tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183993552009-11-13T22:08:58.817-05:00Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.comBlogger278125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-89709452496372059282009-11-11T10:07:00.010-05:002009-11-11T14:45:22.103-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvreutE-GJI/AAAAAAAAA7M/W7RXIfFvjYc/s1600-h/51QmS4if06L-1._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvreutE-GJI/AAAAAAAAA7M/W7RXIfFvjYc/s200/51QmS4if06L-1._SL500_AA240_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402875596940122258" /></a><br />My novel <span style="font-style:italic;">GLORIOUS<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> was six years in the making and now it's just six months away from publication. The story first came to me in 2004 as I sat in my kitchen sipping tea when I became suddenly was aware of the presence of two women, who I will contend until the day I die, were the spirits of Zora Neale Hurston and Nella Larsen. I listened to what they had to say and then went to my office and typed out the first twenty-pages of what would become Glorious.<br /><br />It was no easy journey. The road from that first day to here was a long, arduous one paved with rejections letters, the death of my father and oceans and oceans of tears. <br /><br />But we don’t do anything in this life alone and without the love and support of my family, friends, fellow scribes, guides, readers and God – this book would never have seen the light of day.<br /><br />THANK YOU!<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Glorious<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> is set against the backdrops of the Jim Crow South, the Harlem Renaissance, and the civil rights era. On a hot July 4th afternoon, in Reno, Nevada boxers Jack Johnson and James Jeffries engaged in what would be come to known as "The Fight of the Century." <br /><br />Jack Johnson would become the first ever Negro Heavy Weight Champion of the World. His victory set off race riots in many major cities across the country and ignited a chain of events that would forever change the life of a small, town girl named Easter Venetta Bartlett.<br /><br />Blending the truth of American history with the fruits of my rich imagination, this is the story of Easter Venetta Bartlett, a fictional Harlem Renaissance writer whose tumultuous path to success, ruin, and revival offers a candid portrait of the American experience in all its beauty and cruelty.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Glorious<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> is filled with a cast of historical figures. One man that makes a brief appearance is Cuban band leader, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xavier_Cugat">Xavier Cugat</a>. His band was the resident band of The Waldorf Astoria Hotel before and after WWII. Cugat was also a cartoonist. <br /><br /><br />Now here's where it get's real interesting....<br /><br />Xavier Cugat is widely known for his musical talents, while his artistic skills are probably a lesser known fact. But do you know who this famous bandleaders brother was?<br /><br /><a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/essays/eyes/cugat_10.jpeg&imgrefurl=http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/essays/eyes/eyes.html&usg=__bod5HpdOKAciwPCnjp1JaK3JyLc=&h=500&w=351&sz=252&hl=en&start=1&sig2=yA0X_QBNVerIbzI9NBLc0A&um=1&tbnid=Al3tUnIEd7PruM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=91&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCelestial%2BEyes,%2BFrancis%2BCugat%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&ei=cNr6SpysGYH6lAffsty6Aw">Francis Cugat!<br /></a><br /><br />Name not ringing a bell?<br /><br />How about Celestial Eyes..? <br /><br />Still nothing, huh?<br /><br />Well maybe this will:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvrasoDXkQI/AAAAAAAAA68/EblQHu7zNXo/s1600-h/images-3.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 91px; height: 130px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvrasoDXkQI/AAAAAAAAA68/EblQHu7zNXo/s400/images-3.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402871163184976130" /></a><br /><br /><br />Yep! Francis Cugats painting: <span style="font-style:italic;">Celestial Eyes</span> was the artwork on the book jacket for F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Svrc0r5N1rI/AAAAAAAAA7E/PVDsABWx47I/s1600-h/images-1.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 108px; height: 137px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Svrc0r5N1rI/AAAAAAAAA7E/PVDsABWx47I/s200/images-1.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402873500678346418" /></a><br />Did you know that when the Great Gatsby was published in 1925, it was not immediately popular and even after being adapted into a play and a feature film, it was soon forgotten. It wasn't until it was republished in 1945 and 1953 that it gained a wide readership and became the successful piece of literature it is today.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-8970945249637205928?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-52608055990429555902009-11-09T13:07:00.005-05:002009-11-09T15:15:42.486-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvhbcE_3vkI/AAAAAAAAA6s/Hx2W-GssaBI/s1600-h/images-2.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 137px; height: 96px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvhbcE_3vkI/AAAAAAAAA6s/Hx2W-GssaBI/s320/images-2.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402168290967010882" /></a><br /><br />Author and educator Gloria Wades-Gayle published a book of essays entitled: Rooted Against the Wind. In it she writes about cultural memory being the “root” and the “polarization of class and race,” the fierce winds.<br /><br />I write to breath life back into memory to remind African-Americans of our rich and textured history. I also see myself as a “root” and for me the “fierce winds” are the marginalization of African American writers.<br /><br />Whether I am unwilling or unable to conform to the requirements of mainstream publishing is not the question nor is it the solution. As a Black woman I carry centuries of physical and emotional brutality as well as an assortment of epistemic violence in my DNA and so when my voice is restricted or attempts are made to silence me completely, it is this emotional memory that is awakened. <br /><br />Some of you may perceive my accusations to be the rants and ravings of an “angry” black woman, or better yet, an author scorned – when in reality it is a rebel howl – the first notice that I do not intend to go quietly into the dark night. I was put here for a specific reason and that was to produce works that would contribute to the canon of literature created by those writers who came before me. And I cannot and will not allow any man or woman to take that duty away from me.<br /><br />Legacies are delicate things. They must be tended to as one would tend an orchid so that it will continue to flourish and provide beautiful blooms. The legacy of African American literature has been neglected, the works of brilliant writers both published and aspiring - ignored. <br /><br />This has to change.<br /><br />Wallace Thurman, The Harlem Renaissance writer and literary radical said, “The time has come now, when the Negro artist can be his true self and pander to the stupidities of no one, either white or black.”<br /><br />That time has come again.<br /><br />And so I remain, stubbornly rooted against the wind.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-5260805599042955590?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-17467952025069892332009-11-08T12:23:00.007-05:002009-11-08T16:05:58.219-05:00Next month is <a href="http://welcomewhitefolks.blogspot.com/2009/11/meet-pamela-samuels-young.html">National Buy a Book by a Black Author and Give to Somebody Not Black Month. <br /></a><br /><br />Author, <a href="http://welcomewhitefolks.blogspot.com/2009/10/meet-ravi-howard-author-of-like-trees.html">Ravi Howard</a> and I, both have our eyes on this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/10/books/review/10SKURNIC.html">author</a>. You should too!<br /><br />I talk a lot about racisim in publishing so I found Amy Bowllan's blog <a href="http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/620000062/post/530049653.html">Writers Against Racisim.</a> very interesting.<br /><br />Over the summer Author, <a href="http://aalbc.com/authors/teri_woods.htm">Terri Woods </a>booked The Green House to celebrate the launch of her new book Alibi. Allegdly the majority of 175 guests were denied entrance to the club because they were <a href="http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/22/lawsuit-alleges-ny-club-barred-invited-guests-because-of-race/">African-American</a>.<br /><br />Karen Q. Miller has worn many hats - author, agent and publisher. You can a learn a lot from this phenomenal woman. Check out her <a href="http://www.karenequinonesmiller.com/Publishing%20Seminar.htm">Publishing/Self-Publishing Seminar </a>she will be holding at her home.<br /><br />This <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ota_Benga">historical</a> figure is a character in my novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glorious-Johnny-Temple-Bernice-McFadden/dp/1936070111">Glorious</a>. He wasn't in F. Scott Fitzgeralds' short story The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but he did end up in the movie version of the book.<br /><br />Iyanala Vanazant is having a casting call for her new reality show, <a href="http://www.realitywanted.com/call/5923-casting-for-bet-networks-pilot-daddys-home-reality-show">Daddy's Home</a>.<br /><br />I finally understand why I write what I write.....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvcQGp7nB5I/AAAAAAAAA6k/VvczUH-tiZM/s1600-h/photoquote.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 304px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvcQGp7nB5I/AAAAAAAAA6k/VvczUH-tiZM/s320/photoquote.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401803984575334290" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-1746795202506989233?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-36353161626756287252009-11-06T14:12:00.010-05:002009-11-06T15:36:50.556-05:00I have eight different drafts of my novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glorious-Johnny-Temple-Bernice-McFadden/dp/1936070111">Glorious</a>. With each draft I cut sentences, paragraphs and entire chapters. When it was finally acquired by <a href="http://www.akashicbooks.com/">Akashic Books</a> - the editors had at it and after some soul-searching we all agreed that the ending needed to be re-worked. And now I have a ending that links perfectly with the opening. Funny, how these things work themselves out. In any case, I wanted to share what would have been the closing chapter of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glorious-Johnny-Temple-Bernice-McFadden/dp/1936070111">Glorious</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Epilogue</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The house she grew up in was gone. Getty Wisdom had married, had a son, went of to Germany where he fought and died. Mattie May now Madeline found Jesus and dressed her self in white from head to toe and followed of Father Divine all the way to Philadelphia. They leveled all of the brownstones along 133rd street between Fifth Avenue and The Harlem River drive and replaced them with a city housing project and they closed down the cabarets of Jungle Alley and turned them into discount stores and chicken joints. <br /><br />409 Edgecombe was finally integrated and it seemed that every week some disgruntled white person was moving out and some famous Negro was moving in. On any given day you was sure to see W.E.B. Du Bois, Aaron Douglas, Thurgood Marshall or that infamous numbers runner Madam St. Clair going in and out of 409.<br /><br />Up in the penthouse, the years ran one into the other as Rain remained at Meredith's side watching her body bend and her mind turn to custard.