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Writer's Break had the pleasure of speaking with Jamise L. Dames, whose first novel, the self-published best-seller, Momma's Baby, Daddy's Maybe (Carrington House, 2003), sold thirty thousand copies. It was later picked up and re-released by Atria Books, a division of Simon and Schuster. Jamise is a published song-writer and former recording artist, a wife and mother, holds a BA degree in English and is working toward her graduate degree. Excerpts from her books may be read at her website, http://www.jamiseldames.com/. Her second novel, Pushing up Daisies, (Atria Books) is due to be released later this year.
Every writer dreams of having his or her first novel published and becoming a best-seller. This actually happened to you, even before your book was picked up by a major publishing house. What do you think contributed most to that phenomenal success?
Wow, that's a tough one to answer. Other than marketing my work wherever I went, touring endlessly, and having a great publicist, as well as a catchy title, I'd have to say that word of mouth contributed to my success. One would be surprised how much readers influence what's bought or not.
How has this success affected you?
It's affected me tremendously. Initially, I thought that no one would read my book, and why would they want to. I mean, who was I compared to the others? I was just another new writer amongst thousands of authors who'd already established themselves—they were on one end of the spectrum; they had a name and a following. I was on the other end of the spectrum; I had neither. But I was clear about what I wanted, and therefore, determined. However, it seems as if my clarity and determination didn't play a role in my success, the process moved too fast. It was [as] if one day I was unknown and unread, and the next—voilà, I was a bestseller on a few lists.
Had you been rejected by publishers before you self-published? If so, how did you deal with it?
Believe it or not, no, I'd never submitted. Submissions and rejections were not a part of my plan. Especially, after I'd heard all the horror stories. I'd always planned on self-publishing.
When you were self-published, how did you market yourself?
I hired a publicist—a great publicist. She scheduled an extensive tour, submitted my novel to the right people, marketed me on and off line, and made sure that I was where I needed to be. Making the right connections are key in any industry. I was booked for radio shows and book clubs, as well as talked to anyone who'd listen. We also sent out postcards and bookmarks.
Your book has been called a "Black reality" novel. Did you write this specifically with the Black reader in mind, or more as a universal experience?
That's also a tough question. While Momma's Baby, Daddy's Maybe may be thought of as a "Black reality" novel, it's not. The story is universal and doesn't belong to one race. In fact, neither do the main characters. They're biracial (Black and White) just as I am, but my cultural background is different (Black & Native American). I did, however, keep race in mind when I wrote the story because I've yet to find an assortment of novels with mixed characters. But, I'll keep looking.
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