 Photo Credit - UTA
"Interior Chinatown" is an excellent example of satire. In fact, it is one of the best recent examples of the genre. It is both fun, yet poignant, deftly weaving in issues of race, identity and racism, while often eliciting a laugh from the reader. The book’s author, Charles Yu, comes from a screenwriter background, including projects for high profile cable channels such as HBO, FX and AMC. That screenwriting background comes through with this novel because it is written in a screenplay format, with characters that blur the line between real life (in the novel) and movie actors. The novel’s young protagonist, Willis Wu, sees himself like the world, and certainly Hollywood, sees him- as “Generic Asian Man.” Most of his adult life is spent leaving the SRO housing complex/Chinese restaurant (Interior Chinatown) brimming with other aspiring Asian actors and restaurant workers, then going to the set of the “Black and White” procedural cop show. For it, he is just an extra “Generic Asian Man,” but he longs to be “Kung Fu Guy,” which is supposedly many steps up. Throughout Wu’s days on the set and career, such as it is, he longs for more personally and professionally but feels held back by ever persistent low self-esteem and societal stereotypes. Although these issues of identity, race and racism are center stage, Yu delivers it with an undeniable delightful sense of humor. But don’t let the entertainment aspect fool you. Yu successfully delivers biting commentary on Hollywood typecasting and societal stereotypes. Below is an example of the more biting, poignant type of dialogue found towards the novel’s end after Yu has climbed the “Asian Man” in Hollywood ladder and found success, but at a cost. You I spent most of my life trapped. Interior Chinatown. I made it out, to become Kung Fu Dad. But that was just another role. A better role than I’ve ever had, but still a role. I can’t just keep doing the same thing over and over again. My dad did that. And where did it get him? He was a true master, someone who had mastered his Craft. And what did his life add up to? You never recognized him for what he could do. Who he was. You never allowed him a name. So what do we do? Skewering Hollywood typecasts has never been so much fun since Robert Townsends’ “Hollywood Shuffle,” a 1987 American satirical comedy film about the racial stereotypes of African Americans in film and television. It is easy to understand why “Interior Chinatown” won the 2020 National Book Award. It is brilliant in its messaging, format and delivery, and destined to a screen adaptation in the near future. Interior Chinatown is an excellent example of satire. In fact, it is one of the best recent examples of the genre. It is both fun, yet poignant, deftly weaving in issues of race, identity and racism, while often eliciting a laugh from the reader. The book’s author, Charles Yu, comes from a screenwriter background, including projects for high profile cable channels such as HBO, FX and AMC. That screenwriting background comes through with this novel because it is written in a screenplay format, with characters that blur the line between real life (in the novel) and movie actors. The novel’s young protagonist, Willis Wu, sees himself like the world, and certainly Hollywood, sees him- as “Generic Asian Man.” Most of his adult life is spent leaving the SRO housing complex/Chinese restaurant (Interior Chinatown) brimming with other aspiring Asian actors and restaurant workers, then going to the set of the “Black and White” procedural cop show. For it, he is just an extra “Generic Asian Man,” but he longs to be “Kung Fu Guy,” which is supposedly many steps up. Throughout Wu’s days on the set and career, such as it is, he longs for more personally and professionally but feels held back by ever persistent low self-esteem and societal stereotypes. Although these issues of identity, race and racism are center stage, Yu delivers it with an undeniable delightful sense of humor. But don’t let the entertainment aspect fool you. Yu successfully delivers biting commentary on Hollywood typecasting and societal stereotypes. Below is an example of the more biting, poignant type of dialogue found towards the novel’s end after Yu has climbed the “Asian Man” in Hollywood ladder and found success, but at a cost. You I spent most of my life trapped. Interior Chinatown. I made it out, to become Kung Fu Dad. But that was just another role. A better role than I’ve ever had, but still a role. I can’t just keep doing the same thing over and over again. My dad did that. And where did it get him? He was a true master, someone who had mastered his Craft. And what did his life add up to? You never recognized him for what he could do. Who he was. You never allowed him a name. So what do we do? Skewering Hollywood typecasts has never been so much fun since Robert Townsends’ “Hollywood Shuffle,” a 1987 American satirical comedy film about the racial stereotypes of African Americans in film and television. It is easy to understand why “Interior Chinatown” won the 2020 National Book Award. It is brilliant in its messaging, format and delivery, and destined to a screen adaptation in the near future.
