Cardyn Brooks's Blog, page 9

Final Weekend of BHM Events, Reimagined Tales & an Unlikely Mystery + Cake

 

Spent the weekend with a beloved child (who isn't mine:-). We attended the 2nd annual Black History Fest held at the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center in Columbia, Maryland, which offered a variety of entertainment, education, books, clothes - a handcrafted skirt from Fashion by Abisola, accessories - a beaded bracelet from I-am.com, decorative goods and more from talented creatives across the spectrum of artistic endeavors. The father of author Tamilore Adejumo (Along the Way, Christian nonfiction) made such a compelling pitch that his daughter's book has been added to my very long TBR list. Subject Matter Experts in various aspects of business were there too.  
Kid duties shrank my weekend reading time, but currently reading Sex, Lies, and Sensibility by Nikki Payne that among other themes opens with prime examples of Prosecutor Fani Willis's "A man is not a plan" maxim. It's layered and emotionally fraught so I'm not doing my usual voracious binge read, but alternating a few chapters with reading less personally devastating books from Eloisa James - Two Dances and a Duke, Two Masquerades and a Major - and Simply the Best by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. 

Another project that filled the weekend was making this cartoon cake from a Jonny Cakes baking kit. Good things first: The items in the kit and the tutorial (video & text) provide what's needed to create this awesome cake that looks super cool and tastes delicious. Challenges to consider: The tutorial estimates 6 hours, but it took us - one adult and an unusually patient 7-year-old - 8 hours total. We baked the cake Friday night, then finished it Saturday. So plan accordingly. Also, the enclosed postcard listing what's included and needed lists 2 sticks of butter AND vegetable oil when it should say OR; you don't need both.  
Okay, that's all for now. Happy reading & creating! 

Tempting Books & Bookish Loot

  [Sex, Lies and Sensibility by Nikki Payne, Red String Theory by Lauren Kung Jessen, Valley Verified by Kyla Zhao, Two Vows and a Viscount (Seduction 2) by Eloisa James, At First Spite by Olivia Dade, The Ladies Rewrite the Rules by Suzanne Allain] 

In theory, a three-day weekend offers the perfect opportunity to focus on making progress with multiple WIPs that are behind schedule. My reality is that using the holiday for reading the books shown above is a temptation likely beyond my ability to resist. 
Author and founder of The Write Women Book Fest Heather Brooks gave me awesome presents from her trip to the Hampton Roads writers event she attended at the end of last year. A sturdy canvas tote bag and a clever portable storage journal from Novel Grounds for organizing bookmarks, stickers, and other author swag is so practical and attractive! Plus, she gave me a signed copy of The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope (and said something silly about feeling okay if I wanted to re-gift it since I've already read a library copy - as if). So now that's on my TBRe-Read list! 

Happy reading & creating! 

The Big Game, Books & Baking

 Reading options to occupy me until the Usher half-time show:
 

[Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones, A Christmas to Remember by (The Ms.) Beverly Jenkins, The Takedown by Carlie Walker, Clover Hendry's Day Off by Beth Morrey] 

Baking is my year-round love language amplified during the month of February. 

Wishing you healthy love and assorted goodies every day of the year.

DMV-Area & TWWBF Authors at PGCMLS South Bowie Branch

 

