks two languages.

UBAWA: What's your favorite color? and why?

Untamed:  Black and White. That's two, but I love the blend of the two colors together. I also like red because of the way it brings out my complexion.

UBAWA: What's the last country you visited? Tell us about your visit.

Untamed:  The Bahamas. It was a pleasure visit for my husband and I.I absolutely loved the beautiful white sands and pristine blue ocean water. Refreshing and relaxing!

UBAWA: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

Untamed:  Wow. That's a tough one. Probably anywhere near a beach!

UBAWA: If you had to choose between owning a nice car or a nice house, which one would you choose?

Untamed: Hands down a nice house. Your home is your castle. It's your place of solace and where your family memories are created.

UBAWA: If you could create your dream job/career, what would it be?

Untamed: My dream career...or as I will say my REALITY will be becoming a NY Times Bestselling author and making a TV series and movies amongst owning my publications company.

UBAWA: Most people say success is a matter of luck; what do you think?

Untamed: Success is a matter of hard work, dedication, and prayer. Luck is hitting the lottery lol!

UBAWA: Tell us a little about how you became an author.

Untamed: I used to write as a hobby and I'd actually stopped for a long time. Then I suddenly felt this void from not writing so I began writing again. However, this time it was different. Once I began writing I felt like I wanted more out of it. So I prayed on it and asked God to show me what I was supposed to do with my writing. After that, I felt that I should try to publish my work, but because I was shy I battled with that idea. Then I heard Tyler Perry give a speech for an award one day, where he stated--and forgive me if I misquote this-- "you know when you're supposed to be doing something when you try to leave it alone but it won't leave you alone." And that did it for me. I made my decision to go with my answered prayer to become a published author and a year later I was signed with my publisher and my first novel was released.

UBAWA: Many self-published authors face some sort of challenge when publishing their first book. What was your biggest challenge?

Untamed: I'm actually published through a publishing company however there were still plenty of challenges. One of them is promotion. Getting the word out about your work can be very trying and time consuming so you must be dedicated and have thick skin!

UBAWA: If you had to choose one category, where would writing fall for you: a hobby, a passion, a career, or a gift? Explain

Untamed: A gift. God placed this talent within me to use and because of that I am able to be passionate about my gift and use it as a hobby and turn it into a career. My gift has opened all those doorways for me.

UBAWA: Some things are not for everybody. Do you think writing could apply to this statement?

Untamed: Absolutely. Everyone has a story to tell, but not everyone can effectively tell it no matter how much they might like to write. Just as there are people who like to sing, dance or play sports, but it just isn't for them.

UBAWA: Do you use an outline before you write or do you just write?

Untamed: I use an outline as a basic guide to start off my story so that I am able to keep clear and concise ideas, but once I begin writing I allow the characters to take me wherever they need to go.

UBAWA: Many authors prefer complete silence when they're in the writing lab, how do you like to set your atmosphere?

Untamed: I tend to like soft music to start just as a calming agent and then once I'm in my zone, I prefer complete silence. If I am able to write early in the morning then I do not use music. The stillness of the early morn usually is enough to get my creative juices flowing.

UBAWA: What makes your writing style different and unique?

Untamed: I believe my ability to find a way to make each of my characters believable to the point my readers feel as if they personally know them makes my writing style different. My uniqueness is my ability to introduce several main characters and several conflicts within each character without losing the story.

UBAWA: Do you think it's helpful to invest money into taking writing classes and workshops or are you a self-taught writer?

Untamed: I think it is helpful to invest in your craft. Taking writing classes, workshops or finding a writing mentor is needed because no matter how much you know you can still learn more. There is a benefit to keeping your skills honed and learning to build on them. It keeps you from becoming stagnant and predictable in your writing.

UBAWA: Before you begin to write, is there some special ritual you adhere to or do you just write?

Untamed: Writing my basic outline and making sure it's calm and quiet are about the only ritual I have.

UBAWA: Have you ever looked at something you wrote and asked yourself, "Did I write that?!" Please do tell. : )

Untamed: Oh yes! I look at some of my characters especially the ones whose personalities are so different from my own and I have to say, did I write this? lol. In my book Never Again...No More which is book one of a complete series, there is a character named Pooch that really made me laugh at how creative my imagination really is.

UBAWA: What's your opinion on the state of Urban Fiction? Is it an accurate depiction of real life or a bad influence on the people who read it?

Untamed: I think it is a great form of writing. For some it is fictitious and for others it is a true depiction of real life. I think there is a deeper message in urban fiction that can get overlooked at times. My book (for the most part) deals with the aftermath of teen pregnancy. However, I've had readers tell me that it helped them have open and honest discussions with their teen daughters about sex because the book comes from such a realistic viewpoint. That's the kind of feedback that urban fiction doesn't get its just credit for.

UBAWA: Nowadays, it seems that every time you turn around, someone else has a new book out. Do you think the industry should be more stringent as to who can write and publish a book or is it fine the way it is?

Untamed: With the ability to self-publish cheaply without going through publishing houses and agents, it has become saturated with plenty of new books. However, it also serves as platform for those authors who are extremely talented to get their work out. Though it can be challenging, I think readers have been connected with great authors who they may have never otherwise gotten the chance to read so you take the bad with the good.

UBAWA: If you could give advice to an aspiring author, what would it be?

Untamed: Learn your craft. Always try to make sure you're putting your best work out for the world to see. Your books are your babies so take care of what's inside of them because it is a reflection on you.

UBAWA: Before you leave, tell us one thing that you would like to be remembered by.

Untamed: For my writing, of course! :)

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About her book, “Never Again...No More”

Born and raised in Atlanta, Lucinda, LaMeka, Charice, and Trinity are best friends with very similar backgrounds. They have all fallen victim to the perils of teen pregnancy. After each one becomes love struck to the bitter end, they realize that their dreams, ambitions, and planned future must be put on hold. While they struggle to find themselves, each one tries to survive in the game called life. Once they find out that their consequences are a little costlier then they imagined, it's the decisions they've made that creates their troubles.

Purchase her book online:

http://www.amazon.com/Never-Again-No-More-Untamed/dp/1467543829/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354667149&sr=1-1&keywords=never+again+no+more