Monday, January 30, 2006

SUCH A GIRL: Interview with Author Karen Siplin!



One thing I love about your novels is the main characters are very universal. Yes, they feature African American young women in the title roles; however, the stories do not center around the character's race, but the character's "person," her, if you will, "character". How important is it to you, or is it important to you, to write stories that are universal?

In my first novel, His Insignificant Other, I explore insecurity and competition between women. In Such a Girl, I explore class and social status in modern times. These issues are important to me, and I believe they're universal because so many women struggle with them on a daily basis. People have made broad, sweeping statements about my work like: No black woman would ever react to a situation the way Casey or Kendall reacted and I think, What qualifies you to say such a thing? Have you met every black woman in the world? Are we individuals? Well, here's your chance to meet and, hopefully, get to know a black woman different from the black women in your immediate circle. In my next novel, Whiskey Road: a love story, race plays a much larger role than it has in my previous books. But the issues of searching for a place to belong and being a woman strong enough to make her own choices no matter how dangerous or unpopular those choices may be are still universal.



What CDs are currently in rotation in your personal CD player?

Everything by Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen, and Nina Simone. I'm also very much into the latest album from soul pioneer Solomon Burke called "Don't Give Up On Me." Buy this. It is terrific. And every night before I fall asleep, I listen to either celtic artist Loreena McKennitt's "The Book of Secrets" or composer and pianist Wim Mertens' magnificent and unusual album "a man of no fortune, and with a name to come." As you can see, I have very eclectic taste in music.



As an African American writer who writes more "mainstream" than the street/urban lit that is so popular today, have you had trouble (in the past, present) trying to win people over, to pitch your novels' possible success?

Not really. Readers of street/urban lit have a certain expectation when they open a novel, as do readers of horror, paranormal romance and literary fiction. While I would love to win over readers of other genres, I understand my work doesn't speak to everyone. I think my readership has always consisted of women who prefer mainstream/commercial fiction. I may find myself trying to win them over when I branch out and write other things in the future. ::smile::



What are your three guilty pleasures?

Werewolves, Little House on the Prairie, and Emilio Estevez.



As a successful, published author, what three pieces of advice would you offer to aspiring-to-be-published authors?

Read everything from poetry to memoir to short stories and plays. Take a writing course with an author you enjoy and respect. And learn as much as possible about your craft and the publishing business before you jump into it.



What do you do on a CHILL day...considering you have a day to relax, LOL?


To relax and get away from the realities of the world, I usually head over to my parents' place to watch television in my old bedroom. I also love to open a couple of bottles of good wine with a friend and eat, drink, and gossip all day.



I saw that Atria picked up your third novel, WHISKEY ROAD: A LOVE STORY. Congrats! Can you tell us a bit about it?

Thank you! I'm very excited about it. In Whiskey Road: a love story, the relationship between a black city girl and a white small town boy takes a dark turn in rural New York post 9/11. The idea came from my own desire to leave New York City after the government unveiled the color-coded warning system and I realized the threat of another terrorist attack in Manhattan would never go away. I started thinking about my options and decided finding a quaint town to live in could be a very difficult task for a black woman raised in a city.



What is the one thing that makes you feel the most feminine, and why?

I guess dressing up. (And when I say "dressing up" I mean a nice pantsuit. I rarely wear skirts and I never wear dresses.) I only own one expensive pantsuit and I can say well-made clothing feels terrific against my skin, and makes me feel pretty and confident.



You have a short story in the anthology THIS IS CHICK LIT coming out this year. Do you think your work falls into the chick lit genre? If so, why?

His Insignificant Other and Such a Girl are definitely chick lit. They're commercial, mainstream novels about imperfect urban women struggling with jobs they hate and men they aren't sure they can have. Neither Casey nor Kendall work in publishing, but they do have the requisite gay best friend! My story in This Is Chick Lit is called "Nice Jewish Boy." It's about the only black woman at a bris. I had a lot of fun writing it.



Dream-on: You've been given greenlighted to do ANY creative project you want. What project would it be?

I still have big dreams to do something in the film or TV world and would love to write and direct a thriller. There's a scene in the movie "Return to Paradise" between Anne Heche and Jada Pinkett that soared and I've always wanted to write a script for them. I think they'd be terrific in a thriller or suspense movie together. I'd pair them with two of my favorite actors: Don Cheadle and Eric Bana. Maybe that will be my next project goal!


