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Wahida Clark: I started while serving my ten-and-a-half-year federal prison sentence. When my back was up against the wall, when I discovered that all my money and possessions were gone, when I discovered that it takes money to live in prison, and when it hit me that I have to do something in order to walk out of prison with a cushion, I prayed for guidance and was blessed to recognize and act on the guidance when it came. The guidance was to write street fiction.My husband was also locked up and our daughters were teenagers, so I had to somehow get my hustle on. My husband wrote a book called Uncle Yah Yah and then I saw a clip about Shannon Holmes, who signed his first book deal while in prison, and I said I could do this.
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At first, my husband didn't respond. I had to holla at him again and again, saying, "Yo, I'm thinking about writing a book. I'm serious. What do you think?" When he finally got back to me, he said what [publishers] are interested in from people in our position is sex, drugs, murder, and crime. I had experience in that word, and what I didn't experience myself in New Jersey, those around me experienced. I wrote about what I knew.My husband said if I sent him a little sample, he'd give me his advice. I was working in the prison library and studying the craft, and began writing and sending things to him. On top of his encouragement, an inmate who was previously a literary agent gave a creative writing class, and the rest slowly became history. I was blessed that my time in prison was time well spent.What was it like to sign a book deal while you were incarcerated?
I signed two deals with two major publishing houses while I was serving time—it was crazy and awesome. I was writing those books with paper and ink, too! I hit the Essence Magazine best sellers list multiple times while incarcerated. I was such an inspiration to so many sisters and brothers on lock that many of them wrote and told me that I was the reason many of them started writing. I would get letters seeking advice, plus receive words of encouragement from authors who are now publishers and are now moving into film. It is a wonderful thing to inspire others. On top of being a four-time New York Times Best Seller, it feels like a wonderful accomplishment.
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Two different environments produce two different mindsets. They are the same, but they are seen differently. No one can say that there isn't violence in romance novels.Your latest release is Thuggz Valentine. What did you do differently with this one?
Thuggz Valentine is the story of a modern day Bonnie and Clyde—natural born killers who go out in a blaze of glory after taking on the city's police force. The first thing I did differently was write the book in reverse—it opens with the ending. The second was collaborate with David Weaver, the King of e-book publishing. We had agreed to do an experiment, so I had him publish the e-book version. Needless to say, it worked out well.Your Thug series is now being turned into a film, right? How far into the process are you?
I'm excited. My fans are excited. Since the series is so popular the producers and directors haven't decided which route to go first: a play, a TV series, or a movie. We are going to do something. In December, we're having a party/talent search/networking event in Atlanta. We are going to find our direction and our stars there.Do you have any other film projects in the works?
Blood Heist , written by NuanceArt, hasn't been published under Wahida Clark Presents yet, but the film rights were picked up immediately. It's about Angelo and Michael, two brothers joined in the hunt to take the reigns as heir of their father's kingdom.
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We try our best to follow personal principles and literary principles that demand that good triumphs over evil all of the time. However, the demand today is for junk food—both physically and mentally.My husband taught me that it was easier to write books for money than to write books to educate. So of course we took the road for money, in hopes that it would put us in the position to educate. It's a constant grind and hustle. If you are not constantly pushing your business it will remain stagnate. And of course, content is King. Or, in my case, Queen.For more on Clark and her publishing house, visit her website.Follow Seth on Twitter.