"The Interview with Kendra Norman-Bellamy"

THE ROCK: Who is Kendra Norman-Bellamy, tell us something about you?
Kendra: I am a wife, mother, writer, editor, publisher, and a certified fitness instructor. I wear many hats and at this stage of my life I am a woman who is enjoying the room that God has allowed my gifts to make for me.

THE ROCK: Where are you from, and currently residing?
Kendra: Originally, I am from West Palm Beach, Florida but I attended college and spent most of my adulthood in Valdosta, Georgia. For the last seven and a half years, I have been living in Atlanta, Georgia.

THE ROCK: Are there any other writers in the family?
Kendra: Among my parents and my siblings, no. But my husband is a writer with a forte in spoken word. Also, my oldest daughter just completed writing her very first novel-length manuscript. I’m so very proud of her and I know that if this is a profession she wants to pursue, she will be successful.

THE ROCK: When did you start writing?
Kendra: I began with poetry. I wrote my first poem as a ten-year-old fifth grader and have been writing ever since. I still do poetic verse on occasion, but novel writing has become my first love.

THE ROCK: What prepared you to become an author?
Kendra: My fascination for the written word. I think God was molding me for this time of my life from the beginning, but I never really accepted it as my divine destiny until 1999. When I was a young teenager my father recognized my creativity and my love for words and would always encourage me to write. He saw my gift as more than just a hobby a long time before I did.

THE ROCK: What inspired you to become a writer?
Kendra: My very first manuscript was entitled, I Shall Not Die and it was a tribute to my first husband who passed away in 1995. At the time I was writing it, I thought it was just a means of therapy for me, but when I was complete with it, God opened up a flood of stories in my mind and writing became somewhat obligatory. It was as though putting pen to paper was no longer a choice; it was a calling. I opened my Bible one day and my eyes immediately fell to a scripture (Jeremiah 30:2) that said, "Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book." That was all the inspiration that I needed to follow the path that He had paved for me.

THE ROCK: What inspired you to write your book?
Kendra: When I began writing, one of my main inspirations or ideas was to highlight positive male role models in the African American community. I felt that our men were shortchanged in many of the novels of today. Too much of the time they are depicted as deadbeat dads, drug addicts, womanizers and criminals behind bars. I’m not saying that this doesn’t exist, but there is more to the brothers in our community than that and I needed to be able to see my father, husband, brother, cousins and friends in my stories. The men in my life are, for the most part, extremely positive and responsible. Therefore, in almost all of my books, a male character is the primary "star" and he is someone who is not perfect, but is trying his best to do the right thing. He is strong, professional and has a love for his family and for God.

THE ROCK: Tell us about your newest creation. What is the premise?
Kendra: My newest creation is slated for release on May 1, 2005. The title is, Crossing Jhordan’s River and it is the story of Jhordan Adams, a man who is haunted by his past and because of it, his whole future is being threatened. Jhordan has been hurt repeatedly by the women that he’s loved the most and now, married to his new wife, Kelli; he is having a hard time trusting her because of past heartbreaks. The book is all about getting beyond the curve balls that life throws at us so that we can appreciate the beauty of God’s gifts when He sends them our direction. Jhordan’s story is a powerful one and I’m sure readers will embrace it and celebrate with him in the end.

THE ROCK: Any publishing contracts in the working?
Kendra: I am signed with two major publishers right now. I have multi-book contracts with both Moody Publishers and BET Books. Moody is the publisher for A Love So Strong which was released July 2004 and they are also the publishers for Crossing Jhordan’s River. BET is the publisher of For Love & Grace, which hit bookstores everywhere in November 2004 and Because of Grace, which is the sequel, that is set for release in July 2005. So readers can be on the lookout for that one as well.

THE ROCK: Have you ever self-published? Why or why not?
Kendra: Yes, I have. I actually self-published For Love & Grace back in August 2002 after receiving several rejection letters from the publishers that I pitched it to in the months prior. I enjoyed my self-publishing experience and would definitely recommend it to other authors who may be having a hard time getting on to the literary stage through mainstream publishing. It can definitely pay off in the end. The book publishers at BET read a copy of my self-published novel and called me, telling me that it was a perfect fit for their New Spirit imprint and they offered me a three-book deal that would include re-releasing the novel that I’d pressed forward to self-publish. I see my experience as a good one. I learned a lot about the industry while I self-published and I think it gave me a greater appreciation for my gift of writing and for this industry as a whole.

