Hello Mr. Carter ;) Wow. Check out my interview with Johnnie Mae, best up and coming rapper featured in the book trailer for GLITZ…
As most of you know, my fourth novel, Glitz, hits the shelves on February 3.
Well, you probably also know that we recently launched the official book trailer for Glitz as well.
Originally, I wanted to use music from two of my favorite rappers (Lil Wayne and DMX) for the trailer. And then my book editor suggested that, in the spirit of Glitz, perhaps we should consider using an up-and-coming rapper instead. How fitting. And what a wonderful idea! (Thank you, Joy!)
Piper MC, the rapper featured in Glitz, is an up-and-coming artist with all the promise in the world. So, of course, I absolutely agreed with the suggestion. And so the idea to have a nationwide contest for best up-and-coming rapper was born!
We put out a national call to up-and-coming rappers, deejays, managers, publicists, and just about everyone that I knew might be looking for an extra opportunity for exposure on their journey to success. Entries came from all over the country!
Johnnie Mae
Beauty Budget. What’s yours? (a review of Jessica Simpson’s show on Vh1)
Have you seen VH1’s new show, “Jessica Simpson’s The Price of Beauty”? She’s come a long way since, “Is this chicken or tuna?”
If not, I implore you to make a date with VH1 every Monday night at 10 PM. It’s worth it.
If you haven’t seen it, this thought-provoking docudrama follows Jessica Simpson as she–and Cacee Cobb–travel through seven countries to examine global definitions of “beauty” and discover what lengths women will go to in order to feel beautiful.
I really respect Jessica Simpson for using her platform to provoke young girls (and grown ones, too) into thinking about our own definitions of beauty when surely, she could have instead made a reality show about finding love again.
And honestly–those of us who loved “Newlyweds” [raising my hand] and felt bad when she and Nick divorced, and then subsequently even worse for Jessica when she and Tony Romo didn’t make it–we would have probably supported, “For the Flavor of Jessica as the New Bacholorette Survives” had VH1 presented it to us.
Instead, Jessica Simpson’s return to reality television is full with welcomed substance.
While I’m not obsessed at all about beauty, I do love a spa date and therefore admit to contributing to the beauty industry’s multi-billion dollar a year profits.
How about you…? Here are the poll results…
Joshua Bolden… Got to be there… Gotta love him!
Joshua Bolden. You’ve probably seen him on NBC’s popular show Friday Night Lights.
Or, if you live in Texas, you may remember Joshua Bolden from one of his numerous and impressive live performances… anything from The Wiz to The Wizard of Oz to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to Robinhood.
As for me? I had the absolute pleasure of seeing Joshua Bolden perform life at Walt Disney World a few months ago.
And okay, let’s be clear here. There is nothing that I love more than a good party with good music. But, your girl P. Marie is never going to be the loud one screaming and going crazy when a song comes on (though I love to see others around me screaming as such).
By nature, I’m more the girl that nods her head and just grooves, gets lost in the rhythm sometimes, sure, and even occasionally will throw my hands in the air and let loose. But screaming and all that jazz? That’s. Just. Not. Me.
Ahem.
Until I saw Joshua Bolden’s performance!
You wouldn’t have recognized me when Joshua Bolden performed this most entertaining act during one of the “American Co-Ed” pageant’s events. (Joshua’s sister, Faith, competed in the national pageant, in which I had the honor and joy of being a judge.)
Yes, I was standing up and yes I was screaming. No kidding. For the first time in my life, I think I actually felt what it was that people who had the pleasure of seeing The Jackson 5 perform live probably experienced. This young man’s energy was so electric that I literally felt electrified. Ha! Ha! (But no kidding!)
It’s hard to capture energy in a video, and a reel can never do justice to a live show, but here’s a clip of Joshua’s Walt Disney World performance (with his sister, Faith) for you to enjoy. Check it out…
Man Beautiful, a chat with Carlos Andrés Gómez
Watch this first.
Carlos and Savion Glover’s performance inspires me to the core of my soul. Now, it is my privilege to present more on the artistic genius that is…CARLOS ANDRÉS GÓMEZ…
A Russell Simmons HBO Def Poet and International Poetry Slam Champion, Carlos Andrés Gómez is an actor, playwright and poet from New York City who co-starred in Spike Lee’s Inside Man alongside Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster and Clive Owen.
