Oy.

I need an infusion of inspiration in the worst way. I cannot write, though I so want to write, but I am stuck. I am a sputtering car, and I can't go anywhere even in neutral. I don't know how I'll get that inspiration back, but all of my personal creativity has been sucked completely dry. I detest the feeling. I don't like it. Now that the free read is completed, I do miss it, and I've opened up just about all of my WiPs and . . . nothing is biting. Maybe I need to reread some, I don't know. I just need to get back to writing, or I need something to happen so I don't feel so suspended.

Well, anyway, I hope things are going well with you out there.

The Book Squad Interview

Check it out! I'm on around minute 17 or so. I will say I enjoyed the interview! Karyn and Wendy were very fun and their show is fun as well. I encourage you to check out their show every Friday at noon EST, I don't think you'll be disappointed at all! I think I'm getting more used to talking about my work, although I still find it a little uncomfortable because I am shy and I am not generally my favorite subject, but I do know if I want to"turn this hobby into a career" as my uncle says, I'll have to bite the bullet on numerous things, this being one of them.

I am a beautiful woman and a good writer.

That has been my mantra for weeks now, especially when I'm often the only person who will ever say those things to me on a given day.

But anyway, I hope you get a chance to listen and that you enjoy!

AJ's Serendipity 12--Finale

It's finished! :'(. I'm a little sad about it, actually, and a whole lot more relieved! I would like to thank Ms. Aliyah Burke for letting me use her character for this "fling" of a story, and I want to thank you all for sticking with me! This is it. I doubt there will be more, and there will be no Frankie or Spyros story. Sorry! That was never in the plan and it still isn't. Just AJ and his Samara. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and please forgive errors. For one final time, please check out Ms. Burke's site or go to SYG to read the final chapter.

Enjoy!

~~~~~

“Samara?” he asked cautiously. What did this mean? She wasn’t dressed to go out, but given the time, it was after eleven-thirty at the very least.

Samara made to stand, and he helped her, grasping her hand gently in his. He didn’t let go once she was settled on her feet.

“I told Frankie I wasn’t feeling well,” Samara said quietly and without preamble. “It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t a complete truth, either. I needed time to think.”

AJ felt as if his lungs were in a vice, and he squeezed air out and sucked it into his body. “Okay . . .”

A deep breath. “Instead of me coming with you, why don’t you come with me . . . to meet my family?” Samara said in a rush.

Involuntarily, his hand squeezed hers in surprise. “What?”

“I asked if you wanted to meet my family . . . my parents . . .”

“What are you really asking me, Samara?”

Samara blew out a breath and glared at him. “Look, I don’t know if you know this or not, but women don’t like ultimatums, especially Black women. Shoot, we can do bad all by ourselves, and most of the time, it’s not even a choice. But you listen and listen good, Alejandro Kyriakos Melonakos. Just because I love you, don’t think your shit don’t stink, got it?”

The Book Squad

Hi everyone!

I'm going to be on The Book Squad tomorrow from 12-1PM on WMET 1160AM with Karyn Langhorne and Wendy Coakley-Thompson. I should be on in the first thirty minutes, but I encourage you to listen to the entire show. Also, if you miss it, there should be a podcast up of it at some point on the web site.

I hope you can check it out!

AJ's Serendipity 11 and Chat!

Hello everyone, happy Sunday! Here is the next chapter of AJ's Serendipity for you. You can find it in the usual places, Aliyah Burke's site or SYG. Also tonight at 8 PM there will be an author chat featuring me hosted by The Sweetest Taboo. For those who are not registered at the site, the link to the chat room is here: Sav's Chat--8 PM. You will need Javascript in order to participate. I hope to see you there!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

~~~~

The next morning, a knock on the door roused them. Dimitri, the earlier riser of the two, was more functional, having already showered and dressed, and he answered the door. It was a little after eight in the morning. AJ, though still suffering jetlag, seemed to lack the energy to do anything but roll over and steal more shut-eye.

Moments later, he felt the bed dip, and he was more than ready to tell Dimitri to go away when he felt gentle lips upon his cheek.

He smiled. “Frankie . . . what would your sister say?”

“Meh, I’ve had better . . .”

Amid Dimitri’s whoop of laughter, AJ flipped Samara onto her back and gave her a thorough kiss. “Better than that?”

