Nano Bamo
Well I’m at it again. You’d think I’d have learned from the torture of last year but, um, no. Once again I’m participating in November’s National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWrimo. It all starts on Monday and the challenge is 50,000 words in 1 fun filled month. Eek.
So who’s with me? Think you’ve got a novel in you? If so head on over to the Nano page and register and let’s see if we have any hair left in a month.
Best,
Kwana
image from here
BIC HOK
The above stands for Butt In Chair Hands On Keyboard and that’s what I plan to be doing as you read this post. So I’m really sorry if I’m short on words here at ye old blog but I’ve got a bit of a deadline and I had better get some of the ideas that are in my head somehow on the page. So for now it’s me and my laptop lover all the way. Wish us luck.
I hope you have a good one.
Best,
Kwana
image from here
Lesson In The Frustration?
What’s wrong with this picture? Why it’s the fact that the knitting is not on the needles as it should be. See I made some sort of mistake in my last lacy row and now my count is off and I have no clue how to fix it and I must start over…again.
So I’m going back to zero and unwinding. I put the knitting down for a full week as I thought of going forward with the mistake but I knew in my heart I couldn’t do it. There would be a flaw in the pattern. The only way forward was to go back and start over.
So painful as it is this is where I am now. Unwound and snipped off and back to the starting point.
Of course there is an obvious lesson in this pain that has to do with life and writing that’s hitting me on the head that I’m sure will make a great speech later when I’m feeling more accomplished, but right now I’m just feeling like a person that can’t walk, chew gum and knit.
Best,
Kwana
Bright Idea
So I’ve been struggling with writer’s block and part of it is too many ideas and part of it is fear and then another part of it is terrible indecision… UGH!
But thankfully I think I’ve now got a little bit of a handle on the beast that has been roaming around in my head. Now the words are not flying across the page yet, but my thoughts are getting more streamlined and contained into something (though it’s a lot bigger and more daunting than expected) that feels like a story I can get my heart and mind around.
Something else I can get around and it goes with the whole idea of streamlining are these lovely Moleskin notebooks for bright ideas found on Etsy. Aren’t they cute? You can find them here.
Have any bright ideas lately?
Best,
Kwana
The Cave
What’s Jack up to? Jack is being a total Jackster. Driving me wild by being all mischievous and totally underfoot. I can’t take two steps lately without tripping over little Jack. Oh well. So it is.
Not too many words today. I think more will come as soon as I’m more alert. But today I’m squinting against the sun and finally stepping out of my editing cave. Whew, it was a tough two weeks, but I think I got it all done. Of course in my mind done is never really done… until it’s really done. And by that I mean sold, delivered and maybe on a bookshelf somewhere. But right now that outcome is not in my hands so I’m letting it go for the moment. Thanks for all your kind words and encouragement while I was hanging in the cave. You all really warmed me up when the fire got low.
Happy Monday!
Best
Kwana
Working hard
Going Uptown & a giveaway!
Happy me, I have an author interview today on ye old blog and it’s one that’s close to my heart since it speaks to my Harlem roots.
I’m proud to welcome The New York Times Bestselling collaborative writing team of Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant here at Kwana Writes today to speak about their newest release UPTOWN. Whee!!! Insert bells, horns, whistles and marching band here.
First off a little blurb about UPTOWN:
A story as big as New York City itself. Enter the world of Uptown where you’ll find a prominent New York family strained to the breaking point by the high stakes Manhattan Real Estate Industry…….
After twenty years of Foreign Service abroad, Avery Lyons returns to New York when her mother and uncle suffer a serious car accident. The tragedy brings the family together, but Avery is not happy about reuniting with her cousin, Dwight, from whom she has been estranged since the fallout over a college scandal. Avery no longer recognizes the tony, prestigious neighborhood of her childhood but the same old family dynamics and secrets are all too familiar. ….
Heir to a real estate empire, Dwight is willing to do anything to realize his aging and demanding father’s dream: Dixon Plaza, a luxury high-rise development on Central Park North, the last undeveloped border of the city’s famed emerald park. There’s only one thing in his way: Avery has inherited a share of the property Dwight needs. She’s more than willing to sell until she starts dating a reporter on a mission to uncover the truth behind the rumored shady dealings surrounding the complex. ….
Are you intrigued? Are you in? Trust me the read is even better…
Now to Virginia and Donna… Thanks so much for being here.
What drew you to Harlem for the setting of UPTOWN?
Situated at the top of Manhattan, Harlem has been an iconic community and a cultural Mecca since the turn of the 20th century. We both also have connections to Harlem. Donna’s Mom was raised on 143rd Street. Even though the family had moved to Brooklyn by the time she was born, Donna remembers trips to Miss Helen’s beauty shop on 7th Avenue (now Adam Clayton Powell Blvd) and her own forays to the Apollo, Sylvia’s and other spots during her college years.
