Magazine

a hope in the unseen books that matter $2.
50 song of night rosalyn mcmillan how to love a black woman brown girl in the ring haiku nanette hayes paul laurence dunbar colson whitehead sandra lee gould beloved edwidge dandicat pat neblett aradays popcorn factory omar tyree crossword reg e. gaines black mama widow old school milk in my coffee considering venus poetry book clubs blue collar blues betty shabazz fall preview poetry a stranger in paradise iceberg slim waiting in vain childrens books bestsellers gayl jones eric jerome dickey evangeline blanco nalo hopkinson dark encounter blues haiku julia boyd reviews bebes by golly wow beloved sonia sanchez veronica chambers cubana colin channer the web yolanda joe babala valerie wilson wesley the skin im in thr big banana tamara hayle
Fall 1998 l i t e r a r y m a g a z i n e
MOSAIC / FALL 1998 1
oSAiC M
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2 MOSAIC / FALL 1998
w w w. m o s a i c b o o k s . c o m
contents
Features
6. Three New Voices
FALL 1998
01.03
10. T h e W r i t e A d v i c e
How Writers Get Agents by Herbert Stern
12. P r o f i l e s
Three new writers interviewed: Sandra Lee Gould by Renee Michel 17. E x c e r p t Nalo Hopkinson by William Ashanti Hobbs III Song of Night by Glenville Lovell Colson Whitehead by Akilah Monifah
Sonia Sanchez
Books That Matter by Deatra Haime
14. The Mystery of Gayl Jones

by Kelly Howard
25. B l u e s H a i k u 26. F a l l P r e v i e w Poetry

30. Courting Life by Renee Michel Zala 37. Bluffers Park by Jason Williams
18. Reviews
See page 4
23. Fiction In the 90s:
The Domain of the Sisters by Omar Tyree
Original Short Story

31. Myrons House by Gayle W. Williamson 48. Dark Encounters by Evangeline Blanco
26. Fall Preview 34. Reg e. Gaines

Tapping On Your Head by Lynne d. Johnson
32. B e s t - s e l l e r s L i s t s 38. C h i l d r e n s C o r n e r 42. T h e W r i t e S t u f f : T e c h n o l o g y

No Excuses for Bad Writing by Deatra Haime
45. You Again!
Recurring Characters in Popular Fiction by Sharon Amos
46. C r i t i c i s m
Beloved, truly. by Michaelyn Elder
51. African American Book Clubs

Start One! by Pat Neblett
50. C r o s s w o r d P u z z l e 62. C e l e b r a t i n g O u r V o i c e s !
Paul Laurence Dunbar by Lynne d. Johnson
Colson Whitehead
18.Reviews
A Hope In the Unseen by Ron Suskind A Stranger In the Village: Two Centuries of African American Travel Writing by Farah J. Griffin & Cheryl J. Fish Bebes By Golly Wow by Yolanda Joe Blue Collar Blues by Rosalyn McMillan Brown Girl In the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson Can I Get A Witness: For Sisters, When the Blues is More Than a Song by Julia A. Boyd Considering Venus by D. Gisele Isaac Cubana: Contemporary Fiction by Cuban Women Edited by Mirta Yanez Faradays Popcorn Factory by Sandra Lee Gould Girl In the Mirror: Three Generations of Black Women In Motion by Natasha Tarpley Got Your Back: The Life of a Bodyguard in the Hardcore World of Gangsta Rap by Frank Alexander & Heidi Siegmund Cuda How To Love A Black Woman by Dr. Ronn Elmore Lift Every Voice: Turning a Civil Rights Setback into a New Vision of Social Justice by Lani Guinier Mama Black Widow by Iceberg Slim Milk in My Coffee by Eric Jerome Dickey Shades of Justice by Linda McKeever Bullard Staying Married: A Guide for African American Couples by Anita Doreen Diggs & Dr. Vera S. Paster The Aztec Love God by Tony Diaz Waiting In Vain by Colin Channer
Nalo Hopkinson
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Mosaic Literary Magazine

Volume 1 No. 3
Editor in Chief Ron Kavanaugh Managing Editor Lynne d. Johnson Copy Editor Deatra Haime
Contributors: Sharon Amos, Evangeline Blanco, Anita Doreen Diggs, Michaelyn Elder, Mo Fleming, Kim Fox, Neven Gbeho, Tracy Grant, Deatra Haime, William Ashanti Hobbs III, Mary P Holland, Pat Houser, . Kelly Howard, Lynne d. Johnson, Troy Johnson, William M. King, Renee Michel, Akilah Monifah, Jason Robinson, Vatisha Smith, Pat Neblett, Herbert Stern, Omar Tyree, Stacey-Robin Warren, Gayle W. Williamson
Questions and comments should be sent to: magazine@mosaicbooks.com or write us at: Mosaic Communications, 314 W 231st St Suite 470 Bx, NY 10463.
Publisher Jacqueline Jacob Circulation Director Taura Ottey

Subscription: 4 issues for $8.00 send check to: MOSAIC COMMUNICATIONS 314 W 231st St. Suite 470 Bronx, NY 10463
To advertise contact: Jacqueline Jacob, Publisher 500 Dartmoor Drive Ste 203 Newport News, VA 23608 (757) 886-0468
MOSAIC MAGAZINE is published four times a year by Mosaic Communications, 314 W 231st St . Suite 470 Bx, NY 10463. Fax 718-432-1445. Printed in the USA
feature
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sandra lee gould nalo hopkinson
colson whitehead
Colson Whitehead
by Akilah Monifa Colson Whitehead finished his first novel three years ago. It did not get published and he went back to the drawing board. Whitehead saw a 20/20 report on escalator inspectors and thought that was an odd job to have. The escalator inspectors reminded him of growing up in NY and seeing plaques for elevator inspectors. I thought I wanted to do a strange detective story and I thought it would be interesting to have an elevator inspector work on the case, says Whitehead about his story. So he did research for The Intuitionist. He took notes six months on-andoff and wrote it in ten months. Then a friend recommended an agent, he showed her the manuscript and they clicked. She got the book right away and was really enthusiastic about it. The agent sent it to Natasha Stoval six or eight publishers. Anchor responded fairly quickly and it will be published in December 1998. Not an overnight success, he had a bad experience with his first novel and agent. He feels he was in too much of a rush and didnt shop around for an agent. He should have cast his net wider. I thought I finished it, someone should buy it, explains Whitehead. He advises folks to slow down after completing a novel. Additionally, finding the time to write is of utmost importance whether ...it is two hours in the morning or two hours at night. Getting discipline and finding a way to make it happen. In my case it was more sitting down at the computer and getting it done, shares Whitehead. His advice to novelists who have yet to be published: ...everyone says it, but dont get discouraged by bad turns and rejections, just keep on doing it. Think more about the work than the process. As for using an agent, without absolutely recommending one, Whitehead points out that agents know which editors at which houses are interested in the kind of book you are doing. Doing it blind is a hard road. Yet still, a lot of it is luck, timing, clicking... Whitehead, a Harvard grad/English major worked for the Village Voice for five years. He was an editorial assistant at VLS then promoted to assistant editor, yet wrote the whole time. He was assigned a column after three years and was a pop culture critic writing television reviews. As a free-lancer he also wrote essays, reviews (TV, music, book, film) for Spin, Vibe, and Newsday in NY. He still likes writing articles but fiction has different rewards, he says. Colson is currently working on his third novel, about John Henry. Akilah Monifa is a freelance writer living in Oakland, CA. She has been published in QBR, Lesbian Review of Books, Lambda Book Report, The Lavender Salon Reader, The San Francisco Bay Times.
Nalo Hopkinson
by William Ashanti Hobbs III For African Americans hesitant in experiencing science fiction literature, Nalo Hopkinsons Brown Girl in the Ring is an ideal introduction to the genre. By grounding itself in a gritty and convincingly futuristic world of urban decay, Hopkinson skillfully charms the reader into turning page after page. Common complaints from readers of fiction other than sci-fi are heeded to with unpretentious movements of lost love, realistic do-or-die scenarios and a well-tempered missive for the importance of family. Though some may complain about the categorization of her work, the Warner Aspect First Novel Contest winner remains steadfast. Sometimes people ask me...why do you write that space alien shit? Science fiction gives me ways to think about the technology and social systems we create and how they affect our world. Fantasy, magic, realism and horror give me ways to think about how we deal with the unseen and inexplicable in our worlds, the belief systems we create. Hopkinsons crafting of such phenomena into stories started in her formative years. Her father, AbdurRahman (Slade Hopkinson), was a poet, actor and playwright in the Caribbean. Hopkinsons mother is a library technician. I always read some form of fantastic literature, says Hopkinson, be it folktales, fantasy stories, Homers Iliad, Swifts Gullivers Travels. I say science fiction as a kind of shorthand, but really I write speculative fiction, which is a cluster of genres... Hopkinson expands the parameters of speculative fiction with her Caribbean flair and celebration of self. At times, the dialogue is curried so deeply in Creole that the prose is almost musical, though she admits she has experienced some resistance to the language. Im still battling with that one. But I think of writers like Amos Tutuola, who wrote in Yoruba English and was tremendously successful, and I know that it can be done. Such are the challenges that face new writers on the scene, and Hopkinson has gems of wisdom for those toiling away on a PC, becoming despondent from rejection letters and the like: What helps is being part of a writing group in which everyone also gets rejection letters and the occasional acceptance. A rejection of your writing is not a rejection of you. On having Brown Girl in the Ring published by such a major publisher? My first novel is getting a lot of positive feedback and people are very curious about it and thats nice. Financially? Warner gave me a good contract and quite a decent advance. That money s all gone now, and my loans officer was very happy with the cheque I wrote the bank. Success usually doesnt mean wealth. Jon Baturin But being published by a large house has been great, and I think thats partly because its a small imprint of a large house. Warner is working hard to pique peoples curiosity about the novel. That and the fact that its so readily available has probably helped in getting it into second printing, and this before its official release date. William Ashanti Hobbs, III is the self-published author of Pseudonymous, a compilation of his poetry and short stories and is pursuing his masters' of fine arts in Creative Writing at Florida State University.
Sandra Lee Gould

by Renee Michel Graced by her soft, yet rooted confidence, I sat to interview Sandra Lee Gould in celebration of her first novel, and the healthy birth of Mosaic. We warmed up to one another over soup as she, a writer, photographer and acclaimed quilter, began to unravel her path to the novel. It feels like a train that has finally gotten onto the right track, she said about having her first book released. Faradays Popcorn Factory, published by St. Martins Press, evolved from a fifteen-page short story. Id been involved with it for eight years. As Ive grown as [a person] the characters have taken on a richness. Its been a wonderful process. Living in Pittsburgh and employed as a secretary at various companies throughout her career, the last of which was a steel mill, Sandra raised two daughters while earning a B.A. in Media Communications and an M.F.A in Creative Writing . Though her heart was with fiction, Sandra began writing feature stories for local publications, after challenging the editor of the New Pittsburgh Courier to allow her to write a story on Ben Vareen. I was too naive at the time to believe that I couldnt. Sandra met her far-reaching challenge, and soon began marrying her photography to her articles, utilizing the skills she acquired while pursuing her A.A. in Photography. In 1985 Sandra left the steel mill to begin laying the groundwork for the Shooting Star Review, a literary magazine and arts organization. The word spread through the grapevine and through publications like Poets and Writers and writers conferences. In 1986, her brainchild, the Shooting Star Review was realized and met with great acceptance. As fate would have it, Sandras path crossed with that of Les Brown, the great motivational speaker. Before meeting him, I was subverting my own writing and helping other writers, she explains. The motivator asked her a question that would change her direction. Why arent you writing [toward reaching your goal]? That encounter encouraged her to begin writing seriously. Nearing candidacy for her M.F.A between 1989-1990, she returned to the realization that she was expected to submit a compelling book. She decided to begin significantly developing a short story she kept coming back to. The challenge became both complex and exciting. Consequently she unearthed more talent than shed ever expressed. Eventually she submitted the manuscript that would be the blueprint for Faradays Popcorn Factory. Its evolution continued over several years until it found a home at St. Martins Press. However, for some time to come, the manuscript would lack a foundation for its story and characters that Sandra could feel passionate about. Enter Joseph Campbell, a mythology and religion historian. Campbells theories, which she began reading and instinctively connecting with, provided the structure the novel had been awaiting. He gave a charge to artists to create a new mythology. Myths [provide people with a means] to develop processes for getting through life, she shares. Faradays Popcorn Factory is a mythic story for todays readers. The issues that myths address are universal. I wanted to [place] Black characters in a universal context. When the arts are doing their job, they are helping us to better understand ourselves as human beings... Is there something better that I can become? Her charge as a writer, she says, is to Help the reader move toward a more fulfilling human experience. Renee Michel began writing as a fundraiser; editing and writing proposals for not-for-profit agencies. She is now feature writing while working in the fashion industry in New York City.
the w r i t e advic e
Getting Published
by Herbert Stern
If life were fair, once youve finished the big work of writing your book, the rest would be gravy. For a writer, gravy means quick publication, an appearance on Oprah, the wide acclaim of critics and readers, movie rights, adoring crowds at book signings. But in the real world the writer more often feels like Randall Jarrell when he complained: If I wrote my poems on cookies and fed the cookies to a dog, the dog wouldnt eat them. For every rags-to-riches writers story, there are millions of desperate tales of frustration and failure. For every published writer there are millions of what the Chinese call drawer poets which means, writers whose work goes from table top into file cabinets, never to see the light of day again. The fact is that as hard as writing may be, for most writers getting published is still harder. Oscar Collier and Frances Spatz Leighton, in their excellent How to Write and Sell Your First Novel (Writers Digest Books), speculate from good figures that something like five hundred new novelists get published each year, and that your chance to be one of them, once youve written and submitted your book, is about one in ten. For all that, as in any game, there are ways to improve the odds. To begin with, of course, you write as well as you can. Writing is at least as much a craft as, say, carpentry or plumbing, which means that there are rules and traditions regarding the right way to do things. Its worth keeping a copy of Strunk and Whites Elements of Style on your writing table. Donald Halls Writing Well can point you toward models of strong writing styles. And, since writing in the long run is an art and not simply a craft, you may also wish to look at some of the classic reflections on that art, of which E. M. Forsters Aspects of the Novel and John Gardners The Art of Fiction are among the more readable. One of the most practical guides for the novelist is Collier and Spratzs How to Write and Sell Your First 10 MOSAIC / FALL 1998
How to Get There From Here