[TWWBF2023 authors Shameka Erby, Eden Appiah-Kubi & author Courtney Duke Foster, who also supported TWWBF2023 by attending; TWWBF2023 author Briana L. Smith; book baskets as raffle prizes created by Nikki Payne's mom; the edge of PGCMLS Community Outreach Facilitator's left arm, Shameka Erby, Eden Appiah-Kubi, Nikki Payne; Briana & Eden looking toward the 1st raffle winner; Eden, Nikki & Courtney]    
Saturday's "Celebrating Black Women's Voices in Fiction" with authors Eden Appiah-Kubi, Courtney Duke Foster, Shameka Erby, and Nikki Payne offered an abundance of thoughtful insights, personal revelations, and laughs from these brilliant, generous, successful human beings. 
As moderator, Eden Appiah-Kubi's questions about inspirational authors, pivotal reads, book recommendations, the writing craft, self-publishing versus traditional publishing pros and cons, and more invited panelists to answer beyond the superficial, which offered the audience encouragement to read others' works and to write their own. 
Some memorable tidbits that stood out for me... from Eden Appiah-Kubi: Use the Libby app, especially for plays and audiobooks. The audio version of Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston is narrated by Ruby Dee! (Oh, yes please and thank you.) 
from Shameka Erby: Create for yourself first before worrying about the business of publishing, marketing, etc. For her, self-publishing means she doesn't have to wait for her stories to go out into the world to her readers. Plus, when she's not writing, there's no pressure of external deadlines to stress her. [The passage she read from her own "Blood Ties" immediately added it to my TBR list.] 
from Courtney Duke Foster: Don't wait until you think you're "ready" to write; just start writing even if you don't know what you're doing because you can learn as you go.
from Nikki Payne: Do your best to let go of the sadness that multiple rejections can cause and focus on your joy in writing. Zora Neale Hurston's work as an ethnoanthropologist inspired Nikki's professional career path. 
A few authors & books they recommended: Zora Neale Hurston as an accessible introduction to literary fiction (note: short story collection Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick includes African American Vernacular English -AAVE- and is worth taking the extra time to acclimate to it) Christina C. Jones Kennedy Ryan Tia Williams Britt (whose last name has completely left my brain)The Personal Librarian In Every Mirror She's Black by Lola Akinmade AkerstromSisters in Arms by Kaia Alderson (Tyler Perry movie about the Six Triple Eight streaming sometime this month) My Sister is a Serial Killer (title & author totally gone from my memory of) a retelling of Carrie (novel by Stephen King) but featuring a young Black teen 
There were many more, but I wasn't taking notes because I didn't want to miss anything any of them said while being distracted by writing. 
All the authors suggested that borrowing books from the library or submitting purchase requests to the library are great ways for readers to access materials that interest them and to support authors without spending any money. 
my weekly binge reads & library requests wait list  

Happy reading & creating! 
   

Hairy Situation Headed to Court

 

Unprofessional. Messy. Out-of-control. Unkempt. Not well-groomed. Strange. Weird. Wrong. Ugly. Dirty. Hair 
"Why don't you...?" [Just conform to whatever expectations make the oppressors feel comfortable while reinforcing their sense of cultural dominance.]  
For months, the Barbers Hill Independent School District in Houston,Texas has been waging war against a child (who's now 18 years old) because, in my opinion, they want to crush him into conformity by bullying him about his hair. Two weeks ago the Barbers Hill Superintendent used a full-page print ad to justify and endorse the continued bullying of this child by some adults who believe doing so is a worthwhile use of their time, energy and taxpayers' dollars. https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/barbers-hill-isd-crown-act-18617658.php

This ongoing saga poked at my own past wounds related to my "ethnic" hair and expectations of conformity among people and in spaces where Blackness and anything that respects and celebrates the multiplicity of its expressions without apology become targets for ridicule, punishment and elimination. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/crown-act-update- darryl-george-barbers-hill-isd-18626074.php 
Rebel. Maverick. Non-conformist. Trendsetter. Individualist. Cowboy up.  It seems as if American Exceptionalism is encouraged and praised less often when embodied in members of communities that are regularly shoved into the margins. 
This child and this child's family are scheduled to have their day in court in February. Since a willingness to abide by the rules has already been exhibited, my prayer is that the law grants him the justice of vindication.   
some of this week's reads    Tidbits 12 oz. bag of chocolate drizzle coconut macaroons, The Chosen One by Echo Brown, Random in Death by J.D. Robb, The Worst Best Man by Lucy Score, Hedging Your Bets by Jayne Denker, The Mom Com by Adriana Mather

Coding Ethics, Romance & Snow Removal

 
Currently reading Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What is Human in a World of Machines by Joy Boulamwini, Random House, October 2023 (a complementary read to Algorithms of Oppression by Safiya Umoja Noble, 2018)  
Comfort reading a sweet historical as a brain break from the seriousness of contemplating the proliferation of the machines. 
And our across-the-street neighbor with a snow blower that hadn't been needed for the past two years cleared our driveway and sidewalk, allowing us to stay inside to read and bake!  

