“You don't start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it's good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That's why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.” ― Octavia E. Butler
Grammy had a nature trail on her farm. It wasn’t made with mechanical tools of any sort, just Grammy’s feet. She walked the same path every day for the 30 years she owned her farm. Each time she walked the trail, she flung random seeds to the left and right of her on the path….
Ms. Morrison has passed away. Though I was never a fan of her books, I have always been a fan of her as an unapologetically Black woman. As an intellectual. I cannot possibly write words eloquent enough that would be fitting enough to honor her. So instead I share some of the wisdom she left…
I am sitting on the bench across from the harbor watching day turn to dusk as I have done many times before. Behind me is The Market House where foods can be bought that celebrate the varied tastes of Maryland. It was once a meeting place for the enslaved to sell chickens and trade news…
Summer is here and so is the heat! But I’m not complaining because it will be cold again before we know it. You all know I’m a book addict and I wanted to share a great book I’m reading right now. It’s called Shadowshaper. My goal this year is to read more books by authors…
Final moments are usually met with sadness, shock, or denial. I’m part of that last group. I’m headed away from the beginning of the end. Waiting for the last train to make its final stop at this platform to pick up its last passengers. I tap my pocket to be sure my coin is still…
Summer is almost here and the year is halfway over. Can you believe it? We started our summer celebration a little early this year because my brother got married in the beginning of May! He and his now wife got married in Memphis because they love it there so much. It was a small but…
“What kind of word prompt is Rome? Just…Rome,” Angie said as she approached her writing friends at Panera Bread. They all responded with giggles as they unpacked their laptops and settled into their usual spaces around the fireplace. “I mean seriously,” Angela said, “and it’s too warm to have an inspiring fire.” “This is a…
I have to confess. A little over a month ago I signed a book contract with a new publishing company that wants to publish books by Black authors. I was over the moon excited and thought that my dream was finally going to come true. After over a month of being promised edits of my…
Ollie was rich. Eccentric. And he hoarded old books. His bookstore, Rereads, was an excuse to justify his habit. He wouldn’t know a rare book if it fell on his foot, which is what almost got him killed. Myrlie was his assistant. She had an impressive knowledge of rare books. It’s why Ollie hired her….
“Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, and do every day what should be done, and every sunset will see you that much nearer the goal.” ― Elbert Hubbard I’ve been writing all my life. I have two books I’ve completed that may never see the light of day. I have hundreds of short…