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-BIO-

Philana Marie Boles is the author of the novels Blame It on Eve and In the Paint as well as Little Divas, the popular and critically acclaimed novel for 'tweens.

Prior to the publication of her debut novel, Philana Marie Boles (affectionately referred to as "P.Marie" by those who know her best) lived in New York City where she had the honor of working for filmmaker Spike Lee in his Brooklyn based development office.

From film, Boles moved over to public relations whhen she worked at Glamour magazine as assistant to Martin Blair, then director of media relations.

Currently listed on Detroit Public Library's "recommended reading list" as voted on by librarians, Philana Marie Boles earned a BFA in Creative Writing and Theater from Bowling Green State University, where she was granted acting, leadership as well as speech and debate scholarships. While a student, Boles won state titles for BGSU in both dramatics and poetry performance.

As a teenager growing up in Toledo Ohio, Philana Marie Boles began writing, directing, and producing her own stageplays and musicals at just fifteen years old and was featured on BET's "Teen Summit" and won a national NAACP ACT-SO award as a result.


Currently, and in addition to writing novels, Boles works as a freelance journalist, inspirational speaker, creative consultant, screenwriter, playwright, and substitute teacher.

To her students, she is simply "Miss B".

INTERVIEW
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Q: Where are you originally from?

A: I was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, better known as “The Glass City” of the Midwest. Famous Toledoans from my hometown include Jamie Farr from M*A*S*H, Grammy Award Winning Songstress Anita Baker, R&B Icon Shirley Murdock (also an alum from my high school), Actress Katie Holmes from Dawson’s Creek, NBA Basketball player Jimmy Jackson, and Sony Recording Artist “Lyfe” Jennings.

Q: Can you tell us your latest book news?

A: My sophomore novel, In the Paint, was recently released by HarperCollins and my third, for middle-grade young readers, will be released in the fall.

Q: How old were you when you first started writing?

A: I wrote my first poem in the 1st grade and my teacher, Mrs. Browning, let me read it to the class.
I started my first novel in the second grade, however.

Q: When did you first realize you had the potential to be a writer?

A: When, as a child, my friends and I used to make our Barbies act out really well planned scripts. I still remember the plot where there was a big welcome-to-the-neighborhood pool party for the Heart Family and Ken saved Skipper from drowning.

Q: What was your inspiration to write your first novel?

A: The character of Shawni Baldwin. She was a sketch from college, where I studied Creative Writing. While living in NYC I needed a really great character for a writing project with another writer. That project never developed any further, but Shawni Baldwin was born and being that I’m definitely a character driven author I surrendered to telling her story.

Q: Is there anyone or anything that inspired you to write?

A: My parents. I used to imagine great things and they encouraged me to not only imagine, but also to believe. And also my high school English Lit teacher, Mrs. Rode. I told her one day that I wanted to write a novel someday and she replied, very matter-of-factly, “Who is anyone to tell you that you can’t?”

Q: How has your environment/upbringing colored your writing?

A: It takes a lot of nerve, courage, and faith, to aspire to write professionally, but I grew up in an environment where dreams were encouraged and support was always present. My parents are my everything. I think, even if not a parent, every writer had someone to encourage them along the way. Words have a way of branding your spirit.

Q: Do you have a specific writing style?

A: No. It depends on the character. In my debut novel, Blame It on Eve, Shawni Baldwin was a very spoiled supermodel. The prose, therefore, needed to reflect her sassiness. However, Danni Blair, the protagonist for In the Paint, is an artist, so the language is more introspective and fluid. I’ll have a different approach to everything I write because I’m character driven and my characters will all be different.

Q: What genre are you most comfortable writing?

A: Women’s mainstream. Also, I can’t express to you how rewarding and FUN it is to write my children’s
material. Something as simple as a first kiss provided such a warm and lovely writing experience and I plan to write much more for the kids.

Q: How do you come up with the titles for your books?

A: Blame It on Eve and my children’s novel were inspired from within, definitely divine. In the Paint, however, was not my original title. My editor renamed that one.

Q: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

A: That you can’t expect to love or be loved if you don’t have peace within yourself.

Q: How much of the novel is realistic?

A: All of it. It’s not my story, but every woman’s.

Q: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your life?

A: It would totally take the fun and the magic away from the writing experience for me if I simply transposed real life events into fiction. I can say that sometimes plots are inspired by things that have happened to me or others, but never emulated. The joy of writing, for me personally, is creating.

