Please give the readers a brief bio on you? How has the reception been to your first novel?
Rose Jackson-Beavers publisher of Prioritybooks Publications is a veteran social services executive and adult educator. She has published several other works, including A Hole in My Heart, a novel she co-authored with Edward Booker. The East St. Louis native also works as a freelance journalist. She currently lives in Florissant, Missouri, with her husband of 21 years, Cedric, and daughter Adeesha. She received her bachelor’s and master's degrees from Illinois State and Southern Illinois University. Jackson-Beavers has a vast amount of experience working with people of all ages. In addition to pursuing her interests in poetry and short stories, she also spends time working in church and volunteering for local organizations throughout her community.

Jackson-Beavers, also a motivational speaker, frequently speaks with children and young adults about life issues. She founded the Family Enhancement Center, a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate families on economic stability, while encouraging the pursuit of higher education. Jackson-Beavers has published work in numerous publications, including: A-Magazine, as a freelance writer and columnist; Spanish Lake Word Newspaper, as a columnist; and the North County Journal, as an opinion shaper. She has published four books: A Hole in My Heart, Summin T' Say, Quilt Designs and Poetry Rhymes and Back Room Confessions.

Why do you think you became a writer?
First I believe it was a blessing from God. I always knew that I could write but I didn’t know the best way to pursue it. I love to tell stories and am a great speaker. Writing soothes me in many ways. Whenever I felt down, bored, lonely or depressed I would take out a pad and write. I loved to write letters and short stories. Next I began writing poetry. I have always believed that I inherited my desire to write from my mother. She is very creative.

How did you stay motivated to finish your book?
I wanted to know how the story would end. I don’t write with outlines and I never know what I am going to say. I just write as characters and situations come to me. I also felt compelled to complete this book as an increasing number of people found out about it and became anxious about its anticipated completion and release dates.

Do you know what you are going to write ahead of time? How do you get your ideas?
No, my writing is not planned in any way. If I planned a story I would feel too constricted. I just write and let characters and stories come to me. Every now and then an idea will come to me when I see something that is funny, too good to be true, or just plain unbelievable. Take my sister Princess for instance, lately she has been giving me good story lines even though she doesn’t know it.
I also write a column for a local newspaper. I generally just sit at the computer and let the story unfold on the screen. My husband often teases me by saying that if I would simply write about the people I know I would be a millionaire. However, I choose not to write about situations that are too close to me because of the potential stress it could cause and the relationships that could be strained. But I do believe that nothing is new up under the sun, the ideas that I have could have exist somewhere else at another time and space.
 

How do you promote your books?
Promoting a book is the hardest part of this career. I realized that to be successful, you must have a marketing plan that includes a generous budget. This is extremely important because if people don’t know you, you can’t make a sale. I use a variety of methods to promote my books from newspaper distribution, miscellaneous ads in souvenir programs and sale displays, bookstores and signings, website, vendor booths, and lately through workshops, presentations and seminars. I haven’t started touring yet but am planning a tour for next year.

Tell us about your current book?
Backroom Confessions is about a group of social workers, one male and four women who spend their time helping families to become economically self-sufficient. Jerickca Parker is the ultimate professional; married with one child, her love life seems empty and boring. She longs to be touched and kissed by the man that stole her heart more than 16 years ago. Yet her husband Anthony, who is the owner of his own company, feels that he has given Jerickca the world and believes they have a healthy sex life. Without the stimulating hot sex that first drew her to her husband, she concentrates on her staff – who spend far too many hours in the backroom talking about sex, life and gossip. She and her staff spend their days trying to help those who are less fortunate. What hides behind the backroom door, however, are five social workers who have plentiful problems and scandalous skeletons. Despite their affinity for helping others, each have their own struggles and demons to exorcise. Their often-candid backroom sessions commonly cause clash, camaraderie, connivance, cheerfulness, curiosity and mass-confusion. As the lives of these office professionals intertwine, their journey together will take you on a thrilling expedition; including love, lust, embarrassment, backstabbing, infidelity, hilarity and steamy sexual encounters.
 