To check out more about Karen and her AWESOME books, check out her website: http://www.karensiplin.com!

Sunday, January 22, 2006

Busy Little Bee who Thinks Too Much

That's me. School started last week, and I've been busy building courses and material as well as editing work for The Nubian Chronicles and SisterDivas magazines. BTW, as of, like NOW, both magazines are live with their WINTER 2006 ISSUES, and both of them are WONDERFUL. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the submissions.

Despite being busy with school and magazines, I've been thinking a lot about my writing. I love to write. I feel like it's my calling. For several reasons, some of which I've discussed on here before, I cannot seem to get back in through the door of the publishing industry, so I am beginning to make other plans in order to realize my dream. No one should ever have a dream deferred because of someone else's thoughts and notions. One should always pursue his or her goals with vigor, and that's what I plan to do in 2006.

Right now, I know that sounds MYSTERIOUS, but rest assured, when things become solidified on my end, I will let you all know.

Be on the lookout of another GREAT interview with one of my fave female authors. It's sure to be a treat and learning experience, :-)

Til later.

Friday, January 20, 2006

SisterDivas Magazine - Winter 2006 Newsletter

SisterDivas Magazine - Where REAL Women Congregate
http://www.sisterdivasmagazine.com


QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
WINTER 2006 (January - March)
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TO SUBSCRIBE TO SD Quarterly Newsletter/Magazine and
discussion, send an e-mail to
sisterdivas-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Copyright 1999 - 2006

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CONTENTS

**BIG NEWS**
*Josie Okuly releases new novella*
**Interviews with Women Writers**
1) MEDIA
2) TOTAL BODY
3) FEATURE
4) RELATIONSHIPS
5) J-O-B
6) BUZZWORTHY
7) CONTACT US!

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**BIG NEWS**


Two big things:

1) SD will have a BLOG counterpart coming at the end of January.
The blog will offer additional interviews, articles, and much more
relating to women.

2) SD for TEENS will be coming in the Spring 2006 issue of SD.
Though Tonya and Shon will be overseeing the SD for TEENS project,
teen newcomer, Jasmine Tompkins will be handling content for the
section. More information to come SOON about SD for TEENS.


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*JOSIE OKULY RELEASES NEW NOVELLA*


Author Josie Okuly (http://www.JosieAOkuly.net) releases her new
novella, TRIMAGON HALL. In the story, Isabella Trenton arrives
at Trimagon Hall intent on discovering the truth behind her
cousin’s mysterious death. Isabella finds herself attracted to
the handsome Trimagon brothers even though one, or both of them,
might be involved in the incident. Trimagon Hall is a place of
dark legends and mysterious, brooding men. Will Isabella discover
its secrets before she loses everything, including her life?

::EXCERPT::

The air around me seemed charged, and I felt I might burst into
flames if I stood at the window for another moment. Lightning
streaked across the sky, illuminating the sea. In that second
of illumination, the amber glow became apparent for what it was:
a translucent, shimmering eye with an obsidian-colored pupil in
its center. A second flash of lightning revealed a scaly, gray
mass which rose out of the water and then plunged back into the
dark abyss in one fluid movement. The monster disappeared under
the surface of the sea and vanished into the briny void.

I might have stood paralyzed at the window, staring out at the sea
for the remainder of the night, if not for the hands which suddenly
encircled my throat and held me in a grip I could not escape. I
clawed at my attacker, but I could not wrest myself from his hands
as he squeezed the life from my body, my lungs robbed of oxygen.
Darkness closed in on me. In a mindless panic, I grabbed for the
curtains as the intruder lifted me off my feet and began pushing
my body out the window.

For more information, head to Chippewa Publishing at:
http://chippewapublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=80!


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**INTERVIEWS WITH WOMEN WRITERS**


ChickLitGurrl :: Musings of a SOON-TO-BE Bestseller is a great
blog to check out interviews with well-known women writers. CLG
has interviewed

* Lauren Baratz-Logsted & Melissa Senate
* Reon Laudat
* Alesia Holliday
* Jennifer O'Connell
* Jen Lancaster
* Bernice McFadden
* Gena Showalter
* Danyel Smith
* Carly Phillips

To check out the interviews, CLG at
http://chicklitgurrl.blogspot.com. On the right hand side of
the blog, there is a list titled AUTHOR INTERVIEWS!


