HAVE MUSIC . . . WILL TRAVEL . . .

I just returned home after having visited 4 cities in 2 weeks. It was fun, though a bit tiring, like traveling with the family can sometimes be. Had it not been for the music, I probably wouldn't have made it beyond a couple of days (smile). Really, I mean, What's a road trip without music? Please, I don't even want to think about it.

When the hubby and I first started traveling together, umpteen some years ago, our musical preferences/differences were something we had to sort out. I like my music loud. He doesn't. While I enjoy a variety of music, I prefer R & B, hip-hop and jazz. The hubby can only take a limited amount of hip-hop, prefers "smooth" jazz, and is even more OLD SCHOOL than am I when it comes to his preferences in R & B.

Moreover, I'm pretty sure, had ole boy been traveling alone, he would have listened to nothing but CLASSICAL music. I don't have anything against classical music. It's all right. I mean, I can listen to it for a good, solid 10 minutes or so . . . before I'm overcome by an overwhelming desire to slit my own wrists or somebody else's throat (LOL).

In recent years, I've managed to assemble a collection of mutually agreed upon cds. These are tunes we both enjoy and have little problem listening to over and over again. On our latest road trip, I managed to sneak in a best of Stephanie Mills collection and that went over well enough to become part of the permanent rotation. But when I dropped a best of Aretha collection on ole boy and tried to get him to join me in a "Freeway of Love" sing-along, he wasn't having it. Though, I think I heard my son humming in the backseat to "Chain, Chain, Chain" so there may still be hope (smile).

The following is currently the mutually agreed list of tunes we listen to when we set out on long road trips:

1) Next Exit (Grover Washington, Jr.)

2) Cache (Kirk Whalum)

3) Hang Suite . . . & . . . Now (Maxwell)

4) Ride (Boney James)

5) What's Going On (Marvin Gaye)

6) Best of Smooth Jazz (Vols.1-4; Various Artists; Warner Bros)

7) When Skies Are Grey (Ron Carter)

8) Bill Withers (Greatest Hits)

9) Kemistry . . . & . . . Kem II (Kem)

10) Bang!Zoom (Bobby McFerrin)

11) Always & Forever: The Classics (Luther Vandross)

Of course, had it been left to me, there would have been some Common, Coltrane, Miles, Badu, Jaguar Wright, Ndegeocello, India Arie, Jill Scott, Raheem DeVaughn, some old Isley Brothers and Al Green, some Heather Headley, Cassandra Wilson, some Lauryn Hill, a bit of T.I and the list goes on . . .

So, what do you listen to when you are on the road?

THURSDAY 13 . . . MY 13 FAVORITE CONCERTS . . .

I've never really had the desire to participate in a meme before, but Malcolm over at Pop Culture Dish inspired me. After reviewing his 13 favorite concerts, music-lover that I am, I decided to list my own 13. The following are some of my favorite concerts, though in no particular order . . . well, except for Prince ones (smile). Unlike Malcolm, I'm horrible at remembering years--so, my list doesn't include any.

1) Prince, Vanity 6 & The Time I was a BIG Prince fan, back in the day. This is probably my all-time favorite concert. Those folks put on one HELL of a SHOW.

2) Prince & Shelia E. The hubby (who back then was the boyfriend) and I camped out all night for this show. We bought tickets for ourselves and about 10 of our friends and relatives.

3) Al Jarreau The hubby and I have seen Jarreau several times. My favorite show was an outdoor concert on Mud Island (in Memphis). There was a light rain and a breeze coming off the Mississippi River that night . . . and I was young, in love and sipping on wine coolers (smile).

4) B. B. King I saw B. B. up close and personal (front row seats) on Beale Street and in a club bearing his name, no less.

5) Phyllis Hyman and Kirk Whalum Whalum is a hometown (Memphis) boy who can blow one heck of a bad sax. I saw up on stage one night with the late, great Phyllis Hyman.

6) Grover Washington I was blessed to see the late Mr. Washington in a small club in Memphis one night. He was extremely personable and a great performer.

7) Rachelle Ferrell, Will Downing and Jonathan Butler Yes, I'm a a jazz fan. Loved the show, but I'm still mad that Rachelle and Will didn't sing their duet.

8) Stephanie Mills I saw her years ago at the Mid-South Fair in Memphis. I don't think she gets the credit she deserves. Sistergirl has some chops.

9) Maze All I can say is, the haze and the contact high was something else (smile).

10) George Benson Another one of those great outdoor concerts on Mud Island.

11) Jeffrey Osborne Even after all of these years, I'd love to see him again.

12) Cameo I still have the poster my hubby bought me at the show.

13) Maxwell and Angie Stone What can I say . . . Angie was cool, but Maxwell is MY BOY!

AFRICAN AMERICANS & TENNIS . . . MORE QUOTES . . .

I subscribe to the NY Times online, but as of late, I've been much too busy to read them. While deleting some of the clutter in the mail box, I stop and read over some of the article titles in the Times Sunday Book Review, dated July 22, 2007. I noticed a review on a book entitled, CHARGING THE NET: A History of Blacks in Tennis from Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe to the Williams Sisters.

The book, which is edited by Cecil Harris and Larryette Kyle-DeBose, consists of 65 interviews and presents an indepth look into the lives of Black tennis stars.

A couple of the quotes in the article, written by Toure, jumped out at me.

Leslie Allen, who participated in the sport in the 80's said the following: "I'd go to a tournament where the family wanted to house the No. 1 seed. But when that family found out that the No. 1 seed was me, then suddenly the housing disappeared."

The editors (Harris and Kyle-DeBose) made the following observations: "The unspoken but persistent vibe that you are not welcome, that others would be happier if you went away, a vibe that black tennis players have sensed on the main tour for decades, makes it difficult to find the rhythm and comfort zone needed to perform at your best."

I'm not a major follower of tennis, but this book sounds like one I'd enjoy reading. I was surprised by some of the details the article shared, particularly, as far as some of the personal difficulties faced by so many of the better known tennis stars. Also,I'm intrigued by the thought that so many African Americans, whose names I've never heard, not only played, but excelled in the sport (smile).

