Interview with Lacresha Hayes, Multiple Genre Author

Today, I am pleased to have Lacresha Hayes here with me on my blog. I've interviewed her before, but this is definitely my favorite interview to date. I look forward to your comments.



Me: Lacresha, we're happy to have you back over. Anything new with your writing career?



L.H: Thanks for featuring me, Kim. Actually, a lot has changed since I was here last. I just recently released my first exclusive Amazon Kindle ebook, TANGLED: LOVE CAN BE FOUND IN STRANGE PLACES. I have been writing more fiction recently with real life issues handled in various ways. I still try to make sure God gets the glory in the end.



Me: How has getting into fiction changed your writing?



L.H: With fiction, you can expand upon your own life experiences and those of the people around you and build a whole plot that readers can relate to. It's more about imagination, but the difficulty is in keeping it centered when you're Christian. In real life, people cuss, have pre-marital sex, fight, argue, etc. You have to have that in your book, but it has to be done in a way that doesn't offend your Christian audience. It's growing me up in my writing.



Me: What was your first work of fiction?



L.H: RAW REDEMPTION was my first official work of fiction. I'm extremely pleased with it. I didn't know how well it'd turn out, but I didn't venture far from home. The book is about a sexually abused woman who runs as far and as fast as she can, but then is forced to return home to her secrets. I've gotten a lot of great reviews for the book and that has encouraged me to do more with my fictional writing.



Me: Does your writing ever conflict with your own values as a Christian? As a mother? As a wife?



L.H: Sure it does. Sometimes, my characters make decisions I would not have made personally. Other times, there's so much of me in the character that those around me instantly can relate the character to me. There are times when I write about things that are difficult to read about/hear about. I believe any writer is going to come to a place where they feel conflicted if they are truly trying to make a difference with their writing.



Me: Finally, what advice do you have for others who write fiction and nonfiction, Christian or otherwise?



L.H: The first piece of advice is to make sure whatever you are writing is something you want to write. It's hard to write when you don't want to do it. The second piece of advice is to write what you know well or don't mind researching. You want your books to be sound in information. Lastly, I'd tell authors to make sure they spend time on their craft. Spend a lot of time reading other authors in your genre. Read books on writing. Re-read your own works, particularly as you write and publish more works. Encourage yourself by seeing how much you are growing from article to article, book to book.



Me: I enjoyed this interview, honey. I love nearly everything you write. Please give us book titles, purchasing information and contact info.



L.H: Thanks for doing this for me, Kim. Here are my book titles and their Amazon links.



~THE RAPE OF INNOCENCE, about surviving abuse and other personal tragedies in life. My bestseller. Get it at http://tinyurl.com/ygbd9xp or visit the blog at http://therapeofinnocence.blogspot.com
~TRUTH AND INTIMACY: A COUPLE'S JOURNAL, about building a solid marriage and rebuilding it when it begins to crumble. Get it at http://tinyurl.com/y5eucnq or visit the blog at http://truthandintimacy.blogspot.com
~BECOMING: MY PERSONAL MEMOIRS, a book of poetry and reflection about surviving and thriving in the midst of troubles.
~POETIC INFINITY, a book of poetry on the woes of life today.
~RAW REDEMPTION, the fictional story of Cheyenne that deals with abuse, denial, anger and eventual resolution.
~TANGLED, the fictional story of Shannon that deals with ideas of success and failure, divorce and Christianity, and learning to be happy again.



My website is www.lacreshahayes.com and my most popular blog is P3, http://learntofeelpretty.blogspot.com. I can be reached via email at lacresha.hayes@gmail.com.