Timmothy B. McCann - November 2000

First of all allow me to say that I am indeed honored to do this interview. I think I speak for a number of authors out there when I say the support your organization gives us in general and the love you supply specifically is invaluable. Keep it coming and together we will chart paths into the literary heavens that have yet to be discovered.

Now to your question.

I will always have a special place in my heart for Avon/HarperCollins. Let’s face it, they brought my first child into the world and they (Harper/Row) also published my all time favorite author Richard Wright. But the move to Kensington is exciting for a number of reasons. They have launched a new line called Dafina and it’s the line that Kimberla (No last name needed for her at this point) is on as well as a new author who is heating things up by the name of Carl Weber and also author Donna Hill. When you look at the roster of talent, the marketing plans as well as the future potential, it was an offer I could not resist.

Q. Are there days when you say, “I don’t want to go to this book signing,” or “I’m not up to doing another rewrite?” If so, how do you handle it?

I simply remember the rejection letters. When I initially wrote Until… in 1996, I was turned down more than a hooker’s bedspread. But with every rejection, my will was strengthened, my determination more solidified. Even to this day I have my rejection letters displayed prominently in my office so when I am tired or don’t feel like doing the interview, I reflect back on the days when “NO ONE” wanted me to do a signing or an interview and all of a sudden I am grateful for the God-given opportunity.

Q. Always seems to be a hit with the fans. Do you know if you’ve lost some fans that preferred Until…, or have you noticed you’ve gained some new readers?

Great question. While the numbers are still coming in I think it’s a little of both.

In this area of fiction many fans grow comfortable with characters and would like you for you to use them over and over again. And there is a lot of be said for abiding by that rule. I, on the other hand, try to stretch the envelope. Since I mentioned Richard Wright before, one of the reasons he is my favorite author is because he could tell so many different types of stories as evidenced in his book of shorts entitled “8 Men”. While I would never compare myself to a God in the literary heavens, I do strive to share a number of different types of stories.

I have received my share of letters from readers who said they were looking forward to another love story like Until… and I respect that. On the other hand a number of readers applaud the fact that I took a topic that had never before been examined from an African- American viewpoint and shared it with the public. It would have been safer doing another Until… type story, but I think Ralph Ellison said it best when he said, “If the Negro, or any other writer is going to do what is expected of him he’s lost the battle before he takes the field.”

Q. Speaking of Always, what were some of the challenges you faced while you were trying to complete the book?

When I was writing the book a part of me wanted to be a little didactic in my approach. But I did not think that would be fair to the characters or to the readers. I also wanted to write the book as if I were reading it. I did not outline heavily which is something I am prone to do. I simply told a story as it came to me therefore when it came to the ending even I had no idea how it would end. But to be fair to the reader, I felt that was the best approach because it would shield any bias I would have toward the characters.

Q. You’ve been in the business a few years now. Would you say that an aspiring writer needs to develop a thick skin to deal with editors, agents, and even their readers?

If you could see me you would see me LAUGHING OUT LOUD!!!!

This is a rough business. Recently when I was looking for an agent I was told I could not write by a very well respected agent. Now granted, I had numerous positive reviews, two books on the shelves and both books had attained bestseller status. Did it get to me? If someone called your child ugly would it get to you? But the way I handle such adversity is to use it for fuel. You know fuel can drown you or it can move you across the country. When you read my next novel hopefully you will see even more growth in my skills as a writer. Why? Because after EVERY chapter I would think about what that agent said. I would then look at the chapter and ask, “Is this the absolute best I could do? Or was she right?” Then I would start over again. With each chapter my goal was simple. Make it better then the one preceding it. Point blank.

Thick skin is something you should bring to the table before you buy a thesaurus. There are a number of people who would love to write. For publishing houses it’s a buyers market so keep that in mind. When you are critiqued, look for the truth in what the person is saying. If you find it put it to use. Don’t get angry, and always keep in mind that on the day of his death, Sir Lawrence Olivier took an acting class. So if you think you know more about writing then he knew about acting, this does not apply to you. But for the rest of us, always find yourself seeking the perfect sentence. (And when you find it please let me see it!!)

