Helen Baskerville Dukes found her passion for theatre in third grade, when she nabbed the role of Mrs. Claus in her school’s Christmas play. She says the fact that her mother encouraged her and her sister to perform songs and dances at family gatherings prepared her for her elementary school acting debut. It appears the performing arts bug never left her.

Read more at http://providenceonline.com/stories/she-wrote-it-her-way,22760

Where are you from?

I am from Providence, RI.

Why do you write?

I write at home any time of the day. The inspiration to write happens sporadically.

What do you write about?

I write mostly about romance, social issues and forgiveness.

Do you have a specific writing style?

My writing style varies. I prefer urban writing; however, I can write less ethnic depending on the audience I’m trying to attract.

What are obstacles that come in the way of writing?

Most obstacles come in the form of community activism. Whenever I get the opportunity to attend meetings or advocate for equal opportunities, better education or economic empowerment I’m there.

What’s the most memorable thing asked/said by a reader about your work?

The most memorable thing a few of my readers have echoed was, I love the way you tell a story. I can envision everything.

How long have you been writing?

I have been writing for over 20 years.

When did you first realize you wanted to become a writer?

I first realized I wanted to be a writer was when I was laid off of my job and I wrote my first screenplay.

What is your work schedule like when you are writing?

My schedule varies. When I’m on a timeline I try to take advantage of any free time I have and write. Most times I’m successful.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I believe one of most interesting writing quirks is speaking the dialogue in different voices as I write.

How long does it take to write a book? (if you’ve written one -published or non)

How long it takes me to write a book will depend on the genre. If the story has an ending in my head I can pretty much write a book in a couple of months as long as I have at least twenty-five free hours per week.

Do you have suggestions on how to become a better writer?

Suggestions on how to become a writer would be to choose a subject to write about, write about it, and have an ending. I would also suggest having an outline of chapter titles so you can focused on the main points of the subject matter

What challenges do you come across when writing/creating your story?

The challenge I come across when writing/creating my story is not letting new stories and ideas distract me from focusing on my current writing project.

What does your family think of your writing?

My family thinks that I’m a very good writer and they always inspire me to become better.

Do you see writing as a career?

Yes I do see writing as a career because I love telling stories.

Do you have anything specific you’d like to tell the readers?

Please pick up my latest book, “Therapy Fix”. It is available on Amazon. It is a romance novel about Juanita Winfield, President and CEO of Winfield Consultant Firm. She’s built a highly successful technology company and to all outward appearances is a polished and professional career woman. However, appearances can be deceiving. Inside, Juanita is wrestling with demons from her abusive childhood that she just can’t seem to overcome as evidenced by her penchant for dating abusive men. Unable to escape the anxiety, nightmares and flashbacks of her past, Juanita makes the brave decision to seek professional help.Enter Dr. Kingston Brice, a very attractive and charismatic psychologist who comes highly recommended. As Dr. Brice delves deeper and deeper into Juanita’s past it becomes clear that she’s a very troubled woman with a lot of issues to overcome. But he’s up to the task. After all, this is what he does best; counsel people and solve their problems. Dr. Brice has built quite an impeccable reputation and is highly respected in his field. That’s why it’s so troubling to him when he finds himself attracted to Juanita. In his entire career he’s never violated the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct by becoming involved with a patient and he doesn’t intend to do so now. But the feelings just won’t go away. To complicate matters further, it appears Juanita has developed feelings for Dr. Brice making it difficult for them to maintain a professional relationship. As the pair set out to help Juanita overcome her troubled and tumultuous past, a series of events is set into motion that escalates into a very dangerous and explosive situation!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I first considered myself a writer when I wrote my first screenplay.