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 Any time of year is a great time of year to learn about your culture and/or the other people's culture. But in February, the spotlight is on Black history and culture, so now is as good a time as any to take advantage of the readily available information that was once relegated to the backseat of American society. It's true that there was a time not long ago when Black people were rarely on television or in movies, nor were celebrated in other aspects of the arts. Likewise, literature by, for and about the African diaspora was practically nonexistent in comparison to their white counterparts. Black authors were not often given a platform among the major publishing houses, making historical and contemporary black stories few and far between.
Fortunately, in recent decades that has changed for the better, with a plethora of talented Black writers in the forefront of the literary industry. During Black History Month and throughout the year, be encouraged to reflect on more than 400 years of Black history, heritage and culture in literature. Be it regarding stories of the past, current accounts; fiction or nonfiction. Below are a few carefully curated, recently release selections to get you started: - Black Buck (fiction) by Mateo Askaripour - Caste (nonfiction) by Isabel Wilkerson - Caul Baby (fiction) by Morgan Jerkins - Four Hundred Souls (nonfiction) edited by Ibram X Kendi and Keisha N. Blain - Office of Historical Corrections (contemporary short stores & novella) by Danielle Evans - The Prophets (fiction) - by Robert Jones, Jr. - A Spy in the Struggle (fiction/mystery) by Aya de Leon  (photo: Marc J. Franklin for Playbill)
Ayad Akhtar deftly blurs the lines between memoir and literary fiction as he explores what it really means to be American in a post 9-11 era. “Homeland Elegies” is immediate and politically charged, with a tender father and son story at its core. The novel is loosely autobiographical as Ayad, the novel's protagonist, like the actual author, is a playwright of Pakistani descent living in New York. He is constantly confronting family and societal battles -as a Muslim who has often the target of micro-aggressions- and as the son of a Pakistani immigrant. As a successful doctor who successfully provided for his family while practicing in Wisconsin, his father often critiques his son for pursuing creative endeavors instead of lucrative ones. Throughout the novel, Ayad navigates what he considers home. Is it America where he has spent most of his life, or the Pakistan of his youth? He has allegiance to both, but experiences guilt if he is critical of either. As such, he is stuck in between the very different perspectives on the topic by his parents. His mother fondly clings to her homeland, while constantly voicing resentment towards the U.S. Conversely, his father is dismissive of Pakistan, and views America as the “great land of opportunity.” As an adult, Ayad forges his own identity and a new life in New York. His respect for the country he has learned to embrace and his infatuation with his adopted city is tested after Muslims become the target of a disportioncate amount of hate in the aftermath of 9-11. One of the results of Ayad’s conflicting emotions came in the form of a play he wrote that garnered much success on and off Broadway. Not quite ten years after 9/11, I wrote a play in which an American-born character with Muslim origins confesses that as the towers were falling, he felt something unexpected and unwelcome, a sense of pride- a “blush” is how he describes it- which, he explains in the play’s climatic scene, made him realize that, despited being born here, despite the totality of his belief in this country and his commitment to being an American, he somehow still identified with a mentality that saw itself as aggrieved and other, a mind-set he’s spent much of the play despising and for which he continually uses to those on stage, and many in the audience, the term “Muslim.” While America was shaken to its core after 9-11, it was torn at the seams after the financial crash of 2008, followed by the presidential election of 2016. The political divide was never bigger and the racist rhetoric probably hadn’t been more loud and blunt in many decades. The only thing more surprising to Ayad than the actual results of the presidential run-off was his father supporting Trump. Once again, father and son find another issue to be at odds over, and Ayad, the author and protagonist, found endless social commentaries to observe and present. Although finding answers to life’s dilemmas is a goal for Ayad, experiencing healing and closeness with his father priority. America is his homeland, but family is home. That search for connection- to the world and to family- is a trough line of this brilliant novel. It’s the broad social constructs, mixing with the deeply personal layers, along with the poignantly merged genres that make “Homeland Elegies” one of the most important books you should read this year by one of the most interesting writers of our time.  TRUE STORY by Kate Reed Petty
This is a trippy, page-turning thriller with a feminist theme that lives up to its buzz. I don’t care if that’s too many adjectives or descriptors because that’s what comes to mind while reading the book and in its completion. Navigating between time periods of 1999 and 2015, the reader comes to know the the characters, first as teen agers, through young adulthood. While still in high school when a group of soccer stars recount a story of alleged rape they committed against a classmate, the story takes on various shapes and forms throughout the school year through over the next decade among the possible perpetrators and the young woman allegedly victimized. Alice Lovette who was wasted at the time of the said crime, has never really known what happened to her. Is it the actual crime or the not knowing that has informed her reclusive life all these years? As a ghost writer she tells other people’s stories, but her former classmate and friend, who is a documentary filmmaker, insists she tell her story regarding that fateful night. Author Kate Reed Petty drives the plot through different points of view, varied location and formats, including as a screenplay in some chapters. The result is not really knowing what is true, what is a lie, who’s right and who’s wrong. An unreliable narrator has never been so frustrating, yet delectable. Publishing