VENUS WILLIAMS . . . SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT . . .

The following is yet another great quote I found in the July 23, 2007 issue of JET magazine. According to the article on page 9, after her recent Wimbeldon victory, Venus Williams said:

"I was really motivated because no one picked me to win. They didn't even say, 'She can't win.' They weren't even talking about me."

I, too, noticed the lack of attention Venus received before, after and during the competition. The news media almost seemed to take an "oh,well" view of this accomplished athlete. I'd like to say, I don't understand . . . but if I did, I'd be lying (smile).

If Tiger Woods goes out on the golf course and breaks a nail, it's deemed a newsworthy item of the highest order. If Tiger were a Black woman (not that he has ever considered himself a Black man, of course *smile*) would he warrant the same kind of attention? Probably not.

I'll even go a step further and say, he most certainly WOULD NOT were he a dark-skinned Black woman. Yeah, I said it. Meant it too (smile).

No, racism, sexism and the "invisibility" of Black women is/are hardly anything new. Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman?" refrain is just as pertinent today as it was when she first uttered it back in 1851

I can only hope and pray that one day we'll stop being in denial about the "isms" that we've all internalized and that influence how we see or choose not to see certain people . . . and one another.

So, what are your thoughts on the subject?

QUOTES THAT MAKE YOU GO . . . HMMM . . .

I'm on the road and doing a lot of miscellaneous reading (Jet, Essence and the like). In the July 23rd issue of JET, I ran across several interesting quotes. The following has to do with a movie I've been thinking about seeing-- "Talk To Me." The movie is about an ex-con turned deejay and the program director who gives him a break. Even though the film has a lot going for it--including actors, Don Cheadle and Chiwetel Ejiofor as well as director Kasi Lemmons, the reviews I've read have been mixed. But the following comment made by the screenwriter Michael Grant really made me stop and think.

"What I found in telling their story was that there is a love shared between Black men that we almost never hear tell of. You won't find it defined in any text books or dictionaries, yet it exists."

I think, for the most part, what Mr. Grant said is true. And I'd love to see more movies deal with this topic. But right off hand, I can think of at least one other movie that did a fairly decent job of dealing with the love that exists been Black men who aren't biologically-related--"Boys In The Hood."

Have there been others? If you've seen the movie, do you agree or disagree with the screenwriter's statement?

WORDS OF WISDOM & HUMOR . . . FROM MARK TWAIN . . .

The following notice appeared in the opening of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn--

"Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot."

I think, quite often, a lot of us feel this way . . . but would never dare say it (smile). Of course, to be SUCCESSFUL in today's marketplace, we need all of those things and more. Don't we? (LOL) It's okay if you don't "get" the humor in the statement above. The truth is, the joke is generally always on the writer . . .

AN OLD SCHOOL MIX Q & A WITH . . . SHELIA LIPSEY . . .

Shelia Lipsey is the author of Into Each Life (Jan. 2007) and SinSatiable (Aug. 2007). Both novels are part of Kensington's "Urban Christian" imprint.

Ms. Lipsey is someone I've never actually met in person. I think I first encountered her name via my visits to Blogging In Black. Upon discovering her ties to my hometown (Memphis) and her involvement in a church my parents have long attended (Cummings Street Missionary Baptist), I contacted her by email. She not only reponded, but was nice enough to provide me with her replies to the following Q & A.

1) What exactly is Urban Christian? In my opinion, Urban Christian is the kind of story-telling that doesn't dress up the sins of our people. . . Urban Chrisitian stays true to the word of God, but we tell about the real people, the real things that happen in their lives. We tell how God can bring the ugliness, most vile problem and situation in a person's life and turn it around.

2) Describe your approach to writing. Do you start with a character? An event? A situation? My approach to writing is quite simple. God gives me a title, I enter it into the mounting titles he's already given me and I save them . . . God places on my mind which one he wants me to write about. I have no idea what the story will be about, how it will end, who the characters are, basically nothing whatsoever about what I'm going to write. But I've learned not to worry . . . because when my hands touch the keyboard, the Holy Spirit begins to flow and the thought, situations, plots and characters come to life. I scream, shout, sing and sometimes faint when I find out the things they do (for real).

3) Do you maintain a writing schedule? Lately, I have to admit that I have been trying to maintain a writing schedule. But it really doesn't work well for me because I spend more time editing, proofing, typesetting and assisting other potential clients . . .which is why I always try to stay one book ahead of my publisher. For instance, when I signed a second contract with Urban Books, I had already finished the book that is required for the first book in the new book deal.

4) Are there any books on the craft of writing that you've found particularly useful? Books on punctuation, grammar usage and sentence structure are excellent books to keep in your library.

5) Do you have an agent? No, I don't have an agent. I followed the submission guidelines of the publisher which is always important and necessary to do. In a few months my phone rang and bingo, bango, I was offered a two book deal. Look at God!

6) List some of your favorite writers. Carl Weber, J. California Cooper, Lacricia A. Peters, Vanessa Davis Griggs, Jacquelin Thomas, Victoria Murray, Tiffiny Warren and Alisha Yvonne. Also, I can't leave out my fellow outstanding writers and friends in Christ: The Urban Christian Authors are out of this world! I'm humbled to be part of this God-inspired imprint.

7) Which writers (living or dead) have had the biggest impact on how you write? I must honestly say I believe I have developed my own style, my own voice given to me by God All Mighty. Therefore, it is like no others and I thank God for that.

8) What do you regard as your biggest mistake, thus far, as it pertains to writing? Not starting early enough. I wish I had started in my early teens or twenties.

9) Why do you write? God placed the desire in my heart and deep within my spirit. After He saw that I didn't have sense enough to realize my gift, he orchestrated events in my life that weren't so pleasant, but they did the job and awoke me to my true gift.

