INTERVIEW WITH DOROTHY BINNS/YASMINE PHOENIX (ASPIRING AUTHOR)

Dyanne Davis (DD): Hello Dorothy, you may as well get used to being before the public. There is no better place for your coming out (so to speak) than to the Romance Slam Jam family. Let’s begin by your telling us something about yourself.

Dorothy Binns (DB): I live in a snow covered, cold south suburb of Chicago. I'm a Virginia girl by birth and as I get older I miss the mild weather and being near 'real water'. I'm married, twenty-five years now, and have two kids. One on her own, youngest is in college. I love tennis, but my knees don't. I'm rediscovering my identity after being introduced as Jennifer or John's Mom for a number of years. I love to read, write, and listen to music. I have always been a scifi person. Star Trek, Dark Shadows. Now it's Doctor Who, Torchwood, Battlestar Galactica, Smallville, Supernatural... okay that's enough. My friends find it easy to talk to me, because I tell the truth. I dress it up so they don't cry, but still tell them the truth. My parents taught me to smile, but not be a fool. Passed that on to my kids. I have a dry, cynical sense of humor, passed that on to my son. I love being around people, but eventually the loner in me emerges and I retreat for a few days. Again, passed that on to both kids.

DD: I like that. Great intro. Now tell us when were you first bitten by the writing bug?

DB: The first time was in high school. I wrote a short story about Charlie of the Tunaka Islands. He was a prince who swam so well a tuna fish company, StarKiss, used 'Charlie The Tuna' for their product and he sued them for defamation of character. My classmates 'believed' my fictional story. Hence I knew I could lie well. I continued practicing the art of lying well to boyfriends, until I met my husband. I didn't want to lie to him. Then later, I was in a paralegal program and an idea hit me about what if Cher was really interracial, which had absolutely nothing to do with the class. Hence I wrote an interracial romance which my black heroine discovers her father had married a white woman, divorced her, but didn't know she'd had a child. Father dies, Cher shows up, and problems begin since my he roine was engaged to a white man whose family didn't approve. I did pass my paralegal class, by the way and received my first agent rejection which enabled me to get my Pro pin from Romance Writers of America.

DD: Dorothy, you’re cracking me up. You’re a natural born writer. At this point in the journey do you see your writing as a hobby or as a career you're aiming for. (there are no wrong answers here)

DB: I see my writing as a career and it's hard. In my previous career, I had work assignments, deadlines, a manager, and a paycheck. Now I'm responsible for everything. Being paid is secondary, producing quality and exciting manuscripts is first. If I take my eyes off of this goal and think about monetary, I won't write well.

DD: To that end, how many hours per day do you devote to your writing?

DB: As I answered in the previous question, this career is hard. I'm struggling to write four hours a day. Not four straight hours. I realize I just kept saying20I was going to write eight hours a day, I've never made it pass day one. So I'm doing it in increments, four hours a day by the end of January and then by the beginning of March eight hours. Weekends are hard, there are too many people (2) in the house. Our beagle doesn't count.

DD: Dorothy, are you actively doing things to take you to the next level. Ex: doing this interview, going to conferences, honing your skills, submitting your work, learning the industry?

DB: This interview, okay great. Conferences, yes. Last year I attended my first Romance Slam Jam and I am looking forward to the RSJ the cruise, 2010. I went to San Francisco, RWA National Convention, my local chapter's conference. I'm bringing my daughter on the RSJ cruise. I'm scheduled to attend the Indiana RWA Conference in March. Honing my skills: I do online classes, not every month. I'm very picky about what class I take. Submitting my work: Absolutely, my goal is to have work ready for submission monthly. Learning the industry: My online chapters are very good about providing information and I receive Publishers Weekly20and deals page. I'm active in my local RWA chapter, librarian and Pro Liaison. Oh yeah, I exercise, yoga and tennis. Writing is solitary, activity outside is essential. However: But... the most important aspect of my career is to finish what I write. I can't submit if my writing isn't complete.

My tagline is exactly how I feel about my career.Yasmine, www.YasminePhoenix.com

"Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else." - Gloria Steinem .

DD: Great interview Dorothy . I wish you all the best in your career. I’m glad you put your website for the RSJ readers. You have a fantastic blog. Thanks for allowing me to introduce you to the RSJ family.