HAPPY BIRTHDAY . . . GRANDDADDY!!!

Edgar, Mae & Aunt Snooks

From Lori's Picture Collection

The handsome dude you see in the picture above is my grandfather, Edgar Hawkins. If you look closely, you'll notice not only is he standing in-between two nice-looking ladies (my grandmother & and my great aunt), but Ole Boy is holding a bottle of liquor in one hand and several bills in the other. This picture gives me a bit of insight into why another one of my grandmother's sisters tagged my Granddaddy with the nick-name "The Pimp." (LOL)

Today is my Granddaddy's 91st birthday! And I'll have you know, he's still

sound of mind, serves as an usher in his church, drives his own car, goes fishing and hunting, enjoys watching baseball and CNN and is still every bit of the character you see in the black and white picture above.

My grandfather was born in 1917 in Water Valley, Mississippi. He was the third of eight children produced by Alberta and Vernon Hawkins. He dropped out of school somewhere between the fourth and fifth grades and went to work in the saw mills. He served overseas in WWII and I'm mad at myself because I can't find his army picture (I'd fully intended to post it in this piece).

He played baseball in his youth and was decent enough to be scouted by a pro-team, but by the time the Jackie Robinson finally broke the color barrier, my grandfather was deemed too old to play.

After leaving the service, he eventually landed a postion, making crates at the Defense Depot in Memphis, a position he held until he retired in the '80s. Two of the highlights of his career while working at the Depot include, single-handedly filing a civil rights law suit against them in 1968, which he won (I do have the paper-work to prove it) and breaking the jaw of the White co-worker who made the mistake one day of calling Ed Hawkins out of his name (LOL). And for those of you who buy into all of those tv & hollywood sterotypes about murderous Southern White folks and scared Negroes, no my grandfather didn't get fired or run out of town or threatened with lynching for breaking his White co-worker's jaw. What he got when he returned to work the next day was standing ovation from his Black co-workers. Yeah, those are the stories from the Delta, ya'll don't hear . . .

Ed & My Son

From Lori's Picture Collection

Anyway, I think it's safe to say, I inherited a bit of my Granddaddy's hot temper (smile) and don't mess with me disposition. It takes a longer for mine to boil, but once I get there, oh, it's on, like pop-corn (LOL). I lived with my grandparents, off and one while I was a child and again, while intending college in Memphis. I am who I am, the good and the bad, because of them and I wouldn't have it any other way.

When the hubby and I finally settled down and bought a home in Memphis, we lived less than a 7 minute drive from my Granddaddy. As you can see from the picture above and the one below, the old dude proved a very capable baby-sitter. Of course based on the bill I see in my little boy's hand, I think he just might have picked up a little more from his great-grand than I thought or ever intended for him too (smile).

Ed and his great-grandson

From Lori's Picture Collection

So, I just wanted to send out a "Happy Birthday" shout-out to the Old Boy and congratulate him on reaching the grand old age of 91. . . not only because I love him and I want to honor him but because as one of Toni Cade Bambara's character's states in the short story, "My Man Bovanne"--

. . . "you gots to take care of the older folks . . . 'Cause old folks is the nation."

THURSDAY THIRTEEN #22 . . . 13 SIGNS OF A "FAKE" FRIEND . . .

Come on, we all have them right? Fake @$$ friends. You know, the type who . . .

1) is the first to show up at your house when it's time to eat, drink or party, but is no where to be found when you need help with a personal issue or a family crisis

2) smiles in your face while repeatedly dogging you behind your back or stabbing you all up in it

3) never has any money and always expects you to treat when you go out

4) is the last to congratulate you on your good fortune, but the first up in your face inquiring about the details when you have a mishap or misfortune

5) only calls or comes by when they need a favor or wanna borrow some money, your car or a kidney

6) typically gets all self-righteous and pi$$ed off when you don't take their advice

7) only hangs with you because they think you have money, influence or friends in high places and they need a "hook-up"

8) never thinks twice about wasting your time or inconveniencing you

9) routinely solicts your support on their projects and causes, but won't go out of their way to return the favor or even properly thank your a$$

10) consistently tells you what they think you want to hear, rather than the truth

11) will routinely standby in order to laugh, mock and ridicule when you get caught flubbing up or floundering about , rather than offer a hand or a word of encouragement

12) doesn't really know you, but insists on trying to make others think otherwise

13) NEVER apologizes or even feels the least bit guilty about doing any of the aforementioned.

