Always, MBParker: A Reading Writer

"I AM GIFTED" GIVEAWAY

2011-07-08T12:20:00.010-04:00

FIND ME at one of the following events and be the first to say the catch phrase "I AM GIFTED" to see if you are the lucky winner of a special gift bag (valued at $25).

JULY 28
2011 Black Pearls Magazine Chocolate Social
Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, Atlanta GA

JULY 29-31
National Book Club Conference
Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Atlanta GA

UPCOMING EVENTS: 2011 National Book Club Conference

2011-07-08T11:24:00.001-04:00

Join Author and Founder of Literally GEMS Book Club, Marguerite Benjamin Parker, for an amazing weekend of fellowship between authors and avid readers at the 2011 National Book Club Conference in Atlanta, Ga, July 29-31.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Black Pearls Magazine Chocolate Social

2011-07-08T11:21:00.002-04:00

Join Author and Founder of Literally GEMS Book Club, Marguerite Benjamin Parker, for an elegant and exciting night of literary celebration at the 2011 Black Pearls Magazine Chocolate Social in Atlanta, Ga, on July 28.

Keep E-Readin'...

2011-05-16T21:47:00.003-04:00

THANK YOU, TECHIES!!!
Feeling the love from E-readers...Thanks for buying and downloading WHERE CREDIT IS DUE from BN.com and Amazon. Feel free to leave reviews here...or leave them there...as long as we hear from you!

Gullah Love - February 2011

2011-02-14T12:55:00.004-05:00

"Sho don't see no nuffah ya'll. Ought tuh come round hyeah mo of'n den ya do. This hyeah yo family, yo lifeline, yo last connection to yoself and where ya come from..."
-- Where Credit Is Due (2010 Parker Bordeaux Press)

In Chapter 21 of Where Credit is Due, Gregory, who has familial ties to the Gullah Islands takes Yvonne to the Lowcountry for some much-needed rest and rejuvenation. While there, Yvonne encounters a richness of culture and history beyond her wildest expectations.

Have you ever visited the coastal Plain and Sea Islands of the South Carolina and Georgia Lowcountry? Find the time this year to attend at least one event at the 15th Annual Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration. There's something amazing to see, do (and taste) every day in February.

If you can't make it to the Celebration this year, at least do a little research on Gullah history today. You're guaranteed to find out something that will surprise and delight you. Where Credit Is Due by Marguerite Benjamin Parker offers but a glimpse into Gullah culture. There is so much more to learn about what very well might be "yo last connection to yoself and where ya come from." Gwine, start today.

DO YOU HAVE A NAKED NOOK?

2010-10-16T20:58:00.001-04:00

BE THE 9th NOOKER!
Order your digital copy of WHERE CREDIT IS DUE from BarnesandNoble.com and email a copy of your purchase receipt to contest@parkerbordeauxbooks.com.

The sender of the 9th valid purchase receipt will win a
FREE NOOK COVER

(Madison Trifold Cover in Mink, Retail Value $39.95).

*Contest dates October 15 through December 31, 2010. Please specify mailing address when submitting entry via email.

WHERE CREDIT IS DUE [Kindle Edition]

2010-10-12T08:23:00.002-04:00

Save $5 off the print price!
Amazon.com

Author Interview by Nikki Odimba

2010-10-09T19:42:00.003-04:00

Exclusive Interview:
A Conversation with Marguerite Benjamin Parker
by Nikki Odimba

Click on the link below for the interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwW-0vTWraw

WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

2010-09-30T15:44:00.001-04:00

Release Day Update:

BN.com is already out of stock! While they await a new shipment, you can still place your order at Amazon.com or at www.parkerbordeauxbooks.com. Thank You!!

WHERE CREDIT IS DUE [SEPTEMBER 30, 2010]

2010-09-29T09:31:00.003-04:00

We're 24 hours away from the official release, and today is the last day to get the book at BN.com for the special "preorder" price of $8.73. Save over 30%!!!

Write ready for a challenge?

2010-09-16T08:13:00.004-04:00

Writer's Digest Popular Fiction Awards

Deadline: November 2, 2010

The Grand Prize-Winner will receive a trip to the Writer's Digest Conference in New York City, $2,500 cash, $100 worth of Writer's Digest Books and the 2011 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market.

