Author Spotlight

Beginning this month, I am opening my blog as a platform for author's to share their work. They will also be featured on my monthly newsletter.

Today, on the inaugural post of Author Spotlight, welcome FL Beaty, author of Broken Chains.

F L Beaty (Born Fredrick Lamar Beaty) found the love of writing early in childhood. Writing short stories, poems, and even creating a comic book with his twin brother Cedric, where he served as a colorist and contributed to the writing of the character dialogue. After his military commitment ended, he traveled between Georgia and California, settling in California for a while to focus on music writing and creation. The call of home became too great, so he moved back to Georgia to focus again on music, but the call of writing was something he could not resist. He resumed writing short stories and poems, submitting some of his work in local and national contest, gaining some national recognition. Deciding to shift his focus to novel-length work, he began research on his first book. He shifted his focus from research to writing when he started "A Broken Circle", his first published work from Diamond Kut Publications in 2017. Since then, he has hosted "The Author's Alley" radio show powered Diversity Of The Minds Blazing Heat Radio. The 3 year Navy veteran currently resides in Tampa, FL with his lovely wife Erica and their 3 children.

Tanisha D Jones: Hi FL , welcome to my blog. It's great that you could take the time to talk to me today. So, let's get right into this, tell me about your current work.

FL Beaty: My current work is Broken Chains which is book one of my Healed Series.

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It is never easy to break the chains of abuse. Even when those chains are broken, the residue of being shackled persist. Levitica, LJ, Jared, and Kareena have made the choice to leave their abusive situations, but as each of them finds out, their is a cost to be exacted from that action. Will it destroy them, or will they become empowered? The first book in the Healed Series, tackles a very hard hitting but seldom spoken upon subject: Abuse. This emotionally charged story will tug at your heartstrings and compel you to take action.

TDJ: Will this be its own extended universe or a trilogy or 4 book saga? Have you even planned that far out? I ask because I am writing the third in my Fallen series and see it as an extended universe.

FLB: I have actually planned that far out. There are two more books in my Healed series.

TDJ: Do you write more than one genre?

FLB: I also write Military Fiction and I am dabbling in Erotica.

TDJ: Will your military and erotic fiction ever intersect? I ask because there are several romance authors who specialize in military themed romance. Is that your direction or more Tom Clancy?

FLB: It is a distinct possibility they would collide, but more than likely not. I look at my military fiction to be more of Tom Clancy or W.E.B. Griffin.

TDJ: Do you find it harder to write in one genre over another?

FLB: Not really. I have very active imagination and that allows me to write in more than one genre.

TDJ: So you pull from your military career for research? Do you think that will help with the Erotica as well? I mean military erotica , I don’t know if it’s a thing but you could be a pioneer, right?

FLB: Hmmmmmm. That could be a first.

TDJ: Why did you choose this particular genre?

FLB: I write in the genres that I write in to bring awareness to the real life situation and condition we as humans all go through.

TDJ: What inspired it?

FLB: My own personal situations and the need for healing.

TDJ: So you are a conscious storyteller? You not only want to entertain but reach and help others. That’s admirable and very inspiring.

FLB: Thank you.

TDJ: How do you write? Do you start and stop? Or write furiously until it’s done?

FLB: Actually I write everything using pen and paper first then I transfer it to Microsoft Word.

I do start and stop. Usually when the thought is completed. Can’t write like that. I would lose my train of thought.

TDJ: Do you plot or are you a pantser?

FLB: I actually am a plotter. I like to think about intricate plots.

TDJ: You are much better than me. I start plotting but my characters tend to have a mind of their own. Do you have characters or plot points that change from your original concept?

FLB: The character of Kareen. I had conceptualized her way different than how I ended up writing her (her mother is black and her father is from Saudi Arabia) .

TDJ: Do you have any strange writing habits?

FLB: Not that I am aware of. Ask my wife for confirmation of that….lol.

TDJ: Haha, I’m pretty sure she has some stories she can tell. But maybe for another time.

Do you read your reviews?

FLB: Yes Do you respond to them, good or bad? I do respond to reviews whether good or bad. It helps me to improve as a writer.

TDJ: I feel the same. But you also have to have a thick skin because some people can be brutal.

FLB: They sure can. I try not to dwell on the negative reviews too much.

TDJ: Name 3 authors/books that impacted your writing.

FLB: This is a combination of both. The books that impacted my writing was Tom Clancy’s Red Storm Rising, and Anne McCaffrey’s Dragon Riders of Pern Series. Both introduced me to great storytelling, and well rounded, yet complex characters. Several authors have impacted me but none more than Tom Clancy. He was the reason I wanted to get into writing.

TDJ: Is he who you look at in terms of how you want your career to progress?

FLB: Yes and no. I see the tremendous success Mr. Clancy's books and series have become and even crossed over into other media such a video games. He is the bar that I set myself again in my writing. But I see my writing having a more heartfelt reach.

TDJ: If you could cast your characters in the Hollywood adaptation of your book, who would play your characters?

FLB: For Jared, I would pick Michael B. Jordan (or Will Smith). For Levitica, I would pick Lupita Nyong’o. For Kareena, I pick Gal Gadot (or Letitia Wright). For LJ, I would pick Tyler James Williams.

TDJ: I’m all for Michael B. Jordan, because well…look at him. Tyler James Williams has grown into quite the actor. Loved him in Dear White People, and he has two younger brothers who are just as awesome. I find the Gal Gadot and Letitia Wright casting complete opposites. Is it the attitude or body type? A mix of both? May I add a happy medium- Zendaya?

FLB: I actually like Zendaya. I think that her and Letitia Wright would play a very strong and convincing Kareena because for Kareena and her story, there is a strong emotional investment because her pain will reveal her amazing strength. I think Gal Gadot was little ambitious…..lol

TDJ: What are you working on now?

FLB: Currently, I am working on the next article for the print/digital magazine I write for: The Lyfe Magazine, and I am one of several co-authors of a devotional that speaks to suicide.

TDJ: What is your next project?

FLB: I am working on book two of the Healed Series, and I am developing a plot for a military thriller that I am planning.

TDJ: That is awesome. Would you share the link? The thriller as well I would love to maybe share them in my monthly newsletters.

FLB: Most definitely. Book two is not quite ready yet. I will most definitely be sharing the link once they both become live.

TDJ: Last Question: Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?

FLB: As a best-selling writer, and an advocate for not only domestic violence/abuse, but for suicide and depression.

TDJ: That is fantastic. Please be sure to keep us updated on all of your projects. Thanks for taking the time to speak with me and share your stories. I look forward to exciting thing from you.

FLB: Indeed. I am truly honored.

Follow FL Beaty:

Instagram: ganz72

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ganz72

Twitter: @authorflbeaty