Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, Shadress Denise is a graphic designer, and newly published author. She has written poetry and short stories for over ten years. Denise attended DeVry University where she earned her degree in Graphic Design. and is currently attending Lindenwood University to earn her Masters in Communications.
With such a strong passion for the arts, Shadress Denise has written five books of poetry and one set of short stories that have not yet been released. Her fifth book, Disturbia, is a collection of letters and poems, and was her debut publication in February 2014. Shadress Denise has recently released Who Do You Love?, the first book in a new series.
The Situation Room with Michelle Cuttino sat down with Shadress Denise to find out about her novels, and what more we can expect from her in the future.
Michelle: Tell us a little about yourself.
Shadress: Well I am the only girl of six boys. I love to read and of course write. I am a tomboy, a bit of an adrenaline junkie and risk taker I would say. I love trying new things whether its fashion, food, or just a new experience altogether. I love to sing and actually can, but never really do it in public LOL. I am very family oriented and I am definitely my true self when I am around my family. I would say I am a goofball and although I have a hard outer shell, I am a softy at heart.
Michelle: How did growing up in St. Louis, MO shape you as a writer?
Shadress: I had a very fun childhood. I didn’t grow up rich, but my brothers and I had what we needed. I learned to be creative with what I had to work with. Whether it was family events, church functions or school, I had a different experience/funny story wherever I was.
Michelle: When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
Shadress: Well I’ve always loved to read, so naturally writing fell into that. From book reports to papers, I always found a way to make it fun. I love the art of storytelling, and I enjoy finding new ways to come up with plots and storylines.
Michelle: Poetry seems to be a big part of you. From where do you draw inspiration for your poems?
Shadress: I would say my life. Past relationships whether they are mine or the people around me gives me inspiration. With poetry, I am always in a different zone. There’s a deeper place you go to when you’re writing poetry. I feel with writing you have to become the character you are trying to portray, it makes it more real. I place myself back in those relationships so I am able to embody those feelings again.
Michelle: Disturbia is your debut release, and it is a collection of letters and poems. What can we expect to find within its pages?
Shadress: Love, betrayal, sex, mixed emotions from two people who have been trying to find their way regarding their relationship. They love each other but they can’t seem to get it right. It shows the ups and downs of two people that are soul mates. They are simply trying to find their way back to the middle.
Michelle: How did you choose which works would be included in Disturbia?
Shadress: Well, whenever I start a new poetry book anything I write naturally at that time goes into that book. All of the poems have a certain flow because I am trying to tell a story. I write until I get that feeling that this is the last poem that will complete the book.
Michelle: Who Do You Love? is your recently released fiction novel. What is the book about?
Shadress: This book is my first full-length novel so it took a different route from my poetry. It’s about a girl who moved away to finish school and start over. She wants to be free of her mother’s influence and live her own life. In doing this she moves into an apartment complex, meets two of the tenants and indulges in waving her freak flag. There are some twists to the story that will have you turning the pages.
Michelle: Give us some background on the main character, Rylee Reece Coltrane.
Shadress: Rylee is rebellious and a bit of a free spirit at heart. She’s 26, a Pisces and determined to be herself at all costs. She lives her own life, and is trying to climb out from her mother’s image. She loves music, art and fashion so she wants to find her footing within that world. She has two sisters and comes from a pretty big family. Aside from that, she has an ex who is trying to get her back, but she wants nothing to do with him while finding her way on this new path of sexual liberation. Rylee is your typical twenty-something woman who is on a path of self-discovery, sexual freedom and search for love.
Michelle: Where did you get the idea for this storyline?
Shadress: The original storyline came from a contest I won. Once I found out I won, I changed it around to create more of a fun read.
Michelle: Why did you choose to release Who do You Love? as a series, and not a stand-alone title?
Shadress: The series idea came from my publishing company. Once they told me they would like to make it a series, I had to come up with three different ways to end the books and keep people reading to the end.
Michelle: I know you are planning to release The Sidechick Chronicles this year. Tell us about this project.
Shadress: It’s funny how this came about. Originally, the Chronicles was just a monthly article I wrote for a magazine. I wanted to tell this story from four different women’s perspective. A lot of times there is a stigma that is associated with this type of woman, so I wanted to flip it a bit. After I wrote two articles, I decided to turn them into a project.
Michelle: What else can we expect from Shadress Denise in the future?
Shadress: Well I actually have different books that I plan to release between now and 2017. In addition to that, I want to get into some media platforms whether its television, radio or the big screen. I am an Art major, so I want to utilize my degrees regarding my projects. I would also like to get into turning my projects into stage plays. The things to do list is long and is still growing….LOL!
Michelle: What do you want to be remembered for as an author?
Shadress: Versatility! Anyone who knows me knows I don’t like be put into a box no matter what I may be doing. I like different and new. I am always growing and learning; therefore, I want to put those things to good use. I want my body of work to be a little of everything to appease a wide array of readers.
Michelle: Please tell our readers how they can contact and/or follow you.
Shadress: Well I’m just about everywhere these days J! I can be found on the different sites below:
Website: www.iamshadressdenise.com
Facebook: Authoress Shadress Denise
Instagram: @shadressdenise
Twitter: @iShadressDenise
Google+: @Shadress Denise
Goodreads: Shadress Denise
About The Book
“The devil is alive and well, living at the tip of this man’s tongue. He removed everything but my soul as I lay here trying to figure if I’m still breathing or if this outer body experience means I have crossed over into the afterlife….”
Meet Rylee Reece Coltrane, the new girl on the block in an upscale apartment complex located in New Orleans. In efforts to put some distance between her and her overbearing mother, she lands smack dab in the middle of paradise or ecstasy if you consider the liberating heights of her sexuality she has come to know. Engaging in an illustrious sexual affair with neighbors Micah and Asha; she stumbles on some earth-shattering information. With her past chasing her and her present holding her in hostage in a world of pleasure what will she do? Will she end things with them or will she continue to be twisted up in this web of ecstasy?