THE ROCK: What are "traditional publishers" looking for?
Kendra: I think they are looking for something that stands out and catches their eye from the beginning of the story. What writers have to realize is that publishing houses get a plethora of manuscripts sent to them yearly and there is no way they can read them all. So, if you want them to take notice of your writing, you have to catch them on page one. There’s a lot of competition out there and you have to be a step ahead of the rest of the pack in order to be among the few that are chosen.

THE ROCK: If you were a publisher, what would be your niche? Why?
Kendra: Actually, I am a publisher. KNB Publications, LLC is a fairly new company that helps self-published authors take their hard work from manuscript to masterpiece. Our niche is Christian-based works (fictional novels, poetry and devotional tools). I chose this because I love the positive message that inspirational books offer and I want to help those who are creating this type product, to get it out to the reading public.

THE ROCK: For an author, is having a publishing contract with a "traditional publisher" important professionally? Why?
Kendra: I believe that having a traditional publisher speaks volumes. It is somewhat unfortunate, but it’s a proven reality that readers as well as industry professionals sometimes make the mistake of thinking that just because a book is self-published, that means that it’s not as well written as those that are traditionally published. That’s not always the case at all. Many authors whose works are published by the big houses started out self-published and it just took someone to notice their talent to take them to the next level. But yes; I believe that there is a certain amount of professional recognition that comes with having the backing of a traditional publisher.

THE ROCK: What are some of your professional and personal achievements?
Kendra: My greatest personal achievement is motherhood. I have two wonderful teenaged daughters who are my pride and joy. Professional achievements include my first (self-published) novel being nominated as Best Christian Fiction of 2002, a short story I wrote winning the 2004 African American Book Club Summit Short Story Contest Award and me winning the 2005 Christian Author’s Award by the Memphis Black Writers’ Conference.

THE ROCK: Who are some of your favorite authors?
Kendra: My all-time favorite author is Maya Angelou. Aside from her writing, I just love her wisdom and her spirit. Since my introduction to writing was poetry, Maya was and still is my favorite poet and her book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is still my all-time favorite book. I’m a lover of Christian fiction, so my more contemporary favorites are Victoria Christopher Murray, Jacquelin Thomas, Vanessa Davis Griggs and Patricia Haley. Among male authors of African American fiction, I most enjoy the works of Travis Hunter and Timmothy McCann.

THE ROCK: Where do you want to be in 5 years?
Kendra: In five years, I hope to have spread my wings beyond books. By then, I pray that my books would have expanded into stage plays and/or movies. I want to have experienced sitting on the sofa next to Oprah and talking about the manner in which Christian fiction has impacted the literary community. I want to have secured a reputation as a writer who not only offers readers exceptional, inspirational fiction, but also one who has helped other aspiring writers to reach their dreams of literary success.

THE ROCK: Where can readers find you?
Kendra: Readers are welcome to visit my website and sign my guest book at www.knb-publications.com. I can also be reached by email at www.kendra_bellamy@hotmail.com.

THE ROCK: Thank you, Kendra.
Kendra: The pleasure has been mine. Continued success to THE ROCK!

www.knb-publications.com

Award-winning Christian fiction author, Kendra M. Norman-Bellamy was born in West Palm Beach, Florida. She is the third of five children born to Bishop H.H. Norman and Mrs. B. Francine Norman of Valdosta, Georgia. She was educated in the school systems of Brooks County (Quitman, GA) and graduated with honors from Valdosta Technical College (Valdosta, GA).

In addition to writing novels, Kendra is also founder and president of KNB Publications LLC, a contributing staff writer for online Christian magazine, Divine Eloquence and serves as an Editorial Consultant for Booking Matters Magazine. She is also an active member of Prolific Writers and the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and serves as a reoccurring contributing writer for Precious Times Magazine.

A multi-contracted author with both Moody Publishers and BET Books, Kendra describes herself in a single word: "Blessed".

Aside from her literary endeavors Kendra is also an AFAA Certified Aerobics Instructor, trained in teaching Step Aerobics, Kickboxing, Body Works and Total Body Conditioning.

With a God-given talent for the pen, Kendra is now pursuing a career in writing faith-based novels that tell stories of human love and passion in the Christian community.

Today, Kendra resides in Stone Mountain, Georgia with her husband, Jonathan and daughters, Brittney and Crystal.

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