Q: What books have most influenced your life?

A: The Bible. Also, anything by Judy Blume or Ellen Conford in my youth. And White Oleander by Janet Fitch as an adult. I believe Janet Fitch to be our most gifted living writer.

Q: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

A: Hands down, without question, Janet Fitch.

Q: What are you reading now?

A: Fear of Flying by Erica Jong, such a classic.

Q: What new author has grasped your interest?

A: Gaby Triana, who writes children’s books is a lot of fun. In the adult world I think Erica Kennedy’s writing is great.

Q: Is there anything additional you would like to share with your readers?

A: Keep reading! Live in the moment. Enjoy your lives. And just be good to yourselves! Love you much! ~Philana

READ PHILANA'S RESPONSES TO HER MOST OFTEN ASKED QUESTIONS:

Q: Is this book based upon your life?

After a gracious laugh, she most often replies...

Ding, ding, ding... you have just asked the million dollar question! I'm always asked that, guaranteed! And the answer is no.

If my readers are still asking me that question ten years from now--after I've been blessed to have written many more stories--we will have a serious case of the woman with many lives. All of my characters will be different.

How long does it take you to write a book?

It all depends. Anywhere from nine months to a year. I write fast once I get going, but I think/research/take notes for a long, long time before I actually sit down at the keyboard.

So basically, from conception of the character/protagonist to the time when the book is on the shelves and in my reader's hands, it's usually two years.

Patience is mandatory in all areas of the entertainment business, which is ok with me. I was raised to value quality over quantity and sometimes you have to favor one over the other.

Where do you like to write?

Usually, I'm out somewhere with my laptop, but sometimes I prefer to be at home with a cup of mint tea, some good music, and my characters.

It depends on my mood, however. Sometimes it's inspiring just to be amid crowds of interesting people in a coffee shop or at a park.

Whoo-wee your characters have issues...

Yes, she notes, this is usually a statement, not a question!

To this I always say, you won't find any holier than thou or perfect folks in my books. Perfection is boring to me and doesn't make for a fun read.

Plus, we all have issues. As a writer it's rewarding to allow my characters to work through theirs in the form of prose. Plus, it's inspiring.

The challenge is not interjecting. I think it's so important to let the characters do what they do without using my power as author with a delete key to change their decisions.

I don't care to write about perfect people who do and say the right things all of the time. You can't even find that in the real world.

You seem different from your characters...

And Philana usually replies with a smile...

Thank you.

For the most part, I am.

With the success of such tell all books as The Devil Wears Prada and many others, would you--having worked for Spike Lee's 40 Acres & a Mule Filmworks and Glamour magazine--ever consider using your industry experiences to create a novel?

First, big ups to Lauren Weisberger and all of the other novelists who used their real life industry experiences to base their novels and are enjoying such wonderfully inspiring and deserving success! It's admirable and flat out cool.

To answer this very, very frequently asked question, I can only assure you that every writer is different. Taking such a route would be difficult for me because, like I said, I'm more inspired by real life events than I am the desire to have my characters emulate real people.

My stints at 40 Acres and Glamour were pleasant overall. For me, the good memories, the knowledge acquired, and having met the acquaintance of very smart and very giving people overshadow the not-so-great moments, and we all know that what's all good doesn't necessarily provide for conflict in a novel.

So, no, I don't feel compelled to fictionalize my own personal experiences. But would I ever set a future novel in the film industry or in a high impact fashion magazine setting in order to use what I've learned? Probably.

It's the end result that matters, not so much the inspiration. Either it's a good story or it's not.

What's up with the title Blame It on Eve?

Well, it's not literal, let's get that out. I love that title because it gets people's attention. The irony is that, like I said, it's not literal.

Remember that movie, White Men Can't Jump? Well, my title is a similar thing where it's catchy, but proves to be a fallacy in its statement. The title Blame It on Eve, ultimately, at the end of the day, after the last page is read, should simply be interpreted as a metaphor.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Don't look for your favorite writers to help you get published as we are not publishers. Instead, do what we did...

Study the craft, hone your skills/voice, study the business, stay at it, and most essentially, believe in your talent.

With preparation, determination, and an enormous amount of patience and faith, someday you'll be asked the above mentioned questions! Believe.