tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-342234382024-03-07T15:15:57.126-05:00Lori's Old School MixThe Old School Mix is a hodge-podge of commentary, information, trivia, interviews, links and reviews. Topics covered by the OSM include, (but aren't limited to) music, literature, history, art, pop culture and social issues.Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.comBlogger317125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-72228986370520077782023-09-15T14:34:00.000-05:002023-09-15T14:34:41.049-05:00My Family's History In "Old Whitehaven"<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">Recently, I turned some of the research I've collected on my family's history into an article. The article, <i>"Tracing My Black Roots In Old Whitehaven"</i> appears in the <b>August 11</b>, <b>2023</b> issue of <b>StoryBoard Memphis.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The following are a few key points of <i>"Tracing My Black Roots in Old Whitehaven."</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">--In <b>1989,</b> I recorded my conversations with my 76-year old-grandmother about our family's history. Among other things she shared with me--her family once lived and worked on <i>"The McCorkle Place"</i> which was then located in Whitehaven.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">--Whitehaven is a community/residential aread located in the south-west section of Memphis, TN. The McCorkles were one of Whitehaven's founding families. The community's history wad documented in --<b>TALES OF OLD WHITEHAVEN</b>--a book written by <b>Anna L. McCorkle</b> in <b>1967</b>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMN59EcZW0LkZBEQxm5APsyTxdD1WUgDTgEiYf8XKRdQu6cZR-UadBXRDBklBdXqlWMQaIQt8EDFJYBo8XpuMoa2rVWx0WQ4iXWnMzzSFEeuGBPAaY07UdC_JpqYLQJG0YSIQ9fTG3SBAtbzp49gRTV0PzI0QaOpmrgogJTmMFTDmnzY9Uvwp-sg/s800/Tales%20of%20Old%20Whitehaven%20Books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="800" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMN59EcZW0LkZBEQxm5APsyTxdD1WUgDTgEiYf8XKRdQu6cZR-UadBXRDBklBdXqlWMQaIQt8EDFJYBo8XpuMoa2rVWx0WQ4iXWnMzzSFEeuGBPAaY07UdC_JpqYLQJG0YSIQ9fTG3SBAtbzp49gRTV0PzI0QaOpmrgogJTmMFTDmnzY9Uvwp-sg/s320/Tales%20of%20Old%20Whitehaven%20Books.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><h4 style="text-align: center;"><b>Tales of Old Whitehaven<br /></b><b>by Anna L. McCorkle</b></h4><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">--One of the churches that served the Whitehaven community during the early days of its existence wad <b>Edmondson Presbyterian Church.</b> In <b>1847</b>, the congregation moved into a new building. According to Anna L. McCorkle, "<i>This building consisted of one room with a slave gallery in back. There were twenty-five members, five of whom were colored." </i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">--Turns out, my grandmother's great grandmother (my 3rd great grandmother), an enslaved woman named <b>Celia Plunkett</b> (later <b>Celia Plunkett Morgan</b>) was one of the original five <i>"colored" </i>members of Edmondson Presbyterian Church.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">--According to records compliled by <b>David Ragland Davis</b> in his publication <b>EDMONDSON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 1844-1931</b>, Celia, described as a servant of Dr. Plunkett<b> (John Desire Plunkett)</b>, was baptized in the church in <b>1854.</b></span></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqExA50Txii-LqCk6hB5duMS7alEl3J7PSpQ0RR60eMJHzwIM7uEjBXnp-KosUwZbY6ryHcb7a25xip9vXhL54cOMQVhxveIv2-WwLXdJvRN3f7olAT2yJYr0dHHEQivWDhoqLUAxmSZ2Vp2RWJ3m2dyIize0he72Mh0EEf2urnwZBi9PzKJrvdg/s1075/Cover%20Edmondson%20Church%20Records.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqExA50Txii-LqCk6hB5duMS7alEl3J7PSpQ0RR60eMJHzwIM7uEjBXnp-KosUwZbY6ryHcb7a25xip9vXhL54cOMQVhxveIv2-WwLXdJvRN3f7olAT2yJYr0dHHEQivWDhoqLUAxmSZ2Vp2RWJ3m2dyIize0he72Mh0EEf2urnwZBi9PzKJrvdg/s320/Cover%20Edmondson%20Church%20Records.jpg" width="298" /></a></span></div><h4 style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-weight: 700;">Edmondson Presbyterian Church 1844-1931<br /></span></span><span><span style="font-weight: 700;">by David Ragland Davis</span></span></h4><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">--So many odd coincidences and baffling events occured during the course of my <i>"discovery"</i> of Celia, I'm almost convinced <b><i>SHE WANTED ME TO FIND HER</i></b> . . .</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">--For additional details, checkout the article--<b><i><a href="https://storyboardmemphis.org/featured-story/tracing-my-black-roots-in-old-whitehaven/" target="_blank">"Tracing My Black Roots In Old Whitehaven"</a></i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-16622448175022040582022-09-28T16:57:00.001-05:002022-09-29T15:53:30.413-05:00WORDS & IMAGES . . . Hattie Mae's Harvest by Lori D. Johnson<p> <span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes mere words aren't enough. After I finished writing "Hattie Mae's Harvest" an essay that appears in the most recent issue of <i>Midnight and Indigo</i>, I was inspired to create an accompanying collage. It's been years since I've felt inspired to create something that falls within the realm of the fine arts. I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm kind of rusty, but the feeling that I got while I was in the throes of putting it together was nothing short of WONDERFUL. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The following is a snippet from the essay . . . </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Cormorant Garamond, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>An old black and white photograph of seven smiling Black women is one of my favorites. I discovered it in 2017 on a visit with my now ninety-some-year-old Aunt Rubylene. I don't know who took the picture; what year it might have been taken, or for what occasion. Even though my Aunt Rubylene is in the photo, she blames her failing memory for her inability to offer any of the pertinent details. My aunt has always been gracious and forthcoming with me, so I want to take her at her word.</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">You can read the rest of the work here . . . <a href="https://www.midnightandindigo.com/hattie-maes-harvest/" target="_blank">HATTIE MAE'S HARVEST.</a></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And if you look closely at the artwork below, you will notice that a couple of the photos described in the essay are featured in the collage.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDkfdJE1DNQwRYvjQazYLjCAIxNnh2m6WXTfOMYvFP0gr7dWJd0lHw8L2UqFhqJsT5c0DMzNXwmXP6zXYMejL6U_ze3cYP0xkc3kwLpxIcyWUFDmecxu0IloAIx6dqGTbXB7iRwhkFCIelRiSNWALmsMFZo7Mm1I7eAixRo37F8hor6cvoJk/s2050/Hattie%20Mae's%20Harvest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2049" data-original-width="2050" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDkfdJE1DNQwRYvjQazYLjCAIxNnh2m6WXTfOMYvFP0gr7dWJd0lHw8L2UqFhqJsT5c0DMzNXwmXP6zXYMejL6U_ze3cYP0xkc3kwLpxIcyWUFDmecxu0IloAIx6dqGTbXB7iRwhkFCIelRiSNWALmsMFZo7Mm1I7eAixRo37F8hor6cvoJk/w640-h640/Hattie%20Mae's%20Harvest.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hattie Mae's Harvest</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">by </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Lori D. Johnson</span></div><p></p>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-13404038987159973712022-09-05T12:24:00.002-05:002022-09-14T13:13:17.552-05:00THE BROOKS AVENUE SCHOOL REUNION (August 28, 2022 / MEMPHIS, TN) & Lori D. Johnson's "Johnson Sub Research"<div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-cc2f0992-7fff-3b4c-1a3e-8687cb111c4b"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm still marveling that my research on the <b>Johnson Sub</b> community in <b>Memphis, TN</b> played a role in making this happen. Wish I could have been there, but from all reports, the event was a smashing success! The organizer, <b>George R. Williams, Sr.</b>, gave a nice presentation at <b>Riverside Missionary Baptist Church.</b> The folks at the <b>National Civil Rights Museum</b> were wonderful hosts and treated the Brooks Avenue School crew as honored guests. According to my parents, the tour of the <b>Rosenwald</b> exhibit, the luncheon and the hospitality were all top-notch.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPYJ-gzeRVs4zG10xDFU465zwrhK52Q0IgrkCU2_mvGINYr6R5UaD8Qqgzvk2oIELTPmrFRljcjRjhx0zLcygzwJznUlIkOpt7UBYqVwH50Kd4-ldkPVTWfp5zlfL5yyfU94ZcoxjJCbfhDVh5My02JlTfG4XmDc42gEDtUKmP_KTeD6nrCA/s657/George%20Williams%20(Riverside%20Church%20Close-Up%202022).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="488" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPYJ-gzeRVs4zG10xDFU465zwrhK52Q0IgrkCU2_mvGINYr6R5UaD8Qqgzvk2oIELTPmrFRljcjRjhx0zLcygzwJznUlIkOpt7UBYqVwH50Kd4-ldkPVTWfp5zlfL5yyfU94ZcoxjJCbfhDVh5My02JlTfG4XmDc42gEDtUKmP_KTeD6nrCA/s320/George%20Williams%20(Riverside%20Church%20Close-Up%202022).jpeg" width="238" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>George R. Williams, Sr.</b><b> </b></span></div></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Brooks Avenue Reunion Organizer</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbfnjgK9bFyo_7drcCmOOrSJcz7C1l_LKr6x7MEOt5gtDUDonUo2UappBaL39D6g1o7vXWTqO1JE2OXylNSSv5TygesC430z46T3qOzhj0E40nj81YuokJscUFe7tqwqHnMfNuZcN6Mn0fmUIR01sxFEHOYfWBLgdQWXeoJ2ydRa8Zi9Ug8s/s1280/Riverside%20Brooks%20Ave%20Program.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbfnjgK9bFyo_7drcCmOOrSJcz7C1l_LKr6x7MEOt5gtDUDonUo2UappBaL39D6g1o7vXWTqO1JE2OXylNSSv5TygesC430z46T3qOzhj0E40nj81YuokJscUFe7tqwqHnMfNuZcN6Mn0fmUIR01sxFEHOYfWBLgdQWXeoJ2ydRa8Zi9Ug8s/s320/Riverside%20Brooks%20Ave%20Program.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: 14pt;">Riverside Missionary Baptist Church</b></div></b></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Brooks Avenue School Reunion</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>August 28, 2022</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFbIOtS15XSlPJC0FrmkY7WkbhVmyxR5ZxFKxlmlyUuXhD6MksuoMTe8sKcTQvN1cFMhRIG7K8kgXfOtPkRBe0UaBvrwn0NK4ZfKd4qhzcE4rgCT8H_E-vUnPRoMh0ps59ngN8fOxpKjT-WSDgG66joFNgC0o2ucBrLtW-TQiwJNqcZr9kcc/s1166/Brooks%20Avenue%20Reunion%202022%20(%20Close).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="1166" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFbIOtS15XSlPJC0FrmkY7WkbhVmyxR5ZxFKxlmlyUuXhD6MksuoMTe8sKcTQvN1cFMhRIG7K8kgXfOtPkRBe0UaBvrwn0NK4ZfKd4qhzcE4rgCT8H_E-vUnPRoMh0ps59ngN8fOxpKjT-WSDgG66joFNgC0o2ucBrLtW-TQiwJNqcZr9kcc/w640-h438/Brooks%20Avenue%20Reunion%202022%20(%20Close).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Brooks Avenue School Reunion</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><b>at National Civil Rights Museum</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><b>(August 28, 2022)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">If you'd like to learn more about <b>Brooks Avenue School </b>and its designation as a<b> Rosenwald School, </b>as well as how a portion of my research on Johnson Sub contributed to the reunion, click on the link below for the <b><i>Commercial Appeal</i></b> newspaper feature <i>(dated Aug. 24, 2022)</i> about the event. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.yahoo.com/now/celebrating-impact-rosenwald-schools-brooks-020008946.html">"Celebrating The Impact of Rosenwald Schools"</a></span></div><b style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></b><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></div></div>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-57261188594156149932022-06-16T11:26:00.001-05:002022-06-16T21:08:29.061-05:00MY CONNECTION TO TWO FREEDMEN SETTLEMENTS . . . by Lori D. Johnson<p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="1566" data-original-width="1791" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSMF7OuXBA3bhDq0Rwp_T5FeSv4hT5sWHWDaf-N4MGlVcdzuhR1taaNtVwkU2XqabeoY2nOnpPHY_AiZapHEzJQ4xyVkEw4LoqNCXScpL0azpbEwxpATCPVJgvDs7d7U-S4hrzx4u_xsZM1O0YCFmTYAKcgVGxGU7JGu3trQc30CivpXY6YE/w320-h280/Hawkins%20Community%20Marker.jpg" width="320" /> </div></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"> <b>Calhoun County, MS</b></div></div></div></blockquote></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"> </div></div></div><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Have you ever heard of Freedom colonies, Freedmen settlements or Freedmen towns? Probably not, huh? </span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Freedom colonies and freedmen settlements/towns were the all Black communities established by the formerly </span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">enslaved after the Civil War. Apparently, I hold the honor of being a descendant of two such communities--</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">one on my mother’s side of the family and another on my dad’s. </span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The one created by my mother’s side of the family was located in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Calhoun County, MS</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> near the town of </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Paris (not far from Water Valley MS where my mother and her folks were born). The community was </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">founded by a former slave (name unknown) who’d been allowed to work for pay during his </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">enslavement. After Emancipation, he purchased land in the area and from it grew a vibrant community. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">They established a school </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>(Bryant School) </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and a church </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>(Mt. Pleasant Church)</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">. They had a </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">cotton gin,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">a blacksmith shop, a grist mill (a mill that grinds grain into flour) and they raised sheep from </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">which </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">they spun wool and made clothing. Some of their descendants (<b>Hawkins, Pearson, Reese, Shipp & Steen)</b> erected a marker near what once was the entrance of the church’s cemetery. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>(See photo above)</b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Sadly, not that long ago, that marker “mysteriously” disappeared.</span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwoYYUWybdEZsXAbBVn-g-QKGXF5X8CwyMBKuCBB80Dsf-MRsKMpspNwpmSqBxWX6osnSH-We91QidJipktWjF2GmdltMmG77q-SgO76Nqg3EA8w8snKeO9cG7xtiiNSW3chXn0nVOCB_X9F8JtODQzOcGcZ-yUcqI4KDRdi3GfdJNNkjfFI/s299/Church%20in%20Johnson%20Sub%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="299" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwoYYUWybdEZsXAbBVn-g-QKGXF5X8CwyMBKuCBB80Dsf-MRsKMpspNwpmSqBxWX6osnSH-We91QidJipktWjF2GmdltMmG77q-SgO76Nqg3EA8w8snKeO9cG7xtiiNSW3chXn0nVOCB_X9F8JtODQzOcGcZ-yUcqI4KDRdi3GfdJNNkjfFI/s1600/Church%20in%20Johnson%20Sub%20(1).jpg" width="299" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>JOHNSON CHAPEL, CME</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Memphis, TN</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The Freedmen settlement established by my dad’s side of the family was founded in 1903 by my great-great </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">grandfather,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b> Prince Johnson </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">who purchased 48 acres of land in Shelby County, TN (in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Peter Mitchell </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Subdivision of Memphis</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">) and resold individual lots to the formerly enslaved and their offspring. The </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">residents of Johnson Sub formed a community that thrived well into the 1990s. For me, Prince Johnson, the </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">man my grandmother called </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><i>“The Mayor” </i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">of Johnson Sub’s 48 acres is a figure shrouded in mystery. In spite </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">of my research, I still don’t really know who he was or what he truly had in mind for Johnson Sub. Given </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Prince’s affiliation with </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>The Knights and Daughters of Tabor, </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I suspect he may have had a self-sufficient</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">community like <b>Mound Bayou, MS</b> in mind. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Even though today Mound Bayou is considered impoverished by many, it was once prosperous and even </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">described by </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre;">Theodore Roosevelt as <i>“the jewel of the Delta.</i>” Mound Bayou was a freedman settlement </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre;">founded in 1887 </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre;">and at one point had dozens of Black businesses, 3 schools, 6 churches, a bank, a </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre;">Carnegie</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre;"> Library, a</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre;">nd even a hospital. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Nothing of that magnitude ever materialized in Johnson Sub, which for years was basically a farming </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">community and residential area. But the Sub was full of talented folks and crafts people, like brick masons </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and carpenters, some of whom built or helped build many of the homes in and outside of the area. In the </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">1920s, an uncle who lived in the Sub was instrumental in raising funds for a</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b> Rosenwald</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> school, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b> Brooks </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Avenue School </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">(grades 1-8) which for decades educated Black children who lived in the Sub and </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">surrounding area. Several </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre;">family members and residents with Johnson Sub ties taught at Brooks Avenue. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre;">Johnson Sub also was once </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">home to a church </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>(Johnson Chapel CME) </b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> and in later years a small general </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">store (owned and run by my Aunt </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Vina & Uncle Fugerson) and a chartered civics organization <b>(The</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Johnson Subdivision Civics Club</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Not only is it sorta, kinda ironic that I descend from not one, but two Freedman settlements. But even more </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">ironic, perhaps, is that my mother and father</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> first met as children and while my mother was in Johnson Sub visiting her relatives. As it turns out, my mother’s relatives were Hawkins (yes, originally part of that freedmen community in Calhoun County, MS) who’d relocated from MS to TN only to settle in another freedmen settlement-- Johnson Sub. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Just one of the many odd and interconnecting tidbits I’ve discovered in my research of my family’s history. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">SN: If you want to know more about Freedom colonies and Freedmen settlements, check out</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b> THE </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>BLACK TOWNS </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> (1979) by </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Norman L. Crockett </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">or </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>FREEDOM COLONIES: Independent Black </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Texans in the </b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Time of Jim Crow </b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">(2005/2010) by </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Thad Sitton. </b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> If you want to know more about </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">that Freedmen community </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> in </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Calhoun County, MS, check out the book <b>BLACK HERITAGE SITES:</b> <b>The South</b> (1996) by <b>Nancy C. Curtis, Ph.D</b>. I<i>f you want to know more about Johnson Sub, you need to pray or keep your fingers crossed that I find a publisher for my manuscript.</i> 😏I’ll keep you posted. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-60270752518074551842022-05-29T15:35:00.001-05:002022-05-29T15:35:55.003-05:00Book Notes: THAT LONELY SPELL by FRANCES PARK<p> <span style="font-size: large;">The following is an excerpt from a FB post I shared not too long ago. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: large; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">For me, reading <b style="background-color: transparent; color: black;"><i>THAT LONELY SPELL</i></b> </span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;"><b>(by Frances Park)</b></span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: large; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">was like that point in a phone conversation with an old friend when the two of you stop laughing and dishing the dirt long enough to get quiet and venture into deeper territory. I even found myself mentally renaming the book THOSE QUIET MOMENTS. ‘Cause really, I can see and hear so many of those essays as conversations, if not on the phone then, perhaps, late at night on a friend or relative’s deck or patio as the once hot grill is cooling and everyone else has gone inside and it’s just the two of you, swatting mosquitoes, listening to the cicadas, and sipping on a cold or chilled glass of something--wine or maybe iced tea. So you’re sitting there right, when out of nowhere, comes a story, a retelling of an incident or a revelation that ripples through the quiet of the moment, the still of the night--the type which returns to haunt you, sometimes years later and always when you least expect it. </span></span></p><p><b id="docs-internal-guid-0522bd41-7fff-cf8c-9419-a1cb60a64a50" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">But before I veer too deep into ramble mode, allow me to share a few specifics with regards to what I enjoyed about the book. For one, I enjoyed the fact that each essay opened with a photo. I find images and photos anchoring. They add texture and give me a better feel for the subject matter and/or the people being discussed. I liked the fact that most of the essays were short and to the point ‘cause let’s be honest, my attention span ain’t what it used to be. I appreciated how Parks interlaced her experiences as a Korean American and the daughter of immigrants throughout the work which is described on the back cover as “an elegy to Park’s father, who died when the author was in her early 20s.” </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">The essays I enjoyed the most included the following: <b style="font-style: normal;">“Kiss-Kiss-Kissuni”</b> <i>(a dive into Park’s relationship with her grandparent’s Korean housekeeper that ends with a heavy, unexpected twist)</i>; <b>“That Lonely Spell”</b> (<i>a tender tribute to life’s highs and lows)</i>; <b>“Finding West Virginia”</b> <i>(a look at unfulfilled longing</i>) and <b>“Hey Judy”</b> (<i>an abrupt end to a childhood friendship that leaves lingering questions)</i>. </span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">There were a number of essays in the collection that moved me in some way, but probably none more than <b style="font-style: normal;">“Hey Judy.