Tayari's Blog: October 2008
October 29, 2008
Mid-Week, Procrastination Links
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Category:
Travels & Rambles
Countdown to Ghana!
I've only three days remaining until I leave for Ghana. The preparations have been a whirlwind that started with five different vaccinations. The didn't hurt as much as I remember from my childhood vaccinations, but it wasn't exactly recreational. Also, seeing the list of recommended vaccines makes a person feel a little apprehensive about going on the trip in the first place. It's a little bit how going through a metal detector makes you afraid you're going to get shot, although technically it makes you safer.
I have received the program schedule and I must say that it looks pretty good. I am going to be staying in a lovely hotel. I never thought of Accra as a beach front sort of city, but it is. The festivities include a ballet performance by the National Ballet of Senegal and poetry galore. There will also be a screening of Sembene Ousmane's latest film. All of this fits right in with the theme of this year's theme: Manufacturing the New African Future: The Factor of Culture.
I am so excited. I just don't know what to do with myself!
Posted at 07:18 PM | Comments (2)
Category:
The Writing Life
October 28, 2008
Dave Eggers Wants to Change The World
Recently Dave Eggers have a talk about his community outreach program 826 Valencia. On a rainy day like today, I really appreciated this dose of optimisim. The video is part of an archive of talks given by community change-makers and is sponsored by TED (Technology, Education, and Design.) Each year, TED gives a $100,000 prize to help the recipients "change the world." I love that they use that unabashedly idealistic language.
I am going to take some time to go through the archives and I'll post the ones that seem right for the blog. (Uh, not to hate on a philanthropic organization, but a drive-by scan of the roster makes me think they could use a little effort to up the diversity situation.)
But, anyway, with no further ado, here's one of the 2008 winners, Dave Eggers.
Posted at 09:15 AM | Comments (0)
Category:
Current Events
October 27, 2008
Lunch Break Links
Posted at 11:04 AM | Comments (1)
Category:
Report From the Road: Nebraska
My trip to Nebraska turned out to be really fun time, despite the cold, wet weather. My host, Joy Castro, was a terrific sport and 
took me out on a cold and blustery day to look for buffalo. (I am such a tourist sometimes.) When we got to the park, the bison just sort of minded their own business really far from the fence. I whistled and cajoled, but they didn't budge. I couldn't get a good photo-- let alone pet them. I did get to see a huge statue on the center of a grassy prairie. (The love themselves some statues in Nebraska.) The trippy part was the the statue buffalo was *ahem* anatomically correct. I called it the boyfalo.
The next day began with a lovely lunch with Timothy Schaffert, director of the Nebraska Summer Writers Conference. I had a terrific meeting with a cluster of graduate students. I love talking craft with folks who are serious about what they do.
The last thing on the agenda was the reading. (Go to Joy for details.) I knew it was going to be a good night when I walked in the door and was greeted by two of the cutest little girls who ever wore afro puffs! Another good omen is that the caterers served red-velvet cupcakes. Y'all know red velvet is my totem treat!
I just loved the students at University of Nebraska and also their terrific professors. The little fellow you see here is Quentin, only six weeks old. His mom, Bianca, went into labor in one of her English classes. She hasn't missed a beat and as you can see, she knows the key to building life long readers is to start them young.
Afterwards, we stopped for cocktails. I was feeling pretty festive, so I went with a champagne cocktail. A fitting ending for a sparkling evening.
October 26, 2008
Women Playwrights Demand Change
Did you know that of the new plays produced in this year's theater season 42 are written by white men and only 13 by everybody else put together? I didn't either, but this staggering statistic has lead women playwrights to organize and demand a meeting with the artistic directors of the major NY theaters.
The article in the NYT is both interesting and disturbing. (Although the article focuses on women, I think the points raised are relevant for everybody that comes under the heading "everybody else.") When confronted with their dismal records, the artistic directors interviewed in the article range from sheepish to indifferent to downright hostile. Andre Bishop attributes the gender imbalance at his theaters to the fact that he is a "pathetic mortal." (Would you like a side of snark with that sarcasm, sir?)
When I was looking for the link to post here, I searched the NYT database for the term "women playwrights." It seems that every ten years there is an article about the fact the plays by women are not being produced.
I have a great respect for all of the women who are involved, including Sarah Schulman who has written for this blog. To demand change is risky. Who would want to alienate the most powerful theaters in New York? As one of the women interviewed said "I have to keep my mouth shut; don’t be part of the problem, don’t be a whiner." Well, one person's whiner is another person's change-maker.
