My April/May Readin' & Writin'

What has the last two months looked like for me as a reader/writer? Busy, busy, busy!

On the reading front, I've been very busy as usual:

• Nothing But The Right Thing -- Stacey Hawkins Adams (Reviewed this one for Sormag. I liked it but it wasn't one of my top reads of the month.)
• That Summer on American Beach -- Janice Sims (I won this in a contest and read it voraciously. As expected, loved it! So much so, that I read it twice. My review is posted on amazon.com. See the link below.)
• Wedded Bliss -- Susan K. Downs, Kristy Dykes, Sally Laity (Refreshing anthology about love over the age of 40. Enjoyable.)
• Freshwater Road -- Denise Nichols (Longer read than I've done in a while but worth it. Very powerful.)
• This Time Forever -- Janice Sims (I do have my favorites!)
• Forbidden Heart -- Felicia Mason (Another favorite author) I'm reading the series out of order but it doesn't matter.
• Flippin' the Script -- Aisha Ford (first one by this author; will definitely look for more; easy to read, compact writing style markedly different from a lot of stuff out there)
• Masquerade: One Mask Cannot Be Disguise -- Jill Stengl, Tamela Hancock Murray, Pamela Griffin and Bonnie Blythe (Nice anthology. Liked the common thread of the mask running through each story. Haven't read any historical fiction in a while and this kind of reawakened my interest in it.)
• Brides o' The Emerald Isle -- Vickie McDonough, Pamela Griffin and Tamela Hancock Murray (Took me a bit to get into this one. I probably wouldn't have selected myself but needed to read it for other reasons. Once I did, it was okay.)
• Veteran's Way -- Robin Lee Hatcher (part of the Hart's Crossings series. Delightful is the word that comes to mind. Catching up on the series will be fun in between other reads.)
• Rosie's Curl and Weave -- Felicia Mason, Frances Ray, Rochelle Alers, Donna Hill (I wasn't sure if I'd read it before but turns out I had. Enjoyed the re-read.)
• Come Fall -- Marcia King-Gamble (liked it; even got a trip to Venice)
• The Holiday Wife -- Roberta Gayle (in progress but so far, so good; another trip abroad, this time to Egypt)

I think there were 1 or 2 others but the power jack on my laptop died and it took a few weeks to get it fixed.

On the writing front, I'm definitely making progress. I submitted my first confession story mid-April and got an acceptance contract at the end of May. (Yayyy!)

I have two more confession stories in progress. I think I'll make a new goal to submit at least two of these a month. They're great for polishing the writing chops.

Now I have to make time to work on my longer novel. I am trying desperately not to get swallowed by The Blog! Been reading and posting on a number of blogs but I think I'll keep it down to a few favorites and leave the rest of the electronic world to its own devices. You'll find the blogs I in my Favorites section to the right.

Peace & Blessings,

Patricia

Link to review on Amazon.com for That Summer at American Beach: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/158314627X/ref=cm_cr_dp_pt/104-7360562-9123126?%5Fencoding=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

The Power of Words/That Summer at American Beach

I've had the pleasure of reading a new title from one of my favorite authors, Janice Sims. The book is entitled "That Summer at American Beach". It is a Kimani Press imprint. As always, Ms. Sims' writing is intelligent and very enjoyable. Her stories move at a good pace with unexpected plot twists, contain interesting characters that I could see myself befriend if they were real people, and I always learn things I didn't know before, whether about a location, an occupation, etc. (I'll be posting a review on Amazon within a few days.)

American Beach, as it turns out, is a real place. It is located on Amelia Island, off the coast of FL, near Jacksonville. In its heyday (1930 - 1970), American Beach was a premier vacation resort for African-Americans, about 200 acres of pristine shore along a 13 mile stretch founded by an African-American entrepreneur for African-Americans, at a time when Blacks could not visit white-only beaches.

As Jim Crow restrictions fell, African-Americans began frequenting other places and American Beach fell out of favor. Now only about 100 acres, there is an effort underway to save the remainder of American Beach from encroaching development.

In discussions on message boards and in online groups, I've learned that many middle-aged African-Americans like myself have never heard of American Beach before now. Sad but true. I won't even hazard a guess as to how many folks under the age of 30, who live outside that area, have heard of it.

Even sadder, when I did some research via Google, I stumbled across a website that referred to American Beach as a "black beach" to which I instantly took offense. Now, I'm not one for political correctness with zero tolerance for violations but this just struck me as wrong.

I emailed the owner inquring as to why she hadn't referred to it as a "beach frequented by Blacks (or African-Americans)", pointing out that she would never refer to a beach as a "white beach" unless she was talking about the color of the sand. At first, she wrote back that she stood by her initial description. When pressed further, she relented and agreed with me, even revealing that she had previously removed a reference to "ghetto" apparently used to describe the surrounding area, to which a prior reader apparently had taken offense.

Words are so powerful and influential. Many of us would never know about American Beach had it not been for the words of Ms. Sims' novel. As a result, a little dialogue with another person has hopefully opened her eyes relative to word selection and its potential impact. Something to always keep in mind as a writer. Again, I'm not arguing for political correctness, but rather consciousness about the word choices we make and their impact on the world around us.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia W

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

What's Wrong With "American Publishing"?

Bob Baker has generated a lot of buzz with his article "What's Wrong with American Idol"?, in which he challenges the reliance of new artists on the music establishment. I postulate that Bob's reasoning applies just as well to publishing. Here's how it applies:

1. Publishers are looking to make money and therefore will be excited about authors who have a track record of sales. Maybe this will happen through self-publishing first or by publishing with a small imprint and marketing my way all the way to the bank but it doesn't have to mean that I wait on a large publishing house to get started.
   
   
2. Writers who go outside of the traditional path are not less talented. Self-published or e-published writers come in all sizes too: the good, the bad, and the better off buried than published. Make no assumptions prior to perusing the work.
   
   
3. I don't have to wait for an editor from a large house or an agent to "discover" me. Like America before Columbus, I'm already here!

We authors have to learn to have confidence and trust in our own abilities and talent, then get busy doing the work that is necessary to get our product before the masses, earn a living, or whatever our personal objectives may be.

The publishing contract is held out as the "Holy Grail", the thing that validates and distinguishes an author from a writer. Too often the writing community even labels itself, using terms like "aspiring author", which suggests that I yearn to write well enough that someone might actually want to read something I pen but that I'm not there yet. Phooey! I say that I am an author, in that I personally "author" every story, book review, inspirational reading, etc. with my name on it. I am even "published" within the expanded horizon of the Internet, including online newsletters, magazines, and blogs.

So what am I "aspiring" to? First, I desire to walk into a bookstore and see my name imprinted on the cover of a book. There are a lot ways to accomplish this, a contract from a publishing house being just one. Second, and more important for me, I aspire to earn money doing something I love. (If I can actually make a living doing it, even better!)

In order to do these things, I must (a) learn my craft; (b) practice my craft; and (c) find a market for my craft. No small feat but I'm willing to do what it takes. If one writes for his or her own pleasure and has no desire to share that writing with the world, he or she is no less an author than Stephen King, Phillip Roth, Terri McMillan, or Aaron MacGruder.

Thank you Bob Baker! Removing the need to be accepted and validated by the publishing industry takes a weight off my shoulders.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

To read the full text of Bob Baker's article, go to his website: http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/american-idol-wrong.html

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.