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1) MEDIA


This issue of SD has great articles and interviews pertaining to
what's going on in books, TV, and music.


INTERVIEW :: Erotic romanc novelist, BELLA ANDRE
>Excerpt<
ON WHY EROTIC ROMANCE--I've found that my voice is well suited to
sexy premises and characters. I stumbled onto the genre via other
authors who were writing erotic romance already, but once I gave it
a shot, I found it to be good fit for my skills. As one reviewer
said, my books are "Scorchingly sexy and emotionally gripping."


INTERVIEW :: Essence best-selling novelist, ReShonda Tate Billingsley
>Excerpt<
ON WHY YOU NEED TO BUY HER LATEST BOOK--Chances are, you'll see one
of your relatives in these pages - whether you want to admit it or
not.


ARTICLE :: A Matter of Dis/Respect by Cheris Hodges
>What's it about?<
The exploitation of women (and some of their acceptance of it) in
hip hop videos.


ARTICLE :: The MySpace Women of Rock! by Kim Praven-Henderson
>What's it about?<
One of the hottest places for creative women to promote their
art--MySpace.com.


ARTICLE :: The World according to Fantasia by Tonya Howard
>What's it about?<
Feature on the life of American Idol Winner, Fantasia.


FEATURE :: A Few Good Men on TV
>What's it about?<
SD spotlights some of the GOOD (and by good we mean yummy!) men
of television.


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2) TOTAL BODY


HEALTH ARTICLE :: New Years New U by Madison Chase
>What's it about?<
Taking serious steps to get yourself in shape and healthy for
the new year.


FASHION FEATURE :: Staying HOT during the Winter by Tarez Tompkins
>What's it about?<
Great suggestions on how to look HOT during the cold of winter!


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3) FEATURE


Last time, in episode #3, Campbell was wholly and truly swept off
her feet by Christian and the sensual poem he dedicated to her.
Her fanciful thoughts were heightened more when Christian asked to
spend his last hours in Baltimore with her…and only her.

NOW, in episode #4, it’s Campbell’s birthday, and she must suffer
through a long, tedious day of literary conference sessions before
she can get her ultimate birthday gift…an evening with Christian.


::Excerpt from The Misadventures of a SBF::

Episode #4

"Would it be too embarrassing for you if I kissed you right here,
right now…a small birthday kiss?"

My eyes widened as I chastised myself for wearing such a thin tee.
I knew with one more word from Christian, I would be too perky for
this top.

"Just one," he continued. "I'll savor it all day. I figure we'll
be running around all day. I won't get to see you much until
tonight."

Tonight. Thankfully I was sitting down because I felt faint just
thinking about tonight. I looked around, from left to right,
spotting September over at the buffet table talking to Janeane.
I could see them making eyes our way. I tried to ignore them. I
glanced back at Christian who awaited my answer with a devilish
smirk. His lips looked like silk they were so smooth.

"One kiss," I whispered, feeling like I was about to do something
naughty. Christian smiled at me before leaning in, his lips scantily
close to mine.

"I won't be able to kiss you like I really want to," he said, "but
this will have to do…for now." My eyes widened as his lips touched
mine, and like last night, I moaned, the feeling of his lips on mine
indescribable. His tongue parted my lips quickly, allowing him to
caress my tongue before exiting.


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4) RELATIONSHIPS


ARTICLE :: Five Personality Traits to Avoid by Shelia M Goss
>What's it about?<
We are all looking for our soul mate, and in this article, Shelia
Goss alerts us to those who may give us warts.


COLUMN :: Dear ReRe
>What's on tap?<
ReRe answers questions dealing with feuding best friends, cheating
husbands, and dealing with unrequited feelings on the job.


FEATURE :: Getting in My Own Way by Nicole A. Jefferson
>What's it about?<
A piece on learning to get through and over past relationships
in order to find love again.


FEATURE :: Ten Ways to Say I Love You
>What's it about?<
With Valentine's Day right around the corner, we offer up ten
unique and loving ways to let your love bunny know how much you
care!


