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Not the Same ol’ Story: An Interview with Inspirational Romance Author, Kendra Norman Bellamy

© Dee Y. Stewart

Atlanta resident and editorial consultant to Booking Matters Magazine Kendra Norman Bellamy is fast becoming an inspirational romance publishing powerhouse. She just signed a deal with "Lift Every Voice", the African American interest imprint for Moody Press, one of the nation's most prestigious Christian publishing houses as landing a three book deal with BET Books under the New Spirit Imprint. Her first self published Christian romance novel For Love and Grace is one of the top picks on Amazon.com and she is one of the few authors on the site, who has received five star ratings (the highest rating readers give) from all of her book reviewers. Her second novel A Love So Strong is set for release with For Love and Grace in the summer of 2004.

When Kendra and I chatted about her new success, she revealed that this newfound fame is a total surprise considering, Moody Press had declined her manuscript the first time she sent it to them.

Dee: Greetings, Kendra! I've been reading the reviews for For Love and Grace at Amazon.com. You have to feel so high.

Ms. Bellamy: Yes. It's been a blessing. The public has really embraced it and I'm grateful for it. It's very humbling, but I'm so proud of what God has done through me.

Dee: You've just signed a deal with "Lift Every Voice." How did that happen?

Ms. Bellamy: I sent a manuscript to Moody (Lift Every Voice) several months ago, but had gotten a message from them several months ago that they were no longer accepting new authors. Then all of a sudden, I got an email from the editor telling me that they'd sent my manuscript to several women's study groups and they raved about it.

Dee: But they took you anyway? What did they say was the thing that the study groups liked the most?

Ms. Bellamy: They thought that I had my own unique style of writing that wasn't seen in the other books that had been released through them. They also loved the idea of the story. It was fresh and unique and that's what caught their attention the most.

Dee: Just to touch on what you just said... last week I read an interview of Terri McMillan and she said that African American women authors were telling the same story over and over, and that we need to tell more stories. Do you find that your work addresses the need that she speaks of?