{Author Interview} A.L. Bryant, Author of Blessed the Prodigal Daughter

A.L. Bryant was born and raised in St. Petersburg FL. She became interested in writing at an early age; an interest that depending on the circumstance brought punishment (detention for passing out the latest installment of her novella during class) and praise (being chosen for a youth writers conference at the Poynter Institute.)  A.L. Bryant gets her inspiration from both her mother and her Great Grandmother. Her mother recently published an inspirational children’s book under a pseudonym and her great grandmother is South Carolina’s first published African-American female author and playwright.

Until recently writing had simply been a pastime for A.L. Bryant who although she attended several writing courses, graduated with a B.A. in International Business. It was shortly after her second job as a Financial Office Manager at a Goodwill correctional facility that she realized she loved writing more than anything else. It would still be some years before she would convert the short story she wrote in college into a novel.

Besides writing, A.L. Bryant loves traveling the world. God has blessed her with the opportunity to visit a total of seven countries. She has studied abroad in Seoul and has traveled throughout Kenya; two locations she researched for her Blessed series. Her dream is to visit every country in the world.

Her latest book is the supernatural Christian thriller horror novel, Blessed: The Prodigal Daughter.

SOCIAL LINKS:                                                      

Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/ALBryantHSW

Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100029069148653

About the Book:

Title: BLESSED: THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER
Author: A.L. Bryant
Publisher: HSW Publications LLC
Pages: 279
Genre: Supernatural Christian Thriller/Horror

BOOK BLURB:

On New Year’s Eve 2021 the staff at St. Ann’s Hospital witness a medical miracle when a semi-conscious woman walks into the emergency room. The Jane Doe has been stabbed multiple times and as the staff struggle to keep the woman alive in the end all they can do is stand back and watch as their mysterious patient revives herself.

Glory wakes up in St. Ann’s Hospital gravely injured from an attack she cannot remember. However, her memory loss is no ordinary amnesia and she is no ordinary patient. Much to the shock of the hospital staff Glory heals at three times the rate of an average person. Soon the administration hears of her unique case and waste no time convincing the recovering Glory to be a part of an experiment to discover the origins of her power.

Once outside the comforting walls of the hospital it becomes apparent that healing is just a small portion of Glory’s capabilities. Abilities that to Glory’s distress are becoming increasingly unstable. Deciding that the hospital’s experiments are in vain, Glory embarks on her own Journey to discover the source of her power, unaware that she is a major pawn in a war between two secret organizations.

The two syndicates continue to clash in their fight for control and their battles result in several casualties. The crimes of their warfare surface and draw the attention of Dennis Wilson, a NYPD Detective known for solving his cases in the first forty-eight hours. Dennis follows the trail of bodies out of curiosity. But when his curiosity causes the deaths of his loved ones Detective Dennis becomes obsessed with the case.

In his overzealous attempts to find the murderer Dennis becomes the syndicates’ next target. Now the Detective must run for his life and the only person capable of saving him is the very person he suspects.

Blessed: The Prodigal Daughter is a hybrid of government espionage and supernatural Thriller. This novel is intended for audiences 18+ that seek an edgier outlook on Christian fiction. Blessed: The Prodigal Daughter is the first installment of the Blessed trilogy.

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Congratulations on your new book! Would you say it’s been a rocky road for you in regards to getting your book written and published or pretty much smooth sailing?  Can you tell us about your journey?

I wish I could say that it was smooth sailing. I started writing Blessed: The prodigal Daughter during college and I did not intend to publish it. I was under the impression that you can't make any money writing unless you are already established; so, writing (although I love it) was only a hobby for me. Somewhere along the line I decided that this is what I love and that I should at least try to make a living out of it. So, I started sending my novel out to publishers. I attended some writer's conferences and quickly became disillusioned. I can't speak for all publishing companies but the ones I ran into were only interested in already established writers, topics that were proven to sell tons of books, and/or self-published writers who had already made it big on Amazon. Instead of beating my head against a wall, I decided to self-publish. 

If you were to pen your own autobiography, what might the title be? 

Has anyone seen A.L?

When not writing, what do you like to do for relaxation and/or fun?

I read a lot, and I play video games. I also love to travel whenever I get the chance. 

What makes your book stand out from the rest?

Reading Blessed is like admiring the look and smell of a delicious plate of food only to take a bite and find it’s totally different from what you were expecting. Blessed: The Prodigal Daughter is one large mixing bowl. In the bowl is a little crime drama, a little historical fiction, a little supernatural thriller, and a dash of paranormal horror and somehow, it works. It feels like all of those genres and none of them at the same time. 

Can you give us the very first page of your book so that we can get a glimpse inside? 

New Year’s Eve, 2021

Manhattan, NY

                                        

The moon struggled alone to provide the only natural light in the onyx sky. Neon signs and street lamps had chased away the stars.

She noticed the moon first, followed quickly by the large rat that gnawed at the hairs on her temple. Her body lay half submerged in a puddle of murky liquid. She could not feel the cold water that soaked her clothes and hair, nor the ravenous assault of the alley rats; from where she lay under the fire escape, she could only see them reflected in the enormous piece of glass hanging from one rusty bar.

Judging by the clarity of those reflections, the piece of glass was most likely a mirror. While she foolishly pondered the misplaced looking glass, it swayed a little harder and faster in the wind. The sound of glass and metal aggressively rubbing against one another must have been unbearable, but she heard nothing.

Slowly, her mind cleared, and with clarity came anxiety. There was a mirror equivalent of a swaying blade hanging just above her waist. It could drop at any moment, severing her torso at her waist. Within the second it took her to register the danger, the mirror slipped.

If your book was put in the holiday section of the store, what holiday would that be and why?

Perhaps Easter? In many ways the novel is about a spiritual re-birth. Not precisely a resurrection but I believe it fits this holiday the best.

Would you consider turning your book into a series or has that already been done?

Blessed: The Prodigal Daughter is part one of a trilogy.

When you were young, did you ever see writing as a career or full-time profession? 

No, I had always heard of the starving author/artist and I did not wish to starve. So, I went to college for International Business. It took me a year longer to graduate because I took as many creative writing classes as business courses. 

Did any of your books get rejected by publishers? 

Blessed: The Prodigal Daughter is my debut novel and yes, it has been rejected. It is important for new authors to know that being rejected by publishers is not a reflection of your novel or your writing skills. DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED. 

What is your view on co-authoring books; have you done any? 

I have never co-authored a book, so I have no views on the matter. 

What’s next for you?

I am writing the second book in the Blessed trilogy. It is called Blessed: The Peacemaker. I am also the founder of H.S.W. Publications LLC and under this company I intend to re-publish a charming Children's book named Ray's Wisdom.