http://maxinethompsonbooks.com Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:29:37 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Dr. Rosie Milligan (323) 750-3592 Drrosie@aol.com Sixteenth Annual Black Writers On Tour Conference Is Larger Than Ever! Bring The Whole Family—There’s Something For Everybody Dr. Rosie Milligan brings the Black Writers On Tour Writers’ Conference back to Carson, California—a Los Angeles neighboring city. This powerful one-day event will be held on Saturday, April 21, 2012 from 9:00 A.M to 6:00 P.M at the Congresswoman JMM Community Center, 801 E. Carson Street, Carson, California 90746. This conference will be more dynamic than ever, showcasing more than 100 Black authors. There will be literary agents and publishers gathering for this powerful one-day event. The publishing industry has changed; the Internet, Social Media, E-books and Print-On-Demand have taken the publishing industry in a completely new direction. The days are gone forever for aspiring writers to have to beg and to wait to have their work published. This conference has been designed to provide writers and aspiring writers with the practical information they need to be successful in the literary industry. This year’s theme is, “Literacy is Everybody’s Business—Who Will Tell Our Story?” There will be local authors and authors from across the country participating. For past events we have had 5,000-6,000 in attendance. This year’s highlight: “Children Writers Showcase—Listen To The children! There is a free writing class for children ages 10-15. Children wishing to enter the writing contest and win cash must submit their stories or poems no later than March, 15th, 2012. We are encouraging teachers to have their students enter the contest. Our youngest author was 7 years old. Our children are our future writers; they are the ones who will continue the preservation of African-American culture, via telling their stories and helping others to tell their stories. Chat with Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Children, Hip-Hop, Urban Street and, Christian writers. Attend the Poetry Jam Competition from 4 to 6p.m—WIN CASH! There will be open exhibits and authors signing throughout the day. Writers’ workshops will be held throughout the day and will cover a variety of topics. Authors wishing to gain exposure, attract new readers, or sell books, and for all wishing to participate in the Poetry Jam Competition, visit www.blackwritersontour.com or call (323) 750-3592 WRITER’S SEMINARS 1. How To Write A Book Made Simple And Your Publishing Options 2. How To Write A Best-selling Novel 3. How To Develop Characters That Leap Off The Page 4. Protecting Your Writing Rights, Trademark And Patent Rights 5. Creative Writing Class For Beginners 6. How To Increase Your Book Exposure & Sales Via Social Media, Face book, Twitter, My Space, YouTube, Blog, LinkedIn, etc. 7. What You Need To Know To Be A Great Guest On Radio, Keep The Phone Ringing, Sell Books, And Get Invited Back. 8. Turning you book into movie 9. How To Operate A Successful Home-based Business; Recordkeeping For Tax Compliance. GENERAL PUBLIC SEMINARS, SHOWCASES AND DISCUSSIONS 1. Children’s Writing Class 3. Children’s Writing Class Contest Showcase 4. A Dialogue About Street Fiction, Hip-Hop, Urban Fiction—Are They Helpful or Are they Harmful/ 5. A Close-Up look At Jobs/Careers In The Publishing Industry—Many! 6. Poetry, Open Mic. 7. Poetry Jam Competition 8. Let The Elders Speak Forum: They Will Address: Sex, Music, Health, Money, Religion, Education, History, And The Impact Of Each On The Next Generation http://maxinethompsonbooks.com/2012/01/23/sixteenth-annual-black-writers-on-tour-conference-is-back/ By Dr. Maxine Thompson http://www.maxinethompson.com [1] http://www.maxinethompsonbooks.com [2]     “The principle mark of genius is not perfection but originality, the opening of new frontiers.” –Arthur Koestler Steve Job's life has reassured me more and more that having an idea and doing what you love are the best ways to live a life of passion and purpose. Six years ago, someone called me and asked if I thought we had launched my radio show too soon, because I stepped back and slowed up for a moment (the year I had 3 grandbabies born within 8 months.) No, I told her all major companies roll their products out, (take action), then go back and do corrections. How many glitches did Microsoft have in all its products when they rolled out Windows 98, XP, then even Vista? The Apple products have had their ups and downs as well.  