B.W.: I don't know about you, but I get a little weary of mystery or suspense novels where guns are used in the commission of a crime. I wanted the killer in Hidden In Plain View to bump off folks in a way that's out of the ordinary. where did the inspiration for that come from? My twisted, sick little mind, of course!
M.T.: I recently saw another book entitled Hidden in Plain View. (No problem, since copyright-wise you can have the same name title, but the content must be different.) This book related to the fact that quilts were used to hide messages during Slavery’s Underground Railroad. What gave you the idea for your title, Hidden in Plain View,and tell the readers how it relates to your overall theme?
B.W.: In Hidden In Plain View, someone is rubbing out young black professionals and placing Confederate flag decals on their foreheads. which I'm sure leads most folks to think they can guess who the killer is. Leading to a surprise when they discover the real situation. The bad guy was someone you tend to overlook, someone who was hidden in plain view all along. I picked that title long before I knew about a book titled Hidden In Plain View about slave quilts. But since that book has been one of Oprah's picks, maybe some folks will get my Hidden In Plain View and find themselves pleasantly surprised.
M.T.: Tell us how your background as a journalist contributes to your Darryl Billups stories. Tell us if you plan to develop Darryl Billups into a series of journalist stories.
B.W.: Well, I used to be a journalist for news organizations that included USA Today, the Associated Press, New York Newsday and the Baltimore Sun. So I hope that lends authenticity to Darryl Billups in his role as an editor, and reporter, with the mythical Baltimore Herald. And yes, I definitely have other adventures in mind for Darryl, along the lines of the main characters Valerie Wilson Wesley and Walter Mosley. Hidden In Plain View is Darryl's second book. Up Jumped the Devil was the first.
M.T.: In what ways are you similar to your protagonist, Darryl Billups and in what ways are you different?
B.W.: Darryl and I are both conscientious and take pride in our work. and I would like to think we both have good hearts and try to do the right thing most of the time. At times, we both have a tendency to act first and think later, which can be a wonderful thing or a total disaster depending upon the circumstances. Blair Walker is a lot looser than Darryl Billups. Darryl is learning to lighten up, though, learning how to be less uptight and have more fun. and I have been married for 15 years, whereas Darryl is just coming to grips with the possibility of settling into a longterm commitment with his girlfriend, Yolanda. And Darryl is a little bit of a cheapskate, which I definitely ain't!
M.T.: Although new writers tend to think it is easy to write in the first person, this technique can be one of the most challenging. Please tell us how you went about developing Darryl Billups' voice. I found his voice to be distinct from the other characters, yet congruent with an urban, hip, educated young African American male.
B.W.: It's funny you would ask me about point of view. Writing in the first person, indeed, is a difficult thing to do. I don't plan to use that technique in the next Darryl Billups thriller, because I need a bit of remove, to establish a bit of distance. I want to try an omniscient narrator type of thing. At this point in my writing career, I'm very much a work in progress. I'm stretching and growing and flexing newly developed muscles. Which is exciting as hell, because I want to grow and evolve into the best writer I can possibly be. I want people to see appreciable improvement in my writing talent with each successive novel.
M.T.: Give us your publishing history. Did you start out as a literary entrepreneur (the new term which appreciates the work involved in self-publishing. This term was coined by Tia Shabazz of Black Writer’s Org) or were you picked up by mainstream right away?
B.W.: I was fortunate enough to have hooked up with an established publishing house for my first book, Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun? How Reginald Lewis Created a Billion-Dollar Business Empire. That book was a biography on African-American businessman Reginald Lewis that I wrote after his death. And White Guys did very well, selling 200,000 copies. When I made the move to fiction, I was blessed to get a two-book deal with Avon books. which lead to Up Jumped the Devil and Hidden In Plain View.
M.T.: Do you have an agent? How do you go about marketing your books? What is your writing schedule like? Do you ever suffer from writer's block? Are or were you ever employed full-time as a journalist?
B.W.: I don't have an agent at present. I was hooked up with a sharp, funny sister whom I admire a great deal, but I wasn't getting the kind of aggressive representation that I so desperately need at this stage in my career. So I left her agency. Who knows -- our paths may cross again. regarding the topic of book marketing, I focus most of my efforts on three areas; black book stores, black book clubs and black radio. some black authors get into this business with aspirations of landing on the New York Time's bestseller list. and, to be sure, there's nothing wrong with attaining crossover appeal. Obviously, the more books you can sell, the better! But my strategy is to build a strong following with my own people. That's who I think my stories resonate with most strongly. build a strong African-American base, then if you get crossover sales later, that's icing on the cake. As for writer's block, I never get it. Thanks to my newspaper background, I can always tap out something when I sit down to the keyboard.
M.T.: Tell us about how Eric Jerome Dickey is doing one of your books on audio tape.
B.W.: Yes, Eric Jerome Dickey is recording my latest novel, Hidden In Plain View. I'm tickled to be collaborating with him, too. The tape is being produced by a good friend, Jessica Kaye, who has an audio book company in Los Angeles named The Publishing Mills. Her company also did "Up Jumped the Devil," which was narrated by Malcolm Jamal-Warner. The Publishing Mills also did Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun? Actor Bill Duke did the voice of Reginald Lewis on that tape, while I narrated the other parts. so, I'm three-for-three when it comes to audio books.
M.T.: What are some of your future plans as a writer?
B.W.: My main ambition is to blossom and grow as a writing talent. Toward that end, I'm reading books on fiction writing. And if I can find a good writing workshop in the Baltimore/Washington area, where I live, I'll probably enroll in that, too. Fiction-writing is such a gratifying endeavor to be involved with. I'm thankful that God has allowed me to enjoy the success I've had thus far, and pray that even more is in the offing. In terms of projects, on the immediate horizon is a novel based on the life of a Sister who was Baltimore's first African-American comptroller. and I have plans for another Darryl Billups book, also.
M.T.: Where do you see the future of writers on the Internet?
B.W.: Well, I'm convinced that if you're going to sell effectively in the '90s, you'd better have an web present. So, I've put together a web site, www.blairwalker.com.
M.T.: Mr. Walker, thanks for your informative interview.
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