Posts from — April 2010

Books completed between January 15, 2010 and April 27, 2010

In order of most recent:

1. American Gods – Neil Gaimen
2. Manjani – Freedom Speaks Diaspora
3. The Case For God – Karen Armstrong
4. Excuses Begone: How To Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits – Wayne W. Dyer
5. Grave Secret – Charlaine Harris
6. Rip It Up: The Black Experience in Rock N Roll – Kandia Crazy Horse
7. Suicide Notes – Michael Thomas Ford
8. Twenties Girl – Sophie Kinsella
9. Kiss The Sky: A Novel – Farai Chideya
10. The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian – Sherman Alexie
11. Seen It All and Done The Rest – Pearl Cleage
12. Anasi Boys – Neil Gaiman
13. Push – Sapphire
14. Purple and Black – K. J. Parker
15. Grit, Noise and Revolution: The Birth of Detroit Rock ‘n’ Roll – David A. Carson
16. Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins
17. My Soul To Take – Rachel Vincent
18. Just Another Hero – Sharon M. Draper
19. Crazy Love – Leslie Morgan Steiner
20. The Last Exit To Normal – Michael Harmon
21. Conversations With The Fat Girl – Liza Palmer
22. Locked Up For Eating Too Much: The Diary of a Food Addict in Rehab – Debbi Danowski
23. Tipping The Velvet – Sarah Waters
24. Vanished – Kat Richardson
25. Inferno – Robin Stevenson
26. Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity – Julia Serano
27. Memory Mambo – Achy Obejas
28. A Seahorse Year – Stacey D’Erasmo
29. Sid Vicious: Rock ‘n’ Roll Star – Malcolm Butt
30. Drag King Dreams – Leslie Feinberg
31. Speed Shrinking – Susan Shapiro
32. Mother of the Believers – Kamran Pasha
33. The Sista Hood: On The Mic – E-Fierce
34. I’m The One That I Want – Margaret Cho
35. Dry – Augusten Burroughs
36. Locas: A Love & Rockets Book – Jamie Hernandez
37. At Least in the City Someone Would Hear Me Scream: Misadventures in Search of the Simple Life – Wade Rouse
38. The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire – Trisha Telep
39. Freak Show – James St. James
40. Goong: Volume 1 – So Hee Park
41. Absolutely Positively Not – David LaRochelle
42. Fairy Tale – Cyn Balog
43. Smack – Melvin Burgess
44. Prison Writings: My Life is My Sun Dance – Leonard Peltier
45. Been Here and Gone: A Memoir of the Blues – David Dalton
46. She Had It Coming – Mary Monroe
47. Hollywood Moon: A Novel – Joseph Wambaugh
48. Soul Enchilada – David Macinnis Gill
49. Rikers High – Paul Volponi
50. Between Mom and Jo – Julie Anne Peters
51. Spring Break – Kayla Perrin
52. Divine Misdemeanors – Laurell K. Hamilton
53. By The Time You Read This, I’ll Be Dead – Julie Anne Peters
54. Tricks – Ellen Hopkins
55. Diary of a Blues Goddess – Erica Orloff
56. Go Ask Alice – Anonymous
57. Naked Lunch – William S. Burroughs
58. Emily the Strange: The Lost Days – Rob Reger
59. Death of a Dying Man – J. M. Redmann
60. The Godmother – Carrie Adams
61. Intertwined – Gena Showalter
62. The Devil’s Music: A History of the Blues – Giles Oakley
63. Wintergirls – Laurie Halse Anderson
64. Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza – Gloria Anzaldua
65. Devil May Cry – Sherrilyn Kenyon
66. Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A. – Luis J. Rodriguez
67. Goth Girl Rising – Barry Lyga
68. The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl – Barry Lyga
69. Raspberry Sherbet Kisses – Ellyn Bache
70. My Soul To Save – Rachel Vincent
71. The Dust of 100 Dogs – A. S. King
72. I Am Ozzy – Ozzy Osbourne
73. Salt – Maurice Gee
74. Wicked Lovely – Melissa Marr
75. My Sisters’ Voices: Teenage Girls of Color Speak Out – Iris Jacob
76. Finlater – Shawn Stewart Ruff
77. Trumpet: A Novel – Jackie Kay
78. Eat Cake – Jeanne Ray
79. Sharon Osbourne: My Extreme Autobiography – Sharon Osbourne
80. Leo Africanus – Amin Maalouf
81. The Knife of Never Letting Go – Patrick Ness
82. The Ask and The Answer – Patrick Ness
83. Hear No Evil: Marching in the Lord’s Army, Fleeing the Devil, and Finding a Righteous Groove – Matthew Paul Turner
84. House Rules – Jodi Picoult
85. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War – Max Brooks
86. Ink Exchange – Melissa Marr
87. We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families: Stories From Rwanda – Philip Gourevitch
88. Lullabies For Little Criminals -  Heather O’ Neill
89. The Carbon Diaries 2015 – Saci Lloyd
90. Funny Boy – Shyam Selvadurai
91. Black Rain: A Novel – Masuji Ibuse
92. Bessie – Chris Albertson

See more books on my profile over at Goodreads!