To get the lead on your competition, you have to leap and rest assured, that the net will appear. You can’t wait for perfection. Don’t wait for the perfect time to start a business or take an action step towards an idea. Just like there is never a perfect time to have a baby, given our present economy, there is never a perfect time to make a change that could transform your life. In the case of the Internet radio shows I’ve done, I think they have helped up the standards of the publishing industry for both self-published and African American writers. Many things I’ve tried to do failed, but it didn’t mean it was over. For instance, I’ve tried to sell ebooks back in 2000, when they were fairly new. But now I’m going to step out there and try again. This time we have Kindle, and other devices to assist with the sales. I'm seeing a world of difference in sales. As a literary agent, it took two years for me to get my first book deal, but once they started, I obtained 8 book deals for 4 authors within a two week period. From that time, I've seen many relationships form in a serendiptious manner, which have led to business in one form or another. So now I know there’s a thing as try, and if it doesn’t succeed, try again, until you get it right. They say Edison had numerous tries before he developed the light bulb. In the end, when you take a chance, you become stronger, whether you succeed or fail. It is in the process that you become a thought leader, one who encourages others to take chances. Become a thought leader! Push your given industry to the next level. “I am willing to take risks and do what I need to do NOW.” What’s your next step? Dr. Maxine Thompson http://www.maxinethompsonbooks.com [3] http://www.maxinethompson.com [4] [1] http://www.maxinethompson.com/ [2] http://www.maxinethompsonbooks.com/ [3] http://www.maxinethompsonbooks.com/ [4] http://www.maxinethompson.com/ http://maxinethompsonbooks.com/2011/11/12/when-is-the-right-time-to-launch-a-businessnew-writing-venture/ I think it is just a little under 3 hours until the nanowrimo. My goal is to write 2 to 3,000 words per day. I will see. http://maxinethompsonbooks.com/2011/11/01/count-down-to-nanowrimo/ BLACKBUTTERFLY PRESS NEWSLETTER  10-16-11 Dr. Maxine Thompson http://www.maxinethompson.com [1] http://www.maxinethompsonbooks.com [2] Happy Autumn to all readers and writers! This has been a hectic summer! I had the honor of participating  as a literary agent panelist guest at the National Black Book Festival Conference in Houston, TX on 6-8-11 to 6-10-11. I had a great time! I met new writers, and reconnected with other writers. In August, I was offered a book deal for LA Blues II. I’m working on the sequel to LA Blues II, so I will be brief. The deadline is approaching—11-30-11. I’ve done a lot of prewriting, research, but now it’s time to bite the bullet, so I’ll be going underground.   I will be joining the Nanowrimo, which I've done 3 times before and never completed, but this time I'm more motivated. NEWS: Congratulations Tamika Newhouse, my latest literary agency client, for  winning as self-published author of the year & best anthology of the year. Kudos to you! http://literaryawardshow.com/ [3]  Check out The Miraculous Power of Massage by Van T. Womack http://alturl.com/efve8 [4] Look for upcoming book published by Black Butterfly Press: The Woman Behind the Badge: The Journey by Joanne Neely. Please check out LA Blues Book Trailer http://alturl.com/qhu77 [5] Healing the Racial Divide: Book Review of LA Blues by Yvonne Perry http://alturl.com/37xpw [6] WRITING TIPS AND RESOURCES: Nanowri month is coming up! Write your novel in one month!http://www.nanowrimo.org/ [7] Blog regarding Nanowri month: http://abundance-blog.marelisa-online.com/2009/10/12/nanowrimo-how-to-write-a-novel-in-30-days/ [8] Using research to find Writing topics http://alturl.com/9h9nq [9]  “There's a word for a self-published writer who never gives up... rich.” --Joe Konrath, Successful Author.   "There is ... no such force as the force of a person determined to rise. The human soul cannot be permanently chained. - W.E.B. Dubois Small Press vs. Self-publishing in the new Millenium http://alturl.com/2vm9u [10]  Sell More Books to Schools and Libraries: http://www.facebook.com/sellmorebookstoschoolsandlibraries [11] Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the Snowflake Guy," publishes the Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, with more than 28,000 readers, every month. If you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction, AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND have FUN doing it, visit http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com. [1] http://www.maxinethompson.com/ [2] http://www.maxinethompsonbooks.com/ [3] http://t.co/sfT2GfaM [4] http://t.co/Z2mgk7Zp [5] http://t.co/cX2nItWQ [6] http://t.co/0ZGruKT7 [7] http://www.nanowrimo.org/ [8] http://abundance-blog.marelisa-online.com/2009/10/12/nanowrimo-how-to-write-a-novel-in-30-days/ [9] http://alturl.com/9h9nq [10] http://t.co/fJP64Xc0 [11] http://www.facebook.com/sellmorebookstoschoolsandlibraries http://maxinethompsonbooks.com/2011/10/16/join-me-at-nanowrimo/  Healing the Racial Divide, July 27, 2011 By  Yvonne Perry "Author of More Than Meets the E... [1] (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews [2] (REAL NAME) [3]    This review is from: L.A. Blues (Paperback) [4] Nine-year-old Black/Spanish Zipporah Saldano (a.k.a. "Z") made a panicked phone call to her father, who lived across town, to let him know that her mother, Venita, was being beaten by her latest live-in boyfriend. That phone call changed Z's life forever. Even though Z was sent to live in a loving, foster home, she blamed herself for getting her father killed, having her pregnant mother put in jail, and sending her siblings into multiple foster homes. She turns to alcohol to cover the pain she refuses to feel. Z decides to become a cop and join the LAPD, hoping to stop some of the gang violence she and her people have seen way too much of. Her time on the force is cut short when her drinking problem causes her to be fired after her partner is killed. Her downward spiral lands her at rock bottom where she has no choice but to deal with the pain that is destroying her life. She joins AA and finally begins sorting through the years of emotional agony she has buried within her heart. This story takes the reader deep inside the home and hearts of Z's infertile foster parents, Daddy Chill and Shirley, who love all their foster children unconditionally. Even after Z and her foster siblings reach adulthood, Shirley continues to provide emotional support during the hardships this bunch experiences quite often. Shirley even takes in the children of her drug-addicted foster child, Chica, and raises them as if they are her own grandkids. When death hits close to home and nearly devastates the entire family, Z, who has become a private detective, begins her search for their loved one's killer. That search turns up more answers and secrets than she ever anticipated finding. I'm thankful for a happy ending to this tragic story that caused tears of compassion to well up in my eyes as I read. The storytelling skills of this author are great. The story is told in first person. While I was a bit puzzled by the narrator's shift from present to past tense (sometimes in the same sentence), I must admit it helped define the protagonist's character. I finished the book in one weekend even while tending to my young grandsons because I couldn't put the book down. I had fallen in love with the characters and had to see what was going to happen next. The pace of the story is perfect. Knowing that inner healing can change an entire culture--and ultimately our world--I recommend this well-researched book to all races because it gives hope that our Black and Latino brothers and sisters can take responsibility for their choices and find peace within themselves. There is no place love cannot reach! Yvonne Perry, Author of Whose Stuff Is This?: Finding Freedom from the Negative Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You [5] [1] http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1FQPEZBNORVIT/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp [2] http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A1FQPEZBNORVIT/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview [3] http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=cm_rn_bdg_help?ie=UTF8&nodeId=14279681&pop-up=1#RN [4] http://www.amazon.com/L-Blues-Maxine-Thompson/dp/1601623070/ref=cm_cr_pr_orig_subj [5] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982572247/ref=cm_cr_asin_lnk http://maxinethompsonbooks.com/2011/09/23/book-review-of-dr-thompsons-la-blues-healing-the-racial-divide/ Black America, we are in a critical baseball-like position. We are in the last inning, the bottom of the 9th,  the game is tied. The bases are loaded with two outs, and the last batter is up to bat. The umpire has called three balls and two strikes. As the pitcher winds up to  throw the ball, the crowd is yelling, “Let him walk you!” The batter’s instinct is telling him to hit a home run. What voice will he hear and listen to? This is called a fork-in-the-road position.             