</b>” Having spent a large portion of my youth moving from one air base to another due to my dad’s career in the Air Force, I’ve had several experiences like the one Parks describes in <b style="font-style: normal;">“Hey Judy.</b>” Moments in time where you either bond or regularly interact with someone only to have them disappear and either leave you wondering whatever happened to them and/or being stunned by what you later learn of their fate. Over the course of my life, I’ve also known more than a few seemingly troubled souls, like Judy. When I shared the details of <b>“Hey Judy”</b> with my husband, his response was, “OMG! I can totally see that as a movie.” Now, for the record, Al has never responded in such an enthusiastic manner to any of my novels, short stories or essays so suffice to say, I was a bit taken aback, lol.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">In all seriousness, I found <b style="color: black;"><i>THAT LONELY SPELL</i></b> thoroughly engaging and I applaud <span style="color: #800180;"><b>Frances Park</b></span> for owning the courage to share so many emotionally-moving chapters of her life. </span></span></p>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-53362067876458635422021-10-30T13:55:00.001-05:002021-11-06T10:33:30.039-05:00PUB DROP: A Long Overdue Update of Recent Publications by Lori D. Johnson<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">My apologizes for being so lax when it comes to adding new blog posts or sharing </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">news about my latest publications. In some respects, my life these days resembles one </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">huge juggling act with balls dropping, left and right. Even though most time I’ve </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">managed to keep a smile on my face, I can’t say that I’m always having fun. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But enough with the sob story.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am proud and pleased to announce the following:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">1) My short story </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shepherd’s Hell”</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> is the lead story in </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.coolestamericanstories.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Coolest American Stories 2022</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> an anthology that’s scheduled for publication in </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">January of 2022</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Coolest American Stories</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> includes stories by such heavyweights as </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">S.A. Cosby</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> (author of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Blacktop Wasteland</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">), </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Frances Park</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">When My Sister Was Cleopatra Moon</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">) and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lee Martin </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">(</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The Bright Forever</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">). The collection of cool stories is currently available for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">pre-order </span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">via </span><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Coolest-American-Stories-2022-Mark/dp/1737573903/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=coolest+american+stories+2022&qid=1634590648&sr=8-2" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coolest-american-stories-2022-mark-wish/1140360411?ean=9781737573906" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barnes & Noble</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and</span><a href="https://itascabooks.com/coolest-american-stories-2022/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Itascabooks</b></span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>.</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To be honest, I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that a story of mine </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">is included in the lot. A recent review of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;">Coolest American Stories</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">by</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Wayne Coster Cooper</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">on the </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://collegiatestandard.com/book-review-coolest-american-stories-2022/?fbclid=IwAR3cQxuf8Hvx8gT0wg8HaLJodvGFcFIJ2do_BlmQZtD23rMwmdPoPzVR5zA" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">College Standard</span><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">includes a few highlights and descriptions of a few of the stories in the collection, </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">my contribution </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">“Shepherd’s Hell”</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> among them.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">2) In </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">May of 2021</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">, An excerpt (chapters 2-3) from my unpublished novel </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LITTLE LIGHT</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">was selected as </span><a href="https://www.novelslices.com/winners-finalists.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">one of 5 winners</span></span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Novel Slices 2021 Contest</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> You can read a portion of </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.novelslices.com/excerpts-from-the-latest-issue.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">my excerpt</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">as well as the excerpts of the other winners on</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><i>Novel Slice’s</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">website. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The full excerpts are also available for purchase--</span><a href="https://www.novelslices.com/issues.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">$12.00 for Issue #2.</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">3) My essay </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://adelaidemagazine.org/2021/05/15/future-past-present-and-all-of-the-days-of-infamy-and-grace-in-between-by-lori-johnson/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Future, Past Present, And All of the Days of Infamy and Grace In-between”</span></a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">appeared in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">May 15, 2021</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> issue of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Adelaide Literary Magazine.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">4) My essay </span><span><a href="https://storyboardmemphis.org/memphis-history/memphis-memories/loss-of-contact/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Loss of Contact”</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">appeared in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">March 3, 2021</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> issue of </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>Storyboard Memphis</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The essay is the same one that</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> placed third</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> in a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">2019 </span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">nonfiction contest sponsored by </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Charlotte Writers’ Club.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Have I covered all of the bases? I think so. If not, or if any additional late publication wins appear in my in-box, I will meet you back here with another update. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-87750347033562680372021-05-11T16:55:00.000-05:002021-05-11T16:55:03.107-05:00NOMADLAND for the WIN!!!<span id="docs-internal-guid-8826785e-7fff-4ccc-62a1-e19df67c9a2c"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was hoping Nomadland would win for Best Picture. The fact that it was based on a non-fiction title was a nice surprise (yes, another must-read for my collection) and probably accounted for it’s documentary-like feel. Frances McDormand was wonderful as “Fern.” I’ve been enjoying her on-screen performances since HBO’s “Olive Kitteridge.” McDormand’s female protagonists typically bring something other than their looks or sex appeal to the story, which is always a plus.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But what I enjoyed most about Nomadland was that it had the audacity to tell a woman’s story without allowing her to be mentally destroyed, physically hurt or killed in the process. Fern was independent, adventurous, free-spirited and outspoken. Typically, women like her don’t fare well on the screen. It’s almost an unspoken or unwritten rule that such a woman will have to be shown having to pay for the crime of operating in the world, like a free woman with agency (you know, like men do most of the time). </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I promise you, I sat through that whole movie waiting for the moment when she’d be made to pay in the form of some sort of assault--whether sexual or physical--for having the gall to be a woman who called the shots in her life without answering to anyone. At the movie’s end, I was shocked, relieved and to be honest--somewhat overjoyed that she’d survived without being harmed or stripped of her dignity. I also knew at that moment that a smart, creative and talented woman must have been behind the making of the film.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m thrilled for Chole Zhao! I can’t wait to see her next film and I truly hope she continues to be different and daring in her portrayals of woman. For me, Nomadland was truly a refreshing and welcome change of pace. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-74977711971150291342021-04-21T13:01:00.000-05:002021-04-21T13:01:19.335-05:00A Decluttering Find: Black Issues Book Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyone else remember </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“Black Issues Book Review?</i>”</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I ran across this issue while decluttering last week. In a number of ways, this particular issue--with <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Kanye </b></span>and his mom, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Dr. Donda West</span></b> on the cover--is sort of like a time capsule.</span></span></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKupyITs4LSx0xcxlWa0XRspuJWbrXmb5eERGqFeQc2Csos5q5vTk9mTCOJ_qNyz6SD9GuHCc0P21kCxplGCuwiQvYt2_JVG4yBqiAkEIIYhuZR15C-3AVN2KuPm_gIyZ993mxNQ/s2048/Black+Issues+Book+Review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1823" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKupyITs4LSx0xcxlWa0XRspuJWbrXmb5eERGqFeQc2Csos5q5vTk9mTCOJ_qNyz6SD9GuHCc0P21kCxplGCuwiQvYt2_JVG4yBqiAkEIIYhuZR15C-3AVN2KuPm_gIyZ993mxNQ/s320/Black+Issues+Book+Review.