Monica Walters has been taking the world by storm with books that range over a multitude of genres. She is easily on her way to becoming a household name. Monica has hit the best-sellers list, it is a testament to her dedication and work ethic. The first time I read her work it gave me chills. The
"Black Love" experience renewed my faith in an institution that seems to be dying out. No two characters are the same and it speaks to her ability to relate to life. You all may not know her but, at the end of this conversation, I hope she will become one of your favorites.
Interview
1. Where are you from
and what's your favorite memory about your city?
I’m from Beaumont, Texas. As far as
memories…. Ummm… I can’t really pinpoint one particular thing. I still live in
the area… only thirty minutes away.
2. You write some very
interesting characters so which one is your favorite? and why?
Sonya Thompson from my Sweet Series.
She was so free and would literally do whatever she wanted to do. Her name has
come up in books that had nothing to do with her. It’s like she’s embedded in
who I am. LOL, While she could be a firecracker, she was also loving and tender-hearted. She loved hard, but she never let anyone walk over her.
3. What inspired you
to be an author?
It wasn’t actually planned. I’ve
always been a writer. I loved writing song lyrics and poetry. And that led to
short stories. One day out of boredom, I began a short story and a couple of
weeks later, I realized that it was more than a short story. I’d written a 56
thousand-word novel. The people I let read it were telling me how good it was
and one of them told me about Kindle Unlimited Publishing. That was in 2014 and
I’d written two by then. After that, it just came naturally to write.
4. Tells us a little about some of your writing rituals.
I don’t have a significant ritual.
Most times, I play a game on my phone to clear my head, start my music, then I
get it cracking.
5. A lot of your books
introduce black cowboys in the rodeo. It’s not a subject often talked about so
give us some insight into why you shed light on them.
My husband is from the country and
years ago, he rode bulls. So, I decided to write about a bull rider in 8
Seconds to Love. He helped me a lot with the details and the ambiance at the
rodeos right before the competition from a bull rider’s perspective. It’s more
common than not to meet a man that rodeos or at least attends them where I
live.
6. What's the greatest
book, you have ever read?
That’s a hard question. I’ve read a
lot of great books. Umm… I will take a simple approach and say the Bible. LOL
7. List your top 5
new/vet authors of 2019 and why.
B. Love- She can craft a story like
no other. She’s not B the Beast for nothing. I haven’t read a story by her that
I haven't loved.
Aubree Pynn- Maaan… her urban
romance is out of sight.
N.M. Frye- I love the way she crafts
her stories as well. Although some of them are urban or street lit, they still
have something positive to share. Her characters teach their kids and are there
for them and they’re women.
Shanice Swint (ShanicexLola)- The
way this woman writes erotica is insane. Her skills amaze me. Most of her
works are short, but they pack a powerful punch that will gut check you if you
aren’t careful.
Nicole Falls- This woman is all-around amazing. F*ck and Fall in Love was the shit! As I said about the other
authors, she can craft a story that will have you so in your feelings, that you
want more!
8. What type of mark
would you like to leave on the world?
One that says kindness goes a long
way. We are our brothers’ keepers. If people could stop trying to take advantage
of people long enough, we could all help each other. So, a mark that says I
genuinely cared about people, wrote some bomb ass stories and was a great wife
and mother.
9. If you could have
any author, past or present, mentor you who would it be?
Zane. In my early twenties, she and
Eric Jerome Dickey were my go-to authors. However, I have a publisher now that
has helped me tremendously this past year. My writing and knowledge of the
industry have grown so much under her tutelage. B. Love is a beast and I’m
grateful to be a part of her company.
10. If you could give
any new author coming in the game one piece of advice, what would it be?
Focus on the positive aspects of life
and block out everything else. You won’t reach any goals set in place for
yourself if you let negativity win. We often take our eyes off the mark because
of what this person is saying or doing. Keeping up with the mess of the
literary industry will have you in a funk for real. Be true to yourself and who
you are and whoever is supposed to rock with you… will.
11. What can readers
expect when picking up one of your books?
They can expect plenty of drama and
love…. Black love. I’ve only had one interracial couple, but they ended up
breaking up and she went back to a black man... her first love. LOL There’s
nothing wrong with interracial love, I just choose to focus on Black love. They
can also expect some hot sex scenes, slang, vulgar language, and in the midst
of all that… some type of life lesson.
12. What has your greatest accomplishment been as an author?
For me, it would have to be being
able to see my progress. I’ve had bestsellers, four of them reaching #1 and
had a steady stream of new readers. But to be able to see my growth as a writer
has been the most rewarding.
13. Which series has
meant the most to you and what was the inspiration behind your writing it?
Probably my eight book Sweet Series.
It includes my very first books. Real-life inspires a lot of my stories,
whether it’s mine or someone else’s. This series was both. People either hate it
or love it. It was raw and there was a lot of abuse, but there was also a lot
of love.
14. Name the top ten
songs on your writing playlist?
I absolutely love music. So, when I
know the story I want to write, I listen to songs that go along with the plot.
My playlist is different for every book. I make a playlist for every book. Out
of the thirty-six books I’ve written, there’s only one without a playlist.
15. If you could
change anything about the writing world what would it be?
Everyone
would respect everyone’s craft. There’s more than enough room for all of us.
While I’m an author, I steer clear of the drama. I don’t usually know about it
until it’s over.
All About Monica Walters
Starting with poetry, writing has always been a constant in Monica's life. The interest began in her teenage years, being in love for the first time. Her love for writing has only progressed. Song lyrics and poetry led to short stories, then one day in her downtime, a short story became a 56k word novel. It has been non-stop since then. Being a wife and mother has only added to the joys of Monica's life. Attaining a BS in Sociology, helping her better understand people and their behaviors, has only helped her become a better writer, understanding characters and their complex personalities. Romance of all types has been her passion, and she plans to continue honing her skills in that genre.
Twitter: @monlwalters
Instagram: @authormonicawalters
