The Soul Pitt - Bonita Lee Pen, Writers Spotlight

Writers Spotlight

Writer's Spotlight - December 2007

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Portia A. Cosby, Novelist, Poet and Screenwriter

by bonita lee penn, The Soul Pitt

Page 2.

SP: You will let us know when you start production of your film.

Portia: Of course! Maybe you’ll be interviewing me about it’s premiere in a couple years.

SP: If you were not a writer what would be?

Portia: Miserable! A writer isn’t what I am—it’s who I am. Until I can make writing my full time job, though, I’m a Certified Athletic Trainer for a high school and physical therapy clinic.

SP: What do you do to relax?

Portia: On the rare occasions I get to relax, I listen to music or watch a movie. Even then, I feel like I’m working because something I see or hear could easily trigger a story idea.

SP: What are some of your favorite books?

Portia: The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah, Any Way the Wind Blows by E. Lynn Harris, and almost anything by Terry McMillan.

SP: Are they any authors who inspire you?

Portia: I enjoy the wit in Terry McMillan’s writing and the details E. Lynn Harris includes that place readers in the moment with the characters.

SP: Tell me something about yourself others may not know?

Portia: Wow. I guess a lot of people don’t know that I’m a pretty shy person until I get to know someone. Although I can talk to almost anyone and blend in with the crowd, I’m not the most outgoing person you’ll meet.

SP: What are your goals for your writing career?

Portia: I plan to finish out the Situations & Circumstances series, which is at least six novels so far. Somewhere in between writing those novels, I want to take Too Little, Too Late to the big screen and two of the other books. I also have scripts for movies that aren’t going to be written as novels first.

My ultimate goal is to one day be mentioned in the same sentence as the authors I admire. I always tell people this is not just a hobby to me. Writing is my passion, and I intend to keep improving my craft, delivering stories that continue to shock, educate, and entertain my audience for years to come. When I make it to Oprah’s couch, I think I’ll be satisfied.

SP: What inspires you to write?

Portia: Music inspires me because I’m big on listening to lyrics. I can hear a song and think of a subplot for a book I’m already writing or come up with an idea for a completely different book. When I have writer’s block, I often turn to music. I have an MP3 player with songs that relate to the book I’m writing. Usually one of the songs trigger my imagination, and I start scribbling in my notebook or the nearest paper product.

SP: Do you have a specific target audience for your book?

Portia: My main target group when I first started marketing was African-American women between the ages of 17 and 35, but in my experience so far, the majority of my readers are much older and they love the book. Men get into this book as well, and it surprises them. With that said, Too Little, Too Late transcends race, age, and gender, and has impacted far more people than I could’ve imagined.

SP: Where can the readers find more about you and your work or projects?

Portia: They can always check my website, www.portiacosby.com and www.myspace.com/portiacosby to read synopses, excerpts, and other readers’ comments. I also include information on future projects, tour dates, and book signings.

Disclaimer: This article appears as part of the The Soul Pitt by permission of the author. This article is copyrighted intellectual property, and no part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without advance reprint permission from the author.