Archive for February, 2010

Lent

Thursday, February 18th, 2010 at 7:56 pm  
Comments (1)

Every year during Lent (begans on 17 February 2010 and ends on 3 April 2010), so many people say what they are willing to give up for the forty days. However, if you’re me there really isn’t anything worth giving up. For this year I decided to do something that I have been doing…I going to take better care of me.

I will take vitamins for the 40 days. If I can stick to taking these vitamins every day for 40 days, then when Lent is over I will be able to continue. To me that is part of what Lent is about. Giving up something for such a long time frame, that when it’s over you do not go back to your old ways.
I’m adapting a new way that will ultimately benefit my well-being.
If I must give up something, I will do away with procrastinating. I put off a lot of the things I can do today until next year. For example, I need to get back to work on my manuscript, but find all the reasons not to. So maybe if I take my vitamins on a regular basis it will give me the energy to not procrastinate and get to writing.
What are you giving up or including for Lent?

Talented Friends

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 at 8:45 pm  
Leave your comment

The word ‘friend’ is so scary for me. I don’t have too many people I call a friend. However, the friends that I do have are talented.

I have many writing friends. Their good story tellers. I think it’s because it’s in their blood. To name a couple: Onika Pascal, Angelia Menchan, and so many others.
Then I have some friends who dabbles in a few different areas (those listed above dabble also). My editor, Shonell Bacon, inspires me to keep writing my stories. One thing I will say is if your a writer (aspiring or seasoned) make sure you and your editor mesh wonderfully. Your editor is almost like your right hand man. Shon, sends me encouraging words with my edits. It’s almost as if she is holding my hands and she shows me what I’ve done wrong. I accept it. She’s an author and a student.
Before I go on, I should mention I have never met any of these women in person. Some I have only exchanged email/online correspondences with. But we have been in contact with each other for so long, that yes I can call them my friends. Friends give advice without a price tag or judgement. I accept it and hope I have returned the favor as well.
One particular friend, acts more like an older sister, and has excitement in her voice all the time, even when she is going through the messy parts of life. She stopped to help me in many ways this past weekend. She too is an author, social worker by day, and a dabbler of graphic design by night.
Well, she took my pencil sketch of my logo, for my publishing company, and turned it into something wonderful.

My sketch. It’s sideways.
Her creation. She saw my vision.

I believe everyone has some kind of talent. Some of us have to dig deep to find it, while others are overflowing in awesomeness. As a friend it’s your job to:

  1. Be encouraging.
  2. Pay them a compliment.
  3. Look for nothing in return.

I’m proud of my friends. Ava, Laryssa, and Yasmin, you ladies are a constant in my life. I thank you for being you and allowing me to be me.

The Unveiling of My Book

Sunday, February 14th, 2010 at 3:43 pm  
Comments (7)

In July, of 2008, I decided to take part in JulNoWriMo (July Novel Writing Month). Well, I didn’t know then that the story I had in mind would totally encompass my mind and writing spirit. While the story was unfolding in my mind, my life had change slightly. I started school the end of August, and as I attended more and more classes I placed the story to the side.

However, my mother was so determined to get the rest of the middle and all of the ending. It took exactly one year for me to pick it back up. In September, of 2009, I gave myself a deadline to complete the manuscript and I did it. I asked some people, who’s opinions mattered to me, to read my written baby and give me their opinion (good or bad). I could take it!
I followed all the necessary steps to make sure I had a very good (of course all writers think their work is very good if not great) book. After a year a half, I’m finally ready to unveil the cover of my soon-to-be released book entitled Crossing Over.

The cover was designed by Chad Lewis. He is the brother of poet and author, Onika Pascal. He saw my vision. That’s what I hope for my readers; for them to see my vision in these people that lived in my heart and mind.

One thing for certain I can say is that a few of the found something they could relate to or knew someone who could relate to something that occurred in the book.
Synopsis:

Rachelle Martin’s mother died Mother’s Day, when Rachelle was only 15. To make matters worse Rachelle was in church singing her mother’s favorite song. Now, at age 30, she still has not gotten over the loss of her mother. She feels it is her job to mother and protect twin brother, Raheem. However, when her dad asks her to sing as a Christmas present to him, she is transformed. She becomes the focus of many as she focuses on the here and now. Her loved ones and the ones she is unsure of witness her transformation. She goes from a perceived ugly duckling to a beautiful swan. Her transformation changes the lives of others, making them realize what they want in life. Slowly but surely, they will all begin, Crossing Over.


Can Rachelle change enough to sing, or will her voice be buried forever? Read Crossing Over and decide for yourself.

I Want to Pull My Hair.

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 at 7:08 pm  
Leave your comment

I want to pull each strand of my hair one-by-one. Ouch! The truth hurts, always. I have so many stories brewing in my head and I am clueless where I should begin or go next.

Yes, I understand that step number one is to sit and write. However, for me it’s a little different. I use the pantser method to write short stories, but for full length novels I use a loose plot. Very loose!
I want to see my characters in my head in order to bring them to life. Right now there are a few of them jumping up and down in my head behind a curtain. I can hear their voices, but can’t for the life of me see their faces. Oh I know some will say go on and write, their faces will come later. It doesn’t work for me.
There are things I can’t write without. Like I must have a title in order to begin a story. I have to see my characters. If the title change later on, or their names change so be it. But those are the two main things I need in order to get my muse moving.
What are some of the things you must have in order to start your writing process?

Most Recent Historical

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 5:21 am  
Comments (3)


I’m not a major fan of historical fiction, but I like some of what’s out there. I have never been a major fan of history-period. Recently, I read Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, I enjoyed this book. Though many readers were able to complete the book in one sitting, I wasn’t able to. But nevertheless, I did read it from cover-to-cover.

Wench was the January BOM for my online book club. We started off the year on a good note. This is also a great way to start a writing career. Ms. Perkins-Valdez had to do a great deal of research in order to create such a believable story that took place back in the 1850s. The characters were so vivid in my mind’s eye, and so was the setting. The four main characters, were slaves, that served as mistresses to their masters. During the summer, these ladies and their masters would go on vacation (well that’s what I call it) and temptation takes hold of some to be free. See, the slaves came from different states in the south, where slavery was still going on. But where they went for the summer was in the north, where slavery was no more.
These women came in contact with free black people, who cooked, cleaned, and owned their own businesses. If my freedom was being kept from me because of the state that I lived in, I would want to figure a way out as well. However, Lizzie, one of the slaves, thought about the relationship she had with her master, Drayle and the lives of her children. If she escaped from slavery, she would be leaving her children behind and she couldn’t fathom being away permanently from her children. I feel the way she does about her children.
Lizzie and Drayle had a different type of relationship than the other slaves and their masters. To some, Lizzie and Drayle were in love with each other, but to me Drayle was obsessed with what he found in Lizzie and not his wife. Poor Lizzie, she was blinded by naivete. I won’t say too much more on her in fear of giving away the essence of the story.
The character I most connected with and could even see myself in was Mawu. She was feisty. She did not sit down and take what was given to her easily. She fought like hell. That’s my type of an attitude. All I can say is thank goodness I was not born back in those days. I wouldn’t have made it alive for long.
Wench made me feel sorry for some, angry with others, and at times I shuck my head in pity for the rest. I even talked a loud as if they could hear me.
You should read to find out yourself what Wench is all about. I bought this book for my reading pleasure and felt compelled to share my thoughts on it.
5 stars
  
Need a website or graphics? Contact SG Creations.