Zora & Nicky, A Review Inspired


I love to read, but lately all I've been doing is reviewing and editing books. These tasks somehow drain my love for reading until this month. My friend, Claudia Mair Burney, who write the hot pants off me sent me three of her latest novels, all divine, but this one--Zora and Nicky: A Novel in Black and White--it did something I rarely get, something that justifies my reasoning for writing inspired fiction...illumination.

Zora & Nicky in short is an interracial/interdenominational love story. How do people of different races build a world together? How do people of different ideas of sound doctrine live a life together? How do people love through Christ? A not so simple love story written with simple, elegant, honest, passionate prose. Best book of the year so far.

My favorite passage:
Because I have broken into a million pieces. Because I have scattered all over the sidewalk. Because I am not flesh and blood, only glass and dangerous dust that can burrow in your eyes and cause you to bleed, I try to remember that my broken soul is embodied and no one can see that only some shell of a soul is nearly all that is left.
Embodied, this shell I am makes a move toward the cab. The body of Zora has hands, and one of those brown and barely responsive hands takes hold of the handle of the back passenger side door, and somehow I enter the cab. I sit down inside. I watch Nicky give the driver what looks like more money than he should. I see them shake hands.
It is this Zora that still feels Nicky's hands at my waist while the pieces inside of me slide downward. I still feel the sensation of my stomach dropping to my knees. Oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord. Could he hear those pieces of me shifting to my toes, sounding like falling water? Like a rain stick turned upside down again and again?
I put my hand to my mouth and press my lips to my open palm. I can still feel the pressure of his lips, in turn fierce, firm, gentle. I can still taste him on my tongue, and I savor him.
"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth:for thy love is better than wine."
No wonder that mysterious book of songs starts that way. I understand this now.

Posted in: on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at at 3:28 PM 2 comments  

How to Date the Master's Artist in 5 Days

Question_mark_naught101_01 I know we've been seeing each other for some time now, but I'm not sure we were ever really properly introduced. After all, every great relationship has to start somewhere. The Master's Artist has been around for a while, but we may very well have skipped some of the debatable preliminaries. With that in mind, we're asking you out. Yes, of course on a date! Well, actually a series of first dates. You...have been on a first date before, right?

Sure, you remember how it's done. We tell you a few things about ourselves, then you can respond and maybe tell us a few things about yourself. We'll take it slow, get to know each other better. How bad could it be? We already like each other–I mean, we've been meeting here pretty regularly for the past–gosh, how long has it been?

Besides, this is a group date–very low risk. None of that awkward one-on-one time to worry about. We won't ask you back to our place, and we promise not to introduce you to our parents. At least, not intentionally.

If the idea of a date is still too intimidating, then let's just be friends. That's all most of our spouses will allow anyway. We've got a few ice-breakers lined up, but don't let us monopolize the conversation either–we're kind of bad about that. We're writers–and we love great dialogue! A conversation by any other name is just a lecture.

What do you say? Next week? Monday sound good? Tell you what, we'll meet here Monday, talk a little bit, and ease into this thing. If all goes well, we're free on Tuesday as well. Come to think of it, our collective Franklins, Day Runners, iPhones and other various PDAs are all surprisingly clear for the entire week. You don't have to give us your answer right away. Just save it for Monday! Click here to start our date.Click here t »

Posted in: on Monday, January 21, 2008 at at 12:08 PM 2 comments  

Urban League OKs Urban Christian Author

OKLAHOMA CITY – January 18, 2008 – The Urban League of Greater

Oklahoma City Young Professionals will host the Fourth Annual
Celebration of African American Authors. The event, which aims to
promote literature appreciation and commemorate Black History Month,
will be held Saturday, February 2, 2008, at Crossroads Mall – Center
Court, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Those attending the celebration will not only be able to purchase the
books being showcased, but they will also have the opportunity to
meet and share ideas with the 27 authors who have been invited to
attend. The list of authors includes Pat Simmons (Missouri), christian fiction author for Urban Christian books.

Works cover an eclectic literary range comprising fiction, non-fiction, poetry, Christian writings, self-help books and works for children. Pertinent information will also be provided to aspiring
writers on self-publishing opportunities. For more information about the event, contact Monique Bruner at 405-615-6711, deltareviewer@ yahoo.com, or visit www.okculyp. org.

The Urban League Young Professionals, an auxiliary of the Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City, Inc., is comprised of professionals age 18 to 40. The group's primary mission is to support the Urban League and to serve as a vehicle for young urban professionals to engage in community service, fundraising, educational conferences, networking and professional development.

The Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City Inc., an affiliate of the National Urban League, is a non-profit, United Way agency partner established in Oklahoma City in 1946. The League's mission is to assist African Americans, other minorities and the poor to achieve social and economic equality. Visit Urban League for more information._._,_._

Posted in: on at at 11:25 AM 0 comments  

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)