The Candid Interview Excerpt
July 21, 2008 – 10:17 amPosted Under: interviews
In the interim of praying for something to happen that will allow comments, I thought I’d post an excerpt of the candid interview that is currently on my LindaDominiqueGrosvenor.com website:
Why did you start Princess Dominique Multimedia?
“I’ve offered my talent to more than just a few companies, but with no stake in the companies other than the modest royalties and the advance that ranged from very skimpy to none at all, I was led to implement a long-overdue idea–Princess Dominique Multimedia.”
How has the reception to The Plural Thing: Spiritually Preparing for Your Soul Mate been so far?
There are people who support me no matter what I do, be it poetry, fiction or non-fiction. At times they appeared to be more excited about the project than I did. Then the pre-orders started coming. I started getting calls and emailing telling me to “hurry up” or asking, “what’s taking so long?” so, once the book was finally available, word spread pretty quickly and it appears that The Plural Thing: Spiritually Preparing for Your Soul Mate was well received. It is moments like that that truly make me proud to be an author.
How come all of your books aren’t featured on your website?
Sadly, I’ve severed contact with several publishers who have published some of my earlier works, so, I no longer promote the books they’ve released on my website. I have to wholeheartedly buy into the way a company does business to support them and I can no longer do that with all of them.
Do you listen to music when you write?
Oddly enough I only listen to music when I’m writing a love scene or trying to evoke a sensuous episode between two characters. Maxwell, Floetry or Kem is perfect for that. The music makes the moment come alive for me and I can visualize it all in my head, then my job is to just hurry and get it down on paper before I miss it. When I write, unless my characters are in a cafe or nightclub the scenes are often devoid of music as I’d rather fill them with everyday sounds like car horns, barking dogs, ringing telephones and doorbells. That’s more realistic to me than stark silence.
What won’t you give up no matter what your age?
Laughter. It keeps me young. Nobody believes how old I am.
Are there any authors who inspire you? What else inspires you?
I absolutely love Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street–vignettes are my favorite. I’m a fan of Sanchez, Pablo Neruda and Carlos Fuentes for obvious reasons. When writers write, their words should always paint a picture like that. Music does it for me. Nature inspires me as well; trees, grass and that sort of thing. When I write a book it is an invitation to come inside the world of my characters. I take that very seriously. I urge my readers to approach my books with an open mind and not expect the “traditional” kind of story because I know that oftentimes my characters’ world is nothing like their own. It’s my job as a writer to transport you with each page and if you read my books and feel like you’ve been there, then I’ve done that.
What do you think of society as a whole?
People routinely die to be beautiful and live to be vain. I mean they are literally dying on operating room tables because they want plastic surgery to look like some woman in a magazine who–minus the air brushing and PhotoShop manipulation–doesn’t even look like her true self. I don’t think its wrong to want to look your best or enjoy nice things–especially since you can’t take them with you, but you also have to make certain that in your wanting and desiring beauty and things that they don’t in fact become your god.
Do you mentor other writers or aspiring writers?
Very few.
If you could offer one single piece of advice to aspiring writers what would that be?
Learn the craft of writing. Don’t be swayed by a flash in the pan or dollar signs and promises of multi-book deals if you write in a particular genre. The industry is fickle and ever changing. Simply write the best book you can. Writing good books is work, but if you put in the work and dedication it takes to turn out a well-crafted product, readers will know and you’ll have fans for life.
It appears as if you like to play dress up, is there something we should know about that?
Well, you should know that I like to have fun and dressing up and wearing high heels is fun for me now. I’m enjoying the make-up and the hair aspect of it and I appreciate my body so much more now than I did when I was twenty. I can truly say that I’m living the glamorous life. It hasn’t always been that way, but it is now–so I’m enjoying it to the fullest.
Aside from your make up, what are your essentials for a night out?
A CD of my favorite lovelies; Maxwell, Floetry or Kem, preferably–to set the mood. High heels, very high. Lavender or tangerine oil for my hair, Eclipse mints for that kissable freshness and a fruity body lotion and lip gloss too.
If you could go back and speak to your 25 year old self what would you tell her?
Leave those pretty boys alone–and stop trying to save every emotionally unstable man you run across–turn them over to God and let Him deal with them because they’re so bruised they’ll never see your truth worth anyway.
I’ve heard about all the negativity that goes on in this industry, what are your thoughts about that?
It goes on in every industry. My prayers are for everyone who needs a life, to get a life.
When all is said and done what do you want people to say about Linda Dominique Grosvenor?
Whatever they want.
When you meet God at the pearly gates what do you expect He’ll say to you?
Daughter, it was rough, I know and I’m glad you made it spiritually intact, but no you can not bring all those shoes.
Log on to the official website to read the candid interview in its entirety.
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