The town hall meeting is tomorrow night. I would advise people to try and attend, but the room only holds 90, and there are almost 150 people RSVPed. If you want to show support, you can write a letter to the NYT commenting on the article or you can make a point to go see a play written by someone who can be categorized as "everybody else." These voices deserve to be heard.
Posted at 07:42 AM | Comments (0)
Category:
Current Events
October 25, 2008
A Liitle Bird Told Me..
That Toni Morrison will be featured on the NPR website reading from her new novel, A Mercy! The info came from Publishers Marketplace
Toni Morrison's Sound Serial
NPR's web site will offer a four-day series of pre-publication readings by Toni Morrison from her forthcoming novel A MERCY beginning October 27 as part of their Book Tour program. Additionally, NPR's Lynn Neary will discuss the book with Morrison in a webcast interview and All Things Considered's Michele Norris will have a broadcast interview with Morrison.
I can't wait until they post the link! Oh please, please, please let it be available as a podcast!
Posted at 01:15 PM | Comments (3)
Category:
Current Events
The Untelling Giveaway for NIAW
Anika at WriteBlack brought to my attention that last week was National Infertility Awareness Week. To mark the occasion, she posted a very moving and personal post about her experiences with this painful issue. She speaks of everything from her own struggles with the desire for "biological" children, to her experiences being the only black woman in the waiting room at the reproductive endocrinologist's office.
Since my second novel, The Untelling, deals with the issue of black women and infertility, I offered up a copy as a giveaway. I wanted to post here so you all could participate and to encourage you to read her post, but it all happened when I was in Nebraska.
So, to make it right, I am offering a second copy. If you'd like to win the signed first edition of The Untelling, leave a comment over on Anika's post about Black women and infertility. On Friday morning at 8am, I will choose a winner by using the randomizer.
Posted at 12:56 PM | Comments (1)
Category:
Current Events
I'm Baaaaack!
I'm back from Nebraska. The visit was terrific, but I returned with a terrible case of laryngitis. Ugh. I am spending the day in bed, catching up with the 225 emails waiting for me and of course, updating the blog. Here are some links just to get warmed up. More posts to come in the next day or so, including a report from the heartland!
Posted at 08:33 AM | Comments (1)
Category:
Travels & Rambles
October 22, 2008
Leaving on a Jet Plane
Just a note before I dash off the the airport. I'm on my way to Lincoln, Nebraska to give a reading and signing at the Great Plains Art Museum. I won't be taking my laptop with me, so no blogging until the weekend. I'll be on twitter, though, with one-line updates and your occasional camera phone image.
Although this is a work trip, I am looking forward to the away time. Airplanes are great writers studios-- no email or internet to distract. You get the same alone-but-not-really atmosphere of a cafe. I'm taking a draft of the last couple chapters I've written. I'll let you know how it goes.
If you're in Nebraska, swing by. I'd love to meet you!
OK, Mr. Kravitiz. You can start the theme music now.
Posted at 05:50 AM | Comments (0)
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October 21, 2008
Computers All Up in My Kool-Aid
I understand the concept behind targeted advertising,but it still sort 
of creeps me out. I am talking about the computer-assisted variety. For example, I was emailing with a respected senior African American poet and I noticed that based on a scan of my message, gmail saw fit to advertise tshirts that read "DANGEROUS NEGRO!" I also get weirded out when facebook suggests people that it thinks that I might be friendly with. I almost choked on my Luna bar when it suggested a psycho ex-boyfriend, with whom I am NOT friendly. I need these computers to stay out of my Kool-Aid.
Anyway, today, I received an email from amazon. I will cut and paste below.
We've noticed that customers who have purchased or rated Leaving Atlanta: A Novel by Tayari Jones have also purchased Mama I'm in Love(...with a gangsta) by Joy. For this reason, you might like to know that Mama I'm in Love(...with a gangsta) will be released on November 4, 2008. You can pre-order yours by following the link below.
I am not even sure what to do with this information. I mean, what does it mean? maybe I should forward it to those "Henny Penny" critics who believe that urban lit is stealing readers from more serious writers because this message from amazon suggests that readers like to read all sorts of different things. It also has implications for the bookstore debate. So many black authors whine that they don't want their Very Important Novels shelved next to "Riding Dirty, part 8" Well, there are no shelves amazon, but still you never know what you'll be paired with.
I'm still mulling this over, but I have to say that I am more amused than alarmed. I'd like to hear from you all out there. What sort of email, if any, do you get from amazon?
October 20, 2008
Un-bought, Un-bossed Links
I know I've been a bad blogger. My upcoming trip to Ghana has been a little intense in the preparation department. I went this morning and got my vaccinations--- but I had to spend all day Friday finding a doctor who could provide them on such short notice! Visa application: complicated. Then there was the drama of finding subs for my classes. So, please forgive me folks, not being my usual up-to-date self. Luckily for us, other people are blogging and have posted some interesting stuff.
