Twice this week, on 2-13-10 and 2-18-10, I met with Book Clubs, once at the Inglewood Library, where I did a writer’s workshop and the other day at my book club, Seniors on The Move. I was happy for the feedback, the reminiscing and the discussions. It started me to thinking about how important the Black Book Clubs have been in this Literary Renaissance.

In fact, I know one writer who is self-published and who makes a good living doing 2-4 book clubs per month. So the Black Book Clubs are definitely important.

It made me want to revisit an article I wrote 2 years ago that is still apropos.

Sometimes God sends an angel into our lives and we don’t even know it. When God has a plan for our lives, He will make a provision.

In 1999, I had been off my job approximately two years when I re-issued my debut novel, The Ebony Tree. Looking back, The Special Thoughts Book Club was the first Los Angeles book club–in fact the first book club–to host me as a writer. Since then I’ve had the pleasure of being hosted at many book clubs, known and some even unknown.

In 1999, when I met with the founder, Janel Stephenson, and she paid me my first check (which was sizable,) for my books, I thought, “Wow! Someone will actually pay you for your dreams.”

Somehow, in chatting, I told Janel of my dilemma. I had just received a letter offering me to return to work as a supervisor, (which was a promotion) at the Los Angeles County Department of Children’s Family and Services, or I could stay on the unknown rocky path of living the writer’s life. I had no idea what the future held, and financially, it didn’t look like I’d be able to make it. After two years, I had run through my savings, my sick leave, and my vacation time. At the time, I had two mortgages, my youngest son in college, and grandchildren, a dog, etc. etc.

At any rate, Janel encouraged me to pursue my dreams. “You’ll never know if you don’t try.” With that check and Janel’s words of encouragement, I took one day at a time, and that one day has led into almost eleven years since I was last an employee.

Looking back, when I attended the Special Thoughts’ book club meeting, I was impressed by the number of members–almost thirty readers and 50 percent of them men. They were articulate and challenged my thinking.

Last year, in celebrating the Special Thoughts Reading group’s tenth anniversary, I congratulated them.

As for the journey, I am happy to report the following:

Since my first book club meeting, I’ve either published or been published in 11 books, (2 novels, 1 short story collection, 3 self-help e-books/manuals, and five anthologies,) one that I published under my company, Black Butterfly Press, Saturday Morning, (and two pending novel deals and one pending nonfiction book deal). I’ve edited, formatted or ghostwritten numerous books for other writers or companies. Many of these books have made bestseller’s lists, some even have made the New York Times’ bestseller’s list.

I am the agent for books for other African American writers and we are now pursuing film or independent deals for some of these deals.

As another business, I’ve hosted Internet radio shows for writers since March 2002 to promote writers’ works. I currently host on Artistfirst.com.

So I’d like to give special thanks to Janel Stephenson for acting as an angel and for her encouragement and continued support of Black writers. I also want to thank the Special Thoughts’ book club members for pulling me through a dark hour. Congratulations on their upcoming eleventh anniversary in November 2008.

Now, once again, we are faced as a nation with that same dilemma that I had in 1999–except the economic climate is worse. Even so, many people have a dream of either being a writer, a magazine owner, a publicist, a book store owner, an agent, actor, artist, or you name it, but the economy looks so bleak. Wall Street crashed the week of 9-15-08 and banks failed. I mean how bad can it get during a recession?

Therefore, how do we make it as Black businesspersons during these trying times? What can we do?

Well, we can work together. We can build resources through one another. We can support one another’s dreams. We can barter. We can help each other. However, what we cannot do is to ever give up hope and faith. Remember, no good work goes unrewarded. In this vein, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many Black book clubs across the country that have supported Black books, thereby promoting literacy! I give a special thanks to Special Thoughts Book Club, Rawsistaz and Apoo.org.

In behalf of Black writers, I applaud and commend you, Black Book Club Leaders and Members.

Trisha D McGee
I love your books. I especially love Colored Summer. That is my favorite book of all times. You are such a wonderful author I wish you do more books in a year. lol. I am always looking on Amazon to see when you have a new book out. I just haven’t had a chance to get the last two books because of money, but hopefuly, soon I will.

