Skip to main content

Celebrating All Kinds of Love



Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am 
Directed by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
Magnolia Pictures documentary
2019


Toni Morrison’s voice as the primary narrator of this kaleidoscopic collage of her life and her work stands out as the featured soloist in a chorus of exceptional voices. Angela Davis, David Carrasco, Farah Griffin, Fran Lebowitz, Hilton Als, Oprah Winfrey, Paula Giddings, Richard Danielpour, Robert Gottlieb, Russell Banks, Sonia Sanchez, and Walter Mosley convey their admiration for her genius literary artistry and her friendship.

More than two hours are filled with insights about her family history, creative influences, writing process, dynamic feminism regarding pay equity; snippets of interviews with Dick Cavett and others. Voice cameos, atmospheric music, and a smorgasbord of artwork caption, score, and illustrate the richness of this phenomenal woman’s complexity.

From 1993 after the announcement of her Nobel Prize for Literature, there’s a video clip of her response to a news reporter’s question about what she’s saying that they [readers] want to hear” “I think I write well. And I think I have a distinctive voice…”

Every second of “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am” supports the truth of her understated reply.

When Oprah Winfrey says, “And she was loved!” from the conclusion of Song of Solomon, it resonates as a fitting benediction.

Also, all of the deleted scenes are must-sees.



Advertisements for Love Series by Vanessa Riley
The Bittersweet Bride, The Bashful Bride, The Butterfly Bride,
The Bewildered Bride
Entangled Publishing 2018 – 2019
historical romance


With the Advertisements for Love series Vanessa Riley continues the tradition established by Beverley Jenkins of portraying the Black experience as a multifaceted spectrum in historical romance fiction. More specifically, this series focuses on the Blackmoor and mulatto enclaves in the Spitafields section of London, England, where economic and intellectual privileges generate advantages and dangers for racially ambiguous people, especially girls and women.

Each story’s title accurately conveys its overall tone. Theo and Ewan’s love has soured due to lies and callous treatment in The Bittersweet Bride. Reticence about revealing themselves and being vulnerable dominates Ester and Arthur’s love story in The Bashful Bride. Frederica and Jasper’s more extended courtship through an evolving friendship is the most lighthearted entry of the series in The Butterfly Bride, which chronologically precedes The Bewildered Bride. Ruth and Adam’s story is the most directly emotionally fraught in terms of past and present suffering in the romantic connection between the two lovers. As individuals and as a couple, they experience the most physical violence and traumatic aftermath. Each saga shines as a stand-alone, but reading them in chronological order provides additional narrative momentum.

Overlapping themes of sociopolitical, economic, racial, class, and gender implications are masterfully entwined with a strong sense of the physical geography of London and its suburbs. Sadly, the themes about discrimination, oppression, and abuse of power resonate as applicable to present-day struggles for equality and social justice two hundred years later. The author’s notes regarding her research enrich the cultural context and tempt readers to pursue a deeper study of the 1800s.



After the Wedding by Courtney Milan
historical romance


Who is worthy of love?

“Everyone” seems like the obvious answer, but not in England in the late 1860s. According to most of society, Lady Camilla Worth is expendable, shuffled from one inhospitable residence to the next. Despite their aristocratic heritages, she and Adrian Hunter are treated as tools and pawns destined to be used and sacrificed for the advancement of greedy, powerful men. Circumstances beyond their control force Camilla and Adrian into a shotgun wedding that eventually offers each of them their heart’s desires with clever spins on themes from The Gift of the Magi. Gender, ethnicity, social class, relationship status, and political implications provide a rich broader context for this tender love story about two outsiders who move from being strangers to allies to friends to lovers during a whirlwind adventure. This homage to the audacity of hope in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds against triumphant results celebrates people who consciously choose to love with their whole hearts, despite the many significant risks of doing so.



The Penny Finder by Aressa V. Williams
ISBN: 0-9786965-0-6


In this contemplative and semi-autobiographical poetry collection, the self-identified word-weaver creates an intimate verbal tapestry in three parts. Tender Times celebrates the simple pleasures that observing nature offers: the movement of light in “Sun Balls Dancing” and earth as life’s ultimate school in “Learning Naturally” where Nature’s tranquil classroom is a gentle, authentic teacher. This first part highlights the bubble of youth and innocence before they’re impacted by society’s impositions, digital and other sensory bombardments.

Part two, Hills and Valleys, offers readers emotional upheavals related to personal trials, tribulations, traumas, and their aftermath. D.C. landmarks are cast as sign posts reconfigured, erased or now gentrified. “To Live” and “Summers Ago” encapsulate the range of focus from intimate vulnerability to nostalgic whimsy. The nostalgia provides a smooth transition into part three of Path Mates, which honors specific individuals by name, by position, and by association to the poet. “You’re the Reason Why…” is haunting in its polar opposition to the despair in 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher. “Son Day” echoes the core insecurities of parents who worry about providing everything that their children need.

Rainbows, sunlight, angels, and other symbols of promise, hope, and divinity appear in all three parts. Yet in each part a different facet of these recurring themes gets revealed. The Penny Finder encourages readers to pay conscious attention to each moment and each person in their lives in order to recognize the wealth of experiences waiting to be appreciated.



