My Sheer Good Fortune with Toni Morrison

This past week has been extraordinary. It took several days for me to come down off my adrenaline high. I left Alabama headed to Virginia Tech with two of my girlfriends on October 14, 2012. We drove to Blacksburg, Virginia in foggy, rainy, gloomy weather Sunday night. It took us a little over eight hours to make arrive to our destination. We arrived tired, but too anxious to sleep. We only had two hours to get prepared before the press conference anyway, so I decided to get dressed and go over my interview questions for Toni Morrison.

We arrived fairly early and secured front row seats. The room was intimate, maybe with thirty people eventually being in the room. There was of course other press and media outlets there, but not as many as I expected or felt should have been there for such an auspicious occasion. They wheeled Dr. Morrison in and she looked vibrant and cheerful. After a few reporters asked questions, I knew if I wanted to ask my own, I would need to just jump in there and so I went for it. I asked about seven questions. My girlfriends were with me and they were able to ask her each a question as well. After the conference, they quickly wheeled Dr. Morrison away. I went and introduced myself to Nikki Giovanni thinking she probably didn't remember me. Surprisingly she did. She said, "I know who you are." Then she gave me a hug. I introduced my friends and we all took pictures.

Angela Davis, Maya Angelou and Sonia Sanchez

After Ms. Giovanni left, a documentary producer approached us about being in a documentary honoring Nikki Giovanni. We graciously accepted. We were led to this private library where camera and video had been set up, along with TV monitors. The monitors allowed us to see how we looked while we were being filmed. The three of us were interviewed individually, I went last. I honestly can't tell you what I said during my interview, I was so nervous. I don't even remember the questions the interviewer asked me. It was a surreal experience. I am truly grateful for the opportunity and as soon as the documentary becomes available, you know I'll post it any and everywhere.

Next we were invited to the reception the following day before the actual Sheer Good Fortune event. This is where it really gets good because I left Alabama having no expectation other than to get to the press conference and to attend the event. But so far I was able to get to the press conference and have my friends experience it with me. Not only that, but then be asked to participate in a documentary for Nikki Giovanni and then invited to the reception was a blessing. Every step of the way, things kept getting better and better.

Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou holding hands while
a tribute was being song to them

So we arrive at the reception, early as usual. We get so close that we are standing in front of the microphone where the presenters would speak. We see the attendees arriving and they are coming down the stairs in small groups. I glance up towards the stairs and nudge my friend, Joneia P. Brown. "It is Angela Davis and Sonia Sanchez." I repeat it again as if I need to hear it for myself to ring true. At this point, I'm giddy. We wanted to leave our spots and go over to both ladies, but our spots were too damn good and we hadn't seen Maya Angelou yet. A few moments later, Toni Morrison arrives and she is wheeled directly in front of us. Angela Davis and Sonia Sanchez go to her and they take pictures. Joneia sits on the floor in front of them and starts to take photos, the media is snapping away and recording and it's all pure magic. Then shortly thereafter, Maya Angelou is wheeled in next to Toni Morrison. Time basically stopped for me, I'm literally standing five feet directly in front of Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison. Everything becomes a blur at this moment. I'm trying to digest it and I think my cup is so full from delight, I can't process what's happening. After the reception, I am able to speak with Angela Davis and Sonia Sanchez. They are truly gracious and kind women. We were able to meet several Pulitzer Prize winners, Poet Laureates and distinguished authors and professors. I can't wait to tell you about all the talented gifted and extraordinary men and women we met while at the event. I indeed experienced sheer good fortune.

I have to personally thank Ms. Nikki Giovanni for being so gracious and  generous in accommodating our presence. The event was beyond spectacular and most people tasked with putting on such a splendid affair would be short or slightly stressed, but she never once appeared that way and was very kind to us every step of the way.

There is lots more to tell you and I'll give you all the details in the next post.

Poet and Blogger Kimeko Farrar, Television Producer and Speaker Joneia P. Brown , Nikki Giovanni and me :) Lena Sledge taken right after the press conference.

Next up....How I Made it to the VIP Room and the Actual Sheer Good Fortune Celebration. Stay Tuned.

Armchair BEA: Best Books of 2012

Today's theme is share a few of our favorite books of 2012. My reading has been slack to put it mildly. But there are a few that I immensely enjoyed that made me go hmm.

1. Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones                  
This novel is captivating with its rich language and wittiness. It's a story about a bigamist and his two families, the secret family is unaware of the husband's other family and the other family knows about the secret family. A must read indeed. One of my top favorites of the year. And Ms. Tayari Jones is sweet and very personable, which helps when you actually like the author personally.

2. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
This book had me whewing. You know that feeling when you read something so remarkable and unbelievable that you sigh out loud with a whew. The story was told delicately, with honesty and integrity. And I felt Ms. Skloot told it from an objective viewpoint. Her interview about the book was great and she was quite inviting and funny.



3. The Family Business by Carl Weber
This book was really good considering it was out of my recent comfort zone of feel good book or books with lots of action and adventure such as dystopian and apocalyptic novels. This book is often labeled as urban literature. But back in my day, I read nearly every book he cranked out. The Family Business was a pleasing book that helped me get reacquainted with Mr. Weber's work.

HAPPY BEA WEEK!

What are some of your favorite books of 2012?

Don't forget to enter My Favorite Reads giveaway going on right now. Click My Favorite Reads to enter for a chance to win one $25 Amazon Gift Card or up to $25 in purchases from the Book Depository for international participants. Hope you take a moment to enter. Good Luck!