More Memoirs & MLK, Jr. Weekend Bad Weather Bookstack Stockpile

Since 2024 is off to a super hectic start for me, probably no more actual reviews this month, just book pics of current reads and binge options.  

My version of emergency preparedness

Happy reading! (& yes, that includes audiobooks, Braille text, comix...) 

Eyewitness to American History Gives Testimony to the World

Don't Let Them Bury My Story, The Oldest Living Survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre in Her Own Words by Viola Ford Fletcher & her grandson, Ike Howard Mocha Media Publishing, August 2023 non-fiction autobiography & history 
This gripping, emotionally grueling, compact autobiography begins and ends with Mother Fletcher's and her brother Mr. Hugh "Uncle Redd" Van Ellis's May 2021 testimony to the U.S. Congress regarding the massacre of Black people in the Greenwood community in Tulsa, Oklahoma in May 1921. Divided into three parts, her story personalizes the history of the United States in multiple layers: ideals, strengths, weaknesses, tragedies, triumphs, and wisdom earned the hard way. The foreword by her brother and the introduction by her grandson provide more essential context. 
Mother Fletcher, her family, and her community were hunted, traumatized,and temporarily erased from the official historical record. Don't Let Them Bury My Story ends with an appendix that lists "known Massacres of Black Americans" from 1863 to 2015 along with a call to action for everyone, regardless of ethnicity or skin color. This book is worthy of being required reading for all high school and college students, everyone over the age of sixteen. For those of us who are serious about eradicating racism, Mother Fletcher's autobiography offers proof of why doing so is necessary. 
More information about her foundation found here: https://www.violafordfletcherfoundation.org/  
Snow-in-the-forecast binge reads selection 

123123! Goodbye 2023! Hello 2024!

 

A Marquis to Protect the Governess by Parker J. Cole historical romance fiction Harlequin Historical, December 26, 2023 
Sometimes scrolling through new releases available on Libby (even though there's a stack of physical books within arm's reach), leads to unexpected reading pleasure. That's what happened with me upon starting this gem of a tale. Like opening my first books by Ms. Bev(erly Jenkins), Gay G. Gunn, Vanessa Riley, Alyssa Cole, and Lisa Rayne, Isadora and Andre's rocky love story hooked me from the first page. Using a seamless integration of historical context, character evolution, and high stakes combined with emotional nuances, this author has crafted an engaging tale that organically includes people and places too often erased from historical romance fiction.  


Hot Flashes and Hockey Slashes by Marika Ray & Sylvie Stewart, authors & publisher contemporary romance fiction October 2023 
Who knew that normalizing open discussion about the aches and pains of growing "older" (early 40s!) in a romance novel would offer so many laughs and so much relatable emotional vulnerability? These talented authors did. Obviously. Olivia and Roman's love story offers readers all of the fun expected from a fake dating, impress-a-smug-ex, meddling matchmakers tropes smashup. Layers of messiness deepen the intimate resonance of regrets and new intentions motivated by hard-won personal insights. 
It seems as if for now only one more book is planned for this series. Fingers crossed that popular demand leads to many more. 
New Year's Eve plans;-)

(Plus that stack of physical books mentioned earlier.) 
Out with the old negative thoughts and insecurities. In with the new granting of more grace to ourselves and others, and to new opportunities to evolve and thrive. Wishing you and those you love good health, peace of mind, safety & joy. 

Christmas Day 2023!

 

Above sugar cookies tasted delicious, but were super time-consuming to make and bake compared to making a pan of crispy rice cereal treats (using the vintage recipe of 4 or 5 - instead of 3 - TBSP of butter + 1/2 tsp vanilla extract) pressed out on a 18 inch x 15 inch cookie sheet or jelly roll pan as shown below.

Multiple reading breaks may have caused me to stay up really late to finish wrapping gifts. 

Wherever you fall on the winter holidays celebration spectrum, hope you survive and thrive this season.