Her Story

We talked about reinvention, and revision.  About a different ending, and about how sometimes, when you don’t know who this voice in your head is, all you have to do is ask.  We discussed picking a cold place for a story, going to Paris, and passing: passing up, passing for, passing through. We did some math: What is love plus freedom in your book, and what does love minus freedom equal?

We had a wonderful day in Baltimore, Bernice McFadden, Jacqueline Luckett, Leila Cobo, Linda Duggins and I.  It was an encounter made possible in part by Joy Bramble, publisher of the Baltimore Times whose earlier chance encounter with Linda Duggins began with “My feet were killing me…”. Many thanks to the Enoch Pratt Library, Judy Cooper, and everyone who supported the event, who came, who asked questions.

At one point, an audience member got up and gave us an amazing gift.  She had read every book, and she told us what she learned from each one and the reasons why she will never be the same person as she was before she read them.  Thank you, Ella Curry, for your words.

Love plus freedom: math I never had to do in school.

What does love plus freedom mean to you?