We usually use our platform to shine light on authors. This month we've decided to interview ourselves to shine light on us and our reading habits. We sent each other five questions each to help you guys get to know a little bit more. Keep scrolling and get acclimated with the creators of Hopeful Heartbreakers Book Blog.
What book did you last finish? When was that?
Bambi 3 by Ladii Nesha and I finished it on 09/25.
What book are you planning to read next?
Currently reading Biker Boyz by Dominique Thomas & A Reluctant King by K'wan. I started as soon as I wrapped up my last read.
Which book was the last one you really really loved?
Last Stop from Innocence by Takerra Allen. That book gave me all the feels. I love a good ole 90's book and a writer who can vividly paint the picture when story telling.
If you could be a character from a book for just one day who would you be and why?
Amore! Take me back to the 90's and be loved on by Gabe 😍 I wanna be DJ Avery too, cause Lake is OMG! 😍😍
Where is your favorite place to read?
Don't laugh, but my car. Sasha doesn't let me read in peace... I also like going to restaurants and sitting on their patio... All I need is good weather, a book and my earbuds. Oh, and a drank!
Why don’t you like romance?
I don't dislike romance! I just shy away from novellas because there isn't that build up to how the characters fell for one another.
If you had to choose a couple from a book you’ve read, which couple is the most like you and your Bae?
This is a hard one... Maybe Jah and Jazmin from Crush by Ivy Symone. Yaing will sco on me in a heartbeat and loves the hell outta Sasha. We're not toxic as they are tho lol
What book made you fall in love with reading?
My daddy. My brothers and I got our love for literature because of him. At a young age he put books in our faces. He was that parent that got you books as a gift. I remember getting out of school and he would have me read to him as he was driving us home. I told him the light would turn green and he didn't give a damn lol!
Have you ever considered becoming an author yourself?
Heck naw! Ok, maybe when I was a kid, but I'm glad I didn't pursue it. Readers are crazy.
Which author’s work do you connect with the most and why?
This is a hard question. I got a list of one clickers but I don't wanna leave anyone out.
What are you currently reading?
I am actually reading a couple of things right now, but for different purposes. I've been trying to finish Anti-Racist Psychotherapy by David Archer for the longest, but I haven't had the opportunity to finish. That book is for professional use.
For pleasure, I would like to finish Angela Davis: An Autobiography before the year is over. I started it but haven't finished.
What was the last book you added to your TBR pile?
The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed. As you know, I love nonfiction, and I just know in my soul this book is about to be juicy. There's a movie coming out soon based off of this book, and I'd like to have this finished before I go see the movie.
What was the last book you bought?
BMF: The Rise and Fall of Big Meech and The Black Mafia Family.
You know, I gotta learn more about my new baby daddy.
Which character from a book is most like you?
I would say Regina from Takerra Allen's Seasons of Fidelity. What resonated with me the most was her undying love for Ray. Although she attempted to move on from him when he went to prison, she just couldn't ignore the love she had for him. She was a good girl, but would pop tf off when need be. I can relate to all of that.
How do you sort your book shelves?
I have my shelves sorted by genre and purpose, lol
To the far left, I have the books that I will probably never touch again. Then as you move to the right, they're sorted by genre: African American history, Urban Lit, and then my more professional, social work/psychological texts. Right in the middle is a tribute to my baby (dog) that passed away.
What/who made you fall in love with reading?
My mom is the one who always encouraged me to read. She was an English teacher and editor, so she always had a book in my face. I can remember her buying me the American Girl series, Addy's series to be exact. I would read those books over and over just because she was a black girl. I think that's when I became infatuated with African American literature.
What do you enjoy about editing?
I'm always looking for ways to help our people. I get a huge sense of accomplishment from helping Black authors meet their literary goals. I am validated every time an author tells me how much I've helped them or to read a review that says that an author's writing has improved. That's what keeps me going.
What have you learned about yourself since you dived into the literary world?
Well, I've always known that I wasn't really a people person (I like to describe myself as an extroverted introvert). But being a founder of Hopeful Heartbreakers has really brought that to the light for me. I don't like being in the spotlight at all, and as much as I try to put myself out there, the more it rings true, lmao
What’s your favorite genre?
Non-fiction
Since the creation of the group, which author’s work have you been happy to be introduced to?
Soooo many, and I'm probably about to leave some authors out, but these are the first that come to my mind:
Johnni Sherri
Ty Marshall
Takerra Allen
Bella Jay
B. Love
T'Ann Marie
Nina
How do you find the time to read so many books?
I mainly listen to books while I work during the day. I will read a few pages of an actual book most nights, depending on what projects I'm working on. Some days I'll listen while I'm cleaning up on the weekends. Alexa is literally my best friend.
I know you love good and romance, but would you ever venture out to other genres like paranormal or true crime?
Romance hasn't always been my favorite genre. I started out reading mostly urban fiction. There are just sooooo many Black romance authors that I'm exposed to. Urban fiction used to have my blood pressure up, romance books don't do that (except for There's Always Hope by Johnni Sherri. I'm still mad at her.), mainly because the characters usually get a happily ever after. I'm not well versed on paranormal, but the few I've read by Jade Jones were really good. As far as true crime, I've read a few books by James Patterson and Walter Mosely, both are very good authors. One of my favorite authors, K'wan, is slowly turning in to a true crime author. I'm enjoying seeing how his pen is evolving and he's transitioning in to an author of all trades.
If you were an author, what would you write about?
Ghetto shit!! Crackheads, I slept with your baby daddy so what you gonna do shit. But with happily ever afters. And I would definitely kill main characters, mainly because I know readers hate that. LOL
If you could pick one setting from a book to live in, where would it be? Why?
Take me wherever the Porters are! The characters in the Front St. series are like family to me. If I have to be stuck in a fictitious world, with them is where I wanna be. Even if I have to be a sister wife to Chi so we can share my man Sav.
Who is your favorite author and why?
This question is always so hard for me. I simply can not pick one author as my favorite. It's too many good ones out there. A while back I did my literary Mount Rushmore and it had K'wan, Tracy Brown, Eric Jerome Dickey and Takerra Allen on it. Those are my top four authors. An even balance of men and women authors.
What/who made you fall in love with reading?
My mom used read to me as an infant. For as long as I can remember, I've had a book collection. Bible stories, kids books, anything educational, you name it, I was exposed to it. My mom used to go to a trade school and I would sneak and read her books on typing and how to write checks. I was born to read... LOL
What do you enjoy about reviewing books?
Writing a book review on a book that touches me is a breeze. It's almost therapeutic expressing what that book means to me. But every book doesn't touch me like that, those reviews are harder to write. I appreciate the genuine love from an author when they read a book review I've done on one of their books.
If you were stuck on an island and only had one book to read, what book would it be?
To be stuck on the island with the book means I would have to reread the same book over and over again, which is something I rarely do. I've only reread The Hoodrat/Animal series by K'wan and The White Lines series by Tracy Brown. So it would have to be a book from one of those series. Doesn't matter which one, they're all dope.
Is there a genre you haven’t read that you want to try?
For the most part I don't discriminate based on genre. If the book is good, I'll read it. Doesn't matter what genre it's in. I would like to read the Harry Potter series, I think that's considered a kids book. So, I guess that's the genre I would want to try.
What’s your favorite trope? And why?
I just recently started paying attention to tropes, mainly because of this blog. I've been reading a lot of Tay Mo'Nae books and she's slowly getting me hooked on the secret baby trope. I love romance books, but there's nothing better than romance splashed with mess. The secret baby trope gives me that. Shoutout to Tay Mo'Nae for helping figure out my favorite trope.
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