“If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.”--WILL SMITH Let’s face it: for many of us, blogging is truly a labor of love. What compels and sustains us week after week, month after month, year after year is not the expectation of great fame and fortune, but the simple desire to connect with others and share our passion, pain points and experiences. “There is strength in numbers.” MY STORY When I started blogging back in June of 2009, at the urging of a New York agent (who turned down my book proposal but praised my writing ability), it was with a great degree of reservation. You ..read more

Happy National Poetry Month! Glad to have you here. As a prolific poet, and the author of eight books of verse to date, Poetry Month is every month for me. But, I am so thrilled to have a specifically designated time each year to recognize, honor, and give increased awareness to this art form.  Just curious here. Any poets out there?  Well, whether you write it or simply like to read it, this month I'll be featuring a few poems, possible interviews, and other info I hope you'll find interesting and informative. Let's start off with a few selections that I have penned recently ..read more

   As we conclude Women's History Month, I wanted to share a timely review written by David M. Litwack. Hope you enjoy. Comments welcome. PARIS WITHOUT HER... “Grief is a cruel kind of education. . . . You learn how much grief is about language, the failure of language and the grasping for language.” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. So that it’s through language and by language that Gregory Curtis attempts to re-balance his life—after the death of his wife of thirty-five years. That is his struggle as portrayed in this moving memoir. Paris Without Her is about rebalancing. Rebalancing one ..read more

It’s no secret that for most writers, a major pain point is earning equitable, consistent income for our craft. And with the increasingly high cost of living these days, it is a real concern. But here’s the good news. If you’re diligent, resourceful and determined, you can still be profitable in today’s economy as a freelancer; particularly with the growing demand for content creators. Hello? With this in mind, here are 10 timely tips to keep your writing business in the black and achieve more in 2024! IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER 1. LEARN MORE TO EARN MORE Add to your bottom line by adding to you ..read more

  They Say We Hold up/Half the Sky They say we hold up half the sky, Yet, every day daughters sigh mothers cry, Misogynistic rants tear us down. Boundaries are set: “You can’t do that yet!” Hold your head up, square those shoulders. Let your smile shine through. Be your own you. Don’t apologize, Just strategize. This is your day; this is your time. Princess, you can cross that finish line! (C) Yasmin Morais Bio: Yasmin Morais was born in Jamaica, lived for a while in Canada, and now resides in the United States. Her poems have been published in Nursing Science Quarterly, The Potomac ..read more

In Fullness of the Word is a valuable collection and keepsake representing the myriad beauty, history, depth, tapestry, and lineage of people of color, expressed in poetic form. Over 20 Black Poet Laureates, from across the globe, whose lives intersect through their love for the written word, their humanity, their commonality of experiences as Black Americans, come together, producing a harmony akin to a seasoned church choir.  This makes me proud to provide this review for Black History Month, both as a fellow poet and a Black woman. Take it from me; poetry is much harder than it looks ..read more

  Welcome back, readers! It's a pleasure (and a blessing) to have you here for another year of information, inspiration, and resources for writers. I appreciate your readership, comments, and support. Happy belated 2004! As many of you are aware, February marks the national observance of Black History Month. A time to honor, highlight, reflect and remember the myriad contributions of people of color globally, for centuries.   BHM evolved from “Negro History Week,” initiated by noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Every U.S. president, (sin ..read more

  As 2023 comes to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank each of you for your time, readership, and support. I am wishing everyone a safe, happy, holiday season, filled with abundant blessings. I hope you'll rejoin me early in February, 2024, for another year of writing resources, inspiration, interviews, tools and tips to enhance your writing career, and your quality of life. In the interim, please feel free to stop by and check out the vast array of topics and themes previously posted here. And leave comments, as you wish. I'll be checking periodically.  Be well ..read more

  TO THE BEST FRIEND I NEVER MET (4 KAREN IN KENTUCKY) By: Jennifer Brown Banks By Divine design We met online, And who would ever suspect We would really “connect” (in more ways than one) By way of the Internet, Two people who couldn’t be More different Separated by miles  Of distance, And yet Couldn’t be much closer, A White lady Tucked away in the country, In Kentucky And a Black chick From Chicago’s big city, United by literary interests, And mutual respect, Communicating through emails, phone calls, and texts And as I reflect, You are the best friend I’ve never met, Throughout ..read more

The PAC Method for Writers: How Prayer, Attitude, and Confidence Can Lead You to a Successful Writing Journey. Reviewed by Karen Lange John Riddle (creator of I Love to Write Day) provides the framework from which writers can gain a better perspective to move ahead in their literary journey, in this engaging book of personal essays by writers of all genres. Prayer, attitude, and confidence - these three elements are the keys to help develop not only one's writing skills, but the assurance that their words can and will make a difference. This inspiring collection also includes encouragement ..read more