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The issue came out in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>May of 2007</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and by November of the same year </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Dr. West</b></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was dead. 2007 also marks the year that the author of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Project Girl,</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>Janet McDonald</b></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> died of colon cancer (in April) and the issue includes an article about her life and work. On page 8, there’s an article about </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Bill Cosby’s</b></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> pending 2007 book release--</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Come on, People! On the Path From Victims to Victors</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Page 9 features a contest that involves reviewing </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Eric Jerome Dickey’s</b> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">book </span><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Walking With Enemies</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which was scheduled for release in August of 2007. The magazine’s best seller’s list included 1 book by </span><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tavis </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Smiley</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What I Know For Sure: My Story of Growing Up in America</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and another book introduced by him-- </span><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Covenant in Action</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></b></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The aforementioned were just some of the more notable authors/writers/creatives appearing in this issue who’ve since died, been incarcerated, sued and/or suffered a stunning fall from grace.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On a more uplifting note, one of the editors associated with the publication--</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>Felicia Pride</b></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--has written several books and earned a number of film writing credits for TV series like <i><b>Grey’s Anatomy</b></i> and <i><b>Queen Sugar.</b></i></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In any case, as a faithful subscriber, I was more than just a little heartbroken when <b>Black Issues Book Review</b> suddenly ceased publication at the end of 2007. I’d like to think, at some point, another publication like it will appear on the scene. But deep down, I know that’s just wishful thinking. Pretty soon, the only place you’re liable to find a real periodical--by real, I mean the type you can actually hold in your hands--is in a time capsule. </span></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><p></p>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-34258527696264675672021-02-03T16:45:00.000-05:002021-02-03T16:45:05.984-05:00NEW FICTION: STILL MY BABY . . . by Lori D. Johnson (SFWP Quarterly)<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For those who’ve enjoyed my brand of humor in the past, the following is a link to a somewhat humorous girl-meets-boy tale called </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.sfwp.com/still-my-baby-by-lori-d-johnson/">“Still My Baby.”</a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.sfwp.com/still-my-baby-by-lori-d-johnson/"> </a> You can find my story in a special BIOPIC issue of the </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.sfwp.com/the-journal/">Santa Fe Writers Project Quarterly.</a> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ea2171aa-7fff-7104-e0f2-4b0c7b5686c2"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The theme of this special BIOPIC issue of </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.sfwp.com/special-issue-24-pleasure-means-moving-authentically-by-monica-prince/">SFWP Quarterly</a> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">centers around the concept of<i> <a href="https://www.sfwp.com/special-issue-24-pleasure-means-moving-authentically-by-monica-prince/">pleasure</a>.</i> So, keep that in mind as you are reading and hopefully enjoying the work. 😉 Also, if you do enjoy, be sure to show a sister some love by either leaving a comment, by sharing the link, or depositing a bit of something in the tip jar (located on the site at the end of the piece), if you’re so inclined. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The following is a brief excerpt of </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.sfwp.com/still-my-baby-by-lori-d-johnson/">“Still My Baby”</a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(by </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lori D. Johnson)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. See the most recent issue of<a href="https://www.sfwp.com/the-journal/"> </a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.sfwp.com/the-journal/">SFWP Quarterly </a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to read the rest of the story.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thursday 9:47 p.m.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her phone rings. She contemplates ignoring the call, but a second before it rolls to voicemail, she picks up. “Hello.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Hey baby, it’s me. How’s it going?”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She smiles and shakes her head. “I’m fine Darrell. How are you?”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’m great, babe, but then, you already know that.” His laughter is longer and louder than the joke warrants. “Listen, I want you to go to this party with me tomorrow night.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Sorry, I’m not--”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Hold on, let me finish. A lot of important people are scheduled to be there. I could introduce you to some very influential--”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“As I was about to say,” she says, her agitation obvious. “I’m not interested. I already have plans.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He’s silent for so long, she wonders if he’s hung up. Finally, he says, “You know, I could do things for you. You want to take a trip? I’ll send you anywhere you want to go. You need clothes? Shoes? Furs? You name it, I can get it for you.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I bet,” she says. “In exchange for?”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’ve got a Jag,” he says, leaving her question hanging. “A nice apartment, a nice bank account and lots of friends in high places. I mean, what more could any woman ask for?”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“A little humility might be nice,” she says. “Besides, since you already seem to have everything you need, what could you possibly want with somebody like me?”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.sfwp.com/still-my-baby-by-lori-d-johnson/">“STILL MY BABY”</a></span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-33739193338885535922020-12-21T15:57:00.001-05:002020-12-21T15:59:52.625-05:00Tis The Season To Share Gift Ideas & Reading Suggestions <p> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>I</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">f</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> you are in need of a last minute Christmas or Kwanzaa gift or just want a little something for yourself, I invite you to consider ordering the latest copy of </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://midnight-indigo.myshopify.com/products/midnight-indigo-issue-3"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Midnight & Indigo:Celebrating Black Female Writers (Issue #3)</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://midnight-indigo.myshopify.com/products/midnight-indigo-issue-3"><span style="font-size: x-large;">.</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">You can order a copy (or copies) directly from their website or Amazon. They also showcase stories and essays on their website.</span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-0d38f025-7fff-ec14-8ab6-37f4778ad6de"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEJy6p-d99ocSpfT4JL_2yI7rOwUrZ0mBa7tlPefBi4TzzQzofgCywtT2dZsrvb1Gk3UTI4zbZ5pvO8zmsH5ca_UEQBc_MZRl7-9kEXfZEK77_C37NZIVoPSnVICqFP1nHO0ygQ/s2048/Midnight+%2526+Indigo+%2528Vol.+3%2529.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1150" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEJy6p-d99ocSpfT4JL_2yI7rOwUrZ0mBa7tlPefBi4TzzQzofgCywtT2dZsrvb1Gk3UTI4zbZ5pvO8zmsH5ca_UEQBc_MZRl7-9kEXfZEK77_C37NZIVoPSnVICqFP1nHO0ygQ/w225-h400/Midnight+%2526+Indigo+%2528Vol.+3%2529.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>Plus, if you are interested in reading more of my fiction, I have a short story featured in Midnight & Indigo’s latest edition. My story </span><b><span>“The Easter Speech”</span></b><span> is a bitter-sweet glimpse of the bond between a little boy and his grandmother and how the grandmother’s love serves as an anchor in the little boy’s life. </span></span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>If you get a chance to read </span><b><span>“The Easter Speech”</span></b><span> please feel free to come back here and share your thoughts about it with me. </span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AtsA4uP8Go7n5D5Oj0SDCr7IjTfmjVASykVxkebge4e3hDR5WECObJK30kyFCivqktd_JPhvzIaCUeRSJ80jKdYwtAL3YWSpD_QIIgWCQaMShQWuUBUUhfwGMznrMbGiz-TLkQ/s2048/Midnight+%2526+Indigo+%2528Vol.+3%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1150" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AtsA4uP8Go7n5D5Oj0SDCr7IjTfmjVASykVxkebge4e3hDR5WECObJK30kyFCivqktd_JPhvzIaCUeRSJ80jKdYwtAL3YWSpD_QIIgWCQaMShQWuUBUUhfwGMznrMbGiz-TLkQ/w360-h640/Midnight+%2526+Indigo+%2528Vol.+3%2529.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-20706359559718015872020-11-28T22:04:00.000-05:002020-11-28T22:05:23.155-05:00THE BUCK STOPS HERE! <p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not long ago, I shared the following on Facebook . . .</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-31dba2e9-7fff-7c01-4e8e-5b20a46bde75"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rutting Season? (Is that sorta like Cuffing Season?)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How many of you know anything about “rutting season”? I’d never heard the term until last Friday when my morning walk was interrupted by the appearance of a buck. Yeah, you know, a male deer (aka those jokers with those horns on their heads). Given that it was barely 7:30 in the morning, and kind of overcast, I blinked a couple of times to make sure my eyes weren’t deceiving me. Yeah, it was a buck all right. And not only was he standing in the middle of the street in front of my house, he was staring straight at me and looking right perturbed.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, had it been a doe, I might have kept right on walking towards my house. But I’m not taking any chances with a creature that has horns growing out of its head, be it a deer, moose, elk, devil or what have you. I’m saying, I’ve already fallen once this year and dislocated a shoulder. The last thing I need is to be out in the middle of the doggone street trying to throw hands with a buck, if not run from one at 7:30 in the morning. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Can’t you hear that call to 911? “Um, yeah one of my neighbors--a tall, middle-aged Black woman, who looks like she could stand to lose a few pounds-- is rolling around in the street with what appears to be a deer. Yes, and you’d better hurry. Looks like the deer has her in a headlock.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, after hurriedly backtracking to the corner, I call the hubby and say, “There’s a buck standing out in front of our house.” Instead of saying, “Hold on honey, I’m coming to get you” this man heads for the front door and starts asking a bunch of questions. And even has the nerve to tell me he doesn’t see any dang buck and yada, yada, yada.” I was like, “Man, if you don’t stop yacking and come and get my behind off this corner . . .”