A few weeks ago, my mother asked me to make a few hat pins, to be sold at the street fair being hosted by her church, Grace United Methodist Church.

The first day I worked on them I made 7 in  about 10 minutes. Then this past Sunday, she called and asked how it was going and I did 16 more.

It was so much fun creating the pieces. I have a few, including the one shown to the left, that reminds me of people.

Monday, I had a friend text me and ask me what was a hat pin. Wasn’t the people going to be poked in the head by the pins.

I laughed out loud, because to me the entire thing was funny. A hat pin is a decorative pin that is placed on the hat to help bring out or create the beauty of the hat.

I then told her she could use it as a lapel pin, but she said she didn’t have anything with a lapel. I thought wow, am I really that much of a girlie girl.

It doesn’t even matter. I just know what hat pins are.

A few moments later, another friend texted me to say she loved the hat pins. So, I figured maybe because the both of us are from the islands (me, Jamaica and she, Trinidad) and they love to wear hats. Or maybe my other friend lives in a sheltered environment.

I’ve noticed something tonight while trying to make my daily word count. In all my full length novels, and a few of my short stories, I have to have some kind of food talk.

In my house, we watch a lot of the Food Network channel. I love those shows. And in doing so, I find that part of my inspiration for writing comes from the food programs that I watch.

I also have an aversion to some one having locks. I love my natural hair and feel like I need to represent me in my books, some where some how. I’m only the vessel used to produce the stories placed inside my heart and mind. But while dealing with the characters in the stories, I have to be certain not to lose sight of who I am as a person.

I also like developing stories where the women start off vulnerable, but by the end of the story their backs are straighter than a ruler’s edge.

Well, that’s the things I learned about myself tonight as I was writing.
What have you learned about your story content? How do you leave your mark in all your stories?

As for how I’m doing with my work in progress (wip) take a look for yourself.

I’m taking it one day at a time. And right now my muse is charged up.

Until next time,
Happy Reading & Writing.

I recently finished reading Red Hats by Damon Wayans. I laughed my behind off.

Who knew that a crotchety old woman would be so funny? She wasn’t taking out her teeth but she was speaking her mind freely and taking no prisoners.

The main character, Alma, had her own crosses to bare, but she was one angry one. So angry that some of the stuff she was doing was oblivious to her conscious mind. However, deep down in her subconscious she knew what actions she took that cause her to be where she was at that very moment.

Damon Wayans did an awesome job of portraying the importance of the Red Hats, wearing ladies. They offered an unconditional type of friendship and expected nothing in return. Alma was mean as a gust of wind in the middle of a snowstorm. She offered them honesty.

I laughed out loud through various parts of the book. I would definitely read another offering from Damon Wayans.

I rate Red Hats a 4.5.

I have one more day before my writing journey beginnings with three of my writing sisters. We have decided to start a new novel and write for the next five months until we reach 80k words or more, or we get to our end date.

Even though, I will still work on the sequel to Crossing Over from time to time, my main focus will be on my contemporary novel titled Hiding Under the Umbrella. There is so many ideas and thoughts running around in my mind, I can’t wait to get them all out and on paper.

Along with the new title, I’m also trying a new point of view; first person. That’s a little scary for me. I have written in first person before, but only when doing short stories. Writing a full-length novel in first person is a deeper challenge than I have ever placed on myself. But I have to step my game up to keep readers coming back.

I love this little guy. He’s like motivation. I like to see his sheets of paper stack growing; in order for it to grow I have to do the necessary work. Right now we’re chilling and calm, but in a few weeks we may be pulling hair and throwing the computer.

Sidebar: If you’re a writer/author and like the little guy and want to using him for yourself, click on the picture it should take you to the website where I learned how to use him.

I will try to update my word count once a week.

Until next time,

Happy Reading & Writing!

As I sel more copies of my debut novel, Crossing Over, my readers (it feels so awesome to be able to say that) are asking for more. My mother and a friend were asking for a sequel to the book before I even made it available to the public.

