I Thought So

 WELL, WELL, WELL  . . . So here we are Clearly, if you have a chance to look at this blog, you will notice that ummm, it's been a minute since I posted anything. Mind you, it's not that I didn't have anything to say, it's . . . well life has been seriously lif'ing. So here I am. All manner of stuff has happened since last time. Good, bad and ugly.  From my limited worldview, we are in the ugly phase. And for those who know, you know. It's about to get all kinds of ugly in the months and years to come. I know I will be side-eyeing a lot of folks from here on out, keeping my family and real friends close and staying on alert to the world around me. Basically, get your ish in order and don't think for one hot second that "it couldn't happen to me." Uh, yeah, it could. Stay informed. I mean real information, not the story that your next-door neighbor's cousin's best friend said was true. Get in the habit of double-checking info before you...

 With a full workload and a non stop writing schedule, reading for pleasure is a luxury that I take very seriously.  I don't have the time or brain width to "hope that a book will get better." As a result of that I have come across some really memorable books this year.  They definitely took some of the sting out of being quarantined. I actually listened to this book on Audible. Suffice it to say I was enthralled from the beginning to the end.  Each afternoon and evening on my walks I would treat myself to listening to the intriguing story of two sisters and the dissimilar paths they took and the reasons. A book about choosing who we will become. Caste by Isabel Wilkerson is a book that you must sit down with. Otherwise you will find yourself stomping in fury around the house.Wilkerson lays out in clear, visual detail the origins of racism, which is much more insidious and more deeply ingrained than you would ever imagine--even more enlightening is that what we thin...

 Even as I still bask in the glow of the early support of CONFESSIONS IN B-FLAT,  I only have a moment to take it all in and take a breath, then back to work! I truly enjoy the discovery process of writing.  While the 1960s could easily be my "go-to" years, the history of black folk in America and beyond spans the history of humankind.  One location that I am drawn to is Sag Harbor in New York. As quiet as it's kept, New York had its share of slaves and the implementation of slavery.  The town of Eastville is one of those locations. Having the location set, the building of the story began taking root in my mind. What resulted was a storyline entitled "I Am Ayah--The Way Home."  It is the story of my contemporary character Ayah's  reluctant return to her home in Sag Harbor. While making arrangements to place her ailing father in a senior home, and selling the house she grew up in, she stumbles upon the bread crumbs that will lead her to discover the uni...

 Today began with pouring rain.  I'd left the back windows open and woke up to find the kitchen and living room floor covered in water. That will remind me (again--cause this happened before). After cleaning and mopping, I sat down as usual to check my email and prep for teaching my online class. The last thing I expected was an email from the publicity arm of my publisher Entangled Publishing that I'd just received a STARRED REVIEW  from PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY! After rubbing my eyes and reading it again, the screaming and shouting began!  And then out of the blue I began to cry. At first I didn't know why but then it slowly came together.  I'd been on this writing journey for 30 years. Three decades.  For the most part I've done okay. I've had steady following and published 1-2 books consistently all those years. Critics have been good to lukewarm to "ouch." But today was the first time that all that I poured into CONFESSIONS IN B-FLAT was recognized,...

JOIN US FOR THE 14TH ANNUAL NATIONAL BLACK WRITERS CONFERENCE MARCH 22-25TH WORKSHOPS, READINGS, LECTURES, POETRY CAFE, ONE-ON-ONE WITH NY EDITORS AND SO MUCH MORE.... The Center for Black Literature presents the 14th National Black Writers Conference Thursday, March 22 to Sunday, March 25, 2018. More than 30 writers, scholars, and literary professionals will discuss the Conference theme “ Gathering at the Waters: Healing, Legacy and Activism in Black Literature.” This timely theme acknowledges our concern about the recent, and continuing, issues of social inequality and injustices that challenge us and builds on the legacy of healing through activism. The 2018 NBWC Honorees are Steven Barnes , Kwame Dawes , Tananarive Due , David Levering Lewis , Eugene B. Redmond, Susan L . Taylor , and Colson Whitehead. The Conference will include roundtable conversations, author readings, films, workshops, vendors and more. For more information and to register, visit ...