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After arriving safely back home is when I discovered that Mr. Buck was now hanging out in our backyard and trying to woo a shy Miss Doe, who he’d obviously pursued there. On sharing the story with my son, he was like, “Oh, so what you’re saying Ma, is that our backyard was the hook-up spot!” Ah, yeah, whatever. I’m not trying to have a bunch of amorous deer all up in the bushes in my backyard. Take that mess on somewhere else. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway, since then, I’ve learned that it’s rutting season--the time of year in these parts that deer commonly mate. So, guess who won’t be going out on her morning walk for a while? In the meantime, I’ve added a walking stick, a can of mace and a whistle to my Christmas list. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADe9TKEpPDM4ZkPJL8DTnpkR-wUZDPoXiz2y0LXQtEk3Vdi7EVJImmhoFOZnFroK1T0Enz6K3u6Z72zgv_DZB-8gA3A1uTSRLcYK-KVWLRVrbJf2nvCCxYbuPY3Clg5HUwgt1rg/s2048/The+Buck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1150" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADe9TKEpPDM4ZkPJL8DTnpkR-wUZDPoXiz2y0LXQtEk3Vdi7EVJImmhoFOZnFroK1T0Enz6K3u6Z72zgv_DZB-8gA3A1uTSRLcYK-KVWLRVrbJf2nvCCxYbuPY3Clg5HUwgt1rg/s320/The+Buck.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The screen and the blinds on the window kept me from getting a clear picture. And you’d best believe dude (aka Mr. Buck) was straight up mean-mugging me the whole time I was trying to snap this shot. </span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-58045172207604798122020-11-20T14:27:00.000-05:002020-11-20T14:27:07.493-05:00Lights! Camera! Action!<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">No, I wasn't in a movie. And while I'd love to announce that something I've written has been optioned for a film, that's not the case either. 😊</span></div><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span>But not long ago,<b> </b></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><b>Arkana Journal</b> </span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">invited me to participate in their </span><i><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>“Contributor </span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>Spotlight.”</span></span></i><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> They asked me a few questions about my essay </span><a href="https://arkanamag.org/2020/04/28/the-trees-of-mississippi-a-strange-and-bitter-crop/"><span>“The Trees Of Mississippi: A Strange and Bitter Crop”</span></a><span> (<i>featured in issue #8 of Arkana) </i>and one about my writing influences. See the following for specifics.</span></span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-a6e7095c-7fff-05be-3894-9a8360ba3cbc"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>--How did composing this piece leave you feeling once it was finished?</i></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>--Legacy appears as an important theme in this work. What legacy do you wish to leave the reader with this piece?</i></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>--Which authors influence your writing the most and why?</i></span></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>If you're interested or even mildly curious about my responses, you can visit the </span><b><span><i>Contributor Spotlight Lori D. Johnson</i></span></b><span><i> </i>link </span><b><span><a href="https://arkanamagblog.wordpress.com/2020/09/21/contributor-spotlight-lori-d-johnson/">HERE.</a> </span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></p></span></span>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-53075060130328473802020-05-03T12:39:00.000-05:002020-05-03T12:39:36.760-05:00ANOTHER NICE SURPRISE . . . PUBLICATION WISE<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQb1OdqWQ2-196v9atz6p4i4SnKVPUYcCR5esarxaY1lwJVlr0SAhbmPNLdOuWbNunLK11Y23BAOL0vl67Z5F4aeslY4p-jzZrkeGYTxgqSSEVklPGAl7gxoDxpshV4BG4Crw0g/s1600/Trees+Near+Church+%2526+Graveyard+in++Water+Valley%252C+MS.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1600" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQb1OdqWQ2-196v9atz6p4i4SnKVPUYcCR5esarxaY1lwJVlr0SAhbmPNLdOuWbNunLK11Y23BAOL0vl67Z5F4aeslY4p-jzZrkeGYTxgqSSEVklPGAl7gxoDxpshV4BG4Crw0g/s320/Trees+Near+Church+%2526+Graveyard+in++Water+Valley%252C+MS.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My essay, "The Trees of Mississippi: A Strange and Bitter Crop" appears in the latest issue of <a href="https://arkanamag.org/"><i>Arkana: A literary journal of mysteries and marginalized voices</i> (Issue #8 / April 28, 2020)</a>. If that alone wasn't cause for celebration, the essay was also selected as the winner of the <b><a href="https://arkanamag.org/2020/04/28/the-trees-of-mississippi-a-strange-and-bitter-crop/">Arkana Editor's Choice Award in Creative Nonfiction.</a> </b>Talk about a nice surprise!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboHRDQiscR8mWlHPFwft3oKN-WbD9unKRVcHrca3kys2QpCcjyIs0ZRZTJDooqun5wUsrhUOZzdX8cJYdUdOgONKZ45kPvrVccMOpunKY95nxyC99DEiV6g3Ol6kmjn7_IUQLEw/s1600/Trees+of+MS+III.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="997" data-original-width="1600" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboHRDQiscR8mWlHPFwft3oKN-WbD9unKRVcHrca3kys2QpCcjyIs0ZRZTJDooqun5wUsrhUOZzdX8cJYdUdOgONKZ45kPvrVccMOpunKY95nxyC99DEiV6g3Ol6kmjn7_IUQLEw/s320/Trees+of+MS+III.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In addition to reading the essay, you have have the option of listening to me read it. Reading my nonfiction isn't my strong suit, but I think I deserve a few points for effort. Besides, how will I ever get better if I'm not willing to take the risk of putting myself out there and being, well, less than great? LOL 😄</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOyElI142CqWG0PqQEp70GHc1oK_qTBvNpigoWnEY7aNUzziVY0GZ9KLc7segriQq-w0WKMzs7nAcXviAkD2zZsPya-_HJ6DIzmyUoCeu3OMglarZN_l3gk8A1HnOXmjFl_8nSA/s1600/Trees+of+MS.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1600" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOyElI142CqWG0PqQEp70GHc1oK_qTBvNpigoWnEY7aNUzziVY0GZ9KLc7segriQq-w0WKMzs7nAcXviAkD2zZsPya-_HJ6DIzmyUoCeu3OMglarZN_l3gk8A1HnOXmjFl_8nSA/s320/Trees+of+MS.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The pics feature here are of some of the trees I saw on my last visit to <b>Water Valley, Mississippi</b>. All, but one of the photos, captures trees I spotted on land owned by my family--The <b>Hawkins. </b></span>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-64958538448016069822020-04-17T13:14:00.000-05:002020-04-17T13:14:21.641-05:00The Second Time Around . . . For "A Lesson In Failure"<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, it's true. My essay <i>"A Lesson In Failure"</i> was selected for another book in the CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL series. Look for copies of <b style="font-style: italic;">THE MAGIC OF MOMS </b>at your local Target, Wal-mart, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million--basically, most places where books are still being sold (also check online). </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Add Chicken Soup For The Soul's <b style="font-style: italic;">THE MAGIC OF MOMS </b>to your Mother's Day shopping list. A portion of the royalties will be donated to charity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>**</b>Previously, <i>"A Lesson In Failure"</i> appeared in Chicken Soup's <i><b>BEST ADVICE I EVER HEARD.**</b></i></span>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-46548705567181541942020-03-04T11:26:00.000-05:002020-03-04T11:26:07.336-05:00And The Third Place Award Goes To . . . <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Yes, my essay <i>"Loss Of Contact"</i> won 3rd Place in the <b>CWC Nonfiction Contest for 2020!</b> (CWC = Charlotte Writers' Club)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The contest judge,<b> Charles Israel, Jr.</b> (a writing instructor at Queens University of Charlotte) said the following about </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Loss of Contact</i>:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>"This writer captures our loss of friends in an intriguing and novel way--through the symbol of address books. How do we deal with the passing of time, as friends--and ourselves--move away and indeed, move on? This essay gives us a subtle, witty, and poignant answer. And this writer knows how to take care of her reader: she will pause to address us directly, as our friends do in real life."</b>--Charles Israel, Jr.--</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-53667765714848152632019-12-12T22:08:00.000-05:002019-12-12T22:16:43.688-05:00FOR THE LOVE OF LISTS AND LAUGHS<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A few followers of my blog might remember how much I enjoyed coming up with lists for the now defunct </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thursday Thirteen </span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">meme. Whenever I could, I tried to inject a bit of humor into my lists. I miss those days. But not long ago, I found a spot that welcomes my OCD driven brand of humor and list fixation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’re at all interested in checking out my odd and (hopefully) amusing lists, I encourage you to look me up on the <b><a href="https://humoroutcasts.com/">Humoroutcasts</a> </b>website. My latest post covers</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://humoroutcasts.com/2019/8-reasons-i-may-stop-going-to-the-movie-theater/"> 8 Reasons I May Stop Going To The Movie Theater</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://humoroutcasts.com/2019/8-reasons-i-may-stop-going-to-the-movie-theater/">.</a> Let me know what, if anything, has altered your movie-going experience.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My first post on the <b><a href="https://humoroutcasts.com/">Humoroutcasts </a></b>website covered the <b><a href="https://humoroutcasts.com/2019/9-wrestling-smack-downs-id-love-to-see/">9 Wrestling Smack-downs</a> </b>I'd love to see. The matches included <b>Mitch McConnell vs. The Notorious RBG </b>and <b>Lindsey Graham vs. The Squad</b>. Checkout the<b> <a href="https://humoroutcasts.com/2019/9-wrestling-smack-downs-id-love-to-see/">full post </a></b>on the website if you'd like to see some of the other matches on my list.</span></div>
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Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-16103035480330155502019-06-03T14:00:00.000-05:002019-06-03T14:00:18.368-05:00FIGHTING BATTLES<span style="font-size: large;">Recently, I shared the following on my Facebook Page</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Okay, so I have a problem I’d like to share in hopes that some kind soul can offer a solution. For the past several days, I’ve been struggling to win a fight--a contest of wills, if you will, and with a most formidable opponent. At the moment, all in my world is calm to the point of being downright peaceful. I’d like to believe that I may have unwittingly gained the upper hand. But in the past my opponent has proved both clever and agile, so I’m not totally convinced the battle is over or even close to being won. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-beaf001a-7fff-6a3c-e9fd-08926319e6fa"></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2a6128e6-7fff-0e53-593f-07559bf39103"></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">So, the pot--full of potting soil-- sat undisturbed on my front porch for about a week until I finally decided to go ahead and </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">plant my zinnia seeds. I can’t remember if I planted the seeds before my recent trip to ATL or shortly thereafter, but I do know </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">shoots jutting up through the soil, I was feeling pretty good about myself. But on a casual stroll past the windows adjoining </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the front door, I noticed all of this dirt scattered about on the porch. A quick peek thru the window blinds confirmed my </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">fears--something had been </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre;">messing around in my flower pot. The hubby suggested a bird might be the culprit. A cat </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre;">or possibly a s</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">n</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">ake were my first thoughts. </span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-30f582b9-7fff-d472-c7b9-ef81e050b47b"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Whatever it was, maybe it will go elsewhere is what I told myself as I refilled the hole the little varmint had created in the </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">potting soil. Ha! The very next morning, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><i>what</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">--or make that </span><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">who</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">do I see on the porch snuggled up next to the pot</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> when I </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">peeked through the blinds--yep, ole guilty himself--</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Mr. Chipmunk.