Meet author Rasheed Clark
Rasheed Clark is the author of “Stories I Wouldn’t Tell Nobody But God” and “Cold Summer Afternoon.” “Stories I Wouldn’t Tell Nobody But God” has already been optioned to become a major movie. Clark is currently in negations to also bring “Stories” to the theater as a stage production.
Ella: Where are you from?
Rasheed: I am Philadelphia, PA born and raised. I work in Philly. I went to college in Philly. It’s nothing like coming home when I am traveling. I have been to places like Florida, Georgia and New York, but Philly has a style of all its own. Say what you want, Philly is a great place to live, work and raise a family.
Rasheed: I am Philadelphia, PA born and raised. I work in Philly. I went to college in Philly. It’s nothing like coming home when I am traveling. I have been to places like Florida, Georgia and New York, but Philly has a style of all its own. Say what you want, Philly is a great place to live, work and raise a family.
Ella: Who are your two main characters and what do you like most about them?
Rasheed: In “Stories I Wouldn’t Tell Nobody But God,” my two favorite characters are Sista and Nikki. I love the character of Sista because she is strong, smart and funny but her insecurities about her weight still broke through. With Nikki, Sista’s best friend, she is more in control. She has been hurt and she lives her life never allowing herself to be hurt again. We all know people like this. But, these characters show us that it’s not what happens to us but how we deal with it that counts.
Rasheed: In “Stories I Wouldn’t Tell Nobody But God,” my two favorite characters are Sista and Nikki. I love the character of Sista because she is strong, smart and funny but her insecurities about her weight still broke through. With Nikki, Sista’s best friend, she is more in control. She has been hurt and she lives her life never allowing herself to be hurt again. We all know people like this. But, these characters show us that it’s not what happens to us but how we deal with it that counts.
With “Cold Summer Afternoon,” my favorite characters are Brian and Renee. Here are two characters that know what it is like to love and lose. They show you in their own way what it takes to find true happiness. For one, it’s learning to let go and for the other, learning to hold on to what you believe in. As with everything I write, they are both based on real people that I know, so you walk away feeling like you know them.Ella: What makes your books stand out and would make a reader pick them up?
Rasheed: It’s the story itself. Love. Loss. Family. Betrayal. Trust. These are things people can relate to. The stories in “Stories I Wouldn’t Tell Nobody But God” and “Cold Summer Afternoon” are at the heart of everything. Contrary to popular beliefs, neither book is filled with short stories but instead, each book is one big story filled with great characters.
When I sat down to write these books, I didn’t set out to write the great American novel. I just wanted to tell a good story that about real people in real situations. I wanted to make you laugh, make you cry and make you mad at times by telling the truth about the lies we tell ourselves. But, above all, I wanted to make you think about the things in your own life and how you addressed these things.
When writing these books, I kept coming back to the same question of “How many stories about strippers and drug dealers can people write about?” I wanted a book that could read almost as if the person was sitting there talking to you and telling you their problems. In my first book, I think Nikki’s story is what blows readers away from beginning to end. In the second, it is the idea of discovering what kind of secrets would drive a woman to commit murder that keeps people turning pages.
Ella: Ultimately, what do you want readers to gain from your books?
Rasheed: Again, everything I write about is often based on real people in real situations. If anybody reads my books, I want them to walk away knowing that they are not alone in what they are going through and things do get better. Everybody goes through something at some point in their lives. But, it’s not what happens but how you handle it.
I’m not saying that everybody will face the challenges that Nikki faced in my first book or go to extremes of a character in my second book, but we all have issues from family, friends, relationship or even financially. But, things do get better. Of whom God gives much, much is often required and it often comes down to the question of what are you willing to do to make things right.
Ella: What advice would you give a new writer? Would you change anything about your journey?
Rasheed: I talk to a lot of people via my Myspace page, new writers, established writers and people that want to write. I encourage them to tell the story that they want to tell, especially stories that are based on the truth. If people didn’t want you to tell the story they wouldn’t have done it. Tell your story, you never know who you could be helping. Also, write the book the way you want to write it. You can’t please everybody.
What makes it so interesting is that I had some people try to take me to task for how both books were written with things like grammar. The writing style was deliberate. With anybody who does anything, I soon realized people will find every reason to knock you, but again, you can’t please everybody. It’s the story that you should focus on. Then again, maybe I am hitting too close to home for some people in what I talk about in my books.
Despite all, for three years, my sales have remained strong from my first book, so I feel blessed that so many people have embraced this book the way that they have. So I know that my job of telling a great story was done. If I had to change any part of my journey, I wouldn’t have waited six years to finish my first book. But everything happens in time. Anybody that wants to write, they have to trust that all things will come in time. That’s how I feel about both books. They are my blessings along with the thousands of readers who have read my books and expressed their love of them. Thank you.
About the books:
“Stories I Wouldn’t Tell Nobody But God” is the long awaited, emotional story of four friends, Brian, Sista, Day and Nikki and the roller coaster ride that they call their lives. Critics have called “Stories I Wouldn’t Tell Nobody But God” the book that not even Oprah Winfrey was ready for.
“Cold Summer Afternoon” is the highly anticipated story of four women, Renee, April, Loretta and Blue and the explosive secrets that will drive one of these women to commit murder.
Both books are available at Amazon.com. Barnes and Nobles (BN.com), Target.com. Blackbooksplus.com, Borders.com and can be requested wherever quality books are sold.
Contact information:
Official website: http://www.rasheedclark.com/
Myspace Page: www.Myspace.com/RasheedClark
Contact email: nobodybutgod2@yahoo.com
Official website: http://www.rasheedclark.com/
Myspace Page: www.Myspace.com/RasheedClark
Contact email: nobodybutgod2@yahoo.com
Brought to you by Ella Curry of EDC Creations Media Group.