Posted at 06:58 PM | Comments (1)
Category:
Travels & Rambles
October 18, 2008
Nebraska Bound!
On Thursday, I am headed to Lincoln, Nebraska to read at the University of Nebraska. If you're in the area, I'd love to see you there. Here are the details:
Thursday, October 23, 7:30 pm
Great Plains Art Museum
1155 Q St., Hewit Place
I am going to read something seasonal.....
Weekend Links!
Sorry for the slow-down in posting. There is just so much prep-work for my trips to Ghana-- forms to fill out, vaccinations to get, weather to research... You get the idea. Meanwhile, here are some cool things to check out on the web.
Posted at 10:49 AM | Comments (0)
Category:
Travels & Rambles
October 16, 2008
International African Writers' Day!
The State Department has just invited me to Ghana in order to attend the 16th International African Writers’ Day Celebrations organized by the Pan African Writers' Association (PAWA)! The festivities will take place over the first week of November. I almost declined the invitation because I didn't want to miss the election. But then I found out that there will be an open house at the US Embassy in Accra. (And don't worry. I have taken care of my absentee ballot.) I am so thrilled and I promise to take lots of pictures and blog my little heart out!
I Know it's JUST a Word, But Still...
I spent a lot of time talking to writers about their own work and about the work that they admire. Sometimes, particularly when the writer is a woman or a person of color, the dreaded "J" word comes up.
JUST.
As in, "I don't want to be ready by JUST black people." Or, "I love Toni Morrison so much. She isn't JUST a woman writer. She's an American Writer!" Or, "How can I get people to see not that I not JUST a Southern writer." "My book isn't JUST for Latinas!"
You get the idea and it drives me nuts.
My quarrell isn't with the idea that writers should be seen as having appeal to diverse readerships, but with the inherent put-down couched in that four-letter-word, JUST. I have never heard the dominant readership "just-ed". Can you imagine overhearing this conversation at a cocktail party? "I so love Franzen. I wish he had a wider readership. His work isn't just for white people, you know."
The word "just" implies unimportant, small potatoes, second-, third-, fourth-, fifth best.
But stil, the point is valid. Writers-- particularly writers who have been excluded from the dominant discourse-- want access to other venues. But how to phrase in such a way that doesn't A) insult the readership you have and B) feed your own inferiority complex?
The key, I think is to switch up the language, switch up your thinking. For example, instead of saying, "I want to be read by more that JUST black people," say (and THINK) In addition to black readers, I want to reach the Latina book clubs." How about this: "Ernest J. Gains writes hauntingly about black life in the south. He is a great American writer."
In other words: repsect your readers, respect your community, and respect yourself.
Click here for the soundtrack.
Posted at 07:37 AM | Comments (2)
Category:
The Writing Life
October 15, 2008
The DAZZLING Ms. Smith!
Congratulations to Patricia Smith who is a finalist for the NATIONAL BOOK AWARD for her poetry collection, Blood Dazzler.
Blood Dazzler is a magnificent poetry collection lyrically exploring life in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. I heard her read at Housing Works. Amazing. Her books sold out in ten minutes flat.
Posted at 02:26 PM | Comments (0)
Category:
Current Events
Re-Enfranchising Links!
Posted at 07:02 AM | Comments (0)
Category:
Travels & Rambles
October 14, 2008
Sister Alice
I am teaching Meridian in my African-American Literature class this term. What a beautiful, searing, and revelevant work of fiction. I love it when the perfect book shows up, right on time. Anyway, to thank Alice Walker for such a meaning novel, I'm posting this georgeous photo.
October 13, 2008
The Blog is Back! Links
Posted at 10:06 AM | Comments (0)
Category:
Travels & Rambles
October 12, 2008
How To Do An Email Interview
As you know, the internet age has changed the way that writers communicate with readers. For the most part, this is a good thing. One development is the advent of the email interview. Although they can be done well, this medium really lends itself to sloppy work. I have done my share of interviews in this way, and I would like to share some helpful hints for interviewers.
1) Read the book and come up with a set of questions that reflect your knowledge of the subject and/or the author's career. One obvious reason is that you will have a better conversation if you know what you're talking about. Secondly, authors have better radar than 12th grade English teachers. They know when you don't know about them or their work and it sort of erodes good will.