With the holiday season rapidly approaching (earlier and earlier each year) the scramble to find the perfect gift looms large. Fear not! Rather than worry about size and color and price, fill those stockings with books. A book is always a perfect fit.  Here is a sample of some holiday-themed books and some that everyone needs to have in their collection.  Happy Holidays! Tis the season to satisfy your holiday desires with this festive trio of sexy stories… A GIFT OF LOVE Donna Hill  Drama professor Traci Long spends her free time at the CoffeeMate café, pursuing her true passion—writing her own plays. Meanwhile, sexy barista Noah Jefferson is doing his best to distract her. But once they get involved, past betrayals make Traci wary. She’s right that Noah is keeping something from her—but it might be something that will make this Christmas as sweet as a rave review—and steamier than her favorite chai latté… HOLIDAY SPICE Farrah Rochon A Christmas-time tragedy took ph...

So, I am always on the hunt for effective ways to write--to be better and more efficient.  I am always amazed by the writing habits of my fellow authors. Everyone has their process. Some writers get up and write in the morning, some must have music, a glass of wine, others outline, some write by the seat of their pants, some use cards, software programs... the list is as long and as varied as the writer. For me, I work from the synopsis that frames my story. For all of the 27 years that I've been writing, I write in a linear fashion--from beginning to the end. I write straight through. However, always one willing to try something new, I decided to try this thing that some of my writing buddies use-- write the scene as it comes to you and then place it in the story . Hmm. Okay. So, I'm working on my next novel When I'm With You , and find myself stuck. The first problem is that I veered away from my synopsis and realized that if I didn't get back on track my novel ...

So . . . wait... the world is now in an uproar, panties in bunches, pearls clutched, words like appalled, disgraceful, etc. etc. bandied about in light of the uncovering of wait for it . . . sexual abuse in the workplace! OMG... who knew? Well for starters black folk . . . for forever, or for at least as long as it's been since they dragged our asses over here--black women in particular. Black women have been objectified every which way but the right way. We've been touched, cornered, called out of our name, raped, maligned--you name it and it's been done to black women. Where is the outcry,the news reports, the faces on television, the outrage about our pu$$!&$ being grabbed? Now, don't get me wrong, sexual assault is abhorrent no matter who it happens to and the pricks need to be brought in front of a jury of their peers--all women--and be dealt with.  My issue is, why is it that there is only action and outrage when shiit happens to white folk? A whole heap o...

So  I was thinking . . . with all the ish that we are bombarded with on a daily basis and go through varying degrees of outrage . . . We have been so overloaded on outrage that its hard to distinguish what new atrocity to get behind or not, what hashtag to end our sentences with., what protest to march on, what cause to send our hard earned dollars  In the meantime, while we become consumed by the alternative reality that has sucked the country into a vortex of surrealism, and the real and present danger is behind the curtain of distraction,  I have to ask what is the politically correct protocol for the length of time to be outraged before we move onto the next atrocity?  #ithoughtso

I had not thought about it much, not in a visceral sense until the question was posed: what object holds emotional significance? It wasn't my wedding ring as I have no clue where it is, which I'm sure suggests something in itself. I do not possess heirlooms per se, but the watches that I was bequeathed from my aunt and my nana are both safely tucked away. So what is it? Although I never spoke of it aloud or put the thought of it on paper, I understood that a recurring theme in my life, in my work and often in  my dreams is brownstones. It rests there on the fringes of my consciousness (like the gray ball in Sula , only not as a ominous one) ready to be that devoted pup that sits at ones feet waiting for a command. My stories are peppered with brownstones. Anyone who is anyone in my novels live in brownstones or has a friend that does. I love stories that have brownstones in them, or a brownstonesque feel to them and I love telling others that I grew up in one--four storie...

It has been a very long time since I posted to my blog. When I took a look at it, I discovered that it had been 3 years since my last post! How could that be? But time does fly. However, in scrolling through some of my older posts one that stuck out was one where I questioned if I had anything worthwhile to say, and equally important was it worthwhile to anyone else? Hmm, I realized that as a writer, I always question the value of my words. But I also have realized, especially, lately that I do have stuff to say. So I decided to start anew, with a clean slate. Each day we are assaulted with one traumatic turn of events upon our senses to the next. From every corner there is drama and trauma.The  state of our world effects me greatly on so many levels and I believe that as a writer, it is a responsibility to write and if my words strike a cord or opens a door to dialogue great. If not, that's okay, too. But here I will get to write about the things that trouble, surprise or ...