On Becoming a Writer
Former PR director shares journey as a writer

Sharon G. Flake

As the public relations director at the University of Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business for more than seven years, Sharon G. Flake often had the final word. Now director of publications at Katz, Flake herself is an author, and her new book, Money Hungry, hit the bookstores earlier this month. Flake recently talked about her journey as a writer, and how her work at the University helped prepare her for her role in the limelight.

When in charge of public relations at Katz, Flake, who received her B.A. in English in 1978, said the buck often stopped with her.

“I think being at the business school helped me to learn to stand on my own two feet. There was nobody I could hide behind, and being an author, there is no one to hide behind.”

Flake began her writing career creating short stories in college. She received the August Wilson Short Story Award in 1994 for the short story, The Luckiest Sister, and the 1999 Coretta Scott King-Steptoe Award for her first novel, The Skin I’m In, printed in 1998 by Hyperion Books for Children. Today, the book is available in French, and a London publisher will release it in England later this summer. She also received a partial scholarship to attend the weeklong Highlights for Children Writer’s Conference, which, she said, gave her the push she needed to succeed.

According to Flake, Money Hungry, the story of a 13-year-old homeless girl who thinks that money can prevent her world from falling apart, was both easier and scarier to write.

“People liked the first book, and I got a lot of really positive feedback from teachers and students and the publishing industry,” said Flake. “Now they have something to compare it to. When I started it, I was terrified, but I just feel as if God really opened up a lot of doors for me. It’s not just that I’m a good writer, because there are a lot of good writers that will never be published. Now I try to relax and know that the Lord will take care of me and it will be okay.”

And someone does appear to be taking care of Flake. She received the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts Fellowship for 2001. Money Hungry also is on The Los Angeles Times recommended summer reading list for kids.

She currently is working on her third book, which she said will be a continuation of the second one. Her books deal primarily with young girls who live with their mothers. Flake, who is a single mother, said her books are not autobiographical.

“My first book is about a girl who is dark and really suffering from a lot of self-esteem issues, and in the second book, the girl is determined, focused, strong, and confident of herself,” said Flake. “So it is interesting to see that kind of spirit come out.”

There also are very strong father figures in Flake’s books. “As a black writer, a mother, and a black woman, I have a commitment to black male adults and boys in my work,” explained Flake. “I think a lot of times they are not represented as positively as they should be on TV, in print, and on the radio. So, I’ve committed myself to try to create characters that have some depth and integrity, but at the same time are not perfect people. I try to create a community of people who look like me, but whose lives and experiences are so intriguing that anyone on the planet would be interested in knowing their life stories.”

Flake said that her characters are a reflection of how she feels about herself. “At 45, I’ve grown up, and I’m having a lot of fun. It’s nice to be able to go to the middle schools and the high schools and talk about feeling little and feeling scared. Even talking to adults … it’s nice to come clean, and in doing so enable other people to let go of some of their own personal demons and maybe move forward a little bit.”

The readership, which also includes men and boys, has surprised Flake. “I’m used to being in a room with a computer and writing and not thinking that much about the audience, because I’m writing the work. The biggest surprise is connecting with the people. They have just been so nice to me.”

—Patricia Lomando White