10) What's been most effective for you publicity-wise? I'd like to know the answer to that myself. All I can say is that I use bookmarks, flyers, posters. I contact stores, people I know, churches, family and friends to help promote my books. I also take advantage of my publisher who helps arrange various events. And I do online advertising through places like Sormag, Mosaic and AALBC and I tell everyone I run across that I've written a book.

11) What are some of the mistakes new authors are apt to make when it comes to marketing and publicity? Not realizing the importance of it. Sometimes they're (so busy) glorifying the fact that they're an author, they don't understand now the real job starts, which is getting someone to buy your book.

12) Is there anything in particular you'd like to share about yourself or your work? I'd like to beg, please, pretty please with sugar on top, ask you and anyone else out there to purchase copies of Into Each Life and Sinsatiable. They are sold nationwide, even at Wal-mart. Now if you can't find it at Wal-mart, you can go online at Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Target.com, the Borders Stores, Waldenbooks, African American bookstores . . . In essence, there is no excuse for you, your buddies, friends, ex-friends . . . and anyone you pass on the street not to have at least ten or twelve copies of Into Each Life and Sinsatiable in their hands.

For more information about Shelia Lipsey and her novels visit her website at http://www.shelialipsey.com/

POP CULTURE MUSINGS . . . OLD SCHOOL MIX STYLE . . .

1) Am I the only one who agrees with J. Anthony Brown (of Tom Joyner fame) that most of today's young, female R & B singers sound (and often look) like roosters on crack?

2) Am I the only one who finds it ironic (if not highly questionable and wrong) that the only two couples on Grey's Anatomy who are NEVER seen getting any play are the two, married African American couples?

3) Does anyone besides me ever wonder why there aren't more brothers (African Amercian males), who can actually sing (like a Reuben Studdard) making it into the early (much less the final) rounds of American Idol?

4) Is anyone besides me cheering the August 7th release of Soul Food - The Second Season on dvd! Dag, it's about time . . .

5) Am I the only one who thinks both R. Kelly and Avant look like they ought to be wearing some really thick a$$ prescription glasses?

6) Am I the only one who prays the Queen of Soul (Aretha) never suffers a Janet Jackson-like wardrobe malfunction?

7) Does anyone besides me think the rapper T.I. puts you in mind of a light-skinned Rakim (from Eric B. and Rakim fame)?

8) Does anyone besides me think Prince has gotten prettier (better looking) with age?

9) Am I the only one who wonders what Al Sharpton, Verdine White, Nick Simpson, Michael Jackson and his royal badness, Prince, would look like without a perm?

10) Am I the only one who has found herself being threatened with bodily harm (and by a relative, no less) when I merely pointed out that quite often when Mary J. sings live, she sounds flat and off key?

11) Does anyone besides me pray that Lauryn Hill gets it together and comes back out strong?

12) Does anyone besides me think "blue-eyed" R & B singers from back in the day like Tina Marie, Jon B., Lisa Stansfield and hell, even Boz Scaggs and the Hall & Oates sounded way more soulful and authentic than folks like Joss S., Justin T. and Amy W.? I mean, come on now, I'm just saying . . .

Anyway . . . what do you think? (smile)

COLTRANE . . . A Few Kernals of Truth About Gifts and Genius . . .

A couple of nights ago, I started listening to John Coltrane Gold, a cd that showcases the music of jazz saxophonist, John Coltrane. Thanks to my Dad, I grew up listening to Coltrane and a number of other jazz greats. It's only been in recent years though that I've become genuinely interested in learning about the man and the artist behind the sax and the unique sound.

In the liner notes of John Coltrane Gold, the writer Ashley Kahn (author of several books on jazz, including The House That Trane Built: The Story of Impulse Records, 2006) lists three facts that might not be commonly known about John Coltrane. Embedded within the three statements, I think, are kernals of truth worthy of a deeper contemplation, especially by those of us who call ourselves "artists" as well as those who express a desire to one day do so. The following are Ashley Kahn's three points in reverse order and my own feelings and comments about them.

3)"Coltrane was (musically) a late bloomer."

I think it helps to know that Coltrane didn't jump out the box and immediately start blowing folks away with gems like, "Giant Steps" and "A Love Supreme." Not only did his ascent to greatness begin later in life than some, he suffered many a set back along the way--most notably a drug habit that led to his being kicked out of Miles Davis's band.

While we live in a society that prefers to herald the over-night sensations, and is currently tailored toward the "talents" of the young, blonde, dumb, rich and anorexic, it isn't uncommon for destinations like "genius" and "legend" and "phenomenon" to start later and further back on the long, winding road of life. Michael Jordan got cut from the basketball team as a sophomore in high school. Dr. Benjamin Carson was 36 (not 26) when he performed the first successful separation of Siamese Twins joined at the back of the head. Albert Einstein was 4 years olf before he learned to speak. Toni Morrison was 39 when her first novel, The Bluest Eye, was published and was 57 when she received the Pulitzer Prize. The list goes on . . .

2)"Coltrane was a tireless experimenter. But he was not one who discarded the old for the new."

In the world of jazz, there is a concept known as the "riff." A riff is a form of improvisation. It's when one musician borrows and builds upon the musical phraseology of another. It's about taking someing old and making it sound new. Jazz is all about the riff. Hip-Hop, with all of its borrowed and outright stolen samples ain't nothing but some riff mixed in with a whole lot of raff (LOL). In all seriousness, Ashley Kahn states in the Coltrane Gold liner notes that many of the techniques folks consider so avant-garde are things Trane picked put during his early days of playing the blues and frequenting the bars in Philly.

In order to buck a tradition, I think it helps to know it first. Coltrane not only acknowledged and respected what came before him, he incorporated much of it into his own style. Too many in today's world, artists and non-artist alike want to dismiss everything that came before them as old, outdated and therefore, useless. Mention something like the African Amercian "oral tradition" and a number of folks will assume you're talking about something sexual (LOL). That's unfortunate. A knowledge of history and culture and an appreciation for the achievements of one's predecessors (and contemporaries), can nourish, strengthen and empower one's work. Why cheat yourself of a foundation that is yours for the taking?

