Intimate Conversation with author A. Life...
‘Author-preneur’AISHA (A.Life...) GANT's love for writing goes beyond just putting pen to paper. It’s a part of her life’s make-up. And having gone through life's many struggles, she chooses to display in her work, characters of triumph. She considers her works not to be ones that push Christianity but words that flow from the mouth of a Christian author’s pen.
EDC Rating: 3.5 / 5 stars
Secret Wounds and Hidden Pain by new author A. Life... is a novel about four women: Charlene, a church-going woman who is married to an adulterous preacher; Denise, an exotic dancer who eventually finds out her ‘best customer’ holds the title of her rapist; Michelle, the wife of an abusive, jobless, porn addict; and Katrina, a successful businesswoman who secretly has abortions to maintain her status. All of them lead totally different lives while unknowingly wearing the same mask. Each woman believes no one else can see or feel what she is going through, but will individually find out that the painful wounds she is experiencing are deep enough to be seen and felt by the world.
Q: Tell us a little about your main characters. Who was your favorite? Charlene Brown is a wife of a minister and a mother of two, who takes care of not only her actual family but her church family as well. She is also a successful businesswoman who ironically, failed to take care of the business of keeping track of her husband’s infidelity. She hides behind the false sense of security that her life’s many jobs give.
Denise McLeod is a single mother of five who is also an exotic dancer. Her life’s downward spiral began at the age of 13 when she was raped. She hides behind the mask of false strength because after all, she has to do so for her children.
Michelle Baker is a newlywed who married an abusive man because she didn’t want to be lonely and because she thought ‘a piece of paper’ would change his ways. Her decision to marry such stems from a painful childhood and she hides behind the pain of abusive love that repeatedly says, “I’m sorry.”
Katrina Dangerfield is a young woman who has it all together. She has taken care of herself financially without the help of a man. Yet, because her childhood too was painful, she didn’t and wouldn’t allow anyone to get close to her; to the point of having one abortion after another, just so she could continue to hide behind her fear of failure.
My favorite character is Denise. Although I can relate, in one sense or another, to all of the women; she has gone through individually what the others have experienced collectively and has triumphed though all odds were stacked against her.
Q: Are your characters from the portrayal of real people?
All of my characters portray real people but not dead on; I may use characteristics from five different people to create one character in the novel. I believe when and if you can make the character more life-like; it makes not only the character more believable to the point of relating to the reader; but it also makes the book as a whole; a better read.
Q: Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp and share?
Depending on the book, I try or I will always try to indirectly relay a message. In the case of Secret Wounds and Hidden Pain; the message I think I want the readers to grasp is the fact that we all at one point in time, wear and have worn masks of fear to cover our ‘open wounds’ brought on by life. But in order to be healed we must be willing to remove the mask-like band-aid, so the air of life can act as a healer and ‘SWAHP’(swap) the wounds for scars of remembrance, so one maybe able to give God praise for all he’s done.
Q: What was the most powerful chapter or scene in the book for you?
I honestly believe there is more than one powerful scene in the book but one of the most powerful scenes to me is the ‘SWAHP SUMMIT’; when all of the lead characters colorfully describe the different ways that lead them to the putting on of the ‘masks’, why they wore them for so long, and how with the help of God; they were able to remove them.
Q: Do you write full time? Describe your writing schedule for our readers.
I do not write full time but because my time is so full I write all the time, sporadically! I wear so many hats that I am grateful for spell check because without it, I probably would misspell the word ‘time.’ (LOL)
Q: What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I am a salon owner/operator, a product designer, and a fitness trainer, but more importantly, I have two reasons to get up every morning! Being a mother of daughters is a task in itself but it keeps me doing what I do!
Q: What is the best piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?
Just write but be authentic! Be truthful to who you are as an author and don’t try to mimic others because when it’s all said and done, the truth will come out in the wash!
Contact A. Life...: http://www.eborya.com/ ; aisha@eborya.com ; gantaisha@yahoo.com
AISHA (A.Life) GANT,AUTHOR AND ENTREPRENEUR
http://www.eborya.com/
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/lifegant
http://www.alifegant.blogspot.com/
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