The First Place-Winner in each of the five categories receives $500 cash, $100 worth of Writer's Digest Books and the 2011 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market.

Honorable Mentions will receive promotion in Writer's Digest and the 2011 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market.

Compete and Win in All 5 Categories
Romance
Mystery/Crime Fiction
Science Fiction/Fantasy
Thriller/Suspense
Horror

Click here for a breakdown of genre and sub-genre definitions.

Click here for details, FAQ's and to enter!

WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

2010-07-31T18:51:00.003-04:00

After witnessing the miraculous recovery of her young son after he was critically injured in a car accident, Leandra Brooks is reborn in every sense of the word. With her faith renewed and old wrongs righted, she feels ready to take on the world. Little does she know, life is about to afford her the biggest opportunity yet to test her faith as well as that of those around her.

For Vince Mitchell, the God-given new sparkle in Leandra’s eyes is just the sign he was waiting for. However, when the winds of change blow in some serious competition and news of Leandra’s mother’s devastating medical condition, Vince finds himself on the losing end of a tug-of-war for Leandra’s attention.

At some point in life’s journey, everyone reaches the intersection of fear and faith, tears and trust. In our own time, we discover that the road gets easier for those who ultimately learn to give credit…

PREORDER TODAY:

Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Parker Bordeaux Press

NEWS from Parker Bordeaux Books

2010-06-21T01:51:00.005-04:00

PARKER BORDEAUX BOOKS
FIRST NONFICTION TITLE
DEBUTS AT BLACK WRITERS REUNION & CONFERENCE

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

*** BWRC WEEKEND SALE
& BONUS GIFT DRAWING***

"A WRITER'S PASSION"
FREE DRAWING ENTRY WITH ANY PURCHASE
Black Writers Reunion and Conference
W Atlanta Perimeter
PARKER BORDEAUX BOOKS EXHIBIT
(3pm-7pm on Thursday, June 24)

Prince of Egypt? No Problem...???

2010-06-15T09:09:00.009-04:00

I was delighted when my son Mykal watched The Prince of Egypt (Dreamworks Pictures 1998) and loved the movie as much as I did when I saw it for the first time. True to form, being like most children, he wanted to watch the movie again and again. I had no problem with that. Then about a month before his sixth birthday, he decided that all he needed in this world was a Moses and a Ramses figure to play with.

I could not remember ever having seen any toys from the movie, and even if any were made, that was over a decade ago. I did a quick internet search and found no Moses or Ramses. Mykal was adamant that I look again. This time I refined my search, and much to my surprise, Dreamworks had made some Prince of Egypt toys but in short supply. They are now collector's items with varying hefty price tags. I saw Moses, Zipporah, and the camel (lots of camels) but no Rames. So once again, I was stumped.

When I told Mykal that I was not going to be able to buy him the figures, he said (without so much as a blink), "You can make me some." I was proud that my son had such confidence in "Super Mommy," but this time I felt like I was in over my head. However, you know I do try to move the world for my children on their birthdays, so not having a Moses and a Ramses was out of the question.
Enter: the black Malibu beach Ken dolls.

I had watched the movie a half-dozen times even before Mykal made me watch it two dozen more, so I had a pretty good image in mind of these two characters. I thought of the best way to capture their essence with the least amount of headache. Lucky for me, the two did not wear much in the way of chothes in the movie. The short "skirts" I could accomplish with little effort and very little fabric. Enter: an old white sock. (Really). With no sewing at all (thanks to super glue), I fashioned the skirts and finished them with thin gold ribbon.

Their scarce clothing alone would not do. In order to make them authentic, they had to have the royal accessories. You remember the bicept bands and bracelets? Enter: those little fake wedding bands you can get about 200 for $1. I beaded two little "necklaces" onto craft wire and attached these to two more wedding bands. I broke a nail bending these to fit on all the strategic places, but after the jewelry was added, they really did start to look kind of like the characters. I knew that the very last thing that would transform the chocolate Kens in to Moses and Ramses were the headresses.

I looked for a doll wig for Moses' bob but had no luck. I thought about using black t-shirt fabric but could not get the folds to lay right to look enough like hair (from a distance, with one eye closed). Later, more out of desperation than ingenuity, I settled on cutting up a pair of black stockings. Add some thin gold ribbon for the band, and Moses has a bob (sort of).

