He speaks!

My son, Matthew, is curious to what I’m doing. I told him that I was writing a blog. He wanted to see the blog, so I showed it to him.

Now he wants to speak, so here goes (in his words):

Hello! I say my speech.

And I wanna say goodbye.

 

Baby, baby!

I’m sitting here letting my son run a comb through my hair and watching this hilarious show, “The Baby Borrowers.” They’ve let 5 teenage couples try to care for babies for three days and nights. The first day and they’re already freaking out. The show’s tagline is, “It’s not reality; it’s birth control.”

As badly as I wanted to have a baby, there is nothing more terrifying than the first hours at home with a newborn. And I was a grown woman with years of caring for infants. I had no perfectly clean home, no supplies delivered to my house and no one around to monitor me and tell me what I was doing wrong.

And I most definitely couldn’t give him back after three days.

I hope every parent with a teenager is watching this with their teens.

Hope he’s wearing his mint-flavored socks…

Don Imus is in trouble again.

In a story about Adam “Pacman” Jones wanting a clean slate and dropping the nickname, it was mentioned that Jones had been arrested six times since being drafted by the Tennessee Titans. Imus then asked, “What color is he?” The answer that he was African-American drew Imus’ response: “Well, there you go.”

Later, Imus said he was making a sarcastic comment about why black people are picked on by the police.

Hmmm… Jones has never said that he’s been picked on.

Imus’ black producers have said the statement was out of context and it wasn’t racially offensive.

Hmm… They work for Imus, so they would naturally defend him.

The question that has to be asked: why even bring up Jones’ race in the discussion? The issue was him dropping the “Pacman” moniker and getting a fresh start.

I think Imus is an idiot. His true nature has revealed itself again. And the only reason he’s not going to be fired is because Adam Jones is not exactly a choir boy. He doesn’t have the virtues of the Rutgers basketball going for him. Most people associate Jones one step above Michael Vick.

And Imus continues on. Long live the legacy of George Carlin…

I’m Back!

I had the best time ever at BWRC 2008! There’s so much to share, but that will have to come as I organize my thoughts. Needless to say, it was well worth the exhaustion I’m feeling right now. I’ll have pictures and comments up this week. I hope to hear from my fellow conference attendees too!

This morning I read that George Carlin died. Though I was never a fan, I did know of him and his work. And though he may be a footnote in history for his “Seven Words” sketch, I don’t know if I’d want to be remembered that way. But hey, long live free speech – whatever that might be.

BWRC 2008

On Thursday, I will be up at the crack of dawn – literally – to make my way to O’Hare to catch a flight to Tampa where I will be attending the Black Writers Reunion Conference 2008. The first conference I attended in 2006 changed my life – at least as pertains to my writing.

I met many new people – authors and aspiring writers alike. The best part was being with others who had the same mindset as me. It was my Nirvana and I’ve been jonesing for it ever since.

My goal is to post notes, pictures, etc. from the conference to share what I’ve seen and learned.

I’m so excited!

Anatomy of a (soon-to-be) Bestseller – Part 1

In April 2005, I was sent away for an “enforced vacation” – most people call it a layoff. I called it a bloodbath. Whatever.

Since I had time on my hands, I decided to finish the novel that I started. And on April 11, or somewhere thereabouts, I announced to the world that it was finished!

I was so naive.

Soon, I was back in the rat race. Gainfully employed, Michelle and I went back and forth over chapters. My husband met a woman who was starting her publishing company (again, I was so naive) and she asked to see the manuscript. She liked it – but it was too short.

I found out that most novels need to be between 80,000-100,000 words. Mine was like 75,000. I have nothing else, I whined. Michelle thought otherwise and gave me some ideas on fleshing out scenes that weren’t in the original manuscript.

So, back to the drawing board. Another year of writing, editing, and rewiriting and in May 2006, it was finally done.

During this time, I started learning more about the publishing industry – how to submit, who to submit to, agents, publishing imprints, etc. I learned that more often than not, first-time authors get soundly rejected by agents, publishers, imprints, etc. But I was determined. I had a list of publishers that I would submit to – unagented.

And then came BWRC 2006.

To be continued…

Oh Fathers…

On Sunday we celebrated Father’s Day. While my hubby and I didn’t do anything special, we spent the day with our son and that was enough for him.

As I reflected on my dad (who passed away in 2005), I also thought about two other fathers that impacted my week – Tim Russert and R. Kelly.

I didn’t really pay much attention to Tim Russert until this year. I watched “Meet the Press” for the first time in January and watched it faithfully for the few weeks I was absent from church. I loved the diversity of his panel, his inquisitiveness, his sincerity without bias or malice and his humor. Then, as he moderated debates, he refused to let either candidate on the Democratic side off the hook during the tougher questions. When I learned of his unexpected death last week, I learned that he had a son and that his father, “Big Russ” was still alive. What a tragic way to bring in Father’s Day this week – a father mourning the loss of his son, a son mourning the loss of his father.

From all accounts, Tim Russert was a hardworking, honorable, devoted father and son.

Contrast that to R. Kelly, who was acquitted on all counts of child pornography. No, I’m not surprised, just disappointed. Like OJ, I believe Kelly is guilty – it just couldn’t be proven in a court of law. (Yeah, I said it.) But Kelly was able to celebrate Father’s Day as a free man. What does he say to his children? What example is he providing for them?

What’s even more shameful are all the parents – fathers and mothers alike – who brought their kids to the courthouse to celebrate. What message are they sending to them?

R. Kelly will continue to make his controversial music and videos and influence a generation of young children in a negative way.

Tim Russert won’t have that same chance. And that’s too bad.

I stand witness…

Today is June 3, 2008.

I’m starting this post with the date because I want to mark it down for posterity for my son when he’s old enough to read about this.

Barack Obama made history tonight by becoming the first African-American to receive the nomination by any political party to be the next President of the United States!

I am proud of this fact. And I want my son to know that when I say the words, “You can be president one day,” he will see that it really is possible. I didn’t think I’d see this day. I really didn’t. Three years ago, I had a conversation with a co-worker who said that Obama would run for and become president. I said he was too green and he’d never do it.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

When I look back at the history of my days, I can remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard the Challenger exploded.

I remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard about the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma.

I remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard about Columbine. I watched it happen before my eyes.

I remember every moment of the morning of September 11, 2001, from the minute I first heard on the radio that a plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Towers.

And now I am witnessing history again. I will remember where I was and what I was doing as I watched Barack Obama declare himself the Democratic nominee. And I will forever remember Hillary’s speech – ungracious and strident - much like she has been throughout her campaign.

There’s still a long way to go on this journey for Sen. Obama. He still has to actually be nominated in Denver in August. He has to run the campaign and win in November.

But tonight, I stand witness to history. I stand witness for my grandparents and my mother, who didn’t live to see this day. I stand witness for my son who has no clue of what is happening and why it is so significant.

But I stand witness for myself – for my past, my present and my future.