Midnight: A Gangster Love Story

I am not who you think I am. If you love me, you love me for the wrong reasons.
Females tell me they love me because I'm tall. They love when I stand over them and look down. They love when I lay them down and my height and body weight dominates them.
Females tell me they love me because I'm pure black. They say they never seen a black man so masculine, so pretty, so beautiful before.
Females say they love my eyes. They're jet black too. Women claim they find a passion in them so forceful that they'll do anything I say.
Females tell me they love my body. They beg me for a hug even when there's nothing between me and them. They want to be captured in my embrace, and press their breasts again my chest.


These are the opening words that drew me in to Sister Souljah's novel Midnight, the 2008 prequel to her first book Coldest Winter Ever, a classic, lauded street life tale that ushered in a new era of "street lit" books, also known as "urban literature," for my generation. I specify my generation because urban fiction is certainly not new. I still remember the first time I skimmed through my mother's copy of Iceberg Slim's Pimp: The Story of My Life written in 1969; and many feel the genre goes back even further with Richard Wright's Native Son written in 1940. After Coldest Winter Ever became hugely popular, other authors found an eager underground market hungry to devour their tales of high rolling drug dealers; young girls caught up in the fast life of sex and the pursuit of material things; thugs seeking redemption; players winning and losing in the dope game; pimping not being easy; and just surviving on the inner city streets any way possible. I think I had just passed the phase where I would have become fascinated by these books enough to line my bookshelves with them. While I appreciated (and still do) how people who previously hadn't found anything in the literary world that moved them were now whipping out their library cards every other week, these offerings just didn't interest me. I found them predictable and way too vulgar and violent, more so providing shock value than the crucial pieces to a gripping and believable storyline.

After Coldest Winter Ever, I never looked back. So moved by Sister Souljah's writing style and storytelling that I simply refused to taint my memory with what I saw had become an overly saturated market. The other day, however, while in the bookstore on my lunch break, I perused a fiction display and saw the striking, glossy blue cover of a paperback. A book written by Sister Soulja.

Midnight? That's the guy from Coldest Winter Ever.

When I saw that Midnight was a prequel, I thumbed to the first page and became charmed by the words I used to introduce this post. Excited at my find, I marched myself to the register and made him mine.

I didn't notice the book's length until I was on the train headed home. 496 pages. Whew. Right now I'm on page 17. I figure by this time next year I'll be finished. Just kidding. I'm very excited about reading this. I thoroughly enjoyed her first work and want to see what she's done with this one. Unfortunately, I have heard a few reviews about the book that give me pause. But I shall proceed. Sometimes readers don't want to grow with an author. Sometimes they don't have an open mind. Sometimes they forget an author is merely telling a character's story, and not necessarily confessing a personal belief.

Knowing this, I think my journey with Midnight will be fine. It's going to be a long ride though.

Peace,

Jennifer

Calling All Fiction Writers!!

A few years ago, I began submitting a couple of my short stories to every decent-sounding writing contest I could find. I wanted to know if I had "it." A writing style and story line so refreshing and intriguing that contest judges would suspend further reviews after reading what I had to say. I am a dreamer what can I say. I suppose I faired better than most, having received an Honorable Mention from the Shrine of the Black Madonna Bookstore for my story Unspoken Duty. Check it out here, under "Fiction Writing Sample." After a while I began to feel discouraged (and those entry fees started to add up). Thus began my hiatus. Today I feel I'm ready to re-enter the writing contest ring. I have some new work that I feel is competition-worthy.

I kept a list of contests I had entered in the past and looked them up so see if they were still around. A few of them were. While searching for others I realized I wanted to share some of them in the hope it would inspire someone else to want unveil a story hidden on a flash drive or on the pages of a forgotten notebook. The deadlines for these contests are coming up, so act now, or pass along to a friend who may need a little encouragement.

John Steinbeck Short Story Award
Prize: One winner will receive $1000 and publication in Reed Magazine.
Entry fee: $15 (entrants receive a copy of the prize issue)
Word count: no more than 6000
Deadline: November 1, 2010
For details visit http://www.reedmag.com/

Roanoke Review
Prize: One winner will receive $1000 and publication in Roanoke Review.
Entry fee: $15
Word count: no more than 5000
Deadline: November 8, 2010
For details visit http://www.roanokereview.wordpress.com/

Tampa Review, Danahy Fiction Prize
Prize: One winner will receive $1000 and publication in Tampa Review.
Entry fee: $15 (entrants receive a subscription to Tampa Review)
Word count: between 500 and 5000
Deadline: November 1, 2010
For details visit www.ut.edu/tampareview

The Writing Site, Arthur Edelstein Prize for Short Fiction
Prize: One winner will receive $1000 and publication on http://www.writingsite.com/.
Entry fee: $10
Word count: no more than 6000
Deadline: October 31, 2010
For details visit http://www.writingsite.com/