Novel, mentioned above. Every aspiring novelist should own it. Judith Applebaums How to Get Happily Published: A Complete and Candid Guide is also useful. As a professional writer youll want to know something about your market. R. R. Bowkers The Literary Marketplace is a convenient handbook on the subject, and Publishers Weekly, either on-line or in print, is an excellent source of bookbiz news: whats hot, whats not. Library Journal and Publishers Weekly print lists of best books of the year, in various categories. You need to know whats best in the field you wish to enter. Such lists are a start, but theres no way around the necessity of reading: read the best books you can find of the kind you wish to write. Not doing that would be pretty much like wanting to be a professional basketball player but not taking the trouble to see Michael Jordan in action. Lets say that nowto move right alongyour book is written. You think its pretty good, but youve been living with it for, say, two years, and trying to judge it is like trying to judge your baby. I mean, its your baby. Here some pain begins. You need to make it somebody elses baby. You need to become, as poet Robert Graves put it, the reader over your own shoulder. Thats admittedly a tough step, one that not all novice writers are able to take. Its what separates the novices from the professionals. There are countless good books on the subject of selfediting. Strunk and White, already mentioned, and H. W. Fowler, The New Fowlers Modern English Usage are useful, as is The Chicago Manual of Style. Collier and Spatz provide excellent guidelines for revising a novel. But most writers like to have second readers. One way to get them, if you have the money, is to attend writers conferences. Magazines like Poets and Writers provide ample lists of these. Most of themoften for an extra feegive you opportunity to have your manuscript read
by...well... an expert. They can also be a good place to meet agents. If you cant afford the time and money to attend a conference but can buy a book now and then and have a computer and modem, there are invaluable resources in print and on the Net. Read Into Print: Guides to the Writing Life (Poets & Writers, 72 Spring St., New York, NY 10012, 212-226-3586). As for the Net, Salon Magazine (salonmagazine.com) has a Writers Helping Writers service where you can ask questions and get answers. Poets and Writers has an indispensable Website (www.pw.org/info.htm), and they also have a useful chat service www.pw.org/speak.htm, and the Authors Guild has a helpful website www.authorsguild.org/welcome.html. None of these resources will get you an editorial reading, but they will help you to think and act like a professional. If youve come this far, where do you go from here? Obviously, to a publisher, but how? The beginning is often a query letter a one-page, single-spaced business letter describing your book, your qualifications, and, if possible, the reasons why your book will sell. (Here, your knowledge of similar books that have sold can be useful). Such query letters are sometimes accompanied by a synopsis of your book and a sample chapter or two, but some publishers prefer to see the letter first (See Lisa Collier Cool, How to Write Irresistible Query Letters). Working with an agent improves the odds. An agent, as Collier and Leighton put it, runs interference for the author. She or he knows what the various publishing houses are looking for and has personal connections with them. A good place to start your search for an agent is the AAR (Association of Authors Representatives), 10 Astor Place, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10003, 212-353-3709. The AAR, a nonprofit membership organization for dramatic and literary agents who do not charge fees, will send you their list of member agents and a copy of their Canon of Ethics if you send them $7.00 plus a #10 self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with fifty-five cents postage. There are also good books on the subject, including Debbie Mayers Literary Agents: The Essential Guide for Writers. A new resource for beginning authors is Hilton Publishing, the company I work for. Our president, Hilton Hudson, is one of approximately two dozen black heart surgeons in America, and the company specializes in non-technical books by doctors and books by minority writers. The long and the short of it is that becoming a writer is like joining a culture there is knowledge to be acquired, there are new ways to be learned. Happily, there are also resources out there to help you make that transition. Herbert Stern is Milligan Professor of English Emeritus at Wabash College and vice president of Hilton Publishing. His poetry chapbook, Silk and the Ragpickers Grandson is scheduled for publication by Red Dust in New York City.
Prize-winning author Evangeline Blanco weaves pride, prejustice, obsessive love, legend, fable, and historical accounts in a chronicle of three families struggling to survive in a land at odds with its own cultural origin. This evocative new novel spanning several generations and many miles, honestly captures the mystery, intrigue and rich heritage that is Puerto Rico.
IN STORES NOW
Doubleday Books
profile
by Deatra Haime
Giving Voice to BlackMatter Writers Books That

and they dont have anybody in their stable whos writing like a Terry McMillan so they start getting these manuscripts from the I can do it too folks and they start signing them up. Both Baylor and Nettles see Books That Matter as a voice for a wide array of authors new and established, traditionally published and self-published who write about the Black experience. Previous guests include Amiri Baraka, Quincy Troupe, Sapphire (author of the provocative novel Push) and Derrick Bell. A few prominent writers, however, remain elusive Walter Mosely and Terry McMillan have declined to appear on the show, presumably because their stature doesnt extend down to public-access. Undaunted by these snubs, Baylor just keeps Leroy Baylor going: Theres so many dynamite authors out here today that if I dont get one, I get another and its still a dynamite show. The larger struggle is moving Books That Matter from public-access to a national audience, which Baylor and Nettles feel is a natural progression. This show, says Baylor, is bigger than it is right now... I just have to pursue and sell it. Its extremely valuable. The community is ready for all the wealth these writers have. Stay tuned. Deatra Haime is a history teacher and freelance writer living in New York City. Recently, shes written lyrics for singer Corey Glovers new album entitled Hymns and is currently writing a book about kids of color.
Launched 2 1/2 years ago, Books That Matter, a public-access television show (for now only available on Brooklyn and Manhattan, New York cable systems) handles the necessary business of introducing African American writers to their rapidly expanding audience. Hosted by Leroy Baylor, a self-proclaimed bibliophile, the show was conceived and is co-produced by Hafeesa Nettles. After working for a New York Citybased publishing house and as a published author herself, Nettles recognized that Black writers have few venues to promote their work. Although people buying Black books has increased 86% from 1995 to 1997, and represent a 21 billion-dollar profit center, the publishing industry has been slow to develop effective marketing strategies that target the Black book-buying public. Baylor credits the supply side for the recent boom: Black folks are simply writing more books. Interestingly, he sees the starting point as a reaction to Shahrazad Alis controversial The Blackmans Guide to Understanding the Black Woman published in 1990: Ali was a spark that started a fire ... whenever a slave breaks out of the mold, other slaves say Hey, I can do that. A books gets written, people look at it and think the quality of this thing is [poor] ... Damn, I can do this. I got a degree, she aint got a degree... It comes out of an envy and jealousy thing turned into a positive action. Baylor believes this new wave of thinking made the industry ripe for writers like Terry McMillan who many credit for opening the door to the huge upswing. Terry McMillan hits big for Viking and other companies are looking at these sales 12 MOSAIC / FALL 1998
Chester Higgins Jr.
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The mystery gayl jones

by Kelly Howard
of
feature
The
Healing, the new novel marking Gayl Jones return to literary prominence after 22 years of seclusion, is a message of hope for the main character, the reader and Jones alike. Ironically, this moving story is about a young woman, Harlan Jane Eagleton, who discovers she has a gift of healing, but is in desperate need of healing herself. Like Jones. Jones works have received critical praise for years, yet the dark and disturbing pictures she has created, makes one wonder how far from the truth they were. Within months of publishing and receiving outstanding reviews for The Healing, Jones was embroiled in a drama that seemed almost to step right from the pages of one of her books. On February 20, 1998, when police attempted to arrest her husband, Bob Jones (formerly Higgins, a.k.a. Don Steele), for a 15-year-old weapons conviction, he barricaded himself and Jones in their home and declared they would kill themselves. Police were tipped of his whereabouts after he had sent a number of threatening and accusatory letters to various local officials regarding the death of Jones mother.
Three hours into the stand-off, police rushed the front door, when they feared an
s n e a k
p e e k
Betty Shabazz
A Sisterfriends Tribute In Words and Pictures
Edited by Jamie Foster Brown Simon and Schuster
Dr. Betty Shabazz was a leader a teacher a mentor an inspiration and a survivor She was a strong woman who overcame the tragedy of her husband Malcolm X assassination and the hardship of raising their six children on her own to become an important political and civil rights activist in her own right. Here, youll see Maya Angelou praise Dr. Shabazzs contributions to the struggle for civil rights and hear Myrlie EversWilliams recount a healing retreat she took with Dr. Shabazz and Coretta Scott King. Youll learn what Dr. Shabazz was like as she grew up from people who were there. Close friends like Dr. C. DeLores Tucker and Reverend Willie Barrow will introduce you to the human side of this icon as they offer you a glimpse of the Betty who loved to shop, dance, gossip and laugh. And a host of others will show just how she mattered to them and how much she mattered to all of us. Dr. Shabazzs motto was find the good and praise it. These forty essays do exactly that as they commemorate the life and the achievements of this inspired and inspiring woman.
Three hours into the standoff, police rushed the front door when they feared an explosion from the natural gas that Bob Jones had turned on in the house. Bob killed himself by grabbing a butcher knife and plunging it into his throat as police reached Gayl. She was taken to Eastern State Hospital and placed on suicide watch and emergency detention. Jones brother, Franklin, told the press and police that, ...my brother-in-law was insane, and that Gayl was headed towards literary stardom ...until she met him. While any determination whether Bob was insane or not can now only be decided from looking at his past behavior and actions, it is clear that Gayl was and continues to be a rising star. Jones, a former protg of Toni Morrison, was born in 1949 and grew up in segregated Lexington, KY. There is little known about her adolescent years, except that she was a very quiet, studious and shy young lady. Both her junior and senior high school yearbooks contain no pictures of her. After graduating from the University of Connecticut in 1971, Jones entered Brown Universitys Writing Program where see received her Masters in Writing in 1973 and Doctorate in 1975. She was one of only three people who received such degrees, said Professor Keith Waldrop of the Creative Writing Department. While at Brown, Joness literary career began, where she was published widely in student publications, became involved in theater production and began work on her first novel, Corregidora. The story of a blues singer who must cope with a legacy of incest and sexual violence that dated back to slavery, was published in 1975 and gained the approval of her Random House editor, Toni Morrison. Her second book, Evas Man, published in 1976, details the life of the protagonist after she is thrown into a hospital for the criminally insane after not only poisoning her lover, but castrating him with her teeth. Jones received rave reviews and was hailed as a literary sensation by both critics and literary peers, such as Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, Margo Jefferson and John Updike. It was thought by many that Jones was headed for stardom. Little did anyone know that her life was as tumultuous as her characters lives. What laid within the psyche of this talented young lady to create such tales of sexual madness and violence that transfixed her readers, remains a mystery. Yet it is clear that the external negative elements of her life and marriage to her husband can be explained. At only 26, Jones was a tenured professor at the University of Michigan. A few years later, she became involved with a student then known as Bob Higgins (he would later take her name). Higgins had a reputation as a loose cannon: when he received a D in a (continued on page 59)
excerpt
Song of Night
by Glenville Lovell
Soho Press
From Song of Night by Glenville Lovell Copyright 1998 Glenville Lovell Reprinted by permission of Soho Press
Her mother was a liar. She lied about Porter not moving in, and she lied about letting Celine stay after she found out about the pregnancy. Oh, what a blasted liar her mother was! If there was a God in Heaven He would punish Obe for those bold-faced lies. Cyan was ready to fight for her sister When angry, Obe could be an indomitable presence; her arms grew longer and her eyes pulsated with an unnatural brightness. But Cyan was not afraid. One morning she cornered her mother setting up jucking-board under the clammy-cherry tree out back to wash Porters clothes. Celine was at her boyfriends, where shed been sent packing. Porter had just pedaled off to see about his boat. Mother and daughter squared off, hemmed in by their emotions, by their love and at the same time distrust of each other, and by the morning quiet. A few bare-necked hens scratched grass in the yard. Wet air hovered about them; green clouds skimmed close to the ground. Mother and daughter stood in the yard, enduring the stench of Percy SmaIls pigs a few houses down. They stood apart, each knowing that the others heart was pounding expectantly. Obe knew what her daughter wanted and knew she would have to deny it, if for no reason other than shed already ordered Celine out of the house. She could not appear to be weak. To stand by your convictions, to defend your principles, was the best thing she could teach her children, She knew they didnt believe she had any compassion; when they became women theyd understand. They would look back and thank her it making them strong. No man would ever be able to take advantage of them. Mother and daughter stood, chests in the air, the blood that bound them together, churning like a dark
sea, each knowing that the gnawing in her gut, the tightening in her bowels, had a significant history. If you dont let Celine come back, then I leaving, too, Cyan bluffed. Then you could go long. Maybe I would be able to get some peace in this blasted house for a change. You cant chase her way just so. I cant? Tell me why not? This aint me house? Shes your daughter Your flesh and blood. Flesh and blood aint got nothing to do with nothing. Sometimes yuh gotta harden yuh heart against (continued on page 58)
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(continued on page 55) MOSAIC / FALL 1998 17
reviews
A Hope In the Unseen

by Ron Suskind Broadway Books
Reviewed by William M. King Carrying the subtitle of, An American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy League, this book basically expands two lengthy articles that appeared in the Wall Street Journal in 1994 detailing the story of Cedric Lavar Jennings journey from Frank W. Ballou Senior High School in Southeast Washington, DC to Brown University in Providence, RI. It recapitulates Jennings experiences and relationships with his single mother, his friends and classmates, his teachers in high school and in a special summer program for science and math students at MIT, and his adjustments during his first year in college with a white roommate, two or three other black students, and one Azyd Dohrn, son of Bernadine Dohrn and Billy Ayers of Weather Underground fame. One of the more intriguing items appears in the Authors Note. Suskind tells us that after he published the articles in the Journal, he received phone calls from several black news reporters who, eventually, got around to asking me their real question. . . Are you black? He takes some pride in this, he writes, because it seems to suggest that he had briefly crossed a divide; a divide that allowed him to, vicariously at least, empathize with the experiences and feelings of the principal characters that populate Cedrics life and Cedric himself. This is apparent in the internal dialogs that fill up many pages, and were the result of numerous lengthy interviews that were fleshed out and sent to a fact checker before appearing in print. Although I liked the book, I did not find it without a flaw or three that left me wondering how much the author really knew about black life and history before he began. It is clear that the book was written from the heart and that Suskind came to respect and admire Cedric for his faith in his own ability and his tenacity of pursuit in the face of odds. Indeed, I hope Suskinds hope that the book might confuse dug-in racial expectations and, in some small way, help weave the black experience and white experiencealso commonly seen as parallel threadsinto a shared national experience, can be realized. William M. King is Professor and Coordinator, Afroamerican Studies, The Department of Ethnic Studies, The University of Colorado at Boulder.
Considering Venus by D. Gisele Isaac Seaburn Books

Reviewed by Vatisha Smith In the tradition of other authors such as E. Lynn Harris, James Earl Hardy, and April Sinclair, D. Gisele Isaac gives an engaging account of gay relationships. Before you scoff at the notion of being inundated with yet another work about two individuals of the same sex gettin it on, I recommend giving Considering Venus a chance. Although Lesley & Cass attended the same high school together, neither could boast they shared a close friendship during those years; in fact, they barely spoke. But with the recent death of Lesleys husband and three grown children out of the house, loneliness becomes her ever-present companion. Caribbean-born Cass is single, gay, and lonely as well. A chance meeting between the two women at an educational conference 25 years later, brings the them together. From then on we are led step-by-step through the development of their love affair. It is a love that in the beginning stages is purely one sided as Cass finds herself struggling with the emergence of her feelings for Lesley. Lesley on the other hand, having no idea of her effect on Cass, a little too naively fans the flames of her friends desire. Cass finds herself having to choose between telling Lesley how she feels and risk losing the love of her life, or saying nothing and at minimum hold on to a great friendship. Isaacs first foray into the literary realm was good enough to keep me reading, but I
constantly found myself annoyed with the way she conveniently resolved problematic issues. I especially felt that there should have been more time focused on the development of the characters relationships. It all just came together a little too neatly for me. All things considered, by the time you are through Considering Venus you are pleased with Isaacs character development. Yet, I would have preferred a lengthier work. Vatisha Smith is recent graduate of Baruch College with a BA in Journalism. She is also a member of The Go On Girl Book Club.
Blue Collar Blues by Rosalyn McMillan Warner Books

Reviewed by Tracy Grant Rosalyn McMillans new novel Blue Collar Blues is as passionate as any of her previous work, and may be her best yet. The author of Knowing and One Better continues to use Detroits automobile industry as a backdrop, a setting that she knows intimately. As the title suggests, Blue Collar Blues explores the interaction of auto workers across class (blue collar or new collar) and racial lines. Add to this the tension of blue collar workers losing their jobs to foreign outsourcing, and a healthy dose of adultery, for a sexy, entertaining tale about four people. The four main characters are clearly from different walks of life, but as it turns out, they
really are not so different at all. Blue Collar Blues takes us into the world of Champion Motors, one of Detroits largest car manufacturers. The need for Champion to stay competitive is causing them to make changes that will disrupt the lives of hundreds of employees. These employees include Khan, an attractive young factory worker, her girlfriend Thyme, who is a plant manager (and thus new collar), her husband Cy, who works at world headquarters, and R.C., a wealthy car dealership owner. All the main characters are African American except for Cy, who is white. His wife is more qualified to do his job than he is, yet he is paid more, while Khan struggles to overcome her love for R.C., a rich man whom her family warns will never marry a factory worker. Blue Collar Blues comes to life as the dreams and desires of these four people manifest, often in scandalous and life-changing ways. As an author, McMillans gift is twofold. Firstly, her depiction of life in the auto industry is superb, making her untouchable in this particular arena. Secondly, with Blue Collar Blues she makes the point that we all want the same things out of lifesecurity, love, a good living no matter who we are or what tax bracket were in. Where the nuclear family was explored in Knowing and women in search of love was the theme of One Better, Blue Collar Blues combines all these themes and more; rich with unex-
pected twists and drama that will keep the reader turning pages. It starts somewhat slowly, but McMillan delivers soon enough. Blue Collar Blues may be her best work yet. Tracy Grant received his Master's degree cum laude from Georgetown in 1996. He writes for Today's Black Woman, TRACE, Just For Black Men, and Mad Rhythms.
Waiting in Vain by Colin Channer

