Interview With Author Jerrick Lamar Payton

 

 

1. What inspired you to write this book?

My inspirations were shows about vampires. I also wanted to write a story that I wanted to pick up and read. My Bachelor’s Degree is in Film; Television and film are my main passions. I watch a lot of shows and movies, which give me ideas that I want to write about. I approached this not as a book, but as a show. It reads like a season of a Tv series.

2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for?

 It’s ultimately about family, and the fact that we shouldn’t be too quick to judge others. I feel that it’s a story that everyone can relate to, since we all have families, and no one likes being judged too quickly.

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?

 

I hope that readers will take the lesson of not judging others to heart. This will in turn, create better relationships with everyone else.

 

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design?

The title, Tribes, is another word for family. The cover design shows a basic family unit: a mother, father, and son. It is a little ambiguous. It could be showing how David, the main character, wants his family to be: with his mother and father. However, he lost his mother years ago, and he misses her dearly. The art could be showing that he wants a mother and father in his life like most other kids his age. It could also be showing David with his wife and son as well. This shows that he finally got his basic family unit, and he will try hard to maintain it, no matter what.

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?

My advice is to write what you’re passionate about. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, if you have a story that you want others to read, go for it. Also, take your time. Only release it when you feel that it’s the best version of the story that you’ve written.

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? 

I feel that printed works are being phased out in favor of digital. I feel that’s the case with just about everything, including movies and television. I think the publishing industry will be fine. Authors rely on them, and they rely on authors.

 

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? 

The basic idea of a loving supportive family in this book came from my own loving and supportive family. I am thankful for them, and I feel that it’s important for positive family relationships to be displayed in our media.

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to?

 My writing style is fairly straight-forward. Like I said, I approached this like it was a television series. With this being a book, I needed to be as descriptive as possible. I wanted to make sure that I painted as clear a picture as possible. This particularly goes towards the descriptions of dead bodies in the book. I played a video game that was very descriptive in its’ depictions of dead bodies. It did so in a way that made the player feel uncomfortable like they were looking right at the dead body. I decided to bring something like that into my book. I wanted to de incredibly descriptive so readers wouldn’t have a hard time imagining what they’re reading. Growing up, there were books I read for school. Sometimes, I wouldn’t be able to fully picture what I was reading, and so that’s something I want to help change for future readers.

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book?

 I feel that the main challenge was making writing a routine. Sometimes, it did feel like work, and there were days where I might not have fully felt motivated to write. However, the feeling of accomplishment was worth it. Even if it was just writing a few pages in a day, that few pages less that yesterday.

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?

People should read my book because its writing style is accessible. Like I said, it feels like a television series, with each chapter like an episode. We all watch shows, and I want readers to treat this like a series where all the episodes are available. Read at your own pace, or if you have the time, binge it.

 About The Author: I was born in Jackson, Mississippi on December 10, 1994. My family and I moved to Ocean Springs, Mississippi when I was in Kindergarten. My family includes: My mom, dad, and older brother. My brother is married and has two girls. I graduated from St. Martin High School in 2013, and The University of Southern Mississippi in 2018. After graduating from college, I briefly served in the Air Force until I was honorably discharged. I currently live with my Mom and Dad.

 

 

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2023. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.3 million pageviews. With 4,400+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.