About C. Darayl Howard:
C. Darayl Howard is an indie-author who writes 'real-life' fiction books. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Cal State Northridge in Deaf Studies, and works in the public sector. She lives in sunny California, where she was born and raised.
Her first book, BabyGirl: the Novel is the story of Sage, a girl from the hood who wants out but is at an impasse as to how to change her ways. The novel resonated with readers due to its edgy characters and true depiction of L.A. life in the 90s.
An RnB lover, readers will notice that music is a major part of this author's repertoire as it is used to set the tone of her work.
Check out CDarayl's newest venture, the Tell Me Something Good series, which is also available on Amazon.com.
What inspires you to write?
I've been a reader of novels for as long as I can remember. I would voraciously read authors like VC Andrews, and Danielle Steele growing up. It was when I came across Toni Morrison's 'The Bluest Eye' that I knew I would also become a writer.
I would have to say that I am inspired most by life, and the interworkings of human relationship. I'm a voyeur of sorts and my writing is a glimpse into my life and the life of others I've known at some point and time.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
My favorite authors are Toni Morrison, Teri McMillan, Danielle Steele, Jackie Collins, John Grisham, and Eric Jerome Dickey.
Lately, I've been reading a lot of auto-biographies, Michelle Obama's 'Becoming' being my last one (Remember I said I am voyeurist)
Tell us about your writing process.
I'm pretty old-school in my writing process. I start with an idea and then build from there, starting with the characters, then the supporting cast and where I want the story to take place. I like to take my time developing the characters so that their personalities are fully formed before I start writing.
Another thing I like to do is to outline each chapter. I never stick to it, I let the characters develop the story, but it's still nice to have a starting point.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Although I am a fiction writer, I try to keep my characters true to life, while at the same time giving my readers something to think about. With Ba yGirl, Sage was faced with some heavy stuff and she had to make some not so easy decisions. Some of my readers felt that she should have had a different outcome, but that would've been cliche, and I don't write fairytales.
What advice would you give other writers?
Write. Whatever comes to mind, but write. Then edit like crazy. Don't be afraid to accept criticism as it will only make you better. Also read, more than you write. This helps to hone your skills and develop your own writing style.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I did a little research to decide if I would go 'wide' or just publish on Amazon. I chose the latter as I am new to the publishing world, and I wanted to gain a following where the majority of readers are before expanding my audience.
I also wanted to have control of my work and the release date, as well as complete ownership. This made self-publishing the best fit for me.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think just as with music, the publishing world will be fine. There will be those who evolve in how they get their reading accomplished, and there will be those who want to actually feel a book in their hands.
As with anything you will get out what you put in. Those authors who are willing to go the extra mile to get their work out to the masses will reap the bigger rewards.
What genres do you write?: Urban, Fiction, Romance, Poetry, New Adult
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
C. Darayl Howard Home Page Link
Link To C. Darayl Howard Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
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All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
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