The question is what voice will Black America hear? Dr. Claud Anderson has sounded the alarm for some forty-plus years. He has frequently appeared on national radio talk shows, lectured at colleges, universities, and for various organizations. He has written several books to bring awareness and enlightenment to the plight of Black America. He has shown us how we got into the economic ditch and has provided us a blueprint and road map on how to climb out of the economic deprivation and deplorable situations where we find ourselves today.             Anderson, in his books Black Labor White Wealth, and PowerNomics: The Plan to Empower Black America, illuminates the problems and provides simple workable solutions that will change the present conditions for Blacks and the future destination for the next generation. Anderson garnished support from people around the country to invest in a business development in Detroit, Michigan. No other time in history had Blacks from other cities agreed to invest/move their business to another city to show support for Blacks anywhere. This action reflects the voice of the great Fannie Lou Hamer, who stated, “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.” Anderson is likened unto the biblical character John The Baptist crying in the wilderness.             Well, we obviously did not hear those who have gone on before us. We have been told and we have been warned about what would become of us if we did not heed their voices. Who are we waiting for? Let me resurrect the words of some of our past leaders who tried to tell us. I will lay out some of their quotes that we neither heard nor abided by. Booker T. Washington said to us, “Now is the time, not in some far-off future, but now is the time for us as a race to prove to the world that we have the ability and the inclination to do our part in owning, developing, manufacturing, and trading in the natural resources of our country. And if we let these golden opportunities slip from us in this generation, I fear they will never come to us in like degree again. Let us act … before it’s too late, before others come from foreign lands and rob us of our birthright.” Blacks must not place their hopes for survival in the hands of our politicians as Dr. Anderson has warned us. Our climbing out of the ditch will not come as a result of voting, because it did not change our conditions, when we had greater numbers than any other race other than whites. So if it did not happen then, what are our chances now when we are outnumbered 8–9 times? Our Black votes have become null and void. Wake up and smell the coffee! Let’s see what Mr. Booker T. Washington had to say about politics, shall we? “We did not seek to give the people the idea that political rights were not valuable or necessary, but rather to impress upon them that economic efficiency was the foundation for every success.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said these almost exact same words: “The emergency we now face is economic.” We must believe that it is our birthright to partake of the riches of the world, and this is the faith that we must hold to. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. also said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the staircase.” We must stand up and fight in every way possible and with all our strength to gain our rightful position in our society. If we had the strength to build this great nation with our tired hands, sweat, and blood, then we must gather up our strength to be respected and to share in its resources. Let the words of Malcolm X ring out in your mind: “By any means necessary.” Let’s not retreat. Our forefathers did not retreat, which got us as far as we did. We must not be afraid; we must not fear. Harriet Tubman once said, “I can’t die but once.” We are in a war, and in every war there will be casualties. Sister Rosa Park said, “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear, knowing what must be done does away with fear.” We must unite to win this war against poverty and degradation; it will be no easy task. Frederick Douglass had the following to say: “Without a struggle, there can be no progress.” So stop talking about you being tired of fighting the system and asking why we have to fight so hard to get what’s due us. Don’t get tired; ask God for more strength to fight. Frederick Douglass also stated, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and deprecated agitation are men who want crops without plowing up the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning.” Our brothers and sisters have spoken. When will we hear them? Dr. Anderson has warned us and told us what we must do to become economically sound. He gave us the recipe. We failed to take heed. Who and what are we waiting for? America as a whole is not a friend to the Black man. When will you understand this? W.E.B. DuBois had the following to say: “To be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in a land of dollars is the very bottom of hardship.” We must not fear getting angry. I know folk try to act like there is something wrong with getting angry, but there’s nothing wrong with getting angry. It is that very emotion that got us as far as we have gotten. Mainstream America would have you believe that it was the peaceful move by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that got us where we are. He did good, not just for us, but for them also. He softened the blows that were headed for those who took advantage of us. It was the Stokey Carmichaels, the Black Panthers, and others who brought about the greatest changes that benefitted Black folks—don’t forget about them; they did us good. America wants peace, but she does not want justice. I contend that peace and justice go hand in hand, and where there is no justice, there should not be peace. Blacks must move from being sad to being angry, and rightfully so. How can you not be angry when every group has received reparation but Blacks? The Black Indians and the Black Freedmen are having to sue to try to get their economic benefits from the 1865 Treaty, while other are enjoying the benefits of free education, owning casinos, etc. Black farmers continue to fight for what’s owed to them. Blacks are told to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps while others are thrown a rope, a lifejacket, and ladder. Malcolm X said, “Usually when people are sad, they don’t do anything. They just cry over their condition, but when they get angry, they bring about a change.” Every fight for Blacks must be everybody’s fight. Maybe you were not involved in the Black Farmers Discrimination lawsuits, the Black Freedmen/Black Indian lawsuits, and maybe you do not feel that you will get reparation. However, every one of these fights should be a fight that all Blacks should join in and fight for, for it will be that unity that will bring about the justice that’s due us. It will not happen with multiple small groups working individually trying to make it happen; it will take all of us pulling and pushing the wagon. Oh yes, the overclass is now feeling the pain. Many of them now finally realize that they are really Black. Even our Black politicians are running scared now. Well, all I can say is this: We were told that there would be days like this, but we failed to believe those who told us. Who will we hear!?   Dr. Rosie Milligan, Internet Talk-Show Host, owner of Professional Business/Management Consulting Service, Estate Planner, author of Black America Faces Economic Crisis: Solutions Made Simple and co-author with her sister attorney Clara Hunter King of What You Need To Know Before You Start A Business. 1425 W. Manchester Avenue, Ste. B. Los Angeles, Calif. 90047; 323-750-3592; e-mail: Drrosie@aol.com [1]; Web site: www.Drrosie,com [2] [1] http://maxinethompsonbooks.commailto:Drrosie@aol.com [2] http://www.drrosie,com/ http://maxinethompsonbooks.com/2011/09/22/guest-post-black-america-who-will-they-hear/ Ten year old article. 911- A Call for Poets and Writers to Speak up. Originally Published on Pageonelit.com. http://www.pageonelit.com/Tragedy/MThompson.html With each breath we take, our life changes. September 11, 2001 was a testament to this fact. As poets and writers, so many of us are trying to find the words to give shape to what we felt last week as a nation, and what we feel now. Whenever we've called 911, it is usually a critical life or death emergency situation. Since 9-11-2001, it is as though we, as Americans, have collectively sent up a 911 to God to help us in this time of peril. Now I'm sending out a 911 call for writers to help us use language as a way of healing. We, as Americans, are caught up in an imbroglio-a confusing situation, which has us lashing out and doing hate crimes against other Americans, particularly Moslems. Why? Because we're hurt. We're afraid. We're angry. I was scheduled to do a conference on "Creating The life You love in Life part II" in San Diego. Motivational speakers such as Depak Chopra and Marianne Williamson were scheduled to be there as keynote speakers and guest. However, the conference was canceled. I was relieved. After all, planning to have a meaningful second career seems frivolous in light of all the lost lives of loved ones and the suffering so many families are going through. Like many of the survivors, I'm feeling guilty, even paralyzed. I haven't written a word in a week. How dare I have the audacity to sit around writing when people are suffering? That was my rationale. Besides, like the rest of the nation, I was speechless. This crime was as unspeakable