What inspired you to write your first book?
I evolved into becoming an author. I was an attorney with the Coca-Cola Company with the intent of retiring from there. For many years, I volunteered reading to children and tutoring children in reading who lived in homeless shelters or who were in underserved communities.
In November, 2007, I was diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer, and after a few years of treatment, it was diagnosed as a chronic condition. My manager at Coca-Cola knew of my volunteer work and my love of reading and children, and suggested that I become a mystery reader at his children’s school. I started reading to them and it sparked my interest to start writing children’s books.
The inspiration for my first book stemmed from an incident where an Alabama fan poisoned trees on Auburn’s campus after Auburn won the Iron Bowl in 2011. I am a graduate of Alabama and I love college football. I thought that this act reflected bullying and that rivalry was going too far where it was setting a bad example for children. I decided to write a book where a collegiate mascot took a child on a game day on its college campus and teaches manners and good sportsmanship throughout the day. The series has grown to where there are over 40 participating universities.
There also is a Classic series for HBCUs. There are two: Magic City Classic Game Day Rules (Alabama A&M/Alabama State) and Southern Heritage Game Day Rules (Jackson State/Tennessee State).
Is My Cup Empty?, the first book in my Lil’ Sherri series, stems from my outlook on life after battling stage four cancer for the past eight years. I was only 36 years old when I was diagnosed. I found out that the cancer had metastasized one week after returning from my honeymoon, and I found myself in a position where all of my hopes, dreams and plans were empty.
Lil’ Sherri is me when I was 6 years old. Cup takes different things in life that are empty and shows how that can be filled with good things. I wanted to write something for children that could instill a lesson of hope and optimism in the face of adversity. I thought that even when an adult is reading the book to a child, the adult also can be uplifted.
This book is inspired by the life of James Harold Floyd. I have a wonderful relationship with my father. Mr. Floyd was part of the community of people who influenced my life as a father-figure. He, too, had cancer, and he never lost his faith or optimism. I wanted to bring his sense of seeing the bright side of life to the book.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I write in rhyme. I think that it is easy for children to understand. Also, it is my way of editing myself, because I want to keep the writing short and simple!
What books have most impacted your life (or life as an author)?
I am not sure where to begin with this question. There are so many that have impacted my life! The Bible is the strongest influence in my life because it is the basis of my beliefs as a Christian and its lessons have comforted me, guided me and uplifted me my entire life. Its lessons have geared every aspect of my life, especially my cancer journey.
As a child, the biographies of Harriett Tubman and Mary McCloud Bethune influenced me because of their sacrifice and courage in facing adversity and what they did for the African American race. Their biographies sparked an interest in reading other biographies and history books which I still enjoy.
As a child, I remember the stories of The Little Engine That Could and Happiness Is a Warm Puppy. They are so simple, but they teach lifelong lessons.
I read about four to five books each week. They stem from biographies and historical fiction to mysteries and fantasy so I have several books that have given me different perspectives and taught me some great lessons. As an adult, I think that The Warmth of Other Suns has been one of the greatest influences, because showed how African Americans faced and overcame adversity during the years that the great migration took place. To me, the book was about courage, faith and love.
What books are you currently reading? Why this author(s)?
I am reading The Secret of Magic by Deborah Johnson. I participated on two panels recently at the National African-American Librarian’s Conference in St. Louis. Deborah Johnson was one of the speakers, and her book was donated to participants in the conference. It is an engrossing novel about a woman who travels to the Deep South to investigate the murder of a Black man in 1946.
I am reading Flame Tree Road by Shona Patel. I loved her first novel Teatime for the Firefly and I wanted to read the sequel. Her books take place in India. This novel is about a boy born into a low caste system in a small village, but changes his life by becoming a lawyer.
While sometimes I want to escape by reading fantasy and mysteries, I really enjoy reading books about seeking justice and overcoming adversity.
What new authors have piqued your interest?
An emerging author, Jason Reynolds was on a panel that I participated on at the National African-American Librarian Conference last year. His novel, The Boy in the Black Suit, won the Coretta Scott King Award, and he read an excerpt from his upcoming book, All American Boys. I was so moved that I was full of tears. The excerpt took the reader on the day in the life of a young black man who goes to a corner store to get some gum and a bag of chips and ends up being brutalized by the police. Reynolds is gifted and his writing has great depth.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything about your latest work?
Absolutely not. This book stems from my heart and I worked on it over the course of three years before it was published. The interesting part was over the cover. It was suggested to me by many that the sales would increase if I did not have Lil’ Sherri, an African American girl, on the cover. I wanted to make a statement that a universal and beautiful message could come from her heart. While I have seen people not take to the book because of the cover or ask questions about whether she is biracial, I am glad that I placed her on the cover on principle. Her message is beautiful and it is perfectly acceptable for her to be the voice of that message.