Happy Valentine’s to all,

This day makes me think of all the great love stories throughout history.

I liked the love stories/family stories of Alex Haley’s Roots, Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Louisa Mae Alcott’s Little Women, Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte) and Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte), and the love my parents had in The Ebony Tree.

Who are some your most enduring love stories that are in novels?

Blessings!

Please follow me on Twitter, Facebook,and Myspace.

(This is an article I wrote three years, but I think it still remains the same.)

Like many small business owners, I have to multi-task, so as a literary agent, I recently had this insight while at the Pacific Ocean. When I wear my agent cap, the stories that I love the most, are the ones which hold my attention. Simple as that. Nothing esoteric. The same way these stories hold my attention, they tend to hold an editor at a large publishing house’s attention. Ergo, these are the manuscripts which get the book deals.

A writer’s work has to catch my attention in the first sentence, then the second, then the first page, or the next 5-10 pages. I don’t care how many projects I have in the hop, I should be able to sit down, block out the other things pressing, and read your book with interest. That’s a compelling read. Even if I can’t finish it, I should be drawn to want to come back to find out what happened.

I’m an agent who happens to be a writer, too. This is another epiphany I had while at the ocean. As writers, we have to write as if we are writing for people with short attention spans. A book has to be very compelling to keep this type of person’s attention, and I think a lot of people suffer from a little of this syndrome now. Why?

Because today, many people are on information overload. People tend to have short attention spans. We can get information on Twitter, Myspace, Facebook, Squido, millions of websites, Blackplanet.com, emails, teleseminars, ipods, webinars, ezines, internet radio interviews, Youtube. The list goes on.

People are busy, raising families, working jobs, or running businesses. They are caught up in the fast-pace of life that is the New Millennium. As a result, people tend to want instant gratification. So I take this into consideration when I read a client’s work.

What are some of the things agents look for?

Personally, I look for writers of fiction who have more than one book in them. Preferably, these writers have a number of stories to tell, and they can make a full-time career out of their writing. I’d like to see writers whose books can be translated to the silver screen one day.

Where should you begin? A good query letter is a place to begin. You can find out how to write them in the Literary Market Place, or The Writer’s Market.

A serious writer will take time to visit the guidelines when submitting to an agency. Do not send attachments unless the agency asks for it. Often the writers do not follow the guidelines, and this is a turn off to an agent.

If someone asks you for a synopsis, a logline for a screen play, or your novel’s first 3 chapters, then make sure this is what you provide—not your self-published book with the cover torn off. If you have already self-published, send in the manuscript version to the agent.

These are some tips for writers:

Make sure there are no typos in your query letter, your synopsis or your manuscript. It not only discredits your work, it gives an impression that you don’t respect the craft of writing.

Have your work edited and proofread before submitting to an agent. Sometimes, as writers, we only get one shot at an opportunity. Be prepared if you want to be successful.

Follow the submission guidelines of a literary agency. For example, if the guidelines say they do not accept novellas, do not send novellas. Wait for your release letter, which says that you are the writer of said material.

Send a query letter and a screenplay in the proper format. Use Final Draft or other screenwriting software.

If you want to be a screenwriter, study the craft.

As a novelist, you should develop a good writing style and have an interesting flair for words. This is one reason why urban fiction is so popular. It is written in hip hop/urban vernacular, which has a very authentic feel and it reflects the world as seen by the characters who have lived the street life.

As a writer, you should develop a strong voice. Your particular world view should shine through your writing.

Create a page turner by studying the craft of fiction writing, (which includes the elements of fiction, such as pacing, revising, creating memorable characters, among other techniques.) You can read books, take classes, or join critique groups.

Write about exciting characters who take action. Do not use stereotypical characters. Write against character type. Don’t use your typical diva, typical tomboy, typical playboy.