2) Ask specific questions. It really gets my goat when an interviewer sends me a list of really general questions. Such inquiries include "Tell me about yourself and your book?" "What is your process?" "Who are your influences?" I could write for pages on the answer to any of these questions. When I get such questions I feel like the interviewer just dashed off the email in five minutes, but then wants me to spend all day answering the questions. Not cool.
I did an email interview recently with Superstition Review. The young journalist sent me about twelve questions. Almost all of them referenced something really specific from my books, or from opinion articles I have published. I was duly impressed.
3) Do your homework. Try not to ask the writer a question, the answer to which is already on her website. For example "Where did you go to college?" is not a good question. A better way is to say, "I see you went to Spelman College. Do you recommend women's colleges to aspiring writers?" You'll get a much better answer out of me that way, and it establishes that you really are interested.
4)Try the back-and-forth model. When I do email interviews, I ask the person to send me one question at a time. I answer and then the interviewer can read it over and then ask another question, possibly a follow up. This flows more like a real conversation-- a real interview. It may take a little more time, but it makes for a more interesting experience for both parties and it makes things more lively for the third party, the reader.
5) If you are interviewing someone for your blog, or other publication, remember that the writer has graciously agreed to be interviewed. Don't approach her like you are doing her a favor. An email interview is usually more work for her than it is for you, so be nice. Say thank you.
Posted at 07:59 AM | Comments (1)
Category:
The Writing Life
October 11, 2008
Al "Grits" Green
Last week, I gave a reading at MoCada to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Mosaic Magazine. I've received a few emails from people asking me what I read. I'm posting here, the excerpt from my novel in progress which I read that night.
Before you click to read the rest. Remember when I asked everyone for their best celebrity scandals? Well, this sort of thing is what I wanted them for!
October 10, 2008
Weekend Links
Posted at 08:27 AM | Comments (3)
Category:
Travels & Rambles
October 09, 2008
Mosaic at MoCada
Last night, I have a reading to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of 
Mosaic Books. The experience, MCed by Nicole Sealey, just the recharging that I needed. I have to tell you that my nerves were sort of frazzled even before I had to figure out how to subway over there. The day started with a minor fire in my kitchen. (Who has to use a fire extinguisher when making TOAST? It was not an auspicious start to the day.) Luckily, so many of you sent me encouraging notes to get me jazzed for the reading itself, but I had to use all that love just to get out of the door!
I read new work, and I was scared. Although I practised like crazy before the event, I found myself making further edits on the subway. Happily, the crowd was very warm and supportive. I won't do a roll call, but it was great to see Eisa Ulen, the scribe of Ft. Greene. (And Eisa shared her good NEWS.) Troy, from AALBC, was trying to hide out on the back row, but a true fan The Brand New Heavies can never hide from me!
The big thrill was that I got to meet a number of people from this blog community and even someone from Twitterville. It was like a family reunion. We had so much fun that we moved the gathering to Chez Oskar where we had dinner and champagne!
But let us not forget the reason for the gathering. Mosaic Magazine is ten years old. If you are not a subscriber, what are you waiting for? You can get a year of in-depth interviews with contemporary black writers and also profiles of those who have stood the test of time. For just fifteen bucks a year! (You can sign up right now and use paypal.) Ron Kavanaugh who is the leader? president? guardian angel? of Mosaic is a brilliant man who has a great sense of humor and even greater sense of purpose. Help him keep Mosaic going.
And check out the photos.
October 08, 2008
You're Invited! TONIGHT!
I'll be reading from my new novel, and then be joined by poet Nicole Sealey for a conversation about work and writing process.
MoCADA
Wednesday, October 8, 6:30-8:30pm
80 Hanson Pl (at South Portland Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Free event.
October 07, 2008
Poetry In Motion
I think my favorite thing about Rita Dove, former poet laureate of the United Sates, is that she seems to be a woman fully in control of herself. She has so many interests and talents and she is ALL OVER THE INTERNET. When I feel a little boxed in, I like to watch her dancing. So what if I am at work, chained to my desk, drinking coffee out of a styrofoam cup, all while wearing an Ann Taylor sweater set? One day, I may be out there like beautiful, brilliant Rita-- foxtrotting in a carwash-hemed, aquamarine cocktail gown.
Posted at 08:57 AM | Comments (3)
Category:
Yeeeee-Haw!
I had good luck with my novel over the weekend, and I thought I would 
let you know how it happened. As I have said about a million times, I am almost finished. The novel is about two young ladies who have the same father. The trick is, only one of them knows about daddy's double life. Well, I am about 340 pages in and I am actually at the point where the father, his wives, and his daughters all end up in the same room. Then, I stopped writing.
It's unfair to my own dear father who would call me for daily updates on the drama. "What happened today?" I have to say, "Nothing. I went back and am filling in holes." He's sweet, he doesn't complain, but I know that he is wondering what the heck is going on.