Did I just about cover them all? So, which one of these really gets your goat? Do you have any others to add?

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THURSDAY THIRTEEN #21 . . . 13 CUSS-WORTHY MOMENTS I'm sorry, the footage of the female news anchor dropping the "F" bomb still cracks me up. Check her out HERE, (from Pop Culture Dish, Presented by Malcolm) if you dare. Okay, I'm not saying it's the RIGHT thing to do or the most INTELLIGENT or the most CREATIVE even, but at some point most of us have totally lost it and let fly with a choice word or two or three, or hell, even a whole slew of those bad boys. The following are some of the times, moments and occasions I've deemed particularly cuss-worthy . . .

1) When you stub your pinkie toe

2) When you owe the IRS

3) When you are giving birth, particularly if the baby is over 9 lbs and/or has a head as big as a three month old (**yes, I do know about this from experience**)

4) When some idiot driver does something that nearly causes you or someone else bodily harm or death

5) When you accidentally run upon a bad ass dog or even worse, a whole pack of those jokers

6) When you miss winning the lottery by one number

7) When someone is REALLY hitting your spot (don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about, LOL)

8) When you see another war widow, parent or loved one being passed an American flag

9) When your computer crashes

10) When you're suffering from a monster of a backache or a toothache

11) When someone you despise has outdone him/herself in being a royal pain in the a$$

12) When you can't stop dry heaving

13) When you're standing naked and alone in front of a full length mirror

Well, what the !&@$ are you waiting for? If you have something to add, by all means, be my guest (smile).

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WHAT ARE YOU READING? (A Lori Johnson Q & A)

Q: What was the last book you read?
A: A memoir by Melissa J. Delbridge entitled Family Bible.

Q: Is Delbridge an African American author?
A: No, she's a middle-aged White woman who grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and who currently resides in North Carolina.

Q: What made you want to read her work?
A: I read an excerpt from her memoir in Poets & Writers magazine. Her voice and her sense of humor jumped out at me. I like "southern" authors with unapologetically "southern" voices, like Rick Bragg, Ernest Gaines, Flannery O'Connor and Eudora Welty.

Q: Did you enjoy Family Bible?
A: Very much so. It was honest, funny, thought-provoking. The type of book you don't want to put down. I'd read her again in a heart-beat.

Q: So what's next on your reading list?
A: I just started Savoring The Salt, a collection of essays, reflections and writings on the legacy of Toni Cade Bambara, edited by Linda Janet Holmes and Cheryl A. Wall.

Q: Are you an admirer of Bambara's work?
A: Yes, but that's an understatement. I'm in awe of her work. Her collection of short stories, Gorilla, My Love is a literary masterpiece, in my humble opinion. I'd go as far as to say it ought to be required reading, particularly for African American adolescents. As a matter of fact, I plan on introducing my own son to some of the stories in Gorilla, My Love over the summer.

Q: What do you like most about the stories in Gorilla, My Love?

A: Again, first and foremost, it's all about the "voice." In Gorilla, Bambara captures the rhythms and the nuances of the African Amercian urban vernacular in a way that is almost magical. She breathes life into these characters by granting them the freedom to tell their own stories in their own voices.

Also, I love how the characters in Gorilla, My Love, most of them young Black girls and women, are cast as defiant, non-conforming and fearless, sheroes, rather than somebody's long-suffering victim. Rather than running from or being overcome by life's challenges, they confront them. And the truth spoken by these characters is most often delivered straight with no chaser, like, for instance, in "Raymond's Run," when the little girl known as Hazel observes that "girls never really smile at each other because they don't know how and don't want to know how and there's probably no one to teach us how, cause grown-up girls don't know either."