as slavery. So slowly, I've been trying to examine this space and give words to this "twilight zone" space we are now occupying. Over the past week, so many other writers have written me, between their tears, to say that they are feeling that their books are useless now. How dare they have the temerity to even write about their concerns, such as "keeping your virginity as teenagers," "fighting AIDs and Herpes," or writing their memoirs about how they beat the odds? I felt the same way as I grapple with my recurrent theme of healing old family wounds. After all, we now have this great big gaping wound sitting at the heart of our nation--our government and our economy. I even questioned the value of my new novel, "The Hidden Sword," dealing with the violence at the core of our most basic unit-the human family. But the answer came to me. You must write it. The same rampages we're seeing in the family-family members going on rages and killing up each other-are what we are now seeing on a global level. Because you know what? As writers, we must write to help, and perhaps even save others. It was because of books, Amazon.com had the power and the ability to gather 6 million dollars in a week due to its relief fund. Books and the words of poets/writers have the power to heal. As a counselor, I found that people often talk about their pains because they must. They must give words to what ails them in order to help heal themselves. As writers, poets and publishers, we are still searching for the words to describe how our souls feel raped, violated and abused. We are moving through the same 5 stages of grief as any one who has suffered a death of a loved one. Seeing our country devastated on our own soil is similar to what rape victims have disclosed to me in counseling. Being raped feels akin to being a stranger in one's own skin. Right now, Americans feel violated. Boundary-less. Like there is no difference between you and the unsafe world out there. Right now, school children are terrified. Adults are terrified. I am terrified. We are all feeling violated, raped, and afraid of another attack happening again. The false sense of security and the illusion of safety that we once harbored have been ripped from us with what happened to all the victims of September 11, 2001. Children orphaned, husbands and wives left as widowers/widows, and worse of all, parents facing the horror that doesn't even have a word in our culture-that state of being--bereft of their own child/children. What's worse, we really can't go through a stage of denial-the media and our nightmares about people trapped in twin towers won't let us. So we've become paralyzed in anger. We are now living in a world as fraught with peril and dangers as any other war torn country. Like many Americans my concerns are these. Are the cells still operative? Will this happen again when the airline standards relax? If the country goes to war, is this the start of the Final War-Armageddon as stated in Revelations 16:16? Now we are all understanding what it is to live in fear as many third world countries have done for years. Because we are afraid, we are angry. But in our anger, we could ignite World World III-the final war. Therefore, as we move through the five stages of grief, shock, anger, denial, and finally acceptance, we must ask to be guided to find a spiritual solution to this crisis. As writers, it is our job to help others facilitate this process by finding the words to embrace what we are all feeling, in order for us to be move on and not annihilate the human race. http://maxinethompsonbooks.com/2011/09/11/ten-year-old-article-911-a-call-for-writers-and-poets-to-speak-up/ Book Review Suzetta Perkin’s novel, Betrayed,   has such a riveting storyline, I read the book in one afternoon and couldn’t put it down. What made the read so compelling is that the characters felt so real, I could relate to all of them. The major plot line reminds me of the first time I heard the term, Project Twins on the popular BET show, "The Game." “Project Twins” is an urban term for when two women are pregnant by the same man and have a baby within close proximity of weeks or months of each other. Ironically, this is just one of the family secrets in Suzetta Perkins' latest novel, Betrayed. Setrina “Mimi” Bailey  has a nineteen-year old secret which comes home to roost when she moves to Durham, North Carolina so that her daughter, Afrika, can attend college there. We learn that, while still in college, Mimi was raped by her best friend’s fiancé, Victor Christianson. This is a realistic scenario and sadly does happen. But what happens when Mimi marries someone else, doesn’t report the rape, or divulge the paternity of her daughter? What happens when this rapist is allowed to continue to wreak havoc in others lives? What happens when this family secret opens a pandora box?  