Tayari's Blog: Most Recent Entries

January 04, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANDDADDY WELDON

Today would have been his 100th Birthday. Weldon B. Posey was a terrific grandfather. We miss him a lot.

Posted at 04:08 PM | Comments (0)
Category:

TROPICAL FISH by Doreen Baingana

This time next week, I'll be in Kampala, Uganda giving a five-day workshop to the amazing women of an organization called FEMRITE. I am so stoked about the opportunity. (Sadly, I had to cut my visit a couple of days short so I could attend the Dreams From My Father American Scholars Inaugural Ball.) Right now, I am preparing a packet of short stories to use as texts. Obviously, I went right to Doreen Baingana's Tropical Fish. The stories in this collection are set in the part of Uganda where the workshop will be held.

I'd read Tropical Fish before, but I had forgotten just how brilliant Doreen is! I am forcing myself to choose only two stories for my packet, but I can't begin to choose. I love me some coming of age stories and her young narrators are aces. I know I'll end up using one of the epistolary stories because writing a letter that seems like a letter, but still tells a story is a complicated maneuver-- which Doreen pulls off not once, but twice in the collection.

So, here are the stories I am thinking of using and a little bit of summary.

A Thank You Note This story is a letter from Rosa who is in the final stages of HIV to her lover, David. The letter is both personal and real, but at the same time really gives a reader a close look at the physical ravages of the disease and also the way that you can trace the spread of HIV to the complicated networks of culture.

Hunger A formerly well-off girl in boarding school must beg for sugar from the "posh" girls. This is a dynamite look at class and entitlement. The ending put me in the mind of James Baldwin. So good I wanted to eat it.

Tropical Fish The title story is a knock out. Christine, whom we meet as a girl in earlier stories, is grown up now and has fallen into a relationship with a British exporter of fish. It's about sex, power, race, and voice.

I know I said I can only use two, but there are just so many tempting stories. I wish, I wish, I could afford to buy books for all thirty women in the class!

Posted at 10:23 AM | Comments (0)
Category: Bookshelf

January 02, 2009

Dreams From My Father Inaugural Ball!

As promised, here is a Q&A with novelist, entrepreneur, PR professional-- Gretchen Cook Anderson, one of the organizers of the "Dreams From My Father" American Scholars Inaugural Ball. I know that a lot of people out there want to participate in the festivities in DC, but besides google mapping the route to DC, we don't have the first idea on how to get involved. So, with no further ado, here's Gretchen and what she has to say:

Tayari: Gretchen, for many people—myself included—all the inauguration stuff is uncharted territory. Can you quickly let everyone know what exactly IS an inaugural ball?

Gretchen: The short answer is that it's a party. The long answer is that the best balls, in my opinion, bring two worlds together. In the most basic sense, it is a gala to celebrate the new president and with Barack Obama, there is obviously a lot to celebrate. So there will be food, music, party clothes, swank amenities.

Tayari: Sounds like my kind of party.

Gretchen: But a ball should also bring attention to an important issue. For the “Dreams From My Fathers” ball, we are highlighting the achievements of African American intellectuals. We’re honoring Toni Morrison, Cornell West, and other black scholars. We’re also giving a portion of the proceeds to education advocacy groups.

Tayari: I think it’s important that these folks be honored on this historic occasion. When you think about it, they really paved the way.

Gretchen: We want to honor them, but we also want to make sure that they have a good time! Macy Gray will be the MC and we’re expecting LL Cool J, Alicia Keys, Chrisette Michele and others. There will be a DJ and also a house band.

Tayari: You know I am in favor of that. I believe in a good time, especially for a good cause.

Gretchen: Did you see that we are honoring Johnnetta B. Cole?

Tayari: I did see that. I love that there are people on the list from HBCUs, the Ivies, and lots of other places. It’s like the true diversity of black scholarship is on full display.

Gretchen: That’s really what we are going for. We wanted it to be as diverse as possible. The honorees are multi-generational, they hail from all over the country. We've got novelists and neurosurgeons on the list. But biggest thing is that is it going to be welcoming to everyone.

Tayari: What about people that want to attend? I know I was interested, but I didn’t know how to go about getting tickets to a ball. I thought I needed to know a congressman or something. And I had no idea that there would even *be* events like this!

Gretchen: There are still some tickets available. You can get them at our website. It’s filling up fast, but right now, there are some available spaces.

Tayari: Just don’t give away my seat!

Gretchen: You know I wouldn’t do that.

Posted at 07:04 PM | Comments (2)
Category: Current Events

Thanks for Your Braces and 80's Fashion!

The images are in and results are tallied. I am delighted to send a check for $520 to Girls Write Now. 22 brave souls sent in your photos and ten wrote on your blogs. Some people wrote checks to support this fantastic cause. So, with no further, ado, here are the latest pictures. Click on the mosaic to see the full batch-- and to find out who these teens are now. You'd be surprised.

Posted at 10:39 AM | Comments (1)
Category: Community Service

January 01, 2009

Hitting the Ground Running Links

Galleycat has a month-by-month listing of the year in publishing. This has been a crazy twelve months. From Margaret B. Jones (Who? Oh, her!)way back in March to the total meltdown in December, a LOT has gone down.

This is a weird post about by editor who plunks down six-figures for a book, and still it isn't enough to close the deal.

Want to go to the inauguration as a VIP? Enter the official inaugural essay contest!

National Book Award winner, Judy Blundell has written dozens of books, but this was the first one she was brave enough to write under her real name.

Paperback Writer reveals what she won't be doing in 2009.

When it comes to The Joy of Sex, everyone has something to say.

Toure lists the "Thinking Man's Sex Symbols." Paper bag test, anyone?

5 Tips for the Short Story Writer.

Thoughts on Gaza and thought provoking quotes from Ngugi.

So many writers are waiting for Hollywood to come a'knockin.

The Souls of Black Girls is now available on DVD.

Posted at 02:56 PM | Comments (0)
Category: Travels & Rambles

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