She ain't heavy - she's an author..

We black folk have long been accused of behaving like crabs in a barrel - preferring to climb all over one another in order to reach the top of the mountain, this rather than bend our backs and offer it as a step...up.

Well I'm proud to be a part of a community of "steps" and not crabs.

Steps?

Yeah, authors who hold one another up during the good times and the not so good times. Authors who celebrate each others achievements as if they were our own.

Sidebar: When my friend and fellow author, Donna Hill found out from me via email that I had finally found a home for my novel Glorious -she was so happy for me that she created a joyful noise at her desk (she was at work) and then sent me a bouquet of flowers as a congratulatory gift.

We spread the word about our colleagues new releases, new additions to the family as well as those family members that God has drawn back to his bosom.

*moment of silence*

We do this because we respect each other as people, colleagues and artist. We do this because we are bound by this gift of writing and because no matter what illusion the industry has perpetrated in order to divide and dismiss - the bottom line is that we're all in this together.

We inspire each other to reach for the stars and remind one another that the only limits in our lives are the ones we place on ourselves.

Example:

This year at the Harlem Book Fair, Author, Margaret Johnson Hodge made a statement that she did not want to write anymore. It was sad thing to hear. She confided to me that she felt she had nothing to offer the readers. She said she feared that her melody (muse) had abandoned her.

Why was she feeling this way?

Well the climate of the AA literary market played a large part. It seems as though the people we fashion our stories around only want to read one or two types of books. Of course that is not true - it's all part of the illusion.

When Margaret learned that I had secured a book deal - this after some editors declared that my career was dead - she called me up to tell me that she was inspired, that her melody had returned and she she was back to making beautiful music again!

The lesson she learned was that her first allegiance is to herself and not the demands the industry places on us.

Can I hear a AMEN!!!

I write for me. I write for my ancestors (they are the best part of me), I write the books that I want to read and because I do that - I make it good for you!

I was over joyed to hear that Margaret had found her muse and humbled that she felt I played a small part in that.

Sometimes we help people without even setting out to perform a specific act of assistance.

Ain't that cool?

Steps...... that's what it's all about ya'll.



*I know the title of this blog is gender specific - but please know that the brothers are included in this as well*

Bernice L. McFadden