In the early 80’s Virginia’s first NYC apartment was on 110th Street (now Central Park North) in one of the buildings “owned” by Uptown’s, The Dixon Group. We first get to know apartment 5D, and it’s glorious views of Central Park, in our book Better Than I Know Myself (where we gave Regina, Jewell and Carmen’s Virginia’s old apartment). So, when we decided to explore real estate development and gentrification, we realized we had already set the stage.
What is it about now that makes this the right time for this book? (As a New Yorker I think I know the answer to this one)
Real estate was the gold rush of the 2000’s. In so many parts of the country people were buying and flipping houses and apartments like they were pancakes, and luxury developments sprung up in neighborhoods that had never been in play. Harlem was one of those places where new development bumped up against a community with an established history and culture. The conflict allows us to pose questions about the rights of people who have enough money to pay for whatever they want, vs the rights of those who have a history in a particular area.
You have written such strong characters in UPTOWN. Can you talk a little about your character inspirations specifically for Avery, Dwight and the Larger than life, King?
Avery Lyons, like so many of us, carries a burden of hurt, anger and resentment for actions that have taken place in her past. And like many of us, she doesn’t realize how those feelings continue to impact her life. We wanted to force her into a corner, where she’d have no choice but to deal with them and see what happens.
Dwight Dixon, and his father, the overbearing and ornery King Dixon were characters from Better Than I Know Myself who caused “strong” reader reaction. They had one of the classic, co-dependent, love-hate, father-son relationships and we really get to explore that dynamic in Uptown. King started buying properties that no one else wanted in Harlem decades ago and has amassed a sizeable fortune as a result. King’s out-sized personality casts a giant shadow—one Dwight is tired of living in and he’s determined to create his own spotlight.
How about some fun? If you could give UPTOWN a theme song what would it be? I’ll start, for some reason A Family Affair kept running though my mind. What about you both?
Let’s hear it for Sly Stone! We love that choice–Donna’s first concert adventure, when she was 14 was Sly & the Family Stone at Madison Square Garden, and Virginia first saw them at a “joint” in Buffalo called the Pine Grill for a cover charge that was about $3.00!! But that’s a whole ‘nuther story.
First things that come to mind are Stevie Wonder’s Livin’ For the City, and Bill Withers Harlem–both very old school, but there’s a lot about the vibe that’s old school. And then we’ve got a remix–Take Grandmaster Flash’s The Message–“A huh huh, It makes me wonder sometimes, how I keep from going under.” Add a sample from The Jeffersons, Moving on Up, “Finally got a piece of the pie,” and add a new spin that looks at the world in 2010. Clearly, we have moved into some kind of hallucination here, but it’s interesting that people have associated Uptown with music. We have a friend, Valarie Adams, who is a singer/song writer. She has written an Uptown theme song–we hope to get it posted online shortly. Maybe that means there’s supposed to be a soundtrack. We like that idea since we now have a production company and are working to produce Tryin’ to Sleep in the Bed You Made–The Movie, so soundtracks are definitely part of the equation (Regina King is already attached. We’d love to keep your readers posted. They can join our mailing list on the website, http://deberryandgrant.com/DGContact.html, or keep up with us onFacebook.com/deberryandgrant and twitter.com/deberryandgrant for news. . .)
Now for a little writerly/publishing talk. As a writing team I’m curious as to how you both make it work. I know I for one can reconcile things with myself (I know, issues) let alone another person. Does being best friends help? Ever put a strain on things?
Our friendship, which started while we were competition–during our time as plus size models at the same agency–has never been in question. If we never worked together, we would be friends who are more like sisters. Our working partnership has only enhanced our friendship. It means that whatever situation we are in, there is always one person in the room you trust without question. It also means that we can say whatever needs to be said to each other, knowing it comes from a place of love. As writing partners, we leave our egos at the door. What we strive to create is a single voice that combines our separate voices. That voice is The Author of our work and it’s vital that no one can tell what either of us has written–we can’t tell either. For as much as we are alike, we are very different, and we allow each of us to be ourselves. In fact, the differences keep our writing fresh. And did we say, we still have fun doing what we do? It’s the best scam–getting to work and travel with your best friend and still be able to call it work. Shhhh, don’t tell anybody.
Ok I won’t. LOL. Now where do you see multi-cultural fiction heading in the future? Forward, backwards, stuck in neutral?