Another repost from the early days…

—————————————————

lost onez

we wuz gonna be superstars

wid poofy hair and painted red lips

sashay our hips

across the stage

while the world worshiped

at out feet and the drumbeat

matched our heartbeat

and sent us higher

and we thought we reigned

we wuz Queens in our own right

dreaming expensive dreams

wid dangling hoop earrings

and trinkets and things

spending the imaginary millions

the Rock Man promised us

and all we had to do wuz choose

we wuz gonna be superstars

but the light burnt out

and the night turned cold

heat flashed around us

suffocating me teasing me

forcing me from my spot

hiding underneath the flesh

of my sister while the cameras rolled

Rock Man shook the hand

of Mr. Big Shot Man

his skeletal grin stretched tight

across his face

the Blue Boys came

and they took her away

slapped me in chains

we wuz gonna be free

from agony and tranquility

would flow through our souls

but the peace i got

looked not like the piece i sought

of the amerikan dream

my sister is dust

and me a former shell

of the raising hell

Queen i used to be

when the street lights come on

that’s my cue to be

the superstar i never wished to be

So I’ve been working.. writing, I should say. Poetry book. Couple of novels. Being a mommy, wife, student of knowledge. So, here’s an old one, but a good one. you may have seen this before, but it bears repeating.

———————————–

World News Tonight

pride is my mistress envy my sin

but that’s just the way

of the world

maybe weight

of the world

resting on my shoulders

no college degree

stuck sittin’ watchin’ T.V.

it brings the news the pain the fear

September 11, 2001

a date etched in my memory

pockets empty shoes talkin’

good man walkin’

scraping by the skin of his

unwashed neck

“spare some change?” the old man asked

no victory defeated

his life left incomplete

a real live ghost

nobody knows his name

what would have happened that day

had he made that train

was his destiny in 2003?

knock three times on the door

to Hell

oops i mean the door to

Sincerity

Serenity Tranquility

lights got cut off

no gas no water no Nintendo

and the phone bill is overdue

soup for dinner

it’s the middle of winter

re-po man behind door number 2

i don’t know NATO

my job moved to Mexico

i don’t remember this part of

The Dream

the blues the greens the grays

it’s all the same

called the pray-a-thon number

got hung up on

the suicide hotline couldn’t stop me

on my knees thinkin’

what’s the use

misery is callin’ me

got chased down the street

rabid pit bull houndin’ me

followin’ me murderous gleam

in her eye

Mad Cow came to visit

tried to find a new religion

but the mad bombers found me

guerrillas in my backyard

snipers on the roof

cell phone takin’ pictures of me

applied for credit got denied

somebody stole my identity

finally woke up in the morning

thought it was a brand new day

but then i had to get out of bed….

Brassiere: Fancy seeing you here, darling. How have you been?

Knickers: Eh, so you’re on duty today as well, I see.

Striped Shirt: Hello, hello. (To Brassiere.) Once again, I’m not sure what you’re complaining about. I am a  striped shirt. A horizontal striped shirt. Has she bothered to look in the mirror while wearing me? I am stripes, not little dots or swirly patterns. She’s ruining me!

Brassiere: (sniffling) But at least people see you! I hide underneath it all, offering all the support, while you, the shirt, gets all the credit. I am her support, dammit!

Knickers: (To Striped Shirt) Some support. All that one does is whine whine, complain complain. (To Brassiere) Look lively, love. Here comes another one.

(Low Slung Jeans enters, huffing and puffing, red in the face, making choking noises. Knickers suddenly coughs and looks bothered.)

Knickers: Did it get hot in here?

Low Slung Jeans: Must. Not. Breathe. Must. Not. Breathe. (Sound of button popping.) Oops, I breathed. (Looks at others; Brassiere is sobbing and muttering, Knickers is wearing a slightly bemused expression, Striped Shirt is shaking with indignation.) How’s it going? (Three angry glares.) That good, huh?

Striped Shirt: I look terrible. Look at that! I am just not meant to be worn be certain people, if I may speak freely. I’m all stretchy now. I look giganticous!