One World Books Reviewed by Stacey-Robin Warren If you havent already compiled your fall reading list, a nice way to start is with Waiting in Vain by Colin Channer. Set among New York, London and Jamaica, Waiting is the story of two people struggling to conquer the demons that keep them from their true selves and each other. The main characters, Fire and Sylvia are brought together by a number of chance meetings within a familiar circle of past and present associates, friends and lovers. Destiny is rarely as simple a concept as it seems. Getting what is meant to be to simply be is anything but easy for Fire and Sylvia. Standing between them are the ghosts of failed relationships, envy, distance and misconceptions of class and status. Sylvia, a magazine editor, is unaware of Fires international success as a writer. Although she is intensely attracted and in love with the unas-
suming mysterious Fire, Sylvia is uncertain of how Fire maintains his carefree intercontinental lifestyle, and is hesitant to jeopardize her stagnant though professionally beneficial relationship to her wealthy connected lover Lewis. Fire, still recovering from loves latest assault at the hands of a married woman, is apprehensive about pursuing Sylvia, a woman he has grown to love hard and fast, for fear of again wanting too badly that which he might never truly have. Instead, Fire is content to wait for Sylvia to come to him. While awaiting fate to deliver Sylvia, Fire focuses his efforts on saving the life of his long-time friend Ian, for whom old envies, drug abuse and a declining art career, has propelled down a path of self-destruction. Waiting In Vain is thoughtful, erotic and romantic. Lengthy passages of inner dialogue and erotic fantasy gives readers voyeuristic views into the internal workings of its characters. Unfortunately, these fly-onthe-wall perspectives occasionally take the reader off the trail only to meander among inner thoughts of the characters, slowing the momentum of the story -- at times, to a crawl. Although not an avid reader of the romance genre, I found Waiting in Vain enjoyable. The book is poetic, intellectual, and sensitive. Channer takes readers out of familiar circles of friends, family and lovers, and exposes them to places and things unlike any most
of us have ever encountered, like the politics of the art world and West Indian culture. Reaching from the U.S., to London, and to Jamaica, Channer allows the reader to take in a drama performed in economic arenas in which we can seldom afford bleacher seats. On your next mental health getaway to the lawn chair, take Waiting In Vain along for the trip. Stacey-Robin Warren is a writer, lyricist & vocalist living in Harlem. She is completing her first novel - a childrens book to inspire young people facing major life transitions.
Shades of Justice by Linda McKeever Bullard Dutton

Reviewed by Pat Houser One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. So says the Pledge of Allegiance, but when race, creed and color are a major agenda on political and social platforms, justice sometimes becomes a joke. For African Americans, its not unusual that justice is also shaded and comes at a very high price. Shades of Justice, a debut novel by Linda McKeever Bullard, tells the story of three African American lawyers living in Houston, Texas. Their friendship rivals their ambition and each will do anything to achieve their goals. Especially Gwen Parrish. This successful black female attorney fights an uphill battle to achieve her lifelong dream of becoming a judge, but she finds that nothing comes easy, least of all success. Throughout her journey, theres the (continued on page 22)
Two Shining Stars for children
HHathorn and Andrews vividly bring home this powerful storys silent refrain: that hope and joy can persist amid enormous sorrow. --Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
Sky Sash So Blue Libby Hathorn Illustrated by Benny Andrews
0-689-81090-3 $16.00
HThis picture book offers readers many things: an interesting look at life in the Negro National Baseball League of the 1940s, a wonderfully delineated father-son relationship, and a gentle advocacy of the sometimes intangible value of culture. . . . A very special book. --Starred Review, School Library Journal
The Bat Boy and His Violin Gavin Curtis Illustrated by E. B. Lewis
0-689-80099-1 $16.00
Looks for both of these titles at your local bookseller. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Simon & Schuster Childrens Publishing Division 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 / www.SimonSaysKids.com where imaginations meet MOSAIC / FALL 1998 21
soho press ad voices from the carribean
custody battle waged between her ex-husband and her teenage daughter, a clandestine relationship with the husband of one of her best friends and a new relationship with a white man. If in each life a little rain must fall, the events in Gwens life are reminiscent of a full-fledged monsoon. Like most of us, Gwen stumbles throughout her excursion to fulfillment, but like many strong sisters, she regains her balance. Youll root for her courageous spirit in the face of adversity, while questioning her motivation, morality and above all, her mothering instincts. In a world of large corporate law firms and skyrocketing billable hours, Bullard provides entry into the private practice arena of the legal profession. A former assistant prosecutor, the familiarity of her playing field is unmistakable as is her profound mastery of the workings of the justice system. With few African Americans in powerful positions, Bullards debut effort is fresh and a welcome introduction to courtroom fiction. Pat Houser is the founder of the Ebony Book Club and recently completed her first novel.
Faradays Popcorn Factory by Sandra Lee Gould

St. Martins Press Reviewed by Nevene Gbeho Willow is a lonely young woman who finds herself titillated and quickly seduced by the spell of a magically perfect town. The bus taking her to live with her grandmother
after the deaths of her parents stops for a while in Good Sky, Ohio and Willow lets it leave without her. In Faradays Popcorn Factory, writer Sandra Lee Gould weaves a fable of loss and the healing that results from a pure, good love. Willow, the novels central female character, arrives in Good Sky shattered by her parents deaths and the loss of the life shed lived until the car crash. Willows was a pleasant life, occasionally marred by her mothers admonishments to wash well and keep her hair nice, so white folks wouldnt think themselves better than her. In Good Sky, Willows sorrow is lulled by a remembered security. There she finds a job, a place to stay and good friends of all races, all in that first day. It is as if the town and its people were waiting to welcome her into their fold. Clement, Willows love, arrives in Good Sky pale and half done as he metamorphoses from his ethereal being into human form. Son of Mother Nature, Clement too is fleeing from a bad situation, an evil snapping at his heels. Clement, a man who exists in a space where time is elastic, finds a temporary peace in Willow from the raging forces of nature seeking to destroy him. In Clement, Willow finds courage to bridge the gap between past sorrows and future promise. (continued page 24)
feature
fiction ofDomain Of the Sisters the 90s The

by Omar Tyree
In early December of 1992, I was a mere 23-yearsold and selling my first novel, Colored, On White Campus, from a $250 booth at the Kwanzaa Black Arts Show in Washington, DC. I was an eager and passionate salesman offering my books to anyone who was interested. What I quickly realized, however, was that older sisters were the main supporters of black art and books. I hate to admit it, but many brothers were no more than spectators, investing only lip service to back up their concern for the culture. Concerning books, there seemed to be one issue on their minds: Is this fiction or non-fiction? Sisters asked what the book was about, allowing me an opportunity to explain that Colored, On White Campus involved a fictitious character, Troy Potter, and his struggles to find his purpose in life while attending a predominantly white university. The book was loosely based on myself, and my own struggles at the University of Pittsburgh. But once I revealed that it was fiction, brothers were not interested. Whenever they would allow me to explain, it usually became more of a debate: What exactly are you saying about college racism? First of all, I would politely respond, its not just about college racism, its about American racism in general, and how educational institutions serve as a funOmar Tyree
nel to factor out those would-be destroyers of the system. The concept made perfect sense to me, yet brothers would simply nod their heads, unimpressed, and go on to tell me their own life stories and views concerning American history toward black people: I remember when I was your age, brother, and... A half hour later, I would get a hand shake and a Good luck. At least a hundred other customers had passed me by while these brothers debated. Therefore, I learned to be short with brothers unless they were definitely supporting something with more than just words! I went on to publish my second book, Flyy Girl, in April of 1993. By that time, I knew who the readers were, but that wasnt my reason for writing the book. I wrote Flyy Girl simply as a reminder of all the destructive materialism that went on during my generation of the 80s. Needless to say, since it was written with a young black woman as the driver of the story, women, young and old, went on to make Flyy Girl my most popular book -- yet I would never call it my best. At the time, I was still learning how to write. I was a 19year-old sophomore at Pittsburgh when I wrote Colored, On White Campus, and a month and a half later, Flyy Girl. In 1993 I began to reevaluate the masters -- brothers like Richard Wright, Chester Himes, Iceberg Slim and Donald Goines -- to see what they had done with their work. I then wrote and published Capital City, my favorite book, in April 1994, involving three young black men caught up in the drug trade of Washington, DC. Why is it my favorite? Because its intense, political, action-packed, mature and non-compromising. Its (continued on page 53)
Daniel B. McNeill
Gould weaves a highly imaginative tale of two beings, one human, one spirit, who touch and soothe each other in a time of great personal struggle. Her prose is tactile, so the reader hears, feels, smells and touches everything. The story is long and windy at points, but Gould leads the reader on a journey as Willow discovers her life through unfettered love. Faradays Popcorn Factory is a hopeful tale of loves power to heal, to create, and to transform. Nevene Gbeho is working on a novel, about the descendants of the black settlers who left the US for Africa and carved out part of West Africa which became Liberia.
Bebes By Golly Wow by Yolanda Joe Doubleday Books

Reviewed by Mo Fleming Bebes By Golly Wow by Yolanda Joe is another addition to a growing mound of disposable fiction. Her third novel is the sequel to He Say, She Say, Joes previous take on modern relationships. Here the shift in emphasis is from Sandys love life, to best friend Bebes budding romance with newcomer, Isaac. For tension and conflict, Isaac has a touchy teen daughter with a mother-abandonment issue, and an attitude for any woman her father takes an interest in. Bebe and friends, hip on ebonics, seem to inhabit the same urban neighborhood as too many other contemporary black authors. Even their interior dialogue and deepest thoughts are spoken in a literary hip hop that would not be surprising in the mouth of a 20-something , or even an
arrestedly developed 30-something. However, coming from a woman who has seen the front side of 40, this unrelenting with-it-ness sounds, if not outright phony, at least age-inappropriate. At the onset: Im Bebe. The Be. Im a lot like the bumblebee, only personified, the author firmly grounds her heroine in head-swiveling city sass. She rhymes couplets like Ali, stutters out words for accentuation, expands on single syllables with a liberal use of the dash, Shoot not-tahI! Yes, you heifer. Bebe is not the only character assigned stylistic excess as personality definition. Isaac, afflicted with the same virus, repeatedly refers to himself in the third person as brah. An otherwise decent guy with an affinity for the Greek Titan, Prometheus, Isaacs pseudo-cool jive works the nerves within a couple of appearances. Joe keeps the story moving by constantly shifting the focus as her characters narrate their own, mercifully, brief chapters. This is a blessing for the reader, and a curse for the author. Too much more of Bebe, Isaac, Sandy and Dash hip-talking their way through this thin story would only increase reader annoyance. The problem is that Joe does not have a substantive story to tell, nor a fresh viewpoint on a timeless theme. Joe assigns Bebe and Isaac a chapter apiece to convince readers that they possess spiritual and political
depth. Isaac does come across as being more complex than the women in Bebes By Golly Wow. This may be because Joe had generously given him more story, more background shadings. Consequently, Isaac draws reader interest with his involvement in a sub-plot on the dangers of gambling addiction, and his possibly unrequited love for an absent wife. While Sandys problems on the job remind us that racism and sexism are at work in America, the issue is written so superficially that readers hardly feel its impact. The pace picks up as the book progresses, and Joe delivers a funky, if unoriginal ending. A decent deal for $4.95. Unfortunately, at a cover price of $22.95, even mildly discriminating readers will find themselves shaking Bebes By Golly Wow, vainly looking for more novel to come out of it. Save your energy. To quote Dorothy Parker, There is no there there. Mo Fleming is President of BCA Books and editor of the Informed Resource newsletter. She is also a textile artist specializing in lap quilts and wall hangings.
Milk in my Coffee by Eric Jerome Dickey Dutton Books

Reviewed by Kim Fox Eric Jerome Dickey writes so well and realistically. His characters are people we have seen walking down the street, at church, or at the family picnic. He has written two previous novels, Sister, Sister and Friends and Lovers to much fanfare and he brings much of the flavor from those earlier (Reviews continued on page 44)
haiku
this is not a fire sale but im in heat each time i see ya
Sonia Sanchez
Like the Singing Coming Off the Drum
Reprinted with permission from Beacon Press
Albert French Roberto Quesado George Pelacanos
FALLONS! COMiNG ATTRACTi

Manithia Diawara Walter Mosley Lolita Files Ellis Cose Valerie Wilson Wesley David Haynes Look for these exciting new titles to be released in the upcoming months Alex Abella T. D. Jakes The National Council of Negro Women Michael Valdes Claudette Sims Jonetta Rose Barras Malaika Adero
Charlotte Baker
Stigmata Phyllis Alesia Perry
Hyperion After inheriting her grandmothers quilt, a young girl falls asleep and dreams of slavery and of years long past, only to awaken to see scars on her body and know that her dreams are real, and sets out to uncover the secrets of her familys past.
Ralph Bunche An American Odyssey Brian Urquhart
WW Norton A superb narrative biography of the international diplomat and racial pioneer--published to coincide with a major four-part PBS series based on this book.
Too Heavy A Load Black Women In Defense of Themselves, 1894-1994 Deborah Gray White
I Can't Wait on God : A Novel by Albert French
WW Norton A majestic history of the struggle of black women to maintain equality and break away from exploitation, from the author of the prize-winning Arnt I a Women?
Doubleday Told over the course of five summer days and nights in 1950, I Can't Wait on God pursues the themes of beauty, humility, and what is truly precious in our lives, with a story of crowded joys and familiar despair set in post-World War II Pittsburgh.
Mother Africas Table A Collection of West African and African-American Recipes and Cultural Traditions The National Council of Negro Women, Inc. with Cassandra Hughes Webster
Babala! Favorite Recipes From the Worlds Top Latin Chefs and Celebrities Michael Valdes & Art Torres
Doubleday Celebrating the heritage of African Americans, a book of recipes, some in their original African form, using one or more ingredients indigenous of West African includes descriptions of the history and significance of African ceremonies.
General Publishing Group From Spain and Cuba to Mexico and Puerto Rico, this delectable bilingual cookbook celebrates the art of Latin cuisine, featuring seventy-four delicious recipes from some of todays finest master chefs, as well as the favorite dishes of popular Latin celebrities.
The Sweet Forever: A Novel George Pelecanos
Please Please Please by Renee Swindle
Doubleday Spoiled by her father and brothers since she had witnessed the car-accident death of her mother, Babysister, a black woman in her twenties, sets her sights on her best friend's man and learns a lesson in the value of friendship.
Little, Brown and Co. One of the 1990s rising stars of crime fiction delivers a bold, brilliant tale of mystery, revenge, and survival in the 1980s, when cocaine and money ruled the city streets and even the good guys wanted a piece of the action.
Inner City Blues A Charlotte Justice Novel Paula L. Woods
WW Norton This debut novel in a new series featuring black LAPD homicide detective Charlotte Justice will make mystery fans wanna holler-with delight.
Black Genius African American Solutions to African American Problems Walter Mosley, Manthia Diawara, and Clyde Taylor, Editors
WW Norton Thirteen of Black Americas most eloquent and accomplished voices share their visions for a self-sufficient, self-determined future.
The Last Black Emperors: The Secret Success and Hollow Comeback of Marion Barry Jonetta Rose Barras
Bancroft Press A balanced, informed, and compelling analysis of the remarkable political career of Marion Barry, the controversial mayor of Washington D.C. and the reason for his continued popularity.
An American Love Story Thirteen Years in the Life of an Interracial Family Zelda Stern Edited by Penelope Falk and Jennifer Fox
The New Press The moving love story of a black man and a white woman.
Tale of a Sky-Blue Dress Thylias Moss
The Villa Marini: A Family Saga Gloria Montero
Avon Books An intimate and compelling self-portrait details the authors childhood when, at the age of five, her babysitter in a sky-blue dress delighted in torturing and hurting her and explains how this incident affected her life, until she decided to defy years of repression and tyranny.
The New Press An evocative and compelling family saga set in a country of iridescent beauty.
Loving Me A Sisterfriends Guide To Being Single and Happy Claudette Sims