<br /><br />When Rain could no longer take care of Meredith, she had her admitted into Gouverneur’s hospital. There she was assigned a colored nurse with a quiet smile. The tag on her uniform whites said: N. Imes. She didn't talk much, but she handled Meredith with all of the patience and gentleness of a saint. <br /><br />Meredith, well she swung between sweetness and the devil like a pendulum. One minute she was meek and mild and the next she was cussing and gnashing her teeth. But for a brief moment on the evening of March 16th, 1958, Meredith regained hold of all of her senses and she looked up and into the face of N. Imes and recognized her for who the woman really was: The novelist, Nella Larsen. <br /><br />Meredith gasped, caught Nella by the wrist and said, “Where have you been all these years? Is Easter there with you? Can you bring here to see me? I’d like to tell her that I’m sorry.”<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvSBbFxZjVI/AAAAAAAAA6c/km5A3FDleRs/s1600-h/glorious.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 203px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvSBbFxZjVI/AAAAAAAAA6c/km5A3FDleRs/s320/glorious.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401084155529891154" /></a><br /><br /><br />SUGAR CAMPAIGN UPDATE: Take a peek at who bought a book to HELP MAKE SUGAR'S TENTH ANNIVERSARY HISTORICAL:<a href="<br />http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=116578&id=688764863&l=4bd88d31af"> Anniversary Album</a><br /><br />I'm still waiting on your photos! Send them to: bernicemcfadden@hotmail.com<br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-3635316162675628725?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-5073036272193471332009-11-05T18:38:00.004-05:002009-11-06T14:11:21.909-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvNyQm8pkjI/AAAAAAAAA6U/pPci8cdA1ds/s1600-h/zora.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 141px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvNyQm8pkjI/AAAAAAAAA6U/pPci8cdA1ds/s320/zora.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400786007805760050" /></a><br />Thanks to the blog <a href="http://coloronline.blogspot.com/2009/11/speak-so-you-can-speak-again-life-of.html">Color Online</a> which profiled <span style="font-style:italic;">Speak So You Can Speak Again: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston by Lucy Anne Hurston.</span> thus reminding me that I owned this wonderful piece of work. Yesterday, I posted about the more things change in publishing the more they stay the same and even though many times I blog from a place of pure frustration when it comes to the subject of Seg-Book-gation - it is also a place of stark truth. Fifty-nine years ago Zora Neale Hurston wrote and essay about it. I've posted it here today - it's long, but so worth the read:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What White Publishers Won't Print by Zora Neale Hurston </span><br /><br />I HAVE been amazed by the Anglo-Saxon's lack of curiosity about the internal lives and <br />emotions of the Negroes, and for that matter, any non-Anglo-Saxon peoples within our borders, above the class of unskilled labor. <br />This lack of interest is much more important than it seems at first glance. It is even more <br />important at this time than it was in the past. The internal affairs of the nation have bearings on the <br />international stress and strain, and this gap in the national literature now has tremendous weight in <br />world affairs. National coherence and solidarity is implicit in a thorough understanding of the various groups within a nation, and this lack of knowledge about the internal emotions and behavior of the minorities cannot fail to bar out understanding. Man, like all the other animals fears and is repelled by that which he does not understand, and mere difference is apt to connote something malign. <br /><br />The fact that there is no demand for incisive and full-dress stories around Negroes above the <br />servant class is indicative of something of vast importance to this nation. This blank is NOT filled by the fiction built around upper- class Negroes exploiting the race problem. Rather, it tends to point it up. A college-bred Negro still is not a person like other folks, but an interesting problem, more or less. It calls to mind a story of slavery time. In this story, a master with more intellectual curiosity than usual, set out to see how much he could teach a particularly bright slave of his. When he had gotten him up to higher mathematics and to be a fluent reader of Latin, he called in a neighbor to show off his brilliant slave, and to argue that Negroes had brains just like the slave-owners had, and given the same opportunities, would turn out the same. <br /><br />The Visiting master of slaves looked and listened, tried to trap the literate slave in Algebra and <br />Latin, and "failing to do so in both, fumed to his neighbor and said: <br />"Yes, he certainly knows his higher mathematics, and he can read Latin better than many white <br />men I know, but I cannot bring myself to believe that he understands a thing that he is doing. It is all an aping of our culture. All on the outside. You are crazy if you think that it has changed him 1nslde in the least. Turn him loose, and he will revert at once to the jungle. He is still a savage, and no amount of translating Virgil and Ovid have done is to turngoing to change him. In fact, all you have done is to turn a useful savage into a dangerous beast." <br /><br /><a href="http://www.westga.edu/~sboyd/what%20white%20publishers%20wont%20publish%20hurston.pdf">Continue reading</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-507303627219347133?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-63351547051717554692009-11-04T18:20:00.013-05:002009-11-04T21:01:55.581-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvIP4VHwV5I/AAAAAAAAA6E/GGqkZSq_094/s1600-h/41c9oB338pL._SL75_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-st,TopRight,8,-14_OU01_.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 55px; height: 82px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvIP4VHwV5I/AAAAAAAAA6E/GGqkZSq_094/s320/41c9oB338pL._SL75_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-st,TopRight,8,-14_OU01_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400396363587409810" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Help-Kathryn-Stockett/dp/0399155341/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b">The Help</a>, authored by Kathryn Stockett – is a runaway, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/books/03help.html?_r=1">NYT bestseller</a>. The story centers on AA maids and their white employers.<br /><br />First off, if you’re reading this Kathryn, a big congratulations to you! As a writer, I applaud you and your novel. In this very tough fiction market, it does a heart good to know that unknown authors are being recognized.<br /><br />Now having said that, let me say this: Kathryn is a white woman. I already gave the description of the book. So I guess my question is - is The Help a so-called “black” story? I know it would have been labeled “black” story if I’d written it. <br /><br />Now don’t get me wrong – I am an advocate for writing about whoever and whatever you want – whether it be animals, aliens or blue people. That’s the beauty of art and individuality – we all have a different perspective to bring to the table.<br /><br />So I guess my second question is, does the label change from an “Black Story” to an “American Story” because the author is white? <br /><br />If Kathryn had been black and the characters white – the book probably never would have been acquired. Or maybe if the story and writing style was too enticing to pass up, the editor may have demanded that the author change the complexion of the characters. We’ve seen it done before – take the case of author, <a href="http://firstborngirl.blogspot.com/search?q=Millenia">Millenia Black</a> - who submitted her manuscript to her publisher and was told that she had to change her characters from white to black. She sued them. They gagged her. Let's move on....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvIQKvPEDaI/AAAAAAAAA6M/qJ3tzu21alA/s1600-h/51NTa7R2SpL._SL75_.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 50px; height: 75px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SvIQKvPEDaI/AAAAAAAAA6M/qJ3tzu21alA/s320/51NTa7R2SpL._SL75_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400396679835028898" /></a>Another book that is quickly following in the The Help’s footsteps is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mudbound-Hillary-Jordan/dp/156512569X">Mudbound</a>, by Hillary Jordan – also a white woman. This story also takes place in Mississippi and has both black and white characters. I went to Amazon to read all of the <span style="font-weight:bold;">industry </span>reviews and was fascinated at how expertly each reviewer avoided even hinting at the fact that the novel had anything to do with black folk. <br /><br />As you can see Mudbound has a beautiful cover, as does The Help. Why aren’t AA authors offered similar covers?<br /><br />The more things change the more they stay the same. Back in the 1920’s Julia Peterkin was one of the very few white authors to specialize in Negro experience and character. Her novel, <span style="font-style:italic;">Scarlet, Sister Mary </span>won the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction in 1929. <br /><br />I have the book – she’s a wonderful writer – but between 1928 and 1929 Nella Larsen published both Passing and Quicksand, Wallace Thurman published The Blacker the Berry, Jessie Fauset, Plum Bun; and Claude McKay, Home to Harlem. I suspect that none of these works were even considered for the prestigious prize even though I can pick two out of the list that were more (at least for me) compelling than Sister, Scarlet Mary.<br /><br />I have not read The Help or Mudbound - but from the reviews, readers are more than pleased.<br /><br />What did the publishers do with these two books that they do not do with similar books written by AA writers? <br /><br />I suspect that they marketed the book to both black and white book clubs, and that they also rallied for the books to be made available in what has become known as the “Golden” outlets: BJ’s, Walmart and so on. <br /><br />It breaks my heart that we AA authors are not afforded the same opportunities.<br /><br />We can elect a black president, we can have white authors publish stories with black characters, but publishers refuse to acquire and or publish novels written by AA authors who write white characters?<br /><br />Publishing doesnt make me feel like I'm living in a post racial society - publishing makes me feel like I'm living in the twilight zone.<br /><br /><br />SiDEbAR: My novel-in-progress is set in Mississippi and chronicles the lives of two families - one black and one white -- let's see how this plays out - shall we..<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-6335154705171755469?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-75020675232576795622009-11-02T17:14:00.008-05:002009-11-02T20:14:01.430-05:00Hey! I know ya'll have been buying SUGAR -- but where are your photos??? I was hoping to have a nice thick album full of your smiling faces (holding a copy SUGAR) to commemorate the 10th Anniversary. So far I only have three! (sad face) -- Come on ya'll don't be shy! <br /><br />Any-hoo -- the SUGAR PHOTO OF THE DAY is from Vickie Beene the Librarian in MA - Thanks VB for doing your part to make Sugar's 10th Anniversary Historical!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Su-AY58GUJI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/bS0E4KPPsvI/s1600-h/vickie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Su-AY58GUJI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/bS0E4KPPsvI/s320/vickie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399675643598622866" /></a><br /><br /><br />I didn't sleep very well last night and found myself roaming the house in the wee hours of the morning. I tried to write - but my heart wasn't in it and so I flipped on the boob-tube and watched episode after episode of the TV1's series, Unsung. Unsung profiles different musical artist.<br />It's like Biography for entertainers. The episodes I watched, profiled Minnie Ripperton and Phyllis Hyman - the one thread that linked the stories was how the singers were marketed.<br /><br />The complaint both Minnie Ripperton and Phyllis Hyman had about their record companies was that they weren't being marketed across the color line. This of course affected their sales.