1)"Coltrane was not a musical prodigy. What he achieved, he did with a workman's sense of duty and an almost obsessive dedication."

I love that statement, if only because it suggests that Coltrane's "genius" grew out of his commitment to working on his craft and honing his skills. His wife Namia reportedly said that often times after coming home from a gig, "Trane would practice till he fell asleep with the horn in his mouth." (from Ashley Kahn's liner notes, John Coltrane Gold, 2006)

The level of intensity and commitment exemplified by Coltrane's behavior is, for all too many, a foreign concept. I've stopped counting the number of folks who insist they want to be published, but who subsequently excuse their apparent lack of discipline and productivity with some version of, "Well, you know, I can only write when I'm inspired."

Even when I don't come right out and say it, I'm generally thinking, "Honey, forget about being inspired. What you want to be . . . No, what you NEED to be is DRIVEN. You've got to want to do this thing so bad that there are no plausible excuses for not doing what you know, by right, you ought to be doing. A person who is DRIVEN will FIND the time. The man or woman who is truly DRIVEN will DISCIPLINE him or herself."

As far as gifts are concerned, while I do believe the "desire" to create is truly a gift from God. I also believe whether that gift flowers, flounders or simply fades away is entirely up to and contingent upon the efforts of the individual. More often than not, "genius" (unlike salvation and most certainly not to be confused with such) is a gift that is earned.

* * *

Disclaimer: I try not to give too much advice about writing. First of all, I have no educational background or formal training in English/Lit. Matter of fact, I'm fairly hellbent on breaking as many of the "rules" as I possibly can, while still being somewhat coherent. Second, until I actually have a book or two on the shelves, I think it would be wise to refrain from instructing others on what it takes to achieve such (smile).

OLD SCHOOL TV . . . BC (Before Cable)

I don't think I've ever tried to hide the fact that I am, indeed, "old school." I'm saying, if the title of the blog--Lori's Old School Mix--isn't a hint, I don't know what is (LOL). But for those of y'all who might get it twisted, NO, I'm not quite as old as most of those in the Tom Joyner set . . . no disrespect intended, mind you, 'cause as my 90 year old granddaddy is apt to say, "You'd better hope you LIVE to GET old" (smile).

So, anyway, yeah, I was born in the 60's and attended college during the 80's (no exact dates 'cause ain't no need of telling y'all all my business). And yes, at a certain point, back when I was coming up, there were only 4 TV stations/channels/options (ABC, NBC, CBS & PBS). And yes, I can still remember when rather than stay on (and spew drivel) 24/7, the television went off the air late at night. I can also remember when my folks first got cable. Don't know how long it had been around, but we didn't get the hook up until I was in the 9th or 10th grade.

While I believe all of the above may very well play into my lack of a real, hardcore TV habit, I think an even bigger influence was the fact that I spent part of the 6th grade and all of the 7th and 8th grades, living in Wiesbaden Germany. For those who don't know, I grew up an Air Force brat who got shuffled back and forth between the places where my Dad ended up getting stationed and the place we all still call home, Memphis, TN.

The only TV we saw while living in Germany came by way of what I believe was called "Armed Forces Television." We had all of ONE channel that didn't come on the air until late in the afternoons or early evenings and when it did, only broadcast RERUNS . . . reruns that were umpteen years old and many of them in black and white, no less. So, being forced to live in a situation like that, as a kid you learn to fill in the time with other things like magazines, books, music, your imagination, actual conversations and interactions with parents, siblings, friends and peers, you know, all those things that are now considered so dull and passe (smile).

Of course, German television was also available, but if you didn't speak the language, there wasn't much point. The Germans did show a few American reruns and I can recall, on a couple of occasions trying to watch Little House On The Prairie, dubbed in German--not that I was particularly a fan of the English version of the series. But you know, when you're bored and your options are limited, you're willing to give just about anything a try.

At the time, the Germans were also a bit less prudish about nudity than folks in the US and it wasn't unsual to turn to one of their channels and see folks in a state of, well, undress. Not sure if my Mama knew about that peculiar little feature (smile). But hey, I was a kid and it was something I discovered quite by accident . . . and was smart enough to keep to myself.

ALL OF THE POPULAR TV SHOWS . . . I'VE NEVER WATCHED

I'm probably one of the few who wasn't too terribly miffed by the way the HBO series "The Sopranos" ended. But I'm also probably one of the few with a television, cable and working electricity who never watched a single episode of the series. It wasn't anything personal or even a matter of taste, I just never carved out the time required to watch an entire epioside and as a result find myself hooked.

In general, I'm not big fan of television. Given a choice I'd rather see a movie, go to a play, listen to some music, read a good book, talk on the phone, work on a writing project . . . okay, do just about anything other than plop down in front of the tube with remote in hand. Perhaps, in another post I'll delve into the reasons behind my lack of a TV habit.

The end of "The Sopranos" prompted me to think about the number of other popular television shows I've never watched as well as those I currently and consistently opt to take a pass on when I do sit down and snuggle up with the remote.

Some of the more popular shows (both old & new) I've never watched an entire episode of include:

1) CSI (nope, none of them)

2) The Flava of Love (after tuning in for a few minutes I realized that I gag too easily to ever be a fan of this show)

3) Miami Vice

4) Dallas (still don't know who shot JR and don't really care)

5) Beverly Hills 90210 (rich kids with problems have never interested me)

6) Frasier (sorry, I wasn't big on Cheers either)

7) Everybody Loves Raymond (except for me, I guess)

8) Judging Amy (just never made time to watch it)

9) Murphy Brown

10) Hill Street Blues

11) ER (don't like blood or hospitals)

12) Friends

13) The Fresh Prince (Will Smith's goofiness has always been a turn off)

14) Wayan Brothers (again, the goofiness factor turned me off)

15) Lost (Actually, I saw part of an episode and enjoyed it. But the 2nd time I tried to watch, I give-up midway through. I was too lost to enjoy it.)