Owl Books Loving Me highlights self-love, the ability to appreciate yourself with or without a mate.
Black Heritage Sites Volume I -- The North Volume II -- The South Nancy C. Curtis, Ph.D.
The New Press Indispensable guides to fascinating landmarks for serious travelers and armchair explorers alike. Contains information on major cultural attractions often missed by conventional travel guides that turn a journey anywhere in the country into an enriching historic adventure.
Childhood: A Novel Andre Alexis
Henry Holt & Co. A picturesque and stunning debut novel. It features Thomas McMillan, a Canadian with ties to Trinidad, who pieces together--from memory and from related stories--the early years of his life.
Surviving the Silence Black Womens Stories of Rape Charlotte Baker
WW Norton Poignant stories of black women who have been raped and who have traditionally remained silent in order to protect themselves and their race.
The Black New Yorkers The Schomburg Illustrated Chronology Compiled by Regina M. Andrews; Malaika Adero, Editor
John Wiley & Sons From the prestigious Schomburg Center of The New York Public Library comes this absorbing single-volume reference, an unparalleled resource for information and insight on the long and rich history of African American life in New York City.
Remembering Slavery African Americans Talk about Their Personal Experiences of Slavery and Emancipation Edited by Ira Berlin, Marc Favreau and Steven F. Miller
The New Press A book-and-tape set featuring the only known original recordings of interviews with former slaves. 28 MOSAIC / FALL 1998
Griots and Griottes Masters of Word and Music Thomas A. Hale
Indiana University Press A comprehensive illustrated portrait of the traditional African performers known as griots and griottes.
Welcome to Your Life: Writings for the Heart of Young America
Dead of Night Alex Abella
David Haynes, Julie Landsman, Editors
Milkweed Editions A spirited cross-cultural collection of writing for today's young adults. Welcome to Your Life is an anthology of fiction, memoir, and poetry from various cultural and ethnic perspectives discussing emotional issues that confront young adults today.
Simon and Schuster Charlie Morell returns. The fierce and impassioned Cuban-American lawyer-and sometime private investigator
Getting to the Good Part Lolita Files
A Life for a Life : A Novel by Ernest Hill
Warner Books Dynamic new author Lolita Files is back with her two popular characters, Reesy and Misty, in a fresh, outrageous followup to her debut hit, Scenes From A Sister
Simon & Schuster From the acclaimed author of Satisfied with Nothin' comes a searing novel of the bond between an African-American father and the teenager who killed his son--a tale of violent self-destruction reclaimed by the power of love and forgiveness.
The Best Defense Ellis Cose
Easier to Kill Valerie Wilson Wesley
HarperCollins Acclaimed, award-winning journalist Ellis Cose delivers a provocative and timely courtroom drama in which the passions of ambition, envy, and outrage intertwine, and the best defense is always the truth.
Penguin A popular female radio talk-show host enlists the help of P.I. Tamara Hayle after she receives threatening notes and repeated acts of vandalism make her fear for her safety.
YOUNG ADULT TITLE

Marisol Y Magdalena The Sound of Our Sisterhood Veronica Chambers
Putnam Publishing In this accessible, sensitive, and practical book, the bestselling author of Woman, Thou Art Loosed! and Loose That Man and Let Him Go! provides inspired and clear advice to women -- and to the men who love them -- who desire to transform past pain into fuel for future achievement.
The Lady, Her Lover, and Her Lord T. D. Jakes
Hyperion Separated from her best friend in Brooklyn, thirteen-year-old Marisol spends a year with her grandmother in Panama where she secretly searches for her real father.
CHILDRENS TITLE
The Cow of No Color Riddle Stories and Justice Tales from World Traditions Nina Jaffe, Steve Zeitlin, Whitney Sherman (Illustrator)
The Big Banana Roberto Quesada
Arte Publico Eduardo Lin lives in New York. Where else could an aspiring (if underemployed) Honduran actor possibly want to be. In The Big Banana we follow the struggles of Eduardo, his gringo friend, and his many Central and South American acquaintances.
In each of these stories, collected from around the world, a character faces a problem situation which requires that he make a decision about what is fair or just.
poetry
Courting Life
by Renee Michel Zala Self inflicted obligatory fellowships and places to be left me breathless and disconnected from the coolness of Octobers autumn breeze from the sensation of my bare feet on summer grass from the smell of Sunday dinner after church and from the promise of the warmth of a spring chasing an
arduous winter Adjusting and readjusting body language while rewording words rewinding small talk and regurgitating kindness I submerged deeper into nothingness into other peoples ness into speechlessness into selflessness into nothingness
Copyright 1998 by Renee Michel Zala (Zala Collection) 30 MOSAIC / FALL 1998
original short stor y
Myron sat in his favorite easy chair reading the Sunday paper. He liked Sundays. They were one of the few guilty pleasures he allowed himself. That and Sharon. She wasnt really a pleasure in the biblical sense of the word. But he liked thinking about her. And because she belonged to someone else his guilt would not allow him to let it go past a thought.
She stood there in front of the door looking like a lost child. He stood on the other side a little longer than he should have and Sharon rang the doorbell again, this time laying on it until he thought she had jammed it. He barely heard his mother prattling on to the answering machine. He swung the door open and saw
by Gayle W. Williamson
Myron s House
He flipped through the Arts section and decided that the Friday night concert in the park would make a nice end to what he was sure was going to be a hectic week. It always was when the weather warmed up. Discount department stores bred that kind of confusion when the weather was nice because anybody within walking distance was ready to shop. Being manager only meant his headache was a few degrees sharper than the cashiers. He hoped that his mother would spare him this one Sunday, as he hoped every Sunday. Inevitably she would call just before she left for church, around 9:30 a.m. and remind him that the pastor was looking for him and didnt she look like a fool every Sunday walking in without him. He would smile to himself and nod silently, but to his mother he made his numerous apologies until she too felt he deserved a day to himself. Really, the entire ritual didnt last more than 10 minutes. At 9:35 the doorbell and the phone chimed simultaneously. He rose from his easy chair and slid his feet into his slippers. He knew who was on the phone and figured the answering machine would allow him to elude her at least for the morning. The door, now that was a different story. He hardly received visitors and secretly hoped his mother had not pulled the old one-two and would not be standing at his door smiling like a Chessy cat. Whoever it was, though, he hoped didnt mind that he slept in the nude and only wore his bathrobe when he read the newspaper. He looked through the peephole and was instantly sorry he had not prepared himself for visitors. that she was crying. He grabbed her by one of her soft, (so soft) hands and led her in, checking for Pierre over her shoulder. He had told her anytime. Anytime. If she needed a shoulder to cry on she could call on him anytime. He didnt know she knew where he lived. He stood with this beautiful woman in his living room, where he always dreamed she belonged, and had nothing to say. Even a little embarrassed at the female touches his mother had insisted he let her include. The tie-back drapes and the neat arrangement of furniture and lamps. She might think he had a girlfriend. He knew why she was here. Her face looked a little worse for wear, but it was obvious Pierre hadnt done any real physical harm; a slap here and there, maybe, but no closed fists this time. He offered her a seat on the couch and hoped she would take it. If he could get her to sit, maybe he could get her to stay. She shook her head No. He excused himself to the bathroom and brought her back a wet towel. When she looked up at him to let him wipe away her tears he saw all that he loved in her. The guys gave him a hard time because he liked his women round and brown. But he would take her softness to a skinny woman any day. Her manicured hands touched his and he felt himself growing hard underneath his robe. Can I take your coat? Again, No. He wanted to put his arms around her and let her know that nothing else bad would ever happen to her. But she always went back. He heard the women at work (continued on page 61)
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1. Blessings Sheneska Jackson 2. Free Born Slave: Diary of a Black Man In the South J.R. Hall 3. Defending the Spirit Randall Robinson 4. Waiting In Vain Colin Channer 5. Breath, Eyes, Memory Edwidge Dandicat 6. Price of Passion Evelyn Palfrey 7. The Men of Brewster Place Gloria Naylor 8. When All Hell Breaks Loose Camika Spenser 9. The Lady, Her Lover, & The Lord T.D. Jakes 10.Tryin to Sleep In the Bed You Made Virginia Deberry and Donna Grant
The Museum Center, 500 East Markham Suite 110, Little Rock, AR 72201 / (501) 372-5824
Ra Min Books at Mojoco Collections

1359 South Ave Plainfield NJ 07062 / (908) 222-0222
1. Dorothy Dandridge: A Biography Donald Bogle 2. The Lady, Her Lover and Her Lord T.D. Jakes 3. Tryin To Sleep In the Bed You Made Virginia Deberry and Donna Grant 4. Men Cry In the Dark Michael Baisden 5. Nothing But the Rent Sharon Mitchell 6. The World According To Me Bertice Berry 7. In the Meantime Iyanla Vanzant 8. A Do Right Man Omar Tyree 9. Fed Up With the Fanny Franklin White 10. Assata by Assata Shakur
Reg E Gaines .. Reg E Gaines Reg E Gaines .
tapping on YOUR head tapping on YOUR head tapping on YOUR head

by Lynne d. Johnson
W hoever said pimpin aint

E Gaines. When other folks pimp .
easy probably never met Reg your creative manifestations, you become a slave In Gaines . case, hes pimpin his own self, and to maximum potential at that. Now for the naysayers who think the art of pimpin aint easy, then please explain how this spoken-w o rd artist, whos only been around for approximately ten years, has managed to ac complish so much?
k
tony award winner poet teacher

On stageDowntown New YorkGaines swaggers back-and-forth, bandanna tied on head, pants sagging, words flipping off tongue with rapid-fire intensity. A jazz quartet plays hot and heavy while the thumping bass of tap shoes syncopateoff rhythm, then in. Dj vu. Savion Glover/Downtown: Live Communication has Gaines words interspersed through Glovers steps, like they were at Public Theater and on Broadway in Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk. For Gaines Noise, Funk translated into a Grammy nomination, and two Tony nominations for best book/lyrics. The list of accomplishments, well, they dont end there. His spoken word made him a Grand Slam champ, placed him on MTV, got him a two-record deal with Mercury, and earned him a Bessie. In the spirit of Doin It Yourself (DIY), Gaines self-published a book of poetry, and started his own record label. The Original Buckwheat from Long Shot Productions is a collection of raw, incisive poetry that Gaines has been writing, and setting to music over the years. The Hush Project CD, on County Jail records, is a play that Gaines just had to get out. Set to the Drum N Bass innovations of Bill Lee, Hush Project is a fluid musical piece in the tradition of Trane and Miles. I never envisioned doing any of this anyway, says Gaines humbly. I had never wanted to be published. I thought it was a waste of time because people dont read poetry. I was more into the oral. He offered Mercury a low-risk investment in his first recording Please Dont Take My Air Jordans, which fared pretty well according to Gaines. My brother, his partner, and myself did it on four track, transferred it to DAT and brought it to Mercury. When Mercury released his second record, Sweeper Dont Clean My Streets, instead of going on a promotional tour Gaines consented to do a workshop for Noise, Funk. Who knew it was going to blow up like it did? Gaines says of George C. Wolfes Noise, Funk. Animatedly, he performs ...i got to get paid and dont give a shit how/selling crack, pimpin freaks/yeah,
dont step on my sneaks... from the show. How could I think that something like that would blow up? Theres no way, no matter how great the dancing. With money in his pockets, Gaines was ready to join the DIY crew. Now that I have money and Ive been through the till already with Mercury, I said I could do that. I know the whole pimpin routineso Ill pimp myself now. I can control the visual, I have control of the production, the marketing, distribution, thats me. I used to sell dopenow I sell books and CDs. It dont go no further than that, hand-tohand combat, explains Gaines. Gaines foray into poetry began at San Diego City College, where he played tennis. He and other athletes took a poetry class, assuming an easy A. To their surprise, the professor wanted them to find a poet of another ethnicity and memorize and analyze their poem. This was like 1982, I could give two shits about poetry, says Gaines. In an anthology called Nuyorican Poetry, he found a bilingual poem about the heroin addict that he could relate to. I ripped it in front of the class, he reminisces. After class was over, so was his interest in poetry. Six years later, he kept a journal during a threemonth stint in Israel, and his girlfriend at the time told him to check out the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. After hearing Paul Beattys work on the answering machine, Gaines had to check it out. Once he started performing, he couldnt stop. Especially after Ntozake Shange, Amini and Amiri Baraka taught him how to make a business out of poetry. When it became his business, he just wanted to give a voice to the voiceless, something hell continue to do through his entrepreneurial efforts. Lynne d. Johnson is the managing editor of Mosaic and the publications editor at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, NY. She has written for Beat Down, Hydro, OneWorld, and on NetNoir.
poetry
Bluffers Park
by Jason Robinson
There she sits
Alone Staring across a lake Adrift in her own thoughts A majestic woman with sundress the colour of bone against ebony skin Weary with thoughts Finding comfort on a bleached driftwood throne Bittersweet memories sparkle upon the waves Dreams lost and realized Loves long since past She gazes at the sand beneath her feet with warmth that soothes the ache of being so many women Elegance and beauty are her sisters Yet she feels undesirable to men A pause Reminds her that time has passed Time and circumstance have hidden who she was and who she was to be Her children now own her dreams Yet pride keeps her from feeling cheated Pride masks her self-pity with selflessness Her offspring are her prize her reward She is to be commended If I had to do it all again? She thought with a smile Alone on her bleached driftwood throne Jason Robinson was born and raised in Toronto and Ontario, Canada. He currently resides in San Francisco, CA. Jason received his BS and MA from Stanford University, He is working on his first play.
Chi ldrens Corner

