Tag Archive | Dallas

Thanks, Melissa!

Melissa Embry is one special lady — and writer! We met a few months ago when I conducted a writing workshop for the Mystery Writers of America, Dallas chapter. I have been trying like the dickens to get back to a meeting because not only is the group filled with experts on how to kill people (for entertainment purposes only) and how to solve crimes (mostly on paper) but also, they know how to have great fun! And the camaraderie within the group is to die for (yes, pun intended!).

But back to Melissa…

Melissa Embry, Writer & Author

So after my talk, this young lady–Melissa–approaches my table and we have the coolest talk on her short story successes, her detour away from writing short form fiction and her eventual return to it. It was a great interaction. You know how there are some people you feel tied to even after talking to them for only five minutes? Well, Melissa’s that kind of person. Very open. Very honest. Very supportive. Very positive. Let’s see…did I leave out any verys? Oh yeah, very much a woman of her word. She told me she was going to blog about my session and lo and behold…she did.

Check out the thorough blog post she wrote and while you’re at her cyberhome, check out her background (fascinating!) and a few other posts. I promise you it’ll be well worth the extra keystrokes. Don’t forget to introduce yourself. She’s worth meeting.

Thanks, Melissa. You rock!

An Undetermined Future

Jul8

Last night while I was meeting with my critique group…a 25-year-old gunman was setting up his perch in a downtown Dallas building. Ironically the building was part of a community college, a place of learning and expanding young minds.

Last night while I was driving home…the young man pointed a high-powered weapon down a busy city street. Ironically that street is only a few blocks from where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and ironically it’s the same street where a peaceful protest (organized to call attention to the proliferation of police-involved shootings/murders of black men) was winding down.

Last night while I slept…the Army veteran shot and murdered five police officers and wounded seven additional officers and two civilians. Ironically our government trained him on the use of weapons and gave him the opportunity to perfect his training by sending him to the battlegrounds in Afghanistan.

Early this morning…the murderer was killed, blown to pieces by a special delivery bomb. Ironically his motives for killing (hate, anger, frustration, arrogance, fear, injustice) remain solidly intact and are shared by many—black, white, yellow, brown and others.

Later today…the hate will continue. The killings will continue. The violence will continue. The country will remain dysfunctional and divided. UNLESS…all people are seen as individuals. Unless all people are seen as equals. Unless all people are free. And UNTIL racism is rooted out of every system, institution, policy and practice, and until hate is replaced by love.

Racism

Fuller’s Curse, It’s Official!

Oct7

On Saturday, September 28, my family and friends hosted the official launch of my latest novel, Fuller’s Curse. Even though it was raining with dark clouds over head and loud thunder, more than 30 die-hard people showed up at Freedman’s Memorial Cemetery in Dallas for the launch.

To those people as well as my family, I say…well, I can’t say anything because I get too choked up. When I think about the sacrifice of time and effort, as well as the risk you took in possibly catching a cold or having a wreck all to help me acknowledge this special moment, strong emotions overtake me and I have to pause. Like now. I am loved; you showed that on Saturday and I pray that I have been or am as good to you as you are to me. I would love to name names, but I don’t dare because I will inadvertently leave off a name and that would be unacceptable. Just know that I appreciate the grand, over-the-top show of support. You are truly my reason why…why I keep dreaming, why I keep achieving, why I keep loving.

For those who tried to attend the launch but failed because of horrible directions from internet maps, or those who showed up at the original (right-wrong) address, or those who suffered through the weather-logged traffic only to arrive at the end of the program or after its end, I say THANK YOU. You, too, warm my heart and make me smile. I hope you know how grateful I am for your presence in my life and for your loving support. Oh, and my apologies for the miscommunication and the difficulty in finding the location.

Below is the program for the official launch. We were unable to pass out programs; it was just too wet. But I want everyone to have a copy and be reminded of the fun, informative time we had. Also, I hope it’ll help others feel like they were there.

Fuller’s Curse: Linking the Past to the Present

Program

Mistress of Ceremonies – Pam Fields

4:00 – 4:30 Tour of Grounds & Sculptures, Don Payton

African Drumming, Linda Jones

4:30 – 4:40 Welcome & Occasion, MC

4:40 – 5:20 Comments/Reading/Q&A, Ann Fields

5:20 – 5:30 Genealogy Overview/Drawing, Cynthia Ford

5:30 – 6:00 Tour of Grounds & Sculptures

African Drumming

Saturday, September 28, 2013 – 4:00 pm

Freedman’s Memorial Cemetery – Dallas, Texas

Thank you to the following people for going with the flow and sharing unselfishly…

Don Payton, African American historian and Freedman’s Memorial Cemetery expert

Cynthia Ford, Genealogist

Linda Jones, African drummer

Pam Fields, Mistress of Ceremonies (and my sister)

Joycelyn Powell, Scentsy Sales Associate (she offers a special Fuller’s Curse scent; get yours today!) and

Ruthie Turner, Tea Cakes by Ruthie!

Oh and for those of you who questioned the cemetery as a location for a book launch, I think once you read the book you’ll make the connection. Trust me…there was method to my madness!

Again, thank you all! I love you! And I’m sending you all a big hug and kiss. Ready for it? Here it comes…