Part I of our Double Feather: Author Alexandria Infante

We highlighted Kelly Parra yesterday for being Latina, but what's even rarer for us to find in the publishing industry, are Afro-Latinas penning paranormal/SFF books. So we'd love to introduce one to everyone!

1. Why don't you tell us more about yourself as a person, as well as an author?

I’m from California born and raised; however I have traveled a bit in my life. I started out as a chef, and held onto that career for 15-years, but I knew it was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Not to mention I developed bursitis in my right shoulder.  I have a master’s in English Literature/Art History; with a Minor in Mythology and History. I do in home teaching as well as being a tutor. I have taught every subject in between, except math lol.

I has five amazing children; Matthew 26, Blazhia 24, Soleil 21, Micah 17 and Sora 11. Matthew, Blazhia and Soleil are in college; so I spend most of my time with Micah and Sora when I’m not writing. I’ve always loved vampires, werewolves, witches, and the things that go bump in the night; and it just rocks my boat to be able to write about them. I remember I was obsessed with Laurell K way back when, and read everything she wrote; until one day I was like, “I can so do this,” lol, and the rest is history as they say 22 books later.

2. Was there a particular book, situation or lack of something that prompted you to start writing books?
  
Multiracial Young Women. I remember growing up lost at times, because I wasn’t quite sure where I fit in, in the spectrum of race. I was bullied by certain races, because I was too Latina to be African-American, too African-American to be Caucasian, too Caucasian to be Native American, and so on, so it was sometime hard as a teen and a child.

I love Paranormal, Contemporary, and Historical Romance, but I didn’t see myself reflected in the works that I read.  If I did, it was a side character, a supporting character, or a villain; so I thought I’d write my own. Being multi-racial (Puerto Rican, Cuban, Native American, Irish and African-American) I wanted to see a character like me, and the fact that this is rare spurred me on. Authors like me (Interracial Romance, or what is more commonly known as IR authors) tend to get pigeon holed into one specific genre like Minority literature, Latina, African-American, or Ethnic, who hardly ever move out of that; and I think this is completely unfair. 

I hoped by writing what I believe the genre should encompass, people would see the book for the story and negate the race of the character; that being, anyone could place themselves in the shoes of the character, not just someone of a minority background.
    
3. Why "Paranormal?" Is there any particular reason why you favor genres that walk outside of our "conventional" ways of looking at life?

You know, I am not sure lol. I’ve always been fascinated with Vamps and Weres since I was a kid, so I guess it would only be natural that I would write it. I am not the “normal” person lol, whatever that means; so to write in this genre fits my personality perfectly. Convention has never been one of my strong suits, and I often get in trouble in everyday life because I stay as far away from convention as I can lol. I like the weird and unconventional. I’m a Sci-Fi freak too lol.
    
4. You also focus on making many main characters seek or be sought out by members outside of their own race. Is this something you do consciously? Or does it come natural for you?

This comes naturally for me. Being multi-cultural is a huge factor. I heard someone say once, “You write what you know,” and since my family is I don’t think twice about it, it just happens. My family is very very interracial lol. If you came to my house on holidays, you would swear you were at the UN. So many races meshing together, that the outcome is awesome. 

Although the industry is expanding, and it is truly chalk full of talented Paranormal writers, the voice of the minority woman is still quietly vacant. Even though the industry continues to grow each year; at the same time the multicultural aspect is still very lacking.  Each of my Novels has their own feel for the urban, and educated.

 This works together to help portray Paranormal Romance in a different perspective. I believe by bringing a different cultural aspect into a genre which has been predominately "Caucasian", it will draw a new type of reader all together, while staying true to the "faithful die-hard fan".

5. If you could have any of your books' or series' turned into a show or a movie, which one would it be? Why do you think that would connect better with an audience onscreen?