Sky Sash So Blue by Libby Hathorn Illustrated by Benny Andrews
Simon & Schuster Susannahs sky-blue sash is hers and hers alone. She hides it in a secret place and looks forward to the day shell wear it with joy, at her sister Sissys wedding. Extraordinary fabric collages by american painter Benny Andrews pays tributeto the strength of family and the grace to be found in everyday life in this remarkable picture book.
Tio Armando by Florence Parry Heide & Roxanne Heide Pierce Illustrated by Ann Grifalconi Lothrop Lee and Shepard Books
Black Stars African American Inventors by Otha Richard Sullivan John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
w w w. m o s a i c b o o k s . c o m Illustrations used with the permission of Simon and Schuster from the book Sky Sash So Blue
A South African Night by Rachel Isadora Greenwillow Books
Halala Means Welcome! A Book of Zulu Words by Ken Wilson-Max Jump At the Sun / Hyperion
Gingersnaps Daily Affirmations for African American Children and Families by Anita Alexander and Susan Payne Illustrations by Nancy Doniger Jump At the Sun / Hyperion
We Had A Picnic This Sunday Past by Jacqueline Woodson Illustrated by Diane Greenseid Hyperion Books for Children
Reginald loves his violin. His constant practice pays off in floods of beautiful music. But Papa could care less about Reginalds fiddling. Hed more concerned with the Dukes losing streak, and he needs his son for something other than palying music. In this beautifully told story of family ties and team spirit, Gavin Curtis captures a very special period in history. Award-winning artist E.B. Lewis brings the warmth of this powerful story to life with his lush watercolor paintings
The Bat Boy & His Violin by Gavin Curtis Illustrated by E. B. Lewis Simon & Schuster
Black Stars African American Entrepreneurs by Jim Haskins John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Illustrations used with the permission of Simon and Schuster from the book Batboy and the Violin
Chi ldrens Corner
The Jungle ABCs by Michael Roberts Foreward by Iman Hyperion Books for Children
Family Pictures / Cuadros de Familia by Carmen Lomas Garza Childrens Book Press
I Have Heard of A Land by Joyce Carol Thomas Illustrated by Floyd Cooper HarperCollins
the write stuff
technology for writers

by Deatra Haime
It used to be chic for writers to eschew technology. Pen and paper purists stood their ground and claimed word processing was for the fainthearted. Real writers, they sniffed, met the challenge of putting words down without delete keys, cut and paste functions and spell checkers. My guess is purists are a dying breed these days its ridiculous to resist the ease, power and functionality of writing by machine. If youre a writer or even a wannabe writer, you should have a basic computer that allows you to run a range of software. Ideally, you should also have a modem preferably high-speed or even better an ISDN or cable connection. Once youre set up, theres a great deal of software and information that can do just about everything but sit you down and make you work. The following is by no means a complete list of whats available, but it should give you a general idea of how technology can improve the quality of your writing. WORD PROCESSING Unless youve been living in a remote area of Brazil, youve probably had some experience with word-processing software its the most popular means people use to get words down. For writers, there are great benefits in some programs like word count (especially helpful when youre writing a story with a word limit), spell check (keeps you from stopping midflow you can fix errors later), thesaurus and for42 MOSAIC / FALL 1998
Writing Made Easy

matting (line-spacing, margins and page breaks are a breeze). There are tons of different programs available ... choosing one depends on what you need, how much youre willing to spend and what kind of computer you have. Do research at a bookstore, a computer store or on-line to find the best fit. SPECIALTY SOFTWARE Beyond basic word-processing is software to help writers with specific kinds of writing or tasks. StoryBuilder (www.svsoft.com),DramaticaPro (www.freedombuilders.com/dramatic.htm) and The Writers Software Companion (www.novalearn.com) are programs that use a variety of techniques to map story ideas, flesh out plotlines, create characters and produce comprehensive outlines for short and novellength fiction. Theyre ideal programs for writers who have ideas but need help developing them into cohesive stories. Most commonly, a writer inputs an idea and the program guides him/her with a series of questions. DramaticaPro has a very cool feature called a casting window that allows you to paste photographic and cartoon pictures (theirs or yours) onto icons so your characters actually have faces. If your characters need names, theres also software that generates lots of names and gives meanings, ethnic origins and various spellings: Character Naming (www.dfcreations.com/ cns.html). One of the best entries into the writing software market has been programs for script-writing. Anyone whos tried to write a script using conventional wordprocessing software knows how tedious it can be to perform formatting, page breaks, character designa-
tions, dialogue, transitions and shot descriptions. Programs like Script Thing (www.scriptperfection.com), Final Draft (www.bcsoftware.com) and Scriptware (www.scriptware.com) simplify each process into a single keystroke. Type just the first letter of a characters name and the program writes the entire name. Use an assigned keystroke and that last scene ends in a fade. If you write scripts and arent using one of these programs, youre wasting time. For the business side of the writing life, QueryTrax (www.querytrax.com) helps you with the dirty work of submitting queries, book proposals, manuscripts and stories. By allowing you to track contacts, dates of submissions, responses, queries, pitch ideas and payrates, you can chart not only where your writing has gone but what happened to it when it got there. The best feature may be the more than 3,500 addresses (often with phone numbers and e-mail addresses) of magazines and newspaper pre-programmed into the software. INTERNET RESOURCES The birth of the Internet has been a boon to writers never before has there been so much information available to help folks get on with the business of writing. Its a complicated World Wide Web and with so much possibility, its easy to become a victim of information overload. The best all-around site to narrow the field is Writers Toolbox (www.geocities.com/athens/6346). It lists resources based on a wide variety of categories: Reference Tools, Fiction, Drama, Technical Writing, Public Relations Writing, Journalism and Mass Media, Research, Business Resources, Software for Writers and Creativity. The Internet also offers a terrific opportunity to virtually meet and exchange ideas with other writers. There are many ways to find folks on the Internet: discussion lists, listserves, chatrooms, bulletin boards. Your best bet is to use a search engine and browse for people based on your interests. There are also specific organizations for writers online one of the most comprehensive is the African American Online Writers Guild (www.blackwriters.org). It offers a free membership (there are also dues-required memberships that allow more benefits) and connects you with a dynamic group of African American writers on-line. Use these ideas to create a connection between the benefits of technology and the writing process. If you plan to compete, you dont have a choice: were in the midst of a full-fledged technological revolution... if its not being televised, its definitely being written about. - Deatra Haime
Y O U N G A D U LT s n e a k p e e k
The Skin Im In
by Sharon Flake
Hyperion Books for Children
The first time i seen her, I got a bad felling inside... So begins the story of Maleeka Madison, a child burdened with the low self-esteem that many black girls face when theyre darker skinned. When Maleeka lays eyes on her new teacher, Miss Saunders skin, she encounters someone who, she feels, is worse off than she. But Miss Saunderss skin, which is blotched with a rare condition, comes to serve as a mirror to Maleekas struggle. Miss Saunders doesnt stand for the snickers and shouts that her students hurl at her. But can Maleeka stand up to tough-talking Charlese? Will she ever accept Calebs friendship, the unconditional acceptance hes been showing her from the getgo? And how can she ever learn to love the skin shes in?
(continued from page 24) successes to Milk in my Coffee. The novel is set in the fast pace of the Big Apple. Jordan is the main character, a 20-something brother employed at a software company. The book does not waste time introducing his Memphis-born hospitality to Kimberly. She is an artist/painter and displaced Californian; very eclectic and free-spirited. She is also white. Jordan and Kimberly meet in a cab in December, but immediately they have a subtle attraction towards one another. That mild enchantment works well temporarily because both of them are at the finish line of dead-end relationships. However, their warm feelings for each other quickly become hot and Jordans conscience begins to play devils advocate as he questions his desire to be with a non-black woman. In this urban love story, the surprises are surprising and also come with small doses ofyou guessed itdrama! Jordans sister-in-law dishes out more than her share of excitement with her Thelma and Louise tactics and Kimberlys life has as many valleys as peaks. In his third outing, Dickey reintroduces a much talked about topicblack men with white women. This book will provide some insight into the question many sistas repeatedly ask Why do black men date/marry white women?... minus that query, it is plain old good reading. Kim Fox received a B.S. in communication from Ohio University. She is currently a news, traffic, and sports anchor for Metro Networks. 44 MOSAIC / FALL 1998
Girl in the Mirror Three Generations of Women In Motion by Natasha Tarpley Beacon Press
Reviewed by Mary P Holland . Girl in the Mirror, by Natasha Tarpley, probes the impact that mothers have on their daughters search for peace, life, and love. This book explores the search, confusion, and disappointment of three generations of women in their attempt to discover self, freedom, and life through relationships with men. It investigates the impact mothers have on how daughters approach finding fulfillment and a balance of love and life. This book begins in 1942 with Anna. Regardless of how much Anna strives to make her man whole, by giving of herself, she finds it is not enough. After many years of sacrifices, which left Anna beyond recognition, Jack announces one day that he is leaving for Chicago to find a better life and promises to send for her once he is settled. Once Jack has departed, Anna searches her soul for the place within that she believes should be hidden and not shared. She finds this place, decides to join Jack and begins to pursue dreams she thought were lost. Anna passes her lessons of love, life, and the need for women to discover and nourish their inner-being to her daughter and granddaughter. The remainder of the book deals
with how Marlene and Natasha interpret and implement Annas teachings. Marlene, throughout much of her marriage, feels she is in competition with things that her husband, Herman, refuses to give up. Marlene describes the night when she miscarried and how even after all her sacrifices he refused to address her needs. At this point Marlene begins to search for that private corner within. As with Anna, the search for a balance is forever present and she asks, Why cant women find a compromise? Why are we unable to let go? Girl in the Mirror ends with Natashas struggles. Natasha, laden with the wisdom of both her mother and grandmother is perplexed as to how she has allowed herself to be in a relationship that requires the same type of sacrifices as those women she followed. She reflects on the lessons taught and concludes that to find love, happiness, and peace one must reach out and give. Mary Holland received her undergrad degree from UNC at Charlotte and her graduate degree from NC State University.
Got Your Back By Frank Alexander with Heidi Siegmund Cuda St. Martins Press
Reviewed by Kelly Howard On September 7, 1996, a shot was heard around the world, bringing to a close the life of one of this generations biggest, brightest and most controversial, young, black men, Tupac Shakur. As many mourned his passing five days later, rumors about his death and life (continued on page 53)
You Again!
Recurring characters in Popular Fiction
by Sharon Amos
Do you ever wonder about those characters in stories that take on a life of their own? You know, the ones who just keep popping up in an authors books. Everytime you read certain authors novels, here goes that same character again, and again. Following are just a few of those personalities you just cant seem to get rid of. Tamara Hayle, Newark, New Jersey; Blanche White, Farleigh, North Carolina; Marti MacAlister, Lincoln Prairie, Illinois; Nannette, New York, New York; Easy Rawlins, Los Angeles, California. A contemporary private investigator, a domestic worker turned sleuth, a former Chicago homicide detective, a dreamy and curious musician, and a WWII unemployed veteran turned private detective risk their lives to investigate mysterious circumstances involving murder, mayhem and money. Tamara Hayles first case in Valerie Wilson Wesleys When Death Comes Stealing involves her ex-husband, DeWayne Curtis and the death of two of his four sons. She is an ex-cop turned private investigator. The cost of maintaining an aging house and car, as well as the needs of a growing teenage son convince her to take hisis he crazy or not and will he paycase. With investigative expertise gained from the Newark police force Tamara solves the case but not before an attempt on
feature
her own sons life. This case is too close to home, in fact, she awakens to confront the killer, who is bound and determined to kill all four of DeWaynes sons. On her next case, Tamara has a client who can easily afford her services, Lincoln Storey, one of the richest African American men in the county. Devils Gonna Get Him finds her faced with a former lover and the elite powerbrokers of the African American community in Newark. Continuing to solve crimes with a bare bones budget, Tamara tries to find out who killed a gangbanger in No Hiding Place. No problem, just murder in Jamaica as Tamara unknowingly arrives in Where Evil Sleeps. You know Tamaras a contemporary sister since shes got her own website at http:// www.TamaraHayle.Com In Blanche on the Lam, Blanche Whites name provides a clue to Barbara Neelys sense of humor. With a name that means white twice, Blanche is a study in contrast. A forty-year-old, dark-skinned domestic who is sentenced to serve thirty days in jail on a bad check charge, Blanche escapes only to become implicated in a much larger crime, murder. With the insight of a woman who has spent time working in other peoples homes, she knows how to seem easily befuddled and uneducated. Yet, Blanche possesses the motherwit to do whats necessary to stay alive. Doing her best to (continued on page 60)
criticism
Beloveds Rememories of the Middle Passage: The Cold House by Michaelyn Elder
Beloved is Toni Morrisons imagined truth. Beloved is no one and everyone. Beloved is Morrisons attempt to bring to presence a lost child, to fill the incalculable metaphysical space inaugurated by the historical facts of a loss during the Middle Passage and slavery (Handley, p. 6). Beloved is the passing on of a story not intended to be passed on. In Beloved, Toni Morrison brings a historical fiction into reality by breathing life into the dead. Beloved, the protagonist, is many characters throughout the novel. Beloved is the collective consciousness of African slaves and their descendants that transcends earthly logic, time and consequence. Beloved becomes every slave and every experience in the novel. She is on the shores of Africa, before the men without skin came, she is the child on a slave ship whose mother orphans her by throwing herself overboard rather than become enslaved. Beloved is the toddler whom Sethe kills to save from death at the hands of slavery, and she is finally the 20-year-old woman, who returns to 124 to claim the mother, sister, and life that she was not allowed. Beloved is stuck, quite literally between the here and now, and the there and then. Beloveds consciousness takes her everywhere and yet leaves her without a place of her own. This yearning for a place and a life that belongs to her and no one else, and the fear that another (Paul D) will replace her in her mothers heart, conjures her spirit to take mortal form. Because of her various levels of consciousness, Beloveds rememory and concept of time is severely fragmented. This fragmentation is seen quite clearly in the Cold House Chapter (pp. 118-124). On the surface, this chapter is about Denver and her need for Beloveds attention and affection. Denver wishes to occupy Beloveds time and thoughts, and attempts to engage her in various unnecessary ventures throughout he day. Just between the lines is where the characters realities unfolds. Denver asks for Beloveds help with a jug located in a room set off from the housethe cold house. Once inside the room, the lines distinguishing space and time (initially for Beloved, and then for Denver also) become blurred. The supernaturalness of this room was marked earlier in the novel, as Beloved mystically wills Paul D to move himself out of Sethes bed, and from room-toroom to sleep, until he is literally at the furthest point possible from the female group (specifically Sethe). Although the light outside is bright, the room itself is dark with the exception of cracks in the roof, which provide minnows of light reflecting off the walls. The door slams shut behind the girls after they enter and Denver loses sight of Beloved. Denver falls to the same place on the floor where Beloved seduces Paul D at night. It is this opportunity that Beloved takes to suggest that Denver accompany her on the trip she is about to embark uponthe journey into their collective rememory. Denver asks Beloved where she is, and Beloveds response is Come find me (p.122) This is Beloveds invitation to Denver to join her in rememorying of the Middle Passage. The exchange continues with Denver being observed by the narrator as though: ...she does not know where her body stops, which part of her is an arm, a foot or a knee. She feels like an ice cake torn away from the solid surface of the stream, floating on darkness, thick and crashing against the edges of things around it. Breakable, meltable, cold...crying because she has no self. (p.123) This passage is Denvers incorporation of Beloveds rememory prior to the Middle Passage. This passage presents the concept of the part being removed from the whole. This is directly representative of the separation of native Africans from their continent, and the
Beloved, truly?
communities to which they originally belonged; forever dislocating them from both Africa and their identities. Rather than retreat, Denver wishes to remain with Beloved, possibly surrendering to the same semiconscious state that Beloved embraces in the dark room: She [Denver] doesnt move to open the door because there is no world out there . She decides to stay in the cold house and let the dark swallow her like the minnows of light above. (p.123) Denver has an innate understanding that Beloved is her sister, and fears that she has gone back to where she came from (the other side of life) when she cant see her. Beloved then miraculously reappears telling Denver I dont want that place. This is the place I am. (p.123) Beloveds disappearance and reappearance clearly separates her from the plane of reality upon which the other characters exist. Her actual physical being fragments when she is in a place or amongst company that permits it. As she sits on the floor, she looks at the cracks on the ceiling and studies the light: Look, she points to the sunlit cracks. What? I dont see nothing. Denver follows the pointing finger. Beloved drops her hand. Im like this. Denver watches as Beloved bends over, curls up and rocks. Her eyes go to no place; her moaning is so small Denver can hardly hear it. You all right Beloved? Beloved focuses her eyes. Over there. Her face. Denver looks where Beloved eyes go: there is nothing but darkness there. Whose face? Who is it? Me. Its me. She is smiling again. (p. 124) This fragmentary consciousness is more clearly recognizable in what is considered to be Beloveds monologue (pages 210-214) where Beloved regresses into her rememories of Africa, of her mother (a possible previous life of Sethes) and the horror of the Middle Passage as seen through the eyes of the child she once was. In this monologue Beloved recalls the crouching and the iron circle on her mothers neck. She speaks of the ocean, the dead that are thrown overboard, the alive that throw themselveslonging for death, and those floating on the water. She again recalls her African mother of the past, whose face was as hers was, and how she abandoned her for the depths and death the ocean would bring her. The woman with my face is in the sea. Beloveds fragmentary memory conjures scenes as like, daylight comes through the cracks and I
can see his locked eyes (p. 210) and remembers the storms rock us and mix the men into women and the women into men. (p. 210) In his article, Mixed Genres and the Logic of Slavery in Toni Morrisons Beloved, Carl Malmgren states that Beloved is haunted by the slave ship experience: for her ...it is always now there will never be a time when I am not crouching and watching others who are crouching too(210)...troubling references within the monologue...can all be fitted into the passage experience. Malmgren claims that this is the explanation for Beloveds unnatural attachment to Sethe. Her Middle Passage experiences are the memories Beloved tries to share with Denver in the cold house. The only connection and identity Beloved can posses is her recollection of her past (the collective past of slavery). Beloved can only see the sunlit cracks of the ship that carried her past life from Africa. She semiconsciously re-enacts her crouching in fetal position, as she motherlessly crossed the ocean with only the dead or dying as companions. Beloved seems unable to separate herself from the past, conjuring her past mothers face where there is only darkness and seeing the ocean in dancing light. The very last sentence of the Cold House Chapter is Beloveds re-emergence into the current sphere of consciousness, the one where she has rejoined her mother of old, found the face that is hers and that face is smiling at her, as did her African mother, before the men without skin came and fragmented her existence for lifetimes to come. Works Cited Handley, William R. The House a Ghost Built: Nommo, Allegory and the Ethics of Reading Toni Morisons Beloved. Contemporary Literature 36 (Winter 1995): 676-693. Malmgren, Carl D. Mixed Genres and the Logic of Slavery in Toni Morrisons Beloved. Critique. 36 (Winter 1995): 96-106. Michaelyn Elder graduated cum laude from Temple University in May 1998. She is the Assistant Editor of Rodales Day Break Books Division. She has been accepted into Temple Universitys English Ph.D. program.
original short story
dark encounter
by Evangeline Blanco
My elevator arrives pitch black. The stench of boozy urine and possibly excrement assaults me. Within its shadows, darkness moves. Cmon in, a female voice says, Its only me. Just watch where you step. Somebody pissed in here. I board the unlit elevator and regret it the moment its door closes and the small amount of light from my floor disappears. Peaceful isnt it? she asks. No, its depressing. As we descend, light from passed floors flashes briefly through a small window in the middle of the elevator door. We jerk to a stop on the eighth floor. I push the door open and see smoke-blackened walls and chunks of crumbled concrete scattered like icebergs on a floor white-washed in salt. What happened? I ask. Somebody set fire to the entire hallway last night. Why? Theyre already in hell. I laugh. She does 48 MOSAIC / FALL 1998
hining police sirens and fog-horn blasts from fire engines wrench me awake. Screams rise eleven flights and jump in bed with me. Now what? I do not want to look but even through closed eyelids I see reflections of revolving red lights from down below. Time to get up. A semi-sleepless night is no excuse for missing work. As I go out the door, my mother imparts her ritual morning blessings. Que Dios te bendiga, la Virgen te favoresca, los santos anden contigo y todos tus buenos espiritus te protejan de lo malo. She invokes God, the Virgin Mary, the saints, and all good spirits. Thanks. It makes me feel loved even as I spy a shot glass and a bottle of Jim Beam waiting on the kitchen table.
not. Yeah, maybe. Theres no maybe. I laugh again. Didnt anybody warn you not to move into this tenth circle of Dantes inferno? When we reach the ground floor and daylight, I realize I have seen my companion before but I do not know her name. She is young and has very black, velvety skin stretched tightly over prominent cheekbones. Soft Native American braids accent her and she would be beautiful if she did not look tragic and anorexic. Her jeans are thin too, as if they have endured too much laundering and are about to disintegrate. She fixes me with large, shiny eyes. Wanna have a cup of coffee? No way. Getting to my office late gives my supervisor another excuse to nit-pick. Have a nice day. I rush ahead. This woman does not work. Why is she up so early making demands on my time? I walk past mounds of sidewalk garbage bags. Ripped open by hungry dogs in the night, they spill coffee grounds, soiled baby diapers and used sanitary napkins. Nearby, gnawed chicken bones and beer bottles filled with urine litter the ground like land mines. Hating the area, I try not to inhale. Neighborhoods in this city undulate like a terrible sea. The triumphant and successful live in crests while others drown at the bottom of waves. As my crowded train lurches forward I turn my head to look at the man who enters through the doors connecting one car from the other. Sorry to disturb you folks, he says. But Im hungry. Other passengers stiffen. Most close their eyes to sleep or cover their faces with books or newspapers. I could be out mugging, he says, but Im not a criminal. Hard times can drive a man to desperate things but Im asking for contributions instead of stealing. Some passengers nod imperceptibly but then the man makes a mistake. If you dont give a dog a bone, hell bite you. I feel ashamed to be the only person to hand him a dollar after his threat. As he goes into the next car, leaving a whiff of stale alcohol in the air, I feel even more foolish.
During slow times at work, I remember the woman in the dark elevator. I see her slumped shoulders and downcast head, her begging eyes flickering aimlessly from right to left, and her small, slow steps to nowhere. The defeat that permeated her from head to toe infects my day. My office phone rings. Its my mother. Theres trouble, she says. The rooftops of tenements across the street from our building are full of people pointing and looking through binoculars. Mom, go about your business and dont worry unless you see or smell smoke. And lay off the Jim Beam, okay? You always did have a smart mouth. She slams the phone in my ear. At six in the evening my buildings lobby seems cluttered with sad little clumps of unusually subdued tenants. They believe I am a snob and stop talking as I walk by but when I press for the elevator, they say, Not working. How depressing, I say, huffing and puffing my way up eleven flights. Then I remind myself I should not go through life with a vocabulary limited to that expression. The minute I walk into our apartment, before I catch my breath, I hear the news. Mijita, know what happened today? The sick feeling in my stomach tells me I would rather not know but she is going to tell me anyway. A girl from the eighteenth floor went up to the very top of the roof where they house elevator cables and hung herself. Her body scraped the side of the project as it swayed in the wind. I push away the steaming plate of rice, beans and pork chops that she serves me. She was about your age, always depressed. But Im not next. I think about depression, about my smart mouth on the elevator and about wrong calls for help even as I reach for the whiskey. Cheers, I say. Evangeline Blanco is the author of CARIBE, A novel which won a literature prize from UC, Irvine. Literary magazines have published some of her short stories and poems. She is working on her second novel.
crossword puzzle
DOWN 1 1866 - Editor of the South Carolina Leader 2 Deavere Smith (1950-) 3 (1946-77) Main founder of Black Consciousness Movement in S.A. 4 Dancer or chipmunk 5 Hawaiian acacia 6 Continent 7 Hawaiian goose 8 Ivory Coast is to its west 9 To be unwell 10 Wrath 11 Shelter 19 Its capital is Bamako 21 Number of novels published by Ralph Ellison 23 Jean Toomers Poetic Novel 25 Not the comet but the author 26 Motion picture 27 Rind 28 (1918-1996) The First Lady of Jazz 29 Impressed 30 Ishmael (1938-) 32 Alain Locke (1886-1954) Wrote about this kind of Negro 33 Requirement 37 Happy Marvin 39 Lopsided 42 Hyman - Actor 44 Hank with a bat 46 (1902-1973) Golgotha is a mountain 47 Have regard 49 Swahili Seven 50 Dodson (1914-1983) 51 Hammer head 52 Fem. pronoun 53 Apex 54 Malt beverage 56 Part of verb to be
*ANSWERS PAGE 61
ACROSS
1 Taxi or Bandleader 4 Spoken in Ghana and Ivory Coast 8 Oprahs middle name 12 Black bird 13 ...Them thats not shall ____ 14 Rent 15 Writing fluid 16 Futile 17 On sheltered side 18 Mother-in-law of Ruth 20 Great age 22 Formed in SA in 1912 24 Founded by Du Bois 28 The Royal founding editor of BE 31 First name of Spencer Poet from Harlem Renaissance period 34 Falsehood 35 Monetary unit of Angola 36 Born
37 Basic unit of heredity 38 Madhubuti was he 39 Swahili You (singular) 40 Jump in figure skating 41 Snake 43 Naylors Mama 45 Indian nursemaid 48 Made dont count your chickens before they hatch popular 52 North _____ Douglass Rochester paper 55 The back of 57 Admiration 58 Clarences opponent 59 Charles I. (1956-) 60 Honey insect 61 Fencing sword 62 Made anagram 63 Shockley - Author of 1974 Loving Her
Crossword puzzle designed by Troy Johnson / www.aalbc.com Puzzle #01011198 Copyright 1997 by the African American Literature Book Club 50 MOSAIC / FALL 1998
feature
African American Book Clubs ! START ONE