Release Date: August 4, 2020 MIGRATIONS by Charlotte McConnaghy Taking place in the not so distant future when animals, fish and birds are all nearly gone, “Migrations” by Australian writer Charlotte McConagy, is quiet, stark, haunting and true as it follows the journey of Franny Stone across oceans and continents. She is running from her demons and her past as she convinces the captain of a private shipping boat and his crew to follow the migration patterns of a near extinct bird that she is tracking. This against the backdrop of a fast-changing landscape and the strictly enforced new laws and environmental activists guarding it all. Franny, a perpetual wanderer, has even seemingly left her husband, Niall, at the cost of this new adventure. However things were between them before her departure, he is constantly on her mind and she writes to him often. Through each letter, the reader gains insight into their relationship and his influence on her. With each port stop and avoided catastrophe at sea, there is an illumination into the fisherman and women on what is now Franny’s excursion. Soon, the reader is swept up in learning about Franny's life through flashbacks, and each of her shipmates. With such interesting, fully-drawn characters, coupled with the backdrop of a depleted earth and environmental catastrophes, you will be completely absorbed. There is something quietly appealing about “Migrationsa.” The earth Franny inhabits is somewhat still and contemplative, making it a tender and beguiling read that will haunt you well beyond the final chapter. Publishing Release Date: August 4, 2020 STAKES IS HIGH by Mychal Denzel Smith In a post-Trump era and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, Mychal Denzel Smith succinctly and brilliantly weighs in on the ideals of what it is to be American, more specifically, Black in America. From the delusion of patriotism and equality, to the need of accountability by the likes of Bret Kavanaugh, Harvey Weinstein, and everybody’s favorite funny father, Bill Cosby, he is sounding an alarm. For white viewers, there was absolution. You thought he was funny, maybe you even found her attractive, and the children relatable, so here was proof, definitively, that you had room for acceptance of black people after all. It had nothing to do with race- they rarely even mentioned it, so you never thought about it. For thirty minutes, a colorblind reality, wherein white people had no responsibility for black success or failure, was possible … So much so that it seemed impossible to imagine Bill committing heinous acts of violence on so many women, across so many years. This isn’t the first time Smith has taken on iconic real-life social characters. In his nonfiction debut, “Invisible Man Got the Whole World Watching,” he examines his world as a young black man navigating and life in the era of President Obama juxtaposed against and in the murder of Trayvon Martin. A superb and accessible social commentary, especially for millennials and Gen Zers. Likewise, “Stakes is High” is immediate and relevant. Both books solidifying Smith as a necessary voice of a generation. Publishing Release Date: Sep. 15, 2020  STAKES IS HIGH by Mychal Denzel Smith
In a post-Trump era and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, Mychal Denzel Smith succinctly and brilliantly weighs in on the ideals of what it is to be American, more specifically, Black in America. From the delusion of patriotism and equality, to the need of accountability by the likes of Bret Kavanaugh, Harvey Weinstein, and everybody’s favorite funny father, Bill Cosby, he is sounding an alarm. For white viewers, there was absolution. You thought he was funny, maybe you even found her attractive, and the children relatable, so here was proof, definitively, that you had room for acceptance of black people after all. It had nothing to do with race- they rarely even mentioned it, so you never thought about it. For thirty minutes, a colorblind reality, wherein white people had no responsibility for black success or failure, was possible … So much so that it seemed impossible to imagine Bill committing heinous acts of violence on so many women, across so many years. This isn’t the first time Smith has taken on iconic real-life social characters. In his nonfiction debut, “Invisible Man Got the Whole World Watching,” he examined his world as a young black man navigating life in the era of President Obama juxtaposed against the murder of Trayvon Martin’s. A superb and accessible social commentary, especially for millennials and Gen Zs. Likewise, “Stakes is High” is immediate and relevant. Both books solidifying Smith as a necessary voice of a generation. Publishing Release Date: Sep. 15, 2020 MIGRATIONS by Charlotte McConnaghy Taking place in the not so distant future when animals, fish and birds are all nearly gone, “Migrations” by Australian writer Charlotte McConagy, is quiet, stark, haunting and true as it follows the journey of Franny Stone across oceans and continents. She is running from her demons and her past as she convinces the captain of a private shipping boat and his crew to follow the migration patterns of a near extinct bird that she is tracking. This against the backdrop of a fast-changing landscape and the strictly enforced new laws and environmental activists guarding it all. Franny, a perpetual wanderer, has even seemingly left her husband, Niall, at the cost of this new adventure. However things were between them before her departure, he is constantly on her mind and she writes to him often. Through each letter, the reader insight into their relationship and his influence on her. With each port stop and avoided catastrophe at sea, there is an illumination into the fisherman and women on what is now Franny’s excursion. Soon, the reader is swept up in learning about Franny's life through flashbacks, and each of her shipmates. With such interesting, fully-drawn characters, coupled with the backdrop of a depleted earth and environmental catastrophes, you will be completely absorbed. There is something quietly appealing about “Migrations.” The earth Franny inhabits is somewhat still and contemplative, making it a tender and beguiling read that will haunt you well beyond the final chapter. Publishing Release Date: August 4, 2020 TRUE STORY by Kate Reed Petty This is a trippy, page-turning thriller with a feminist theme that lives up to its buzz. I don’t care if that’s too many