BookReaderMagazine.com: Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?

Joey Pinkney: I am a reader/book promoter turned author. I spent many years promoting authors using social media and various websites. Now, I’m spending more time writing, publishing and marketing my own stories. I write literary fiction and pull from urban fiction, paranormal, romance, women’s fiction and historical fiction to build stories full of layers and symbolism.

I was born and raised in Memphis, TN. I went to college at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), earning a degree in Recording Industry. I’m married to my college sweetheart, and we live in Murfreesboro, TN.

I have a fictitious pet. His name is Chimmi. I’m his best friend, and he’s my worst enemy. Go figure… Occasionally, I write flash fiction pieces detailing our exploits and post it on my social media accounts.

BRM: At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?

JP: My fascination with books started before I could read. Colorful book covers for books filled with nursery rhymes caught my attention early on, and a desire to read and write soon followed. I begged my mom and dad to give me money for the elementary school’s book drives. As I got a little older, I received Child Craft books and a set of Encyclopedia Britannica.

Moving from elementary school through to middle school, I wrote short stories and poetry. In high school, I began to write rap songs. My love for rap music and hip hop is what pushed me to go to college at MTSU for Recording Industry.

After college, I began doing book reviews for various newspapers and literary websites. Doing book reviews lead to me starting an author interview series that was highly active between 2008 and 2014. In 2014, I made a personal declaration to take my writing seriously and publish more. The rest is history…

BRM: Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?

JP: Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of nonfiction in an attempt to get a better grasp on the ever-changing business of books. I don’t like to write fiction while reading other author’s fiction because it contaminates what I’m trying to do with my own story.

My favorite nonfiction genres are psychology and literature guides. My favorite fiction is the kind that is intellectually stimulating as well as entertaining.

BRM: Tell us a little about your latest book?

JP: My latest release is entitled The Legend of Tanisha Biggers. Tanisha is a young woman with a short fuse and quick hands. People in the neighborhood of Black Haven entangled Tanisha’s name in a nasty rumor alleging that she caused the death of a beloved elder of the community. Before Tanisha can clear her name, this self-professed loner finds herself in over her head. Luckily, her best friend Vida has her back no matter what. Together, they keep the notorious Lomax family from doing Tanisha harm.

This story took me a few months longer to write than initially expected. Along with the bouts of writer’s block and moments of second-guessing myself, I also found myself telling a larger story that puts into perspective the two previously published short stories “Cardinal Rule” and Swiggers.”

The thread that ties all three stories together is the enigmatic character, Theodore Roosevelt Washington aka Teddy. He makes his love interest Earline Jones laugh during their date in Cardinal Rule. Teddy continues to show his mischievous, but light-hearted, demeanor in Swiggers. In The Legend of Tanisha Biggers, Teddy is dead but still causing troubles – like only he can.

The Legend of Tanisha Biggers: a novelette is a complex literary fiction piece that introduces Pinkney’s readers to the fictitious neighborhood of Black Haven. There is a stand alone version of this story and a Deluxe Edition which also includes the short stories Cardinal Rule and Swiggers for your full reading pleasure.

This Book Reader Magazine Featured Interview was originally posted at http://bookreadermagazine.com/featured-author-joey-pinkney/.

See “The Legend of Tanisha Biggers: Deluxe Edition” at http://joeyspen.com/books/.