lemons

I’m not sweet.  When people are asked to describe me, “sweet” is not a word that comes to mind.  I know that—I own it.  I’m a Scorpio; sugar just isn’t part of our chemical makeup, which might explain why I crave sweets so often…

When life hands you lemons, you’re supposed to make lemonade—but what if you have no sugar?  The Brooklyn Book Festival is coming up in September, and while the schedule of events hasn’t been posted yet, there’s a list of invited authors on their website.  It’ll be great to see Sofia Quintero, Torrey Maldonado, Mitali Perkins, and Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich at this year’s event!  I had hoped Rita Williams-Garcia would be on that list…and Kekla Magoon…and Tonya Cherie Hegamin.  All live in the city, and all have won major awards for their books.  Since we’re coming up on Hurricane Katrina’s 5th anniversary, it would have been nice if Renee Watson or Jewell Parker Rhodes were included.  And, of course, I had hoped to be invited—I live in Brooklyn, I write about Brooklyn, and my novel even concludes in the very plaza where the festival will be held!

Fortunately, I bought some honey last week and figure daily doses will keep me from becoming bitter.  I’m also making lists—of all the writing projects I need to finish this month, and all the research I need to do for Judah’s Tale.  Today I head to the BK Museum to take a closer look at their exhibit on the Sanitary Fair of 1864.  I’m trying to find out whether or not it was segregated—could ALL women contribute, or only white ladies?  I did some online research last night and found this interesting article—we all know Harriet Tubman served as a spy during the Civil War, but who was Richmonia St. Pierre?  She served as a spy in the South, went to Liberia, and then worked with the AMA to educate freed blacks after the war.  She concludes her 1865 address to a mixed crowd by insisting upon justice for her race.  She’s tired of visiting abolitionists and being told they are “not at home” to colored visitors…helps me put things in perspective for sure!