Q. What has touring been like? I mean, what is it really, really like, Timm?

A. My first tour was 55 cities. I basically moved out of my home, packed my little car and took off to sell my books. The first tour was hard in many ways because there were a lot of times stores did not buy the books so you will find you’d driven four hours after confirming the date and you would have no one there who was expecting you. But this year has been a lot better since I have done bigger events such as the Delta Sigma Theta Conference in Chicago with E. Lynn Harris, Lolita Files, and Kimberla (no last name needed), as well as events like The Essence Music Fest with Eric Dickey and Franklin White.

I have four dates left in 2000. I will be in Los Angeles for the first time the first weekend of November and then I wrap things up in Florida on November 11 in Tampa. Then there’s Ft. Myers in Jacksonville the day after Thanksgiving (November 24th) and Orlando the first Saturday of December. Please e-mail me at TimmMcCann@aol.com for details.

The plans for next year have not been ironed out as of yet, but I am excited about hitting the road once again.

Q. What kinds of things do you do to make your writing even better?

Read read read. I must own over 150 books on the craft of writing. I also love reading books that are today considered classics. I just read “Anna Karenina” by Tolstoy. I’d heard of it for years and decided to find out what made it so great and I was captured. I also read all of my contemporaries such as the authors previously mentioned as well as Margaret Johnson-Hodge, Tracy (the best author you have not heard about yet) Thompson, Marcus Major, and another Dafina author by the name of Mary Morrison.

Q. Do you ever feel pressured to give the readers what they want, or do you always write what’s in your heart?

To the detriment of my career because it can be risky, I write stories that I am passionate about. This morning, for example, I was out of the bed at five a.m. working on a novel that will drop in 2002. It’s another topic that has yet to be told in the manner I am trying to tell it and it wakes me up every morning and puts me to sleep at night. I have got to feel that type of fire in my belly about a story and I think if I do that. . . then I will have given the reader exactly what she wants.

Q. What’s next on the Timm McCann book release schedule?

April 2001 look for the sequel to Until… entitled Forever. It picks up right where the last novel ends, but in Forever we explore the sanctity of marriage and when we say until death do us part are we realizing that it means. . . Forever. After that I am working on my 2nd novel for Dafina due out hopefully in April of 2002 and it will have the trademark one word title as well. Beyond that trust me there are a lot of things brewing and hopefully the public will welcome them just as they have welcomed my first two novels.

In closing thank you once again. Although I am a writer even I can not tell you how much I appreciate the support and the love I receive when I visit cities across this country. From the readers I met in Roots and Wings in Montgomery who treated me so kindly on my very first tour, to the readers in Cultural Collection in Brockton who waited for me when I was having problems finding the store. To the ladies in Panama City who gave me the wonderful release party, to Emma Rodgers and Black Images in Dallas who allowed me to stand and speak where so many great authors had previously done signings, I will always hold your generosity close to my heart and you will forever be a special part of me.

Click here to access Timmothy McCann’s Official Website.

Sequels...it takes guts to write a sequel to a bestselling novel, but it takes true talent, meticulous preparation, and keen insight to write a sequel that is just as excellent, if not better, than the original story. With Forever, Timmothy B. McCann has penned an ambitious, tightly written, romantic, realistic, and highly recommended story about the rigors of relationships and what it takes to make them successful.

Financial analyst Drew Staley and lawyer Betty Robinson vow to share their lives forever at their wedding. But McCann shows how easy it is to say one thing, and how tough it is to do another when factors are thrown into a relationship that you hadn't predicted. From familial pressures, to work stresses, the Staley couple is forced to endure trial after trial (no pun intended). Their love for one another is questioned each step of their marital journey. Not only does Evander (Betty's one time lover) return to throw confusion into the mix, but Drew develops a personal problem that threatens Betty's security. In addition, the minor characters of Jacqui and Stefan are just as intriguing, but the one to look out for is Blue. His mouth is filled with wisdom that will leap off the pages and right into your own heart and mind. All the characters are richly drawn, and McCann does a fantastic job with his descriptions which are detailed enough to allow the reader to envision the story's sense of place, and to experience the vast array of character emotions.

Using humor, social commentary, and some of the most romantic scenarios one could ever hope for, the writer has really upped the ante in Forever, a novel that won't be soon forgotten.

Other Timmothy B. McCann Books

Always



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