DC Weekend Warrior

Last weekend, I went to DC for my best friend's (Tinesha) poetry book launch party on Saturday, July 15th at the Alexandria Black History Museum. I took JetBlue my favorite airlines because I get to watch cable TV for free and see where I am on the map. Yes, JetBlue is the only way to fly across country. I digress. Although I got to see my parents briefly, my main reason for jetsetting to DC was to support my girl. Publishing a book, any kind of book, is a major accomplishment. Trust me, I'm trying. It takes self-confidence, belief in yourself, belief in your words, perservance, dedication, talent, and artistry! And in the case of self-publishing, like Tinesha, it takes loot (I told you I would tell it to you straight!). I realized throughout my own personal writing experience and especially this weekend that the most important ingredient was belief in yourself. In fact, Tinesha was introduced by one of the "Great" black women writers, Marita Golden, who said that Tinesha is successful because she believes in herself even when others don't. She believes in herself so much that she is able to convince others to believe in her (like Marita who she convinced to be her mentor). And consequently, she doesn't take NO for an answer. I think most writers, myself included, struggle with questions like - "why am I doing this?" or "will anyone want to read what I write?" or "is this book idea or story idea really a good idea?" Then, one day we realize a couple of things that my girl realized awhile ago. (1) We have to write! Like breathing most writers have this inner need to write, to say something! I think our very happiness depends on it. And (2)at some point on this writing journey, we start believing what we are saying! Yes, this may sound like a wild concept but at some level you must believe in your thoughts - even if they sound a little crazy, silly, stupid, or way out there. To venture into the land of writing and be successful, you have to trust your thoughts and listen to that crazy voice inside your head dying to be expressed. And it helps to surround yourself with people that love and support you and your dreams!

This weekend was motivating and encouraging. It was great to go to my friend's book launch and even serving as Ms. Star Emcee (yes, that's me) but the best part was seeing her achieve one of her biggest dreams. She always knew she wanted to be a writer (like since the 3rd grade) and a poet. She remembered her goal in 2004 to publish her book of poetry. She achieved this major dream. She is very encouraging in a world where people forget about or sell out their own dreams. And now, she is finishing up her first novel, Holla at the Moon, and already has an agent contract. Her book will be marketed to publishers in September! Yes, expect big things from my girl. She's making moves because she believed that she could!