Today,
I have the honor and privilege to interview the one and only Nina Foxx. Nina, I
would like to thank you for the opportunity to interview you. Welcome to The
Reading Life with Yolanda. My home here on the internet is very laid back. So,
what’s your drink of choice?
Nina
is an award winning author, film maker and self-described fa-SHOE-nista. Her
alter ego is Cynnamon Foster. Cynnamon has been begging to be let out for quite
a while. She tied Nina up and put her in a closet and has been writing ever
since.
1. Cynnamon, I absolutely loved Book
One in your Eastern Spice series. Will you tell the readers more about Eastern
Spice and what they can expect? How did you come up with the title?
Actually, Book One was Southern
Comfort, but the publisher changed so ES is labelled book one. So, make sure you start reading there. ;-)
First, I wanted to write some material with the elements of true erotica
but always with a strong story line. My
story had to be sexy and it had to make sense.
So I did a few short stories first to try it out. As Cynnamon, I had a
piece published in an anthology edited by Lori Bryant Woolridge. That was called “IN the Shadow of the
Midnight Train”. Anyway, I decided on a
good, sexy espionage story, or sexpionage. In my real-life, I travel a lot, for my job or otherwise, and I decided
to incorporate some of the places I’d experienced and things I’d learned about
the various cultures and places I visited into the story. So after Southern Comfort, The two main
characters take off to save the world (!).
In Eastern Spice, they travel to
India to solve a case there. One day, my
husband was on a business trip in India (without me), and a woman was found
dead floating in the hotel pool where he was staying. He saved the newspaper story and the idea was
born for Eastern Spice. We got married
at the Taj Mahal (the first time…we renew our vows every year), and during that
trip I fell in love with India and the richness and nuances of the culture, so
the characters for the book visit there.
The next Book is Northern Passions,
and it takes place in Paris and Northern France. Again, I did some consulting there. Paris has long been one of my favorite cities
(followed closely by Tokyo), so the characters gallivant throughout France in
this adventure.
Western Fusion is the
fourth book, and this one takes place in Istanbul. I did some research there as
well as was really fascinated by the melding of East and West and Istanbul’s
history as the crossroads of the world. There will probably be a few short
stories in between because you might have noticed that Seria disappears. I don’t think I am done with her yet but I
haven’t decided where she went to with her mysterious older lover. There is something
intriguing about a man with one blue eye and one brown eye.
2. How did you decided to write under
the pseudonym, Cynnamon Foster? You’re also writing under the name Beryl
Jennings, when should readers expect something from Beryl? How do you balance
writing in multiple genres?
When
I decided to write erotica, my (then) agent (now deceased) suggested I use a
different name to separate the genres for my readers. I’m still mixed on it, but I’m a few books in
as Cynnamon so I will go with it. Beryl
Jennings may become Nina Foxx Jennings and that will be more literary. (Jennings is really my last name). There is a book being shopped now. I read everything and write what I feel like,
and it comes out the way it does. The Foxx/Jennings
book, if I had more courage, would have been written as a memoir, but as it
stands, its creative non-fiction or a true story told in novel format. I
changed some things (the actuality of them, not the essence) to make it flow
like a novel. But to confuse things,
Nina Foxx has edited a creative non-fiction anthology that will be published by
Strebor/Simon and Schuster next year.
3. Is
there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either
growing up or as an adult?
I
read all the time. Growing up I read my father’s books, which meant science
fiction most of the time. I cut my teeth
on the Lord of The Rings, Stephen King and Greek Mythology. Now I have very eclectic reading tastes. I
read Sci Fi and Horror all the time. I
read erotica classics like Anais Nin and The Story Of O. I love books that
teachyou tidbits about other cultures.
For instance, I’m reading Americanah now. I also enjoy Percival
Everett. I think he is my favorite
author ever. I actually asked him to supply a blurb for my literary book since
he was on the selection committee for the Doctorow Award for Experimental
Fiction and it was short listed….
4. Can
you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
The biggest challenge was learning about the
industry. I self-pubbed my first book
because no one told me that was hard, then accidentally bumped into an agent
who had to convince me to go to a major house. She sold it pretty quickly, so I
skipped all the rejection letters, etc.
A major challenge was that I found that so many black authors are forced
into a hole. I write a lot of things for
a lot of people, but she only wanted to sell the “chic lit” style books because
that was what was hot then. The literary
book that I mentioned—I had that ten years ago and she told me that it was
phenomenal writing, but she didn’t feel as if the market was ready for this
type of story from a black female. I
mean, really??!! (I fired her.) Now, it’s
interesting how the tides have turned. Self-publishing has changed so
much. You know that for sure when your
agent says things like “I’m not sure this publisher is doing anything for you
that you can’t do yourself.” Now major
houses have to convince establish authors that they can offer something that
they can’t get by going it alone.
5. If
you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or
getting it published that you would change?
I think you would change every novel a little after
it was done if you could. Time and the
process changes you. You are absolutely a different person when you finish than
when you started. That means when you
end, you would have written a different book that when you started.
6. What
are your current projects?
Lots.
Finishing the next Cynnamon Books and the anthology. Getting the literary book out there. A few
shorts stories in the hopper. I also
have an unsold YA and a children’s book.
I’m going to be voicing the audio for one of my books in audio format, plus
I produced a few films. I just had one at Sundance and now I have one at the
Toronto Film Festival in the Fall. The rights to my play (on DVD) have been
sold in several African Countries so I’m even considering mounting another
play.
7. What
do you think most characterizes your writing?
I think that the locations
are often as much a character as the characters are.
8. What
advice do you have for up and coming authors?
Read and learn everything
you can about the business first.
9. I
always throw in a wacky question…Have you ever gone out in public with your
shirt on backwards, or your slippers on, and when realizing it, just said, the
heck with it?
Absolutely. I drove to work
in my slippers once and forgot my shoes.
I wore slippers all day long.
Fortunately, I work in tech and you are allowed to be quirky. It’s almost encouraged.
10. How can readers contact you?
Facebook. Blog. Tumblr. Twitter. Vine. Email. Nina.foxx@gmail.com
Once
again, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule. I appreciate it
so much.
My
Eastern Spice Review
I was so happy when I found out that Cynnamon Foster had a new book.
Eastern Spice is Book One in the 69 Degree series. When I found out that it was
a series, I did a Snoopy dance. I love Cynnamon Foster. She's never
disappointed me. Eastern Spice was a story that I didn't want to end. At one
point, I began reading slower, savoring each word. Main characters Desiree
& Sam have so much chemistry. Not only are they co-workers/partners, but
lovers as well. They have to learn how to keep their emotions at bay while
working on a case in India. Cynnamon writes with so much detail that I felt I
was working alongside them. Anyone can write a book filled with sex. But, it
takes a great author to be able to have not only page after page of sex but a
great storyline filled with drama and suspense. While reading, a Cynnamon
Foster novel, I'm always taking notes. I can't wait to read Book Two. I wonder
what will the tag team of Sam & Desiree get into next. If you're looking
for a page turner filled with drama and intrigue, I highly recommend this book!
