Please Welcome Author...K.T. Bishop!!

Today, I want to honor an author friend of mine, K.T. Bishop. His debut novel, Picking Cotton, by Red Rose Publishing, is being released this coming Thursday, April 16, 2009!!! It's an Interracial Sports Romance Novel and I'm so excited for him. He is doing an interview for me next week over at Moonlight, Lace and Mayhem, so I thought I'd post a partial of it to help garner him and his book some additional promotion.

Readers can check out K.T.'s websites at www.myspace.com/kenibird and http://www.kenibird.blogspot.com/

K.T.'S INTERVIEW

How do you feel with the book coming out?

K.T.: A little relieved. It’s been a long time coming. I wrote this book during the Fourth of July in 2007. An E-book company rejected me five months later. I got encouragement by a fellow author to not give up and rewrite it. Three months later, I submitted it to Red Rose and here I am.

What was the reason behind writing a football romance?

K.T.: Football has a lot of interesting storylines, especially with the quarterback and cheerleader. They are the two most popular people in school.

What makes the Cotton book different?

K.T.: I’ve seen countless interracial romance angles between white men and black women. Rarely have I seen any about the black men/ white women. The white woman/black man has been discussed on talk shows, but never put into a book.

Do you have any advice to fledgling authors?

K.T.: Don’t get discouraged about getting your manuscript rejected. Rejection is part of the business. I’m working on a history book about the black QB’s in the Canadian Football League. I’ve built up enough nerve to write and not get weary of being rejected.

The$ 64,000 question-- Tell us about PICKING COTTON

K.T.: The interracial football romance story takes place in the summer of 1985 where M.L. Cotton begins his dream of becoming a Division I-A quarterback at a Deep South school from Spanish Fort, Alabama. It’s the first book in the Cotton Series.

Bonus round: Can you give us an excerpt of your book:

ML was headed out to find Jennifer, just as Randy emerged from the bathroom.

“Hey where you going partner.”

“I’m going to find this girl I met today named Jennifer.”

“You talking about that cheerleading exhibit on the other side?”

“I guess so.”

“My girlfriend’s over there; I was going to take her out to eat dinner. You can come.”

The idea of a three-some appealed to him about as much as getting a root canal. Jennifer was the only thing on his mind.

The duo drove to the girls’ dorm in Randy’s pick-up truck. He asked for Monica Talbert at the front desk. The five-foot-six blonde emerged from the elevator, softly kissing Randy.

“This is my roommate, ML Cotton, and he’s gonna join us for dinner, if that’s cool.”

Monica asked the two quarterbacks if her roommate could accompany them. “I don’t want to leave her alone.”

Randy nodded in approval.

ML said, “Why not, I have nothing to lose.”

His heart pounded like a bass drum when Monica introduced Jennifer to him and Randy. It was his second encounter with the long-legged goddess. Once again, he turned into a statue in her presence.

He saw the recognition in her eyes and began stuttering, “Y-you’re that girl who gave me directions today.”

She giggled and extended her hand. “I’m Jennifer Monet’, and you are…”

Remaining in a Zombie-like trance, Randy wound up introducing them both.

“I’m Randy Fonte, and this is ML Cotton of Spanish Fort, Alabama . It’s our pleasure to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you both.”

He didn’t even notice when Randy snapped his fingers in front of his eyes. He was locked into Jennifer like a kid in a candy store. He admired everything about her, especially her tight blue jean shorts with a white low-cut blouse.

Jennifer abruptly ended his silence, bellowing, “Yo, I’m hungry, let’s get the hell out of here.”
“Uh, wait here. I need to go get the car; we all can’t fit into his truck.”

While riding back across campus, Randy offered advice on this sweltering evening.

“Get it together buddy.”

“I’ve never seen anyone so pretty before. She almost made me forget why I’m at this camp.”

“Just be yourself, and you’ll be fine.” Waiting for the guys to return, Monica teased Jennifer about a secret admirer, “someone has a crush on you, doo-dah, doo-dah.”

“Oh great, I have a guy who’ll stare at me all night and a badly singing roommate.”