It would be my Teaching Between Midnight & Dawn series. With so many shows like Vamp Diaries, True blood and The Originals; I think it’s time the wolves get their due! Lol! It’s always vamps! C’mon! Lol. And although I love me some vamps, especially my vamp Sephoroth if I must say (white version of Prince, tee-hee-hee), I love my wolves.  I tend to believe love is color blind, and am in love with the idea of being in love. It is my express wish to show this, and hope others feel the same way. Sometimes identifying with the character is not all that matters, it’s the aspect of being taken outside of your comfort zone to experience someone else's cultural background; and their life as they see it.  My books are based off the wolf and its connection to ancient myths; not to mention I would subtly be able to teach that 18-25 group without them even realizing it lol. (Can’t help it, it’s the teacher in me lol)

6. I know it's hard, but do you have an ultimate favorite character? Why this character over any of the dozens you've created?

I would have to say Arieanná. She is my first archetype, and character analysis. I didn’t know that I could write until Arieanná. As well, I would say that this character holds many my own nuisances and attitudes, and it is completely fun to put that on paper and have no one know it is actually the duality of me lol. But I guess they do now

7. We talk about multiculturalism all the time on our blog. Why do you find diversity important in your writing?

I find it important, because we are not all alike. I think it is the main reason that I write the way that I do, in that I use myths from all over the world. It’s my goal to show that many of us Americans are very ethnocentric, and we tend to turn our noses up at something we deem not necessary or indicative to our own well-being or space in this realm; so we have this tendency to negate its value. I want to show people that culture is relevant to everything in life, and people should be proud of where they came from. 

I also love the aspect of the Interracial Romance, my mantra, “True love sees no color lines, is pure in its truest form; and is only tainted when narrow-minded haters infiltrate it and make it something it is not.” Love is Love, as the marvelously talented Boy George once said; and I believe he is completely and totally on point. I feel like whether you're a Caucasian guy who has a thang for Sistahs, a Japanese guy who has love for Latinas, a Mexican guy who just can't get enough of Arab women, or an African- American guy who just loves him some Caucasian women. Who Cares, as long as “you do you” and you feel comfortable in your own skin. My ideal of love, includes er' body!
A Gorgeous Hot Yummy is just that.

8. Many find that self publishing is one of the more effective ways to promote diversity in novels, regardless of genre. What is your opinion on diversity in traditionally published novels versus self published ones?

This is still pretty much based off some antiquated notion that IR and culturally based books won’t sell to the masses like Caucasian literature will. I know personally, it took many years for me to just get my toe in the door, let alone my foot to be considered at most publishing houses. I remember the mountains of rejection letters, and many were culturally biased. I even had one editor tell me that I needed to invest in ELS classes, because she mistook my character’s Scottish accent for Spanglish, because she saw my last name was Infantè.

The indie route can be great; I myself left a traditional publishing house and went indie, because I wanted more control over my work. I have the freedom to write what I want, and make my characters as I see fit, which is quite liberating at times. It would be different if I wrote strictly African-American, or strictly Latina, Japanese, or what have you, but I don’t. I combine each of these cultures, so most houses have a hard time placing me. In the respect of the author getting out there, then the self publishing platform is awesome. 

However there drawbacks to everything, and sometimes they can be crippling as well. Like many people don’t take indie authors seriously enough, assume that the writing is crap, editing is a sheer nonexistent, and because we aren’t with a traditional publisher, they often times over look us. I personally think major publishing houses will soon become a thing of the past. Technology is completely taking over, and many houses just aren’t cutting the bill anymore. I also know that multiculturalism is also limited in many of the big companies. I just feel like if they want to continue to stay afloat in this era, they had better take a closer look at multicultural literature.

9. Is there any particular author whom you feel gets "diversity" right?

Humm, that depends on which diversity and culture you’re talking about lol. I find that diversity can often times be a loaded, or umbrella term that many people use too loosely, and often times have no clue what that means directly. Example, most people like to limp all Latin people under the term Hispanic, this is completely untrue. We are not all Hispanic 

10. Finally, for those of us who are anxious(which is all of us)where can we go to find everything "Alexandria Infante?"

Hahaha, that is totally cute. This is an awesome Birthday Gift LOL.