16) Star Trek (Never watched any of the "new" ones. Of course, I enjoyed the original back in the day.)

17) Dukes of Hazzard (oh, please)

18) WKRP In Cincinnati

19) Cagney & Lacey

20) Family Matters

21) The Jamie Foxx Show

Oh no, this is hardly the half of them. These are just among the first to come to mind. I doubt if too many folks have a list quite as extensive as my own, but I'm sure there is something on the boob-tube that everybody and their mama seems to rave over, but thus far you've managed to avoid. If you feel like sharing your pics, or commenting on my list of "never watched" shows, be my guest.

FOR ALL OF THE BOOK SNOBS AND THEIR CRONIES--The Book Snots, The Book Nazis and The Book Police . . .

I don't get BOOK SNOBS, in particular those who feel obliged to tell others WHAT and HOW they OUGHT to be READING. You know the type of people I'm talking about? The ones prone to shaking their larger than average heads, looking down their long, narrow noses (or wide and slightly flared nostrils) and uttering "tsk, tsk, tsk" if what you're currently reading doesn't make their list of "worthy" reads? The ones who treat reading as if it's some sort of fierce, life or death competition, and in turn have desginated themselves as both team captains and keepers of score? Yeah, you know who and what I'm talking about.

So, could somebody please tell me why these folks just don't get it? IMHO telling folks what they OUGHT TO or OUGHT NOT be reading is impolite and arrogant at best, and at its worst, fuels the type of lock-step mentality that leads to the banning and even outright burning of books marked by the "powers that be" as inappropriate.

Even though my own preferences in literature tend to lean toward "literary fiction" and I have an admitted bias for books that reflect the African American experience, I am, for all practical purposes, an eclectic reader. The books on the shelves in my own personal library will attest to the fact that I read a bit of everything--Margaret Atwood, James Baldwin, Octavia Butler, Jackie Collins, Hemingway, Kafka, Terry McMillan, Toni Morrison, Eudora Welty, Zane . . . Believe me, the list goes on and includes everything in between. And that's just for fiction.

At the risk of making a right proper A$$ out of U and ME (lol), I ASSUME most people read, as I do, for pleasure and/or enlightenment. I have no problem accepting that what pleases and entertains me and/or expands my knowledge base could very well gag or bore plenty of others.

Some of my closest and dearest friends live off a steady diet of romance novels. I can't stand formulaic romance, not to be confused with a good love story (smile). While I might, on occasion, tease my friends about their reading selections (as they do me) I don't judge or condem them for their choices.

I could be wrong, but it seems to me that assigning specific and fixed weights and values to books leads to the "everything I read is great" and "everything you read is crap" school of thought. Sorry, I simply can't get with that type of "holier than thou attitude" when it comes to books. As if owning an appetite for the "so-called" classics or the NY Times Best Sellers, or the Oprah Book Club Pics or even the Pulitzer Prize Winners will automatically recuse one from being either an idiot or an ax-murderer.

Sure, there's a lot of stuff out there I won't read (like all of that hustler, pimp, ho, thug & gansta) lit or I read very little of (most of that I don't wanna be a freak, but I can't help myself type of stuff) or that which I for the most part consider a right hot mess (nope, not even gonna go there). And yes, there are quite a few books through which I've struggled, but only after determining ON MY OWN and FOR MYSELF that the book was worth the effort.

The world is too big and life much too short to get stuck plowing through pages of material that bring you absolutely no joy, particularly if you're only doing so because someone with a MFA, PhD or a talk show labeled it a "classic" or a "must-read." Besides, unless the person doing so is your parent (and you're still a minor, living up in their house), your teacher, professor or possibly your employer, they really don't have any business dictating what and how you read in the first place.

So for all you BOOK SNOBS out there . . . when you stumble upon someone who shares your reading preferences, by all means, go ahead and applaud. You have every right to celebrate. But please, when you bump into someone whose taste in lit and/or reading habits you consider "beneath" yours, try not to castigate, verbally assassinate or straight-up perpetrate, all right?! (LOL)

A FEW LINKS . . . FOR THE SISTERS, THE SOUTHERNERS AND SOME OF THE REST OF Y'ALL TOO . . .

Torch showcases the poetry, prose and short stories of African American women. The journal's current call for submissions ends on August 31st. For additonal details go to www.torchpoetry.org/

SisterPower is about to launch a new magazine. Check your newstands and bookstores in August. View a sample issue of the magazine HERE.

PMS: Poetry, Memoir and Story will publish a special Black women's issue in the Spring of 2008. Both established and emerging writers are urged to apply. The deadline is October 1, 2007. The poet Honoree Fanonne Jeffers will serve as the editor of the special issue. See HERE (Niggerati Manor) for details.

The deadline for the Tennessee Writers Alliance 2007 Literary Awards Competition is July 1, 2007. The Alliance offers monetary awards ($500, $250 & $100) for short fiction and poetry. The contest is open to all, but requires a $10 entry fee for members and $15 for non-members. Additional details can be found HERE.

A Gathering of the Tribes Magazine is sponsoring a short fiction contest. The deadline is September 15, 2007. Publication in the magazine and monetary awards of ($500, $200, & $100) are being offered to the winners. A $10 entry fee is required. For more information, visit their site HERE.

The DeadMule: School of Southern Literature recently published a short story penned by my friend (and fellow former Memphian) FeLicia Elam. Checkout "Loretta Shine" HERE.

BOOKS . . . PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE READING LISTS

I recently finished two books, WISE BLOOD by Flannery O'Connor and NO TIME TO DIE (A Mali Anderson Mystery) by Grace F. Edwards.

The latter, a mystery, was something new and out of the norm for me. I purchased NO TIME TO DIE at a Friends of the Library book sale while still living in Memphis. Actually, I acquire a lot of my books that way--library book sales, bookstore discount tables, etc. The cover on this one--a pensive looking African American woman wearing a hat slanted over her brow and with the "world famous" Apollo signboard in the background--drew me in. The inside flap's description of a Black female sleuth's search for a serial killer in Harlem further intrigued me. Even so, the book, like so many others, sat unread on my shelves for years. My thirst for something different is what recently led me back to the title. I'm not a big fan of mysteries, but, all in all, it was a nice diversion as well as a fascinating and truly horrific look into the life of an African American serial killer.

