Local Author Series #4 -- CJ Omololu

What kind of books do you read for fun ?? Because of what I write, I mainly read young adult novels in order to keep up with what everyone else is doing – the young adult writing community is really closely knit and I like to have read the books of authors I get to meet. I haven’t read a grown-up book in forever although I do have THE HELP loaded onto my Kindle.

How did you get into writing ?? Totally by accident. When my kids were small, I thought that somebody should write picture books with biracial characters in them – not finding too many, I decided to try it myself. A few years later, I managed to get a picture book published (WHEN IT’s SIX O’CLOCK in SAN FRANCISCO). One of my critique partners was writing young adult novels and I thought it looked fun, so I gave it a shot. Turns out, it’s what I love to do.

What inspired you do a book ?? My first novel DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS was inspired by an article I read in Marie Claire magazine about adult children of hoarders. I ended up doing a lot of research so that I could get all of the details right. I love writing characters who are in their mid-teens. It’s such an emotional and pivotal time. Plus I think I’m emotionally stunted at about the age of 16.

Do you have another job besides writing ?? Nope. I’m lucky enough to not have to go get a ‘day’ job for now.

Chocolate or Vanilla ?? Chocolate. Extra points if there is peanut butter involved.

Barnes Noble or Indie book store ?? I love shopping and supporting indie stores so I do as often as I can. Whenever I go to a local signing, it usually costs me a ton in new books that I just have to have. That said, the chains like Barnes and Noble and Borders have been really good to DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS, so my loyalties are a little split.

Best experience with a fan ?? I was in LA for a conference and a blogger recognized me and asked for a photo. Totally blew me away. Some of my best moments have been the emails that I’ve gotten from people who have had hoarding touch their lives. I usually try to put them in touch with people who can help better than I can. It’s just nice to know that you’ve made one person not feel so alone.

Was it hard to get into the publishing world ?? Every step is difficult. Learning how to write a book that will sell is hard. Even if you have the best idea in the world, if it isn’t marketable, then it’s going to be a no-go. The learning curve on that is pretty steep. Then you have to get an agent – I got lucky in that regard, as I met my agent at a conference and she signed me when I had a decent book ready. Then once you have an agent you think it’s all smooth sailing, but we still haven’t sold that very first book. We’ve sold three others, but not that first one. Then you have to edit and promote it when it comes out and then start all over again with a new book. I guess all things that are worth doing are difficult in one way or another.

Whats on your night stand ?? A lamp, a clock radio and THE DARK DEVINE by Bree Despain and HOLD STILL by Nina LeCour.

Favorite color ?? Green.

What do watch on TV ?? Hoarders, Help I’m a Hoarder, and Hoarding: Buried Alive. Sensing a theme there. I also watch The Big Bang Theory, Toddlers and Tiaras (to make me feel like I’m not the worst parent in the world), CSI (Vegas only – all others are cheap imitations) and the BBC series Doc Martin. I’m finally getting into Modern Family because everyone I respect loves it. I can’t live without Tivo.

Writing and kids ? How do you do it? I started when mine were really young and it was much harder. It’s hard enough to think straight long enough to write a grocery list let alone an entire book. Now they’re in school most of the day, but I still do a lot of my actual fiction writing late at night when everyone has gone to bed. That seems to be when I’m the most ‘on’.

What are you working on right now ?? I’m waiting for edits on my paranormal series DESTINED. The final of that is due in May and it should come out in June of 2012, followed by the sequel FATED in February of 2013. In the meantime, I’m working on the first draft of another contemporary ‘issue’ YA called MY LIFE IN BLACK and WHITE about race and identity in small town America.

Bloggers and books ?? Do they help with book buzz ?? Heck yeah. I think the blogging community has really helped get the word out about my book – it’s done pretty well, and largely on word of mouth. Love those bloggers.

Music playlists ?? whats on yours ?? (Sheepishly) I don’t actually own an iPod. That’s a bit scandalous right? I don’t listen to music when I’m actually writing because I find it distracting, but I have a lot of songs that I listen to over and over before I write for inspiration. For DESTINED, I listened to Break Even by the Script over and over (and over – just ask my kids), along with Pearl Jam’s Just Breathe and The Only Exception by Paramour. There’s a lot of romance in the book and those songs just struck a chord with where I was in the story.

Does being in California or Northern California affect the story ?? I can only write about places that I’m really familiar with, so a lot of people have recognized places in DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS because I set it in my neighborhood. DESTINED is set in San Francisco and Berkeley and BLACK AND WHITE is set in Texas because I spend a fair amount of time there visiting relatives. I realized this when I tried to set a book in the Midwest and found out that I didn’t know enough about living in snow to make it work. Besides a year in Scotland, I’ve only lived in California, so most of my stories are going to be set somewhere in the state, otherwise it just wouldn’t ring true. Someone will always call you on it if you get the details wrong.


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Thanks so much for being here Cynthia and I have heard nothing but great things about your book. I admit that I still need to read it.