FEATURE :: 10 Quick Tips on How to Keep Your Love Lasting by Toi
Moore
>What's it about?<
Celebrity author Toi Moore and her husband Earth, Wind & Fire
guitarist, Gregory Moore offer tips on how to keep the love
in your relationship.


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5) J-O-B


COLUMN :: To the Write Path
>What's on tap?<
Aspiring published author Amanda Hubbard continues her publishing
industry with some POSITIVE NEWS!


INTERVIEW :: Heather Covington, interviewed by Nicole Stevenson
>What's it about?<
Stevenson interviews Heather Covington, CEO/Founder of Disilgold
Soul Magazine Online (http://www.disilgold.com), the nation’s
largest infusionary online network and home of YOUnity Reviewers
Guild of America.


INTERVIEW/ARTICLE :: Loretta White
>What's it about?<
SD sits down with Loretta White, owner of White Houze Productions;
Loretta tells us about her company and the hard work it takes to
balance home life with work AT home.


ARTICLE :: Top Ten Tips for African Americans Who Want to be Prepared
to Face the Highly Competitive Law School Admissions Process by
Evangeline M. Mitchell, J.D., Ed.M.
>What's it about?<
Applying to law school is a tedious process; let Evangeline M.
Mitchell help knock some of the stress out the way for you in this
article.


ARTICLE/INTERVIEW :: Young, Powerful, and Determined: Tamika
Johnson
>What's it about?<
At just 25, Tamika Johnson is an amazing go-getter, and she
talks with us about her goals, her journey, and her passion to
help other women improve their lots in life.


ARTICLE :: Passion in Your Career: It’s Out There by Teresa
Appleton-Lutz
>What's it about?<
Teresa, the founder and CEO of TradeLogic, LLC, writes about
her passions for her job and for her family.


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6) BUZZWORTHY


You will definitely want to check out our HOT picks for books,
CDs, TV shows, and movies this month!

Do you have a book, CD, TV show, DVD, anything media worthy
that you would like us to consider for BUZZWORTHINESS? Check
out our CONTACT page at
http://www.sisterdivasmagazine.com/contactus.html to find
more information.


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7) CONTACT INFORMATION


To contact SisterDivas regarding submissions or other inquiries,
please e-mail us at sisterdivas@intothespotlight-inc.com.

We work hard to answer ANY and ALL e-mails as quickly as
possible.

Sunday, January 08, 2006

Flirting with Authors Lauren Baratz-Logsted and Melissa Senate - INTERVIEW!

In the Fall/Winter of 2005, I received the book FLIRTING WITH PRIDE & PREJUDICE, a collection of essays that discuss Jane Austen's most-loved classic. Two of the contributors happen to be favorite authors of mine, Lauren Baratz-Logsted (The Thin Pink Line, Crossing the Line, A Little Change of Face) and Melissa Senate (See Jane Date, The Solomon Sisters Wise Up, Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?), so I decided to sit down with them and talk a bit about the collection and chick lit.




Lauren Baratz-Logsted


I really enjoyed your essay; I think what strikes me is the balance you provide in the piece. There are those in the literati who bad mouth Chick Lit, and there are writers of the genre who are helping to perpetuate the bad mouthing. In the essay, you discuss how, in Elizabeth, Austen offers the reader a formidable, headstrong female character and how though the "Darcy" character seems to remain constant in modern stories, the "Elizabeth" character, in many instances, has been dumbed down. What, do you think, contributes to this dumbing down...and inevitably, the acceptability of the trend in the female character?

That's probably a bigger question than my small intelligence can answer, but I do think there is an occasionally unfortunate perception on the part of publishers that readers are none too bright and that if characters are too bright, the reader will become alienated. One of the misperceptions about Chick-Lit is that they feature Everywoman "girl next door" types. And yet my own books feature women you would never want to live next door to but who are also highly educated and, for some strange reason, people seem to be buying the books and some of those people even seem to be enjoying them.


For as long as I can remember, there has been a huge chasm between genre (commercial fiction) and literary fiction, with commercial fiction (albeit it, making more money) receiving the short end of the stick. Do you think this rift between chick lit and 'literati' is a simple extension of that, or do you think there are additional reasons behind the disdain (of some people) for this genre?

