So You Wanna Know About My Book
 

Well, well, well, after having several PM convos, IM convos, etc. etc. etc. about the book, I figured why not tell everybody all at once?

I started writing back in November when I was still teaching. Over the past 3 years, I had 3 different people tell me that I should write a book: my former roommate, Novella000, and I forget the other one. Well in November, I was at a meeting bored as hell and thought to myself, let me just start writing. So I did. I gave birth to Kendra and Lamar. Now I wish like hell I could remember the date that that happened. At any rate, Kendra and Lamar are best friends from birth. They are freshmen in high school.

I want to make this a series like Sweet Valley High, but they will go through each grade unlike SVH. The book is set in Charlotte, North Carolina. Other details will be on a need to know basis.

Last night, I finished chapter 17. I am now on page 200. I had a slow start because I was still teaching and would write occassionally but since I have been unemployed (yall keep praying for a sista to find a job), I have been able to write more. If I were not such a procastinator, the book might be finished by now.

Let's see what else. Oh. . .thanks to HoneyKiss1974 and her sister for inside tips on going from the writing part to getting published. Thanks also to HoneyKiss for words of encouragement and motivational forwards (my mom loved the New Shoes too:) )Thanks to Kelli and Ideal08 for reading the drafts of each chapter. They along with my mom read each chapter, catch errors, offer feedback, and push me to write the next chapter. Ideal08 really pushes me too. :mad: :p

So now, I am going to get started on Chapter 18. . .

How many chapters will I have? Your guess is as good as mine

What is the title? God knows it and one day will reveal it to me.

What made you go from thinking about the book to literally writing it? Thank God once again for boring meetings and for dreams and my imagination. Kendra and Lamar came to me years ago, but God kept them there until I was ready

What advice would you give other aspiring writers? Write a little every day. Believe you can and let God do what he does best. Can you all tell I am ready for an interview?

Well that's all for now! Any other questions, just ask. :D

ETA: The book is at an all Black high school named after a prominent BLACK person. You not only meet the kids, but the teachers, parents, grandparents, etc. I want my books to be a family thing for everyone. Oh and BLACK folks kill me asking for their name to be in the book, but won't read it. :rolleyes:

I hope that everything goes well with your book, Soror! :) :D :cool:

CT4,

YAH!!!! I know your series will be a success. :D

Go ON girl!
 

I'm sure ALL of the books will be great!

Hey CT4,

This is what's up, and congrats for finally putting it down on paper. I am the same way, I am a big procrastinator. I some short stories that I need to send off to a magazine, but I keep putting off putting them in some kind of order, but after hearing about you, I'm going to stop it right now. Keep up the writing, and I would definitely love to read it.

CT4,


Keep on, keepin' on! You know your GC peeps have DEFINATELY got your back!

Don't forget about the book tour also! ;)

Three thumbs up for your book!!!

Now stop procrastinating and get it done so I can make my purchase please.... I like to support those I communicate with on a somewhat frequent basis in their dreams....especially with writing a book.

One of your Sorors, whom I graduated from High School with in 1989....(Class of '89 In Full Effect) wrote several books and I bought one last year just for support......little did I know that the book was OFF THE HOOK.

Her name is Nancey Flowers, and the book is titled: Shattered Vessels. I read it in 1 1/2 days. I just couldn't put it down.

I'm looking forward to later on this year, or early part of next year when I can read about Kendra and Lamar, and add to this posting: CT4, SURE CAN WRITE A STORY!!! :D :D :D

Blessings on your endeavors!!! I've been trying to write a book for years! I just pulled it back out yesterday and re-read what I had already written and I started to get excited about it all over again! Who knows??? I may publish one of these old days...

Keep us posted!

you writers have me getting excited. . .
 

because I looooove to read, and I see I'll have lots of reading material soon! Also, since I feel like we're family, I can say "yeah, I know them!" You know how we are. . . you know somebody that knows somebody that knows somebody. . .or "that was my Uncle Joe's 1st wife's brother's daughter's child, but we wuz real tight!" :D

Anyhoo, much success to all of you!

You go CT4!!!!
 

Now hurry up and finish that book of yours. You know you got support from your GC fam (both financially and emotionally). Don't forget about a book tour.

Can't wait to read your book.:D :cool:

Re: So You Wanna Know About My Book
 

And you know this, maaaaaan! :D

I'm really proud of CT4!!! And the book is GOOD, y'all. I just provide that extra lil' push, y'know what I'm saying?

Pump out Chapter 18 while you practicin' for your interviews. :p

Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement and for the prayers as well. Congrats to Soror KimL and SF Mz Destiny. MAy God bless your endeavors.


I AM working on chapter 18. Right now I am putting together the names of the patients in the hospital that the characters are going to meet.


I want to once the book is finished and I get it copywritten to put a chapter on the Internet. I read that Angela Nissell did that with The Broke Diaries. That way I drum up interest in between book completion and book publication.

I will definitely be the GCer who knows the most GCers with my book tour. I am hoping to also definitely be on Delta author tours as well. :D

I first read about that book from everythingblack.com, so don't forget to post it there as well as every place else!:)

Thank you!!! :D

One question, you mentioned that you wanted this to be a family book but you also mentioned SVH. Will this be a Teen book or one that I can read to my little ones?

Good luck.

That's awesome CT4! Good luck! I'm writing a book too, but may be the least motivated writer on earth with it right now. I need to get back on it!

If I'm still here..
 