What we need, and currently find a struggle to realize, is the freedom to be individuals. We seem to be considered as a monolith–as though we speak with one voice and therefore there is only the need to tell one story. There is no single story of African Americans, as there is no single story for any group of people. But whether we write mystery, romance, thrillers, urban, historicals, erotica or contemporary fiction, we all fall in the same category, “African American Lit,” which describes our ethnicity, not the content of our writing. Our work is labeled, categorized and handicapped, before it’s out of the gate, before it reaches the bookstore shelf or online link. What the two of us write is women’s fiction with Af-Am characters–stories of struggle and triumph, loss, coping, love, life, and learning, but many readers who might enjoy our work because the theme might be relevant to their lives (like What Doesn’t Kill You, our last book about a woman who loses her job after 25 yrs), don’t ever see it because it’s in “that” section. We wrote a blog about this subject a few years ago and repost it every year–because, sadly, it’s still relevant. (Nov 20 entry-Writing White. http://bit.ly/3isaSI) . There’s been a lot of conversation in online lit communities about diversity and multiculturalism—and we’ll have to see where it goes—if there are actual changes that take place. But as long as books like The Help and Little Bee, written about black folks, by non-black folks and time capsule novels about African Americans from slavery to pre-civil rights, stories that focus on our strife, struggle and resulting pathology are allowed the spotlight, while wonderful works of fiction about our contemporary lives—black folks, dealing with the challenges and issues inherent in today’s American experience, languish, unnoticed; when writers like Celeste Ng, find themselves forever compared to Amy Tan, http://huff.to/8bN9V2, a resolution to the multi-cultural lit issue will remain elusive. Chimamande Adichie said it wonderfully in her speech, The Danger of a Single Story,http://blog.ted.com/2009/10/the_danger_of_a.php , at a recent TED conference.
Finally, what can we look for next from you two?
We have worked out the plot for our next book, which again seeks to pair a currently hot topic with a personal story, and look forward to getting back to the writing cave to work with it. We also continue to work on our production of Tryin’ to Sleep in the Bed You Made, and support the producer who seeks to bring Far From the Tree to the screen.
Virginia & Donna
I have to say once again how honored I am to have had Virginia and Donna on the blog today. I’m so happy to have met them through the online community.And YAY, Virginia and Donna have agreed to host a giveaway today. One lucky commenter will win a signed copy of uptown. So comment away we’d love to know your thoughts on today’s post. Winner will be picked by midnight on Wednesday.
You can find Virginia and Donna at all these cool places. Go and say hi:
Website: http://deberryandgrant.com
Blog: http://twomindsfull.blogspot.com
http://Facebook.com/deberryandgrant
http://Twitter.com/deberryandgrantBest,
Kwana
Dream a little Dream
What’s Jack up to? That Jack was a hot mess yesterday. We had him out for a little walk and he met up with new neighbor Arya (see below) and he wanted no parts of her. I was so embarrassed. Arya was so happy to see Jack ready to sniff and say hi and Jack kept running away. She tried and tried and he was not having it. It was very sad and Arya looked heartbroken. I really shouldn’t be surprised. Jack is not even into dogs on tv. Here he is wanting no part of the dog show. I just don’t know what to do with my anti-social dog. Humph!Onto other news which is not really news, but I’ve still got Nano on my mind. Sorry, if this blog is getting boring. I’ll think up something better soon. Maybe crash a party. Ugh! Don’t get me started on at hot mess. Makes me so mad.But, back to NaNo…Getting it completed was such a thrill. Would you like to see how it looked once I uploaded my manuscript? Sure you do, so here goes. I was happy to see this page. Pretty.
And this was my page once I passed the 50,000 word mark. It’s wonderful how many others made their goals too and even those who did not still came so far because just trying and getting 10 or 20,000 words done is still so much. Congrats to all the participants!If you have some dream that is gnawing at you and you think it’s beyond your reach, I say give it a go anyway. You never know what you can do until you try. I’m not anywhere near my ultimate dream but I’m so much closer than where I was.Any challenges pressing on your heart that you think you might want to try? Please share.Best,KwanaMonday Music
What’s Jack up to? The Jackster is doing well. His rash is getting better and his ears are too, though he’s not enjoying taking his meds for both. I know he’s on the mend because his appetite is back and a person can’t make it near the kitchen and his treats without him fast on their heels. Go Jack.
I’m still busy with NaNo writing. The words are drip, drip, dripping through slowly and it’s tough to find the time I’d like. At the end of the day I find myself wishing I had 3 or 4 more hours where I was feeling alert and creative to just sit write and be. But, um, no. Not gonna happen unless I say buh-bye to the few hours sleep I do get and if I did that who knows what hot messery I’d wake up too. Probably a page full of zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz’s. Hmm would they count towards my word count? Probably not.
That said no long post from me today. Or any day for the rest of this month. Will you be back? While I’m in NaNo land please enjoy a little surprising Monday music from Michael Buble and the DD (so not her usual taste). Thanks DD.Best,
KwanaP.S. Have you check out Booksquawk yet? Why not? All the cool kids are doing it.
Restless
I’m feeling restless right now. My story is filling my head and interrupting my sleep, but the words are hard to come by. Hanging out on the ledge just out of my reach. And for NaNo you need words and lots of them. A bit of a problem there. I’m at that point in the story where the initial shot has been fired and now I’ve got to get into the flow and really find the story. Get crafty. Have conversations, make events happen and for a reason too. It puts the mind on pause (at least my mind).So, I’m restless. But, hopefully not for long.Brooding Woman by PicassoHow are you today? Did you get enough rest?Best,Kwana