I think the rift runs deeper than that; I think it has to do with Chick-Lit being primarily for, about and by women, and that somehow this earns these books a less than status in the eyes of the world. And while literary and commercial writers may be at war with one another in other areas, I can't imagine a collection of stories titled These Are Not Mysteries or This Is Not Science Fiction. On the other hand, back in April an item appeared on the online industry newsletter Publisher's Lunch about a forthcoming collection entitled This Is Not Chick Lit; in other words, a collection where the contributors are defining themselves by what they are not. As a response, I'm editing a collection of 18 stories for BenBella Books called This Is Chick Lit, which will be published in Fall 2006.


In your essay, you do a bit of self-promoting of one of your latest projects: Chick-Lit: A Love Story. Having read your essay, having read your works, and having read, via various avenues, your thoughts on the industry and the Chick Lit genre, I can't help but wonder if there is a double meaning behind the title; is there a romance? Is there a love affair with chick lit? Both? Neither? Tell us a bit about this upcoming project.

First, I should say that Chick-Lit: A Love Story is not currently on any publishers' shedules. I have two more books coming from Red Dress Ink - How Nancy Drew Saved My Life and Baby Needs a New Pair of Jimmy Choos - as well as a literary Victorian/suspense/erotic novel called Vertigo from Bantam and an earnest YA about teen pregnancy called Angel's Choice from Simon & Schuster. Getting back to Chick-Lit: A Love Story, I do hope to one day have it see the light of publishing day, but I primarily wrote it for my own pleasure. It's a modern retelling of Pride & Prejudice in which a successful writer of Chick-Lit crosses swords and hearts with the editor-in-chief of the New York Times Book Review. Which one is Pride? Which one is Prejudiced? Probably both, actually, as are Lits and Chicks themselves.


What is your writing philosophy?

I don't know if I have any philosophy, but I do like to write stories, whether they have a chick-friendly plot or no, that contain themes that say something about the way we live our lives. If I had to pick a goal as a writer, I'd say it's to write stories that move the reader on some level: that make them feel something or make them laugh. If I can make them think at the same time, it's all good. Oh, and unless I'm ruffling at least a few people's feathers, I never feel I'm doing my proper job.




Melissa Senate


Your piece in the anthology, "Charlotte's Side of the Story" is a modern take of Charlotte and Mr. Collins' story in Pride & Prejudice. What inspired you to write a story showing Charlotte's side?

I was annoyed by Elizabeth’s judgment of her! Charlotte believed her options were limited and she saw an opportunity and seized it. (Okay, manipulated it.) I have friends in their late thirties who are single and scared to death about that ticking biological clock (the one everyone makes fun of) stopping. If you’re thirty-nine and single, and you want a family, a husband and a child, what are you supposed to do? Charlotte in P&P was much younger of course, and in 2006, that Charlotte would be running for President, not giving a fig about a husband or a home. But I wanted to explore some of the issues set up in P&P in modern times, and so I gave her that ticking clock.


How progressive Austen was to have a character like Charlotte in her novel. In your rendition of Charlotte, she is a non-bitter, very pragmatic woman who knows what she wants, needs, and goes for these things despite what "society" deems right. Everyone wants the falling in love, flowers, rainbows, Prince Charming, happily ever after life, yet Charlotte wants an attentive husband and children. Period. And she gets that in the end of your story. Being a romantic at heart, I couldn't help but wonder if she shortchanged herself in the end. As the writer of the piece, what's your take of Charlotte's decision to seek happiness instead of "head over heels" love?

In today’s (1/8/06) wonderful Modern Love essay in the New York Times, the writer says, “Marriage may be love, but it’s not romance. Romance is about getting a sense, an impression. A notion of another person. There’s the tension and thrill and not knowing what the other person really feels or whether you’ll end up together. Love is about knowing all the facts—good and bad—and caring about the person anyway. Where romance is nuance. Love is encyclopedic.” I like that. My Willy Collins gave Charlotte what she wanted most, and for that, she’ll always have a soft spot for him, despite how annoying he is. But very importantly, I think that people shouldn’t be judged for decisions they make that work for them. Charlotte made the decision that worked for her in P&P and in my story, and I applaud her for it!


