Rising Star - JDaniels

My dream job is doing what I'm doing right at this moment. I have always wanted to be in the literary field. But I also would love to eventually get some of my song lyrics sold and get an opportunity to hear them sung by some of my favorite vocalist.

Let's see. I am a very outgoing person. I love people, and I tend to have a one track mind. Sometimes that can get me into trouble, but I'm working on it:) Writing wise, I am a writer of many genres. I've done relationship novels, suspense, poetry, street or hip hip fiction, erotica, and even horror.

You debut book written as A. J. White will be released in October. Why the two personas?

I along with my agent decided to use a different pen name for BALLAD OF A GHETTO POET, my October release, for two reasons. One, BALLAD OF A GHETTO POET is so different from my other novels, and we didn't want to confuse my readers as to what they were getting. Sometimes you can have a novel that is well written but gets bad press when a reader who perhaps prefers a certain genre, picks it up thinking it is one thing because of your past work and genre, and it ends up being something else. I want BALLAD OF A GHETTO POET to stand on its own. Also, I am signed to two publishing houses, and there were perhaps legal issues that were avoided by having two pen names.

I would say I am a born writer. I've always been a dreamer. When I was a kid I used to stay awoke all night long making up stories in my head, and the next night my story or characters would continue. I didn't realize at the time that's what I was doing; writing stories without putting them on paper that is. But when I got into my teen years I started writing poetry, which is my first love. I tried my hand at short story writing but I never thought or realized that I could actually write a book or something that other people would purchase. That never occurred to me until I was in my early thirties.

So RIC readers can find any work they may have missed, please list your novels, and the years that they were published:

LuvAlwayz: The Opposite Sex and Relationships was released November 2001. Serpent in My Corner, July 2003, Draw Me with Your Love, July 2003, and BALLAD OF A GHETTO POET, November 2003.

Okay, as I stated previously, I am a multi-genre author. My first two novels were co-authored with Shonell Bacon. LUVALWAYZ, and DRAW ME WITH YOUR LOVE. Both are relationship novels. LUVALWAYZ is a three part story that deals with the ups and downs, joys and sorrows in African American love and relationships. It's a very sexy, naughty brew that I'm sure readers will love:)

DRAW ME WITH YOUR LOVE was released in July of this year and is the continued story of Roxy Winters, the notorious baby sister of Deandra, who's story was told in LUVALWAYZ. Roxy battles to hide her past life as a high class prostitute when she meets and falls in love with a sensitive, romantic New York artist name Antoine. It's a very engaging story.

SERPENT IN MY CORNER was my first solo novel, and was released from BET/Sepia Books in July 2003. It is a romantic thriller about an FBI agent, Hennessy Cooper, who is sent undercover to nail super smooth jewel thief, Tristan Jackson. To her surprise, Tristan ends up being the love of her life, and her loyalty to the FBI is challenged. I am finishing up the sequel right now, titled SHADES OF A CHAMELEON. That will be released June of 2004.

BALLAD OF A GHETTO POET is my November 2003 release. It's a street novel. It tells the story of Chico Grayson, a talented young man who, unfortunately, is caught in the crossfire of his environment and his own confused ambition. It's a story that really touches on what happens to a lot of young, black men whose talents waste away in the prison cells or the grave because of bad choices that they make. It's been described as a modern day version of West Side Story and what can happen when redemption comes too late

You know I've always heard stories about hustlers and urban tales of horror and I always knew there was another side to the story. Because as much as we don't want our children, or families to get involved in that type of life style, I knew there had to be a window of understanding as to what causes the problem. And although Ballad is fiction, I wanted to bring a sense of realness to those issues, and allow readers to get a inside view to into the minds of those young, black men who the media portray in a negative light, and who usually, we fear.

Are any parts of your own character or life reflected in your hero/heroine and their struggles?

I was raised on those streets, and in the same city as my story. I saw a lot of the things I've fictionalized, first hand.

I want young people who read my book to realize the folly of wanting too much, too soon, and without having to work for it. I want them to see that by reaching out for more, they can lose the joy that they don't even realize they have. I want them to see that the choice is theirs. And I want other readers who know nothing of that STREET life style, to see that we as a people have to reach out and help one another, or we are going to lose a whole generation of young people. Let's face it, we can close our eyes to the problem and pretend it's someone else, or we can take responsible for one another and be the tribe of our forefathers, looking out for one another, and help our race to excel. It's as simple as that. There is a need to heal our people right now, but before healing can begin, there is a need, not for approval, but understanding. Ballad is my portion in lending some understanding.

So that our readers can meet you and discuss your book with you, please list your tour dates (if any).

I'll mostly be touring in VA and Maryland for the Winter months. The schedule will be on my website soon. Check it out:)

Never give up on your dreams. Don't assume success comes fast or easy because for most writers it does not. But if you are writing for the love of the craft, you will reach your goal eventually. Never stop learning the craft, and never assume you can't learn from others. Never settle.

RIC would like to thank JDaniels/A. J. White for a wonderful and inspiring review... Be sure to go out a get copy of SERPENT IN MY CORNER, and a copy of BALLAD OF A GHETTO POET when it's released in November.