Brassiere: Is that a real word?

Striped Shirt: Not the point. (Looks around.) What happened to Knickie?

Bewildered, the others glance right, left, down, up. Knickers is nowhere to be seen. Cries of “Knickie! Yoo hoo! KNICKIE!” Are heard. Low Slung Jeans yelps, and Knickers re-enters, shuddering in horror.)

Striped Shirt: Oy, Knickie! Where’d you get off to?

Knickers: (continuing to shudder) The horror! The horror!! I’ll have nightmares for ages, now. (The others crowd around, murmuring.) It was dark. And damp. And smelly. I was stuck in some strange valley. I couldn’t breathe. And the smell! (Knickers breaks down, sobbing and gagging.)

Low Slung Jeans: Oh! (Stands straight and stiff) Must. Not. Breathe. Must. Not. Breathe.

Striped Shirt: Smell? Oh, dear, you were stuck in there. (Nods with authority) I’ve heard about that. I always thought me and my kin had the worst of it, the sudden moist and earthy smell. But one day, I was having a wash, see? And I met a fancy pair of white knickers. Oh, the stories I heard! That place is to be feared, especially after Mexican lunches and that certain time of the month, see? (Looks at Knickers.) You have my sympathies, mate.

Striped Shirt: (gasps) Oh no she didn’t!

Strappy Sandals: Heeeeey!

(Silence.)

Strappy Sandals: Uh. Hello?

Striped Shirt: (muttering) Talk about insult to injury. First she lowers my class, and now she wants to lower my intelligence by inviting Strappy to the party. (To Strappy, with false cheer.) Heeeey!

Strappy Sandals: (giggling) Oh, goody! (claps hands) I thought I was being ignored. So what are we, like, doing today?

Striped Shirt: You’re the shoes, you tell us.

Strappy Sandals: Oh, right. Duh! (giggles)

Low Slung Jeans: (hyperventilating) Don’t. Move. Can’t. Breathe. Don’t. Sit. Can’t. Breathe.

Strappy Sandals: (wobbles) Oopsie! Almost had a little spill there.

Brassiere: I can’t take it anymore! I will make my will known to her. I am sick of offering all the support around here, and getting nothing – NOTHING – for my complaints. Except curses, and constant rearranging, and being flung off at the first opportune moment. Are you with me, Knickie? (silence) Knickie? (looks at floor; Knickers is curled up in a little ball, rocking and trying to disappear) Knicke! Pull yourself together this instant.

Knickers: But I don’t wanna go back to the dark place. Anything but the dark place, I beg you!

Brassiere: Knickie, darling. Look at what’s happened to you! You’re been ripped and stuffed and poor, poor you. This is why we must fight to have our voices heard.

Knickers: (lifts head) Can we really make a difference here, love?

Brassiere: Of course we can! We simply refuse to cooperate. She’ll have no choice but to let us go free.

Knickers: (rising slowly) Ok. I’m in.

Striped Shirt: Even if it means joining the two of you, I’m in. I have had it with the way she keep tugging and stretching me. (yelling) I am not the shirt you are looking for!

Strappy Sandals: Why’s everybody so, like, loud around here? I think we look good. She even put the colors on her toes to show us off. (stumbles) Oopsie. Dunno why I keep twisting and sliding around like this.

Brassiere: And there you have it. Jean, how would you like to breathe?

Low Slung Jeans: Breathe? Ooohhhh… (button pops) Oops.

Brassiere: See? SEE! This is why we need to take a stan- (elastic snaps; Brassiere hangs limply to the side) ARGHH!!! She’s KILLED me! (sobs)

Strappy Sandals: You guys are- Wait. Hey! Where am I going? I thought you liked me! TRAITOR!!! (yelling fades to a whisper, then complete silence; Strappy Sandals vanishes)

Low Slung Jeans: (breathing easily) Hey, what’s going o- (silence; Low Slung Jeans disappears)

Striped Shirt: Ok, I thought I was cool with this, but I’m not. (to unseen person) Hey, hey you! Are you listening to me? You stretched me all out of shape and now you’re throwing me away? Screw you! (Striped Shirt exits the stage)

Knickers: Well, just you and me and again, eh, Brassy? (silence) Brassy? (Knickers turns to look; sees Brassiere, limp and unmoving, being carried off the stage) Just me, all by myself, then. All alone. Lonely, lonely.

(Enter Large T-Shirt, then Sweat Pants)

Large T-Shirt: Duuuuude!

Sweat Pants: Like, Duuuude!

