It’s the last week of the 30 Days 30 Authors event, but there are still more wonderful authors to discover!
Kicking off the last week is W. Mason Dunn! Check out her interview, as well as read an excerpt from her book, Faithful Father.
Now, here’s W! 🙂
The author, W. Mason Dunn, born in Bossier City, Louisiana, received her undergraduate degree from Texas College in Business Administration and earned a graduate degree in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma. She is an established professional at Florida A&M University, where she has been employed for the last eleven years. Before joining the staff at Florida A&M, she worked for 12 years as a higher education counselor for the military while traveling with her husband before he retired from the Marine Corps after 20 years of service. The breadth of her personal and professional experiences have contributed enormously to her fascinatingly inspirational writings.
Waletta has been married for 31 years to retired Marine, Donald Michael Dunn. She is the proud mother of two young, adult children, Michael Stewart Dunn and daughter, Ashley Elaine Dunn.
Mrs. Dunn participated in many writing and speech competitions in her younger years. She traveled her home state of Louisiana participating in numerous contests, winning many of them. One of her most memorable competitions was the “Voice of Democracy Contest”. Mrs. Dunn was originally interested in journalism until she took her first accounting class in college, which catapulted her career in a different direction. However, inspired by her award-winning sister, screen and play write, Judi Ann Mason (“Sister Act II; Back In The Habit”, “A Different World”, “I’ll Fly Away”), Mrs. Dunn never lost her love and passion of writing.
1.Besides writing, what else do you like to do?
In addition to writing, I enjoy reading, solving crossword puzzles and spending time with my family.
2. What inspired you to become an author?
I am inspired to write by real-life events. I write about the practical application of God’s Word in our lives.
3. What was your first reaction when your debut novel was published?
I cried when I say my debut novel. The desire to write a novel had been planted in my heart when I was a child. It was amazing to see my dream come to fruition.
4. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
I see myself as a full time author, inspirational speaker and writing coach in the next 5 years.
5. Do you have any new projects that you are currently working on?
I am working on my 3th book, A Family Dilemma. It will be released October 2017.
6. What advice can you give to anyone who wants to become an author?
I would advice anyone who wants to become an author to do three things. First, never give up. Second, learn all you can about the craft. And third, never give up.
Excerpt from Faithful Father:
Dani was nine years old when she was kidnapped from the front porch of her grandmother’s house. Her kidnapping had been carefully planned and her captors knew exactly how to entice her.
Chocolate.
Most kids loved chocolate, and Dani was no exception.
She lived in an all-black neighborhood in Shreveport, Louisiana. An assortment of small red, gray, maple and white brick homes lined both sides of Madison Avenue. No two houses were alike. But they had one thing in common … the security that comes from being among your own kind in the racist south. One could exist for days and never see a white person outside of television. The community contained schools, shops, churches and even government services. Racial tensions were peaking in Shreveport in 1972. The Police Service Commissioner had blocked local civil rights movements and folks were trying to make it safely from one day to the next.
Even within the safety of their neighborhood, Dani was allowed to be in only one or two places-her house or her Grandmother’s house, which was two houses down. At any given time she could be found at one of the two homes.
Her best friend was Mrs. Beasley. Mrs. Beasley had a head made of vinyl. Her face was framed with square black plastic glasses. She was a blonde-haired baby doll with a soft blue and white polka dot body. They sat in our imaginary kitchen on the front porch of grandmother’s small, red-brick home. Sitting in the white metal tulip chair, Dani changed Mrs. Beasley into her new red dress.
The sound of a car slowing down in front of the house pulled Dani away from the land of make-believe. A two-door, white Chevy Impala pulled up and parked at the front curb and a woman got out.
The caramel-colored young woman walked toward Dani. She wore a tie-dyed tunic, white polyester bellbottoms, and she smiled at Dani the way a relative would smile when seeing a long-lost loved one.
The woman knelt down next to Dani and said, “I have something for you in my car.” Instantly, as she held Mrs. Beasley in my arms, Dani was scooped into the woman’s arms and into the parked car.
“Do you see that candy?” asked the woman, pointing to the back seat. Dani could see the bag of Hershey chocolates waiting for her.
“Yes.”
Dani wondered how the woman knew that Hershey Chocolate bars were her favorite.
Dani jumped across the front seat toward the candy. The sweat from her legs squeaked against the vinyl seats as she made her way to the bag. Mommee would never allow her to eat candy before lunch. But Momme was at work and would never find out.
Before she could put the first piece of chocolate in her mouth, they were all three-including Mrs. Beasley-sitting in the car and speeding down the street.
Out of the rear window, Dani could see Grandmother’s house moving farther and farther away.
She never saw Mommee or Grandmother again.
Win W’s book, More Than Sisters, as well as books from each participating author, in the 30 Days giveaway!
To enter, please click on the link below:
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