This week marks the official two-year anniversary of our arrival in Spain. It’s been two years since we packed up our lives in the United States and hit reset. It’s hard to believe it has been two whole years, because it still feels like we just arrived yesterday, and yet, I can honestly say that living in Spain feels like home. After the Honeymoon, Real Life Sets In Although I still feel like I am living in paradise – Malaga is, after all, a part of the Costa del Sol – that shiny, newly-arrived feeling that accompanied me almost everywhere during our first year here in Spain has dissipated. O ..read more

Hello Meltingpot Community, The new Read, Write & Create podcast launched on January 9, 2023! It’s been a minute since I’ve updated here lately because I’ve been busy launching my new creative writing platform, Read, Write, and Create. I hope if you’re interested in all things literary, with a multicultural twist, you’ve had a chance to check out the RWC blog and podcast. And now, I’m finally offering my first creative writing classes as a newly emancipated academic. This was always my dream and my plan once I moved to Spain, and now I’m finally putting my plans into action. The Creative W ..read more

Hello Meltingpot Readers, I have some news. I’m launching a new blog and podcast called, Read, Write and Create. Read, Write and Crate is a passion project come to life. For those who have been rocking with me here on MAMP since the beginning, you know how much I love books, reading, writing and all things literary, so my new venture should not come as a shocking surprise. A Sanctuary for BIPOC Writers The new Read, Write & Create podcast launches on January 9, 2023! I’m calling Read, Write & Create an online sanctuary for BIPOC writers and the readers who love them. On the blog and on ..read more

NaNoWriMo is just a few days away, but many people are still trying to decide if this international, novel-writing frenzy is really worth the effort. That’s why I decided to share some tips and ideas of how you can make NaNoWriMo work for you, so you can take advantage of all the positive energy from this global literary party.   What is NaNoWriMo? For those who don’t know, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month and it is always in the month of November. During this month, writers are challenged to write an entire 50,000-word novel, by writing 1667 words a day for thirty days ..read more

I have a confession to make. Since my move to Spain, I have started to acquire a collection of, wait for it, dolls. Barbie dolls, American Girl Dolls, and “dolls from foreign lands.” Most recently, I have become obsessed with finding Black dolls with a literary connection. As a former child who loved playing with dolls, I don’t think it’s a strange leap to be a grown woman who loves to play with and collect dolls. But I’m not collecting these  dolls to fill a display case in my living room. I’m collecting Black dolls as totems of inspiration to sustain and inspire me through my writing li ..read more

October is Black History Month in the UK! That’s right, a “holiday” that originated in the United States, is now being celebrated in countries all over the world. Yes, Black History Month is officially a thing in places outside the US. While February has always been Black History Month in the United States – and now Canada – they celebrate Black History Month in the UK, the Netherlands and Ireland in October.   Whose Black History do they Celebrate in the UK? Fun fact, Black people have been in what is known as England for a very long time. Way before the Windrush Generation arrived. Way ..read more

Debut Author, Tembi Locke The moment you decide to pen a memoir, is the moment you sign up for an exercise is emotional courage. Writing about personal topics like love and loss can be extremely difficult, especially for first-time authors. But from these deep, personal, and often painful places can come the most beautiful stories and the most impactful memoirs. One such beautiful story comes from bestselling author and actress, Tembi Locke. Her brilliant memoir about love and loss, From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily and Finding Home, is a shining example of vulnerable and honest storytell ..read more

I’m so excited to officially announce my first memoir writing workshop for BIPOC writers. I’ve obviously taught multiple writing workshops in the past – and I was a college writing professor for over a decade –  but this will be the first of many writing workshops I will be offering as an independent creative writing teacher and coach. *throws confetti while executing a perfect backflip* I am so thrilled to have this opportunity to share my passion for memoir writing and my skills as a teacher and motivator to creative writers looking for guidance. Because even though you may love writing ..read more

Earlier this year, I included the book Half-Blown Rose by Leesa Cross-Smith on the list of diverse books I was looking forward to reading in the summer of 2022. Well, I finished the book and wanted to share my thoughts about it. And here’s the thing, nobody needs yet another quick summary of a popular book. You can just go to Goodreads for that. I’d rather share my honest opinion about Half-Blown Rose and then you can decide if you want to read it yourself. Of course, if you have already read the book, I’d love to hear what you thought about it. By the way, I promise, no spoilers. What the Boo ..read more

It’s time for another Black in Spain post. Allow me to share a bit about Langston Hughes and his experiences in Spain. Hughes not Hemingway Usually, when people are asked to name a famous American author who wrote about Spain, Ernest Hemingway is the first person to spring to mind. Langston Hughes? Not so much. But he should be for so many reasons. Like Hemingway, Langston Hughes felt a deep connection with the Spanish people and covered the Spanish Civil War as a war correspondent. He also penned some of his most well-regarded journalism and poetry as a result of his time spent in Spain in 19 ..read more