Knickers: Oh God, no. They have no restraint. (Points at Large T-Shirt and Sweat Pants) You! You have no restraint! You’re too flipping free, you are. Say something. Say something!

Sweat Pants: Hang in there, little buddy. It’s all goooood. Yeeaahh.

Large T-Shirt: Yeeaaaah. Smoooooth.

Knickers: (sobbing) This is Hell. I am in Hell. (whimpers as the lights dim)

Oh, y’all are gonna hate me. But it’ll be worth it.
——————————–

“I am standing here at the main campus of the Specialized Institution For Research And Recovery, better known as SIFRAS, where witnesses say a massive explosion occurred just hours ago. As you can see here behind me, the center of the complex has been reduced to rubble and ashes. I am..” She pressed a hand to her ear, listening intently. She nodded a few times, and then looked directly into the camera.

“This just in: monsters loose in the city! Phone calls and mails are pouring into the station with claims of strange creatures roaming the streets and a – oh, I don’t believe this, Luke – reports of a person dressed in glowing red armor leading the creatures away from the city. Could this be for real? Join us with the real story, at 10. I’m Sonya Reading for channel-”

With a click, the reporter’s spiel was silenced mid-sentence.

“Explain this.”

“Sir?”

The man pounded his fists against the oak table. “This! How did this happen? How did they get in? And where are they now?”

“We’re searching the area, but the tracking devices seem to have been damaged, possibly in the-”

“Find them.”

“Sir?”

“FIND THEM! And kill them. I no longer have need for them.”

The secretary nodded, rapidly typing a note into his smartpad. “Will that be all, sir?” The older man waved his hand absentmindedly. Taking the cue, the younger man bowed slightly, and backed out of the office, closing the heavy door behind him.

He sighed as soon as he was out of sight, and ran his free hand across his face, sending his glasses upward. He pulled the frames from his face, and stuffed them in his jacket packet. From this same pocket, he withdrew a slender phone. Flipping it open, he dialed as he walked briskly down the hall, away from the madman that ran the company, and toward his own private chamber.

Listening the unanswered ring, he prayed silently and swiftly. “Please pick up,” he muttered. “Don’t do this to me. Please pick up.”

He reached his office door still praying and cursing under his breath. Squeezing the small device between his cheek and shoulder, he punched in the unlock code on the keypad, and pressed his thumb, index and ring fingertips against the blank screen next to it. With a soft hiss, the door slid open a few inches. Just as he stepped into the airlock, both his phone call and his prayer were answered.

“What?” he heard through the phone.

“Thank Goddess, you’re safe.” Allowing his smartpad to clatter to the floor, he pressed his fist to his forehead in a sign of thanks to the Goddess.

“Is that all you called me for, Trace?”

“Goddess! I was so worried about you. I saw the news. Look, where are you?”

“We’re safe.”

“All of you?”

“Yes. Sort of.”

Trace’s heart jumped in his chest. “What? What happened?”

“I succumbed to the breakdown and Sugar went berserk.”

“Oh, Goddess. Mae! So Sugar…” he trailed off.

“.. caused the explosion,” Mae Dayton finished for him.

“Can she function?”

“Oh, she functions. A little too well, if you know what I mean. Why didn’t you tell me that this could happen? What else did you hide from me?” she demanded with an accusatory tone.

Trace slipped to the floor, hugging his knees against his chest.

“I told you everything I could. You know they watch me almost as closely as they’ve always watched you. If they knew about us…” Shaking off the sudden sick feeling in his gut, Trace changed the subject. “Anyway, the old man is pissed. He wants all four of you dead. Effective immediately.”

“Shit,” Mae muttered. “Zo still doesn’t have full control, and we can’t get Daytona’s chains off to release her powers.”

With a quivering voice, Trace asked,”How is she? How is.. Daytona?”

Chuckling, Mae answered, “She’s as fine as you could expect. Now get out of there, get over here, and greet your mother and sisters, girl.”

Trace’s back and shoulders shook as she cried tears of relief and shifted back to her original feminine form. “I’m on my way, sis. I’m on my way.”

Testing. Testing. Test – Oh. Hi.

*ahem*

I am hereby announcing a new set of plans.

Plan A will be to complete/construct/cobble together a book of poems, insha’Allah, by the beginning of the year. That means that I may not be posting as many poems here for a time.

Plan B will be the attempt to finish at least one of these novels I have started, or perhaps a book of novellas. I haven’t decided yet.

Plan C will be the attempt to record the recitation of some of my better poems.

You may now return to whatever you were doing before this appeared on your screen.

Thank you.

*turns off microphone*