adjectives or descriptors because that’s what comes to mind while reading the book and in its completion. Navigating between time periods of 1999 and 2015, the reader comes to know the the characters, first as teen agers, through young adulthood. While still in high school when a group of soccer stars recount a story of alleged rape they committed against a classmate, the story takes on various shapes and forms throughout the school year through over the next decade among the possible perpetrators and the young woman allegedly victimized. Alice Lovette who was wasted at the time of the said crime, has never really known what happened to her. Is it the actual crime or the not knowing that has informed her reclusive life all these years? As a ghost writer she tells other people’s stories, but her former classmate and friend, who is a documentary filmmaker, insists she tell her story regarding that fateful night. Author Kate Reed Petty drives the plot through different points of view, varied location and formats, including as a screenplay in some chapters. The result is not really knowing what is true, what is a lie, who’s right and who’s wrong. An unreliable narrator has never been so frustrating, yet delectable. Publishing Release Date: August 4, 2020  MIGRATIONS by Charlotte McConaghy
Taking place in the not so distant future when animals, fish and birds are all nearly gone, “Migrations” by Australian writer Charlotte McConaghy, is quiet, stark, haunting and true as it follows the journey of Franny Stone across oceans and continents. She is running from her demons and her past as she convinces the captain of a private shipping boat and his crew to follow the migration patterns of a near extinct bird that she is tracking. This against the backdrop of a fast-changing landscape and the strictly enforced new laws and environmental activists guarding it all. Franny, a perpetual wanderer, has even seemingly left her husband, Niall, at the cost of this new adventure. However things were between them before her departure, he is constantly on her mind and she writes to him often. Through each letter, the reader gains insight into their relationship and his influence on her. With each port stop and avoided catastrophe at sea, there is an illumination into the fisherman and women on what is now Franny’s excursion. Soon, the reader is swept up in learning about Franny's life through flashbacks, and each of her shipmates. With such interesting, fully-drawn characters, coupled with the backdrop of a depleted earth and environmental catastrophes, you will be completely absorbed. There is something quietly appealing about “Migrationsa.” The earth Franny inhabits is somewhat still and contemplative, making it a tender and beguiling read that will haunt you well beyond the final chapter. Publishing Release Date: August 4, 2020 TRUE STORY by Kate Reed Petty This is a trippy, page-turning thriller with a feminist theme that lives up to its buzz. I don’t care if that’s too many adjectives or descriptors because that’s what comes to mind while reading the book and in its completion. Navigating between time periods of 1999 and 2015, the reader comes to know the the characters, first as teen agers, through young adulthood. While still in high school when a group of soccer stars recount a story of alleged rape they committed against a classmate, the story takes on various shapes and forms throughout the school year through over the next decade among the possible perpetrators and the young woman allegedly victimized. Alice Lovette who was wasted at the time of the said crime, has never really known what happened to her. Is it the actual crime or the not knowing that has informed her reclusive life all these years? As a ghost writer she tells other people’s stories, but her former classmate and friend, who is a documentary filmmaker, insists she tell her story regarding that fateful night. Author Kate Reed Petty drives the plot through different points of view, varied location and formats, including as a screenplay in some chapters. The result is not really knowing what is true, what is a lie, who’s right and who’s wrong. An unreliable narrator has never been so frustrating, yet delectable. Publishing Release Date: August 4, 2020 STAKES IS HIGH by Mychal Denzel Smith In a post-Trump era and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, Mychal Denzel Smith succinctly and brilliantly weighs in on the ideals of what it is to be American, more specifically, Black in America. From the delusion of patriotism and equality, to the need of accountability by the likes of Bret Kavanaugh, Harvey Weinstein, and everybody’s favorite funny father, Bill Cosby, he is sounding an alarm. For white viewers, there was absolution. You thought he was funny, maybe you even found her attractive, and the children relatable, so here was proof, definitively, that you had room for acceptance of black people after all. It had nothing to do with race- they rarely even mentioned it, so you never thought about it. For thirty minutes, a colorblind reality, wherein white people had no responsibility for black success or failure, was possible … So much so that it seemed impossible to imagine Bill committing heinous acts of violence on so many women, across so many years. This isn’t the first time Smith has taken on iconic real-life social characters. In his nonfiction debut, “Invisible Man Got the Whole World Watching,” he examines his world as a young black man navigating life in the era of President Obama juxtaposed against the murder of Trayvon Martin. A superb and accessible social commentary, especially for millennials and Gen Zs. “Stakes is High” is immediate and relevant, solidifying Smith as a necessary voice of a generation. Publishing Release Date: Sep. 2020  This sweet yet startling memoir starts with a deeply buried family secret. As such, the reader is immediately drawn in, and just as the real life family drama unfolds, so too does this compelling narrative. “The Cost of Our Lives” is told from the perspective of Linda González, who was sixteen at the time she and her two younger siblings met her half brother. This was no normal introduction because prior to that, they not only had ever met him, but they had never known of his existence. Along with the newly realized half brother, Miguel, came the discovery that while she and her siblings were born and raised in Southern California, her father had a whole other family in Mexico.
