“Writing is not in my blood...it’s my DNA.”
This is Tracy Spence-Banks’ life motto. After having to write a short story at the age of twelve for a school assignment, she has been writing ever since. She also enjoys writing screenplays, her first The Order, which is registered with the WGAw (Writer’s Guild of America-West). She is also trying her hand at a situation comedy based on a real estate company that her family owned when she was a child.
In 2008, she served on the manuscript team and typed My Longest Drive: One Man’s Passion for the Urban Poor by Bill Hobbs, founder of Urban Youth Impact, a local youth organization in West Palm Beach, Florida.
In 2006, she was a member of SOMSistahs, an online writing group of women in various parts of the country that aspired to write an anthology of poems, short stories, and essays. This is where her inspirational book, Super Woman was born.
From 2007 to 2008, she moderated a BlogTalk Radio show, House of SOMS, which touched on and discussed various social topics, such as dating & relationships, family life, health and fitness.
Tracy is a member of the O.E.S. Ruth-Watkins #358 Chapter in Florida and she resides in Palm Beach County, Florida with her husband, two daughters, and her beloved Maltese-mix.
As women, we wear many different hats within the family structure. Wife, mother, sister, businessperson, cook, maid, chauffeur...the list never ends. So how can we tackle so many different aspects of our lives and not get beaten down by them?
Super Woman will take you through the seven divine super powers needed to live a fulfilling and peaceful life through heart-warming anecdotes, off-beat humor, and of course, the proven Word of God.
It finishes up with a small bible study, which is easy to follow, yet thought-provoking. It asks questions that allow you to dig deeper in order to tap into your own divine super powers.
Super Woman: A Guide To Tapping Into Your Divine Super Powers: Why did you feel compelled to write this book?
I’ve always been shouting from the rooftops about how women needed to step up and take control, about how we needed to start working together and not against one another. So when I was a member of the SOMSistahs (Speaking Of My Sistahs) writing group, I wrote an essay, which was Super Woman, for the anthology book we were supposed to publish. After some successes and failures with trying to keep the group together, it occurred to me that maybe it was due to our lack of truly understanding who we are as women. Why, as a whole, it suffered so many trials and tests. How can we possibly move forward and help one another if we don’t understand who we are ourselves? We needed to learn how to use the proper tools ourselves before we could start renovation on another woman’s house.
You can’t hammer a nail with a saw and you can’t cut wood with a Phillip’s head. My book is to show women how to obtain and use those tools for their own dwelling and then do an extreme makeover for another woman in their lives. Ty Pennington need not apply.
When do you think the Super Woman Syndrome began, and what keeps it going still?
I think it’s been around since the beginning of time, but perhaps in the past few decades or so, women have become so tired and frustrated with how the world views and treats them. The only mistake in that is worrying about what the “world” thinks; it only matters what God thinks. There are so many women doing double-duty in family roles that we’re starting to realize that only God has the answer and so we’re coming to Him in droves and tapping into those strengths to get us through each day. It’s a woman’s deep love for her heavenly Father that makes Super Woman a perpetual movement to motivate and encourage every woman, young and old.
We’re not trying to rehash the “burning of the bra” mentality; it’s just that women need to be equipped and we need to equip others with whatever is needed in order to succeed. Besides, have you noticed the prices of brassieres lately?
In your book, as the title shows, you discuss the super woman's divine super powers: dignity, endurance, forgiveness, grace, humility, love, and patience. Out of these seven, which is the most important super power to possess and why?
Humility, definitely! If you have true humility, then you have the other super powers. Humility is our crown that we wear with grace; it fills us with love; it gives us strength to endure; it tempers us with patience; it gives us a quiet dignity; and it allows us to forgive.
Humility is such a beautiful attribute when worn by a woman. In my case, it goes very well with my Sensationnel Instant Ponytail #1B.
Now, we know the super woman is constantly on the move. And we know that the only way a super woman can be such a mover and shaker and give to everyone is to first give to herself. A super woman is only as good as her ability to take care of self. What advice do you give to the super woman who needs to nurture her own spirit and interests?
Spend time in the presence of God. There is no other way to become a super woman and maintain your God-given powers. We have to understand that these “powers” are not by our own hand or by being born on the planet Krypton or being bitten by a radioactive spider. They are given to us by the Father in order to keep us focused, grounded, and prepared for whatever comes our way. They were instilled in ever woman at birth and began when Eve was cast out of the Garden of Eden. God put enmity between us and the devil, so he has a special hatred for women. We ratted him out and now he’s out to destroy us. God made certain that we are well-equipped to defeat any attack he has waiting for us, but if we don’t tap into those divine super powers, the enemy will ultimately defeat us.
Faith and humor are definitely found within the book; how important was it for you to blend these components into your book?
It was the most important aspect of the book in order for me to relate to a diverse group of women. Faith is universal and so is humor. Laughter sounds the same in any language or dialect. Our faith in God is one of the common bonds we share as women, no matter what region or part of the country (or the world) we come from. It just made so much sense for me to incorporate the two to get the message out there. I’ve always been the type of woman who could laugh at herself. I constantly do things on a daily basis and have to sit down and laugh about what I’ve just done.
It also helps my readers to relate to me on a more personal level, which is very important for me. I don’t want to be a “preachy” writer, sitting up high on my throne and doling out advice. I want my readers to know that I was once where they are (or still am) but instead of putting on heirs and trying to be a “holy roller”; I want them to know I truly understand what it feels like. We don’t have to cry or be depressed; laughter is the best medicine, especially when taken with the word of God.
What do you hope women get from your work?
A closer, deeper relationship with God. This book is only for His glory, not mine. I also hope they come away with a feeling of camaraderie with other women. Look at Ruth and Naomi...Mary and Mary Magdalene; these women had a bond that nothing could break. They relied upon one another in good times and in bad; this should be the way of a woman. They sowed positive seeds in one another’s lives.
It hurts to see when women go out of their way to sow negative seeds in another woman’s life. It’s more frightening when it’s young girls, so young they still have the smell of Similac on their breath but have mastered the art of copping an attitude.
The older generation must teach our “baby” sistahs that confidence and self-esteem does not translate into cockiness and arrogance.
Do you plan to continue developing inspirational works?
As long as God gives me the ability to write and speak, along with a message, I will continue to do what He called me to do. I did publish a romantic novella, but after an epiphany I had one night, I have since discontinued that book and I’ve focused on writing that will inspire, encourage and motivate.
My reward is getting an email, phone call, or a hug from a woman that says she either laughed, cried, pondered or all of the above because of my words. This affirms for me that I’m on the right path, that there is a need for what I’ve written and that I must continue to keep paying it forward.
What are you working on now?
I’m also working on a stage play for Inlet Grove Community High School’s drama department, as well as teaching a self-publishing course there at night and I’m currently shopping for an agent for my screenplay, The Order.
I’ve almost completed my second devotional, which is a wide variety of topics for women, as well as men, based on what we all see ourselves as. It’s filled with my sense of humor and a message from God.
I came up with the idea based on a caricature I had done at a local fair. Naturally, the drawing didn’t resemble me in the least and the first words out of my mouth when the artist handed it to me was, “That ain’t hardly me!” A phrase I remembered from watching Good Times as a child when J.J. painted a portrait of Miss Savannah Jones, Sweet Daddy Williams’ main squeeze.
I think I just carbon-dated myself by confessing to watching original episodes of Good Times.
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