Don't forget to stop by Kansas! :D

They are freshman with younger siblings. Kendra has an 11 year old sister, Mali, and a 6 year old cousin who lives with them named Gabrielle as well as an older brother named Malcolm who is a senior.

I don't want to do the total SVH that took it back to them being those ages, but I thought about doing a book from Mali's POV.

I do want to eventually write books for more than just teens, but having spent 3 years there as a student and 4 1/2 as a teacher, I am well versed in high school so to speak.

So for right now, yes it is a teen book, but once your little ones get to be big ones, this will be a well developed series by then.

Fantastic! You made my day. It really is a great idea. It sounds interesting and I'm sure everyone will run and get a copy for themselves and the teens they know. Your almost guaranteed success. I wish you the very, very best and will pray for you.

That is so great, soror!!! You are inspiring me to keep plugging away at my book!! :)

I wish you the best! I know a few people who had Frank McCourt who wrote "Angela's Ashes" as a teacher in highschool. Maybe there is a Pulitzer Prize in your future, too. :)

Do ya thang gurl!!!
 

This book sounds great. I can' t wait for the finished product!

I was an avid reader as a teen and I wished there had been books out there w/black characters when I was in jr. high/high school. This is wonderful!

Re: Do ya thang gurl!!!
 

Ditto!! My husband's neice is 12 and a AVID reader. She attends a majority school and eats anything up with characters that look like her. When every I see a book geared towards preteens with black folks on the cover I scoop it up for her.

Re: So You Wanna Know About My Book
 

Now you know, I am going to ask for my name to be in the book. But, I will definitely read it! Imagine this, the school puts on a Halloween Talent Show and there is a petite, cocoa colored girl named Classy who does a mean Tina Turner. "Big wheels keep on turnin . . . . . "

Re: Re: So You Wanna Know About My Book
 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW HELL NAW. . .I had forgot all about that mess.


**taking notes**

Oh and just so you know when you read the book, I am all up in the book -- Kendra, the teachers :D and my mom is too.

Great concept
 

I used to love SVH and Nacy Drew. I had every single book that came out. They are now packed up in my attic and I refuse to give them to my cousin to read. It would be really nice to give our young girls books they would be excited to read and could relate to.

Girl, just wait until until you get on amazon and barnesandnoble. You are going to be big time. :D

I really am working on it. . .
 

I know I post a lot ;) but I am working on chapter 20 right now.

I am having so much fun with it. I have this one character who is Ms. Teen B**** and my mom, Kelli, and Ideal08 hate her. . .but with this last chapter, 2/3 of the reading population is starting to like her. :D

Back to work now, I have posted on GC, no one is around to talk to :( -- I did Pilates today too 1 3/4 times and ol girl had my stomach hurting. :cool:

Update for the future patrons
 

Getting ready to start Chapter 23. . .I won't finish on 5/31 but by June 4th, book one of my series will be done. :)

I think that the day I finish will also be the day that I shed my tresses.

Re: Update for the future patrons
 

I think that would be the PERFECT day to make your transformation! I am proud of you!!!!

GO GIRL...you just GO! :p

Send a sista a picture.... :D :p ;) :cool:

THANK YOU JESUS
 

As of 12:29 A.M. the last word and period were typed as I finished book 1 of my very first book. I feel great, tired but great. I feel proud that I accomplished this feat. I gave myself a deadline of May 31, but God works on a different schedule than I do.

I am thankful for the blessings that this book has brought forth in my life. I have had to experience some losses in order to get to this point. I had to cut loose a job but you know what if I were still at that job, I would not have finished the book tonight. I believe GOD kept my jobless for 3 months EXACTLY today -- 3/5 for a reason. I had to get totally dependent on HIM so that HIS WILL for my life could be made complete.

I have been sitting at this computer so much lately, but it was not for naught.

I want to thank my mother and father who shared their love of reading with me; for taking me to the library as a kid; for exposing me to literature. I want to thank Jamion for not going with me in the 4th grade because I read too much. I tried to go without but me and reading are like peanut butter and jelly -- we belong together.

I want to thank every SLAVE who worked, died and was whipped so that I could read today. I want to thank every author who came before me for the visions that you put to paper.

I want to thank my FRIENDS (few in number, but great in my heart) for your support of my dream; for reading all 27 chapters; all 272 pages; 95, 021 words (WORD COUNT people).

I thank all of you in advance for buying the book. I thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement and support. I have met like 0.5% of you, but I thank you nonetheless, the seen and the unseen.


Yes, this is my acceptance speech. :D

one more time: GLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORY!!

I have learned this year:

EVERYTHING happens for a reason!

YAY!
 

Congrads CT4! Woo woo! :cool::):cool:

Re: THANK YOU JESUS
 

Sooo...........when are we having the party? :D

Re: Re: THANK YOU JESUS
 

R U and new lover man buying? :D


Thanks yall once again.

Re: THANK YOU JESUS
 

Good job, CT4. Now get a publisher.:) :D

Re: Re: Re: THANK YOU JESUS
 

That would be a resounding NO, LOL! It's to early for ME and HE to be a WE...and since there isn't the combined resources that come with being a WE...ME ain't got no money, LMBO!!! :p

Congrats, CT4. I'm so happy for you. I can't wait to buy my copy of your book.

Congrats CT4!!!

YOU GO GIRL!!!
 

I'm soooo happy for you! Bless GOD for your accomplishments!

Let us know when it's for sale, ok?

CT4....congrats girl and yup you did the damn thing!!!!