A CONVERSATION WITH MARY MONROE (Interviewed by The RBM)
The RBM: When did you know that you wanted to write professionally?
Mary Monroe: As soon as I learned the alphabet I knew that I wanted to write professionally.
The RBM: What inspired your wanting to write?
Mary Monroe: I was born with an overactive imagination and I grew up around some very colorful people.
All of my stories are based on my own personal experiences or the experiences of people I know.
The RBM: How difficult was it for you to publish your first book? Do you believe that race played a
role in the difficulty or ease?
Mary Monroe: My first novel “The Upper Room,” was originally published in February 1985. But it took
two years for my agent to sell it and it collected fifty-five rejection slips before we secured a contract. Yes,
race did play a role in the difficulty that I had getting published. A lot of publishers told me that black people
didn't read or buy books. Most of the black people I knew back then and even now read several books a
month. The reason black people were not buying books by black people back then was because there
weren't that many available!
The RBM: Our Community is made up of aspiring writers of all genres, so what would you tell them
about the publishing industry they should know that isn't really talked about?
Mary Monroe: Successful authors need to talk more about rejection letters. Aspiring authors should expect
to get rejected. When I was twelve I collected my first rejection slip from Reader’s Digest. Since then I've
collected enough to wallpaper every room and ceiling in a large house. One day I received seven rejection
slips at the same time. A lot of aspiring writers have told me that they are not worried about getting rejected
because their grandmother told them their material was so good that it won’t get rejected. Well, I've
published six bestsellers but my publisher rejected a book I proposed last year…
The RBM: Your book "In Sheep's Clothing" is currently listed as #1 on Essence's June Best Seller
List. For those Community Members who aren't familiar with it, can you briefly tell us about your
book?
Mary Monroe: “In Sheep’s Clothing” deals with the fastest growing crime in America: identity theft.
Millions of people have been victimized and I was one of them. I decided to write about it from the
perpetrator’s point of view since they are the ones who seem to be having all the fun! The person who stole
my identity took a cruise, purchase designer clothes, sex toys, alcohol, and other items. The main character
in my novel gets back at a mean co-worker by stealing her identity. However, things backfire when a hit
man who is looking for the mean co-worker comes after the wrong woman.
The RBM: When I initially contacted you about this interview, you mentioned how busy you were
with traveling. What have you been up to?
Mary Monroe: In addition to multi-city book tours that can last for several weeks and a lot of other writing
related commitments like completing two books this year, I have a family to take care of. I like to read at
least two books a week, travel for pleasure, go to movies and dinner with friends, shop, go to the beach, and
answer the tons of email I receive. I am so busy now that I have to look at my daily calendar before I do
anything.
The RBM: With every new project, do you measure success based off what your previous work has
done? Do you think new authors tend to define success that way?
Mary Monroe: I don’t measure my success like that but I know some new authors who feel that they have
to outdo themselves with each new project. I just try to do a good job with each book. I have a lot of very
loyal fans now and because of them I’d rather improve myself than prove myself.
The RBM: How difficult is it really to be an author of color in the mainstream publishing industry?
Is it better to focus towards issues or situations that relate to a certain audience?
Mary Monroe: It is a lot easier for authors of color these days than it was back in the eighties. I think the
fact that a lot of black authors self-published and sold a lot of books on their own helped change the way the
publishing industry looks at us. My main characters are black but they get caught up in situations that almost
anybody can relate to. If you are only interested in securing a certain audience, I think it is better for an
author to focus on an issue or a situation that pertains that audience.
The RBM: How is the feeling you get when an editor or author house feels differently about your
manuscript than you do? Has this ever happened?
Mary Monroe: It is horrible feeling when your editor or agent hates a manuscript that you believe in. I've
published six books but I've written more than two dozen. Most of the books I've written over the years are
stacked up in my closet collecting dust because some editor or agent didn't like them as much as I did. I plan
to revise them all some day and I hope to get them all published.
The RBM: Is there money in the world of publishing? How important is having patience when you
are a new author?
Mary Monroe: Most writers don’t earn enough money to live on. In addition to a $5000 advance my first
book earned me only a couple of hundred dollars. That was it. Now I make enough to live a very
comfortable lifestyle. I know one author who has published over twenty books and she has made next to
nothing. I know another author who gets six million dollar advances.
The RBM: Thank you for the opportunity to ask some questions and you answering them. Is there
and additional advice you can give our Community Members and site visitors?
Mary Monroe: Learn as much as you can about this business and be realistic. Don’t expect success to
happen overnight. Even though only ONE of out of every several thousand manuscripts submitted each
month gets published, that one could be yours some day.
You can read more about Mary Monroe by visiting her official website: MaryMonroe.org
The RBM: When did you know that you wanted to write professionally?
Mary Monroe: As soon as I learned the alphabet I knew that I wanted to write professionally.
The RBM: What inspired your wanting to write?
Mary Monroe: I was born with an overactive imagination and I grew up around some very colorful people.
All of my stories are based on my own personal experiences or the experiences of people I know.
The RBM: How difficult was it for you to publish your first book? Do you believe that race played a
role in the difficulty or ease?