Rames, of course, being the Pharoh had to have just the right look. Enter: the remainder of the old white sock, more gold ribbon, and a (what's that thing, a crown?) made with more craft wire, a gold button and another wedding band.

Just like in the movie, Moses can remove his wig, but due to an unfortunate incident with the super glue, the pharoh's headress is permanent. (If that thing comes off, the head is going with it.)

All in all, it was a pretty interesting project and I was proud of the finished product. I was even more pleased that Mykal liked them, because after all, that was the whole point.

Ahh...the things mothers do for their chidren...

Anybody know how to safely remove super glue from hands and nails?

The Haunting Intersection of Fact and Fiction

2010-06-09T12:13:00.008-04:00

I added the novel Leaving Atlanta to my shelf some time ago, but a recent CNN news article has brought the story to my attention again. Here is a little more information about the book and the author from her own website, www.tayarijones.com:

Tayari Jones was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia where she spent most of her childhood with the exception of the one year she and her family spent in Nigeria, West Africa. Although she has not lived in her hometown for over a decade, much of her writing centers on the urban south. “Although I now live in the northeast,” she explains, “my imagination lives in Atlanta.”

Her first novel, Le aving Atlanta, is a coming of age story set during the city’s infamous child murders of 1979-81. Jones herself was in the fifth grade when thirty African American children were murdered from the neighborhoods near her home and school. When asked why she chose this subject matter for her first novel, she says, “This novel is my way of documenting a particular moment in history. It is a love letter to my generation and also an effort to remember my own childhood. To remind myself and my readers what it was like to been eleven and at the mercy of the world. And despite the obvious darkness of the time period, I also wanted to remember all that is sweet about girlhood, to recall all the moments that make a person smile and feel optimistic.”

Jones released another novel, The Untelling, in 2005.

This morning's challenge...

2010-05-14T09:29:00.008-04:00

Even though it was short notice, I did something fun this morning. Checking my email, I ran across this Writer's Digest one-sentence contest:

For the September "Big 10" issue of Writer’s Digest we’re doing something a little different for the Your Story Contest. We’re featuring the 10 best story openers based on the [displayed photograph] incorporating the number 10. (This is a bonus contest that was not announced in the magazine.)

Here's how it works: Simply write the opening sentence to a story based on the picture below. Please limit your sentence to 35 words or fewer.

I thought about posting my entry here this morning but figured I should probably wait until the contest results were announced. If you are a writer and can beat the deadline (TODAY), you should give it a shot, or just for kicks, you can post what your entry would have been as a reply to this blog entry. (Remember, 35 words or fewer.)

ESSENCE asks: Where Is the Love?

2010-02-23T13:09:00.008-05:00

In February, Essence covered the front of the magazine with Reggie Bush for its "Live your Fantasy" cover story featuring "10 of the sexiest men you've ever seen." That cover attracted far more attention than the editors ever expected. They got a boatload of letters like this one from a Baltimore reader..."I am saddened that ESSENCE chose to highlight Reggie Bush. There are so many other Black men, dating Black women, who would have made a great cover. This issue left a bitter taste in my mouth."

Although all of the feedback was not from people who had a problem with the magazine highlighting interracial relationships, that discussion does continue into the March Issue with the On Her Mind column, "Why it still hurts when a Black man chooses a woman from another race."

The February issue was just the beginning of the magazine's focus on the plight of Black love in the media. Also catching major attention are the online articles, including Black Love Under Media Attack and The Myth of the Perfect Man.

Literally Gems Book Club will get together this weekend to take this discussion to new heights. You and your friends and/or book club should do the same.

Orange Mint & Honey...Hmm...

2010-02-18T19:59:00.018-05:00

I just figured out what I want to be when I grow up. A writer, of course. Nothing new here; It's what I've always done and what I've always wanted to do, but today I saw something that made me dream again. One of my writer friends posted a Facebook status update about an upcoming Lifetime movie called Sins of the Mother, starring Jill Scott. I had seen the movie preview a time or two but never knew the movie was based on a book. In fact, before today, it's sad to say I had never even heard of the title or the author: Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice. And just like that, Carleen Brice is one of my new sheros as I can think of very few things I would like better than to have one of my books made into a movie, big screen or flat screen.