<br />You've heard these two women sing -- they had a range that was out of this world - and should have been shared with ALL people - but it wasn't, because they were pigeon holed. And even though the term "Race Music" was changed to "Rhythm and Blues" decades ago - the practice behind the term did not change. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Prior to the emergence of rhythm & blues as a musical genre in the 1940s, "race music" and "race records" were terms used to categorize practically all types of African-American music. Race records were the first examples of popular music recorded by and marketed to black Americans. Reflecting the segregated status of American society and culture, race records were separate catalogs of African-American music. Prior to the 1940s, African Americans were scarcely represented on radio, and live performances were largely limited to segregated venues. Race music and records, therefore, were also the primary medium for African-American musical expression during the 1920s and 1930s.-</span> St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture.<br /><br />This is the same thing that has happened with books written by AA authors. Have you noticed that some booksellers have changed the signs above the AA book section from: <span style="font-weight:bold;">African American</span> <span style="font-weight:bold;">Interest</span> to <span style="font-weight:bold;">Multicultural Interest </span>-- laughing -- under that label you would expect to find a little bit of everybody, right? Wrong. The title may have changed but the message is still the same: THIS IS NOT FOR YOU.<br /><br />One recipient of my letter about the injustices in the industry, felt that my claims were exaggerated. She said that she reads ALOT - and that 95% of the authors she reads are AA. She explained that she no longer bought books, because she devours so many of them - so she borrows her books from the library and never has any problem finding titles by the authors she loves. She gave me a list of these authors - none of which fall under the genre in which I write -- well there was one - but she hasn't had a deal in a number of years. The reader went on to suggest that maybe I just needed to find a new publisher. <br /><br />*sigh*<br /><br />Well, I'm sure there are many skeptics out there, so just in case you're one of them (and even if you're not) take a listen to The Cover to Cover Radio show and hear what me and a few other authors have to say about how we AA authors are treated in this business. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.fromcovertocovershow.com/uploads/Friday_October_30_2009.mp3">LISTEN AND LEARN</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-7502067523257679562?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-25383759263247577852009-10-27T09:03:00.006-04:002009-10-27T09:56:36.352-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sub62G68YFI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/yB5BOD6sm6s/s1600-h/images.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 111px; height: 109px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sub62G68YFI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/yB5BOD6sm6s/s320/images.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397277010927837266" /></a><br />So while I have no idea just how many people have actually gone out and purchased SUGAR since I began the campaign to sell 10,000 copies by Jan 9th, 2010 - I do feel as if I've made some headway in the fight against <span style="font-weight:bold;">Seg-book-gation</span> - <br /><br />I reached out to many book clubs and independent bookstores and did receive some feedback. <br /><br />Vickie Timmons reached out to me after receiving my <a href="http://firstborngirl.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-you-can-help-make-sugars-10th.html">letter </a> and this is what she had to say:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Hi Bernice!<br /> <br />I am white. ! And 60. But we are a women's book club with Greek, Latino, Peruvian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino and various mixes. I have two open slots. We read outside our comfort zones. This club has been going since 2004. <br /><br />You said -<span style="font-style:italic;">"I don't rightly know why publisher’s market fiction written by African-Americans ONLY TO African-Americans</span> - but it has become common practice. And by doing this, they've placed all AA authors in one box forcing them to compete for the attention of ONE audience."<br /> <br />I have two book clubs in Los Angeles - Feast of Passages and Pack Light. They will be very uncomfortable about this literary segregation. More like pissed. So do you have the names of publishing houses that do this? It would be good for them to hear from us.<br /> <br />We are here to softly squeeze through barriers and create a luscious community. It is a friendly<br />social atmosphere yet we like to have a good meaty discussion. I really want the experience of black women to be brought into our discussions. <br /><br />I have been reading about you and I know we need to get you on our book list. Thank you for your devotion to being a writer. Every word matters to us in this book club. We are not alone. We don't plow through books. We actually read them.<br /> <br />That you write matters to us,<br /> <br />Vicki<br /></span><br /><br />If you are an AA woman looking to join a book club that is made up of women from various ethnic backgrounds who read a variety of work from just as many writers - give Vicki a holler:<br /><br />Here is the bio for FEAST OF PASSAGES Book Club:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Feast of Passages<br />We are 9 women from 30 to 60 and read everything that creates inspired discussion, fun food journeys, and treks through fiction and non-fiction. We love it when a book sends us off in search and discovery because here we have an audience that really cheers ancillary finds and enjoys whatever curious explorations one is moved to share. Our diverse cultural richness swirls in the background of our monthly meetings. And we laugh here! There's 2 warm spots on the couch still open. You will feel like you have always been here! Feast of Passages has created a place we can't wait to get to all month long. Come, enjoy! 4th Wenesday of the month 7 - 9:30 pm in Torrance in my home. vtimmons@juno.com</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-2538375926324757785?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-7206257310263834742009-10-26T09:37:00.009-04:002009-10-26T20:29:02.379-04:00R. Gregory Christie is a three-time Coretta Scott King honor recipient. He’s illustrated numerous picture books, including the biographies of many significant historical and cultural figures — Richard Wright, Langston Hughes, Sojourner Truth, Muhammad Ali, Louis Armstrong, to name a few. And he also created the cover art for my novel, Loving Donovan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SuWp01bX30I/AAAAAAAAA44/RVDVqys6Bs0/s1600-h/donovan.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 121px; height: 180px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SuWp01bX30I/AAAAAAAAA44/RVDVqys6Bs0/s320/donovan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396906453633589058" /></a><br /><br />Saturday, I had the pleasure of finally meeting the artist Mr. Christie and he signed a few copies of Loving Donovan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SuWqh5e-FJI/AAAAAAAAA5A/Q7uOVIpw9yM/s1600-h/IMG00268.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SuWqh5e-FJI/AAAAAAAAA5A/Q7uOVIpw9yM/s320/IMG00268.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396907227816531090" /></a><br /><br />and then I signed a few copies......<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SuWq_y44WVI/AAAAAAAAA5I/d5NmPNiG2jM/s1600-h/LD.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SuWq_y44WVI/AAAAAAAAA5I/d5NmPNiG2jM/s320/LD.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396907741442234706" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />And now I have three copies sitting here in my library. But I've decided to <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/First-edition-HC-signed-by-the-author-and-illustrator_W0QQitemZ290363698774QQihZ019QQcategoryZ377QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D1%26ps%3D63#ht_500wt_1182">auction </a>one off on Ebay. <br /><br />I think it's a great addition to any book lovers collection. <br /><br />Auction ends on November 5th.<br /><br />Proceeds will go to the HELP MAKE SUGAR's 10th ANNIVERSARY HISTORICAL - CAMPAIGN.<br /><br />Details: First edition hardcover, signed by the author as well as the illustrator. All editions of Loving Donovan are out-of-print.<br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-720625731026383474?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-28470287727135644132009-10-20T11:20:00.012-04:002009-10-20T12:35:55.180-04:00SUGAR CAMPAIGN UPDATE:<br /><br />Nicola of <a href="http://www.nicolasbooks.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp">Nicola Book</a>s in Ann Arbor, Michigan reached out to me with this: "<span style="font-style:italic;">It might be of small comfort to you to know that we do not segregate our African American authors, we categorize books based on genre and author, not ethnic background of the author. <br /><br />Nicola</span><br /><br />I say: Bravo, Nicola!<br /><br />Pictured here is my novel SUGAR (swathed in a brown Amazon.com shipping box) sitting in the mailbox of my friend and fellow Author, <a href="http://www.mjhodge.net/">Margaret Johnson-Hodge</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/St3cqvycBhI/AAAAAAAAA4w/yZQtcyYkIs0/s1600-h/Sugar+001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/St3cqvycBhI/AAAAAAAAA4w/yZQtcyYkIs0/s320/Sugar+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394710555600356882" /></a><br /><br />Thanks Margaret!<br /><br />I'm still waiting on YOUR photos picturing you buying your own copy of SUGAR. Send them to: bernicemcfadden@hotmail.com and I will post them here.<br /><br /><br />So it seems that my publisher will honor my wishes and create a new book jacket for SUGAR. I'm excited about this, and can't wait to see the final product. When the publicist asked if I had anything specific in mind, my response was: Create for me what you would create for one of your non-AA authors. A cover that is beautiful and welcoming to ALL readers.<br /><br />Now, don't get me wrong - I was mad for the first SUGAR cover:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/St3W12Bc2vI/AAAAAAAAA4I/5DfedepybgE/s1600-h/images-3.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 79px; height: 124px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/St3W12Bc2vI/AAAAAAAAA4I/5DfedepybgE/s320/images-3.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394704149182733042" /></a><br /><br />The woman in the photograph is beautiful and the muted colors and subtle shadows offered a hint of....mystery.<br /><br />But, when it comes to the current cover............I dunno - it was not a favorite. The one thing that was interesting though was the fact the young girl holds an eerie resemblance to my best friend. Weird, huh?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/St3XJAWgNgI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/taL-y-MN1s8/s1600-h/sugar_pb_small.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 97px; height: 147px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/St3XJAWgNgI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/taL-y-MN1s8/s320/sugar_pb_small.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394704478372902402" /></a><br /><br />Back in the day the book covers were simple and mostly free of art work. People bought a book based on the title, the copy on the back and the opening lines.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/St3aSEuhw2I/AAAAAAAAA4o/42d6oWMsYq8/s1600-h/DSC01661.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/St3aSEuhw2I/AAAAAAAAA4o/42d6oWMsYq8/s320/DSC01661.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394707932701115234" /></a><br />(Triangle Books reprint circa 1928)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/St3Z5JFtY5I/AAAAAAAAA4g/DrtoZ0TTO1A/s1600-h/DSC01660.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/St3Z5JFtY5I/AAAAAAAAA4g/DrtoZ0TTO1A/s320/DSC01660.