McKinney, Tina Brooks

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McKinney, Tina Brooks

PERSONAL:

Born in Baltimore, MD; married; husband's name William; children: Shannan, Estrell.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Covington, GA. E-mail—tybrooks2@gmail.com.

CAREER:

Writer.

WRITINGS:

All That Drama (novel), Strebor Books International (Bowie, MD), 2004.

Lawd, Mo' Drama (novel; sequel to All That Drama), Strebor Books (Largo, MD), 2007.

Work represented in anthologies, including Chocolate Seduction.

SIDELIGHTS:

In her debut novel All That Drama, Tina Brooks McKinney introduces Sammie Davis, a character loosely based on a friend. Sammie, a survivor of physical and mental abuse, has low self esteem, which she compensates for by sleeping with a number of partners, male and female. When she is seemingly out of control, her friend Marie, who has also suffered a similar past but who has more control, feels the need to distance herself from her self-destructive friend.

Sammie returns in Lawd, Mo' Drama with friend, Leah Simmons. Leah's husband walked out on her after the birth of their twins, one of whom is autistic. She has another small child, as well, is in fear of losing her home, and returns to work to support her children. She looks to her former husband's mother and to Sammie for support. Sammie, still involved with the wrong men, is in yet another abusive relationship.

Booklist reviewer Shelley Mosley noted that although this is a novel that features black women, "it's about challenges faced by all women."

In an interview with Urban Review, McKinney noted that autism now affects one in every one hundred fifty people. "These numbers are staggering," she said, "and I wanted people to see how it can change lives forever. Since the characters are based on real people and events, this novel was also personal to me."