Author Bio:
Kezia Arterberry is a published Author, Inspirational Spoken Word Poet and Behavioral Health Technician. Kezia, a Phoenix native, graduated from Grand Canyon University in 2015 with her BS in Psychology. Post graduation, she has worked in the Behavior Health field with adults who have been diagnosed with Serious Mental Illness, as well as at-risk girls in a therapeutic group home setting. Kezia’s goal is to motivate, encourage and inspire people to embrace who they are without shame, pursue their dreams and to live their lives operating in their God given purpose. She desires to see people happy, successful and thriving!
What inspires you to write?
Writing for me has always been my preferred form of self expression. So, the poetry and books that I write are usually inspired by my personal experiences or things that I have witnessed. My goal when writing is always to take what I've learned from those experiences and to find a creative way to share the struggles and successes in a way that motivates and encourages someone else to overcome, conquer and thrive, despite what they may be experiencing in their own lives.
Tell us about your writing process.
You know what, I'd definitely describe myself as a go with the flow writer. I tend write upon impulse. As soon as I am struck with inspiration, I have to pull out a notebook or even the notepad on my cellphone and just start writing away. The only time I've ever really outlined before writing was when I was in grade school. Other than that, I've always just gone with the flow. And, once I've finished, then I go back and go through a rigorous editing process, which includes having someone else look over my writing as well. Because I love going with the flow and being spontaneous with my writing, I guess its not surprise that I typically don't adhere to a specific writing schedule. However, that is something that I did commit to doing as I wrote my most recent book, Empower You! I set a goal of writing at least 2 to 3 pages of my book a day. And, surprisingly that worked well for me. But, I think it was largely because I was so passionate about the topic I was writing about, that once I got going it was easy to just.. flow!
Who are your favorite authors?
Without question, V.C. Andrews is my favorite author hands down. While I have read so many of her books already, there are soo many that I have yet to read. Her books are thrilling, mysterious and really keep me sitting on the edge of my seat. And one thing that never fails, at the the end of each book, I'm always left wanting more! My favorite books by V.C. Andrews are Flowers in the Attic, My Sweet Audrina and Whitefern. Other authors that I love are writers of personal development and success, non-fiction titles; Steve Harvey and Brian Tracy just to name a few.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I have done both traditional and self-publishing in the past. Both experiences were not necessarily positive for me, because I was inexperienced and did not do my research before beginning the publishing process. So, in both experiences, I was left with a box of books, with no support or knowledge in how to market my book beyond close friends and family. For my most recent book, I decided to self-publish, because I really want to be hands-on in every aspect of publishing this book from cover design, editing, etc. I want to learn as I go, because the experience and knowledge is priceless.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I believe that the future of book publishing is bright! There is a lot of opportunities for monetizing when you publish a book. However, I do believe that authors are moving away from traditional publishing options and are moving more towards hybrid and self-publishing options instead. And of course, we are in the digital age now, so we will likely continue to see an increase in the amount of e-books and audio books being sold vs paperbacks.
What genres do you write?
romance, non-fiction, self-help, motivation, poetry, fiction
What formats are your books in?
eBook, Print
Website(s)
Kezia Arterberry Home Page Link
Follow Kezia Arterberry On Amazon
All information is provided by the author and is presented as it was submitted so you the reader get to hear the author’s own “voice” in their interview.