Q: So, what was the last fiction title you read?
A: You really want to know? A Diary of A Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules by Jeff Kinney.

Q: Isn't that a kid's book? Why would you read something like that?
A: Why not? (LOL) Actually, I bought it for my son. But on thumbing through it, I recognized it as the kind of book I would have enjoyed as a youngster. It was a fun, light-hearted, entertaining read. I guess you could say it spoke to my inner child. To be honest, I wouldn't mind writing something like that myself, one day (smile).

So tell me, if you feel like sharing, what are you reading? What have you read? What do you plan to read next?

THURSDAY THIRTEEN #20 . . . 13 ARETHA FAVORITES . . .

Aretha Franklin is another one of those artists who has produced so many great songs over the years, you hardly know where to start. The following are SOME of my favorite Queen of Soul songs. Feel free to add one or two of your own Aretha favorites in the comments, but try to mention something other than "Respect" (LOL).

1) A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel Like) / 1967

2) Make It With You / 1971 live at Filmore West version

3) Day Dreaming / 1972

4) Dr. Feelgood / 1967

5) Chain of Fools / 1967

6) Rock Steady / 1971

7) Call Me / 1970

8) I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You) / 1967

9) Do Right Woman-Do Right Man / 1967

10) Don't Play That Song / 1971 Live at Filmore West version

11) Spirit In The Dark / 1971 duet with Ray Charles that appeared on the "Aretha: Live at Filmore West" album/CD

12) Drown In My Own Tears / 1967

13) Baby, Baby, Baby / 1967

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ANOTHER LESSON IN . . . SOUTHERN EBONICS . . .

Are you ready for another lesson in Southern Ebonics? (If you missed it, here's a peek at the previous lesson). How many of the following words look familiar? If you think you know the definition of one or more of these words, let me see you use it/them in a sentence. Any takers? Any additions?

1) et

2) illy-formed

3) sweet milk

4) touched

5) coat or court

6) jack-leg

7) sap-sucker

8) pecker-wood

THURSDAY THIRTEEN #19 . . . 13 MUSICAL ACTS WITH MEMPHIS TIES . . .

My debut novel, After The Dance, is set in Memphis, TN and contains a number of musical references. Even though most of the acts I reference in the book aren't Memphis-based ones, I thought it might be fun to compile a list groups, singers and musicians with ties to the Memphis area. Let me know which ones you already knew and which ones you didn't.

1) Al Green (Has long made Memphis his home and also pastors a church there.)

2) Aretha Franklin (Was born in Memphis. Her father, the late Reverand C.L. Franklin, earned his degree from an institution I once attended and where I met my hubby, LeMoyne-Owen College.)

3) The Bar-Kays (Started at Memphis' Porter Jr. High School and rose to fame on the old Stax recording label.)

4) B.B. King (Got his start performing on Beale Street and was once a DJ at Memphis' own WDIA.)

5) Bobby Blue Bland (Last I heard, he lived in Germantown, a suburb of Memphis.)

6) Earth, Wind and Fire (Group leader, Maurice White once called Memphis home and if I'm not mistaken, honed his musical chops at Memphis' Booker T. Washington High School.)

7) Elvis Presley (Lived and Recorded in Memphis. His South Memphis "Graceland" home is one of the city's biggest tourist attractions.)

8) Isaac Hayes (Long made Memphis his home and once performed on the old Stax label.)

9) Kirk Whalum (Grew up in Memphis and recently moved back to the city.)

10) Otis Redding (Performed on the old Stax label, a Memphis-based record company.)

11) Rufus Thomas (Long called Memphis home, recorded for Stax and was a DJ for Memphis' WDIA.)

12) Three 6 Mafia (As much as I hate to say it, this group is a Memphis product)

13) The Sylvers (All of the big afro-wearing members of this group were born in Memphis and got their start there before they moved to Cali.)