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394707504375358354" /></a><br />(The Scribner Library reprint 1959)<br /><br /><br />You know they have entire groups of experts who advise publishers as to what types of covers sell the best. What color patterns are most appealing to the human eye. Apparently, black folks have different types of eyes than white folks do. LOL<br /><br />The experts also say that books with white covers don't sell. Well, I guess sometimes the experts are wrong. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/St3ZBl4Ul1I/AAAAAAAAA4Y/f9yFNkBzo5I/s1600-h/images-4.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 94px; height: 126px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/St3ZBl4Ul1I/AAAAAAAAA4Y/f9yFNkBzo5I/s320/images-4.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394706550031161170" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-2847028772713564413?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-57654344082243723022009-10-19T06:02:00.009-04:002009-10-19T08:04:21.967-04:00This morning I woke to find a wonderful email waiting in my inbox.<br /><br />Tricia Lightweis, owner of The <a href="http://www.thebooksmith.com/about.html">BookSmith</a> in Seneca, South Carolina dropped me a note to say that she has restocked SUGAR!<br /><br />So if you live in or around Seneca, stop by and purchase a copy or two and become part of the movement to make Sugar's 10th Anniversary Historical.<br /><br />I am an old soul. Always have been and by all accounts - always will.<br /><br />I love old houses, old songs and old books. I like the feeling that comes over me when I look at, touch and hear these things.<br /><br />Sometimes these old things conjure up memories that I'd forgotten I had.<br /><br />Yesterday, I was a watching a movie that had the song, Let's Do It Again - playing in the background. What immediately came to mind were summers at my grandparents home. My grandfather standing at the grill flipping burgers, us kids jumping rope and playing red-light, green-light in the driveway. Uncles and Aunts relaxing in lawn chairs reminiscing about their own good ole days. <br /><br />The memory struck me deep in my heart and I began to smile. "Easy times," I mumbled as I started rifling through my collection of CD's in search of the song.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StxRC6aLBgI/AAAAAAAAA4A/4FpXpKQjeqk/s1600-h/51BYMWSM23L._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StxRC6aLBgI/AAAAAAAAA4A/4FpXpKQjeqk/s320/51BYMWSM23L._SL500_AA240_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394275564163630594" /></a>Days earlier, while visiting with a friend in Rockaway Beach, I was going through her mounds of books when I stumbled upon a copy of MIDNIGHT BIRDS - Mary Helen Washington's ground-breaking collection of stories by and about Black women. I opened the book and started reading Paulette Childress-Whites' short story, <span style="font-style:italic;">Alice<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Alice. Drunk Alice. Alice of the streets. Of the party. Of the house of dark places."</span><br /><br />Do you feel the rhythm of those words? Lovely, isn't it. This is the type of writing that has always had a profound and indelible effect on me. <br /><br />Back home I found that I had the revised edition: B<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385260156/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0Q65HT7118TM2RRJWTJ4&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">lack-Eyed Susans and Midnight Birds</a> - and settled myself into bed and read deep into the night. <br /><br />Revisiting those stories reminded me once again of easy times - those long, gone days when I all I could do was dream of being as good a writer as anyone of those women in that book.<br /><br />I wanna go back to that time...even if just for today. <br /><br />Come with me - dig out that favorite, old book and put on Mavis. Don't have the original cut? -- --That's okay Leela James does a pretty bang-up job on the remake.<br /><br />*snapping fingers-swaying away*<br /><br /> <br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PO4YClPUEEM&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PO4YClPUEEM&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-5765434408224372302?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-65036194887214829522009-10-18T13:11:00.007-04:002009-10-18T14:32:12.127-04:00For the last few days I've been asking you to spread the word about Sugar's quickly approaching tenth anniversary. But I won't be the only one celebrating a milestone in 2010 - Donna Hill, friend and fellow author will be celebrating her 20th anniversary in publishing!!! <br /><br />*applauding*<br /><br />Donna Hill writes under a variety of genres - romance, mystery and contemporary. She's a multi-talented, multi-faceted, hard working, author. If you don't know this phenomenal woman and writer, check her <a href="http://donnahill.blogspot.com/">out</a>.<br /><br />Donna's newest release is:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SttPGygtJpI/AAAAAAAAA34/RIA-qfzag24/s1600-h/51VDrEpQfTL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SttPGygtJpI/AAAAAAAAA34/RIA-qfzag24/s320/51VDrEpQfTL._SL500_AA240_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393991956763059858" /></a><br /><br />Happy Birthday To:<br /><br />Ntozake Shange <br />Terry McMillan<br />Chuck Berry<br /><br />(it's a Libra thing!)<br /><br /><br />KEEP YOUR EYES ON YOUR RICHES: I had a conversation with a writer friend of mine who shared a very sad and disturbing story with me. This particular author published a novel back in the late 1990's. The publisher claims the novel is still in print and so will not revert the rights back to the author. The very first royalty statement the author received - back in the late 1990's - stated that the book printed and sold 10K. Subsequent statements quoted the EXACT SAME NUMBERS.<br /><br />*scratching head*<br /><br />If you're not getting what I'm saying here - let me just repeat this line: <br /><br />THE BOOK IS STILL IN PRINT<br /><br />Moving on...............<br /><br /><br /><br />African-American Literature. From Wikipedia.<br /><br />African American oral culture is rich in poetry, including spirituals, African American gospel music, blues and rap. This oral poetry also appears in the African American tradition of Christian sermons, which make use of deliberate repetition, cadence and alliteration. African American literature—especially written poetry, but also prose—has a strong tradition of incorporating all of these forms of oral poetry.[7]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">However, while these characteristics and themes exist on many levels of African American literature, they are not the exclusive definition of the genre and do not exist within all works within the genre.</span><br /> <br /><br />*Talk amongst yourselves -- I'll wait.*<br /><br />Someone Else's Line:<br /><br />The trouble with reading or watching a movie that has been adapted from a book - is that it can get you into trouble. I have been working on a new novel and I thought I had THE BEST opening line - but something in the back of mind kept moaning like Big Mama did when she was clutching her fists to her breasts, trying hard not to slap you into next Sunday. But I ignored the moaning - and kept on writing. Today I was all prepared to share the first line of my new novel and the groaning turned into a full fledged spiritual with Big Mama waving her hands in the air like flags and so I finally Googled the line and sure 'nuff - there it was:<br /><br />"Every little thing just wants to be loved"<br /><br />My line: "Every little thing wants to be loved, and towns are no exception."<br /><br />Imagine my.....astonishment. <br /><br />The first line is from the bestselling book, turned star-studded movie: The Secret Life of Bees.<br /><br />Sometimes being a sponge has its hazards.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-6503619488721482952?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-63683796605595747652009-10-17T09:04:00.008-04:002009-10-17T13:33:23.468-04:00Over the summer I received an email from two women who have been long supporters of my work. They were coming to New York for their annual get-a-away and wanted to know if they could meet with me, while they were here. I thought that was a lovely idea, but could not immediately commit, because my plan was not to be in NY at that time. <br /><br />Well, as usual the universe did what it does best - which is align things in such a way that it places you where you NEED to be at the time.<br /><br />When they reached out again - I agreed to meet with them.<br /><br />My sister was worried - Stephen King's, Misery has a lot to do with that.<br /><br />Her: Not a book club meeting - just you and them?<br /><br />Me: Yes.<br /><br />Her: You're meeting them in a public place, right?<br /><br />Me: Yes.<br /><br />Her: Well, okay, just don't leave your drink unattended.<br /><br />The idea of being kidnapped by a reader tickles me to tears.....how would they threaten me? <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">You better bring SUGAR back, or I'm going to hobble you!</span><br /><br />But I digress...<br /><br />I met the ladies (Marsha and Sylvia) for lunch at the beautiful Hyatt hotel in Jersey City. It could not have been a more beautiful day. Clear skies, sunshine and the most amazing water view!<br /><br />Our luncheon was such a wonderful experience. I was in the midst of my "gray" period, but being in the company of those two phenomenal spirits - snatched me right out of it. I felt as if we'd known each other for years... I love when that happens.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StnHxqn0xGI/AAAAAAAAA3Y/ddL2EabzA8w/s1600-h/marsha.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StnHxqn0xGI/AAAAAAAAA3Y/ddL2EabzA8w/s320/marsha.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393561684821722210" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StnGJC2jSGI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/267c5h8JZJA/s1600-h/sylvia.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StnGJC2jSGI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/267c5h8JZJA/s320/sylvia.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393559887439677538" /></a><br /><br />The ladies presented me with a beautiful gift - a pewter angel - which is now sitting here on my desk, watching over me as I write. For me it is representative of all of my readers out there praying and watching over me.<br /><br />On that day my little angel rode shot-gun all the way back home with me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StnI-TGpQdI/AAAAAAAAA3g/yf9jPppM9Fo/s1600-h/IMG00262.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StnI-TGpQdI/AAAAAAAAA3g/yf9jPppM9Fo/s320/IMG00262.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393563001358467538" /></a><br /><br />Robin Stewart is a reader and teacher living in Florida. She reached out to me earlier this year after reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nowhere-Place-Bernice-L-McFadden/dp/0525948759">Nowhere is a Place</a>. Here is a little bit of what she wrote:<br /><br />"<span style="font-style:italic;">I would like to tell you how much I enjoyed reading, Nowhere is a Place. Oh my goodness - WOW! I was totally taken into this book. It is absolutely amazing. ...I wanted to thank you for writing books like this that penetrate hearts and cause us to see things the way they may have been for those who traveled through life, circumstances, and experiences differently than others</span>. "<br /><br />Oh, did I mention that Robin is white?? I shouldn't have to, but being that the battle I'm waging here has everything to do with publishers racializing literature written by black folk - I just thought I should put that fact out there.<br /><br />Robin asked me to send her a photo of myself, which she placed in the celebrity corner of her classroom, right next to the photograph of her boyfriend posed with the "gloved one"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StnUY7cTNiI/AAAAAAAAA3o/Puy9Yg9e3Ak/s1600-h/011.