'When the door opens, so will the first of many secrets that crack our familia apart over the years, giving way to the liquid mantle layer underneath tectonic plates. Everything moves below the quiet crust until the plates crash into and rub against each other. These often silent and jarring interactions do serious damage over time. Two voices insinuate themselves into my head. One is my father’s- curt and low. The other is expansive and rapid-fire; it must be Miguel’s.' “The Cost of Our Lives” is a complex and tender story of family, secrets and how such things carry over into adult life. It all inevitably contributed to González’s, personal life journey as a sister, daughter, and single mother. Beyond that we see this real life protagonist taking on challenges in other aspects of life- as a talented LatinX woman learning to tap into her creativity and profession. González and I caught up recently to talk about her journey as an author and other projects, but with particular focus on her unique experience of writing a memoir that was thirteen years in the making. Below is our discussion: PF: What inspired you to write a memoir, especially involving deep family secrets and issues? Was it a cathartic project for you to dive into, or more emotionally challenging because of the delicate family matters? LG: I had been writing multiple non-fiction stories, particularly about my mother, because she was ill and it was a way for me to help process the impending challenges. I went to a weekend workshop where the teacher had encouraged me to think about the story that really bothered me. In that moment I thought of the story of my father having two families. That was the beginning of it and I was determined to follow that thread and see where it leads me, and thirteen years later it led to the completed book. I didn’t think of it as being cathartic, but rather as something writers can relate to, which is this need for the truth. Somebody called it “escarbando,” meaning digging underneath. There’s always been a part of me that loved telling stories and pushing for the truth, and that is what kept me connected to this particular story. It was a healing discovery. PF: Were you concerned about the reaction of your family to it, specifically your siblings? Did you feel you needed to let them know what you were working on and get their approval? LG: I had enough good teachers that told me that you really cannot think about your family as you write the book or you will end up having them editing the book along the writing process. Once you do that, it is not your story, so early on I knew I had to write it the way I wanted to write it. I did end up interviewing many family members for it because I wanted to honor their voices. More than that, the truth about family lives in each of us and that was part of what I wanted to ensure got conveyed. PF: Am I correct in assuming that writing memoir specifically is a very different process than writing other types of non-fiction? LG: Yes, for several reasons. Firstly, I have really began to understand the art of memoir. It is telling the story, but in many ways, making it feel like a novel. It is literary in that sense of you’re really thinking about the metaphors, images, and structure is so important. Next, it is an especially challenging genre to work in, more so than most non-fiction because you are doing two things- telling a very intimate story while working as an editor making sure everything makes sense. PF: You touched on the importance of structure for this sort of writing, and yours for this is not linear. Was that an original intent or did it just unfold that way organically? LG: It was me getting advice and instruction, as well as a reflection of me maturing as a writer through the process. Those thirteen years was a tremendous growth period for me as a writer. I had to learn what good writing is and be willing to make changes to things I personally liked. If it doesn’t move the story forward, I had to let it go no matter how attached I was to an aspect of the story or how I wrote something. PF: For new or young writers considering work in this genre, what advice would you give? LG: I would advise that you ask yourself this: Of all the stories you can tell, because we all have a lifetime of stories, what is the one that burns in you? Think of the one that you not only have a lot of curiosity about, but the one that also terrorizes you on some level. That is the story that will have the suspense and interesting arc, and make you grow as a writer. That, and you have to write it without concern of how people, even family, will react. PF: I know you took writing and memoir writing classes. Was that a good experience for you? Do you think any or all aspiring writers should do so at some point? LG: I absolutely recommend that writers seek out feedback, especially at the beginning of a project. One of the most important skills a writer can have is to hear feedback and give it some space, and to even reject certain feedback, if doesn’t feel right for you and your project. Gonzalez experience the benefits and pitfalls of a writing group interaction, specifically as to how an all-white class setting can be insensitive to the writing process of a person of color. “For me, I integrate Spanish in my writing. Any time I was in a workshop with white writers, there would always be this problem with the Spanish,” she describes. Despite the questions and negative feedback to incorporating Spanish in her writing, she stuck with her decision, knowing it was the best