Bio:
Born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, Vogue’s journey
through the world of creative writing first began in middle school with poetry
and songwriting. While the mix of rhythm and words was the initial passage to
self-expression, it was the discovery of prose that opened the door to a world
of endless possibilities. An avid reader of Urban Fiction, Vogue felt the need
to create literary works that had an equal balance of street lit, drama,
romance, and faith-based undertones.
A graduate of Winthrop University (Rock Hill, S.C.), possessing a
bachelor’s degree in social work, Vogue, first birthed the idea of The Diamond Collection in the halls of
her alma mater. In 2003, she put pen to paper and thus was created, Diamonds In The Rough, part one of The Diamond Collection series.
By 2010, Vogue had written drafts of the entire ten book series
and in June of 2010, Diamonds In The
Rough, was published for her to share with the rest of the world. Soon
followed by Diamonds Are Forever in
October of 2010 and The Ace of Diamonds
in February of 2013, Vogue joined the league of other writers, determined to
make her mark in the literary world.
Still writing, Vogue plans to release the fourth book in the
series, Black Diamonds, in late 2013
or early 2014 as well as pen her first Young Adult novel.
Welcome,
Vogue. Please tell us about The Ace of
Diamonds.
Famous
for its glitz and glamour, the city of Brookstone is also known as being the
home of one of New York’s most notorious drug lords, Jay Santiago. The son of a
famed politician and socialite, he spent the last seventeen years of his life
in federal prison only to return to the city that took him captive. In true
underdog fashion, Jay rises from the bottom and rebuilds an empire and cartel
that is as powerful as its leader. After linking up with an old comrade, Jay
believes he has found the one material object that will allow him to leave his
criminal enterprise for good. However, his most prized possession could lead to
his biggest downfall yet.
What
inspired you to write this book?
I was inspired to write this book after
receiving an enormous response to the character of Jay Santiago in two of my
previous releases, Diamonds in the Rough and
Diamonds Are Forever. Several readers
had requested to know more about Jay’s background and I decided to write a
novel that was focused more on his character than in the previous releases. In
addition, I wanted to show his character’s transition from a notorious drug
lord to a legit businessman.
What
exciting story are you working on next?
Currently, I am working on Black Diamonds, which will be my fourth novel as well as expounding
on several ideas for short stories, which will be centered on topics such as
interracial relationships, abuse, faith, and domestic violence. I am looking to
release Black Diamonds in December of
2013 or January of 2014.
When
did you first consider yourself a writer?
I considered myself a writer starting in high
school when I transitioned from poetry to fan fiction. My love for the art form
led me to start writing full-length novels and since then, I haven’t looked
back!
Do
you write full-time?
Currently, I am not writing full-time, but am
dedicating myself to promoting The Ace of
Diamonds. I am, however, rewriting my first novel, which I hope to re-release
later this month. I will not start back writing full-time until October when I
start finalizing Black Diamonds.
If
not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write? When I am not writing, I am still jotting down
ideas for future stories. I write only when I am inspired instead of trying to
work while I have writer’s block.
What
would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I love to watch action movie trailers or movie
clips when I am writing. Car chases, fight scenes, and the drama of it all
helps rev up my creative process.
As
a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Growing up, I wanted to be a teacher. I always
thought that I was going to end up becoming an English teacher because English
was my major for about two years in college. Halfway through, I discovered
Social Work, which I realized was my intended path.
Anything
additional you want to share with the readers?
The life of a writer has its ups and downs;
however, we have an outlet to vent our frustrations, joys, and pains. Let’s
pick up our pens and unleash!
Thanks,
Vogue. Happy to have you here! Write on!