Eight Kisses, Eight All-New Tales of Hanukkah Romance
Edited by Mindy Klasky and Lori Ann Bailey
Peabridge Press  November 2019


Thematically linked to the eight nights of Hanukkah, this anthology offers readers an enticing assortment of holiday romance—from the sweetness of childhood friends reunited as adults in “Hanukkah Kisses” by Erin Eisenberg to steamy encounters and spicy language in “Frisky Connections” by Michelle Mars. There’s a historical set in Scotland in the early 1800s that launches this collection of mostly contemporary stories. Meet-cutes, dating apps, second-chance loves, whirlwind romances, and long-time loves between characters of all ages establish relationships with shared faith, interfaith, and interracial (interethnic since we’re all members of the human race) connections.

Eight Kisses celebrates the power of love through remembering and sharing one’s origins, family heritage, cultural traditions, and history of triumphing despite desperate odds. It highlights the importance of being fully present in each moment of one’s life. Plus, the stories offer an engaging mix of humor, conflict, adversity, emotional and physical intimacy.




Comments

  1. am delighted by the incredible love Spell of Dr Azaka, which had lead to the reunity of me and my husband after he left me and our 2 kids for another woman. After 3 years of marriage, me and my husband has been into one quarrel or the other until he finally left me and moved to Seattle to be with another woman. i felt my life was over and my kids thought they would never see their father again. i tried to be strong just for the kids but i could not control the pains that torments my heart, my heart was filled with sorrows and pains because i was really in love with my husband,  Every day and night i think of him and always wish he would come back to me, I was really upset and i needed help, so i searched for help online and I came across a website that suggested that Dr Azaka can help get ex back fast. So, I felt I should give him a try. I contacted him and he told me what to do,  he casted a love spell charm on him , and within 24 hours. my husband really called me and told me that he miss me and the kids so much, So Amazing!! So that was how he came back the next day with lots of love and joy, and he apologized for his mistake, and for the pain he caused me and the kids. Then from that day our Marriage was now stronger than how it used to be , All thanks to Dr Azaka. He is a real  powerful spell caster who is always ready and willing to help you, if you are here and you need your Ex back or your husband moved to another woman, do not cry anymore, contact this powerful spell caster now. Here’s his contact:  him at:  you can also call him or add him on WhatsApp +2349059389105 or email via azakaspelltemple@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hot Love in the Kitchen & Travelling Through Time

Redemption of the Heart by Moni Boyce contemporary romance Love Snacks Publishing  8 January 2019 Despite addressing heavy themes of domestic violence, incarceration, and grief, Redemption of the Heart is a charming and sweet spicy read in the tradition of a 21st-century interracial homage to Janet Dailey’s monthly romance era. Gemma’s open-hearted ingénue contrasts starkly with Alex’s jaded workaholic. They struggle with a variety of challenges, but ethnicity isn’t one of them—a spin that feels particularly modern. Once readers commit to their suspension of disbelief regarding the cascading impact of lacks in due diligence by several characters, it’s easy to settle in to enjoy this love story. The recent public debate about the pros and cons of Gillette’s “We believe the best man can be” campaign ties in with the contradictory messages in the story threads about toxic masculinity. There’s a scene in which Alex apologizes to someone who was openly bragging among coworkers

Meeting Some Author Sheroes IRL at the Yale Pop Rom Fic Conference

  Flashback Friday to 2 weeks ago when my fandom for romance authors was rewarded while sitting in a Yale University auditorium in a How to Write a Romance Novel workshop taught by publishing phenoms Adriana Herrera & Sarah MacLean! With my sitting in the front row seated next to brilliant Dr. Margo Henderson (Elysabeth Grace*) and Legendary Shirley Hailstock on one side; TWWBF2023 participating author Briana Ellis on the other, who recognized me even with my face half-hidden by my mask! I THINK Nalini Singh was in the audience along with Ms. Bev and so many other super talented, successful authors and book industry professionals. 5th annual The Write Women Book Fest featured panelist Leslye Penelope and I crossed paths in a hallway while searching for the ladies room. WordLink literary agent Macey Howell and I had a lovely chat after a different session. The sister to the documentarian for "Love Between the Covers" was quite engaging as she snapped pics per her sibling&#

Family Legacies Across Continents and Generations

The Color Line by Igiaba Scego  literary fiction  Other Press, October 2022  Rebels, infidels, invaders, patriots, anarchists, immigrants, migrants are all considered suspicious "others" by their various adversaries. Two women, Lafanu in the late 1800s and Leila in 1992 through 2019, wrestle with labels of otherness imposed upon them by societies and cultures that evolve, atrophy, and regress on issues of freedom and autonomy and inherent safety for people who are Black, Brown, female and/or otherwise considered less worthy of having their humanity and its complexity recognized and respected. The Color Line examines and celebrates people who refuse to internalize racism, sexism, misogyny and other biases to step forward into dangerous, unknown, forbidden places and spaces.  Lush emotive prose in this English translation from its original Italian transports the reader. At the end, the author's note followed by pictures of actual significant landmarks mentioned in both time