Did you find any surprises on this list? Can you name any other musical artists with ties to Memphis, TN?

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HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

Nana & Baby Boy

from Lori's

Picture Collection

Give somebody's mama a big hug, why dontcha?!

APPRECIATING TALENT . . . AND KNOWING GENIUS WHEN YOU SEE IT . . .

The American Masters documentary on Marvin Gaye, which aired on PBS the other night, reminded me of an article I'd read and saved from the Charlotte Observer, a couple of Sunday's ago (4-27-08). The article, written by Mark Price, wasn't about Marvin, per se, but about the man responsible for the stunning, "What's Going On" album cover, Curtis McNair.

Mr. McNair designed most of Motown's covers between 1968 and 1972. His work includes the cover for Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," Smokey Robinson's, "Tears of A Clown," Diana Ross and the Supremes' "Love Child" and "Some Day We'll Be Together," and The Temptation's, "Puzzle People" (one of my personal favorites).

But when it comes to the album cover in which Mr. McNair takes the most pride, it is, of course, Gaye's "What's Going On." Released in 1971, the album is considered a musical masterpiece by many. The lyrics and music penned, produced and song by Gaye, dealt with drug abuse, poverty, the ecology, spirituality, racism and the war in Vietnam.

The photo on the album cover, which was taken in Gaye's backyard, only adds to the beauty and the impact of the work. It's a headshot of Marvin with the collar of his black, leather coat raised and flecks of water and sleet dotting his face and hair.

Interestingly enough, the executive in charge of McNair's department, expressed an intense dislike of the photo. The executive's reaction is even more interesting in light of Motown head, Berry Gordy's own initial refusal to release, "What's Going On" as a single, because he saw it as too political and uncommercial. From what I gathered from watching the American Masters documentary, Gordy wasn't keen on Marvin making a serious, political record period.

Isn't it fascinating how often in their quest to reel in those extra dollars or in their blind certainty about "what works and what doesn't" the gate-keepers in the business world sometimes totally miss both the beauty and the "bigger picture?" (LOL)

If you'd like to learn more about Curtis McNair, check out the April 27, 2008 Charlotte Observer article by Mark Price, "Designed, sealed, delivered."

101 EXCUSES FOR WHY YOU CAN'T WRITE . . . RIGHT NOW . . .

One of my favorite essays about "writing" was penned by the Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist, Regina Brett. If you're "thinking" about writing, but you aren't sure how to start, I'd advise you to read her essay "Words are free. Write. No excuses" and really take it to heart. More than likely, you will see one or more of the excuses you've used or continue to use as a convenient cop-out. Deep down, you probably already know this--but you're really not fooling or hurting anyone, besides yourself (smile).

Want a short course on how not to write? The following are some of my favorite bits and pieces from Brett's essay . . .

**Watch hours of mindless TV.

**Visit a chat room of writers.

**Answer the phone everytime it rings.

**Fret over whether it's who or whom, lie or lay, its or it's . . .

**Agonize over whether to use colons or semi-colons.

**Recall every bad writing grade you ever got.

**Replay scenes in your head of every teacher who ever criticized your work.

**Get your doctorate in creative writing first.

**Find the right writers group.

**Wait until you get over your fear of rejection or fear of success.

**Complain that it's too hot, too cold, too muggy or too nice outside to write.

**Analyze every idea before you write the first sentence.

**Use only big words to impress people.

**Sign up for another writer's conference instead of actually writing.

**Look for affirmation from everyone around you.

**Waste time envying other writers who have it so easy.

**Edit as you go. Check the rules of grammer and punctuation before you finish every paragraph.

**Talk about your ideas so much that even you lose interest.

**Wait until you have children.

**Wait until your children stop teething, finish soccer season, go off to college.

**Wait until you go on vacation.

**Wait until you retire.

**Wait until you find your muse.

**Wait until you feel inspired . . .

You get the point? Like I said, read the entire piece; it's more than worth your while. Besides, aren't you in need of yet another excuse not to write anyway? (LOL) If any of these sound familiar, feel free to comment.

