Location: United States
Member Since:
June 18, 2014
La Shan Knox
Biography
La Shan Knox is a Southern girl born with a wit, and charm for passionate storytelling. A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Knox knew that she was born to be a writer. Dolls were her characters ranging from a fairy tale princess to the damsel in distress. Books were her friends that sparked her imagination and creativity. Her imagination heightened after being introduced to daytime soap operas "The Young and the Restless" and the now defunct "Guiding Light." “My mom loved soap operas, so I picked that up from her. I was fascinated by the suspense and the angles of the story line, and of course the characters."
The pinnacle for her career began during her college tenure at Grambling State University, where Knox, a biology major began skipping class because of misery. With the encouragement of a friend, she became heavily involved in the school newspaper, "The Gramblinite". She began as a Staff Writer and later became an Entertainment Writer. Her senior year marked a huge challenge, where she became the Opinion Page Editor through a weekly column entitled "La Shan’s Lane." She used the editorial as a platform to discuss issues on spirituality, culture, politics, and economics. "I was always taught that as long as I'm breathing, I have a voice, and to use that voice to inspire and encourage people."
Upon graduation, Knox moved to Atlanta, Georgia where she landed a job as a Newspaper Reporter for the "Roswell Neighbor Newspaper." She would later delve back into Entertainment Journalism conducting interviews and writing stories on public figures ranging from Poet/Activist Nikki Giovanni, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Activist of Hip Hop group Public Enemy, Chuck D., Conscious Hip-Hop group Goodie Mob, Actor/Hip Hop Artist Common to R&B soul stirrer Chico DeBarge.
Knox soon transitioned into Film & Television where she worked as a Production Assistant, and a Costumer on various film & television productions. Meanwhile, while working extremely long hours, she still found time to pursue her passion. "Sacrifices have to be made for who or what you love," she said. "If you don't make the sacrifice, you won't know how much you've loved."
In 2007, Knox wrote her first published book of poetry entitled, "Still Standing: Volume One." "That was such a learning process for me. I kept hearing 'Poetry doesn't sell. It doesn't make money.' I didn't care about sells. I cared about the message. I love how there's this fierce and beautiful wave of powerful voices like Jessica Care Moore, Queen Godis, Saul Williams, Sarah Jones, and others who have just gone against the grain like, 'I don't care what you say, I got something to say!"
Seven years later Knox got bold, dynamic, unapologetic, and fearless birthing her second and current debut entitled, "Grits In A Bowl." A collection of compelling short stories where all seven of the stories share the same main subject, just in a different spectrum, bringing people together in the most unusual circumstances. On the contrary, "Grits In A Bowl" was not an easy road traveled. Knox calls it her "re-birth."
"After spending years of sending emails, wasting money on stamps, delivery and signature confirmation, and gift baskets to gain the interest of literary agents who would believe in her work, Knox found herself really disliking writing, and distanced herself from what she knew she was born to do. "I really had to sit back and ask myself what was I doing wrong? I told my Mom and sister that I felt like a hamster. Running in that circle, and not going anywhere. I felt like something had to change." And it did. "I learned that I was waiting for permission to use something that God had already given me. When that light bulb went off, I felt like a new person," she said.
Just where exactly did the name "Grits In A Bowl" come from? "I'm a southern girl. I'm a vegan, and I love my grits! Grits are comfort food. Each grit is different because, they boil into their own unique form, but when they all get together, you get this beautiful consistency that is warm and comforting. That's what each story is to me. Comfort food to the soul."
The pinnacle for her career began during her college tenure at Grambling State University, where Knox, a biology major began skipping class because of misery. With the encouragement of a friend, she became heavily involved in the school newspaper, "The Gramblinite". She began as a Staff Writer and later became an Entertainment Writer. Her senior year marked a huge challenge, where she became the Opinion Page Editor through a weekly column entitled "La Shan’s Lane." She used the editorial as a platform to discuss issues on spirituality, culture, politics, and economics. "I was always taught that as long as I'm breathing, I have a voice, and to use that voice to inspire and encourage people."
Upon graduation, Knox moved to Atlanta, Georgia where she landed a job as a Newspaper Reporter for the "Roswell Neighbor Newspaper." She would later delve back into Entertainment Journalism conducting interviews and writing stories on public figures ranging from Poet/Activist Nikki Giovanni, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Activist of Hip Hop group Public Enemy, Chuck D., Conscious Hip-Hop group Goodie Mob, Actor/Hip Hop Artist Common to R&B soul stirrer Chico DeBarge.
Knox soon transitioned into Film & Television where she worked as a Production Assistant, and a Costumer on various film & television productions. Meanwhile, while working extremely long hours, she still found time to pursue her passion. "Sacrifices have to be made for who or what you love," she said. "If you don't make the sacrifice, you won't know how much you've loved."
In 2007, Knox wrote her first published book of poetry entitled, "Still Standing: Volume One." "That was such a learning process for me. I kept hearing 'Poetry doesn't sell. It doesn't make money.' I didn't care about sells. I cared about the message. I love how there's this fierce and beautiful wave of powerful voices like Jessica Care Moore, Queen Godis, Saul Williams, Sarah Jones, and others who have just gone against the grain like, 'I don't care what you say, I got something to say!"
Seven years later Knox got bold, dynamic, unapologetic, and fearless birthing her second and current debut entitled, "Grits In A Bowl." A collection of compelling short stories where all seven of the stories share the same main subject, just in a different spectrum, bringing people together in the most unusual circumstances. On the contrary, "Grits In A Bowl" was not an easy road traveled. Knox calls it her "re-birth."
"After spending years of sending emails, wasting money on stamps, delivery and signature confirmation, and gift baskets to gain the interest of literary agents who would believe in her work, Knox found herself really disliking writing, and distanced herself from what she knew she was born to do. "I really had to sit back and ask myself what was I doing wrong? I told my Mom and sister that I felt like a hamster. Running in that circle, and not going anywhere. I felt like something had to change." And it did. "I learned that I was waiting for permission to use something that God had already given me. When that light bulb went off, I felt like a new person," she said.
Just where exactly did the name "Grits In A Bowl" come from? "I'm a southern girl. I'm a vegan, and I love my grits! Grits are comfort food. Each grit is different because, they boil into their own unique form, but when they all get together, you get this beautiful consistency that is warm and comforting. That's what each story is to me. Comfort food to the soul."
Smashwords Interview
Where to find La Shan Knox online
Books
Grits In A Bowl
by La Shan Knox
Price:
$1.99 USD.
Words: 5,810.
Language:
English.
Published: July 1, 2014
.
Categories:
Fiction » Literary collections » Female authors
This book goes against everything that is supposed to be right. From format and introduction to spacing and industry standards. It is not because the author does not know how to spell or not know the English language. She is a writer with a college education and comes from a background of educators. On the contrary, the stories in this book are considered to be “unusual connections.”