Essence magazine-endorsed Orange Mint and Honey was published in February of 2008, but a little research shows me that Carleen Brice has been on the scene for quite a while, having both fiction and non-fiction titles to her credit that date back to 2003, perhaps earlier.

I was a bit bothered by the fact that I'm finding out about this gem along with the masses who generally don't read. It is most certain that the book sales will skyrocket as the movie is advertised. Already Literally Gems is considering it for the book of the month at some point this year.

I'll be the first to admit that I am not a regular Lifetime Movie Network viewer (I'm more of an Investigation Discovery addict), but I will be tuning in this weekend to catch Sins of the Mother. Do I have time to read the book first?

Watch the trailer.
Buy the Book.
Check out the author.

The Little Feet in Haiti...

2010-01-21T21:06:00.006-05:00

For a while I was trying to think of a literary way to support and/or help publicize relief efforts in Haiti. I have to admit, I was struggling for ideas. I mean, I sent a few donations via text-messaging and by clicking into a Red Cross link I found online, but I wanted to do something more, something related to books.

I considered researching Haitian authors and highlighting a few on the Literally Gems website just to encourage people to read and learn more about the culture. That's still not a bad idea. However, at work the other day a coworker mentioned that she had heard of a local husband and wife team (physicians) who were traveling to Haiti to assist in some of the smaller villages that have not received much help. They had the idea to request donations of old shoes to give to those who were walking barefoot through the streets and risking injury and infection.

Right away, I thought of the box of shoes under my boys' bunk beds. I had prepared to take them to the local Salvation Army, but of course now Haiti sounds like a much better destination. My boys loved these shoes and would still be wearing all of them now if 3 and 5-year-old boys didn't grow out of new shoes every other week. They are too young now to understand what their donation will mean to some other little boys so many miles away, but I hope they will grow into the kind of men that think of others before thinking of themselves.

The shoes are now on their way to an area not mentioned in the news as often as Port-au-Prince. I wish I could do so much more to make a tangible and lasting contribution, and, in some ways, maybe I have. One day, I will be able to pull this photo out again and remind my sons of the small gift they gave to the little feet in Haiti.

Raise Your Book: A Toast to A Year of Excellent Reads...

2010-01-04T20:23:00.007-05:00

As the new year came in, I was reminded of just what it means to be a part of a book club...the opportunity to fellowship with a wonderful group of like-minded sisters who see an afternoon curled up with a good book as a mini-vacation...that once a month I am guaranteed a good date with great food and stimulating conversation...and that, yes, every once in a while, I will have to read a book that I would have never chosen for myself and that I have to will myself to keep turning the pages.

This month Literally GEMS Book Club is reading The Vow (Denene Millner, Angela Burt-Murray, and Mitzi Miller), and while I certainly would not have chosen this book for myself, it had it's redeemable moments, and I learned a lot about myself as a reader in the process. There will be two more books chosen by respective members of the club before it's my turn to choose the book of the month for April. Is there pressure to pick a book that absolutely everyone will love? Not really. We are a group of nine very different women, ten if you count the guest reader of the month. Chances are, not everyone will love every selection. Has it ever happened that everyone (finished) and was in love with the book of the month? Yes, I think I recall that happening once or twice. Then there were the times when the individual ratings for a selection (we give books one to five gems; one being "poor" and five being "excellent") have ranged from "4.75 gems--let's read it again") to "let's torture the member who chose that one."

No matter what the book or the projected rating, I always look forward to the meetings, the discussion, the various perspectives, and the moment when the new book of the month is revealed. I am very excited to have completed The Vow (whew!) and am truly looking forward to a new year of book-by-the-cover judging, first chapter skimming, margin note-taking, thematic menu creating, and character motivation arguments...

Won't you join us? www.literallygems.com

Run with it...

2009-07-03T03:42:00.004-04:00

I had an unspoken agreement with myself not to blog about Michael Jackson. That's such a funny statement coming from me, who at age 8 was his "biggest fan." However, with such extensive coverage of his life and death over the past several days, I figured there would be no reason for me to add my two cents. Well, in the wee hours, something changed, and while I know somewhere in TV-land, even at this hour, there is a tribute of some sort still going on, I have to share the two lessons in life I got from the King of Pop loud and clear.

