The Reading Diva

Ten years ago, I started on my journey on becoming a newspaper reporter. With a brand new college degree in Print Journalism, I went out to work for a newspaper in Upstate South Carolina. If you know my full name, Google it and you may find a few of my articles still out there from that time. Let's just say my career in newspapers lasted shorter than the time it took for me to get that degree. It took me a long time to get the courage to write again. One of the reasons I started this blog was to get my writing mojo back. So when a new magazine started in my area, I decided to take a chance and start writing for a publication again. A year and some bumps in the road later, I finally got to see my byline in Living Roots Magazine yesterday! In every issue, which is bimonthly, I will be writing about books (duh!). I will be writing about authors, book events in South Carolina (including an event I will be traveling to Spartanburg for next week) and book reviews. My first story featu...

Author Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts visited the College of Charleston's Avery Research Center November 10 to discuss her book, Harlem Is Nowhere: A Journey to the Mecca of Black America. This was Rhodes-Pitts' second stop while visiting Charleston. She spoke to the Charleston Library Society earlier in the day as a part of their Wide Angle Lunches series. After reading a section from her book, Rhodes-Pitts took questions from the audience. She said that book is not necessary a memoir, but a book in which the residents of Harlem discuss and encounter the past. She found out while living there that she enjoyed the stories of the residents. "When I got there and talked to the elders and looking at pictures, I got an obsession with the past," Rhodes-Pitts said. "I wanted to know the back story of the story." Rhodes-Pitts, a Harvard grad and Fullbright scholar, is currently living in New Orleans but will be leaving for Haiti soon. She will be writing a book...

The College of Charleston community got a real treat Monday, November 1, as Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edward P. Jones discussed his book The Known World at TD Arena. The event a part of the college's One College Reads, in which everyone on campus read the same book and exchanged thoughts and ideas about it. Jones first read two sections from The Known World . Afterwards, he was interviewed by C of C English professor Conseula Francis (shown in the picture with Jones) about the book and what inspires him to write. I will admit that I haven't read the book, but did buy it with the plans to read it very soon. I have heard about the book in the past, but became more interested in the book after hearing him read about black slave owners. While discussing his writing, one thing he said stood out: The best way about being a writer is a love to read. You don't know how many writers haven't picked up a book. You have an obligation to the people. The reader has a heart an...

My friend Valinda, who wrote about her trip to Houston here , is back to talk about her recent trip to the National Book Festival . She was also one of my travel companions to the National Book Club Conference . Make sure you also check out her blog , especially those on Team Kindle! I left Charleston early Friday morning, September 23. I heard it was going to rain, so I thought I'll get a good jump. God had other plans. It rained from SC to DC and I mean it rained. Can you imagine what my little car (I have a Nissan Cube) and yes, it looks like one of those cars in London (a place I love). But the main reason I own one is that my Durango , which I had for years, finally gave out and too much work had to be done to it and it started to costs too much money. So, I traded it in and got the Cube. Don’t laugh, that sucker gets 31 miles per gallon and I can fill it up with $25.00 and drive a week and a half. So, you now know what my car looks like if you were looking at it from an a...

Several months ago, I read Janet Jackson's autobiography/advice book, True You . Now we hear from her big sister LaToya in Starting Over . Seeing the cover, you would think that this book was totally about Michael. But it's not. The book is pretty much divided into three parts: her marriage and being taken away from her family, leaving her marriage and putting her life back together, and Michael's passing and her theories about his untimely death. LaToya first met her future husband, Jack Gordon, in the mid-80s. At that time, Latoya was still being managed by her father. Somehow, Jack schmoozed his way into her life (and pretty much conned Joseph in the process) and became her manager. Then her decade of hell began. LaToya was in a very abusive relationship with Jack and was beat constantly. All those things that she did during that time period (Playboy, Psychic Friends, the Paris shows, accusing Michael of messing with children) was all Jack. And if she didn't c...

When I saw the opportunity to preview Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand , I decided to take a chance on it. First, I wanted to read something that was out of my comfort zone. I was also curious to read the book that caused Tayari Jones to change the name of her book . (And if you haven’t read Silver Sparrow , please go and read it ASAP. You will thank me for it.) This story is about two friends, Meredith and Connie, who have both recently lost their husbands. Meredith was living the lap of luxury until her husband Fred becomes the fictional Bernie Madoff . With Fred serving the rest of his life in prison, Meredith must figure out how to move on while also being investigated for fraud. Connie becomes a sort-of-savior to Meredith by taking her to Martha’s Vineyard for the summer. But Connie is going through her own grief with the death of her husband and her adult daughter not speaking to her. Throughout this book, the women reexamine their lives through flashbacks, whic...

Disclosure: I am a member of the Board of Trustees for CCPL . For the month of September, Charleston County residents will all be reading the same book as a part of "One Book Charleston County," facilitated by the Charleston County Public Library . The book that was selected was Daughters of the Dust by filmmaker Julie Dash. This coincides with the 20th anniversary of the movie of the same name, which was filmed in the Lowcountry. Avery Research Center, based at the College of Charleston , will also have events to recognize the occasion. Thanks to the Sue Metzger Estate, 4,000 copies of the book were distributed throughout the 16 libraries. There will be book discussions and events throughout the county, including an outdoor showing of the movie. Dash will be at several of these events. This Webpage will have more information about One Book Charleston County , including book discussion events, discussion questions and a synopsis of the book.