I agreed to it, but have only written about 60 pages, if that much, of the sequel. I needed some motivation, so I looked to my editor and came up with a plan. We are writing with a purpose. We invited two other, writing sisters, to come along on our journey of writing our next full-length manuscript. I must admit my story is not the sequel. I will work on that as well. Authors do it all the time.

The concept of this writing unification is to write with the purpose of creating a story to find a home with a traditional publisher. Believing that we can do it, and will encourage each other to not lose sight of the finish line. I believe that we can do it.

Goal is reachable and realistic. We’re not starting today and hoping to finish next week. We have other areas of our lives that we cannot ignore.

As we trek through the days, weeks, and months I will update my status. And once in a while I may even share a taste of what I’m writing. This book will be contemporary fiction.

Until next time,

Happy Reading & Writing.

I would like to welcome Keyara, a guest blogger, who has a great appreciation for one of my favorite singers.

Check out her blogs when you get a chance.

Guest Blogger: Keyara

101 Reasons to Love

Infinite Soul Searching

Loving

When I sat down to listen to India Arie’s  album Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship for the first time I got goosebumps after the very first few notes. I hold the lyrics close to my heart, and I can always listen to it when I’m down. The deepness and the heaviness of every word sits on my heart every single time I listen to it…”Oh God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things that I can not change….” I have always been an India Arie junky, but the intro from this album touches me in a different way. Imagine, just India and a piano playing a dark and beautiful accompaniment. If you are familiar with the serenity prayer, you might recognize the first few line of this song. How beautiful is it to have serenity in your life? You are allowed to love deeper and stronger because you know that there is nothing to lose. This song will always be in my heart because I strive daily for serenity in my life. Have you ever had lyrics touch you in such a way, that you are speechless and barely even know why you love them? It is said that the more you love something the less you can explain why…

During the first week of June, I had the pleasure of experiencing my first ever authors’ expo, where I was one of the featured authors.

I learned a lot from the other authors there, and some things about people. I think it’s crazy when anyone is comfortable saying “I don’t read.” What? How do you make it through life not reading?

Anyway, back to the people I had a chance speaking to while in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The authors, who’ve been in the publishing industry for a couple of years, if not longer, gave me so much food for thought. I don’t know if I can ever thank them enough but the knowledge is something I will never ever forget.

I must confess, I didn’t know who Bernice McFadden was until about four years ago. I began reading her blogs, but never felt compelled to pick up one of her novels. I get that way from time to time.

The end of last year, I tried to help out a bit with her campaign to sell 10,000 copies of her very first novel Sugar in celebration of it’s 10th anniversary. I bought my copy and still didn’t feel compelled to read it.

When I read the synopsis of her then soon-to-be published novel, Glorious, I felt compelled. I pre-ordered my copy and waited until my online book club was ready to read it. We read it for the month of May.

Now the thing I love about book clubs, is the diversity in how we all interpret what we are reading. Sometimes we have to wonder are we even reading the same book. I digress.

I enjoyed every single page of Glorious. I read the acknowledgements, the note from the author, and everything written from cover to cover.

What exactly was so special about this book by this author?

I had read some excerpts on the author’s blog, that had me going what in the world. Of course, I’m nosey so I needed to understand the full context of what I was reading. I’m not much of a cover lover, but what did a pink boa have to do with an old fashion typewriter? See the previous sentence.

I really wanted to know about this person named, Easter Venetta Bartlett. What I realized for certain is, I can understand the way Easter’s mind worked. I can also say, they would have hung me. Yes, this was back during the Renaissance era.

Easter was the perfect name for this character. I know why we celebrate the holiday and felt it was significant to this character’s meager  expedition of a life.

Don’t want to say too much about this book in case someone who reads this blog may feel compelled to read the book.

Much success to Ms. McFadden.

Until next time,

Happy Reading & Writing.