by Pat Neblett
Girlfriend, let me tell you about this book I just read! These words, or ones similar, are spoken whenever the sisters get together. In fact, were so eager to talk about the plethora of exciting books being published, that were joining, even forming book discussion groups to do so. This sisterhood, formed solely for the purpose of reading and sharing our thoughts about books weve read, is thought by many to be, for Black women, a ninetys thing, ...nothing could be further from the truth. Truth is, were witnessing a resurgence in Black womens discussion groups. Yes, a resurgence! One that began in 1992 with the publication of that sister/girlfriend book, Waiting to Exhale, but one that had been around since the 1800s. The first known Black womens discussion group is the Female and Literary Society, founded in Philadelphia in 1831. (The first known male group, the Reading Room Society, was founded in Philadelphia in 1828.) Such literary societies sprung up along the east coast from Massachusetts, to DC, and as far west as Arkansas and Ohio. These groups met not only to discuss books, but social concerns of the day such as slavery, and other civil, and social rights issues. Its incredible to imagine Black women, and men openly meeting to discuss books, or literary essays written by members of the groups, while in other parts of the country, Blacks, forbidden from learning to read, were severely punished for just possessing a book. Seven years ago, I added yet another invaluable dimension to my already blessed life when I founded The Black Womens Literary Guild. The Guild has been a wonderful way to meet new friends, to bond with existing friends, and to share interesting an enlightening opinions. Opinions, that are often so opposing, that youre left wondering whether or not you were discussing the same book. Yet, at other times, when after reading a book by the master story weaver, Toni Morrison, you wont have a clue, and will beg to be told why such a painfully difficult book was assigned when the groups purpose is to read for enjoyment. This is your argument until, after an hour or two of energetic discussion, as if by magic, the story becomes clear. You suddenly get it, and NOW know why you joined a book group. Books are being discussed, not just in living rooms, or small groups or other friendly venues, but on the air, to millions of people. NPRs doing it, and we all know about Oprahs Book Club. Publishers, aware of the importance of book groups, and wanting to capitalize on the clout of their numbers, are in increasingly publishing reading group guides. Some guides are separate pamphlets, others are conveniently located at the back of the book. Either way, the guides are extremely helpful. Starting a book discussion group is easy. Maintaining a book discussion group is difficult. So, knowing this, why do you want to start one? Why are you looking for one to join? Is it because you want, or need, a night out? Because you want someone other than a baby, or an uninterested husband with whom to share what youve just read? Perhaps you need the commitment of an organized group in order to read some of the many books youve been collecting. Or, could it be youre in it just for the sisterhood. Whatever the reason is reason enough. Starting a Book Discussion Group The Interest MeetingGetting the sisters together. Invite ten friends, and ask them to invite ten friends. Or, place a notice in local bookstores, church bulletin, etc. k
Ask everyone to bring their favorite book, and a list of books to read (whether theyve enjoyed them or not), also a list of books they would like to read. Have everyone tell something about themselves; why they want to join a book discussion group; to read from the list of books, and to tell something about the book they brought. Display books for all to peruse. This is a great way to spark conversation, especially if everyone is not well acquainted. Write up guidelines for the group. When, where, time to meet, how often will meet. Size of group: Do you want to limit size? Dues: Are you going to collect dues? How much? Officers: Do you plan to have a secretary, treasurer, etc.? Decide what kinds of books the group will read. Select book for first discussion. Keep in mind, as few as three people dedicated to discussing books are all thats needed for a core of a successful discussion group. Immediately after the meeting, it is the group organizers responsibility to make sure that each member receives a copy of theguidelines decided upon at the interest meeting, including names, addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and directions to the next meeting. Maintaining a book discussion group is difficult. Sustain members interest in the group by making meetings exciting: Celebrate the groups anniversary, or hold a special holiday party, perhaps inviting guests. Invite guests. Other book groups, men, non-Blacks. Publish a newsletter. Take trips together. Create a theme for meetings: For The Wedding by Dorothy West, The B.W.L.G. hosted a wedding, including a two-tiered wedding cake topped with a bride and groom, the wedding party, with bride in wedding dress, programs, and everything but the groom. For Harlem by Len Riley, we turned our meeting room into a cabaret, dressed as members of the Harlem Renaissance, and each member researched a female from the period, and shared the information with the group. Music, appropriate for the time period of the book.
Have a facilitator, or other members share research about locale, or time period discussed in book. When discussing the Men of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor, one half of the group was assigned the Men of Brewster Place, and the other half was assigned the Women of Brewster Place. We simultaneously discussed the tenants of Brewster Place. The idea is to keep the meetings interesting, and to remember that a book discussion group is: spirituality, disagreement, love enlightenment, education, bonding, but above all...a uniquely wonderful circle of sisterhood. Pat Neblett is the author of Circles of Sisterhood: A Book Discussion Guide for Women of Color (Harlem River Press).
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(Fiction In the 90s: continued from page 23) a real mans book. Nevertheless, Flyy Girl out sold Capital City by at least 2-1, and Colored, On White Campus, by a whopping 6-1! Why? Because fiction of the 1990s is the domain of the sisters. Black men had run out of time and patience for a creative lesson of life. They began to want non-fiction books that gave them the facts, like in yesterday! The 1980s and 90s therefore became the era of the sisters, with Alice Walkers The Color Purple, Ntozake Shanges For Colored Girls Who Cried When The Rainbow Was Not Enuf, Toni Morrisons Jazz and Terry McMillans Waiting To Exhale. So I went on to respond to Terrys call for good brothers to stand up and be accounted for with my latest novel, A Do Right Man. When the first letter I received was from a brother, I was shocked and thankful! I wrote him back immediately and told him that I would save it. But instead of A Do Right Man selling thousands of copies and sparking national discussions, the insightful book on the 90s black man went up against twenty sisters in a much watered down marketplace of relationship books. Sometimes, in the confusion of the hype, the cream does not always rise to the top! Back to the drawing board I went, with the heavy thought of How can I attract brothers, who are more concerned with history, politics, computers and economics, to my 1990s literature while still retaining the sisters, who seem more interested in relationship validation, spiritual motivation and feministic bonding? My next book idea, Single Mom, was created to attempt just that: to market, obviously, to the sisters, while slipping in a heavy dosage of the need for responsible fatherhood in the 90s, hoping to spark a national dialogue to set myself apart from the so-called pop-fiction, because frankly, I write with a more serious goal in mind. And how will Single Mom turn out? I guess well have to wait and see. But in this era of the black woman and fiction, I cant help feeling like a squirrel in October. Now I know how the sisters felt for a hundred years; Aint I a woman? ...Well, Aint I a man? ... Omar Tyree is the author of Battlezone (Originally titled Colored, On White Campus), Flyy Girl, Capital City, A Do Right Man and the upcoming Single Mom due out October 98.
(Reviews continued from page 44) ran rampant. In Got Your Back, Frank Alexander, Tupacs main bodyguard for the last year of his life, shares what he knows about the rapper, Suge Knight, Death Row and what happened on that fateful night. As a youth, Alexander led the wild life that is known to many young black boys and girls, but was fortunate to escape to a more positive life when his older brother took him away from the rough inner-city life. After doing a four-year stint with the Marines, Alexander first worked as a corrections officer in the Los Angeles penal system, and later as a body guard. In September 1995, with the help of two friends, Alexander got a job at Wrightway Security, the security division for Death Row Records. After handling an explosive incident involving The Dogg Pound and Snoop Doggy Dogg, Alexander was moved from desk detail at the studio to personal bodyguard of The Dogg Pounds Kurupt. As time went by, his professionalism was recognized by Suge Knight and Tupac Shakur who decided that Alexander would be the perfect person to handle Death Rows hottest commodity. From that day on, Alexander was with Tupac almost 24-7, from video shoots and recording sessions, to parties and award shows. Wherever Tupac went, Alexander was there, trying his best to keep his primary out of trouble and harm. While some (most especially Death Rows Suge Knight) say he failed his job that fall night, few know the true details of what happened, and how many times Alexander had prevented it from happening before. Spending so much time together, Alexander and Tupac became as close as brothers, and in Got Your Back it is clear that he would have taken those bullets for his friend. With this memoir, Alexander is finally able to put to rest the many rumors about Tupac, to make peace with how Death Row and Wrightway treated him after his death, and to say good-bye to his friend. Kelly Howard is presently contributing editor at Beauty magazine and Acquisitions / Editorial Assistant at Renaissance Media. (continued on next page)
A Stranger in the Village Edited by Farah J. Griffin and Cheryl J. Fish Beacon Press
Reviewed by Mary P Holland . A Stranger in the Village , edited by Farah J. Griffin and Cheryl J. Fish, presents a collection of writings by African American men and women whose travels and contributions span many places throughout the world. When one thinks of the contributions of the African Americans often times these thoughts are limited to the United States. This book offers the reader several written selections of African Americans who through and because of their travels, influenced not only African Americans or America but also people of other nations. The writers are categorized in three groups: adventurers, colonizers, and truth-seekers. The adventurers include those who were among the settlers and explorers of the West such as James P Beckwourth, born in Vir. ginia and Harry Dean, an explorer of the sea. Through Beckwourths adventures and travels he became a member of the Native American tribe, the Crows. As a member, he was involved in all aspects of tribal life, even battles. Unlike Mr. Beckwourth, Harry Deans more notable explorations were of the sea. He studied, taught lessons on the sea, and was instrumental in developing the interest of others in this arena. Included in the colonizers are Sylvia Ardyn Boone and Countee Cullen.
Sylvia Ardyn Boone writes of her travels and work in Africa and America. In her writing she celebrates her experiences and contributions to Africa and womens art. Countee Cullen, in this 1929 selection, compares the attitudes toward race in France to those in America. Submission of writings by Angela Davis, Booker T. Washington, and Gwendolyn Brooks are among the truth-seekers. An excerpt from Angela Davis autobiography gives the reader a glimpse of a time in 1974 when Ms. Davis was in Germany. She speaks of the conditions and allows the reader to venture into her thoughts. In writing about his travels throughout areas of Europe, Booker T. Washington affords the reader an opportunity to share in his adventures outside of the United States. Gwendolyn Brooks explores her travels to Kenya and Tanzania in search of a feeling of brotherhood and tells of the responses she received from the people of Africa.
Can I Get A Witness? For Sisters When the Blues Is More Than a Song by Julia A Boyd
Dutton Books Reviewed by Anita Doreen Diggs Depression affects the way we think, feel and act. It is much deeper than sadness or a temporary case of the blues. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in five women will experience depression in her lifetime. Julia A. Boyd, a clini-
cal psychotherapist, has written a down-to-earth book for African American women which provides information about the condition and how to recover from it. Boyd points out that one reason why African American women do not seek help for the condition is the fear of negative reactions from family and friends. The Black community for the most part does not see emotional pain as valid and seeing a psychiatrist or taking medication is often considered a sign of weakness. Boyd says As Black women weve been given the message countless times that were strong and can therefore handle anything that is put on our emotional plates. Were good at looking good but often the public persona we wear hides an overwhelming amount of pain. Weve got to be willing to question the presence of stress in our lives in order to preserve our emotional well being. Can I Get A Witness is written in the sister-circle mode which keeps the narrative lively while Boyd interjects and educates on a regular basis. Boyd speaks the truth when she says that were brought up to understand that there will be a lot of unfairness in our lives. This cultural reality often keeps African Americans from taking steps to eliminate unnecessary stress from our lives. Boyd uses stories, narrative, mood charts, exercises and assessment tests to get her point across. This is an important book that all African American women should read. Anita Doreen Diggs is a Senior Publicist at Warner Books, and a member of the American Society of Journalists & Authors, Black Women In Publishing and The Authors Guild.
Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson Aspect / Warner Books

