I seem to be doing a lot of these random postings lately. What with my writing schedule, I’m becoming seriously fly-by-night. I promise, after October 15th I’ll be much better.
Yesterday was my birthday and I’d planned to do my usual giveaway, but seeing as how Morning Star will be released on the 29th, I thought I’d do my big giveaway then. I think I’m going to do a fabulous basket that includes cookies, gift certificates and lots of books. I’ll let you know more soon.
Crystal Hubbard wrote me a birthday poem. Nobody has ever gone all iambic pentameter for me before. Isn’t it sweet.
An Ode to Roslyn
Everyone can write but what editors won’t tell, is that not everyone who writes, does so all that well. It takes a scribe like Roslyn, who has the canny skills of marrying thought and ability, to write a book that thrills. From voice, syntax and rhythm, her prose is just unequaled. I LOVED Pussycat Death Squad and I can’t wait for the sequel!
If you haven’t been reading What About Our Daughters, you’ve got to check out Gina’s take on Satan’s response to the Chris Brown interview. In particular this line almost cost me a rib.
“Let me be clear. When Christopher Brown attacked Rihanna, neither I nor any of my employees, subcontractors or vendors were in possession of his soul. I can state unequivocally that this attack was not the result of being possessed by demonic spirits. ”
Satan indicated that all of his demonic spirits have an alibi and were otherwise occupied at the time of the attack.
“Yes. yes. At the time of the attack all of my demonic spirits were busy working on the Fall line up of the BET Networks. In addition, they were going through drafting some timely relationship advice for the June 2009 issue of ESSENCE magazine. We’ve got some relationship advice to DIE for!”
Darius Rucker has one of the best voices of a generation. I’m so glad he finally found his niche. People always told me I was crazy when I said Hootie should’ve been a country band.
Santa Baby is turning into a real struggle. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m crazy tired, or what, but it’s giving me fits. I’m a little bummed about the sales on Pussycat as well. I don’t know why, but for some reason I thought y’all would really like that book. I’d love to know what put you off.
the one who writes 
Happy Belated Birthday. I meant to make it over here but I had to avert a Gabe disaster of epic proportions. I love the poem written for you.
happy belated birthday! i must admit i’m a bit surprised regarding the sales on Pussycat. i bought a copy a few weeks after it was released and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Well, two reasons.
For one thing, it was released electronically, and I haven’t gotten into the whole e-book thing yet. I’m still really traditional about books.
For two, Honestly, reading about a Muslim woman who loses her head, falls in love with a dude who is not muslim, and sleeps with him just doesn’t appeal.
I’m QUITE sure that it is uncomfortable for me because I am muslim. I never came close to such a thing, but the idea makes me squirm. Scratch that, it’s downright horrifying. Perhaps I should put that in 72pt, bold, italics.
I’m sure a scholarly psychology article could be written on why I don’t mind non-muslim characters doing such (as long as they end up married) but can’t stomach it for a muslim character.
Might make for an interesting “foreverloyal” blog entry, too. Actually, I started such a post a few weeks ago and then trashed it.
I’m not surprised that a Muslimah would feel that way. In fact, I was prepared for pushback for that reason. As far as I know though, you’re my only Muslimah fan. (Any lurkers, feel free to contradict me.) My husband and my critique partner seem to think people are reluctant to read about a Muslim woman. I hope that’s not true, one because I might actually write about another Muslim woman, or some other religion. Religions fascinate me, and I’ve definitely got an idea one of those Mormon groups.
Thanks Eccentricyoruba. I’m so glad you liked it.
you’re welcome Roslyn. i’m a Muslimah fan as well! i enjoyed Lelia’s character and part of the reason i love the book so much is because she is a (devout) Muslimah. i’ve been waiting to read a romance novel featuring a Muslimah literally all my life and i really did not mind that she fell for a non-Muslim man. the fact that Pussycat is an interracial romance was made more appealing to me due to the inter-religious spin.
i guess i’m cool with inter-religious marriages as i have been surrounded by them since my youth. i have friends and family members married to or dating non-Muslim men, some of the married women converted to their partners religion though i know others who decided to remain Muslim. i remember when i was younger there was a Tanzanian Muslim woman who married an English man and my first thought was; ‘cool’. i know most Muslimahs hold different opinions though.
i think it is be a real pity if potential readers skip this book because it features a Muslimah. Pussycat is well written and it is really difficult these days to find any book with well-rounded, non-stereotypical Muslimah characters not to mention a romance novel.
Okay, Eccentricyoruba you’ve made me cry. I really wanted this book to do exactly what you said. I love exploring other cultures and religions, but I hate when the stories have a bunch of stereotypical nonsense. I’m absolutely thrilled that you read the story and weren’t offended (Though I can certainly understand why others of your faith might be.) Thank you so much for your kind words. Uh, do you mind if I quote them on my website? 😀
aww, you’re welcome. and please feel free to quote me, i’m really honoured 😀
Well, eccentricyoruba.
As-salaamu-alaikum and Ramadhan Mubarak.
Now stop trying to make me feel bad.
Don’t you dare feel bad. Your feelings are perfectly legitimate, as are Eccentric Yoruba’s. We talked about this before I even started writing the book and I understand how you feel and I respect it.
It’s just that she brought up a REALLY, REALLY good point. I’m the first one to get annoyed at fiction about muslim women that seems to begin and end at “They make her wear that horrible scarf and she gets her behind beat on the regular–doesn’t it suck to be a muslim woman?”
EccentricYoruba brought up an angle I hadn’t considered. And you’d think I would.
It’s still an ebook, though. 🙂
(I MAY have gone to the Loose ID website and MAY have taken a look at the Pussycat page. While I was engaging in this hypothetical activity, I might have seen that the book could be downloaded with Adobe acrobat and printed. If I had done all this, I might be wondering if the book printed with the cover art.) 😉
foreverloyal, wa aleikum salaam! and ramadan kareem to you too. how is the fasting going? like Roslyn said please don’t feel bad. you have valid points and my views are not necessarily mainstream 🙂