ADDITIONS, TWEAKS & A BONUS STORY . . .

Have you noticed any of the changes around here? In the past few days and weeks, I've made a few additions, adjustments and tweaks here and there.

My capable and extremely patient web designer, SheliaRenee of N'Digo Design, recently added a bonus short story to my official website. The story, "Put On Some Marvin" is one that first appeared in the Emrys Journal several years ago. I ran an excerpt of it in the Old School Mix, but the full text is HERE. Would you like to know what folks have been saying about After The Dance? If so, go to my web site and check out the new list of blurbs and reviews SheliaRenee (N'Digo Design) put together for me.

On the sidebar (to your right), here at the OSM, I've added a few new items as well. If you're interested in knowing more about me, you might want to take a peek at some of my recent interviews under the "Author Q & A" header. If you want to know where you might meet me and/or pick up a signed copy of After The Dance, the list beneath the "Upcoming Appearances & Signings" header is a good place to start.

TODAY'S CULTURE OF CELEBRITY . . . AND ALL THAT CRAP . . .

"I've always thought there are two kinds of celebrities. There are people who really want to be celebrities. There are other people who want to be good at their craft. The ones who want to be famous are the ones who you hear about all the time. The ones who are studying and honing their craft have to do that out of the spotlight. You can't learn anything when you're out (in the spotlight) all the time."

Johnny Mathis (The Charlotte Observer, April 25, 2008)

Outside of the Old School Mix, I really didn't tell a lot of people about my recent television appearance. Make no mistake, I told those who didn't already know about the book (After The Dance) and shared with them all of the details about the two signings I had scheduled while in Memphis. But the TV and radio stuff, I left to others, like my proud hubby who called up just about everybody and their mama's (LOL).

Those who know me well understand that I'm fully content being in the background. I have no real desire to be in front of the somebody's camera or even behind somebody's mike (my dream of being a DJ fizzled a long time ago). I'm more than willing to step aside and leave the place on the stage marked as "the center of attention" to the more spotlight hungry.

Ain't it funny how those things you enjoy the least, often seem hell-bent on chasing you down? When I worked at the public library in Memphis, seemed like somebody was always sticking a camera in my face: on one occasion, I had to do an impromptu TV promo for the library's Magazines/Newspapers department and on another, I had to do a televised spot for an African American film festival I'd helped coordinate.

Shortly after my son learned that I was going to be on television, he struck up a loud chant of, "Mama's gonna be famous! Mama's gonna be famous!" Every couple of hours, he'd break into another round and finally I asked him, "Are you still gonna love Ole Moms even if she isn't famous?" Of course, being a good son, who loves regular meals, clean clothes and on-call chauffering, his answer was a resounding, "Yes!" (LOL)

I suppose, among other things, the point I'm trying to make is, I love writing and certainly, I love it all the more when folks find what I write entertaining and enjoybable. But I've never had a desire to be thought of as famous or a celebrity. I've never set as my goal "getting rich" from my work. Now, I would love to see some of my work on the big screen, but the satisfaction I would derive from doing so doesn't necessarily have a dollar sign or a certain number of zeroes attached to it. Sorry, if that disappoints, but I'm just simple like that (pun intended *smile*).

A lot of what I despise about today's arts scene (whether literary, theatrical, musical or otherwise) is the whole "15 minutes of fame" and "everybody's entitled or dang well oughta wanna be a star" notion. Bump that. Rather than doing some of everything (whether legal or illegal; moral or immoral; outrageous or just outright dumb) in order to draw attention to themselves, I really wish more folks (both artists and non-artists) would follow the advice shared in the quote above. Obviously, it's worked well for the 72-year-old crooner, known as Johnny Mathis. He's been in the game for fifty-two years and he's still going strong. Not only does he still perform, he can still draw a decent size crowd.