“I think I might need another kiss in order to make a fair judgment,” Samara said, even as she brought his lips to hers. This time, AJ was gentler, savoring her taste of mint and fresh breath.

He winced in apology. “Does my breath stink terribly?” he asked, even if it seemed a little moot.

“I wouldn’t complain if you brushed your teeth,” Samara laughed. She pressed her nose against his. “Good morning, AJ.”

“Good morning, agapi mou,” he murmured, kissing her forehead quickly before leaving the bed and going to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth quickly and washed his face.

“Agapi mou, what does that mean?” AJ heard Samara ask Dimitri.

“My love,” Dimitri replied, then AJ heard him chuckle. “You’re adorable when you blush.”

“Cousin!” AJ said, coming out the bathroom and giving Dimitri a playful glare. “No flirting with my woman!”

“I’m merely stating a fact!” Dimitri said, wrapping his arm around Samara’s shoulders. “Your woman is insanely adorable, actually, whether she blushes or not!”

“Y’all need to stop,” Samara mumbled, averting her eyes and blushing furiously.

AJ sat on the edge of his bed and tugged Samara to him. He kissed the palm of her hand, his eyes locked on her visage. “You’re right, though, Dima,” AJ said, his voice full of wonder. “She is adorable, and kind, and giving, and gorgeous . . . and mine.”

Putting it out in the universe

1.) I am a beautiful woman.

2.) I am a good writer.

3.) One day, I will say these two things with far more conviction than I do now.

Happy Fourth!

I hope everyone is enjoying the day off, and if you don't have the day off . . . sorry? I hope at least it's overtime you're earning today!

Well, update on my writing . . . got another rejection for RJC from an agent. I didn't get passed the query stage with this one. It's a little disconcerting, but meh. I know it happens in the lit game. I just got shoved back a few steps, but I'm keeping on trucking.

On Monday I met with David Updike, he's a coworker of my godmother's sister, and his son actually works where I work, and he went to Harvard and he's John Updike's son. It was good to talk to him, to talk about self-publishing and the themes about it and how agents do and publishers do and how much it's about politics and business as much as talent--probably more so. I'm glad we got to talk. I'm reading his book Ivy's Turn and I like it so far. He has a good voice for teenagers, since that is the age of the two main characters.

And I'm writing, sort of. I'll leave it at that :).

Again, have a great day!

AJ's Serendipity 10 and Yesterday

Hi everyone, Happy July! It's Sunday, which means there's an AJ's Serendipity update. You can go to Aliyah Burke's site and read it or SYG. I hope you enjoy and please forgive errors!


Also, yesterday I had the Harlem Book Fair at Roxbury Community College. I really enjoyed myself, and yay for my sister being so nice and great to be my partner for all six hours. It was also great to meet folks from the SYG (hi, Sharon-divisionred!) and meet other local authors in Boston. I sat next to a woman who wrote poetry, and it's fantastic, so I encourage you to check out Tichaona Chinyelu. Also, I was on a panel about self-publishing, and I learned as much as I hopefully informed. What I've learned most about it, is I have to be less shy and more assertive, or at least I'm learning to do that. Even at the book fair, when people walk by and pass my sis kept telling me I had to speak up. If I don't believe I have a good and worthwhile product, why would anyone else? I'm a work in progress, I admit--not just in terms of my writing, but in everything, but that's another topic :-P. All in all, I'm glad I had the opportunity to be part of the Fair.

And, now, the excerpt! :)

~~~~

“Ready?” Dimitri asked, clipping his pager and mobile to his belt. He shoved his wallet in the pocket of his khakis. His black Polo shirt accentuated his fitness despite Dimitri’s casual look. The Melonakos men were broad by nature, but Dimitri’s Navy training had defined his more.

“I look all right?” AJ asked.

Dimitri quirked his lips. “What, you turned into a woman after using the bathroom? Now I know to avoid it!”

AJ growled at him and would have huffed if he hadn’t caught himself. “I’m serious!”

Dimitri smiled and nodded, as if seeming to understand his opinion was important to AJ’s peace of mind. “You look almost as good as I do, cousin.”

AJ smiled as well, and clapped Dimitri’s shoulder as they left the room. “You’ll love her, Dima.”

“Sorry, I’m already taken.”