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StnUY7cTNiI/AAAAAAAAA3o/Puy9Yg9e3Ak/s320/011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393575553491220002" /></a><br /><br /><br />BUY A COPY OF <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452282209/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1DGFKK4DXJWESD8N1JD2&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">SUGAR </a>AND MAKE HER 10TH ANNIVERSARY HISTORICAL!<br /><br />SEND A PHOTO OF YOURSELF PURCHASING THE BOOK TO: BERNICEMCFADDEN@HOTMAIL.COM AND I WILL POST IT HERE.<br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-6368379660559574765?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-9866425545945480332009-10-16T10:03:00.009-04:002009-10-16T10:59:33.713-04:00I am fiercely independent....to a fault. I rarely ask for help - and when I do, it takes me weeks to form the question. I have always claimed that I am NOT every woman - or a superwoman for that fact - but my behaviors have always suggested otherwise.<br /><br />Once, when I was as empty as a pocket, I spent and entire winter wearing a pair of sneakers with holes in the soles. I tried my best to fight back the biting cold, snow and ice of the NYC streets, with heavy socks and slabs of cardboard. Years, later when I shared this information with my mother, she stared at me wide-eyed with astonishment and asked, 'Why in the world didn't you tell me?" <br /><br />I had no answer for her.<br /><br />The reality was, I was a grown woman with a child of my own - who was I to ask my MOTHER to buy me a pair of sneakers? Her time for doing for me was over. I was the one who was supposed to be doing for her.<br /><br />That winter, my silence levied a terrible price on my health and bedded me twice with the flu.<br /><br />Ten years ago my silence may have cost me potentially thousands of sales and a spot on the NYT Bestsellers List.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StiGG3C0rlI/AAAAAAAAA3I/oxPQCi-2U8Y/s1600-h/sugar_pb_small.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 97px; height: 147px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StiGG3C0rlI/AAAAAAAAA3I/oxPQCi-2U8Y/s320/sugar_pb_small.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393208006189297234" /></a><br /><br />Well, it's a decade later and I'm a wiser, thicker-skinned, not-so-shy - author. Ten years ago I placed all of my faith and belief in the MACHINE and not in the hands of the ones with the REAL power - YOU.<br /><br />AS of today the torch has been passed.<br /><br />I need your help to make Jan 9th 2010 amazing, wondrous and above all HISTORICAL!<br /><br />Purchase your copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452282209/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_t1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=133JND10J83FZ1BF8CZE&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">SUGAR</a> today and become a part of history.<br /><br />Take a photo of yourself purchasing your copy or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452282209/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_t1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0WMTPAGDW6T4GZ80FMB9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">SUGAR </a>at your local bookstore and I will post it here on the blog. Send photos to: bernicemcfadden.com<br /><br /><br />Biggups to Gerald Moore of Charleston, SC - who is doing his part to make SUGAR's 10th Anniversary - HISTORICAL! -- THANK YOU GERALD!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StiFLhEyUAI/AAAAAAAAA3A/naRccjEg-OQ/s1600-h/n1319104937_5452.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 231px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StiFLhEyUAI/AAAAAAAAA3A/naRccjEg-OQ/s400/n1319104937_5452.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393206986679668738" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-986642554594548033?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-40546689510204246492009-10-15T09:44:00.010-04:002009-10-15T14:24:03.239-04:00After my birthday I took some time off to get my head together and ponder my future. <br /><br />I think best when I'm out on the open road and so I jumped in my car and drove down to NC with Jay-Z blaring from my speakers (my fave cuts are: "Off That " and "A Star is Born") Eleven hours later and dog-tired I arrived at my destination and climbed into bed, where I remained for days.....until the little girl inside me - the one that has guided me since I was eight years old and first put pen to paper - poised the simplest of questions: <br /><br />Her: Are you really gonna let them win?<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The "them" of course are the people that have fixed their heels against my literary throat. <span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span><br /><br />My response: I think they've already won.<br /><br />And then there was that very sad: <span style="font-style:italic;">tsk - tsk-tsk</span> -- and I saw that little girl me, shaking her head with disappointment.<br /><br />Me: Maybe this is not what I was meant to do.<br /><br />Her: Really, after thirty-six years...all of a sudden, this is no longer your calling?<br /><br />Me: *shamefully quiet*<br /><br />Her: What you gonna do, forget your manifest destiny and go out and get a 9-5?<br /><br />Me: *shrugging shoulders* It looks like I might have to.<br /><br />Her: You suck! <br /><br />Me: I know.<br /><br />Her: Where is the fighter I used to know?<br /><br />Me: Beaten and tired.<br /><br />Her: What about the ancestors? *tapping her foot and glaring at me* <br /><br />Me: They're going to have to tell their stories to someone else.<br /><br />Her: Did you tell them that?<br /><br />Me: Can't you pass on the message?<br /><br />Her: I ain't no goddamn carrier pigeon!<br /><br />Me: *Shrugging shoulders*<br /><br />Her: What about Sugar?<br /><br />Me: What about her?<br /><br />Her: She's depending on you to accomplish in 2010 what you couldn't in 2000.<br /><br />Me: She'll be alright.<br /><br />Her: So you going to do her like that?<br /><br />Me: I ain't doing nothing.<br /><br />Her: That's the fucking problem! You Ain't doing nothing!<br /><br />Me: Shut up!<br /><br />Her: No, you shut up!<br /><br />Me *quiet*<br /><br />Her: It ain't just about you, you know. It's about the people who are coming up behind you and the ones that came before you.<br /><br />Me: But I can't --- *wining*<br /><br />Her: Can't? You know that word ain't part of our vocabulary! *hand raised to back slap me across my face*<br /><br />****LONG PAUSE*******<br /><br />ME: You're right.<br /><br />Her: Ain't I always?<br /><br />Me: Thank you for reminding me.<br /><br />Her: Next time bunk all this talk - I'm just going to give you a swift kick in your ass.<br /><br />Me: Thank you.<br /><br />Her: You can thank me climbing out of that bed, brushing your teeth and and putting on something other than those holy, faded, pajamas - which by the way - is not a good look for you.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StdlOrm6QvI/AAAAAAAAA24/LL3y5NQ1FLs/s1600-h/sugar_pb_small.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 97px; height: 147px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StdlOrm6QvI/AAAAAAAAA24/LL3y5NQ1FLs/s400/sugar_pb_small.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392890381697958642" /></a><br />Please purchase at least one copy of SUGAR for yourself, a friend or family member. Cut and paste this message into your email program and send it out to your list. Tweet, Blog, Facebook and Myspace it.... !!<br /><br />Thanking you in advance for helping SUGAR make history!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Send a picture of yourself purchasing a copy of SUGAR and I will post it on my blog: www.firstborngirl.blogspot.com<br />Send your photos to: bernicemcfadden@hotmail.com and please include your name and the name and location of the bookstore.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-4054668951020424649?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-57911829624483101152009-10-14T09:45:00.007-04:002009-10-14T21:46:12.691-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StXbobpg_wI/AAAAAAAAA2w/s0o6ATqDk54/s1600-h/sugar_pb_small.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 97px; height: 147px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/StXbobpg_wI/AAAAAAAAA2w/s0o6ATqDk54/s400/sugar_pb_small.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392457616509173506" /></a><br />Dear Book Lover:<br /><br />You may not know me or my novels, because I am a member of a growing band of African-American writers of literary fiction who are slowly disappearing. And not because I am lacking in talent and credentials; in fact I have already published a number of books with major publishing houses and have been reviewed by national newspapers and well-respected literary journals, and have received critical acclaim and awards for my efforts. My work has been hailed as vivid, thought provoking and brilliant. I have been compared to Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Zora Neale Hurston and Gloria Naylor. <br /><br />The fact that my novels may disappear is not due to the downward spiral of the economy or the pound of flesh it has taken from the book-publishing industry. No, my demise began long before the floor of the housing market began to rot away and the stock market crashed through.<br /><br />Why?<br /><br />I don't rightly know why publishers market fiction written by African-Americans ONLY TO African-Americans - but it has become common practice. And by doing this, they've placed all AA authors in one box forcing them to compete for the attention of ONE audience.<br /><br />The word that has been coined to describe what is happening to AA writers is: Seg-Book-Gation<br /><br />Segregation is an abominable practice no matter how you slice it - but when you apply it to art -- it becomes a sin. Art of any medium should transcend color, race, class, religion and ethnicity, but alas, that is not the case in the publishing world.<br /><br />AA literary writers like myself are being pushed out of the industry all together as we are no longer able to secure book deals, because publisher claim that AA readers are only interested in buying books about sex, street-life and drugs. We know that this is not the case. We are a diverse people, interested in a variety of subjects. <br /><br />On January 9th, 2010, my debut novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452282209/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_t1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0YHSFN0BZRN5YF3QXHVB&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">SUGAR</a> will celebrate its 10th anniversary. In order to commemorate this occasion It is my great hope that this moving story of friendship and acceptance will sell 10,000 copies between now and the anniversary date.<br /><br />Please try your best to purchase from an independent bookstore. It was the independent bookstores that made SUGAR the instant success it was 10 years ago. But if you're unable to do so, then place your order with <a href="http://aalbc.com/cgi/aalbcamazonproductsfeed.cgi?Operation=ItemLookup&ItemId=0452282209">AALBC</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452282209/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_t1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0YHSFN0BZRN5YF3QXHVB&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">Amazon.com</a> <br /><br />It is my dream that the surge in sales for this decade old novel, will send a message to the publishers that we readers desire ...crave and DEMAND a variety of literature from our AA writers because our stories are just as riveting, thought-provoking and universally appealing as the stories coming from our non-African-American counterparts.<br /><br />Please purchase at least one copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452282209/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_t1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0YHSFN0BZRN5YF3QXHVB&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">SUGAR </a>for yourself, a friend or family member. Cut and paste this message into your email program and send it out to your list. Tweet, Blog, Facebook and Myspace it.... !!<br /><br />Thanking you in advance for helping <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452282209/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_t1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0YHSFN0BZRN5YF3QXHVB&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">SUGAR </a>make history!