Think about some of today's more popular singers, writes, musicians, actors and the like. Who, among them, will still have a viable career, be in their right minds or even drawing a breath in the land of the living ten to fifteen years from now? Of course, nothing's promised and anyone of us could get hit by a bus tomorrow. Moreover, a lot of today's youngsters wouldn't know Johnny M. or likely be at all impressed by him, even if he turned up butt-naked on their favorite reality show, but I'm just saying . . .

LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX, BABY . . .

Uh-huh, got your attention, didn't I? (smile). Shame on you. You know good and well it's NOT that kind of party up in here (LOL). Okay, I do want to talk about sex in literature and more specifically, your preferences as far as what you might consider too much or too little; too explicit or not explicit enough.

I've been amused by some of the comments folks have been making about After The Dance as far as the love scenes are considered. (What?! Your book contains love scenes?!) Ah, yeah, it is a love story and one called AFTER The Dance, no less . . . Anyway, folks appear to be falling into one of two camps when it comes to their thoughts on the matter--either the book wasn't quite steamy enough for them OR they found it a bit too steamy.

Personally, I don't think the book is steamy at all. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the hottest, I'd rate it about a 4-5. Really. But then, I've read a lot, seen a lot, done a . . . (LOL). Okay, let me stop. After The Dance is a humorous look at love, and do note the emphasis on humor, as opposed to anything hot and/or heavy. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the novel contains a total of two make-out scenes and two love scenes, none of which, in my view, are terribly explicit or contain details of a graphic nature.

Yet and still, I've informed my own young'n that he's to go nowhere near this particular novel until he's at least sixteen. Of course, if he's anything like me, I'm sure by age sixteen he will have snuck and read all of the so-called juicy parts and, if he's so inclined, moved onto trashier and nastier things (LOL). Forgive me y'all, I'm just a realist when it comes to certain things.

I'm sure I'll get plenty of flack for saying this, but IMHO, a lot of today's so-called urban-lit and/or erotica is really porn with a loose plot thrown in for good measure. Hey, the market is what it is and I, for one, believe GROWN FOLKS have a right to read whatever it is they enjoy, be it porn or poetry and without a whole lot of snide commentary from the ivory-tower thriving, self-appointed book police. But the other truth is, I'm not interested in writing porn, poetry, urban-lit, street-lit, chick-lit or romance. (What?! I thought After The Dance was a romance novel?!) Ah, NO, even though I often describe it as a "romantic comedy," I view it as a love story, NOT a romance, in the traditional sense. There is a difference.

So what say you? Do you think today's literature contains too much sex? If you do, what, in your opinion, is too much sex? (too much emphasis? too many scenes? too many details? way too graphic?) Are you satisfied (no pun intended *smile*) with the amount of sex in the books you read?

If you've had a chance to read After The Dance, what did you think about the love scenes? Did you find them too steamy? Not steamy enough? Did you think there were too many scenes of the "hot & bothered" variety? Would you have liked to have seen more?

The floor is now open. Feel free to discuss . . .

MORE SIGNINGS FOR AFTER THE DANCE . . . NEXT STOP CHARLOTTE!

See below for details of upcoming signings in Charlotte for the month of May.

Me, Ayo, Martin & Tam

at Davis-Kidd signing in Memphis

From Lori's Picture Collection

April 2008

On Saturday May 10, 2008 from 2:00-3:00, I will be signing copies of my debut novel, After The Dance, at Park Road Books (located in the Park Road Shopping Center, 4193 Park Road ) in Charlotte, N.C.

On Friday, May 16 from 12:00-1:30, I will be signing copies of my debut novel, After The Dance, at Joseph-Beth Booksellers (located in the Southpark Mall, 4345 Barclay Downs Drive) in Charlotte, N.C.

I'm waiting on confirmation of an additional signing in Charlotte for May. I'll keep you posted.