WISE BLOOD is a book I first read several years ago. As much as I enjoy Flannery O'Connor's short stories, her novel just didn't do a heck of a lot for me. Although I found the book rather disturbing, I didn't outright hate it. I think more than anything, I just didn't understand it. Funny how the passage of time can alter one's perspective. I'm still not in love with the novel, but I do understand it a bit better. Perhaps maturity, patience and a small portion of wisdom are to thank for my new level of enlightenment. To be honest though, the only reason I decided to re-read the text was because it appeared on a local book club's list. If nothing else, it's the type of book that makes for an interesting discussion.

The book I'm currently reading is, ALL AUNT HAGAR'S CHILDREN, a collection of short stories written by Edward P. Jones. This is the first time I've read any of Jones' work and already I'm a fan. As I stated on black girl lost in a book's blog, I feel like I really do know these characters . . . I've met them somewhere . . . if not in this life, then perhaps in some other. The first story in the collection, "In The Blink Of God's Eye" read like one of my grandmother's tales of Johnson Sub (the 40 plus acres in Memphis, TN my daddy's people once owned and called home). This book is, for me, truly a treat and I find myself re-reading sentences, paragraphs and passages if only to savor their sweetness once again. In Jones' work I am able to experience a bit of what drives me to read and write in the first place--the indescribable joy (and music) of a story well-told. I also feel in Jones' work an appreciation of the Black Southern Experience that sadly, far too many "colored folks" (yeah, I said it . . . meant it too) from NY, LA and the Midwest appear to lack.

The books I'm probably gonna read next include, among others, another Edward P. Jones title for sure. I'm thinking his first short story collection, LOST IN THE CITY, will probably be my choice. I've heard lots of positive comments about the collection and since when given a choice between a short collection and a novel, I generally opt for the stories, it's pretty much a done deal.

I'm also interested in taking a look at REDBONE:Money, Malice and Murder in Atlanta by Ron Stodghill. Initially, I was kind of turned off by the title. Just to give you some background, a guy I knew during my college years tagged me with the nick-name "Dirty Red." So, as you might imagine, something about the term conjures quite a bit of negative imagery for me (LOL). Anyway, I stumbled upon an excerpt one day, that changed my mind about reading the book. Based on the writing alone, I'm willing to give the book a try, even though the Amazon reviews I skimmed appeared to lean toward the negative.

The other title on my list of "future" reads is a book I started last year, but never read beyond a couple of pages, WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE by Tavis Smiley. I didn't put the book down for lack of interest, I just got busy and sidetracked by other things. I'm still very much interested in knowing more about the "makings" of Mr. Smiley and since my old book club in Cleveland is taking on the book, I figured I'd buckled down and join them.

So, what are you all reading? What have you read that you'd recommend? What's still sitting unopened on your nightstand, on your bookshelf or at your local bookstore that you'd like to read? Also, any comments on my reading lists are welcome.

CHITLINS, RIBS AND PORKCHOPS FOR DAYS . . . OR JUST A BIG BUNCH OF HOG WASH?

Okay, I'm sure by now you've heard about the 11 year old kid who killed the 1,051 lbs and 9 ft long wild hog somewhere deep in the Alabama woods, right? Well, I'm sorry, but it sounds like a whole bunch of BULL to me (LOL).

My own dear hubby insists its true, if only because he heard it reported on NPR. Oh, Please. That story has HOAX stamped all over it and that photo looks about as real as Lil Kim's, Michael Jackson's and Joan Rivers' faces spliced together.

But okay, for the sake of arguement, let's say the story is true. So, is this GIANT HOG some kind of random freak of nature, or does he have a big ole swoll pack of brothers, sisters and play cousins stomping around in those woods somewhere? And if the latter is true, how come we're just now learning of their existence? If nothing else, wouldn't we have at least SMELLED those jokers by now?

My other questions are about the kid and his proud papa. Who in the world goes hunting in the woods with a .50-caliber revolver? I'm saying, if that doesn't put the capital "B" in 'Bama, I don't know what does (LOL). I read one report that said the kid attended school at some Christian Academy. Well, good for him. But I'm pretty sure chasing a giant wild hog, who hasn't done zip-dang-squat to you, for three hours through the doggone woods and then busting a cap in said hog, umpteen some times, isn't something you'd necessarily want to file under 'Things Jesus Would Do.'

Of course, I could be wrong. But just in case, I'm filing this one under "Stupid Stuff" and "Ignorant Mess."

AN ART FESTIVAL JONES . . . THE ONE HABIT I'M NOT TRYING TO KICK . . .

A couple of days ago, when I discovered I'd be in Atlanta this summer in time to catch the Atlanta Black Arts Festival, I all but jumped out of my seat and cheered. Not only do I LOVE art festivals, I've been wanting to attend the Atlanta Black Arts Fest for years now . . really, ever since I learned of its existence.

Yes, I have an arts festival JONES that won't quit. My house is full things (prints, jewelry, mirrors, purses, african drums and other such hand carved items) I've purchased at various festivals from around the country. But the truth is, I attend them even when I'm broke and have absolutely no plans of buying anything. My guess is the creatively rich environment that makes up an art festivals helps feed the ravenous cravings of my own muse.

A combination of things go into the making of a good arts festival, I think. Location and parking are two inter-related items that place pretty high on my list. While a center-city or downtown locale always adds a bit of flavor to the event, parking that is free (or relatively inexpensive), nearby and plentiful makes attendance all the more inviting.

Being a fan of fresh air and sunshine, I prefer an outdoor festival. But an in-door event can have its merits. One of the highlights (and believe me, there weren't many) of the four long years I spent in the Cleveland area was an indoor festival called Sankofa / Cleveland Fine Art Expo which was typically held at Tri-C's (Cuyahoga Community College) eastern campus.