</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“Don’t you dare!” I shouted as I snatched opened the door and watched him make a run for it. Knowing it was only a matter </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">of time before he made a return visit, I did a Google search for how to chase away chipmunks and found a “cayenne pepper” </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">solution. Mix cayenne in some water and spray around the area. Not only did I spray the area down with cayenne water, I sprinkled a healthy dose of red pepper flakes around the pot too. You think it worked? Ha! I’m pretty sure <b>Mr. Chipmunk </b>said, “Well, would you look at this. Ole Girl was nice enough to leave out some </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">seasoning</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the zinnia seeds.” Yeah, that little joker came back and dug yet another hole, leaving dirt and little green leaves scattered everywhere. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I was standing at the door, scratching my head, cursing beneath my breath, and trying to figure out what to do next when the </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">folks from Best Buy pulled up with the washing machine I’d recently purchased. In hauling out the old washer and carting in </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the new, t</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">he Best Buy guys adjusted front door so it would remain in the open position while they work. Not a problem--except if <b>Mr. Chipmunk</b> shows up again and on spying the open door decides to slip inside and pay me a surprise visit.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-eca6095e-7fff-a8cd-b7d1-84580421cf96"></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">In anticipation of such an occurrence, I called my son downstairs to watch and stand guard. ‘Cause y’all know, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">if </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Mr. Chipmunk</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> gets inside of my house, it’s all over with right? Yeah, I don’t have any problems going toe-to-toe with the</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">little varmint outdoors, on my front porch, and even in the front yard. But once he’s inside of my house all bets are off. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Really, he can have it, I’m saying, the house as well as any and everything of value inside, ‘cause you best believe, I will be </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Fortunately, it didn’t come to that. After the Best Buy guys left, I had my son move the flower pot to the backyard </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Another Google search turned up a suggestion for tea tree oil. Okay, so the next morning before I head off to the drugstore to </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">purchase the oil, I peek out the window off the patio and guess who I see? Yep, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Mr. Chipmunk</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">. I kid you not, he was </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">hanging out near the table containing the pot of the remaining zinnias, just as big and bad as you please, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">as if to say, “It’s going to take a whole lot more than that </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">to get rid of me, girlfriend!” Lil dude was straight up selling wolf tickets, but all it took was a quick jiggle of the door to send his little butt running again.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">As it stands now, I guess we are at a stalemate of sorts. On purchasing the tea tree oil, I gave the pot of zinnias a real good </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">pot will keep him from climbing inside the container again and break-dancing around in my potting soil. Even though it’s </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">been a</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> while since I’ve seen<b> Mr. Chipmunk</b> or any evidence of his presence, I wouldn’t put it past him to show up again. The hubby jokingly said when he does come back, he’ll probably be accompanied by a few of his little <b>chipmunk friends.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">All I know is that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Alvin and ‘nem </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">better keep their little furry paws off my zinnias! But if my tea tree oil doesn’t work </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">y’all, I’m open to suggestions--especially from those of you with green thumbs and who have successfully chased pests </span></div>
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Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-71024126905008327102019-05-10T13:35:00.001-05:002019-05-13T12:35:58.564-05:00A LITTLE LIGHT (1 of 3 Winners in a "First Chapter" Contest)<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre;">I'M A WINNER (1 of 3 actually)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">For those who enjoy my fiction, I’m proud to announce that the first chapter of my unpublished novel</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">--</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>A LITTLE LIGHT</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">--was selected as one of the winners</span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.archstreetpress.org/meet-me-19th-street/"><b>Meet Me @ 19th Street “First Chapter Contest.”</b></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Meet Me @ 19th Street</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> is an online literary journal published by </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Arch Street Press</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">. </span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If interested, you can</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">read the<a href="http://www.archstreetpress.org/a-little-light/"> </a></span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.archstreetpress.org/a-little-light/"><b>first chapter of A LITTLE LIGHT</b></a></span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on Arch Street Press’s website. The chapter ends in a way that I hope</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">will make you want to read more. Should you happen to like what you read, please share the link on FB and Twitter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">or pass it along to a friend. Also, feel free to share your comments here. Thanks!</span></div>
Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-29939192073721894782018-11-11T13:50:00.000-05:002018-11-13T14:13:19.009-05:00MORE NEW WORK / "A Lesson In Failure" by Lori D. Johnson / Chicken Soup For The Soul: Best Advice I Ever Heard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Any fans and/or readers of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> out there? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">If so, I invite you to check out my essay </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“A Lesson In Failure”</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">in their newly released </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Chicken Soup For The Soul: The Best Advice I Ever Heard. </b></span></div>
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⇩⇩⇩</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWN5y_HW_boCa71HIEZvx1vToXK_XGO_3DFRpgHLuu_pTrQy6yeVMsHVP7hPyULbKebiiU95HAkqyGXI4lFDzQ6fFClAjbDiKuRnY_2GgqsVgjeP46Q8vJU1YmxL0Rk4AUKhhgIQ/s1600/The+Best+Advice+I+Ever+Heard+FBIG+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWN5y_HW_boCa71HIEZvx1vToXK_XGO_3DFRpgHLuu_pTrQy6yeVMsHVP7hPyULbKebiiU95HAkqyGXI4lFDzQ6fFClAjbDiKuRnY_2GgqsVgjeP46Q8vJU1YmxL0Rk4AUKhhgIQ/s320/The+Best+Advice+I+Ever+Heard+FBIG+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Includes “A Lesson In Failure” by Lori D. Johnson</div>
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(Available online & via your Local Bookstore)</div>
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❤❤❤</div>
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What's it about?</div>
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Mainly, a learning experience I shared with this young man. </div>
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(my son Aaron) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zaPuJnSVujJj1M96QP9_wemltusiPMJ5tEgMU37huKQD-eB_zoT3ejPg3c8vWQz9ilsOesSpcJW1kbt4jLLDsUz9oj0Mx1W3ozpbtH1_iJrLjdGgTXnoWTnbktwPAc75C7gJfg/s1600/Aaron+Morehouse+Sweat+Shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zaPuJnSVujJj1M96QP9_wemltusiPMJ5tEgMU37huKQD-eB_zoT3ejPg3c8vWQz9ilsOesSpcJW1kbt4jLLDsUz9oj0Mx1W3ozpbtH1_iJrLjdGgTXnoWTnbktwPAc75C7gJfg/s320/Aaron+Morehouse+Sweat+Shirt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pick up a copy of the book</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Chicken-Soup-for-the-Soul-The-Best-Advice-I-Ever-Heard/Amy-Newmark/9781611599848">Chicken Soup For The Soul: Best Advice I Ever Heard</a></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and read my essay </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"A Lesson in Failure"</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
if you want to know more.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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😇😇😇</div>
