Interview with Author, E. Joyce Moore

THE ROCK: Who is E. Joyce, tell us something about you?
E. Joyce: I am an eclectic composite. I am highly creative, very resourceful and strategically driven. I tell corny jokes much to the chagrin of my family and friends. I often take the path less chosen, but not necessarily by intention.

THE ROCK: Where are you from, and currently residing?
E. Joyce: I grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. I moved to Chicago, then the East coast for over twenty years. I now reside in Indiana.

THE ROCK: Are there any other writers in the family?
E. Joyce: There are some that have the potential but not the desire. I have a nephew who writes music. He's quite good. Actually, my mother writes. She had started a book before my Grandmother died. I'm not sure what happened to it or if she will start again.

THE ROCK: When did you start writing?
E. Joyce: I have been writing since I could remember. I was an avid reader as a child, with a creative imagination. I could create such fascinating stories in my head as a child.

THE ROCK: What prepared you to become an author?
E. Joyce: I wrote quite a bit while in the corporate world, for business as well as for pleasure. I have lived such a diverse life and have had the unique experiences in observing many different kinds of people from so many walks of life. Those life experiences are what I began to draw on to nourish my writing.

THE ROCK: What inspired you to become a writer?
E. Joyce: I have the same passion for writing as I do for visual art. I have a creative spirit, I suppose. I like developing ideas on paper, finding the right words to paint on a literary canvas. I love it when I get responses from people who are inspired, enlightened, even amused by what I write. I also love doing interviews. My goal is usually to get past the surface and uncover the real person. I learn something every time I write. Because I research my "theories" I can find out more, learn more than I imagined. Even with my first script: I didn't know how to write one so I researched and taught myself. If you aren't learning while you are creating, whether it's writing or visual art, your work becomes stagnant. Writing should be something that is in constant growth and change.

THE ROCK: What inspired you to write your book?
E. Joyce: I had many essays I had written as a result of my column "From the Stoop." I had been asked and always said I was going to write a book. When the opportunity came, I did. I didn't know then that writing is only five percent of the whole publishing process.

THE ROCK: Tell us about your newest creation. What is the premise?
E. Joyce: Newest creation. Actually I can't tell you about it. I just completed a ghostwriting project that I am very proud of. I did start my BLOG this past January, where I create thoughts that I can later use for an essay or other article.

THE ROCK: Any publishing contracts in the working?
E. Joyce: Actually, I am going to be writing for a new magazine. I just discussed my initial assignments and concepts with the editor yesterday.

THE ROCK: Have you ever self-published? Why or why not?
E. Joyce: Actually, "Gettin to the Good Wood" is self-published. I learned a lot from self publishing; a story within itself. I learned a lot about hiring editors too. There are a lot of people out there who want to be writers. Most do not have any conception about how tough it is to be in the writing business. They have a romantic concept of becoming a Terry McMillan - who self-published at first -- and laughing all the way to the bank. That is not the reality.

THE ROCK: What are "traditional publishers" looking for?
E. Joyce: They are looking for the potential best seller. Today it seems that there is less interest in good writing and more interest in whatever will sell. I still remember a conversation I had with a vice president of a particular publishing house some time ago. His only interest was finding books where the black man was just coming out of prison and the women were stereotypically victims. I think that they call it "street lit" today. Or they are looking for the people who found their 15 minutes of fame, whether they were worthy of it or not. I think that the worst example of this is Monica Lewinsky; I was in a bookstore -- major chain -- and there were stacks of her book on the counter. They were going back to the publisher because nobody was buying.

THE ROCK: If you were a publisher, what would be your niche? Why?
E. Joyce: If I were a publisher, I would love doing mystery novels and nonfiction. I love both. Finding good writers who knows how to take a reader for a great ride would be such a rush.

THE ROCK: For an author, is having a publishing contract with a "traditional publisher" important professionally? Why?
E. Joyce: It depends on the writer's objective. Realistically, traditional publishing gives you a measure of credibility as a writer, but the relationship has changed significantly over the past ten years, I'd say. The writer still has to do a lot of the same work to market and promote the book as someone self-published would, yet may not get any more that the original advance, In fact most writers shouldn't expect a lot more than the advance. You may even have to bring your own punch and cookies to your book signings.

THE ROCK: What are some of your professional and personal achievements?
E. Joyce: I accomplished some great stuff while in the corporate world, too much to mention, but I always will feel that my greatest accomplishments there were to help others, motivate others to do and become better. The most fun and greatest frustration was developing an account through my relationship with it as a professional and a person from $0 to $43 million in revenue in just five years. The other is writing my first book -- it's like having your first baby -- being a founder of an organization that was an advocate for and educated about artists of color and African descent. But one of my greatest achievements was raising my niece from age thirteen and having her graduate from college. She works for a major corporation now and is doing wonderfully as she moves up the managerial ranks.

THE ROCK: Who are some of your favorite authors?
E. Joyce: Besides myself? (LOL) Sue Grafton, John Grisham, Maya Angelou, Torrance Stephens, Halima Taha, Walter Mosley (except for Blue Light: what was he on, anyway?), James Patterson. I would love to love Toni Morisson's work, but find it to be a hard read. I am a great fan of poets Glynis Boyd, Chase von, Tupac and Mos Def.

THE ROCK: Where do you want to be in 5 years?
E. Joyce: In five years I want to have produced a very successful television series and begun a couple more television projects. My wildest dream is to have a National Black Fine Arts Center in the Midwest, that is large enough and grand enough to hold some of the greatest exhibitions and events ever, housing all the arts: visual, literary, performance, music, dance. A place (designed by young and brilliant architect Justin Moore -- not related) where the masters teach the young of all ages and races.

THE ROCK: Where can readers find you?
E. Joyce: www.blackboardjournal.braveblog.com, www.goodwood.bravehost.com , in this month's e-zine of www.serene-light.org I will announce via press release my upcoming writings.

THE ROCK: Thank you, E. Joyce.

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By Mail:
Mail check or money order for $22. (includes $2. shipping)
To: E. J. Moore, P.O. Box 88403, Indianapolis, IN 46208