I always wondered why the event organizers never used the suburban campus' nicely manicured and enormous grounds for the festival. But in Cleveland, its always about the weather . . . rain, wind or snow is typically always lurking somewhere in the forecast. So, if not precipitation, mud may have been an issue. What I enjoyed must about Sankofa was the mix of arts--fine, folk, film literary, etc. There was a bit of something to whet every artistic appetite.

The presence of food, the kind you eat, also helps make a festival fun. At the most recent fest (The Art and Soul of The South End) I attended here in Charlotte, I actually managed to limit myself to a single bratwrust and a cherry-flavored Italian ice.

But what truly endears a festival to me are the people. When I lived in Memphis, one of the great joys of attending the yearly Africa in April celebration was running into people I'd lost touch with or no longer saw on a regular basis. It was always a fun surprise to bump into friends, relatives and/or see co-workers who I'd least expect to see at a crowded, downtown "artsy event."

Equally enjoyable is the opportunity to meet and greet some of the artists and vendors. Again, whenever I hung-out in Africa in April's "market place" I'd always look for my friend and fellow writer, A.J., who hawked goods on behalf of the business she and her hubby owned. While living in Cleveland, I generally looked for an artist by the name of Shedrick, whose thin, long-legged characters I've come to love. On two different occasions, I purchased some of her work at a Cleveland area art festival called Art In the Village.

I'm already looking forward to September when one of the artist I met at Charlotte's Art and Soul of South End will return with her eye-catching array of shadow boxes, mirrors and clocks (Jordan's Treasures). Yup, I plan on adding more of her work to my collection too (smile).

Obviously, I was meant to live in Charlotte, if only because the nice weather makes it ideal for out-door activities year round. Festival junkie that I am, last year I celebrated my first full week here by going out to an area of Charlotte known as NoDA (North Davidson) and attending what was billed as Charlotte's First Literary Festival. Not only am I looking forward to trekking out to the Charlotte Literary Festival again this August, but I already have my sights set on next year's event when, if all goes well and the creek don't rise, I'll be one of the many author participants. Say a prayer and keep your fingers crossed. I'll keep you posted.

If you have a favorite festival or you know one that just might tickle my fancy, give me the scoop. I'm always on the look-out for new ones to try.

POLE DANCING MUSIC . . . AN OLD SCHOOL MIX TOP TEN LIST

Really, I hadn't intended for this to be my next post. But my funny-bone was so tickled by the article on "pole dancing" I ran across in Friday's Charlotte Observer, I couldn't resist.

According to the piece, "pole dancing" long a past-time of the exotic dancer and stripper set, is the newest exercise craze. One of the instructors at a fitness club called "B-Risque" claims many of the women who come to her for instruction in "pole-ercise" are housewives and teachers. She also said a lot of church folk show up wanting to learn how to work the pole (LOL).

After I stopped laughing, I shared the article with the hubby only to have him say, "Girl, we need to think about getting us one of those poles . . . " I said, "Yeah right, that's all we need, one of us getting up in the middle of the night, walking straight into some doggone pole and knocking ourselves out. How'd we explain that one to the paramedics, much less our folks?"

Anyway, alongside the article ran a sidebar containing a list of the Top 10 Pole Dancing Songs. On the list were the following: 1) Erotica: Madonna; (2) Hollaback Girl: Gwen Stafani; (3) Temperature: Sean Paul; (4) Ain't No Other Man: Christina Aguilera; (5) Check On It: Beyonce; (6) I'm N Luv (Wit A Stripper) T-Pain; (7) Promiscuous: Nelly Furtado; (8) SexyBack: Justin Timberlake; (9) London Bridge: Fergie; (10) Buttons: Pussycat Dolls

I'm sure it goes without saying that even if I were trying to work a pole (uh, don't worry Mom, I'm not) I wouldn't be trying to do it to any of that whack mess. Of course, then I started wondering what an "old school" list of music to work a pole by would look like and I came up with the following:

The Old School Mix Top 10 Pole Dancing Tunes

1) Push It (Salt N Pepa)

2) Da Butt (E.U.)

3) Nasty Girl (Vanity Six)

4) Lady Marmalade (Labelle)

5) Love To Love You Baby (Donna Summers)

6) Giving Him Something He Can Feel (Aretha Franklin)

7)Do Me Baby (Prince)

8) Cold-Blooded (Rick James)

9) Housecall (Your Body Can't Lie To Me) (Maxi Priest & Shabba Ranks)

10) The Over Weight Lover's In The House (Heavy D & Da Boys)

Hey, now that's a list beffiting of an ole girl who's still got enough fire left in her to wanna work a pole . . . and no Mom, in case you're wondering, that would NOT be me (LOL)!

If you'd like to make an addition or two to the list, hit me up in the comments section.

COINCIDENCE . . . OR DIVINE INTERVENTION? PT I (A Few Odd Happenings On The Road to Publication)

Have you ever experienced one of those moments in life that made you wonder if what just took place was truly a coincidence or if the hand of GOD had actually come into play? Well, I've had things of that nature happen to me so many times over the years, I've stopped counting them. Still, I'm always momentarily taken aback when they arise.

I'm not talking about those random or odd happenings that sometimes occur when folks with similar interests or like backgrounds collide or meet up in the same place. Just last week, I experienced one of those. While blog-hopping one night, I stumbled upon a funny comment from an artist I'd actually met, barely a couple of weeks before, and whose work I'd admired enough to purchase at a local art festival.

Yes, those isolated "small world" moments are neat, but that's not what I'm talking about. What I mean are those All Up In Your Face moments that force you to nod, if not outright bow to the Higher Power (or unseen forces, if you prefer) working behind the scenes.

