Title: The Minorities: The Pilot
Author: Terri Celestine Brunson
Publisher: Trafford
ISBN: 978-1490771229
Pages: 86
Genre: African American Urban Fiction/Dramas & Plays
Interviewed by: Anthony Avina

Read Author Interview

PBR: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
As you know, I’m Terri Celestine Brunson. I am a 50-year-old Author, Blogger, and a homemaker. I am a mother of one, a son. In my spare time I am working on my next book and I am blogging mostly about my life. When I am not busy writing, I like to travel…when it was safe to travel, go to college football games…when it was safer to go. But mostly…I like to spend quality time with my son Zachary.

PBR: What was the inspiration behind your book, “The Minorities”?
My inspiration behind “The Minorities” was about an old friend I had long time ago. She was a wonderful person to know, communicate with, just a sweetheart. She had this guy who didn’t appreciate the young woman he had in his life. She was abused, tormented, and powerless with this guy she was with. So, I decided to write about her describing her name under an assumed name, the young woman in my book. She on the other hand, inspired me to write about her so that I can get the message out to young women who experienced what she went through. Giving young who are pregnant and abused something to think about.

PBR: What themes or messages do you hope readers take away from your novel?
The message is simple. I hope that young women who will read “The Minorities” will take this message with them or think about what this young woman went through with this seething young man. Young women who are powerless towards their mates make their mates powerful towards them. Their mates now have the power to do whatever he wants them to do. Young women do not have to take what their mates throw at them. If the first hit, the first signs verbal abuse, the first time their mates destroy their self-esteem and self-confidence, and dignity, it is time to leave. Watch all the signs of abuse and watch all the red flags. It is a lot of work, but…I know I would rather be safe than sorry. Run as fast as you could and never take them back no matter how much the beg. Women in general need to pay attention to the signs before they get deep into a relationship.

PBR: When doing research into teen pregnancy and the impact it has on families and those involved, what was one thing that shocked you above everything else?
“The fact that women in general let it happen when all this protection out there in this world.” If a woman can’t think about the consequences and the repercussions of their actions before the relationship become serious, they are left with decisions they have to make to be responsible for what they created. Young women in general will have to grow faster than they imagine and make adult decisions on how to be responsible for another life. Give up a lot of things in their lives. Teen pregnancies changes everyone’s position, finances, resources, and given more as for the responsibilities for the child itself.

PBR: In your novel, you touch upon not only teen pregnancy but domestic violence as well when delving into the relationship between two characters (I don’t want to give away who). Why do you think this type of violence continues to be such a problem in our world and how can we combat it?
Because women in general let it happen over and over, they give in to the power their mate have over them which makes them powerless and a subject to abuse. Never make the man think you are powerless. Let them know that they can do this (abuse) to you. Let the man know that he cannot take you dignity or destroy your self-esteem. It’s time for woman to stand up and not take what is thrown at them if it comes to being a subject to abuse physically and verbally. Cook…is what I would do. Throw like a baseball, let it stick to them, and tear that head up with a skillet and call it a day. Walk tall and mean what you do.

PBR: If you could sit down and speak with any of the characters featured in The Minorities, who would you speak to and what would you ask them?
I would speak to the protagonist, the seething, the murderous type of scumbag who decided to disrespect the person that loved “him” the most. I would ask him why? What did you accomplish for destroying another person life, just because of the responsibility that he could have taken into consideration when he had the chance to man up, be a man and take responsibility for what he created together with this young woman. It would have made him a “father” instead of a “daddy” or a deadbeat.

PBR: What would be your biggest piece of advice for upcoming or aspiring authors/writers who want to utilize social issues like teen pregnancy and domestic violence? How should they approach such delicate subjects?
The approach is with their eyes wide open to the subject. Study it! Utilize what it means to be in a situation that may end up in domestic violence just like the young woman in my book. Situations like the young woman in my book are the most vulnerable is when they are pregnant. Abuse happens to some women at their most delicate state in their lives and that is when they are feeling the most powerless and withdrawn in their self-esteem, their dignity, and self-confidence. I would like for anyone who utilizes this issue to understand what it is like if you were in their shoes.