Mario Wordsmith interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

I'm Mario Wordsmith. I'm going to go right ahead and tell you it's a pen name. Shocker! I'm an independent author and I just recently published my debut.

When did your love of books begin?

I can't pinpoint exactly when my love for books began. My father had a very large bookshelf that separated our living room from the dining area and I remember being completely mesmerized by the number of books that were stacked there. I would take some out and read, even though I didn't understand most of the words.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

I wanted to become a doctor growing up, but then I realized I just loved to play dress-up. After going through a motorcycle accident back in '08, my passion for reading and writing while I was recovering grew. I wasn't doing anything physical during that time, so I had to use a lot of imagination and would dream up a lot of stories to keep myself entertained. It was an epiphany. I found my calling.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

A part of me wanted to give up on writing because I thought I didn't have it in me to write a bestseller or to ever write some books the way JK Rowling, Chinua Achebe, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie did. At that time I didn't know self-publishing was a thing, and I always heard horror stories about getting a book traditionally published. I shied away from it because of the lack of funds and there's also the constant rejection from publishing houses. Self-publishing was life-changing. I can write whatever I want with no censorship and have it out there for the world to see. No matter how crappy the story is.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

I know it might sound uninspired and repetitive, but always believe in yourself. With self-publishing, there's no excuse to not have your work out there for the world to see. Don't lose hope. Eventually, there's going to be someone who loves it. 

Tell us about your book/books:

Never in a million years would I have thought I would write something like it or even have it as my debut. It was around the same time I discovered self-publishing that I had a dream about Harlem. I woke up wanting to write a story set there. I was also facing a lot of doubts and issues in my personal life and I incorporated that into the book. The novel might be titled 'These Streets', but it has more to do with the main character's psychological and emotional development. You'll get to know why he embraced life on the streets. It's heavy on the dialogue and it took me almost three months to write. I didn't want it to be perfect or a great work of literature. I wanted it to feel personal like the character wants you to see Harlem the way he saw it. There's no filter. It's all on purpose.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

The love and the support there is amazing. People you've never met or live a thousand miles away from encouraging you, telling you how much they love your book – it's a beautiful thing.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

The readers should know that in my debut, I'm writing from Flaunté's perspective (the main character), so they shouldn't judge the writing or the vulgarity he spews. This is his story, and we should respect that.

Where can people connect with you?

You can find me on Twitter. I'm active there. Instagram – not so much. I haven't posted anything yet. I'm really shy and self-critical. Gotta have that privacy.