It is shameful how long it’s been since I’ve posted here. To be fair, I am deep in the throes of writing a book. I know people churn those things out in 9 months with ease, but I am not that girl. Not with this one, at least. The writing is going well; there was a time, actually a few times, where it wasn’t. I started just over a year ago. I’m scheduled to finish this summer. It has been a gut-wrenching process. My anxiety has never been higher. I have put a lot of pressure on myself to deliver something of value, and producing that has been more difficult than I realized.
There are a lot of Black girl books. There was a time when you couldn’t say that. In the past year, I’ve read incredible recent stuff from Sesali Bowen, Zeba Blay, Psalm One, Shanita Hubbard, Moya Bailey, Treva Lindsey, Shayla Lawson and Danyel Smith. Who am I to feel like my voice is necessary in such a world? Isn’t writing narcissistic? Why did I want this for my life?
No, but seriously, it’s going well. I am not only churning things out at a steady pace for the book, but I also wrote something about the shooting of Megan Thee Stallion a few weeks ago (I’ve been heartbroken by the entire saga, what “the culture” has done to Megan, what the whole thing says about how Black women are regarded.) I have another byline coming out sometime this week and look to freelance on a more regular basis than I was earlier in the book process. Mama gotta get back to work. (I’m still doing my weekly Slate parenting column and pod!)
In other news, I cannot finish a can of sparkling water to save my life. It’s the strangest thing. Like, I can finish a Pepsi, or a Diet Pepsi, or a ginger ale. I can finish one of those cocktails in a can. But I cannot finish a sparkling water. The first few sips are delicious, but halfway through, I end up wondering if I even like sparkling water at all. And if you don’t drink it in 15 minutes, it gets flat and starts tasting like nickle aid.
Anyway, I hope you all are well and I won’t sit here and lie and say I’m going to do this more often, but hey, I just might do this more often. But if I don’t, blame my book and not my heart.
I'm late to the party, but hope the book is going well.
I'm looking forward to when you tell us that the book is available for pre-order. I'll be ready!