thing for her writing and her stories. PF: How has it been for you as a writer during such chaos and uncertainty in the midst of the pandemic and ShelterInPlace? LG: Sometimes when there are crises we forget that writing is our anchor. In these times in terms of being a writer, I have kept reminding myself of my goals, pre-pandemic and questioning the best way to keep them alive during it. There were more challenges in writing initially because of all the distractions, and I gave myself permission to not write so I could figure out how to function and live. After some time, I got back to more of a rhythm. I thought of what the new structures that need to be in place in my life to continue my art. PF: Who are the writer that have most influenced you? LG: There was the era of black women writing in so many different ways, giving me examples of the way that writing can happen. Writers like, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison and Audre Lorde. Eventually, there were Latina writers that came into my life and had an impact. People like Sandra Cisneros, Julia Alvarez. PF: What are some of the books that have influenced you, professionally and personally? LG: Almost everything by Luis Alberto Urrea, books by Toni Morrison, especially “The Bluest Eye,” and Octavia Butler. Their books remind me that no matter what I write, it is all amazing and it is all possible. It is all part of this amazing cannon that we are creating together. In addition to being a writer, Linda González, is a highly sought after life coach and speaker. You can get information about her services, as well as a copy of “The Cost of Our Lives” at her website, http://www.lindagonzalez.net/. Her next book offers simple, proven prosperity practices to address power dynamics faced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and other underrepresented communities. “Breaking Through Your Own Glass Ceiling” is due out soon.  - Triumph Over Life Transitions & Tap Into Your Creative Side - Not only are taxes and death guarantees in life, change and transformation are as well. In one way or another, we are always evolving, but often encounter particularly pronounced times of a life shift, faced with major decisions to be made. Positive or challenging; intentional or unexpected, if you live long enough, you will experience this ... and hopefully learn and grow as a result. “The Butterfly Series” by Maria Ramos-Chertok addresses those moments, and then some. It is both practical and accessible; creative and inspiring as it easily guides the reader through weekly writing prompts on the journey through change, transition and transformation. Born from an actual hands-on workshop of the same name and developed by Ramos-Chertok, “the series is a writing and creative arts workshop for women who want to explore what’s next” (Ramos-Chertok). She developed it out of her own need. It’s the type of thing she was looking for herself when going though a life transition and facing major decisions. The book, “The Butterfly Series” is set up as 52 thoughts and exercises for self-reflection. It is organized into four sections indicative of the stages of a butterfly- egg, larva, chrysalis, and taking flight. As such the reader is encouraged to journal, create, discuss or process these 52 weekly exercises in whatever way works best for them. On one side of the page/chapter is a thought provoking question, on the other, is a personal anecdote and ideas pertaining to the topic of the week. Although the workshop series is open to men as well as women, it tends to draw a predominately female participation. It is also a diverse group as Ramos-Chertok has made a commitment to herself that 50 per cent of those attending/participating, be women of color in order to move forward with a workshop. She feels that sort of diversity is not only being true to herself, but makes for a richer experience for all those involved. I had a recent opportunity to discuss “The Butterfly Series” book and workshop with Ramos-Chertok. PF: What do you see as the distinctions between change, transition and transformation? MRC: I think that the three words have somewhat collapsed in the modern lexicon. People think they are one and the same, partly because transformation sounds so intriguing. I see them as different. Transition for me is something that happens over a period of time. A transition does include change, but it’s not immediate change, like a changed my clothes. When people are going through life changes, they don’t want to go through the transition because it will be a process. Often it’s a hard process, taking you through a rough spot in your emotional or spiritual journey. In terms of transformation, I was given a meaningful explanation or definition by a former mentor of mine, Robert Gas: When you undergo a transformation, willingly or unwillingly, you never go back to the way you were. You have developed a whole new mindset or behaviors or world view that completely shifts the way you engage with yourself or others. PF: What would you say is key to gearing up for a meaningful transformations or examples of? MRC: I think there are a lot of ways that women, and I’m thinking specifically now of women of color, have internalized racism or sexism that has been apart of their upbringing. As a life coach, one of the things that I do is really try to examine with people I work with, how are you treating yourself and what is that voice inside your head saying? For many, there is a voice that’s not that nice. First, you need to identify that, then