3rd Annual "Juneteenth In the Town Jubilee" - Saturday, June 18, 2022 in Oakland, California

 

Eventbrite Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/juneteenth-in-the-town-jubilee-tickets-325413970947

Revisiting a Classic: Terry McMillan's "Disappearing Acts"

I hear people say that blogs are dead.  I disagree.  I hear people say that newspapers are dead.  I refuse to let them die.  I hear people say that physical books are dead.  There will never be anything that compares to the feel of a book in your hand.

And while I never intended for this to be a blog about books, I ran across an interesting Twitter conversation this week that made me realize that there are some people who are totally missing out on some great works of art because we, as a society, are always looking for the next "new thing."

I'm so excited to see so many new Black authors and books out there, but I wanted to remind folks that there are some classics that have yet to be discovered by a lot of people.

One such book, "Disappearing Acts" by Terry McMillan should be required reading for all Black women.  

If you're not familiar with Terry McMillan (you probably won't be on this page), you're really missing a wonderful writer.  And if you haven't read "Disappearing Acts," do yourself a favor and pick up a copy from your local library or bookstore.  It's a story like no other.

Book Review: "All Her Little Secrets" by Wanda M. Morris

It's rare that a debut novel is as good as "All Her Little Secrets" by Wanda M. Morris.

Thankfully, I stumbled across it on social media.  

If you know me, you know I love a good mystery.  And when I can find a good mystery by a Black author, I'm thrilled.  Pun intended.

And while my personal "secrets" aren't as intense as those of Elice Littlejohn, I can relate on many levels.  It's really hard to navigate corporate America while trying to keep as much of your private life private as possible.

But when Elise, a corporate attorney, walks in and finds her secret lover dead in his office one morning. . .well, you can only imagine how crazy her life becomes.

This book is so fast paced that I had to stop myself from reading it all in one sitting.

It's a perfect read for chilly weather and hot coffee (or your favorite warm beverage).  

It's a real roller coaster.

Available online and in independent bookstores.  

Once Upon a Time Before "Black Owned Business" was a Trend

I am feeling a bit nostalgic today.  I know a lot of it has to do with being a person of a certain age, but a lot of it has to do with our current state of affairs.

I grew up in a time and a community where we loved being Black.  We loved living as a community.  We all knew each other's names and we could shop freely within our own communities and were treated with respect.  Whether you were a single mother on welfare or were one of the professionals in the community, maybe you worked at the bank, or the post office or you worked in an automotive plant and made "good money" for our time.  We didn't discriminate against each other.  We were united by God, our community and our southern roots (never forgetting from whence we came).

We didn't have to be reminded to spend our money with folks who looked like us.  We wanted to spend our money with folks who looked like us.  We didn't do it for "likes" or "clicks" or because it was "trendy."  We did it because we did.

I realize that tech has taken over and we don't even have to leave our sofas to order up groceries on our smart phones.  There are very few Black owned small businesses because the owners have passed away and the children are now all well-educated and enjoy successful careers.

This is just a friendly reminder that we can still support each other - even if it's not at the corner store.

(Bonus points if you can spot the pig feet)

"Seven Days in June" by Tia Williams

I first discovered Tia Williams when I read "The Perfect Find."  Liked it so much, I read it twice.

"Seven Days in June" was so different from "The Perfect Find."  I expected it to be a spinoff.  I'm glad it wasn't.  

So completely different and intoxicating.  I love Black Love.  If you've ever had a teen love that you've never forgotten, you'll totally get it.  I think we sometimes forget how hard we love in our youth.  I needed to remember what that was like.  Age can jade you. It can also make you see what you weren't able to see when you're living it.

A multi-layered love story.  Like peeling an onion.  

I especially appreciated the flaws in the characters, the fact that it was realistic, not sugar-coated, erotic, poetic and so many other adjectives I could use to describe what is one of my favorite reads of this year.

Highly recommend.

"The Other Black Girl" by Zakiya Dalila Harris

Can you say "on point?"

I've always been super excited to see a sister girl join the company (every company I've ever worked at) and unfortunately more times than not, it hasn't resulted in the bond which I yearned for.  That doesn't stop me for being happy for and celebrating and in the words of Issa Rae "rooting for everybody Black."

For me, "The Other Black Girl" was one of those "It's a Black Thang, You Wouldn't Understand" moments.

This is for all the Black women who have ever tried to "fit in," "code switch" and just plain old survive in Corporate America.  Zakiya Dalila Harris "sees" you.

In fact, I don't know when I have felt so seen.  And, for me, even though I'm not at the beginning of my career, it made me realize that whether you're just starting out or winding down, the game never changes.

Witty, engaging and just a great read.

BOOK REVIEW: A LITTLE BIT OF KARMA - Reshonda Tate Billingsley

A LITTLE BIT OF KARMA

If you like urban fiction and mystery - this one's for you.

Shannon and Jay Lovejoy have the entire package.  

They're a beautiful power couple dispensing advice on their radio advice show.  

On the outside, they seemingly have it all together.  But, there's more to the story than meets the eye.

Kind of reminds me of something my mama used to say "Don't do as I do, do as I say do."  Which often works, until it doesn't.

It's got romance and suspense and a twist at every turn of the page.

So good that I took my time reading it because I didn't want to see it end.

Reshonda Tate Billingsley is one of my all-time favorite authors. A great writer with an incredibly descriptive writing style.

"A Little Bit of Karma"

Available on e-reader and in hardcopy - or you could do like me and get both.