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Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-48487837690401953622018-08-12T10:10:00.007-05:002020-11-23T12:39:47.618-05:00My MaDear's Scrapbook<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-60ae5e24-7fff-2bf8-56e2-fbbf9a8c952f" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">In an essay that appears in <a href="https://chapter16.org/madears-scrapbook/">Chapter 16,</a> I wrote about the scrapbook I inherited from my grandmother. Some of her interests </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">truly surprised me. Yes, that's the actual cover in the pic below.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">You can read more here:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://chapter16.org/madears-scrapbook/">https://chapter16.org/madears-scrapbook/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lG7sD8OaKM88iFCNOkXmTzmWPadohNDfRtGCON2GQOFjX0lXvKAf2knLxPNrVnhlxPL3PakCAdOweYX6r4xDZAvanWIypVmEkO_aAzfA7aQAi0Yj-sLFadqmcSgU6C1hKBf2zw/s2048/MaDear%2527s+Scrap+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1730" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lG7sD8OaKM88iFCNOkXmTzmWPadohNDfRtGCON2GQOFjX0lXvKAf2knLxPNrVnhlxPL3PakCAdOweYX6r4xDZAvanWIypVmEkO_aAzfA7aQAi0Yj-sLFadqmcSgU6C1hKBf2zw/s320/MaDear%2527s+Scrap+4.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-73004342680185991672018-08-10T22:04:00.001-05:002018-08-10T22:24:14.952-05:00I'M BACK!!!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; white-space: pre;">I know it's been a while since I touched base here. All I can say is, several years ago, social</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">media’s rise in popularity blew in like a hurricane and left the blogging world in pieces. Like a lot of my old blogging buddies, I abandoned my post (s) and moved elsewhere. Typically, these days you can find me on Facebook and Goodreads, but thus far I’ve held off on jumping aboard Twitter, Instagram and the like. I mean really, who has the time and energy for all of that, particularly if you have any interest in living a real life (and not a social media contrived one)?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-b1c81e05-7fff-7d41-fc72-439808fac9a5"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">In any case, I’d still like to use this platform to share my work and perhaps, occasionally, my interests, concerns and warped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sense of humor. So, allow me to start with some links to my most recent publications.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">In April of this year, Mississippi Folklife published</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mississippifolklife.org/articles/forgotten-images-of-an-invisible-man-resurrecting-the-art-memory-of-photogr" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Forgotten Images of An Invisible Man: Resurrecting the Art and Memory of Photographer TC Reese</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">, an essay I wrote about </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">my uncle, a black photographer with MS and TN roots.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">If you've enjoyed my fiction in the past, or if you are new to my fiction and are</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">interested in a sampling, check out my short story </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://www.theroot.com/the-inheritance-1826381916" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The Inheritance”</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that was recently (June 3, 2018) featured in The Root.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As always, feel free to share you thoughts about the material in the comments section. I do have one more link to share, but I think I will save it for my next post.</span></div>
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Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-23532879398519776742013-11-11T10:15:00.000-05:002018-11-13T09:45:00.966-05:002nd Excerpt of Sunday Best (by Lori D. Johnson)Forgive me for taking SO LONG to post this 2nd excerpt of my short story <strong>"Sunday Best."</strong> These days, I'm much more active on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lori.johnson1"><strong>Facebook</strong>,</a> which is where both excerpts have been posted for months now. Anyway, I promise to do better here at the Old School Mix :-) If you enjoy the excerpts, please consider ordering a copy of the Spring 2013 issue of the literary journal <em><strong>Black Magnolias</strong></em>, where you will find the full version of <strong>"Sunday Best"</strong> and other work that might be of interest to you.<br />
<br />
<strong>2nd excerpt of "SUNDAY BEST" by Lori D. Johnson</strong><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Curtis
groans and tosses what's left of the partially chewed piece of toast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leave it to Grandma Rose to shove him into
the reluctant role of savior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little
does she know how much he himself is in need of rescue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just last week he'd been fired from his first
decent paying job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Typically Rose, a
woman with a rep for taking in and nurturing strays, is no slouch when it comes
to sensing discontent, whether his or anyone else's.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Silent, sullen and sorely
unappreciative, the boy reminds Curtis too much of himself, or at least the
self he'd been when he'd first landed on Grandma Rose and Old Man Lamar's
doorstep--an event precipitated by his own mother's untimely demise.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dead mamas--just another unfortunate
thing he and the boy have in common.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
both willful departures at that--one suicide, the other overdose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The more kind-hearted adults in his life had
done their best to shield him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But even
at the tender age of ten, Curtis had been able to see through the deceptive
nicety of a term like "home-going."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What kind of mother leaves for home without taking her kids with her?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>During his stiff-legged trek up the
stairs, Curtis is nearly trampled by the six year old twins, Tosha and Tiara,
on their giggle-filled race down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
happy pair, they push past him, seemingly unfazed by the fact that their mother
no longer occupies a space in the landing of the living.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>While an enviable innocence to some,
Curtis knows all too well the truth of how the woman the two youngsters had
routinely referred to as "Mama" had seldom been one in any real sense
of the word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dope, like a thief in the
night, who boldly returns by the light of day, had years ago snatched her away
from them and everyone else who'd tried to love her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The girls make Curtis think of his own
little sister, Amanda, who’d barely been a year old when their mother had
passed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Less than a week after the
funeral, Amanda's daddy and some of his people had come and got her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hit hard by the back-to-back losses, Curtis
had cried for weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But even more
devastating than either his baby sister's sudden whisking away or even his
mother's willful departure had been the fact that no one had ever bothered to
come for him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Curtis's old room is where Mark has
been bunking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On easing open the door
and stepping inside, he finds the boy perched atop the cedar chest next to the
window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is a tall, skinny kid with
the awkwardness of thirteen scrawled all over him like spray-painted graffiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"What's up?" Curtis says
when Mark finally pulls his frown from the window and turns his head in his
direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The boy is anything, but ready for
church--the bottom of his shoes are caked with dirt; an unknotted tie, like the
chain of a busted playground swing, dangles from his neck; his face could use a
good scrubbing and his hair is a black, matted field of uncombed naps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what strikes Curtis most are the boy's
eyes, fixed, glazed and set back in hollow sockets, they are not unlike those
of a blind man whose sight, at some point, had been forcibly removed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather than extend a verbal greeting, the boy
nods and turns back toward the window.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Although it clings to the tip of his
tongue, like the taste of freshly-cut lemon, "You all right?" strikes
him as a stupid question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Curtis already
knows how the kid feels--the same way he had--like a dumped sack of garbage
with something horribly rotten on the inside.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He shoves his hands in his pockets
and wonders what Grandma Rose could have been thinking in assigning him such a
task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a moment of coin-jiggling,
foot-shuffling and longing desperately to run back in the direction from which
he'd come, Curtis invites himself to a seat on the opposite end of the cedar
chest and joins the boy in his silent sulk out onto the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not so long ago, he had spent many an hour in
the very same spot, bottom buttressed to the worn wood and nose pressed against
the pane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The windowed nook had proven
an ideal one for eavesdropping, daydreaming or just pondering the complexities
of life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He tries to get a feel for the boy's
take on the second story view--a view dominated in large part by the church
next door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A friend of the family once
commented on how overwhelming it must be to wake up every morning and go to bed
every night with a steeple staring down on you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Overwhelming for whom?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Certainly not Grandma Rose, who takes full
advantage of her proximity to the Lord's house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Be it for Sunday school, eleven o'clock service, Monday night prayer vigil,
mid-week Bible study, choir rehearsal, or one of her various committee meetings,
she makes a point of walking through the doors of the church at least once
before the day is done.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Had it not been for Old Man Lamar,
Curtis knows chances are, he would have ended up a bonafide 'Dudley-Do-Right'
type or else, thoroughly ambivalent about donning the cloak of
discipleship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Old Man had provided
him with the balance necessary to understand that doing the work of the church
and living for the Lord weren't always the same thing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He couldn't help but feel that an
"Old Man Lamar" was really what Mark needed; someone with shoulders
big enough to lean on in hard times; someone who in twenty words or less could
tell the boy all he'd ever need to know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In spite of his intimacy with death, what Curtis knew exceeded his
ability to articulate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Silence and
companionship were about all he felt capable of offering.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Besides, the boy didn't appear in
the mood for words, however profound, poetic or potentially life-altering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The thought took Curtis back to that first
conversation between him and his cousin Rodger.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He'd been sitting alone in the very
same room when his bowed head cousin had slunk in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"I-I-I'm sorry 'bout yo-yo-yo your
Mama," is what Rodger had finally sputtered after what must have been a
full minute of standing and sniffling.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"What the hell you got to be
sorry for?" is what a ten-year old Curtis had snapped back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"You didn't kill her, did you?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A candy apple red Lexus pulls into
the church parking lot and Mark's dulled pupils suddenly flicker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He bolts forward, as if adhering to a drill
sergeant's "a-ten-hut," and bangs his forehead against the window
pane in the process.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Look at him," Mark says
as the driver, dressed in a yellow pinstriped, grape juice colored, three piece
suit exits the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Son-of-a-bitch
really thinks he's somethin', don't he?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Though they lean toward concurrence,
Curtis elects not to express his thoughts aloud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, the purple-clad SOB in question
just so happens to be Mark's father--Jared--or J.D. as he prefers to be called.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>J.D’s wife and their three young
sons follow him out of the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only
