How I Began Writing My First Novel

Keshia Thomas (L)  shown with Karen Simpson (R) at the University of Michigan in March, 2013. 
<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} p {margin-right:0in; mso-margin-top-alt:auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Times;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} </style><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">About 12 years ago, I read about a heroic incident </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">that happened in1996 in which a young woman, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24... Thomas </a> lived up to her values of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>hope and love during a Klan rally in our  hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan.  </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With nothing but a picture and a few paragraphs I started on my writing journey.  </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I used my imagination to contemplate how much courage it would take to shield someone who is full of hate. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Act-Grace-Karen... of Grace</a> developed into a paranormal,  speculative fiction taking on race relations in America.  </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Although my novel departed from the original story, I still often wondered about what happened to Keshia. March of this year I was able to help bring Keshia to the University of Michigan to speak about her experience via the <a href="http://www.understandingrace.org/abou... Race Project</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was over the moon to finally meet her and grateful for the experience. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I was elated this week to see Keshia and the wonderful photographer who took those historic photos, <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=thoma... and Mark Brunner</a> spark positive thoughts about race relations across the globe. </span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Please take time to read about Keshia and her wonderful act of bravery. </span>