Formerly a social worker and a public school teacher, he has performed at over 100 colleges and universities and toured across North America, Europe, the Caribbean, and Africa. He has shared the stage with Wyclef Jean, Amiri Baraka, MC Lyte, Yosef Komunyakaa, Rosie Pérez, Ishmael Reed, Ntozake Shange, Quincy Troupe, David Banner, Pete Rock, Suzanne Vega, Saul Williams, Mos Def and the impressive list goes on…
The first time I met Carlos and experienced his artistry was in 2005 at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe (of which he is a member of the Slam Team). I am still moved by the piece he performed that night, “Colombian/Amerikan”, and what he did with a four letter word poem. Oh man, you had to be there… LOL
Anyhow, I am so honored that today he is kind enough to grace The Love Spot with his presence.
Recently, I attended a New York City performance of Man Up, Carlos’ critically acclaimed one-man show that previously ran at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (the largest arts festival in the world) in Scotland, receiving five out of five stars from Hairline Magazine which called Man Up “the hidden jewel of the Fringe.”
More on Man Up in a bit. For now, I want you to get to know Carlos a little more…
Carlos Andrés Gómez
Born in Manhattan (NY Presbyterian),Carlos Andrés Gómez was raised by a father who worked for United Nations (often involved in human rights agendas) and a mother who is a linguist dedicated to agricultural work and indigenous rights.
His family moved around a lot when he was growing up (Brazil, Israel, Switzerland, Connecticut, Providence Rhode Island to name a few places) and he eventually attended The University of Pennsylvania majoring in Sociology and Africana Studies.
Now, Carlos calls both Brooklyn and Los Angeles home and travels the world gifting us with his art. Here is our interview: Read the rest of this entry
I’ve waited exactly one hundred and sixty three days to tell you this…
Just before my birthday in October (2008) I received in the mail an advance reader’s copy of Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. I was immediately struck by its cover, so rich and stunning. It literally made me gasp.
Wintergirls is the newest YA novel by the incomparable Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak (among other novels). An immensely talented photographer named Alexandre Denomaycover designed the cover . What a wonderful and unforgettable image for a book that can only be described as the same.
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson has, for years, sat on or around my desk as a symbolic reminder of the enchantment that can occur during a reading experience, the achingly beautiful thrill of reading and being touched by an author’s authentic characters and fluid prose.
As an author, I’ve never wanted to forget that feeling as a reader.
Laurie Halse Anderson’s works have unfailingly served as testaments of such beautiful occurrences in literature. What an awesome thing it is when a writer forgoes the pressure to “plot” and allows instead their characters to live and breathe and ultimately touch lives naturally, allowing plot to evolve naturally.
Sometimes–as a character-driven writer–it can, however, be a downright disheartening challenge to stay dedicated to character amid the constant popularity of contrived plots.
I so often remember characters–Holden Caufield, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, Astrid Magnussen and Winter Santiaga to name a few–more than I remember, incident by incident, what happened to them.
And now Lia. Laurie Halse Anderson is one of my literary heroes once again. Thank you, Laurie Halse Anderson, for giving us Lia.
And, to anyone reading this blog, I have waited one hundred and sixty three day to tell you this…
Go out, today, and purchase (or get from the library) a copy of Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (Penguin/Viking (ISBN 978-0-670-01110-0).
It is yet another of Anderson’s incredible contributions to literature.
And if you happen to have a teenaged daughter in your life, trust me, this is a book they should experience. Check out the trailer here:
Back in October, I read Wintergirls in one weekend. This week, I just re-read it again.
Wow. There really are no other words…
But, if you don’t trust my response, here are a few samples of what the critics are saying:
“As difficult as reading this novel can be, it is more difficult to put down.” –Publishers Weekly
“Due to the author’s and the subject’s popularity, this should be a much-discussed book, which rises far above the standard problem novel. –Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Readers will be absorbed by this gripping tale…” —BCCB, starred review
You will not regret reading Wintergirls, a gripping experience in literature.
Love!
P.S. I promise to tell you later, eventually, how it is that I received an advanced copy of this book in the first place. Promise. xoxo
