Shades Of Romance Magazine:  Please give the readers a brief bio on you the person and the writer.

Natasha Usher:   I'm a Georgia native who has been lucky enough to live in several places including Miami, Florida and Bern, Switzerland.  Currently, I live outside of Atlanta, Georgia with my husband Kurt.  Though I have a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, writing has always been my first love.  I started writing when I was in the first grade.  My teacher chose Snow White and the Seven Dwarves as the class play, and I was disappointed because I and several of my classmates didn't have a role.  I wrote Snow White and the Sixteen Dwarves.  It was the beginning of my love with the pen.

SORM:  Tell us about your current book.

USHER: My current novel is Fairy Tale Wedding.  It's a contemporary romance about a rich and handsome bachelor who is forced into marriage by his manipulative grandmother.  He marries to save his company, but he marries someone he assumes is totally unsuitable in hopes is grandmother will change her mind about him marrying.  What he doesn't count on is falling in love with his new bride and her two adorable sisters.  The story is fun and humorous.  I take the old Cinderella tale and give it a new twist.

What many people find so remarkable about Fairy Tale Wedding is that the leading characters are Caucasians while I am African American.  I found this to be challenging yet quite stimulating.  Caucasians have been writing about African Americans since the
beginning of time.  I thought it was time for a change.

SORM:  What would you like your readers to take away from your book?

USHER: To always believe in love and to never give up.  Even when things aren't going the way you want them to, find joy in what you have.  In the end, you might find that the things you seek are right under your nose.

SORM:  Tell us about your journey to publication.

USHER:  That's a rocky road.  After years of receiving rejection slips from agents and publishers, I was determined to see myself in print.  September 11, 2001 made me even more determined.  I did not want to leave this Earth without ever seeing my book in stores.  So I decided to go with a Print on Demand Company, iUniverse. My goal is to be recognized and picked up by a traditional publisher, but I am very pleased to be with iUniverse.  They have done a fine job with Fairy Tale Wedding.

SORM:  What does it feel like to see your writing dream come true?

USHER:  Holding the actual book in your hands is amazing; it's one of the greatest feelings in the world. When I got my first books, I was bursting with pride; I wanted to
jump up and tell the world. It's a magnificent feeling that I can't exactly put into words. It's more than wonderful.  Yet at the same time, it's a little sad, because you've nurtured something for so long, and now, it's finished.  You wonder if you can do it again. 

SORM:  Many writers start books, but have trouble finishing.  How did you finish your book?

USHER:  I unplugged the television and stopped surfing the web.  Those are my two biggest distractions. I also created a daily schedule where I would sit down and write at a certain time each day.  My husband was also instrumental in helping me finish Fairy Tale Wedding.  Each day, he asked to see what I had written.  After a while, he actually started to read the novel, and I began to look forward to his comments.  I gave myself the weekends off though.  Too much of anything is bad for you.

SORM:  Is being a published writer what you thought it would be like?

USHER:  I'm not sure.  I don't have any real expectations at this point.  My only real expectation was to see my book in print. 

SORM:  If your book could be made into a movie, whom would you choose to play the lead characters?

USHER:  Leighanne Littrell, star of the movie Olive Juice, as Summer and Simon Baker of CBS's Guardian to play Alex.

SORM:  What was the best writing advice you received?

USHER:  Write from your heart.  Don't let others tell you your own thoughts.  One of my high school teachers told me that.

SORM:  What advice would you give someone whose book is about to be published?

USHER:  Congratulate yourself and then prepare to be busy. Your book is probably wonderful, but you still have to get out there and sell, sell, sell.  And also...Good
luck!

SORM:  What is the latest page-turner you've read?

USHER:  No More. Mr. Nice Guy by C.K. Robinson.  I met C.K. at a book signing in Atlanta, and he's quite an intelligent man.  I am enjoying his novel and am very impressed by his literary talent.

SORM:  Do you have any advice for those aspiring writers?

USHER: You can admire your fellow writers and those who inspire you to write, but don't attempt to copy them.  Use their words as guide, but speak your own.  Also,
don't be afraid to put yourself out there.  You'll never know if you don't try.

SORM:  How can readers get in contact with you?

USHER: Readers can reach me at P.O. Box 2909, Norcross GA 30091-2909, via email at ,  or through my website at http://www.fairytale-wedding.net

SORM:  Can you give us a sneak peek at your next book?

USHER: It's another romance, but this time the leading characters are African Americans. It's about a successful woman who is searching for Mr. Right, Mr. Right being someone with a high paying job, a fancy car, and lots of ambition.  All the while she's searching for Mr. Right and going on one nightmarish date after another, Mr. Right is right under her nose.  Hopefully, she'll find him before someone else does.

SHADES OF ROMANCE MAGAZINE WOULD LIKE TO THANK MS. USHER FOR THIS INTERVIEW. WE WISH YOU MANY BLESSINGS.