I write in three genres; Contemporary, Historical and Paranormal.

My Titles: Paranormal; T.B.M.D; Arieanná’s Legend, T.M.T.N; Kissing Cousins, T.C.B.M; the Arvantes, Dark Premonitions; the Seeker, A Kiss Between Midnight & Dawn; Sephoroth’s Return, The Gargoyle Keeper; Best Mates Forever, Red Ryzin; Okuzo, Blackwind’s Song; Love at First Sight, Cycles of Change; Jade Council, Loose Connections; Making Choices, Carousel; Legacy
Paranormal Fae: Midna’s Farie; Kailen Tale, To Teach is Divine; Halleren’s Prophcey, Precede with Caution; Bekan’s Quest

Teaching Between Midnight & Dawn; features Lycans, the mythologies of the Goddess Sekhmet the supposed original Vampire, Mulkie the first Lycan King, and Asť the Mother Goddess, Goddess of Life and Death; as well as the Underworld.
 
Asť is known to us Westerners as Isis. The series is about teachers who chase the things that go bump in the night; featuring the myths of Isis, Osiris, Spartacus, Merlin, the Japanese Sun Goddess, Titans, Blackfeet Shaman, Ancient Church societies ( the Brotherhood, Flamini) Celtic myths, Romanian legends, Persian folklore, Roman laths, Greek fables, Warlocks, demons, witches, succubus ect, which all center around one foundational Egyptian myth, but each are connected.
A Lite Farie Tale series; featuring Fae, Odin, Llewellyn, Celtic, Finnish and Irish legends.
 

My other genres:
A Different Side of Historical Romance:
A Lad’s Trousers, Fire & Ice, Napoleon’s Gift, A Slow Time to Love

Contemporary: Mendacity, Grave Reviews; Hannah
My books can be found on Amazon, Google Play, GoodReads, and most outlets. Just type my name in google lol.

Websites:
www.poisonedpin.webs.com  (Vamps, wolves ect.)
www.farietalewish.webs.com (Fae)
www.alieinfante.webs.com (Historical)
www.contemporarylove.webs.com (Contemporary)
    
http://www.poisonedpin.blogspot.com
http://www.poisonedpin.livejournal.com
http://poisonedpn.weebly.com/ https://sites.google.com/site/teachingbetweenmidnightanddawn  http://tbmd1.tumblr.com
http://poisonedpin.livejournal.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Teaching-Between-Midnight-and-Dawn/199915416719374
http://aliekat.wordpress.com
http://poisonedpin.xanga.com
http://twitter.com/lex6802, and a host of others lol.

I also have podcast @

http://alexandriainfante.podbean.com/mf/web/y97ge2/TeachingBetweenMidnightAndDawnPrologueandChap1.wmv, up on http://alexandriainfante.podbean.com/mf/web/ysyui/TeachingBetweenMidnightAndDawnchapter1.wmv

I also have the trailers up on my site, as well as YouTube @

Buy links for book(s)
http://www.amazon.com/T-B-M-D-Arieann%C3%A1s-Teaching-Between-Midnight-ebook/dp/B0091XRN3Y/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1386987603&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=aqlexandria+infante
http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/eBookDetails.asp?BookID=492037
http://www.lybrary.com/teaching-between-midnight-dawn-p-112139.html
http://www.powells.com/biblio/91-9781615724499-0
http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewwork.asp?AuthorID=156786
http://www.manicreaders.com/index.cfm?disp=bookdetail&bookid=36238
http://www.amazon.de/T-B-M-D-Arieannas-Legend-Alexandria-Infante/dp/1481191713

Alexandria dressed as a fairy :)

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