Do you remember when you fell in love with books by Omar Tyree?
I remember it like yesterday, it was 1997 and I was in middle school. I saw this book at the school library called Flyy Girl.
The book was originally published in 1993 but I got my hands on it in 97′ and I was hooked. This was like such a juicy read for a teenager at the time of course but I remember passing that book around the classroom as we all whispered in between class work about the interesting life of the character Tracy Ellison! She was that girl and I knew then that I wanted to own every book Omar Tyree dropped. I was even in his fan clubs where we would get mailed out a VHS and CD about the books and see him read about the book etc! Oh yes, those were the good days!
Well recently I had the pleasure to catch up with one of my favorite black authors when it comes to works of fiction and I was so excited to hear that he was back with another book release! His new book is titled, Control, a psychological thriller on the hot topics of mental health and our interpersonal relationships.
“The story is of a professional psychologist, Dr. Victoria Benning—a Black woman shrink—who has six clients that she talks about. And they all have issues with control—deep issues that need to be resolved,” says Omar Tyree.
Let’s dive into this interview with Omar Tyree and learn more about his latest book, upcoming events, and more that we can support.
FEMI Magazine ( Tanisha Davis): First, let us say it is such an honor to be able to speak with you today. Your work over the years as a Bestselling Author has been phenomenal.
Omar Tyree: Thank you. I appreciate the love.
FEMI: Share with us briefly what your creative process looks like and in what ways you prepare yourself to deliver so many amazing books like Flyy Girl, Just Say No, Leslie and the list goes on.
Omar: I always think about the subject of the book before I write it. Then I’m more organized with it. So, Flyy Girl was materialism and the street life, Just Say No! was stardom and self-discipline. Leslie was urban poverty and the ties of family. Nailing the topics at hand have always been my way.
FEMI: You have a new book set to release soon titled, Control. Share with us the inspiration behind this book.
Omar: Pretty simply, we all can’t control the things that happen in this life. We can only control what we do. So, I was inspired to write a book about that particular struggle.
FEMI: We know that you had plans for releasing a film possibly for Flyy Girl in past years, is that something fans could possibly see on the big screen soon?
Omar: We’re still working on it. But major films can take a minute to produce sometimes. Flyy Girl is that type of film. It’s not an easy film because it’s a much bigger idea than people may think it is.
FEMI: I remember my first book that I read from you was Flyy Girl, I was in middle school and we literally were passing it around the school because it was so juicy! Do your characters come from personal experiences?
Omar: Flyy Girl did because it’s coming straight from my era of the 1980s in Philadelphia. But all of my books have a different source of inspiration and are not always related to me.
FEMI: We adore you so much. We believe in giving flowers to those whose books at times have raised us and taught us something about life. For those who want to support you, tell us what does the idea of giving you your flowers look like for you today?
Omar: I need those flowers. I haven’t come out with a new book in a while, so Control will allow me to see if I still have it and see if people still want to read my work.
FEMI: What upcoming events or projects are you working on?
Omar: After Control, I have a book called Carnival that I’m working on for next summer. I want to get us thinking about people outside of just America.
FEMI: The world is filled with people who have stories to tell, as an individual who has reached the greatest of heights in the writing industry, tell us what you believe it takes to be successful today as a writer in 2024?
Omar: Great question. There are a lot of elements competing for people’s attention right now, and you need to be able to compete against that. So, I came up with this idea called a Rock Star Writer years ago. And it’s not just about writing music but bringing that superstar energy that gets people excited when you’re around them. It’s that Rockstar energy juice that you need these days. Along with a good book, of course.
FEMI: The world has evolved so much since you first entered the writing scene. People were at the libraries and bookstores constantly. Do you feel the love for reading is still there in today’s society?
Omar: Yes, it is, we just have to keep creating things that people are interested in reading. We also can inspire people to be interested in more topics and genres by how well we write them. So, it’s really up to us as writers to keep people interested. That’s why I’m coming back to do my part.
FEMI: How would you say you have evolved to stay relevant with the current society and the topics they are interested in?
Omar: You just have to keep your ears and eyes open to what’s going on. You can’t blink. You always have to be current and ask what the current topics are, and you’ll be all right.
Oh, how exciting it was to have this moment with Omar Tyree, and you all can give him his flowers and support him by pre-ordering your copy of Control which will be available on May 21, 2024!
Be sure to catch him at some upcoming events below and stay connected with him on Instagram @only1omartyree!
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