<br /><br /><br /><br />P.S. <br /><br />Send a picture of yourself purchasing a copy of SUGAR and I will post it here on the blog. Please include your name and the name and location of the bookstore. <br />Send to: bernicemcfadden@hotmail.com<br /><br />Also, don't forget to register your participation by hitting the button in the upper right column --------> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-5791182962448310115?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-16263838845004546442009-10-01T23:10:00.004-04:002009-10-01T23:20:18.777-04:00I'm going to be taking a break from blogging for a bit. Got some things I need to work out. I'd like this space to remain a source of information, fun..and POSITIVITY...so In order for it to remain that that way I need to take a step back and take some time to get my head together.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SsVxOm6F75I/AAAAAAAAA2o/Ar8AM6VanU0/s1600-h/n688764863_1622777_3396769.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SsVxOm6F75I/AAAAAAAAA2o/Ar8AM6VanU0/s400/n688764863_1622777_3396769.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387837024994979730" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-1626383884500454644?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-70037576327983509122009-09-29T09:07:00.005-04:002009-09-29T09:27:03.532-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SsIKUe5tEMI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/pPnA0GeDaRY/s1600-h/DSC01620.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SsIKUe5tEMI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/pPnA0GeDaRY/s320/DSC01620.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386879451297288386" /></a><br />Last Saturday I turned 44 years old. I celebrated this new milestone with a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=112485&id=688764863&l=5812b412e4">birthday party</a> which was attended by close friends and family. There was plenty of love, laughter and warmth. My heart is still full with the memories.<br /><br />I'm grateful to be here during this time, living this life and having you with me has only enriched the experience. <br /><br />Thank you!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-7003757632798350912?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-83785129050033653542009-09-23T01:16:00.005-04:002009-09-23T01:50:39.448-04:00I have not had the best of months..but I'm glad that I have the ability to live vicarously through those who are realizing their dreams, being blessed with honors and touched by hollywood angels.<br /><br />Friend of this blog, fellow author and gardening guru, Carleen Brice announced last week that the lifetime movie version of her book - Orange Mint and Honey - aka- <a href="http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118008685.html?categoryId=14&cs=1">Sins of a Mother</a> will star none other than the bodacious, charming and talented Jill Scott!<br /><br />Fellow Libra, author Nina Foxx has a new project, entitled <span style="font-style:italic;">She's Got IsShoes</span> which will be screening at The New York Independent Film Festival on Friday October 23rd. Tickets are <a href="http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=2796974&pl=itn">onsale </a>now.<br /><br />Debra Owsley is an avid reader and has turned her love of books and authors into a cottage industry with her "Simply Said Reading Accessories" - Do you know what a <a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=17246978">book thong</a> is? (smile)<br /><br />Well it seems that Edwidge Danticat is on the fast track to the Pulitzer - she just scooped up one of the coveted MacArthur Genius grants....a cool half-a-million dollars to do with whatever she pleases!!! Do you think Edwidge saw this coming when Oprah picked her novel,<span style="font-style:italic;"> Breath, Eyes Memory</span> - just 11 short years ago?<br /><br />September 25th is E. Lynn Harris Day which will kick off the <a href="http://blackgaygossip.com/?p=8020">tribute book tour</a> which will feature a number of fabulous authors traveling to a city and bookstore near you. So go on out and celebrate the life and works of E. Lynn Harris and help to make his life-long dream of hitting number one on the NYT list a reality for ALL OF US.<br /><br />On Saturday September 26th I will celebrate my 44th birthday. And that's all I have to say about that! See you here again on September 27th.<br /><br />Smmmmmooooooooooocccccccchhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-8378512905003365354?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-26126243069427806562009-09-14T10:29:00.013-04:002009-09-14T18:26:14.388-04:00Last night *correction* Very early this morning I finally dragged my very tired self into my house and plopped down on my couch - where I remained until my mother telephoned me at 7:30AM.<br /><br />I had spent three electrifying days with some of the brightest names working in African-American fiction today.<br /><br />The California Book Summit was a dream come true for <a href="http://www.blacknews.com/news/california_book_club_summit101.shtml">Sigrid Williams</a> who in one year and basically single handily, put together a the event, which was the first of it's kind for African American writers in that part of the country. <br /><br />Yes, you read right....FIRST OF IT'S KIND FOR AA WRITERS - cause the myth is that black people on the west coast don't read....!! <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sidebar: How much longer will we have to endure this stigma on ANY coast?</span><br /><br />The summit allowed me to finally meet <span style="font-style:italic;">up close and in person</span>, three women who follow this blog and who are also wonderful and successful authors in their own right - never mind their beauty and golden spirits! If you don't <a href="http://www.officiallyjd.com/">J.D. Mason</a>, <a href="http://www.electaromeparks.com/">Electa Rome Parks</a> and <a href="http://www.tricehickman.com/">Trice Hickman</a> - please get to know them!<br /><br />Have I mentioned here that sometimes I feel like I'm living under a rock? Which has to be the reason why I had not heard of <a href="http://www.kimberlykayeterry.com/">Kimberly Terry</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eleven-Months-Hell-China-Ball/dp/0981516408/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252965095&sr=1-1">China Ball</a> - two authors making a name and carving niche for themselves in this industry.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sq5c4XMSO_I/AAAAAAAAA1g/Hv7jQgFoWME/s1600-h/10719_130533519863_688764863_2575089_5772119_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sq5c4XMSO_I/AAAAAAAAA1g/Hv7jQgFoWME/s320/10719_130533519863_688764863_2575089_5772119_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381340728122293234" /></a><br /><br />And of course there were the "old heads" -- and I say that with all of the love and respect in the world-- LOL -- "old-heads" denotes those of us who has been around the publishing block a few times. Us seasoned scribes who've been in the game for at least ten years and counting!<br /><br />Ya'll know who you are -- it's always a joy to be in your presence <br /><br />*bowing graciously*<br /><br />Blanche Richardson and her daughter Cherysse Calhoun are the proprietors the oldest black owned book store in the country and they were on hand selling books and sharing stories. They are a dynamic and informative duo who is trying hard to preserve the legacy their fore bearers began some fifty years ago. So you if you or anyone you know reside in the Bay Area, please make it your business to drop in and patronize <a href="http://www.bookslut.com/features/2008_09_013416.php">Marcus Book</a> where hand-selling is still a vibrant tradition. We AA authors owe them a debt of gratitude, beucase without them..............*sniff* - well ya'll know the rest!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sq65HMGX5oI/AAAAAAAAA2A/0Zy3dt23CVY/s1600-h/10719_130533509863_688764863_2575088_5216006_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sq65HMGX5oI/AAAAAAAAA2A/0Zy3dt23CVY/s320/10719_130533509863_688764863_2575088_5216006_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381442137912501890" /></a><br /><br />The California Book Summit provided many highlights. But for me the following three get the gold star:<br /><br />Of course J. California Cooper is always a joy and while I did not get to sit and speak with her this time around, I was happy just to be in the room with her and breath the same air. Ya'll know how that is.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sq5dIEswayI/AAAAAAAAA1o/NAmdiIxNgHk/s1600-h/10719_130533499863_688764863_2575087_6603214_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sq5dIEswayI/AAAAAAAAA1o/NAmdiIxNgHk/s320/10719_130533499863_688764863_2575087_6603214_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381340998036122402" /></a><br /><br />I was moved to tears as I listened to Educators and Authors Dr. Peggy Brooks Bertram and Barbara A. Seals- Nevergold and contributors - read letters from <span style="font-style:italic;">Go, Tell Michelle</span>. their ground-breaking collection of letters addressed to First lady Michelle Obama. The letters came from Black women living all of over the world. <br /> I will use the word Powerful, to describe what I heard - but that is probably an understatement. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sq5coI8siFI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/P-uqBVEHx_s/s1600-h/lettersToMichelleBook.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 207px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sq5coI8siFI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/P-uqBVEHx_s/s320/lettersToMichelleBook.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381340449420904530" /></a><br /><br />And while the collection will knock your socks off - the story of how the book came to fruition and the success it has had without the benefit of a traditional publisher - is so awe inspiring and mind blowing that my faltering belief in publishing on ones own terms has been...well...revitialized.<br /><br />And last but certainly not least, I finally met an author who I have long admired and who has always been a friend and mentor in my head: Ms. Tina Ansa McElroy.<br /><br />Sunday morning Ms. Tina and I were finally able to spend a little time together. We hugged and held hands and she confided in me that she thought we had met before - I assured her that we had not - but I kinda understood why she felt that way - cause I feel like I have known her all my life. That's how powerful the written word is ya'll....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sq5e9sC87iI/AAAAAAAAA14/1QOCe9bCrQA/s1600-h/10719_130533554863_688764863_2575092_6863770_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sq5e9sC87iI/AAAAAAAAA14/1QOCe9bCrQA/s320/10719_130533554863_688764863_2575092_6863770_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381343018642894370" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sidebar: On the morning of 9/11/09 thunder marched across the sky and the dark clouds began to leak. A rainstorm right? Not unusual for an East Coast gal like myself -- but that small storm caused quite a stir amongst Bay area residents.<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sq6-kGR-izI/AAAAAAAAA2I/0TIo6oRbpYk/s1600-h/DSC01571.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sq6-kGR-izI/AAAAAAAAA2I/0TIo6oRbpYk/s320/DSC01571.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381448132124904242" /></a><br /><br />Apparently, it never rains in sunny, northern California until November - so the small cloud burst came as a shock and surprise to the residents. <br /><br />Do you think we <span style="font-style:italic;">AUTHORS</span> had something to do with that? I think so -- 'cause anything is liable to happen when you gather a bunch of talented, intelligent, beautiful, creative BLACK folk in one place!<br /><br />I think I finally understand <span style="font-style:italic;">their</span> fear and loathing...........humpf......and it just might be justified.....WATCH OUT NOW.......BOO!......