“My first two books made the Essence magazine bestsellers’ list, but my publisher passed on my third book, Murder on the Down Low. Eight other publishing houses also rejected it. I really believed in the book, so I grudgingly decided to self-publish. That turned out to be the smartest decision I ever made.”
That was over ten years ago. Pamela is now a retired lawyer and a full-time writer with seven novels and one non-fiction book to her credit, all published while she practiced law as Managing Counsel for Labor and Employment Law at Toyota.
“I like to educate readers through my work,” Pamela says. Her newest book, Abuse of Discretion takes a revealing look at the juvenile criminal justice system.
In Abuse of Discretion a 14-year-old boy finds himself in the middle of a sexting scandal that threatens to ruin his life. The book, Pamela’s ninth, goes on sale in September 2017.
“When I learned that children all across the country were being charged with possession of child pornography arising out of sexting, I knew I had to write about it. This book will be eye-opening for parents and kids alike.”
Pamela is all about opening eyes. Her novel Anybody’s Daughter takes readers inside the world of child sex trafficking and garnered her an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Fiction. It’s noteworthy that Pamela—a self-published author—was nominated alongside traditionally published authors Walter Mosley, Terry McMillan, Victory Christopher Murray and Sister Soljah. “Being up against four bestselling authors from major publishing houses was definitely a validating moment.”
The prolific author says she is proud to write “mysteries that matter.” Her novels tackle a broad range of issues, such as sexual harassment, gender and race discrimination, domestic violence and paternity law.
“If you haven’t learned something new after reading one of my books,” Pamela says, “I haven’t done my job.”
Pamela Samuels Young is the award-winning author of seven novels, primarily in the legal thriller genre. Her eighth novel, Abuse of Discretion, goes on sale in September. She is also a natural hair enthusiast and the author of the non-fiction book Kinky Coily: A Natural Hair Resource Guide.
Pamela’s Tips for Pursuing Your Passion
Do you have a passion? Whether your dream is to write a novel, start your own business or go back to school, you can make it happen. Pamela offers these tips that helped her along her journey.
1. Find Time Where You Least Expect It.
Never say you don’t have time for your passion. I completed my first novel by writing early in the morning for a couple of hours before work. Your lunch break can also be put to good use. Even if it’s only an hour a week, use it!
2. Master Your Craft
Your potential for success is directly related to how much talent you have. So make sure you study your craft. I meet so many people who want the benefits of their passion, without putting in the hard work to make sure they have a great product or service. find people you trust who can give you constructive criticism.
3. Join Professional Organizations
There are hundreds of professional organizations whose sole function is to help their members develop their creative talents. I belong to the Author’s Guild, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America and Romance Writers of America.
4. Ignore the Naysayers
Unfortunately, achieving success won’t happen overnight. I naively assumed that after releasing my first novel in 2006, Oprah would call and the rest would be history. LOL! Many people told me to my face that becoming a novelist was a pipe dream. I ignored them. I also ignored the many publishers who rejected my work multiple times. How sweet it felt when those publishers came after me. Fortunately, I no longer need them.
Be patient, it will happen!
To contact Pamela or to read an excerpt of her books, visit her website at http://pamelasamuelsyoung.com/.