Reviewed by Stacey-Robin Warren In her first novel, Nalo Hopkinson, winner of the Time Warners First Novel Contest, uses science fiction and African spiritualism combined with a Caribbean flavor to create a story that captures readers from the beginning to the end. Brown Girl in the Ring is set in the futuristic war-torn community of Muddy York, a place ruled by druglords, left to ruin and economic collapse after flight of the middle class to the suburbs. The main character, Ti-Jean, struggles to find peace as a single mother living with her spiritualist/herbalist grandmother, Mami. Ti-Jeans former lover, Tony, becomes tangled in a complicated plot to secure a human heart for a transplant bringing him to Ti-Jeans door, desperate for help while escaping his gang and his bloody task. From there the story leaps forward with a strange series of events. TiJean reluctantly finds herself calling upon the same spiritual power she once feared, to save her life and the lives of others. The authors use of myth and science creates a fantastic story that reads like a how-to book for aspiring voodoo practitioners, as well as a medical text book on organ transplant technology. The cast of characters are diverse and inventive, including a roving band of orphan children who assist Ti-Jean as she flees; a voodoo master druglord, and the bodiless blood thirsty duppy he enslaves to do his spying. Numerous surprising relationships and com-
plex connections are revealed throughout, all impacted on some level by an ancient and ever-present belief system. Hopkinson concentrates more on the multiple plots and events, rather than the characters who operate within them. Unfortunately, this leaves the reader on an almost need-to-know basis, making it difficult to develop a connection with the characters and their situations. Much of the story is written in West Indian patois, so the reader may sometimes feel the need to read some lines twice. As a whole, Brown Girl In The Ring, is a creative imaginative work. Science fiction, horror and occult enthusiasts, as well as anyone who can simply appreciate a good story can get their fix within these fourteen chapters. Nalo brings a new spirit to science fiction ethnicity. I hope that she and more authors like her young, talented and black continue to bring a soulful voice to the genre. Truly a good read.
Mama Black Widow by Iceberg Slim Old School Books

Reviewed by Pat Houser A good paying job. Food on the table. Shelter. Clothing. The Tilson family wanted no less than these basic comforts of life when they migrated from rural Mississippi up North to the mean streets of Chicago. They imagined gold-paved streets
and a land filled with opportunity. But what they found was a land lacking southern hospitality and a new life in Chicago that was a bitter pill to swallow. Add a welcome mat of unemployment and the fatal flaw of being black in a white mans world, and the Tilson family is torn apart by a vicious Chicago lifestyle Mama Black Widow recounts the true story of Otis Tilson, a homosexual drag queen a.k.a. Sweet Pea a.k.a. Mama Black Widow. Confused about his sexual identity and depressed after numerous beatings, broken hearts and traitorous boyfriends, Otis flounders between homo and heterosexual worlds, searching for an iota of space where acceptance is real and not imaginary. Through Otis eyes we come faceto-face with a world where sexual molestation is the equivalent of a childhood game of hide and seek and witness the devastating effects of such a heinous crime. We grapple with the notion of prostitution as an intrinsic alternative to poverty, and accept corruption as the norm. But when we bear witness to mothers pimping daughters and daughters choosing street life over home life, its difficult to imagine even a small degree of comfort in a life so filled with chaos. Through the Old School Book series, W.W. Norton has revived one of the spectacular works of Iceberg Slim. A blend of Mississippi dialect, peppered with homosexual terminology and street-smart lingo, this re-
markable novel accurately depicts the vicious assault on African American men by an unjust, racist society and further portrays the devastation of an entire Black family. Despite scenes that are violent, graphic and thoroughly shocking, Mama Black Widow is a must read scripture of life in the underworld, where pimps and gangsters rule and homosexuals find both solace and danger in the entrails of the ghetto.
promise of marriage to Rosie from him over an arranged dinner one night, Tiofilio rebels and is kicked out of the house. From this point on, The Aztec Love God, which was not good from the very beginning only gets worse. It becomes hard to tell when Tiofilio is engaging in Walter Mitty-type daydreams or if events are actually happening.
The Aztec Love God by Tony Diaz Fc2 / Black Ice Books
Reviewed by Anita Doreen Diggs Tiofilio Duarte is a teenage Mexican American who is enrolled in high school during the day under the name Antonio Marquez. At night he is a stand-up comic whose stage name is The Aztec Love God. One night after finishing his set, The Aztec Love God is approached by a talent manager named Jester who offers him a job as part of a three-man comedy team. So far the team consists of an Asian named Hon Cho and a Black man named Ram Bo. Tiofilio listens to the plans that Jester has for the team and decides that he cannot be a part of the racial exploitation disguised as comedy. Instead, he has a few sexual encounters with Jesters girlfriend. Back in his personal life, he lives in a traditional Mexican home and cavorts with his teenage girlfriend, Rosa Hernandez. He is the school clown, gets bad grades, writes 20 bad jokes a day and steals tests which he sells to other students. When his family tries to force a
Staying Married: A Guide for AfricanAmerican Couples by Anita Doreen Diggs and Dr. Vera S. Paster Kensington Publications
Reviewed by Kim Fox This is an excellent guide for couples going through difficult times and even those who arent. There are hundreds of books on and about marriage and lately there are more being geared toward African Americans. Anita Doreen Diggs and Dr. Vera S. Paster weave in many examples to accompany their advice on several areas of marriage. Of course, the advice is not taylor-made to your particular marriage, but there will be many scenarios that you will be able to relate to. The advice is designed for married couples, but seems applicable for those couples in longterm companionships as well. Some topics such as Money Matters, Career Conflicts, and Mental Health will be helpful to anyone with their lifes challenges.
The section on Adultery provides Tales from the Battlefront, again, a look at some actual scenes from marriages that couples have had to face. The scenarios are fitting for two reasons: you get the opportunity to visualize a situation involving an actual couple and secondly, the authors go on to summarize the feelings of those involved and then offer solutions. You do not have to experience a particular problem in your union to read this book because just as with any good car it is better to prevent, than to fix. The authors go on to state that the recipe for a well-manicured marriage is to have a real life model of a healthy marriage and to make the union a #1 priority. How to make your marriage a #1 priority is the reason they wrote the book.
Lift Every Voice by Lani Guinier Simon and Schuster

Reviewed by Adrienne Jones Starkey
This book is a detailed, thoughtful analysis of the nomination process for the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights during President Clintons first term through the eyes of nominee Lani Guinier. Guinier seems embittered by the whole fiasco and rightfully so. However, her tendency throughout the book to compare her nomination withdrawal and the many incidents surrounding it to the overall Civil Rights struggle in metaphoric terms may raise a few eyebrows. Although the withdrawal was a personal affront for her, the theory that her withdrawal would somehow stifle a national conver-
sation on race or the Civil Rights Movement in general was grandiose to say the least. Nonetheless, Ms. Guinier does give a vivid insiders view on Washington politics at its finest or rather at its worst. The book sheds light on the real political process, not the one that claims freedom and justice for all but rather the small print one hand washes the other. For a layperson it is both enlightening and discouraging. The fact that she rose above this situation to aspire to other ways to have this all-important conversation on race was a task within itself. Although she was and is respected as a formidable civil rights advocate, while in the face of a media boxing match in which she was severely beaten, her cheering squad could not be heard. However, after her nomination was withdrawn, they found their voices and cried injustice. She passionately chronicles her emotions and views on this transposition. This book is not for the literary faint at heart. Ms. Guinier is a tenured law professor at Harvard Law School and it shows in her very academic style of writing. The book stalls a bit in places, especially when she tries to explain her controversial views on voting rights, and the subject of her nomination being withdrawn. Her ideas are complex and so is her writing. This book will educate its readers on the real ways of Washington politics, our national and
state representatives, and where our issues fall in their list of priorities. According to Lift Every Voice, this may not be such a good thing to know. Adrienne Starkey has a degree in Finance from Howard University. She and her family reside in Atlanta, GA. and is currently working on her first novel.
How To Love a Black Woman By Dr. Ronn Elmore Warner Books

Reviewed by Nevene Ghebo In his book How To Love a Black Woman, Dr. Ronn Elmore adds his thoughts to the cacophony of voices weighing in on the subject of male/ female relationships. This book, like others similar, capitalizes on a readers sense of loneliness and feelings of failure in not finding or losing a mate. Dr. Elmores approach is to speak to men in male language, providing them with policies, procedures and solutions to common female issues. Dr. Elmore promises men that if they are having problems connecting with their mate, his book will teach them how to adjust their behavior so that they are more compatible. According to Dr. Elmore, women are on AM frequency and men on FM (sound familiar), and the two alien waves need rules to follow so they dont crash into each other or interfere with one anothers sense of well being. Dr. Elmores book is an easy to read guide to handling the laundry list of female emotional curves he discusses in his book. It capitalizes on the idea that men and women exist
in different worlds and are genetically pre-determined to act in certain ways. There is no discussion about socially imposed expectations of appropriate male or female behavior. Instead, men are validated for being less sensitive and more aggressive. Male readers are simply told to adjust their behaviors to accommodate the excessively emotional, touchy-feely female. They are not assisted towards developing a more holistic and empathetic personality. Elmores workbook is essentially condescending to both men and women. The AM/FM designations keep people locked up in boxes of socially determined roles. The theory leaves little room for people who exist outside of the box and are simply human beings negotiating their way towards fulfilling relationships.
Cubana Contemporary Fiction By Cuban Women Edited by Mirta Yanez