<br /><br />*rubbing hands together..cackling, menacingly*<br /> <br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-2612624306942780656?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-61739929601842345002009-09-01T08:32:00.012-04:002009-09-02T12:28:33.759-04:00Publishing comes to a grinding halt during the last sweltering weeks of summer. The powers that be take the month of August off - leaving us authors twiddling our thumbs until the day after Labor Day when editors and agents schlep back into the office, right their glasses on the bridges of their noses, and begin to make their way through the hundreds of emails that most probably include book proposals from authors like myself.<br /><br />In the meantime I pass the time by distracting myself with all sorts of things. One particularly pleasant distraction is the cover art for my novel <span style="font-style:italic;">Glorious</span>. Currently I am infatuated with these two:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sp6EDRusYAI/AAAAAAAAA1A/o2jrM4E3XdE/s1600-h/Glorious1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sp6EDRusYAI/AAAAAAAAA1A/o2jrM4E3XdE/s320/Glorious1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376880196960673794" /></a><br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sp6FHSzZJmI/AAAAAAAAA1I/RMP3TeEv6n4/s1600-h/Glorious+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 206px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sp6FHSzZJmI/AAAAAAAAA1I/RMP3TeEv6n4/s320/Glorious+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376881365479925346" /></a><br /><br />I'm a Libra and we tend to have difficulty making decisions, so please take the time to look right and cast your vote for jacket #1 or #2. Your opinion is important to me!<br /><br />Last night I went to see RUINED for the second time this year. And it was just as wonderful as the first time. <a href="http://www.wmagazine.com/w/blogs/editorsblog/2009/05/28/phylicia-rashads-daughter.htm">Condola Rashaad</a> - daughter of <a href="http://www.essence.com/news_entertainment/news/articles/phylicia_rashads_weight_loss">Phylicia Rashaad</a>, plays the "ruined" Sophie in the story. <br /><br />Condola will not remember this, she was barely two years old when we first <span style="font-style:italic;">kinda-sort-met</span> in the elevator of the "30 Rock" building. This was when her mother was the reigning Queen of television on the hit series <span style="font-style:italic;">The Cosby Show</span>. Anyway, I was in the elevator and Phyllicia Rashaad stepped on. She was carrying a sleepy Condola in her arms. I was standing at the back of the elevator when Condola's eyes rolled open and she peered at me for a moment before offering me a little smile, which I responded to with my own smile and wave. <br /><br />Fast forward to 2000 and I receive an email from Debbie Allen (Condola's Aunt). <span style="font-style:italic;">Lydia Grant</span> wanted to meet me?!!! Who didn't love Debbie's character as the dance instructor from the popular television series <a href="http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/A/htmlA/allendebbie/allendebbie.htm">FAME!</a><br /><br />Debbie had recently read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Bernice-L-McFadden/dp/0452282209">SUGAR</a> and was interested in acquiring the film rights. We met and had a divine time together. The deal never came to fruition - but that's Hollywood, right?<br /><br />Fast forward to 2009 and I am sitting in the theater watching Condola Rashaad wow us with her singing and acting abilities.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">*shaking my head at this wonderous life*</span><br /><br />Our lives are woven baskets, the roads we take, mere reeds that continuously intersect, overlap, drawing us closer together.<br /><br />If you haven't already had the pleasure of experiencing <a href="http://www.mtc-nyc.org/current-season/ruined/index.htm">RUINED -</a>- you've got just 4 days left to try and do so. But if you miss it - you can purchase a copy of the play online or at your local bookstore.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sp6NykKC1EI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/XmI3no6vyog/s1600-h/41Bz5ATt%2BcL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Sp6NykKC1EI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/XmI3no6vyog/s320/41Bz5ATt%2BcL._SL500_AA240_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376890904965731394" /></a><br /><br />And for those Kindle users out there - my novella <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keeper-of-Keys-ebook/dp/B002NGO50U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1251907955&sr=1-1">Keeper of Keys</a> is now available for your reading pleasure.......<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-6173992960184234500?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-62691705907370815332009-08-30T19:47:00.011-04:002009-08-31T14:51:59.320-04:00This past Saturday on what would have been MJ's 51st birthday, thousands of people gathered in Prospect Park to pay tribute to the King of Pop!<br /><br />Brooklyn's own <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2009/08/29/michael-jacksons-birthday-party-a-spike-lee-joint/">Spike Lee</a> hosted the event and he declared that it was going on rain or shine. That morning the sky was gray and the day damp, but it didnt matter to me - a hurricane couldnt have kept me from being there.<br /><br />My daughter and I arrived around 1PM and joined the stream of people that snaked its way towards Nederland field. <br /><br />As we made our way through the acres of people who were cheering, laughing, dancing and swaying to the music - I began to cry. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SpwboAlQ0tI/AAAAAAAAA04/D-b-AQkpaZg/s1600-h/6160_1216702902834_1386690007_30624942_3200134_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SpwboAlQ0tI/AAAAAAAAA04/D-b-AQkpaZg/s320/6160_1216702902834_1386690007_30624942_3200134_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376202429338538706" /></a><br /><br />For me it felt as if I had stepped into a vat of emotion - I could feel everyones sorrow and happiness - does that make sense?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Spsax5L6DhI/AAAAAAAAA0o/jskXge_ohb4/s1600-h/DSC01497.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Spsax5L6DhI/AAAAAAAAA0o/jskXge_ohb4/s320/DSC01497.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375920024663494162" /></a><br /><br />MJ was there in spirit and he waved his glittered gloved hand and the clouds cleared - YES THEY DID -- and that thunderstorm that every forecaster and his mother predicted would drench our day was nothing more than a sun shower.<br /><br />It was magical...just like the man himself.<br /><br />When MJ died I was very confused by my reaction to his death. The grief I felt was something usually reserved for a close friend of family member. No lie ya'll, I cried for two straight weeks!<br /><br />What was wrong with me??? <br /><br />What was wrong with me was that I had forgotten what MJ had meant to me <span style="font-style:italic;">wwwwwwwaaaaaaaay</span> back when. And with his death the feelings that I had had for him back in the seventies and eighties resurfaced. And I know this now because I went back and re-read my journal and do you know what I found? I found out that I was head over heels in love with the man and his music!<br /><br />ROFL<br /><br />But what sixteen year girl wasn't, right?<br /><br />Anyway, it got me to thinking about memory and how over time certain things aren't really forgotten, but simply stored away to make room for new memories. <br /><br />This revelation was further instilled when I visited <a href="http://www.tayarijones.com/blog/">Tayari Jones</a>' blog and clicked on a link to<a href="http://saeedjones.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/the-week-in-reading/"> Saeed Jones'</a> site. Saeed had posted - according to Tayari "the most wonderfullest TOMO quote ever" - and I gotta agree with her. <br /><br />If you don't know who TOMO is - it's TJ' nickname for the the most<span style="font-style:italic;"> wonderfullest</span> writer ever - Toni Morrison.<br /><br />The quote is this:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">“You know, they straightened out the Mississippi River in places to make room for houses & liveable acreage. Occasionally the river floods these places. “Floods” is the word they use, but in fact it is not flooding; it is remembering. Remembering where it used to be. All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was. Writers are like that… Like water, I remember where I was before I was straightened out.”</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SpsbbJD8_9I/AAAAAAAAA0w/uRTXkBjteis/s1600-h/DSC01472.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SpsbbJD8_9I/AAAAAAAAA0w/uRTXkBjteis/s320/DSC01472.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375920733299736530" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=104200&id=688764863&l=e5b9f96590">More MJ Birthday Party Pics!</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-6269170590737081533?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-9352073824460136432009-08-28T09:08:00.013-04:002009-08-28T11:17:34.506-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SpfaDwjuCPI/AAAAAAAAA0A/JGL8TLM4ZNk/s1600-h/IMG00244.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SpfaDwjuCPI/AAAAAAAAA0A/JGL8TLM4ZNk/s320/IMG00244.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375004438399158514" /></a><br />Liz and I have been friends for 21 years. When we first met she had two young daughters and I had a three month old baby girl. We've weathered a lot of storms together. Back in 1990 when we were both unemployed, and really down on our luck, someone sent her a check for $20 dollars and she shared half of the money with me.<br /><br />Yeah, we're friends like that.<br /><br />But life since then has improved ten fold! She's now a funky-cool - 46 year "young" grandmother with a passion for nature, travel, art and all things beautiful and spiritual! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SpfaTNUlhPI/AAAAAAAAA0I/dXKpyKnKELg/s1600-h/IMG00245.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SpfaTNUlhPI/AAAAAAAAA0I/dXKpyKnKELg/s320/IMG00245.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375004703818351858" /></a><br /><br />Back in the day when we were both working at "30 Rock" we would troll the city hot spots until the wee hours of a the morning. As we got older though, our outings became sedate - dinner, wine, good conversation and then home and in bed at a reasonable hour. <br /><br />But last night was different - last night was like old times.<br /><br />We spent the evening in a section on Manhattan know as the Meat Packing District. I hadn't been there in years -- my how things have changed! The sidewalks are lined with trendy bars and restaurants which are patronized by people who look as if they've just stepped out of a glossy, fashion magazine. <br /><br />We had dinner at <a href="http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/vento-trattoria/">Vento Trattoria </a>which was accompanied by an expressive bottle of Cabernet Franc. Afterwards we strolled over to the <a href="http://www.hotelgansevoort.com/">Hotel Gansevoort Hotel</a>, took the elevator up to the roof and had $22 dollar cocktails!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SpfdrIR1czI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/v_OnYheQrCU/s1600-h/IMG00247.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SpfdrIR1czI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/v_OnYheQrCU/s320/IMG00247.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375008413316379442" /></a><br /><br />We found a cozy corner that not only afforded us a staggering view of the Hudson River, but a prime location for people watching. And believe me there was plenty to see! I felt like I had walked into a scene from Sex and the City -- 4 real ya'll -- line thin, little girls in ten inch heels and skirts so short it's inevitable that their "coochies" will end up with pneumonia. <br /><br />And tell me something are dudes actually "padding" their crotch areas? Cause I saw some stuff that should garner entry into the Guinness World Book - or at the very least a starring role in a blue movie.