Contraband ... A tale of greed, betrayal, loss, and redemption. Find out whether a once-in-a-lifetime love interest changes the destiny of a man who traffics in an illegal substance.

Genre: African American fiction, Contemporary fiction, African American romance.

Format: Soft Cover

ISBN-13: 978-0-9787899-6-1

Release:  April 2010

Dissolution…one family’s trek through a marshland of infidelity and murder.  Can a couple resolve the challenges that arise when a child of adultery is left on their doorstep?

Genre:  African American Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

Release: October 2010

Take five...with Contraband

What inspired the story?

Every so often, I hear news items about drug-runners.  Usually, I wonder about the families of the accused, and then I start thinking ‘what if’.  Contraband was born out of one of those sessions.

What are the major themes covered in Contraband?

Choices, Relationships, Sacrifice, Redemption

How long did it take to complete the novel?

The book was written within a few months, but it took four years to complete the edits. I wrote Contraband before I understood how to craft a novel.  I knew how to tell a story, but my technical skills were not up to par.  It took a lot of shaping and re-shaping before I was satisfied with the final draft.

Any message for aspiring writers?

My first piece of advice would be to know what you want. Have a vision and work to make it reality.  I believe unswerving perseverance is the key to success.   

A support base of other writers is invaluable, whether you form your own face-to-face group or find one on the internet.  It’s a lot more fun to learn by exchanging critiques than going it on your own. 

How did you find a publisher?

I started out by querying agents, all the time wondering whether the people I approached would understand island life and the cultural differences.  Then I moved on to publishers, and one of them told me that Jamaica was a hard sell. 

As my frustration grew, I changed focus.  I decided to approach black publishers who I thought would be better able to identify with the subject matter.  I queried Nevaeh Publishing, they liked Contraband and asked me to submit the manuscript, which they eventually offered to publish.  

The process of finding an agent and/or publisher can be daunting, but it is important to stay focused and be persistent.