Case in point, years ago, when I lived in Memphis and still drove a hoopty, it up and stalled on me a couple of times. Both times the car quit and wouldn't start again were at night and in one of those instances, in a part of the city that could best be described as less than desirable. In the latter instance, it just so happened I was with friends and within walking distance of a well-lit gas station that had a working phone. (This was, of course, in the days before cell phones became all the rage). I called up a cousin, who lived nearby and who, to my surprised and good fortune, just so happened to be at home, instead out making his drug rounds to his usual customers . . . oh yeah, true story.

Anyway, the other time my hoopty died, I was alone and I'd just left a REALLY BAD area, one where I could have been easly hit by a car if not shot, stabbed and kilt dead (ebonics 101 y'all) in the very process of trying to find a working phone. On that particular occasion, as fate would have it, my car screeched to a halt at a corner . . . a corner that was only a 3 minute walk from my favorite aunt and uncle's house.

A couple of odd and random coincidences? No baby, that was some sho' nuff divine intervention because in Memphis if your car dies at night and you don't have ready access to a phone, you'd best start praying the worse the thugs decide to do is take your money, jewelry, rims and what have you . . .

So why am I bringing any of this up? And what, if anything, does it have to do with my book deal? Well, recently a series of odd things happened to me with regards to the pending publication of my novel, AFTER THE DANCE and I felt like sharing . . .

But before I do, I'd like to invite any of you who've experienced similarly odd happenings to share a bit of what transpired in your particular situation.

AKON . . . PRINCE . . . AND THE CONCEPT OF RESPONSIBILITY . . .

I caught an interview with Prince on BETJ last week. At one point, the interviewer told Prince how much he enjoyed the song, "Dirty Mind." He asked if Prince would be performing the song in his up coming tour or any of the other risque material for which he's known.

Prince smiled and asked the interviewer what he thought Prince should do. The guy said, in so many words, "Hey, go for it." Prince said, "Well what should I do about the 14 year old who's sitting in the front row?

The interviewer said, "Well, you never thought about the 14 year old back in the 80's . . ." To which Prince responded, "No, back then, there were no 14 year olds seated in the front row. Besides, I'd like to think that I've grown and I'm more responsible than I was back then . . ."

Responsibility? Wow, what an interesting coincidence. Not only did my last post on "The Death Of Hip Hop" address the topic of artistic and collective responsibility, the post was written in the hours prior to my viewing of the Prince interview.

So what does any of this have to do with the singer Akon? Well, there is that picture of him and the alleged 14 year old girl currently making the internet rounds. You know, the one with him on stage on his back and babygirl sitting atop his thighs? Yeah, even if you haven't seen it, you get the picture, I'm sure.

Anyway, I've heard all of the excuses. How was he supposed to know how old she was? Her little fast tail didn't have any business there in the first place. Did you see how she was dressed? And where were her parents?

Spare me, please. After all is said and done, she's still 14 years old (allegedly) and at age 34 (I believe) Akon is still a grown azz man. Perhaps one good place to start would be not pulling anyone up on stage for the purpose of simulating sex. Since when is strip club behavior appropriate for a concert? I guess around about the time we all decided any and everything goes, huh? I'm pretty sure, at this rate and given the direction things are going, actual sex on stage will be next. And after that, what? Publicly relieving oneself on folks' children? Oh, I'm sorry I guess R. Kelley already did that . . . allegedly (smile).

Prince, His Royal Badness personified, is right. Back in the 80's, I had the pleasure of attending a couple of his concerts and I can personally vouch for what he said about 14 year olds not sitting up front row center of his shows. They weren't. They shouldn't be at Akon's either--not front row center (under the circumstances) and most certainly not up stage straddling his 34 year old thighs. If we were all committed to being responsible, they wouldn't be.

But if we truly want this kind of foolishness to end, we can't just stop at blaming the parents, much less the child. And at age 14, I don't care how she's dressed, she's still a child. It takes a village y'all. So stop co-signing this mess and act like you know.

CLINTON, LEADERSHIP, ADORATION & BLACK FOLKS (A Few Reflections via Randall Robinson)

Bill Clinton He purchased our affection with gestures . . ."our support should not be so easily obtainable." (Randall Robinson)

Randall Robinson is somone whose work I've been intending to read for years now. I remember watching an interview with him on some cable network, shortly after his book, THE RECKONING: WHAT BLACK FOLKS OWE EACH OTHER (2002) was released. Quite a few of his thoughts and relections made me stop, think and go, "Hmmm."

Recently, while cleaning out a folder, I ran across a scrap of paper on which I'd scribbled a few of the sentiments Robinson had expressed on that particular program. Robinson's comment about Clinton (see above) struck me, not only because it was a view I shared, but also because I hadn't heard any other African American liberal or moderate, worthy of respect, express such. My notes on the Robinson interveiw also included the following two gems:

Leadership "Leaders are assigned for the convenience of people who dominate you."

Adoration "The school teacher we don't respect like we used to--the wealthy bandit, we adore."

Robinson's view on adoration is one that has serious implications, I think, not only in the world of politics, but also, increasingly, in the field of entertainment. But then again, I guess that really should come as no surprise. Historicially and across the board Americans appear to have a warped fascination with outlaws, gangsters and thugs.

From yesteryears' large than life Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Bonnie and Clyde and Al Capone to today's John Gotti, and his fiction-drawn cronies, Tony Montana (Scarface) and Tony Soprano we do seem to love us some ruthless, money-grubbing bad boys and gals. And don't let me forget all of the pimps and drug-dealers, the rouge preachers and politicians and the thieving CEO's who've taken up the mantle and become the real American Idols. Yeah, there's some thug-love out there, for real y'all . . .

But anyway, the following are a couple of other books by Randall Robinson that I hope to read one day and may, perhaps, be of some interest to some of you:

THE DEBT: WHAT AMERICA OWES TO BLACKS (2001) and

QUITTING AMERICA: THE DEPARTURE OF A BLACK MAN FROM HIS NATIVE LAND (Reprint 2004).

If you've read any of Mr. Robinson's books, feel free to express your opinion (whether good or bad) about what you read in the OSM's comment section. Also if you agree or disagree with his reflections about Clintion, leadership and/or adoration, please don't hesitate to share your views.