<br /><br />I could have sat there people watching all night long, but alas we had yet another "spot" to hit and so we made our way across the street to a lounge/bar patronized by some interesting characters who were dancing seductively and off key to the hip-hop music that blared from the hidden, wall speakers. <br /><br />I was bopping my head and tapping my foot when it happened - I yawned - and I knew that my evening had come to a shuddering end. It had been a night like old times, but clearly I was some twenty years away from the high-energy, angst driven, creaturess of the night I had once been.<br /><br />I was tired and fading fast and looking at the sleeping dude was like adding a shot of Nyquil to my club soda! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SpfjE-tzCLI/AAAAAAAAA0Y/25rnQtbOEmw/s1600-h/IMG00248.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SpfjE-tzCLI/AAAAAAAAA0Y/25rnQtbOEmw/s320/IMG00248.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375014354984044722" /></a><br /><br /><br />Around 1AM Liz and I said good-night on the corner of 14th street and 8th Avenue. After her taxi sped off, I remained on the sidewalk for a few moments, soaking up the energy that surrounded me, feeling the city's heartbeat pounding beneath the concrete. <br /><br />It's really amazing...this New York City - this Manhattan....this life of mine and the people in it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SpfnRo9LvUI/AAAAAAAAA0g/rc4dLweOIzM/s1600-h/IMG00082.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SpfnRo9LvUI/AAAAAAAAA0g/rc4dLweOIzM/s320/IMG00082.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375018970527808834" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-935207382446013643?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-49539394711788143722009-08-14T10:05:00.017-04:002009-08-18T16:33:09.576-04:00We black folk have long been accused of behaving like crabs in a barrel - preferring to climb all over one another in order to reach the top of the mountain, this rather than bend our backs and offer it as a step...up.<br /><br />Well I'm proud to be a part of a community of "steps" and not crabs.<br /><br />Steps?<br /><br />Yeah, authors who hold one another up during the good times and the not so good times. Authors who celebrate each others achievements as if they were our own.<br /><br />Sidebar: When my friend and fellow author, <a href="http://www.donnahill.com/">Donna Hill</a> found out from me via email that I had finally found a home for my novel Glorious -she was so happy for me that she created a joyful noise at her desk (she was at work) and then sent me a bouquet of flowers as a congratulatory gift.<br /><br />We spread the word about our colleagues new releases, new additions to the family as well as those family members that God has drawn back to his bosom. <br /><br />*moment of silence*<br /><br />We do this because we respect each other as people, colleagues and artist. We do this because we are bound by this gift of writing and because no matter what illusion the industry has perpetrated in order to divide and dismiss - the bottom line is that we're all in this together.<br /><br />We inspire each other to reach for the stars and remind one another that the only limits in our lives are the ones we place on ourselves.<br /><br />Example:<br /><br />This year at the Harlem Book Fair, Author, <a href="http://www.mjhodge.net/">Margaret Johnson Hodge</a> made a statement that she did not want to write anymore. It was sad thing to hear. She confided to me that she felt she had nothing to offer the readers. She said she feared that her melody (muse) had abandoned her.<br /><br />Why was she feeling this way?<br /><br />Well the climate of the AA literary market played a large part. It seems as though the people we fashion our stories around only want to read one or two types of books. Of course that is not true - it's all part of the illusion.<br /><br />When Margaret learned that I had secured a book deal - this after some editors declared that my career was dead - she called me up to tell me that she was inspired, that her melody had returned and she she was back to making beautiful music again!<br /><br />The lesson she learned was that her first allegiance is to herself and not the demands the industry places on us.<br /><br />Can I hear a AMEN!!!<br /><br />I write for me. I write for my ancestors (they are the best part of me), I write the books that I want to read and because I do that - I make it good for you!<br /><br />I was over joyed to hear that Margaret had found her muse and humbled that she felt I played a small part in that.<br /><br />Sometimes we help people without even setting out to perform a specific act of assistance.<br /><br />Ain't that cool?<br /><br />Steps...... that's what it's all about ya'll.<br /><br /><br /><br />*I know the title of this blog is gender specific - but please know that the brothers are included in this as well*<br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-4953939471178814372?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18399355.post-9250219730742010912009-08-07T08:30:00.013-04:002009-08-07T13:21:46.999-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Snws7xA0CII/AAAAAAAAAz4/-Kx5A1lSHfs/s1600-h/51636G4GY0L._SL160_AA115_.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 115px; height: 115px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Snws7xA0CII/AAAAAAAAAz4/-Kx5A1lSHfs/s320/51636G4GY0L._SL160_AA115_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367214261199440002" /></a><br /><br /><br />Last night I watched, with great interest I might add, the documentary <a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-1183-Hollywood-Examiner~y2009m7d31-REALLIFE-THRILLER-FORBIDDEN-LIE-TO-PREMIERE-ON-SHOWTIME">FORBIDDEN LIES</a> which is about the "alleged" hoax that author, <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/23/1090464851887.html?oneclick=true">Norma Khouri</a> played on the literary world. <br /><br />The documentary is nearly two hours long and I have to say that in those two hours I swung between belief and disbelief so many times that by the close of the show I was so emotionally undone that I was panting.<br /><br />If you didn't see it, please find the time to do so, as SHOWTIME will be airing it numerous times over the next few weeks. <br /><br />Literary hoaxes intrigue me - I don't know why, but they do. Here are a few of my favorites:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Danny Santiago, "Famous All Over Town" (1984). The award-winning autobiographical novel by the presumably young Chicano writer turned out to have been written by Daniel James, a 73-year-old former black-listed Anglo screenwriter.<br /><br />Janet Cooke, a Washington Post writer, won a Pulitzer Prize for her September 1980 story, "Jimmy's World," a profile of an 8-year-old heroin addict. Two days after she received the Pulitzer, the newspaper's editor announced that was an elaborate hoax. <br /><br />Forrest Carter, "The Education of Little Tree" (1977). This memoir by a "Cherokee orphan" who battled racism and struggled to find his heritage, was actually written by Asa Carter, a white Ku Klux Klan member who'd worked for Alabama Gov. George Wallace. (In more recent reprints, "The Education of Little Tree" was labeled "fiction.")<br /><br />"Go Ask Alice," by anonymous, was the 1971 diary of a teenage girl who died of a drug overdose and published posthumously as a cautionary tale. Years later, it was revealed to have been written by the book's "editor," Beatrice Sparks, a psychologist and Mormon youth counselor who based it on the stories told by some of her students. Sparks has gone on to produce many other "actual diaries" about troubled adolescents, including "Treacherous Love: The Diary of an Anonymous Teenager" and "Annie's Baby: The Diary of an Anonymous Pregnant Teenager."<br /><br />To see more literary hoaxes you can go <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2008/mar/09/books/bkw-hoaxlist5">here.</a><br /></span><br /><br />I don't know if you all know about the controversey surrounding Justine Larbalestier's YA novel, LIAR - so if you don't here is a quick recap:<br /><br />White woman writes YA novel about bi-racial, mocha-colored, kinky haired girl and publisher slaps doe eyed white girl on cover. <br /><br />cue: OUTRAGE.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Snwi5BeoktI/AAAAAAAAAzg/0GbgBlo1ps0/s1600-h/Aug6LiarJUMP.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 227px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Snwi5BeoktI/AAAAAAAAAzg/0GbgBlo1ps0/s400/Aug6LiarJUMP.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367203218963600082" /></a><br /><br />So <a href="http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/08/06/the-new-cover/">Justine</a> herself was baffled by the cover and when she asked her publisher why they would do such a thing she was told that book wouldn't sell as well with a black face on the cover. (foot in mouth) What they meant to say was: books with black faces on the cover don't sell well to "white-folks" <br /><br />This is just further clarification as to exactly why "our" books are plastered with black faces - it's clearly <span style="font-style:italic;">segbookgation.</span><br /><br />Anywhoo - people lost their ever-loving minds and began spewing venom in the form of blog posts and emails to the publisher and editor. And what happened? Well Bloomsbury back pedaled on their defense which claimed that the white girl on the cover "was intended to symbolically reflect the narrator’s complex psychological makeup." <br /><br />(*Aaaabullshitchooo* - 'scuse me ya'll I just sneezed.)<br /><br />What was I saying? Oh yeah, so they back pedaled, acquiesed, came to their senses -- whatever you want to call it - and changed the cover to this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Snwl7_iFN4I/AAAAAAAAAzo/WzATnoyR1Pw/s1600-h/Aug6LiarCoverNEW2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 163px; height: 250px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/Snwl7_iFN4I/AAAAAAAAAzo/WzATnoyR1Pw/s400/Aug6LiarCoverNEW2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367206568515680130" /></a><br /><br />People are estimating the cost to replace the jackets for the 100,000 books that were printed may be in the range of $7500.00. <br /><br />What advice do I have for publishers? None. My grandma always says: "Experience is the best teacher." And I foresee many more lessons to come.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SnwsY6NRedI/AAAAAAAAAzw/apvGNFqSBCM/s1600-h/41Kmy3KZVLL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbrc33RyHwQ/SnwsY6NRedI/AAAAAAAAAzw/apvGNFqSBCM/s320/41Kmy3KZVLL._SL500_AA240_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367213662372198866" /></a>Angela Benson's 'Sins of a Father" will hit bookstores nationwide on August 25th. Visit her website to read an <a href="http://theamensisters.com/wordpress/2009/08/05/are-you-ready-for-sins-of-the-father/">excerpt</a> and then you know what to do after that right? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sins-Father-Angela-Benson/dp/0061468525/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249651685&sr=1-3">PRE-ORDER!</a><br /><br /><br />Drummmmmroooolllllllllllllllllll!<br /><br />So if you haven't already heard or figured it out - my historical fiction baby (Glorious) will be published by <a href="http://www.akashicbooks.com/">Akashic Books</a>, next year. I always said that she would end up where she was supposed to be and I believe that Akashic Books is the best place for her. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Glorious </span>will join the ranks of books written by authors such as Chris Abani, Elizabeth Nunez, Colin Chaner, Achy Obejas, Amiri Baraka, James Greer, Maggie Estep and Jennifer Baumgardener..just to name a few.<br /><br />You gotta love what they're doing for literature and their creed totally rocks:<br /><br />"Reverse-Gentrification of the Literary World"<br /><br />Happy Friday Ya'll!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><li><a href="http://bernicemcfadden.com/">Bernice L. McFadden</a></li><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/18399355-925021973074201091?l=firstborngirl.blogspot.com'/></div>Bernice L. McFaddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09225126036805589903genevaholliday@gmail.com3