Beacon Press Reviewed by Tracy Grant The diversity of issues faced in the life of Cuban and Cuban-American women is brought to light in Cubana, an impressive anthology of womens fiction, originally published in Cuba in 1996. Havana based author Mirta Yanez has compiled stories that capture the triumphs and the struggles of modern Cubana women, revealing the strange paradox taking place on the island: serious economic strife and artistic rebirth. Cubana brings to the United (continued on page 61)
(Song Of Night: continued from page 17) yuhself if you wanna keep yuh mind. Sixteen years old, and what the rass she got to look forward to? After we spend all this money on books and uniforms and lunch money to send she to school. She get kick outta Queens College, and l forgive she cause of the circumstances. But she just gone and end she life. I dont want her in my house. Let that man support her. But, Ma, that boy dont work, Cyan pleaded. It will teach her a lesson. What is the point of all the hard work and sacrifice me and your father went through? I thought that at least she woulda make something outta her life. God, I remember how proud we was when she pass that exam. I say to Steel, At least one o you all could go on and be somebody. I do everything. I try not to be too strict, I try to give her some freedom cause I figure a girl with her education would know how to take care of herself. She would know what is important. I figure I cant be as strict on her as I is on you. She go need some freedom so she dont feel I keeping her back. But she worse off than somebody with no education. Let her come home, Ma. Let her come home. Please. I promise I aint go ask you for anything ever again. I swear This one time, Ma, do it for me. I working. I can help out til the baby come. Talking to Celine is the only thing I got to look forward to. Nobody in this village dont talk to me. What I go do without Celine? Please, Ma, dont do this to me. Obe looked at Cyan for a long time, not smiling once, her face drained of emotion. She suddenly felt tired, older than her forty-two years. The world was on her back and she took a deep breath to hold up the load. In the warm morning she felt a coldness come upon her like a nighttime draught. She was a wounded woman. Was defeat around the corner? She still held out hope. Hope for children. Hope for herself and Cyan. Perhaps this was their chance for reversal. But how far would she have to go? Give up Porter too? Okay, Cyan. If you wanna work for her and that baby, then you work for them. Shes your responsibility now. Without thinking, Cyan threw her arms around her mother and kissed hen Then feeling the other weight
on her mind, she untangled herself and stepped back to look Obe square in the face. And what bout Porter? she said. What about him? You go let him move in here? Who say anything bout Porter moving in here? He got his own house. Porter tell you he moving in here? I dont want no man in this house. She had wanted to believe in her mother so desperately. Just for once she wanted to be able to go to her mothers room, sit on the bed for some old talk. She wanted nothing more than to sit on the front steps with Obe on dark moonless nights, crickets and whistling frogs singing loud and the smell of almonds and frangipani stirring up magic. And her mothers voice so rich and fluid, drowning out JewI Brights baby crying next door with stories about growing up in St. Lucia, where rivers were warm and soundless, mountains tall and green, valleys deep and hungry, where shed had to flee a man who heat her because their son fell into the river and drowned. But those days were gone. She couldnt talk to Obe anymore. Her mother had changed. Obe had Porter. He moved in one Saturday morning while Cyan was getting her hair done dreadlock style. She left the hairdresser feeling reckless and confident; a certain mannishness crept into her stride as she passed the young men standing on the steps of Lords shop sipping rum and arguing. They noticed her new style and frowned. Look who play them getting dreads. She could really go and eat some food and put some flesh on them bones. What, them dreads bigger than she. She laughed hard to let them know shed heard and couldnt care less. Twenty yards from the house she heard his voice. Why did he have to laugh so hard? He was laughing at them, thats why. Laughing at her father, who wouldve sliced open his face like the belly of a flying fish were he still alive. Porter was drunk. So was Obe. Shed never seen her mother in such a state: dress all awry, without un-
derwear in the middle of the day, showing her sagging breasts, eyes glassy, smelling of rum and stale sweat. Her mothers panties lay on the floor next to a chair that had been broken somehow in the time between Cyans departure and return. The thought that Obe mightve had sex, breaking a chair in the act-right there in the shed roof in the middle of the day, with people passing by outside-disgusted her. Did her mother have no shame? On the floor beside the table were two large bags bursting with mens clothes. It was the moment shed dreaded ever since she laid eyes on Porter. If you get to know him, youd like him, Obe had tried to tell her Hes a hardworking man. Got land. Got his own boat that he rent out. But Cyan didnt want to know anything about the man. Didnt want to get to know him, either and she had vowed to move out the day he moved in. But she stayed. She stayed because of Celine. She stayed because the great love of her sisters life, one Sylvester Blanchard, better known as Silly-a name that could not have been better chosen-woke up one day, realized he was going to be a father, and went mad. That was the only explanation Cyan could come up with for his odd behavior. She was sure as the stars he was faking. Everything he did was just an attempt to shed his responsibility: drinking himself to the brink of death one time, walking seven miles barefoot to Hopefield Plantation demanding to see God another time, stepping off the pier because he dreamed he could walk on water. He almost drowned that time, and shouldve. Wouldve saved everybody a heap of aggravation. But he was saved by a diver whose hand of freshly mined coral had gotten entangled with Sillys leg as he was sinking. To save his coral, the diver had to save Silly. Sillys mother tried to have him committed. The doctors who examined him determined there was nothing wrong. The next week his family shipped him off to his father in the States, saying the doctors here didnt know what they were doing. The whole thing turned Celine inside out. No one could calm her. She ate nothing and threw up slime every day. Cyan became her mother: counseling, cajoling, inspiring, anointing.
(Gayle Jones: continued from page 16) German class, he accused six professors of conspiratorial malice. Higgins outrageous behavior began long before he met Jones. In December of 1974, proclaiming he was God, Higgins fired two blasts from a shotgun into a neighboring apartment and kept police at bay for seven hours at the Staten Island apartment he shared with his daughters mother Carolyn Ramsey. After he dove out of a six-story window, Higgins was arrested and sent to a psychiatric hospital for six months. He was drinking, taking Valium and missing sleep. He had delusions of grandeur, crazy flights of ideas, Ramsey recalled. After Ramsey left him, Higgins re-enrolled at the University of Michigan, met Jones and quickly took control of her career. One day in 1983, he showed up at a gay rights rally, in Ann Arbor, shouting and brandishing a shotgun. Higgins was arrested, but on the eve before his trial both he and Jones fled to Paris. In 1988, after five years abroad, husband and wife quietly returned to her native Lexington to care for her ailing mother. Jones worked on two novels (The Healing, 1998 and Mosquito, 1999 - both by Beacon Press) while Higgins developed his own website praising Hitler and condemning Louis Farrakhan for not being radical enough. After Jones mother died of cancer in February of 1996, Higgins accused the hospital, the University of Kentucky and local officials of kidnapping and murdering her. As the anniversary of her death neared, the flurry of threatening letters increased and were sent to the police and prosecutors, who picked up on Higgins outstanding warrant. Jones was released from the Eastern State Hospital after a month of observation and then she returned to seclusion. What Gayl Jones is like, what makes her write what she does and why for 15 years she stayed in an abusive and psychotic relationship we may never know. Yet if her works are to be considered revealing of the true Gayl Jones then it is clear that in the end, the healing she requires is a gradual process of understanding her own long journey from the healed wound to the satisfied heart. Kelly Howard has been published in City News newspaper, Y.E.S. magazine and Minority Business Journal. She is presently contributing editor at Beauty magazine.
(continued from page 45) care for her niece and nephew, Blanche finds a shortage of well-to-do African American clients in Farleigh and she opts for agency referrals which means working for white folks. Blanches experiences showed her that most people who have money do not want to spend it, so she was hired to do their cooking, cleaning, laundry and miscellaneous other tasks for a pittance that barely allowed her to pay her bills. She continues in her role as surrogate mother in Blanche and the Talented Tenth. While visiting Amber Cove, Maine, an exclusive African American resort with her children, Blanche tries to be unobtrusive, but color and class are the two requirements of anyone who wishes to become part of this elite society. Blanche meets neither criteria and when theres a murder she surprises the bourgeoisie folk with her insight. The newest episode is Blanche Cleans Up and true to her style of taking care of business, Blanche finds herself in the midst of another series of misadventures. Charlotte Carters first mystery Rhode Island Red, introduces readers to Nannette, a young African-American woman who finds music can kill, or rather it can get her killed. An unlikely 28-year-old street musician with a Masters degree in French, Nan, by her own admission is a Grace Jones lookalike. While her mother thinks she teaches at NYU, Nan plays her tenor sax on New York sidewalks for donations. Sig, an undercover cop trying to catch the killer of several street musicians, winds up dead in Nans living room. He leaves two socks full of cash in her sax, and Nan begins to ask questions that take her into a tale of murder, music, and the search for Rhode Island Red. Nanettes French connection takes her to France in her next installment, Coq au Vin, due out later this year. Charlotte Carter has plans for a trilogy that will permit Nan, a single, smart and restless sister with jazz in her blood, to understand peoples interest in her as well as she understands French. Marti MacAlister in the crime fiction of Eleanor Taylor Bland is the only African-American female detective on the force in Lincoln Prairie, Illinois. The widowed mother of two children, Marti moved to Chicago following the death of her husband. Its almost Christmas in Dead Time and Marti and her partner Vik Jessenovik investigate a murder at the Cramer Hotel. Marti finds possible evidence of runaway children but Vik assures her they couldnt be in Lincoln Prairie, an almost per-
fect small town. The conflict of the long duty hours that keep her away from home and her children, and the position of the only female in a male-dominated force keeps Marti focused on spending quality time with Joanna and Theo as well as being a good detective. Unlike some men on the force, Marti doesnt abuse her power as she deals with the homeless, abused children, drug dealers, graft in the force, and incest. Her street knowledge of Lincoln Prairie and the way things work there increases in Slow Burn and Gone Quiet. The mysterious death of a fellow officer of Martis deceased husband brings her face-to-face with her doubts concerning Johnnys death in Done Wrong. A minor character in earlier books, Isaac, a homeless snitch, comes front and center in See No Evil and finally Marti and a paramedic, Ben, become engaged. Blue. Red. White. Black. Yellow. World War II veteran and reluctant private detective, Easy Rawlins is twenty-eight-years-old when he is hired to find the missing Daphne Monet, in the Devil in a Blue Dress. It is 1948 in Los Angeles and Easy has a mortgage to pay and no job. Without the necessary connections, Easy regularly finds himself face-to-face with fists, knives and guns. His status as an everyday working man permits him a degree of anonymity; however, his cases involve murder( A Red Death), serial killings (White Butterfly), missing persons (Black Betty), more murder and distrust (A Little Yellow Dog). Through his work as a private eye, Easy becomes a father, choosing to adopt two children, Jesus and Feather, who have both been traumatized by cruelty. Gone Fishin returns Easy and his trigger happy friend, Mouse, back home to Houston, Texas. Based on Walter Mosleys own father and several other black males that were considered heroes, Mosley plans to continue the saga until Easy reaches seventy. Yes, theres more Easy to come. More African-American mystery and crime fiction titles include Gar Anthony Haywoods Los Angeles Private Investigator, Aaron Gunner in You Can Die Trying, Not Long for This World, and Fear of the Dark. Theres also Penny Mickelburys Gianna Maglione series Keeping Secrets and Night Songs. Sharon Amos is an associate professor of English at the Educational Opportunity Center ans a Doctural student in American Studies. She is also co-author of True Buffalo Gals, a collection of stories, poems and essays.
(Reviews continued from page 57) States the extraordinary talents of writers, most of whom until now were scarcely read in their homeland, much less anywhere else. The women demonstrate a variety of styles in their fiction, providing a look at Cubana women of all ages that is sometimes painful, sometimes funny, but always human. One sitting with Cubana provides the reader with a host of situations unique to the modern Cuban experience. The modern history of the nation is used to establish context, but the stories themselves speak to the challenges of the Cubana woman circa today. Of particular interest is the fight for Cubana women to have their voices heard and for them to be seen beyond the roles assigned to many of them by harsh economic degradation of the current Cuba and the political upheaval of past decades. While each story in Cubana is noteworthy, the following are standouts: Maria Elena Lianas Internal Monologue on a Corner in Havana, a tale of a woman forced to sell goods on a street corner. This story begs the question to eat or to smoke. We Came All the Way from Cuba So You Could Dress Like This? from Achy Obejas, depicts a young girl coming of age as a first generation Cuban-American, having markedly different political ideologies than her parents. Sonia Rivera-Valdess A Whiff of Wild Desire is an erotic tale written in a male voice, involving an overweight woman, making it even more interesting. Nancy Alonsos A Tooth For A Tooth looks at friendship across political lines as well as a father and son relationship in the midst of having to conserve supply coupons in order to keep food on the table. Yanez, along with Ruth Behar who penned the foreword, do an excellent job putting the lives of the writers in perspective, for maximum appreciation of their work. Because it raises the possibility of a new Cuban feminism as well as a host of questions about Cubana women socially, sexually, politically, Cubana is sure to find a home in many academic settings. Still, the talent of these writers insure that Cubana is an enjoyable read for anyone who picks it up.
(Myrons House: continued from page 31) talking about it on their breaks. Pierre and Sharon. Pierre got drunk again last night. Pierre beat the shit out of Sharon again. Pierre put her out again. Sharon is going back again. His mother had completed her litany on the evils of skipping church no matter how tired one was and was now on the specifics of his private life. Sharon raised one eyebrow and he smiled stupidly thinking that his mother had still managed to get the last word even when nobody was talking to her. Sharon placed her warm hand into his and he noticed for the first time that she was shaking. He wondered what he should do and thought maybe he would offer to take her home. No. Pierre might be there and there would be another scene and this time neither of them might make it out alive. The last time he walked her to her car Pierre went into a rage thinking there was something going on between them. It was two weeks before she looked at him again. He would smile at her and her eyes would inevitably find the ground or the clock over his head. Hed thought those two weeks were the longest of his life. He didnt eat, barely slept and came to work hoping that today would be the day she would look at him again. No, he would not offer to take her home. Gayle W. Williamson is an assistant professor of English at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio. She has written two plays which have received both local and national honors. She is married and has a daughter. CROSSWORD ANSWERS ACROSS 1. Cab, 4. Akan, 8. Gail, 12. Ani, 13. Lose, 14. Hire, 15. Ink, 16. Vain, 17. Alee, 18. Naomi, 20. Aeon, 22. A.N.C., 24. N.A.A.C.P 28. Earl, 31. Anne, ., 34. Lie, 35. Lwei, 36. Nee, 37. Gene, 38. Lee, 39. Wewe, 40. Axel, 41. Adder, 43. Day, 45. Ayah, 48. Aesop, 52. Star, 55. Rear, 57. Awe, 58. Hill, 59. Nero, 60. Bee, 61. Epee, 62. Aden, 63. Ann DOWN 1. Cain, 2. Anna, 3. Biko, 4. Alvin, 5. Koa, 6. Asia, 7. Nene, 8. Ghana, 9. Ail, 10. Ire, 11. Lee, 19. Mali, 21. One, 23. Cane, 25. Alex, 26. Cine, 27. Peel, 28. Ella, 29. Awed, 30. Reed, 32. New, 33. need, 37. Gaye, 39. Wry, 42. Earle, 44. Aaron, 46. Arna, 47. Heed, 49. Saba, 50. Owen, 51. Peen, 52. She, 53. Tip, 54. Ale, 56. Are MOSAIC / FALL 1998 61
celebrating our voices!

Hailed as the first African American to master the art of poetry with real literary distinction, Paul Laurence Dunbar authored six published volumes of poetry, four novels, and several short stories. Dunbar, best known for his popularization of Negro dialect poetry, was also a gifted
paul laurence dunbar

lyricist with many composers arranging melodies to accompany his words. Perhaps it was his spoken-word renditions that caught their ears, as his musical voice captivated listeners in London, New York, Washington, the South, and his hometown of Dayton, Ohio. Born in 1872 to former slaves, Dunbars life was full of sorrow, financial difficulty, unfulfilled love, an unhappy marriage, and ill health which brought him to his death at the age of 33. Yet, through it all he managed to render technically proficient verse that fully captured the qualities of love, laughter, and sunshine. It was Dunbars mother, Matilda, who inspired him through her own love of song and storytelling. At age six Dunbar began reciting and writing poetry, and he presented his first public reading to the Western Association of Writers on his birthday in 1892. This was also the same year that his first collection, Oak and Ivy was published. Growing up in Dayton, Dunbar attended predominantly white schools. While he often had difficulty finding work on account of his race, he excelled in school as a member of the debate team, editor of the school paper and president of the schools literary society. Orville and Wilbur Wright of airplane flight fame were two of Dunbars friends while growing up. The issue of race became more of a reality when after publishing his first book, the only work he could find was that as an elevator operator. He used this as an opportunity to sell his book to anyone who rode the elevator, and he also augmented his wages by freelancing for national newspapers and magazines. While he achieved great acclaim for his dialect poetry, he also received critical accusations for portraying negative stereotypes to satisfy a white reading public. It should be noted that he was also skillful at standard English poetrya poetry rich in imagery and literary technique, which spoke out for the rights of his fellow man. - Lynne d. Johnson 62 MOSAIC / FALL 1998
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a hope in the unseen books that matter $2.

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Books That Matter by Deatra Haime

14. The Mystery of Gayl Jones

25. B l u e s H a i k u 26. F a l l P r e v i e w Poetry

23. Fiction In the 90s:

The Domain of the Sisters by Omar Tyree

Original Short Story

26. Fall Preview 34. Reg e. Gaines

32. B e s t - s e l l e r s L i s t s 38. C h i l d r e n s C o r n e r 42. T h e W r i t e S t u f f : T e c h n o l o g y

45. You Again!

Recurring Characters in Popular Fiction by Sharon Amos

51. African American Book Clubs

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simon and schuster ad blessings by sheneska jackson

Mosaic Literary Magazine

Publisher Jacqueline Jacob Circulation Director Taura Ottey

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Sandra Lee Gould

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How to Get There From Here

Giving Voice to BlackMatter Writers Books That

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The mystery gayl jones

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(continued on page 55) MOSAIC / FALL 1998 17

A Hope In the Unseen

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Considering Venus by D. Gisele Isaac Seaburn Books

Blue Collar Blues by Rosalyn McMillan Warner Books

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Waiting in Vain by Colin Channer

Shades of Justice by Linda McKeever Bullard Dutton

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Two Shining Stars for children

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Faradays Popcorn Factory by Sandra Lee Gould

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fiction ofDomain Of the Sisters the 90s The

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Bebes By Golly Wow by Yolanda Joe Doubleday Books

Milk in my Coffee by Eric Jerome Dickey Dutton Books

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this is not a fire sale but im in heat each time i see ya

Reprinted with permission from Beacon Press

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Albert French Roberto Quesado George Pelacanos

FALLONS! COMiNG ATTRACTi

Stigmata Phyllis Alesia Perry

Ralph Bunche An American Odyssey Brian Urquhart

I Can't Wait on God : A Novel by Albert French

The Sweet Forever: A Novel George Pelecanos

Please Please Please by Renee Swindle

Inner City Blues A Charlotte Justice Novel Paula L. Woods

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Tale of a Sky-Blue Dress Thylias Moss

The Villa Marini: A Family Saga Gloria Montero

Loving Me A Sisterfriends Guide To Being Single and Happy Claudette Sims