(1) Michael Jackson did his thing. Are you doing yours?

Sure we are going to miss him, but will he ever truly be gone? Think about it. He made his mark on the world a million times over. Whether or not he got everything right while he was here, he was given a gift to reach the masses, and he used it. When that much talent is invested into an individual (and we all have it on some level), you better believe there is a great deal of responsibility that goes with it. He certainly did not hide his light under a bushel but set it on a hill for all the world to see. He touched the world with the work of his hands (and feet), and he left a trail of light and inspiration for others to come after him and continue the work. Somewhere down the line, a spark he ignited has or will bring somebody to the knowledge of divine purpose.

(2) If you don't plan on dying early, take care of yourself.

Just like talent, good health is a gift from God, and just like talent, we are allowed to do whatever we want with it. If it is indeed possible for one to die before his or her time, Michael Jackson showed us how to do it. If he weighed a hundred pounds when he died, it was with all his clothes on. The man was frail -- and apparently deathly ill. No, you don't have to be sick to go when your time comes, but the fact remains that we are given one vessel, one body, in which to live out our lives and purpose. If we neglect it, abuse it, misuse it, our vessel can malfunction and stop short of what was intended.

Taking care of our physical bodies (eating right, getting enough rest and exercise, not ingesting recreational toxins, etc.) is our responsibility. Likewise, so is preserving our mental and spiritual health (through professionals if needed) but most especially through connecting with our Creator and daily unloading our hearts and minds so that we don't lose sleep, miss meals, or poison ourselves with an overdose of the same and the other harmful things we turn to for self-medication.

As I think about this, I'm reminded of my father, a very talented man I never got the chance to know because his life ended just as mine was beginning. I was 10, he was 28. Twenty-eight. Full of promise and inner demons that won the battle for his vessel. It is such a shame when very young people die. We say they died before their time, that they left their work undone. Is that possible? My father had his own set of goals and dreams that were never realized, but was his purpose fulfilled on earth? Well, I'm here. Maybe like Michael Jackson, my father's painfully short life was just the spark to light the torch I was intended to pick up and run with.

Are you running with yours?

"Your Black is Beautiful, Baby."

2009-06-11T23:53:00.010-04:00

I'm not going to be able to be my usual flippant self in this entry. Something happened that made me just want to cry then dry my eyes and find somebody to smack. My heart-breakingly handsome, extremely thoughtful, highly sensitive and deliciously dark-skinned son informed me that he did not like his skin and wanted to be "just a little bit brown" instead. It took me off guard. I mean he's only four, and until now, I never knew he had a problem with his self image. Why does he have a problem with his self image? Can somebody tell me? I mean, really. Is there any good reason for a child that young to hate the skin he's in?

Anyone who knows us also knows that my son adores his mother. That's an understatement. The boy thinks I hang the sun every morning just for him. He was born his daddy's biggest rival for my attention, and he recently announced to his doctor with great pride that "Mommy is going to be my wife when I turn 25." So, knowing how he worships the skin I'm in, I pointed out that his skin ans my skin are close to the same shade. He quickly pointed out that his daddy and little brother are just "a little bit brown." I kept trying to find ways to quickly end the conversation until one look in his persistent and teary eyes told me he was very serious. Now it was my turn to start blinking back the sting behind my eyes. I needed something, anything to help me show him how beautiful his skin is. Then I saw it.

My new copy of Upscale magazine with Tyrese on the cover looking smooth wearing a tailored suit and all of his glorious blackness.

I showed him the magazine and asked him, "who does that look like?" He looked at the magazine, then at me, then back at the magazine and finally said with a piece of a smile, "Me?" I smiled back at him. We talked about how cool the man looked and how special he must be to be on the front of Mommy's book. When the conversation waned, he asked, "Am I really going to look like that when I get 25?" (because to him 25 is grown up).

My answer: "Yep, well, that is if you don't turn into just a little bit brown." He had a puzzled look on his face and asked, "Mommy, do you like that boy [Tyrese]?" I knew where his thoughts were going. "Oh, yes, baby," I said, "you know Mommy loves a chocolate man." I hugged him close, and after about a minute he pulled away, head held high, bird-chest puffed out. "Then I'm going to be a chocolate man just like that boy!"

