Interview with Angeline Bandon-Bibum:
Hi Angeline. Thank you for doing this interview. I would like to welcome you to the Romance at Heart Interview and Author Grilling session. *bg* We are interested to find out as much about you as we possibly can, so lets get started...
- Please tell us about your latest book.
Sojourner’s Dream is novel about a couple who fall in love in Washington, D.C. It takes place in the 1990s. The love story involves a Howard University graduate student and a Rwandan lawyer. It is more than a love story because each of the main characters is forced to face the past. Each is challenged to acknowledge family connections and obligations.
- What can we expect from you in the future?
I am working on a sequel to Sojourner’s Dream.
- How do we find out about you and your books?
There is information about Sojourner’s Dream and me on the internet. I also have my own website, www.herliterarydream.com.
- How may readers contact you?
I can be contacted via email at angelinebandonbibum@yahoo.com.
- How many readers/fans contact you?
I have had many readers to contact me to express how much they enjoyed Sojourner’s Dream.
- Do your fans' comments and letters influence you in any way?
Their comments encourage me to keep writing.
- Do you have a favorite comment or question from a reader?
Readers often tell me that once they start reading Sojourner’s Dream, they don’t stop until they are finished.
- Why did you decide to write romance novels?
I did not try to write romance, specifically. It just seems that category fits.
- How would you describe the genre in which you do most of your writing?
It fits into romance, or literary fiction.
- Do you have a target audience, and if so, who are they?
I don’t have a target in mind, actually.
- What motivated you to start writing in this genre?
I wrote what came naturally to me. The story fits into the romance, so there it is.
- Who would you say has influenced you the most?
Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou are some of my favorites. I am so inspired by them. Their wisdom is a source of strength for me, and many others.
- What are your main concerns as a writer?
To describe the world the way I have experienced it, and to show reality with some dignity and grace.
- How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
A Lot.
- What would you say are the biggest challenges that you face?
Time management is a big challenge for me. I have three children and I do work full-time.
- How do you deal with these challenges?
One day at a time.
- When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?
I have wanted to be a writer since I was about 12 years old. I wrote sporadically, very short stories and some poems. I decided to work on a novel four years ago.
- Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?
It took me three years to write Sojourner’s Dream.
- Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
I did not have a schedule, when I wrote Sojourner’s Dream. However, I did write everyday, consistently. Some days, I wrote 2 pages, other days two sentences. This went on for three years until I completed my story.
- What is your writing routine once you start a book?
I write down everything I can think of that is relevant to my story. I may cut a lot of out later, but in the beginning, it all goes down on paper.
- What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions?
I have children, and it is not always easy for them to give me space. They are young and need my time. Nonetheless, we find a way to work it out.
- What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
That is a good question. A nap really helps.
- What truly motivates you in general? In your writing?
History motivates me. I enjoy world history, and African history in particular.
- What kind of research do you do?
I read history books, articles, research on the internet, and watch documentaries.
- What does your husband/wife/partner think of your writing?
He is supportive of my writing.
- Do you ever ask him for advice?
Sometimes. Yes.
- Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.)
I am a wife and mother of three children ages, 6, 12, and 15. I work full-time in an application support center. I graduated from Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1988. Sojourner’s Dream is my first novel.
- Where can the book be purchased?
Barnes and Noble
Amazon.com
Howard University Bookstore
2225 Georgia Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20059
Dalton Bookseller
Union Station
50 Massachusetts Ave, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Thank you very much for taking the time with us and answering our questions. I really appreciate this interruption to your busy schedule. Good Luck, and we will be looking forward to the next delightful creation from your talented imagination!
Yours in good reading,
Rose!
Author Links:
Angeline's Site
RaH Links:
Interview
Purchase Links:
Buy Angeline's Books At Amazon