Charlotte is the type of female character we don't see too much of in Chick Lit. We see women who are independent, who know what they want (more or less), yet many of them still have stars in their eyes and the happily ever after want of "forever love". What other characters have you read that mirror Charlotte in personality and character?

Hmmm. I’m not sure I agree about the stars in their eyes or the happily ever after. I think Chick Lit heroines are much smarter than naysayers give them credit for. First of all, they’re usually put through the ringer before they get what they want (which may or may not be that cute guy).


Your story appears in a book titled Flirting with Pride & Prejudice: Fresh Perspectives on the Original Chick-Lit Masterpiece. Is Austen's Pride & Prejudice Chick Lit?

I must confess that it strikes me as odd to apply a modern term to a nineteenth century classic, but the issues and questions raised in Pride and Prejudice are timeless: Woman’s place in the world in a given time period, with the mores of that age affecting everything.


The term Chick Lit has taken many meanings since its inception; we deem Helen Fielding the mother of modern Chick Lit. We proclaim Austen to be the original writer of Chick Lit. What, to you, defines "traditional" Chick Lit?

You don’t much see “traditional” any more. Editors and agent will tell you chick lit manuscripts need to be “different’ and “fresh” and “have a twist.” Then again, a “traditional” Chick Lit novel about a young woman in the city, dealing with that evil boss, dating woes, meddling relatives, and searching for her own happiness and peace of mind, will always have a place on the shelves if the author’s voice is both entertaining and honest.



Want to learn MORE about these authors? Check out Lauren's website: http://www.laurenbaratzlogsted.com, and Melissa's website at http://www.melissasenate.com!

Monday, January 02, 2006

Happy New Year...and a little literary treat!!!!!

I hope you all had a great New Year! Mine was. I spent it hanging with my family and friends. Now I'm excited about the BOWL games. Watched a great one today, and I plan to watch football tomorrow, too.

I hope to have a new interview up in the next few weeks, and I'll also have some current writing of mine up for you guys to check out, too.

I'm pretty busy with a new project that my best bud, T and I are working on. When things get a bit more solidified, I will definitely peep you guys to the news.

Until next time, here's a short short I wrote titled "The Little Gray House."


The Little Gray House

There was something remarkable about the little gray house on the corner of Smith and Vine, despite the shutters that dangled from the windows and the porch steps that threatened to crumble with each heavy foot that climbed them. If you managed to climb the porch steps and live, you could peer into the Windex-cleaned windows and see Omar, the eldest son, dribbling his ball on his mother's just waxed, hardwood floors, but she didn't come yelling after him. She would be too busy chasing the baby, Taylor, who at eight months, could not stop crawling and tottering around the house, pulling the vacuum's cord out of its outlet and trying to stick his just-from-his-mouth, juicy fingers into the slits. Typical day in a family. A mother half-near losing her mind as she races after her kids. But if you could enter this little gray house, with its crumbling porch steps and dangling shutters, if you could walk up on this mother who is yelling, "Taylor, come here. Don't touch the outlet, Baby. You can get hurt," you would notice that she's barely touching on 30 but the faint lines on the corners of her eyes and the few, sparkling silver strands of hair laced in her black mane, makes her look older, well-lived, almost worn. If you could see into her dull brown eyes, you would see that she just wants some time to herself to do what she loves: write. That's why she waits. Waits until the kids are finally asleep and her husband rolls in from his 14-hours-a-day job at the plant, tired and cranky. With her three men asleep, she would trudge up the stairs to the attic: her SHOP, well, literary shop, where she sits with her old, black typewriter and types the stories that should be her life. Stories that only she will read because her husband tells her that writing is SILLY; her stories won't pay the bills. Stop trying to do things, he tells her. Your role is here, in the house, with the boys, and me. But I want to write, damn it, she screams inside her head as she picks up Taylor and ushers Omar into the dining room for dinner. She eats. One bite. A few more, but mostly, she watches her sons and thinks, one page. If I can write just one page tonight, all this will be worth it. Blood throbs through the thick vein that takes up residence at her right temple because she knows writing will be the last thing on her agenda tonight. It's Friday, which means Harry will come home, eat his dinner, and with his full, pompous, manly self, will expect her to lay in their bed while he takes the last of her energy and eventually leaves her spent beside him, dozing off only to awaken and repeat the day again.