Naleighna Kai is the national bestselling author of Open Door Marriage, Was it Good For You Too?, Every Woman Needs a Wife, with a spin-off titled, The Pleasure’s All Mine. She is a contributing author to a New York Times Bestseller, an award-winning author, and The E. Lynn Harris Author of Distinction. Naleighna pens contemporary fiction, erotica, and speculative fiction and is currently working on her next novels: My Time in the Sun and Loving Me for Me. Find her on the web at www.naleighnakai.com and on Facebook and Twitter under Naleighna Kai.
BPM: What made you want to become a writer? How long have you been writing?
I became a writer when some challenged me and I found it to be a healing modality for me. My Sexual abuse counselor, who is also my minister, encouraged me to continue to write as therapy. Writing is a spiritual journey for me, one that I am grateful that has been a major part of my adult life.
BPM: How do you find or make time to write? Are you a plotter or a pantster?
I am both. Each book has its own creativity fingerprint. The one I’m working on now took two days to write. Others have taken 5 days or 5 months. Sometimes there’s a storyflow chart done, other times I put pen to paper and let it flow. I write in night clubs, on lunch, every where that I have down time, I’m writing.
BPM: How did you choose the genre you write in? Have you considered writing in another genre?
I write contemporary fiction, erotica, inspirational non-fiction, women’s fiction, paranormal and speculative fiction. I write basically in the genres in which I read. I think on a creative level this is as much as I’m successfully able to cover.
BPM: Tell us about your most recent work. Available on Nook and Kindle?
She Touched My Soul is available on all platforms were books are sold.
Inspiration will always come when you need it most…
Michael “Magic” Arrington’s sudden fame and startling climb up the music charts skyrocketed him into the world of Hollywood glitz and glamour. While all was exciting and wonderful at the beginning, the shady undertakings of the music business caused his life to take a downward spiral, ultimately separating him from his family and his hold on reality. Then he met Maya.
Maya Gervais has completely distanced herself from her past, even going as far as changing her identity to protect her from the one man who wants her dead. She is a civic-minded lawyer who champions for clients who are victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. So trusting someone enough to fall in love was never a consideration, especially since it could cost her much more than she was willing to give.
After the two have a chance meeting at a concert, a daring escape leads to an exploration of pain and pleasure that sets them both on the path to healing and an into an unlikely romance. However, the path to blissful happiness is never an easy one, as they both have their own demons to confront, including Michael’s jealous manager and Maya’s reluctance to deal with things she would rather forget.
She Touched My Soul is a gripping, engaging novel of loss, love, and everything in between.
Purchase She Touched My Soul by Naleighna Kai
http://amzn.to/2skbn8f
BPM: What was your hardest scene to write, the opening or the close?
The entire novel. When my teenage son read it years ago, he told me two powerful things: “Mom, I know some of these things happened to you, but you can’t put your whole story in one book. It’ll bring the reader down so low they can’t get back up again. And your good male and bad male count are way off.” I pulled this novel out of print and off the shelves. It took me 15 years to heal enough to rewrite it from a survivor’s point of view instead of a victim.
BPM: Share one specific point in your book that resonated with your present situation or journey.
The counseling sessions in She Touched My Soul are based on real-life counseling sessions with my sexual abuse counselor. She was instrumental in my healing process. So was writing this book and the books that came after.
BPM: Is there a specific place/space/state that you find inspiration in?
Yellow tablet, blue pen. I can write anywhere. Recently, I’ve taken a liking to letting a particular software type the story for me as I record it and it saves me from having to sit at the computer for long periods of time.
BPM: Do you want each book to stand on its own or do you prefer to write series?
I only write books that stand alone. When I’m done with the characters and that aspect of my life and the story, I’m done. Personally, I’m not a fan of series that have cliffhangers; ones that hold the reader hostage for months before the next book comes out. Twice, with my favorite authors, by the time the third book came out, I didn’t care. I read the first four chapters and the last four and haven’t read anything by them since. I also have been a publicist to an author who died in the middle of two separate series. The emails that I received from time to time asking about those missing installments are heartbreaking. I will not do that to my readers. Each story will end. Every time.
BPM: Does writing energize you?
I can’t say that it energizes me, it heals me. Talking about my writing energizes me. Getting others to tell their story, energizes me.
BPM: Do you believe in writer’s block?
I know that some people have it. I don’t. I don’t write in chronological order and that gives me the freedom to write what I feel, when I feel it.
BPM: Do you try to deliver to readers what they want or let the characters guide your writing?
The story itself if built around some issue or emotion from my past that I’m dealing with. Each book is personal to me and thankfully, it resonates with the readers.
BPM: Is there a certain type of scene that’s harder for you to write than others?
The scenes were I delve into that personal issue and I pose a question that forces me to truly listen to God for the answer. Those are the most heart-wrenching ones for me and sometimes those small scenes take longer to write than nearly half the book..
BPM: What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
On a good editor. Bottom line. Even though I’m a developmental editor myself, I still need to have someone objectively edit my work. If people have to push through too many errors and convoluted story, they aren’t able to enjoy the book.
BPM: Have you written any other books that are not published?
Several are waiting in the wings. When there’s a message that needs to come through, some novels get pushed to the side because the current piece is the strongest and where the power is.
BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
I’m working on a contemporary multi-cultural romance. It’s a May-December trope that resonates with me. Older woman, younger man. This time he’s of a different culture that does not hold her in high regard. He has no choice but to defy his parents and follow his heart.
BPM: What is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you?
FaceBook! I’m there posting some insightful things or humorous things every day.
Naleighna Kai, National bestselling author
Library Coordinator for the RT Book Lovers Convention Publicity Team
Founder of the 13th Annual Cavalcade of Authors Book Tour in Chicago – www.thecavalcadeofauthors.com
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