Filled with suspense, this story has numerous twists and turns, which kept me glued to the page. The story deals with topical issues, such as rape,  adultery, AIDS, HIV, and family secrets. “Betrayed” truly proves the Biblical warning,  “You reap what you sow.”  I love this novel!  Great book, Suzetta. Keep them coming! Reviewed by Dr. Maxine Thompson http://maxinethompsonbooks.com/2011/09/09/kudos-for-betrayed-by-suzetta-perkins/ "Show me your friends, and I'll tell you who you are," a special co-worker once told me. First, let me explain what special means. In Ebonics, we'll say, ''She's a special case.'' Or if someone is not dealing with a full deck, but yet are loveable, we'll say, ''She's special.'' So as you see, this was a ''gem'' spoken out of a ''special'' person's mouth. Although, at the time, I didn't quite understand what she meant, I now know what she was talking about is called ''character.'' In life, this could be a bad thing, but in fiction this is a good thing. Nothing works better for memorable fiction than strong characters with flaws. To get to the point, how does one create memorable characters? Sol Stein, in his book, Stein On Writing, points out that eccentricity is at the heart of all strong characterizations. In short, the most effective characters in fiction are to some degree bizarre. Character is an essential part of the best fiction. Think of all the memorable characters in fiction. When you think of the books whose characters resound in your head, you don't think about, well this happened and that happened, (plot), you generally think of who the protagonist was. Words such as ''Scrooge,'' ''Pollyanna,'' and even ''Uncle Tom'' developed in our culture to express a personality, an outlook, a character trait. And in spite of my dislike for the Antebellum South, from my first reading at fifteen, Scarlettt O'Hara and Rhett Butler stenciled a place in my memory as colorful characters. (Who can ever forget Rhett Butler's last sardonic words, ''My dear, I don't give a d--?.'' As an African American, I grew up during the 50's with no role models in my fiction. No archetypes that had any relevancy to my life. But now, I--and readers from all races-- are blessed with a list of memorable Afrocentric characters. Janie ( who left 3 husbands), creator, Zora Neale Hurston. Sula, Milkman. Pilate. Sethe (who cut her baby's throat rather than see her back in slavery). Creator, Toni Morrison. Nana Pouissant (who built bottle trees to protect her family), creator, Julie Dash/ Daughters of the Dust. Likewise, I'm hoping that my fictional characters--Jewel, Big Mama Lily, Nefertiti, Solly, Pharaoh and Reverend--will one day also become household names in the literary corridors of my reader's mind. Eccentricity has frequently been at the heart of strong characterization for good reason. Ordinariness is what readers have enough of in life. The most effective characters have profound roots in human behavior. Their richest feelings may be similar to those held by many others. However, as characters their eccentricities dominate the readers first view of them. The first time I encountered this is through the character of Pilate, from Song of Solomon. She has no navel, yet has the ability to communicate with her dead father. I am still haunted by her dying Another reason character is so important in plotting your fiction is that people are different. The same tragic event can happen to two people and have different effects. One person can lose his job and never bounce back, and another will be galvanized by the same event. These are the types of points of departure you can examine in fiction through your characters. These are the three major techniques I think will make the difference in creating memorable characters who leap off the page. • 1) Point of view. Even if the character is eccentric, you should make the reader understand his world view. • 2) Specificity in Details. Develop your character's quirks, habits, motivations, and hobbies. • 3) Challenges. Fiction that takes risks and challenges our smug assumptions about life. Don't just write about normal situations. Examine the human hearts and the depths of what people will go when faced with moral dilemmas. What will a mother do when she is broke and hungry and has children to feed? To distinguish between plot-driven fiction and character-driven fiction is the same distinction you find between popular movies and serious movies. The former categories often satisfies you, but, like Chinese