New Year Resolutions of Authors and Poets

Two weeks into the New Year and it seems this year will come and go faster than last year. I don't make resolutions per se. I just try to do whatever worked the previous year and do it better and take what didn't work and try to improve upon it. Don't get me wrong, resolutions are great. Resolutions help people set goals and encourage people to attain them. Resolutions can also be measured, thus holding the person accountable to a certain degree. But it never works for me. I've tried. But it's interesting to hear resolutions from other people, namely authors. So I asked a few authors and poets what their resolutions are for 2012 and here's what they had to say.

"My resolution is to work less and live more. 2011 was a great year for me. My novel Silver Sparrow was published, I won two major fellowships, got great reviews. But there is a lovely bottle of champagne in my refrigerator that has been there for almost a year. Why? I had plenty to celebrate, but I could never take the time out to sit back and enjoy it. I was always racing toward the next goal. So in 2012, I resolve to drink all the champagne in the world." ~ Tayari Jones, author of Silver Sparrow

"My 2012 resolution is to set reasonable and measurable productivity goals just like I did in the beginning of my writing career. If you write 3 pages a day (or even 1 page a day!), you'll finish a book or be well on your way to finishing one by end of the year." ~ Teresa Medeiros, author of The Pleasure of Your Kiss

"My goal is to finish revising my 3rd novel, Every Good Wish, and send it to my agent. (Hopefully this March). And I have plans to write a nonfiction book this year, which I'm very excited about."
~ Carleen Brice, author of Orange Mint and Honey 
 She is also the author of Children of the Waters. (Orange Mint and Honey was made into a Lifetime movie called Sins of the Mother starring Jill Scott...y'all know how I feel about Jill Scott, I'm still officially Jill Scott handed :-)



"This year, for the first time, I resolve to do only one thing. I didn't fast or give up anything....I resolved that every single day before I went to bed I would reflect on the blessings that I'd had for that day alone. I started this back on Thanksgiving and decided this would be my resolution for 2012. And, I love it. This one exercise alone has kept me HAPPY! #teamgrateful #365daysofgratitude."
~ Victoria Christopher Murray, author of The Deal, The Devil and the Dance and co-author of Sinners and Saints with Reshonda Tate Billingsley.

"I resolve to go from process mode to product. This is the beginning of my blogging. The spoken word CD and book of poems are priorities." ~ Dr. Kim White-Glenn, professor and poet

"To write as many books as humanly possible -- for me, at least -- and continue to grow my reader base." ~ Robert Gregory Browne, author of Kiss Her Goodbye


"My new years resolution is to become a better business owner. I want to reach across America and collab with better business partners to create a dynamic team so we can build other companies and enhance the lives of other artists." ~ Troy Lewis, Poet and CEO/Founder of The National Poetry Awards


"I vowed to get more organized because I have the best ideas, I create forms, etc...then I can't ever find the forms because my office is so messy! And don't get me started on tax time! So, I'm definitely pledging to get more organized in 2012!" ~ Reshonda Tate Billingsley, author of Say Amen Again and co-author of Sinners and Saints with Victoria Christopher Murray. 

What are your resolutions or goals for 2012?

Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my blog and to the Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop. There are over 260 blogs participating in this hop, hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and I Am A Reader, Not a Writer.

Well, this will be the last giveaway hop I participate in for the rest of the year. It's near Christmas and I need to concentrate the gift giving closer to home. So I wanted to make this last one really special. 

What am I giving away?

I will be giving away (3) three prizes open to U.S and International participants. Each prize is a gift box filled with books and goodies. How will the winner choose the prize? The first winner chosen by Random.org through Rafflecopter will get first choice, then the second winner will choose, and the the third winner will get the remaining gift box.

What are the rules?

1. Must be a follower of my blog via GFC, RSS or Email. 

2. Let me know in the comments section below if you are a U.S. or International resident.

(If postage is too much, I may opt to give a $25 credit towards purchases at The Book Depository instead.)

That's it. All other entries on the Rafflecopter are optional. If you decide to tweet about the giveaway on the Rafflecopter form, don't worry about pasting the URL, just tweet it. I think pasting is such a hassle. Plus, I get a notification whenever someone does. :-)

What are the gifts? Well, let me show you instead. Everything shown inside the gift box is included along with the gift box too!

--------------------------------------

Gift Box 1

The Gift Box 1
What's inside?

Let's Take A Peek.

It's a brand new Da Vinci Code
Special Edition DVD Set,
along with three books,
The Da Vinci Code,
Angels and Demons
and A New Prospect
by Wayne Zurl

------------------------------

Gift Box 2

Kids Fun Book
Bundle and
Gift Box

A jumbo pen, two pencils,
a jumbo coloring book,
two stencil rulers, an etcha
sketch type drawing board,
3 boxes of card games
& 4 color stamps.

Includes books, Amy HodgePodge
The Secret's Out, One Brother
Too Many &
Standing Against the Wind.
Two sealed dvds,
March of the Penguins
and Osmosis Jones

 --------------------------

Gift Box 3

Include The Night Circus,
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen,
Trouble Don't Last Always
by Francis Ray, Leaving Atlanta
by Tayari Jones and Embracing
Destiny by Suzanne Purewal

A gift box with carrying handle.
Very spacious and can
be used to hold or carry
clothes, makeup, etc.

Conair Massager,
one vanilla cookie candle,
one coffee mug,
bookmark, two journals
and a planner

----------------------------------------------------------
That's it. Have fun entering all the other giveaways on the Book Lover's Giveaway Hop. For a list of other participating blogs, click List of Blog Hop Participants.

GOOD LUCK!

*Also, stop by and enter my 1,000 Followers Kindle Giveaway for a chance to win a new Amazon Kindle eReader. Valued at $99! And it's Free! Click Kindle Giveaway for more details to enter. Giveaway ends just in time to receive the Amazon Kindle for the holidays.