Monice Mitchell Simms's Blog, page 5

in case you were wondering…

me on horseback in santa barbara

haven't forgotten you, fam. working hard making it do what it do. will be in touch soon…

thank you, connie!!!! – i never got the

thank you, connie!!!! – i never got the chance to meet zora neale hurston.  she died eleven years before i was born…. http://ow.ly/1cB4gX

thank you, connie!!!!

i never got the chance to meet zora neale hurston.  she died eleven years before i was born.

i have, though, been blessed to cross paths with a number of brilliant sistah scribes.

i've been in a crowd with, but too shy to approach deceased author bebe moore campbell and television pioneer

i've gushed to journalist-turned-author jill nelson about how she inspired me and asked naive writing advice from detroit's poet laureate naomi long madgett.

i've written side by side at my college newspaper with wordsmith-activist jessica care moore.

i've spoken with authors terry mcmillan and toni morrison, and filmmakers

i've shared vowel movements in the awe striking presence of gwendolyn brooks and nervously sat next to sonia sanchez at a los angeles poetry reading.

i've broken bread and shared space with new york time best-selling author lyah beth lefore and detroit 187 writer/co-executive producer

i've been  honored for more years than i care to admit to call 

i've shaken hands with the phenomenal nikki giovanni and maya angelou.

and just last week, in the company of my kick ass sister writers, and , i met a sistath scribe of whom my sheros octavia butler and lorraine hansberry would both be proud — , the only woman and only african american writer on the f/x t.v. series, justified.

now, i'm not mentioning these encounters and these women to name drop or to simply give them love. i'm penning this blog to give them thanks.

ladies, simply being in your presence has made me a better woman and writer.

and no one has better illustrated that recently than sister author connie briscoe.

i "met" her on facebook. we've never spoken over the phone and have only shared a few emails. yet, she has made herself available to me and so many other scribes through her helpful and inspiring blog, writerrevealed.com.

not long ago, she posted an opportunity for writers to pen a blog post about their novel writing experience. not really expecting a response, i jumped at the chance, she got back to me the next day and this past monday, she ran my post on her blog!  here's the link  – i write, because not breathing is not an option.

fam, i gotta tell ya, in this age of every-woman-for-herself, connie slicing through cyberspace and reaching out to me feels as real to me as zora neale hurston's hand in mine.

it's a connection. and it matters.

thank you, connie, for your unselfishness and graciousness. i appreciate you.

living by my pen,

monice.

a:hc audio series now on itunes!!!!! f -

a:hc audio series now on itunes!!!!! f – a:hc audio series now on itunes!!!!! fam, what a journey! two years ago, … http://ow.ly/1cpDo7

a:hc audio series now on itunes!!!!! – f

a:hc audio series now on itunes!!!!! – fam, what a journey! two years ago, when i and six of the most fantabulous ac… http://ow.ly/1cowJi

a:hc audio series now on itunes!!!!!

fam, what a journey!

two years ago, when i and six of the most fantabulous actors – joy demichelle moore, carl gilliard, toby smith, quincy lenear, taji coleman and cheryl francis harrington – stepped into the studio to record my debut novel, address: house of corrections as an audio series, i had no idea what it would take to bring the project to completion.

the production nuts and bolts of it? sure, i knew those. but how deep i, personally would have to dig and all the trials i would endure to finish it? i was clueless.

now, though, that i'm standing victoriously on the other side, i gotta say — i'm grateful for the challenge. certainly, i'm stronger for it.

and now i'm super thrilled to proclaim — address: house of corrections – the audio series is now on itunes.com!!!!

yes, after a wonderful first run on podbean.com, the series has been syndicated on itunes to reach a more global audience.

pass the word. share the link. listen one more again – http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/address-house-of-corrections/id425024995

i've been told the series is addictive. so much so, that you are compelled to buy the book….So, watch my new audio series fan trailer below and then, buy my book! lol!

Could Be Her Time (Part 7) – Dora stared

Could Be Her Time (Part 7) – Dora stared at Excellent and Excellent met her eyes with such intensity that Merry felt… http://ow.ly/1cmikG

Could Be Her Time (Part 7)

Dora stared at Excellent and Excellent met her eyes with such intensity that Merry felt the hot, sticky air get heavier in the room.  Dora sliced through it.

"Merry, you and Johnson gone outside and finish pickin'.  Dis grown folks business."

"Momma, please!"

"Yaw betta get duh hell…"

Dora took one threatening step toward Merry and Johnson, and before she could raise her hand good, they shot out of the house, the creaky screen door slamming behind them.

Corn barely had time to step out of the way before they ran into him.

"Whoa!  Whoa!  Where you goin' so fast?  Yo' momma still inside?"

Merry and Johnson didn't stop to answer.  Johnson ran straight ahead for the cotton field, just like Dora told him, but Merry, stubborn as ever, headed around the side of the house.  Johnson found her eavesdropping through the open kitchen window.

"Girl, whut you doin'?  Momma tol' us…"

"Ssh, I can't hear what dey sayin'."

Merry could see Dora and Excellent good, because the view gave her a straight shot through to the sitting room where they were arguing, but she couldn't really hear them. They were talking in harsh whispers as if what they were saying was too painful to speak out loud.

Excellent snatched a letter out of her purse and handed it to Dora.  Dora tore the letter in two and threw it to the floor.  Johnson tried to push Merry out of the way to get a better look inside.

"Whut they sayin'?"

"Stop it, boy!  I can't see!"