Those. Those are the moments that both warm and pain a mother's heart.

2009-06-05T07:10:00.005-04:00

Just when you complain about not finding enough time to write, fate turns your toe and puts you on crutches with an acute fracture of the fifth phalanx. Now it's just me and the laptop. Who will I blame now if my characters just sit and stare at each other? Wow. I just thought of something. I may be on crutches for my trip to Vegas. Nice. Let's see how long it takes me to get through the security checkpoint. And how am I supposed to wear my presentation powersuit in this contraption on my foot. Does anyone know where I can find some stylish orthopedic platforms?

Black Writer's Reunion & Conference 2009

2009-06-04T10:14:00.002-04:00

Although the Black Writer's Reunion & Conference has been a favorite writer's haven for several years, this will be my first time attending. I have the added pleasure of being a conference presenter this year, educating fellow and aspiring writers on the growing virtues of a career in Technical Writing.

This year's conference will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the beautiful Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino. Check out the event and list of scheduled presenters (which include ReShonda Tate Billingsley, Gwyne Forster, Lutishia Lovely, and many more) at www.blackwriters.org. Don't let the conference venue fool you. Whether you are aspiring writer, and accomplished author, and avid reader or all of the above, BWRC 2009 will definitely not be a gamble. You are guaranteed a memorable experience! I hope to see you there!

If for some reason you cannot make it, be sure to check back here for photos of the event and conference highlights.

Back at it...

2009-01-27T03:29:00.007-05:00

People kept asking me to leave the Senegal trip photos and journal up. I think finally the interest has waned. I (think) I have done my final formal presentation on the trip and everything I learned. So, now it's time to move forward with the blogging. Admittedly, if you know me, you know I keep a written journal that I'm much more dedicated to. I can never seem to stay faithful to this blogging thing, but I'm going to try...again. (Perhaps if I stay off the social networking sites--the latest craze being facebook--I would have more to say here every day.) I do see the value in it. It's a way to stay connected to those who may care to see my perspective on the world or those who are intent on following my writing...I owe you a lot, by the way...

So, my thought for today...
Is there a way to put the benefits of sleep into a capsule? I swear there are not enough hours in the day to get stuff done. We say it all the time, and we hear it all the time. I was reading once that Einstein slept 12 hours a day...12 hours!? I kept reading that thinking surely they must have meant 1 - 2 hours. (I mean, really, does he look rested to you?)

How could anybody be that productive sleeping half of the day? It's hard enough for me to get six hours and feel like I'm getting anything done. I know that means I have too much going on in my life...too many distractions. I suppose if I were more focused on what really matters (and less on the things we feel we just "have to do," my waking hours would be more productive and I could sign out for 12 hours too...

A Brief Senegal Slideshow...

2008-07-05T01:45:00.007-04:00

I would never have guessed it, but I took nearly 800 pictures while in Senegal! Even flickr.com wouldn't let me upload them all without paying for a pro account (which I'm still considering). In the meantime, I thought you all might enjoy a slideshow of my favorite memories from the trip. Enjoy!

A Day Like Any Other?

2008-07-04T15:03:00.009-04:00

I did this for my boys today.

It's the first "Stars and Stripes" cake I have ever made. But what better way to instill a sense of patriotism in a 2 year old and a 4 year old than with cake?

They are napping right now, but they will see it when they wake up--just in time to join a few friends and family members for a barbecue and to play on the swings in the backyard. What a life they have. Right now, they have no concept of what it means to have won one's independence. It will be years still before they fully understand the tumultuous history of this country and what this day represents.

Although I worry about the world they have to grow up in, I thank God that they are here now rather than 50+ years ago. Perhaps it is my recent return from Africa that inspired the thought this morning, but one of the first phrases that came to mind was "What to the Slave is the 4th of July?", so I thought I would post a link to Frederick Douglass's Independence Day Speech at Rochester, 1852.

Independence...how sweet it is.

Still organizing...

2008-07-03T07:14:00.007-04:00

...and writing captions. For those of you who just must see some photos RIGHT NOW (which apparently is everyone I have talked to in the last few days), I will share with you the flickr files of a few of my fellow travellers who went and were kind enough to share (and quick enough to have theirs up already).

