Book-Remarks.com Interview with Tracie Howard

Tracie Howard is the co-author (with Danita Carter) of Revenge Is Best Served Cold and Talk of the Town. A graduate of Georgia State University with a degree in marketing, she has worked for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, Xerox, Johnson & Johnson, and American Express, and is now the Lifestyle correspondent for Savoy. This is her solo-novel debut.

I have a lot of single girlfriends who will vouch for the many complications and difficulties that surround the dating game, particularly for progressive women living in metropolitan areas. As with any story, I start with a ‘what if’ premise. In this one, the core question was “What might occur if two people with an unfinished past are - by fate - thrown together at a pivotal time in both their lives?” Then I added an explosive secret that could either destroy or rewrite their futures.

When you reference NYC locales, are those actual and fictional? Do you enjoy placing the setting in NYC and if so, why?

Ninety-nine percent of the NYC locales I mention are actual places. They are restaurants, bars, lounges or clubs that I frequent myself. Although I am from Atlanta and it will always be home, I’ve lived in the New York area for eight years now. I love treating New York City as a secondary character, because it has such a vibrant pulse and rhythm and it attracts a certain type of person that makes for great characterization. The city is colorful, arrogant, unpredictable and beautiful in all of its chaos!

I researched the laws and types of adoption that a young woman in Mallory’s position would have had access to. I also did research on television production, ratings and contracts.

What are your favorite things about the characters Mallory and Saxton? Were they hard characters to depict?

I love Mallory’s vulnerability; it lurks just underneath the surface of her fly girl exterior. She exudes a certain melancholy that makes her more attractive than many of the hard-edged city girls that a guy like Saxton might encounter. As for Saxton, aside from the fact that he is a dreamboat, I like that he is in touch with himself enough to recognize how and why he put his head over his heart, in choosing Deena over Mallory, and was man enough to see his mistake and undo it. I am, in general, very sensitive to my depictions of African American men, and am never tempted to ‘male-bash,’ because I there is good and bad in all of us, male or female. In fact, in ‘Why Sleeping Dogs Lie’ a couple of the women are by far more conniving than Saxton could ever be! Both Mallory and Saxton were easy for me to depict because their spirits exist in many of my friends, as well as myself.

Who are some of your favorite writers? And which ones influence your own sense of style?

I grew up reading Sidney Sheldon and Judith Krantz so that, along with my environment might explain my love of glitz and glam. I also read Tom Wolfe, whom I love for his prose and ability to paint a detailed, yet fluid picture of the most mundane scene. As I’ve grown older, and more African American writers emerged, I read some of E. Lynn, Kimberla Lawson Roby, John Grisham and another writing duo, Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant. I also think that Nicolas Spark’s work is beautiful. But, in general I read a very wide and eclectic assortment of authors.

How do you approach writing novels? Do you start with an idea, a title, do an outline, etc? Please describe.

I begin with a premise (as described above), from there I people it with characters that would best bring the story to life. After I have created my main characters and have the primary story line in mind, I begin thinking of other people/situations that would allow for strong sub-characters/plots. From there I write an outline on a chart with columns for chapter number, main charters involved, and a description of the chapter.

You have co-authored another book with Danita Carter that will be released this spring. Please tell us about that.

“Success Is The Best Revenge” is a direct sequel to “Revenge Is Best Served Cold,” though “Talk of The Town” followed it. Those who read “Revenge” know that our love-to-hate-him antagonist, Tyrone, skipped bail and left town at the end. But after laying low for a couple of years, he is back and more unpredictable and flavorful than ever!

The best thing to me is the incredible sense of fulfillment that you get from seeing a kernel of an idea, grow arms and legs and eventually take on a life of its own. When you’ve done a great job, readers feel as though they know these people intimately. There is no better feeling than talking to a reader who is as passionate as you are about someone that you made up in your head!

Will you be touring in support of WHY SLEEPING DOGS LIE? If so, where will your travels take you?

I just finished touring in support of ‘Sleeping Dogs,” I promoted in New York, New Jersey, D.C., Detroit and Atlanta.


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