food, can leave you ravenous after a few hours. Character-driven fiction/movies will stick to your ribs like ''soul food.'' It will make you examine the human heart and condition. Most of all, it often disturbs you like the book and movie, Beloved, yet you will find yourself driven to read these same books over and over. http://maxinethompsonbooks.com/2011/09/04/how-to-create-characters-who-leap-off-the-page/ WHILE YOU ARE IN YOUR RIGHT MIND BY DR. ROSIE MILLIGAN I used to hear my father, Simon Hunter, say in his prayers, “God, I thank you for waking me up in my right mind.” We children would laugh because we thought that everybody woke up in their right mind. Well, as years passed, I came to realize that many lie down at night and upon awakening, they don’t know where they are, who they are, and the time or today’s date. Some of the times their memory is lost for only a few moments, but other times, their memory is lost forever—just that quick. In the old days, the church used to sing the song, “While the blood is running warm in your veins.” We laughed at that song also; we did not understand the meaning of the words. Today, I understand my father’s prayer and the old church song. There is now a face on the expression “while you are in your right mind”—it’s called competency, and when you are not in your right mind, it’s called incompetency—not able to make a sound decision for yourself. I know the interpretation of the song “while the blood is running warm in your veins.” It means that when the blood is running warm, you are alive, and when the blood is cold in your veins, you are dead. What I am I saying? We need to make decisions about how we want to live and die while we are in our right mind. We need to designate who we want to distribute our assets upon our death or should we become incapacitated. We need to designate the person that we want to make health-care and financial decisions for us if we are unable to do so. I promise you that if you do not decide these issues while you are in your “right” mind, the person who you would least likely choose may be the one taking charge of your health-care and financial affairs. Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are affecting so many people. Just recently, it was announced that a coach from Tennessee, in her late 50s, had been diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s. What’s my point? For a power of attorney for health-care and financial concerns, these documents need to be notarized and witnessed. If a person is suffering from dementia/Alzheimer’s disease, you may find it difficult to obtain a notary to notarize this document knowing of such a diagnosis. So do it while you are in your “right” mind. The following is a very sad story. A month ago, I was made aware of a 79-year-old woman who rented a room to a male tenant. He befriended her and became her caretaker and gained her confidence. It was discovered this year by a relative that her Living Trust had been amended to add the tenant as a trustee and the sole beneficiary, deleting her only son who lives out of town from the trust. It was also discovered that a few years back, she had taken a reverse mortgage on her home and received $170,000 cash. No one knows what bank the money had been placed in, and she now no longer remembers and the male tenant no longer lives with her. This is what can happen when one is not in his/her “right” mind and when there is no one paying close attention to the seniors in their family. I have been sounding the alarm for year, warning folks to get their personal and business affairs in order—and, yes, I am talking to you, so what are you waiting for? You need to handle your business while you are in your “right” mind and while the blood is running warm in your veins. Do the right thing for yourself, your children, and your family. I have articles posted on my Web site that you may want to read and share with others. Go to www.Drrosie.com [1] and print them at no cost. These informative articles are: “Families Must Discuss Death & Dying,” “How Are The Elders Faring?” “It’s Time To Get In Your Children’s Business,” “It’s Time To Get In Your Parents’ Business,” and many more. Dr. Rosie Milligan, author, publisher, minister, estate planner, and co-author of the book Departing This Life Preparations: What You Need To Know To Get Your Personal & Business Affairs In Order with her sister, Attorney Clara Hunter King. Address: 1425 W. Manchester Ave., Ste. B, Los Angeles, Calif. 90047; 323-750-3592; e-mail: Drrosie@aol.com; Web site: www.Drrosie.com [1] http://www.drrosie.com/ http://maxinethompsonbooks.com/2011/08/28/while-in-my-right-mind-by-guest-blogger-dr-rosie-milligan/