having a conversation to determine where that voice come from. An example of a transformation is that negative voice does not get to decide how worthy you are. PF: Where did the idea for the book and workshop come from, and why did you create the butterfly metaphor to develop it? MRC: The workshop I teach came before the book. I had reached a point in my career as an attorney where I had to embrace more creativity. I had always made more use of that linear, logical side of my brain, but the creative part of me was just dying underneath. I created a workshop that meets once a month for six months. Essentially, each session is divided into four parts, corresponding to the stages of a butterfly development. Elements of the workshops include free writing (egg stage), art exercises for the (larva stage), etc. Attendees are encouraged to ask themselves what do they want to pay attention to by the time they return for the next session. For many, it’s about an intention. There is accountability built into the “taking flight” last stage. When I wrote the book, it occurred to me that it makes sense to make the inquiries as four stages of a butterfly’s development. Maria stresses to me and to those who attend her workshop, that they are not creating “to do” lists as that would actually counter productive to the process. It’s more about discovering where to focus your intention(s) to be for the next month. PF: Speaking of life changes and/or transitions, the world is going through one collectively with the Corona virus and its impact. As a life coach, can you expound on how we can best navigate through this time and come out the other side with our wits, intentions and creativity in tact? MRC: One of the things brought up in the book that is hardest for people when going through any sort of change is stillness, to just be without knowing. I have found in all the changes I have gone through in my life, I had to go into a period where I didn’t know what was going to come out on the other side. Those were scary times, but, being willing to sit through the unknown and not try to fix it or have answers, helped me experience what was next in a much more meaningful way. What’s going on now is that the world has to be still and has to deal with the natural trepidation of boredom and stillness. This is a good opportunity to check in with yourself and say, “Okay, how have I been spending my time? Is how I’ve been spending my time meaningful? Are there things I want to do differently now, and are there people that I want to reach out to that maybe need me more?” It’s about taking stock, then taking the next step. PF: What are some of the books/authors who have inspired you? What book or books do you like to recommend? MRC: A nonfiction book that I'm so glad I finally got around to reading is “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo. I read it because I want to be able to refer it specifically to white people who want to (and should) enter the race conversation. PF: What’s on your nightstand? MRC: I just finished “Girl, Woman, Other” by Bernardine Evaristo. I loved it! I felt that she was able to successfully capture an inter-generational tale of connectedness and cause effect. I’m now listening to and enjoying “City of Girls” by Elizabeth Gilbert. Also, a friend of mine, Ruth Bahar, like me is Latina and Jewish, has a book called “Lucky Broken Girl” that I really appreciated. She has a new soon-to-be-released book called “Letters From Cuba” that I’m so looking forward to reading. Maria Ramos-Chertok lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family. She has over twenty years of experience working with change and transition as an organizational development consultant, coach and trainer. She is the founder and facilitator of The Butterfly Series. For more information about the Series, go to www.thebutterflyseries.com 
This is a poignant, yet undeniably fun romp through Brooklyn’s diverse neighborhoods in the late 60s. The characters and drama of James McBride's new novel, “Deacon King Kong” are as quirky as the title and fully-drawn and entertaining as his other books, maybe even more so. To be sure this is a multi-character driven book made up mostly of a black community, followed by Italian and Irish characters, with the title character driving the plot. It all starts when an elderly former church deacon commonly referred to as Sportcoat (aka, Deacon King Kong) shuffles into the plaza of a Brooklyn housing project and shoots Deems, a young drug dealer. Sportcoat is known for being a curmudgeon of a neighbor, often drunk and oddly carrying on conversations with his deceased wife, but never regarded as a gun-toten’ danger. All those looking on, are shocked and initially silent. They either have questions regarding the shooting, or they carefully crafted theories. As the story unfolds, so too do the rich, often humorous layers of Sportcoat and the book’s entire cast of colorful characters. Some of them are church-goers, some gangsters, some are just innocent passersby, and even a couple of police detectives. Most of them have more than one name, and all of them overlap with each other and contribute to the novel’s unique rhythm. Although McBride doesn’t give much in the way of traditional demarkations of the period, the reader is always aware of the era. Much of this is due to McBride’s use of language, the obvious segregation, along with the racial and racist overtones. Despite the latter, there is a humanity to all the players, even the unlikable ones. “Sportcoat ain’t hard to find,” she