PART TWO . . . MORE FAVORITE PICS AND PEEPS FROM THE MEMPHIS BOOKSIGNINGS FOR AFTER THE DANCE . . .

Da Handsome Nephews who insisted

on taking a picture with their "auntie" Da Author.

From Lori's Picture Collection

April 2008

Lori & Cousins.

From Lori's Picture's Collection

April 2008

Holding the book is my cousin Punkin who no longer

wants to be called Punkin (LOL). Next to me is my cousin Joyce, who looks

like she could be my sister rather than Punkin's (smile).

From Lori's Picture Collection

April 2008

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Me and my Cool Cousin Mike, who recently earned

his MPD major's badge.

From Lori's Picture Collection

April 2008

One of my Memphis neighbors.

From Lori's Picture Collection

April 2008

One of these young'uns took quite a few of the pictures at

his Mama's signing. From Lori's Picture Collection

April 2008

Me at the end of a long day.

From Lori's Picture Collection

(April 2008)

SOME OF MY FAVORITE PICTURES AND PEEPS . . . FROM THE MEMPHIS BOOK SIGNINGS . . . (Part I)

Okay, so it's like this--I could stand to lose 30-40 . . . okay possibly even 50 lbs and probably ditch as well what one of my good friends calls the "holiday hair" (LOL), but you know, it is what it is. As my friend Charlotte told me once a long time ago, the folks who really love and care about you are always going to see past all of that.

Also, let me apologize ahead of time to those whose picture didn't make it into this blog piece. Really, there were just too many of y'all. I'll try to include you the next time out.

Pictures from the Davis-Kidd Signing for After The Dance

from Lori's Picture Collection

April 2008

Me and one of of my best sister-friends, Charlotte.

Me and Joy, the romance-reading friend from the library

who helped inspire the creation of After The Dance.

Me and Cathy, a friend who worked in Magazines & Newspapers with me back in the day.

Lori and The Always Cool Griff at The Davis-Kidd Signing.

Pictures from the Barnes & Noble Signing of After The Dance

from Lori's Pciture Collection

April 2008

Me And My G0-to-Guy Michael at the Barnes & Noble Signing in Memphis.

April 2008

Katie, a friend from my Memphis public library days.

Karen, one of my very first fans from back in the day (smile).

A new fan

Wait, is the line to the door?

Me and some members from my old church in Memphis.

From Lori's Picture Collection

April 2008

THE MEMPHIS BOOK SIGNINGS . . . FOR AFTER THE DANCE . . . WOW!

On Saturday, April 12, 2008, I held two signings for my debut novel, After The Dance. More than 50 folks showed up at both events--approximately 51 at the first one and 58 at the second. According the my calculations, close to 100 (99) copies of After The Dance were sold and signed within the span of 4 hours.

Forgive me for being glib, but really I have to say this to the bookseller who declined to arrange a signing of my book at his store because in his words, Memphis isn't a big enough town for two launch parties . . . What the?! Who said anything about?! Anyway, maybe, just maybe what's lacking in size Mr. Bookseller Ole Boy is your vision. Free your mind and your @$$ just might follow (LOL).

In any case, there are a few things I will definitely do differently the next time out. We actually ran out of books at the 2nd signing--something which could have been easily avoided, but that's all right. Like I said, now that I know who's willing to work with me and who's not . . . (LOL).

Hey, it was and is still all good (smile). Approximately 20 minutes into the 2nd affair when it looked like we were about to run out of books, my quick thinking niece and sister-in-law called the bookstore at the mall across the street. On locating another ready supply, they went and bought a handful and brought them back over for me to sign. A couple of other folks did the same. Wow! How's that for being "resourceful?" You've gotta love it, dontcha? Shortly after that little stunt, another boxful of my books suddenly materialized (LOL).

A great big ole shout out to everyone who bought a book and/or in some way lent their time, energy and support to making the launch of my debut novel in Memphis a success. Thanks for helping me prove that Memphians of all racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds will turn out and support a sister who dares hold two book signings at two different venues on one day (smile).