I'm kind of seeing myself and Bo and Luke Duke. Remember "The Dukes of Hazzard"? I used to love it when they would jump The General Lee off that ramp or whatever it was.
(And can you believe that I didn't even understand they were a couple of Confederate sympathizers? Thank goodness my dad never paid any attention to what I was watching. He would have pronounced it as propaganda and made me sit down with a copy of Roots! But, I digress.)
Okay, so back to Bo and Luke. The end of the book needs to jump the ramp, with a resounding Yeeee-Haw! Well, I have been working on this book for about three years. It's like I have been leisurely walking up the ramp. If I am going to make the jump, I need some speed. So, I have trudged back about 100-150 pages and I am rereading, and rewriting to get some speed.
The thing is this: A little tweaky this, a little tweaky that is not going to get me my Yeeee-Haw!. I need to do some new writing. I need to do something to make the characters' past experiences alive and vivid. Truthfully, I was having some trouble getting there.
On Friday, I took a chapters-- circa page 256-- and reread it about five times. There was something sort of lame about it. A couple of paragraphs had some pop, but otherwise, pretty workman like. So what I did was I asked a friend who is not a writer to pick the most interesting sentence on the first three pages. She did and I rewrote that sentence on the top of the page and elaborated on the idea. I learned so much about the girls' dad-- who is the mystery man in the book. I learned something that will help me better predict his behavior on the big Yeeee Haw! moment.
I'm not saying it will work for you. I have said before that the writing process is a lot like doing your hair-- everybody has a different experience. But still, I wanted to share because it may be helpful to someone out there.
October 06, 2008
Long Day Links
Posted at 08:37 PM | Comments (0)
Category:
Travels & Rambles
October 05, 2008
Can I Ask A Favor?
Are you on facebook? Will you sign up as a friend or fan of this blog? I don't have enough members for facebook to pick up my feed. All you have to do is just click here and say you're a fan. And, please add me as a friend!
Posted at 02:33 PM | Comments (0)
Category:
Before Coffee Links
Posted at 08:16 AM | Comments (0)
Category:
Travels & Rambles
October 04, 2008
A Psalm of Life
Lisa over at Eudaemonia asks "Which poem is like an old friend to you?" When I was a kid in Atlanta, children were required to memorize a lot of poetry. If you wake me up at 3 in the morning, I could still recite all of Langston Hughes' greatest hits on demand. I can still remember Mrs. Whatley reminding us that the poems that were popularly known as "No Crystal Stair" and "A Dream Deferred" were actually titled "Mother to Son" and "Harlem".
Anyway, of all the poetry I memorized in grade school, the one that I carry around with me in my heart is "A Psalm of Life." As you can see from the picture on the right, I was not a particularly good looking kid, nor a fashionable one. I was good at reading and writing, but not so good at socializing. I had skipped a grade and when you add that to a late birthday, I was about two years younger than my peers-- and in fifth grade, that's DOG years.
When I was given "The Psalm of Life" to memorize it was like a promise from the universe that things would get better
Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream—
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
(I typed the above stanzas from memory.)
My teacher explained that the poem was talking about the afterlife, but I took it to mean life after elementary school.
And the part that really stoked my engine was this:
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
(Again, from my memory. Oh, how I loved those exclamation points!)
Before I give a reading, when I am in the elevator on the way to a job interview, I say these stanzas out loud-- any time that I need to draw on my inner resources. Even when I have needed courage to get far far away from a dangerous man, I have said these lines aloud while cruising down the freeway with the pedal to the metal.
Be not like dumb driven cattle. Be a hero in the strife!
Even though I was just ten years old, when I read those lines of a purple ditto sheet, I somehow knew it was an idea I could get behind.
(The poem in it's entirely is below.)
Weekend Links
Posted at 09:51 AM | Comments (1)
Category:
Travels & Rambles
October 03, 2008
Amy Goodman Wins Right Livelihood Award
Amy Goodman, host of my favorite news show Democracy Now! and author of several works of nonfiction has won the 2008 Right Livelihood Award. The Right Livelihood Award, presented by the Parliament of Sweden is sometimes called "The Atlernative Nobel". Congratulations to Ms. Goodman, whom I would love to meet one day. Take a minute to go to the website and look at the other winners. Impressive, insprirational stuff.
Posted at 09:10 AM | Comments (0)
Category:
Current Events
October 02, 2008
Debatable Links
Posted at 09:06 AM | Comments (0)
Category:
Travels & Rambles
Out and About in October
Just taking a second to invite you all to my October events.