Use a compelling storyline. Stories are not about the character’s ordinary day or routine. The best stories are about disruption of the norm, and how the characters coped with the change. Good stories are about characters who go through a journey, which change their lives, for better or worse, by the end of the story. This is your character arc.

These are some things you can learn to do which will help improve your writing.

Learn how to set up a scene, then pay it off. Raise a story question and make sure you answer it by the end of the story.

Learn how to write dialogue which sings. This will really help with screenwriting.

Learn how to use descriptive words, vigorous verbs, and evoke emotions through the five senses. Learn how to make a novel move like a movie, with visuals, settings, showing vs. telling, and providing a life lesson.

Learn how to develop your characters so that they feel real and like someone a reader will spend 300 pages with. Give your characters backstory, an agenda, and conflicted desires.

Learn how to make a story flow, through different techniques, such as Joseph Campbell’s, “The Hero’s Journey.”

In conclusion, writing a fictional story is work. But who ever said anything worth having would be easy? Learn to be the best writer you can become, and an agent will be glad to represent and negotiate a decent book deal for your work.

Never Knew Love v2

Please listen to Podcast Interview with Yvonne Perry of Writers in the Sky:

http://nashvillewriter.audioacrobat.com/download/MaxineThompson.mp3

Blurb: “A sophisticated story of love, hate, and family drama told by an eloquent writer. Maxine Thompson has a knack for using word pictures to bring her characters to life and impact her readers.” ~ Yvonne Perry, author and ghostwriter, owner, Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services

A New Type of Love
Love to many is plain and simple as black and white, or is it? What would you do if you found yourself in a situation, experiencing a love like you have never felt before? I know I would enjoy it but cautiously. Maxine Thompson, Michelle McGriff and Denise Campbell use their characters to show what others might do in Never Knew Love Like This Before.

In Denise Campbell’s The Value of a Man, we are introduced to best friends Morgan and Alexandra. Morgan was a successful woman in business, and could be equally successful in love, if she was not confused about which of the men in her life she wanted to have a future. When she felt as if she was being pressured, she got on the next thing smoking out of New York, finding herself halfway around the world, placing space between her and her problems. Each man in her life was very different than the other, Bruce, the cocky cop; Troy, the bad boy; and Isaiah, the laid-back seasoned brother. Who would guess going all the way to Germany would make her life even more complicated? In a turn of events, all the choices Morgan was trying to make seemed to work themself out; along with Alexandra finally shedding light on a secret she has been keeping for years.

Change of Life by Michelle McGriff is a story that reflects the title in more ways than one. Glenda has to have everything planned. She is never left bewildered for any reason at all. She gives advice to her assistant, Gerri, who was having some issues in her marriage. Would Glenda be able to take her own advice, when on the day she found about a major life change, her husband, Simi, decided to flip her world upside down. This was when she realized her home life was not as great as she thought. But is Glenda really prepared for the changes ahead?

Left at the altar, infidelity, racism, and a natural disaster led two strangers to a new meaning of unconditional love, in Katrina Blues by Maxine Thompson. Coleman Blue, a jazz musician was forced to leave New Orleans due to Katrina, but not for that reason alone. He wanted to get away from his past. Deni Richards, “a court-appointed county counsel” was searching for the missing piece of her life. Her family called her a sellout, while others thought she was uptight. After viewing the horrific scenes of the Katrina survivors, she decided to do her part, by opening her home to a family in need. However, home is not the only thing she finds opening up. Out of all three stories this one touched me the most. This statement brought tears to my eyes, “I see the flood. I see bodies. I see my mom.”

Just like I will never forget the melodic voice of Stephanie Mills, when she sang the words of one of my favorite songs, Never Knew Love Like This Before, I will not easily forget some of the characters from this book, ironically titled the same, by Maxine Thompson, Michelle McGriff, and Denise Campbell. I truly enjoyed the diversity in the characters, and the lives they lived. They were memorable. However, there were some uncorrected errors, and an area of inconsistency but everything else was executed correctly. I recommend Never Knew Love Like This Before to anyone looking for a simple, quick, and enjoyable book.

Jennifer Coissiere

APOOO BookClub