Mary Monroe: My first novel “The Upper Room,” was originally published in February 1985. But it took
two years for my agent to sell it and it collected fifty-five rejection slips before we secured a contract. Yes,
race did play a role in the difficulty that I had getting published. A lot of publishers told me that black people
didn't read or buy books. Most of the black people I knew back then and even now read several books a
month. The reason black people were not buying books by black people back then was because there
weren't that many available!
The RBM: Our Community is made up of aspiring writers of all genres, so what would you tell them
about the publishing industry they should know that isn't really talked about?
Mary Monroe: Successful authors need to talk more about rejection letters. Aspiring authors should expect
to get rejected. When I was twelve I collected my first rejection slip from Reader’s Digest. Since then I've
collected enough to wallpaper every room and ceiling in a large house. One day I received seven rejection
slips at the same time. A lot of aspiring writers have told me that they are not worried about getting rejected
because their grandmother told them their material was so good that it won’t get rejected. Well, I've
published six bestsellers but my publisher rejected a book I proposed last year…
The RBM: Your book "In Sheep's Clothing" is currently listed as #1 on Essence's June Best Seller
List. For those Community Members who aren't familiar with it, can you briefly tell us about your
book?
Mary Monroe: “In Sheep’s Clothing” deals with the fastest growing crime in America: identity theft.
Millions of people have been victimized and I was one of them. I decided to write about it from the
perpetrator’s point of view since they are the ones who seem to be having all the fun! The person who stole
my identity took a cruise, purchase designer clothes, sex toys, alcohol, and other items. The main character
in my novel gets back at a mean co-worker by stealing her identity. However, things backfire when a hit
man who is looking for the mean co-worker comes after the wrong woman.
The RBM: When I initially contacted you about this interview, you mentioned how busy you were
with traveling. What have you been up to?
Mary Monroe: In addition to multi-city book tours that can last for several weeks and a lot of other writing
related commitments like completing two books this year, I have a family to take care of. I like to read at
least two books a week, travel for pleasure, go to movies and dinner with friends, shop, go to the beach, and
answer the tons of email I receive. I am so busy now that I have to look at my daily calendar before I do
anything.
The RBM: With every new project, do you measure success based off what your previous work has
done? Do you think new authors tend to define success that way?
Mary Monroe: I don’t measure my success like that but I know some new authors who feel that they have
to outdo themselves with each new project. I just try to do a good job with each book. I have a lot of very
loyal fans now and because of them I’d rather improve myself than prove myself.
The RBM: How difficult is it really to be an author of color in the mainstream publishing industry?
Is it better to focus towards issues or situations that relate to a certain audience?
Mary Monroe: It is a lot easier for authors of color these days than it was back in the eighties. I think the
fact that a lot of black authors self-published and sold a lot of books on their own helped change the way the
publishing industry looks at us. My main characters are black but they get caught up in situations that almost
anybody can relate to. If you are only interested in securing a certain audience, I think it is better for an
author to focus on an issue or a situation that pertains that audience.
The RBM: How is the feeling you get when an editor or author house feels differently about your
manuscript than you do? Has this ever happened?
Mary Monroe: It is horrible feeling when your editor or agent hates a manuscript that you believe in. I've
published six books but I've written more than two dozen. Most of the books I've written over the years are
stacked up in my closet collecting dust because some editor or agent didn't like them as much as I did. I plan
to revise them all some day and I hope to get them all published.
The RBM: Is there money in the world of publishing? How important is having patience when you
are a new author?
Mary Monroe: Most writers don’t earn enough money to live on. In addition to a $5000 advance my first
book earned me only a couple of hundred dollars. That was it. Now I make enough to live a very
comfortable lifestyle. I know one author who has published over twenty books and she has made next to
nothing. I know another author who gets six million dollar advances.
The RBM: Thank you for the opportunity to ask some questions and you answering them. Is there
and additional advice you can give our Community Members and site visitors?
Mary Monroe: Learn as much as you can about this business and be realistic. Don’t expect success to
happen overnight. Even though only ONE of out of every several thousand manuscripts submitted each
month gets published, that one could be yours some day.
You can read more about Mary Monroe by visiting her official website: MaryMonroe.org
Check out our other
exclusive Spotlighted
Author interviews!!
June '06
Vincent Alexandria
July '06
Mary Monroe
August '06
Cold August
September '06
L.R. Hatcher
October '06
Various
November '06
Melanie C. Jordan
December '06
Mark Goggins
January '07
San Culberson
February '07
Rhyme Cypha
March '07
Lesley S Munyuki
April '07
Joseph Phillips
May '07
Hannah Drake
June '07
Kateb Nuri Shunnar
exclusive Spotlighted
Author interviews!!
June '06
Vincent Alexandria
July '06
Mary Monroe
August '06
Cold August
September '06
L.R. Hatcher
October '06
Various
November '06
Melanie C. Jordan
December '06
Mark Goggins
January '07
San Culberson
February '07
Rhyme Cypha
March '07
Lesley S Munyuki
April '07
Joseph Phillips
May '07
Hannah Drake
June '07
Kateb Nuri Shunnar
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