Culture

Being an African American during this period of history is exciting, but I love looking back into the past and finding interesting details about a people of incredible beauty and strength. Although The Loom takes place during slavery, it is not a typical story of captivity. The lives of the enslaved were so much richer than what has been traditionally recorded in history, a fact I try to convey within the pages of my novel. Most of you know the ancestors of African Americans were slaves, but did you know there was a man by the name of Francis “Free Frank” McWorter, who made more than $15,000 in the early 1800s to free himself and 16 members of his family? Amazing. Whatever fascinating stories I discover, I will be sure to pass on to you.

But I also want to know about you. Share with me little known facts about your heritage, your culture and customs. Throughout the year, I’ll be interested in some of your holiday traditions whether they were passed down from your parents or newly formed ideas created by you and yours. I look forward to learning something new and maybe adapting a few that fit.

Faith

I love the Bible (and its Author) so many times I will be exploring my findings in this, my favorite historical book as it relates to today. Just as I explore faith in The Loom, I will spend some time here looking at this subject in depth, asking questions such as, “What does it really mean to have faith?” and a slew of others. Notice I said I’d be asking such questions. We’ll see if we discover the answers together.

Love

And I love love. I do. It’s my “thing.” It’s the one subject I can spend hours discussing, reading or writing about. But I’m not a romance writer nor am I interested in just male, female interaction (although those are among my favorites.) Relationships as a whole intrigue me and I find myself writing stories that embrace all aspects of this power that can ultimately change lives. The love of God, of a mother, of a friend can move nations. And it has. This is what I want to discuss here and books of course. Lots of books, many on this very subject.

Interviews

I also want to interview authors who write about love or culture or faith. And because I love the arts in various forms, we will explore the world of cinema, particularly movies adapted from novels. I would also love to engage some actors in our discussion.

Your Story

In all of this, I want your ideas, your thoughts and opinions on the topics we discuss. I want to know your story. I look forward to hearing from you. There wouldn’t be a journey without you.