As I share my love of writing with my dear friend Nathan Seven Scott, I recall telling him how awesome it would be if he shared his stories with the world. A lover of E. Lynn Harris myself, I was wondering who would give us books of his caliber. Unfortunately, we had to lose him so that the work of Nathan could be born. I find it amazing that after all these years, we have maintained a friendship that has taken us through our own little worlds, and as I embarked on my writing journey, I pushed Nathan to go for it as well. (My unwavering confidence in Nathan has helped me to push myself to continue on with my writing as well. More about me later!)
I reached out to a friend from middle school, only to find out that through her own busy life, she would be able to help me with the editing of my book. Khadijah Ali-Coleman gave me such wonderful feedback and pushed me to add just enough drama and hot, butt-naked sex (yes, she really did!) to give me the page-turner I knew I could create. I had no idea what to expect when we sat down to discuss my book, but I can say that she put a stank on my story that only SHE could do! And so, I had to share her expertise with Nathan, and he has been pleased with what she produced.
As I reflect on my journey, I mentioned before how I wrote poetry while in college, and that my professor Dr. Acklyn Lynch pushed me to get that hobby of mine going. Writing was my outlet, and I didn't always want to share what I created. My love of reading is what really pushed me to write my first novel, and I have been addicted ever since. I have the perfect team and the 'write' tools to get me there. Artist, life coach, editor, mentor, publisher, fellow writer friends, family, sistah-girls, and FANS!
I have decided to further share my passion to write with middle school students, and have challenged them to participate in my first ever writing contest. You can find the info at www.wordslingerz.blogspot.com for more information. Any and all middle to high school students are encouraged to participate. My goal is to have a writing camp specifically for those interested in putting their creative minds to work. I am grateful for this opportunity, and for those who want to write and just don't know how or where to start, you can always reach out to me. I am sure that Khadijah will welcome the eager writers as well, and you can find her at www.khadijahonline.com. And don't forget to tell her that Karen Minors sent you!
And now, I must continue to write.......