said. “He’s around. You wanna go get him, go ahead. It’s not gonna change nothing. Deems is still out there slinging poison like clockwork every day at the flagpole at noon. He hasn’t moved a peep toward bothering old Sportcoat, far as I know. Fact is, he’s more polite now than before. They say he’s changed a little. Even still, some folks send their children to buy drugs for ‘em. Imagine that? Sending a little child nine, ten years old, out to buy drugs. This projects was never that way. What are we doing wrong?” She seemed so sad as she said it, it was all Potts could do to stop himself from placing an arm around her right there, right behind the church in the shade under Jesus’s sad painted gaze, and saying, “Its’ all right. I got you.” Instead he said, “I’m speaking as a friend, miss. You- all of you- need to step back k and let us do our job here.” From the projects to the docks, “Deacon King Kong” portrays wonderful characters and vivid scenarios and settings, making it as much comedy as it is crime mystery or drama … and all of it is enjoyable. Even when it maybe wraps up too nice and neat, it’s hard to find fault in it. In fact, at times like this, maybe the tidiness of it all is especially appreciated. it’s honest, it’s humorous and its wonderfully humane. There’s nothing wrong with that.  - RACE IN AMERICA & the LEAD UP to the 2020 ELECTION -
Believe it or not; like it or not, race and racism are integral to the 2020 presidential election. This not because, unlike in recent past elections, anyone of color is in the running for the high office, but instead because of the current president who has laced his campaign and presidency with divisiveness, hate and racism. In fact, Donal Trump basically launched his bid for presidency on racist rhetoric directed at the then president, Barak Obama. Several years prior to Trumps official campaign launch, he began a campaign of lies against Obama discrediting Obama’s American citizenship and demanding the release of his birth certificate. examination of his birth certificate. This was to denounce the first black president, and to set the tone for what would be the running theme of his campaign’s platform and ultimately, his presidency. He has gone on to publicly insult Muslims and degrade Latino and defend Neo-Nazis. Given the political climate of the last three and a half years, in conjunction with political tactics by the Republican Party over many years, such as gerrymandering and voter suppression, the stage has been set for heated debates on topics. As such, the 2nd Annual “Race in America” special panel event at Book Passage made race and politics the focus of discussion. The event drew in nearly 200 people from the community and beyond. Before things got started, the energy and excitement in the room was palatable. People were and are eager to learn about the hard issues and discuss their everyday application. As the organizer and moderator I came to the platform, literally, armed with information and questions, but also with a normal mix of excitement, pride and nerves. I wanted a big turnout, not for myself, but for the panelists, for the community and for the important issues at hand. I wasn’t disappointed. The event featured a carefully curated and diverse panel of Bay Area writers and agents of change and moderated by journalist and Book Passage host Paula Farmer. Each of the panelists brought their unique insights and expertise to the discussion, which was invaluable. Aya with her roots in activism and determined demeanor, shook us to our core with blunt words of truth and power. Mimi Lok, as a writer with her work with the disenfranchised and marginalized communities, brought the human aspects of racism and the importance of hearing everyone’s stories. Brian Copeland, as always, brought the power of truth, mixed with humor, while the academic panelist, Ian Haney Lopez who is an expert on “coded racism in American politics,” laid out the basic negative elements that led to the current climate. “Once Trump was elected, more analysis (of racist tactics by Republican political leaders) wasn’t enough. I connected with communications specialists with unions, with think tanks, and we ran a two year research project to respond to Trump’s scaremongering, his dog whistle messaging. We tested messages to promote racial fear, economic populism. We tested a new tactic of race-class approach. This is an approach that says the right has weaponized racism against all of us, and only when we come together across racial lines, do we have the political power to stand up to these economic elites, get the good policies we need but also repair the harm done in the name of racism to all of our communities.” This strong opening statement was one of many. Each of the panelists had their own brand of passion, instilling the need for change that we all can contribute. If knowledge is power - and it is - listening to the podcast of this live event, will enlighten, inspire and weaponize. Panelists included … Brian Copeland - Author (“Not a Genuine Black Man”) and comedian Brian Copeland. Aya de Leon - Author (“Side Chick Nation”), political and social justice blogger. Mimi Lok - author (“Last of Her Name”), executive director and editor for Voice of Witness. Ian Haney Lopez - author (“Merge Left”), UC Berkeley law professor and commentator on coded racism in American Politics. To hear the vital and vibrant discussion, go to the podcast on LibroFM/audiobooks/5184389278178? bookstore=bookpassage |
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