September/October 2002
 A Chat With Author Tracy Price-Thompson
Tracy Price-Thompson is the author of Black Coffee. She is a highly decorated Desert Storm veteran who graduated from Army Officer Candidate School after ten years as an enlisted soldier. A Brooklyn, New York, native and retired Army engineer officer, she lives in New Jersey with her husband and children. |
AR: Tracy, I want to thank you for making yourself available for this interview. We've played e-mail and phone tag, which suggested that you've been away on a book tour. Your latest book, Black Coffee is getting rave reviews. Let's first and foremost talk about some of the things you've experienced getting the product to market, and the transition thereof. What has it been like promoting yourself and the book? I'm sure there are some interesting and memorable moments! |
TPT: Promoting Black Coffee has been both consuming and rewarding. Readers seem thirsty for the type of characters in the novel, and it is always pleasing to be able to introduce myself and my work to the public and then sit back and watch folks enjoy the fruits of my labors. |
AR: For those that may not know you prior to reading Black Coffee share with them the essence of who Tracy Price-Thompson is, and some of your previous work.
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TPT: Basically, I’m just a regular sister from Brooklyn, New York, who was raised in the projects and survived and prospered despite the odds. The baby girl of Frances and Eddie, I was a highly edified child who loved learning. My parents had a passion for books and literature, which they passed along to my siblings and I, and as a result I’ve been an avid reader since the age of three. After attending college in the early 80’s I enlisted in the military because I wanted to see the world and do good and wonderful things, and during my extensive travels I met many people and developed lasting friendships that continue to sustain me today. I hold undergraduate degrees in marketing and in social work, and a graduate degree in social work as well. I began my writing career by writing short non-fiction pieces in several anthologies. Most of my early writings detail the particular challenges of being black and female in America, as well as promoting forgiveness and self-love. |
AR: When I first reviewed your book for Amazon.com two things readily attracted me: The cover art on the book, and the title! Talking about judging a book by its cover, the first impressions were those two things. Would you share with us how and why 'Black Coffee' came to be the title?
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 TPT: The cover art was not my idea at all, but the title Black Coffee was meant to be symbolic of the female protagonist, Sandie Coffee. Like the popular jolting hot beverage often taken without sugar or cream, Sandie Coffee is a sister who is powerful and potent, and who successfully stands on her own two feet without requiring any added ingredients. Black Coffee is the metaphorical representation of the ancestral well of strong black woman that many of us spring from.
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AR: It's my understanding that you originally self-published Black Coffee using Print On Demand (POD) technology. Explain if you will that process, and why was there a need to go that route as opposed to a more conventional method? |
| TPT: I used POD technology to self-publish the original manuscript because it was thought to be economical and timely. With the company I used, files were transmitted electronically and the cost was very nominal--$99. It took approximately eight weeks for the entire process to be completed and to actually have a finished product--a book-- in my hands. Because I entered the POD market when it was in its infancy stages there were a myriad of delivery failures and other snafus that I encountered, but despite having to constantly think outside of the box in terms of distribution and product availability, I used the experience as a means to an end, which of course was mainstream publishing. |
AR: POD has come a long way, and I'm sure you've seen significant changes, but do you feel there will always be a need for this type of publishing? If so, why? If not, then what would be on the horizon to make publishing a better option for first time writers? |
TPT: I agree that POD publishing has come a long way. The POD industry was a victim of its own growth and rapid expansion, but technology is amazing and I believe POD is now a very viable option to traditional self-publishing. Although there are many imprints popping up at major houses geared toward African-American works and present great publishing opportunities to a large number of writers, this is still a very competitive business and there will always be more writers than publishing contracts available. As long as there are limited contracts, high printing costs for traditional self-publishers, and writers who long to see their work in print in an expedient time-frame, there will be a need for POD publishing. |
AR: The self publishing aspect of this business can be an intimidating process for an aspiring writer trying to get their product to print, based on what you went through what would you tell right off the bat to them? |
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TPT: Study the craft of writing. It is an art that requires skill and technique just like any other. Take writing classes and attend writing and publishing seminars. Hire a professional editor. Someone who is not fond of you, and who is reading and editing your work for a fee. When it’s business, the other person doesn’t have to butter you up, burp you, or worry about hurting your feelings. It is imperative that you receive an honest, professional critique and precise feedback. The investment you make in obtaining editorial assistance will pay off in spades and ensure that you put your best work into the universe, because once you go to print, the book will stand and be read as is. Learn the publishing business. Read as much as you can find on the ins and outs of publishing. Network and ask the advice of writers who have already walked the path. Listen to their stories and ask them about their pitfalls, and pay special attention to the things they would have done differently. Learn from the experiences of others. |
AR: I'm sure you've heard other authors talk about their first experiences attempting to make headway in the publishing industry. Does yours parallel theirs in the amount of rejections you encountered, or was it different for you based on your decision to self publish? |
TPT: My experience was a little different from most authors in that I actually attracted the attention of several powerful agents very early on in the process. Unfortunately, I chose the wrong agent to represent me and ended up firing her almost a year later. At that point I decided not to entrust my words to anyone else and began searching for self-publishing opportunities. I stumbled upon POD technology and immediately developed a strategy and set a goal to sell just enough copies of Black Coffee to attract the attention of a major publisher, and it worked! |
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AR: I've always felt that if the product is good it will get the proper transitional treatment for recognition, but I've known authors who for some reason or another fail to make a connection. What are your thoughts on this, and what are the major reasons why a first time author may encounter problems along the way? |
TPT: It is truly rough out there for a first time author. There are so many books relating to the black experience that at times the plots and premises don’t differentiate significantly from others on the market, and thus get lost in the shuffle. This is why you find great writers whose works do not get picked up or noticed. The writing may be great, but the storyline is worn. It is important for new writers to choose their stories carefully and try to tell them from a fresh perspective. This is where creativity and individuality must kick in.
Just because someone else was successful with a novel about four sister-friends doesn’t mean you should rush to write a novel about four more sister-friends. Just because Zane was highly successful in writing black erotica doesn’t mean you should jump on her bandwagon and try to replicate her premise. Just because I was successful in writing about the military experience doesn’t mean someone else should run out and try to write from my formula either. Be unique and let your muse take you where no one else has gone before. Distinguish yourself from the pack. Write a story that makes people remember your name.
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AR: What differences do you see now in the publishing world that wasn't prevalent in the past? Have any of them affected you pro or con? |
TPT: The major differences I see are in terms of volume and quality. The volume of work being put out right now is astronomical and gives us a wide variety to choose from. Some see this as unwanted competition, but I view it as an opportunity and a challenge to stay at the top of your game. True, the quality of fiction works has deteriorated to a degree with the newfound ease of publishing, but this is due largely to impatience and inexperience. Authors who fail to take the needed time to study the craft of writing, and those who try to cut corners by neglecting to seek professional editing. These are your typical one-book wonders, those whose works will shake loose and disappear through natural attrition. The authors who dedicate themselves to learning to write well and those who understand why professional services are crucial--these are the cream of the crop who will eventually rise to the top.
Interview Continued
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