Merry shoved Johnson and looked back through the window. Excellent walking out.  She was leaving.

Merry and Johnson ran to the front of the house.  Excellent stood with her back to them, talking to Corn.  Sensing her children behind her, she turned to them.  The look in her mother's eyes made Merry want to cry.  It was a look of regret.

A look of goodbye.  A look that Merry recognized, because Dora was looking at Excellent the same way through the screen door.

Johnson took a step toward Excellent to hug her goodbye.  Merry stopped him with her arm.  When their mother left them the first time, she couldn't protect him.  Today, she would.

Excellent reached into her purse, handed the bag of licorice to Corn and sorrowfully walked to the car.  Johnson, standing still behind his big sister's small arm, followed Excellent with his eyes.  Merry looked back to the screen door for Dora.  She was gone.

"Li'l Man and Baby Girl, yo' Momma wanted you to have this.  She's real sorry it didn't work out."

Corn handed Merry the candy and stood before them a moment, looking uneasy.  He was a big, bad soldier that had killed his share of Jap soldiers and been to war and back, but today, Excellent's children made him nervous.  Merry and Johnson starred at Excellent in the car.

Excellent couldn't look at them.

"Well, now, yaw take care."

Take care.  Corn's last two words hung in the air like a thick cloud of smoke from one of his city cigarettes as Merry and Johnson watched him and Excellent drive off.

Merry tenderly took Johnson's quivering hand and squeezed it.  No one had to tell her to take care of her baby brother.  She always had.

And she always would.

*

EXPERIENCE ADDRESS: HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS YOUR WAY!

PLAY/SUBSCRIBE TO THE AUDIO MINI SERIES — ADDRESS: HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS – EPISODE TWELVE (THE FINALE!!!)

PURCHASE THE BOOK –  ADDRESS: HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS ON AMAZON

PURCHASE FOR YOUR KINDLE — ADDRESS: HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS ON KINDLE

PURCHASE THE BOOK — ADDRESS: HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS ON BARNESANDNOBLE.COM

Could Be Her Time (Part 6) – The woman w

Could Be Her Time (Part 6) – The woman walked over to Merry.  Merry starred up at her, nearly overwhelmed by the pai… http://ow.ly/1ciTOw

Could Be Her Time (Part 6)

The woman walked over to Merry.  Merry starred up at her, nearly overwhelmed by the painful questions and powerful emotions racing through her nine-year-old mind.

This was her mother?  The woman she hadn't seen since she was not even three years old?  The woman who had left her and Johnson when they were both still in diapers down in Locust Grove with their grandmother to go up North with her new Army husband to get a good job and build a better life?  The woman who had promised to send for her and Johnson just as soon as she got on her feet and settled?

Merry didn't know how to feel.  She had convinced herself that she would never meet this woman that now stood before her.  This woman called Excellent.  Her momma's first born.  The oldest of nine brothers and sisters.  The first to exodus North to the land of milk and honey.  And the only one to leave her children behind.

Merry held out her hand to introduce herself, her fingers slightly trembling.

"Nice to meet you."

Excellent gasped. Tears rolled down her face as she gingerly shook her daughter's small hand.

"Nice to meet you, too, Merry."

Excellent's hand was warm and soft.  Her fingers were trembling, too.  She knelt down in front of Merry and tenderly moved the hair out of her face.  Merry inhaled her mother's sweet scent.  She smelled good.  Like violets.

"You got so big.  So pretty."

Merry wanted to say thank you, but couldn't.  Johnson, in a quiet but sure voice, spoke for her.

"You real pretty, too."

"Oh, thank you, Baby.  Such a big, handsome boy.  Come here."

Excellent reached for Johnson and he ran to her, wrapping his arms around her neck so tight, she could hardly breathe.  Slowly, Merry joined the embrace.  Excellent rocked her children in her arms.  Her heart so full, she sobbed.

"I got good news.  I came here to get you today.  You comin' home to Detroit with me."

"We are?!"

"Yes, Babies."

"We gone live wit' you and Auntie Teenie?"

"Well…Teenie don't live with me anymore…"

"Whut happened wit' you and Teenie?"

"Nothin', Momma."

"Had tuh be somethin', you kicked her out…"

"I didn't kick her out, Momma.  Teenie left.  Now, I didn't come here today to talk 'bout her.  I'm takin' Merry and Johnson.  Got it all arranged."

"You a lie.  We ain't got nothin' 'ranged."

"But in yo' letter, you said…"

"We ain't got nuthin' tuh talk 'bout, you hear me?  You run off with duh first high yella nigga you see and leave these chirren under my roof tuh raise up all by mysef.  Den without askin' nobody, you come down here wit' yo' hand-me-down white folks clothes and fancy car and gone tell me dat you takin' my babies?  Excellent, dese babies is mine.  You might of birthed 'em, but I know whut's best fo' 'em."

"They my kids, Momma.  I don't need yo' permission to take 'em."

"I don't give a damn, Excellent!  I said dey ain't goin', dey ain't goin'!"

TO BE CONTINUED…

*

EXPERIENCE ADDRESS: HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS YOUR WAY!

PLAY/SUBSCRIBE TO THE AUDIO MINI SERIES — ADDRESS: HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS – EPISODE ELEVEN

PURCHASE THE BOOK –  ADDRESS: HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS ON AMAZON

PURCHASE FOR YOUR KINDLE — ADDRESS: HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS ON KINDLE

PURCHASE THE BOOK — ADDRESS: HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS ON BARNESANDNOBLE.COM