A FEW MEMPHIS SHOUT-OUTS . . .

According to mama 'nem and all of the other folks who called me afterward, my News Channel 3 TV interview went over well.

Shout-out to Channel 3's Marybeth and Chris for making me feel so comfortable and inviting me in the first place. Gotta love the Memphis love.

Big shout-out to my North Memphis confidante, Dee-Dee (aka, my hair dresser of over twenty years). My hair is much longer than the picture posted on my blog and I really can't do much with it. But not only did Dee-Dee hook my hair up on short notice, the day before my interview, she came down to the studio (on her day off) the morning of my TV appearance and worked some more of her magic. Thanks girlfriend. Like I said, ain't nothing like that Memphis love.

Shout-outs are most definitely in order for my cousin from Philly, Mary, who keeps trying to get me to come up there for a book signing. She bought 10 copies of After The Dance and has her book club reading it. I keep telling her, next year, I'm trying to do my Southern thang at the moment, but she's not trying to hear it (LOL).

A couple of other multiple copy shout-outs are due for my friend Alice Faye and one of my Mama's friends, Ms. Alfredia. My girl Alice bought 7 copies and passed them on to friends and relatives and Ms. Alfredia said she was looking to purchase 2o. What can I say? Actions like those from folks who aren't even blood kin, can only be called blessings. Thanks y'all.

Shout-out to my cousin Michael who works for the Memphis City Police Department and who got promoted to Major on yesterday. You looked good up there, boy, getting pinned with that badge. Now when are you gonna show up on 48 hours? (LOL).

Shout-out to the University of Memphis Tigers who came SO close. That's all right guys. Y'all played hard, did your best and represented the city well. No matter how many professional sports teams Memphis gets, thanks to the Tigers, it's always gonna be a big college basketball town. Go Tigers! Go!

My last shout-out for the day goes to Naysue of black girl lost in a book fame who inspired this particular post (smile). On my previous post, she asked a question in jest that lead to today's list of thanks. Check out her blog sometime if you haven't done so yet. She does an excellent job when it comes to shining a spotlight on those books, writers and works that all too often fall under the radar.

I do have a few "gas-face" awards I'd like to handout to a few folks whose behavior has been of the trifling sort, but I'm gonna save those until I'm back in Charlotte. I'm not trying to have folks show up at my Mama's house looking to issue me a beat-down, verbal or otherwise (LOL).

YOU WANNA SEE ME . . . ON TV? HEAR ME ON THE RADIO?

Well, those who live in the Memphis television viewing area might very well want to check out News Channel 3's Live at 9 at the Peabody Place in Downtown Memphis on April 8th between 8:30-10:00 am.

Hey, I'm also finally going to make my big radio debut. No, I won't be d-jaying (smile). I have been scheduled for an interview on WYPL, the Memphis public library's radio station. (See here for details). The interview takes place this Friday at 11:00am and is open to the public, but won't air until sometime this June.

Hope to see you at one of the booksignings in Memphis on Saturday, April 12th. Again, I'll be at Barnes & Noble on Winchester between 11:00 am -1:00 pm and at the Bistro in Davis-Kidd from 3pm-5pm.

THE SHOT THAT KILLED MLK . . . CAME FROM . . .

The shot that killed Martin Luther King came from

this building.

(from Lori's picture collection)

King: A Few reflections about his death & A few facts about his life

Just about everyone has seen the photo of the distraught folks standing on the balcony of the Lorriane Motel in the minutes after King's assassination. The building above is where they're pointing. A portion of the building, including the room where James Earl Ray allegedly stayed is open to folks who pay the price of admission to the National Civil Rights Museum (Memphis, TN).

Last year, I wrote a piece on King and my experience of his death in Memphis. It's one of my more serious pieces and I'm actually rather proud of it. See here, if you 'd like to read it: "Memphis & Martin & The Inheritance of A Dream"

Also, checkout PJazzy's "Thursday Thirteen" facts about Martin Luther King.