I was motivated to write Lazarus because there were so many stories of gay black life that had yet to be told. By the same token, there were elements of black fraternity life that needed to be written about. Above all else, I wanted my stories to be vehicles for social change. I believe that at the close of the novel, readers will not only see a realistic depiction of a gay black man not dissimilar from themselves, but they will be more aware of the challenges and triumphs of black fraternities.

As a self-published author, I am challenged on a daily basis. However, the process has strengthened my knack for promoting my work and made me a little less shy.

As an artist, I try not to mimic what already exists in literature. You will find complex characters in Lazarus that are not reminiscent of any other gay black characters in literature. I like it that way. There are millions of gay people in the world, and millions of books about us wouldn’t even begin to cover the range of our experiences.

You must read a lot as you write. You must learn what you want to do with your craft and what you don’t want to do. Writing books is not just an art, it is a craft. You must study it and practice it.

Go to workshops and conferences for writers. If you are college aged, take more than the minimum required English classes. If you are out of school, take a non-credit course through a community college. Write all the time and read even more.