Interview With Winn Publications
How did your journey as an author begin?
My author journey began at a very early age of nine. It was more of a gift that I was blessed with. I started out writing short stories for a little while then when I was 15, I began writing poetry which was mainly my first love. I know that poetry will not ever let me down when some men will! LOL
Was it something you always wanted to pursue?
Indeed! I always dreamt of becoming an author when I was a little child. I published my first book of poetry in 2012 and since then, I’ve been on the grind to writing new books and I’m loving every minute of it!
Who or what motivated you to write?
My parents were the one who motivated me because they were always by my side when I wrote my short stories. They were the ones who pushed me to write my first book as well. That’s how its always been for years and now years to come. I remember my grandmother (now deceased) would always encourage me to write and loved all my books she read. At her 70th birthday celebration, she wanted me to read one of my poems I wrote specially for her. It was a great feeling to share my work with others.
Have you ever published your work into a book? If so, where can we find them?
Yes, I have published a total of nine books. All of my books can be found on Amazon or you can visit my author page at www.amazon.com/author/patricerivers
How was the publishing process?
For my first couple of books I went through a traditional publisher. For my first book, I googled a Christian publishing company which was okay. It was not the best experience though. The best traditional publisher I’ve had is Inner Child Press, INC. They have published three of my books including my children’s books. They do a very great job during the process and it is quick.
Are you self-published?
Yes! And I’m loving every moment of it! LOL I’ve self-published three of my books so far. My children books I go to my traditional publisher. I love the process of being the boss of my own book projects and creating the cover page if I want something different and unique.
Since becoming an author, what challenges have you faced?
Oh boy! Marketing has been the biggest headache for me! When I published my first book back in 2012, I thought getting supporters and buyers would be easy, but boy was I wrong! I learned the hard way! But now that I have written more books and observed different business tips, and now I’m gaining some new supporters and getting some buyers especially for my children book ‘Patricia’s Guardian Angel’. It has taken a lot of humbleness and discipline for me not to let my emotions get the best of me when networking. It’s still hard at times because I want to be good enough and I want my books and brand to be good enough for people to pay attention to. But it’s a process, but marketing can be done with consistency and dedication.
Have you written anything outside of fiction/nonfiction?
Yes. I have written two children books which is part of a children book series called ‘Come Learn to Patricia’ I do plan to write my first non-fiction book based on my journey living with Sickle Cell Disease.
Do you have a tip that you can offer your peers? (poets and writers worldwide)?
Most definitely! One of the main tips I like to give is to stay focused and don’t allow anyone or anything to come between your passion.
Are you currently working on any new projects? If so, when can we expect them to be released?
Yes, my new book ‘Patricia’s Visit to the Hospital is set to be released September 1st in honor of Sickle Cell Awareness month. It is part of the ‘Come Learn with Patricia’ series to educate children and adults about SCD. I plan to write and publish my first non-fiction book about my personal journey with SCD. That will be released next year.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In five years, I see myself working for myself full-time expanding my brand That Riverz Gurl Brand LLC and a freelance writer for media platforms. I also see myself working on my writing boutique firm for authors and business owners and taking it to another level. I want to continue writing children books and creating new series.
What does being an author mean to you?
Being an author means being able to be creative and telling a story.
What’s your favorite quote and who’s it by?
My favorite quote is a bible verse and it is “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me” Philippians 4:13
If you could co-author with anyone – dead or alive- who would it be and why?
I would want to co-author with Maya Angelou because I’m a poet as well and I love her poetry. Collaborating with her on poems would be something I would always remember and cherish forever. Her words just flow off the page and it puts you in deep thought.