do the boys’ dark, shiny, moon-pie faces, mirror their dad’s, they’re dressed
just like him, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a leg-dragging strut
across the parking lot and up the church steps, they fall in behind him, like
soldiers, pledges or robots, one grinning, big bobbing head after the other.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At the parade’s end, Mark turns to
Curtis, and with his eyes ablaze says, “Ain’t you gon’ say nothin’?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Curtis has half a mind to tell the
boy, “So, your Pop’s a jackass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truth be
known, your Moms wasn’t a heck of a lot better.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But rather than voice a truth the child might
not be ready to handle, Curtis stares out the window and lets several seconds
pass before he stands and says, “Let’s go for a ride.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-22916334872620655712013-04-23T17:28:00.000-05:002018-11-13T14:08:41.585-05:00Sunday Best by Lori D. Johnson (Short Story Excerpt)The following is the first of two excerpts from my short story "Sunday Best." If you'd like to read the full story, please consider ordering the Spring 2013 issue of <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/c-liegh-mcinnis-editor/black-magnolias-literary-journal-71/paperback/product-20953482.html;jsessionid=ADF3D3862FF626D5BC85259E3C1BE908">Black Magnolias: A Literary Journal.</a> <br />
<br />
Sunday Best<br />
by Lori D. Johnson<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Curtis
jiggles the loose change in his pockets as he struts up the tulip-lined
path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His suit is a blue Armani; his
shirt, white, wrinkle-free and French cuff bold and his tie, a crimson, Italian
silk foulard, bearing a blue diamond motif.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Something akin to glitter dances in the space between his Rolex-strapped
wrist and his brand new wingtips with the twenty dollar shine. He marches up
the porch steps, pushes open the front door and glides over the threshold,
chest puffed and grin wide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But rather
than extend her usual fawn, Grandma Rose whirls past him, as if he'd been
idling there all morning long, like a young barnyard rooster who can’t wait to
impress the sleeping hens with his ability to crow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Hey!" he says, grabbing
her on her re-entry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He plants a peck on
her cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"And a lovely morning to
you, too."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Oh, I'm sorry,
sugar."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She scrunches her lips and
returns his affection in double.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He nods toward the spread on the
dining room table. "I see I'm just in time for breakfast.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Grandma Rose frowns and extends her
hand. "Help yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The twins
done already messed over all they could before running out of here, like
somethin' done bit 'em on the backside."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A round of bumping and squealing
lures her eyes and his toward the ceiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her scowl deepens as she stomps over to the stairs and hollers up,
"All right ladies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enough with the
nonsense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm leaving outta here in
exactly ten minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I 'spect you
both to be ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You hear me?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A giggle-filled, "Yes
Ma'am," drifts down the staircase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Curtis walks over to the table and
butters a piece of toast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They're not
giving you problems are they?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The twins?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, they’re a handful, all right,"
Grandma Rose says upon her hurried approach to the dining room table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"But no more than would be expected
given the circumstances.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
nods and chews as the old woman scurries around him, scraping plates, fastening
tops on opened containers and shoving dirty utensils into the deep pockets of
her apron.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“But that brother of theirs, Mark, I
‘clare if he ain’t ‘bout to work my last nerve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Take this morning, child’s stomach growling so loud I can hear it from
way across the hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But will he come
down and eat?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No-ooo!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He claim he ain’t hungry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Upon surveying the hearty breakfast
of oatmeal, toast, cranberry juice, banana slices, raisins and the required
dose of castor oil, Curtis can hardly blame the boy for passing on the morning
offering.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"And all day yesterday,"
Rose continues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"He was 'round here
carrying on 'bout some ole tie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'<i>I
need me a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>tie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ain't going to church tomorrow lessen I get
me a tie.'</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what do I do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I takes the boy shopping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'Course he ain't satisfied with just your
ordinary clip-on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No sir, he got to go
and get his heart set on one of these here fancy, one hundred percent silk,
wrap around numbers."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>Ties?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Thanks to his line of work, as well as
the generosity of both his late cousin Rodger and Grandma Rose,<i> </i>Curtis
owns tons of ties in every style, pattern and hue imaginable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could she have possibly forgotten?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Why didn’t you just--" he starts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"So silly me," she
says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"I go 'head and buy the fool
thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But do you think he appreciates
it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No sir, he's sitting up in his room
this very minute talking 'bout he can't go 'cause the tie ain't right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I 'clare if his Mama wasn't gone and I wasn't
a Christian, Lord knows I'd be up there now strangling the holy spit out that
child."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Curtis is still stuck on the
ties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He'd only taken them at her
insistence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"I can't do nothing
with them," is what she'd told him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>"Besides Rodger would have wanted you to have them."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Again, he opens his mouth, only to
have the silver-haired woman wag a finger in his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Uh-uh," she says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"He ain't 'bout to make me lose my
religion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hear me?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead waiting for Curtis’s response, she
smiles and lowers her finger to his lapel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>"Curtis baby," she says in a softer tone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Why don't you go see if you can't talk
some sense to the boy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being that you a
man, he'll probably listen to you."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Aww Grandma!" Curtis
says, throwing up his hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Come
on, I don't even--"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She plants a kiss between his eyes,
pats him on the chest and says, "My, don't you look right smart today . .
. handsome too."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a wink, she's
off to the kitchen, where she sheds her apron before trotting back out and over
to the stairs again where she hollers up, "All right ladies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grandma Rose is 'bout to grab her hat and get
up outta here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unless you looking to get
left, you'd best be right behind me."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-57029954973466195472013-04-22T11:20:00.000-05:002013-04-22T11:20:19.220-05:00New Work!!! (A Short Story In Black Magnolias: A Literary Journal)
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m pleased
and proud to announce that my short story <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Sunday
Best”</b> appears in the spring 2013 issue of<strong> <em><a href="http://www.psychedelicliterature.com/blackmagnolias.html">Black Magnolias: A LiteraryJournal</a></em>.</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In addition
to my short story, <strong>“Sunday Best,”</strong> the scholarly and creative offerings of
professors, playwrights, filmmakers and talented poets, like my friend <span style="color: purple;"><strong>Margie</strong>
<strong>Shaheed</strong>,</span> also grace the pages of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the
spring 2013 issue <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">of <em>Black Magnolias</em></b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">If you’re
interested in reading my story, Margie’s poems, checking out some of the other
work in the journal or simply showing support for a worthy literary endeavor,
please consider purchasing the spring 2013 issue of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/c-liegh-mcinnis-editor/black-magnolias-literary-journal-71/paperback/product-20953482.html;jsessionid=ADF3D3862FF626D5BC85259E3C1BE908"><em>Black Magnolias: A Literary</em> <em>Journal.</em></a> </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Also, at
some point, I will post an excerpt from my story, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Sunday Best.”</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, check back
in later if you’re interested . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34223438.post-37480897282949494692013-01-16T08:40:00.001-05:002013-01-16T08:44:48.735-05:00The Latest Q & A (Lori Johnson & The Sista Girl Book Club)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvNsMSrJT6errLvg4BoVeqZXWoLM5C99foijEBw-V8u49GHft8E7VpxmhOBg9ayTQunaeJTDmntzACwt-FXO0o-HHbrCQbOULVyLug8v52SJj_9ayHK9iFBgiJERA7w_iFNKo1g/s1600/Sista+Girl+Book+Club+%2528Natural+Women%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvNsMSrJT6errLvg4BoVeqZXWoLM5C99foijEBw-V8u49GHft8E7VpxmhOBg9ayTQunaeJTDmntzACwt-FXO0o-HHbrCQbOULVyLug8v52SJj_9ayHK9iFBgiJERA7w_iFNKo1g/s320/Sista+Girl+Book+Club+%2528Natural+Women%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
The SiSta Girl Book Club</div>
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<br />
<br />
Michelle and the ladies of the SiSta Girl Book Club always ask such great questions. Check out our most recent conversation in their Author's Spotlight . . .<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.sistagirlbooks.com/#!sista-news/vstc7=lori-johnson/vstc6=q-and-a">SiSta Girl Book Club Q & A with Author Lori Johnson</a><br />
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<br />Lorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09792085144824685369noreply@blogger.com0