Narrative Magazine, 30 Below Contest
Prize: One winner will receive $1500 for a short story, essay, or excerpt from a work of fiction or creative fiction by a writer under 30.
Entry fee: $20
Word count: up to 15,000
Deadline: October 31, 2010
For details visit http://www.narrativemagazine.com/

Inkwell Short Fiction Contest
Prize: One winner will receive $1500 for up to 3 short stories.
Entry fee: $15
Word count: no more than 5000
Deadline: October 30, 2010
For details visit http://www.inkwelljournal.org/

Kore Press Short Fiction Award
Prize: One winner will receive $1000 and publication by Kore Press.
Entry fee: $15
Word count: 4000-12,000
For details visit http://www.korepress.org/


In addition to finding writing contests online, you can visit your local library and bookstore for the latest issues of literary magazines and journals. Poets & Writers magazine is an excellent resource for contests and grants. Also contact college and university English departments to see if any of their publications are sponsoring writing competitions.

A word of caution: Sadly not all writing contests are created equal. Research, researh, research, especially the reviews of previous contest entrants, before entering a particular competition; and read the contest guidelines very carefully. Be sure to ask for clarification on terminology you do not understand, particularly the term "right of first publication."

And lastly, if you enter one of the above contests and win, place, or receive an honorable mention, please come back and let me know. I'd be happy to share your news.


Happy writing,

Jennifer Singleton

My First Writer's Conference

(Arriving at the airport)

Two weeks ago, I attended the Black Writers Reunion & Conference (www.blackwriters.org) in Las Vegas. This was a trip of "firsts" for me--my first time in Las Vegas, and my first writers' conference. I came across the conference site while looking for fiction writing groups in my area. The location piqued my interest first (Viva Las Vegas!), then the low $300 registration fee (yay, something I can afford!), and then I read the workshop descriptions--wow, the deal was sealed. The workshops were just what I needed, covering topics such as fundamentals of writing fiction, superior book marketing strategies, and writing for young readers. I booked my flight and secured my room at the host hotel, the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino, that same day.

(The view from my room at the Golden Nugget--19th floor)

The conference's director/producer, Tia Ross, forwarded the conference attendees the following list of reasons to attend BWRC (compiled by Anita Clay).

To give this list a little twist, I've offered a "true/false" response.

10. Attend an event organized professionally and efficiently by cool black women.
True. I was beyond impressed at the efficiency and organization.

9. Check into a good hotel, at a reasonable rate for an affordable conference that even makes provision for scholarships.
True. The hotel rooms were very spacious, the staff very nice, very reasonable room rates, and a breakfast buffet that I still long for.

8. Meet smart, good-looking women of every age from all over the country (even Australia) who smile when they see you because they feel the bond.
True. But I don't want to leave out the men there too that fit the above description.

7. Laugh, learn and even cry with mentors who make you feel you can write, publish and take the world by storm while reminding you that your gift comes from God.
True. Yes, yes, yes to this. The presenters, most of whom are mentors, gave such boosts of encouragement and inspired us with their success stories. I also learned inside information that I've never run across during my own research.

6. Be in a place where there is no big me and little you. A place where you don’t find out the person sharing, learning and laughing next to you in a workshop is a well-known presenter in the next session. Feel the love. Feel the respect.
True and False. There was definitely no "big me, little you" thing going on; but I must say that I laughed and chatted with a few people during the first night's meet and greet--whom I assumed were attendees like me--that were actually a best-selling novelists (Rashonda Tate-Billingsley), an acclaimed poet and spoken-word artist (Marc Lacy), and an author whose book adaptation was shown at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival(Vincent Alexandria).

5. Hear other women’s (and men’s) stories of survival, success and beyond. Be encouraged by their dreams and yours.
True. See #7.

4. Get honest, straight information about costs, work, agents, legalities, marketing strategies and more stuff you didn’t even know to ask about.
True. I can't stress enough how informative those presentations were.

3. Meet a short, elderly man who reminds you of your father, or the father you wish you had, who cares enough to tell you not to drink out of the dirty (used) water glasses and not to leave your computer in the room and when you do, doesn’t tell you, “I told you so.”
True. I hope he's at the next one.

2. Feel special when you meet Tia, and the other ladies (especially the one who loaned us her dad) at registration and know they care about you even though they don’t know you.
True. I did feel special.

1. Find yourself. Leave believing in yourself and your talent. Leave with your heart burning inside, knowing you can and will write! AND you will come back, anywhere, any time.
True!!! I was extremely inspired by the ambitiousness, passion, talent, and publishing and marketing knowledge of the conference presenters, and the acommplishments of my fellow attendees. I have no excuse not to churn out my debut novel just in time for the next gathering. Can't wait!

(Caesar and Me. Ain't I'm cute?)