How can readers get in contact with you?
They can visit me at my site, www.prioritybooks.com or email me at rosbeav03@yahoo.com. They can also write to me at P.O. Box 2535, Florissant, MO 63033.

What would you like your readers to take away from your book?
I want people to know that no matter how together one may seem, behind that smile they have problems and pain just like everyone else. I want them to talk to someone like a pastor, friend or counselor and get the help that they need.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
I encourage all writers to complete their works, work hard at promotion and set a publicity and marketing budget and to find mentors to help guide you in the right direction. It’s also extremely important to find experienced and quality editors and to surround themselves with people who want to see them become a success.

Can you give us a sneak peek at your next book?
I also have a second book out right now, “A Hole in My Heart,” written with fifteen-year-old Edward Booker. This novel chronicles the trials of a 13-year old youth whose drug-addicted mother pursued a path of self-destruction. Booker created the character Darrius, a teenager who found his strength in the love of his grandmother. Granny is an endearing woman who taught Darrius that prayer changes things.

A Hole in My Heart is set in the authors’ hometown of East St. Louis. It addresses the gripping impact that drugs can have on the entire family, especially children. What makes this story especially gripping is that it is told through the eyes of an adolescent. Darrius is African-American. He lives in a community where drugs, self-hatred and poverty are not uncommon. Still, his poignant story appeals to readers of all socio-economic backgrounds. A Hole in My Heart is a story of faith and hope.

As far as the next release, I have three manuscripts that I am trying to decide between. My niece asked me to release this one called, Scandalous Brothers. It is different than anything that I have ever written. I want young women and older ones to understand that before they start relationships they should know whom they are getting involved with. I want them to leave when the relationship becomes unhealthy and threatening to their bodies, families and their self-esteem. All of my work will have key characters who are gainfully employed through a professional position, people need to know that we come in all shapes, sizes and professional positions and that some of us do work hard making an honest living. Here is the beginning:

Eyes bucked wide, sweat dripping all over his face, yet he didn’t have time to even swipe the liquid out of his eyes. Frightened, he slipped and felled as his eyes searched ahead for a hiding place. He wanted to live. Everything bad that he had ever done stared him in the face. The day he raped and beat this fourteen-year-old girl came back to haunt him. He could hear her voice pleading for her life, begging him to stop assaulting her young virginal body. But he didn’t stop. He couldn’t because he was G’ Money, and nothing stopped him from having his way. What he was doing was wrong, but really he didn’t give a damn. It was his world and what he wanted he got, even if it meant shooting a nigger in the head to get it. He had done so much dirt in his twenty-three years of life that he was sometimes shocked he had made it this far. Trying hard to forget his wrongs, he had to get to safety.

He hoped that he would get out of this alive. He ran hard. He could hear the heavy hitting of feet on the ground. Pit, pat, pit, pat! His heart was beating as if a drummer was hitting a base drum in his chest. The sound was so thunderous; it felt as if lightening had hit his chest. His eyes searched ahead as his breathing increased to an almost unbearable rate. Thinking, I can’t stop. I don’t want to die. As he round the corner of the last house in the alley, two shadows emerged in all black.
“Mxxxxx fxxxxx, what your ass running for now? You weren’t doing this shit when you were running your damn mouth.” Pointing the gun at G’Money’s head, Big Ant was ready to pull the trigger but first he wanted to fxxk this nigga up.

“Please man, don’t kill me begged G’Money!” Crying and pleading for his life he turned to run. As he twirled around to run Big Ant hauled off and threw a brick hitting him in the back of the head. The sound was loud, like a thump on hallow wood. G’ Money slid to the ground as Big Ant and his thug ass friends descended on him like a pack of deranged wolves. Kicking, stomping until they caved his chest in. The scent of death was so strong that one of the boys, turned to release the bile rising in his throat. As G’Money lay on the ground, surrounded in his urine and feces, he pleaded with his eyes for Big Ant to shoot him. The pain in his chest felt as if he had been set on fire. He couldn’t scream, he couldn’t move, only his eyes followed the gun. Pulling the trigger back, Big Ant let off squeezes that shot nine bullets into his body.