JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Kiexiza Rodriquez, author of Beautiful: Beautiful Mess Series
(Diamond Kut Publications)
The Beautiful Mess Series, is a 5 part series about the choices we make and the unforeseen consequences of those choices. The novel Beautiful introduces you to all five friends and gives you a brief look into their lifestyle. Meet Aquarian, Vito, Shireece, Sean and Tierra, childhood friends who all land in the same New England area after college and reconnect.
That’s where things begin to get sketchy. On the outside, they all seem to have their lives together, but secretly their desires are going to be their undoing. In this series you’ll follow each of them as they reach for the stars hoping not to get swallowed up by life. By the end of Beautiful, one of these friends will be clinging to life, and another friend will land in the one place they swore never to return – seeking solace…
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write Beautiful: Beautiful Mess Series?
Kiexiza Rodriquez: Beautiful was actually supposed to be my autobiography. When I first started writing, it was to try to tell my life story, but that proved to be more difficult than I ever imagined. I wrote about my life using these characters instead. I didn’t plan on a series. When I finished Beautiful, people wanted to know more. So the series was born!
JP: What sets Beautiful: Beautiful Mess Series apart from other books in the same genre?
KR: Beautiful is more than an inspirational book. More than mystery. More than romance. It’s not street lit or urban, per say, and not Christian lit. It’s a bit of all of these genres rolled into one.
Each book in the series, while a continuing story from the previous, is also its own book. One may be more spiritual, while the next may punch you in the gut with taboo topics! My genre is Real Life. That’s what I call it. Everyone can relate to the characters and what they deal with. So far I’ve been able to provide a real cliff hanger at the end and keep readers guessing and begging for more.
JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to Beautiful: Beautiful Mess Series getting out to the public?
KR: Honestly, being an author was not in my dreams, but here we are. My life has laid a perfect blueprint with lots to pull from to add to my characters. I write with the intention of keeping my readers on the edge of their seats. If it moves me, I believe it will move the reader. I don’t focus on chapters or word count. I focus on a good story. When that story is done, I stop writing.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish Beautiful: Beautiful Mess Series?
KR: Beautiful initially took me about 6 months to write. But, I knew nothing about the industry and ran into so many road blocks. I went back to the drawing board several times with several different book covers, editors, not to mention my drive went from 100 to 10 to 75 to 50 to 0 to 85, LOL. My focus followed suit.
Eventually I was picked up by a publisher, and the final edition was released with a new cover and a few changes inside. I’m happy with this project overall because this book was first released in 2006, and in 2018 Beautiful has been blessed with a new publisher release!
JP: What’s next for Kiexiza Rodriquez?
KR: I was picked up by Diamond Kut Publications, so now I’m working on the republication of book two in the series. After that release, we’ll work on the publication of the previously unreleased book three in the Beautiful Mess Series. I’m currently reviewing and revising books two and three before I work on finishing book four and starting book five.
I’m also working on an erotic thriller, a cookbook, a poetry book, a paranormal/fantasy book and a romance novel. I don’t want to be pigeonholed into any single genre. I just want to write great books that readers across all cultures will love. I’m also working on building my business, that feeds my author career, and also bringing back my radio show.
https://kierodriquez.wixsite.com/authorkie
http://www.twitter.com/authorkiexiza
