Author’s Bio: Pamela D. Beverly resides in Prince George's County, Maryland, and has been writing for almost as long as she has been living. She enjoys reading, working out, watching TV, learning new languages, which she has been doing since the pandemic, and traveling, which she HAS NOT been doing much of since the pandemic. This is her fourth novel.
Deliah
Lawrence: What inspired you to write your book?
Pamela D. Beverly: I originally wrote my book under another title years ago. I attempted to obtain an agent and was told that she didn’t feel that strongly about my manuscript. That angered me because I didn’t feel strongly about her opinion. It was vague, to say the least. Still, I shelved it for years as I completed other manuscripts. Self-publishing became available, and I began to self-publish my own novels, apart from my first novel, Relations. So, most of my books were written in different sequences from the order I wrote them.
DL: How do
you handle writer’s block?
PDB: Since I consider myself a pantser and have always been a person who doesn’t like my writing to resemble my 9-to-5 job, when I experience writer’s block, I tend to go do something else. Unless I am trying to get a book completed in a specific timeframe. But usually when I’m writing a manuscript, I don’t hold myself to a very stringent timeline. Now when it comes to the publishing aspect of it and mishaps occurring, such as, on one occasion when I was about to publish my children’s book and my laptop went belly-up or another time when I wanted to write and another one of my laptops died but I wasn’t able to take it to the repair shop because I was recovering from ankle surgery and was essentially stuck in my house with it elevated for six months. I know, that’s not writer’s block but the results are similar.
DL: What
were some of the challenges when writing this book?
PDB: I don’t know what it is about my laptops, but I purchased a new one late last year and it would not cooperate. When I say that, I mean, my internet would act up and still does and I wasn’t able to get on Google Chrome or KDP. The internet provider says it’s my laptop; the laptop manufacturer says it’s my connection. At this point, I don’t know what it is. It doesn’t matter if the item is brand-new or that you’re paying a lot for services, they aren’t like they used to be.
DL: Is there
any particular author or book that influenced you in any way, either growing up
or as an adult?
PDB: Yes! It was S.E. Hinton’s novel, That was Then, This is Now. I loved the fact that she was a teenager when she wrote it and I believe that I was a tween when I read it. By that time, I had been drawing cartoons and turning them into stories, so I thought if she could do it, so could I. At that time, I didn’t know whether S.E. was a boy or a girl. I found that out years later. And of course, I read her novel, The Outsiders, which was made into a movie years later. I thought that was so cool! I still do! And I still have my old copy of That was Then, This is Now. As a young adult, Jackie Collins’ was a big influence. I loved her novels, Chances and Lucky. She was a very talented writer with a sarcastic wit.
DL: If you
could choose a superpower, what would it be?
PDB: Don’t laugh, but the art of being able to go to sleep when I lay down, stay asleep, and get a good night’s sleep, no matter how many hours I sleep. For example, if I am only able to sleep for four hours, I would like to wake up refreshed like someone that has the luxury of sleeping eight hours. I have horrible insomnia and have for many years.
DL: If you
were hosting a dinner party, which three authors would be your dream guests and
why?
PDB: I would invite John Grisham. I’ve only read one or two of his rich behind. A girlfriend of mine buys ALL of his books, in HARDCOVER and waits for them to come out. When she announces it, I always say, “That rich rat bastard.” Can I say that? Lol. The same with J.K. Rowling. I would love to pick their brains to find out how they learned how to become so successful with the writing and marketing of their books. And Claude Brown, Manchild in the Promised Land. I loved that book. It was such an eye-opening autobiography. I would love to just hear him recite how he lived through that time.
DL: What are
the keys to success in marketing your books?
PDB: I’m still trying to figure that out.
DL: What are
three fun facts about yourself?
PDB: I
like to bowl, but no one else that I know ever wants to. Right now, I’m
teaching myself French and Spanish. I recently spoke a little Spanish to the
order taker in McDonald’s. I like most music genres, but I love singing to
country songs when I’m driving by myself.
DL: Would you like to share an excerpt from Treasure?
PDB: Sure! My excerpt from Treasure: I trudged through the muggy evening air toward the staff parking lot where my car was parked. So engrossed was I in my gloomy thoughts that I was nearly hit by an oncoming car. A strong arm gripped me around the waist and snatched me out of the car’s path. There was now a pair of arms encircling me. I turned my head, speechless with fear.
DL: Where
can readers learn more about you and purchase your books?
PDB: You can find me and my books at:
Website: https://www.pameladbeverly.com
Instagram: https://Instagram.com/pamela.beverly.94
Amazon: https://Amazon.com/author/pameladbeverly
Twitter: https://Twitter.com/writesistah
DL: Thanks so much for being here with us today. I know my readers will enjoy getting to know you and your work.
PDB: Thank
you for inviting me to your blog, Deliah!
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