The photos here are credited to Emily Williams (who I believe slept with her camera in her hand. Every time I saw her, she was zooming in on something) : Emily's Photos

The photos here are credited to Brian Hill (who thoroughly enjoyed the trip and single-handedly boosted the local economy by buying everything that wasn't nailed down--oh yeah, he made some friends): Brian's Photos

Photos from other trips are on both of their sites. Be sure to click on the Senegal albums.

Home again...

2008-06-29T06:00:00.012-04:00

Hello, everyone. Thanks for following my blog while I was in Senegal. (I am so grateful for the internet.) I am even more grateful to be home, though leaving Africa was certainly bittersweet. I have been home for a little over a day now, and I'm still trying to adjust to the time difference. I have been up since 4:00 am (8:00 am in Senegal, breakfast time at la Maison de Universite), and I'm still taking the malaria medication for the next four weeks. Every great expereince has a tradeoff.

Now that I am home, I have a few loose ends to tie up (i.e., grading for online classes) before I can jump back into blogging. My plan is to have the grading done by Wednesday, July 2. After that, I promise to post photos and more details from my trip.

Thank you all for praying for my safe return.

Shown: "Door of No Return" (Maison des Esclaves), Goree Island

So much to see...

2008-06-23T04:10:00.004-04:00

Well, we are down to our last few days in Senegal. While I will be happy to go home, I will be a little sad to leave. I feel like there is so much more to see. I can't wait to get home so I can post my pictures for you all. This past weekend was spent in Toubab Dialaw, a resort (loosely speaking) built by the beach. The rooms wouldn't get a whole star by American standards, but the common areas were splendid. The trip to the Holy City left me speechless. Unfortunately, I will not have any pictures to post of the mosque in Touba. I'm not feeling especially chatty this morning. The last couple of days have been a little rough...malaria medication.

We have some more school visits today, and we will be distributing the school supplies we brought from our respective institutions. According to one teacher we have spoken to here, the supplies will be very much appreciated. There is never enough to go aroud here, and the lack of supplies contributes to the drop out rate. Many parents cannot afford both supplies and lunch for their children. (The schools don't have cafeterias or free lunch programs. If the students don't bring food or have money to buy food nearby, they just go all day without eating. This, too, contributes to the drop out rate.)

So, maybe I will have lots more to say later. I have not had a chance to read or respond to all of my email, but I did see that Kaela wants to know what the weather is like and what the temperature is.

Currently, it's 8:20 am (4:20 am at home) and it's relatively cool, about 77 degrees. Most days it gets up to about 95, but it feels like closer to 110 at times. It has rained only one day since we have been here even though it's the rainy season.

Khalil, what's up? Come up for air every now and then with the video games. ;O)

And for Mykal and Darius... no, I have not seen any elephants, lions, or giraffes yet, but I did see a camel and plenty of goats. I'll keep my eyes open though, and my camera ready. I can just hear the two of you singing the opening song to The Lion King, and Mommy can't wait to get home.

Common to man...

2008-06-19T09:48:00.006-04:00

I'm excited. I actually found a computer with a QWERTY keyboard at the West African Research Center. Blogging will be easy this time. Today was a day of school visits. We went to a private, Catholic primary school and a public middle school. The difference between the two was astounding. One thing they had in common was relatively large class size, between 40 and 60 students per class. I cannot imagine. The children at the primary school greeted us with a song as we were entering the school gates. The teachers were very gracious in allowing us to come into their classrooms mid-morning, especially considering that students are now preparing for their end-of-year exams, which I am told are very tough. Only about 30% pass to the next level on the first try.

Our next visit will be to a university later today. Some of the others are currently eating lunch. We did lunch and computer time in shifts today. (Dama xiff.) I ate, but the meal wsa grilled fish and tossed salad. Just before I was about to devour my salad, one of the program directors stopped me and warned that the salad had been washed with local water. Sigh. So I just ate my little fish and drank some bottled water. I am happy, though. One thing I have noticed is that in certain parts of Dakar, any meal is a luxury. Some people eat only one a day, while others do not always get a meal each day.

That's not to say that all of Senegal is poor. It's not. In fact, while walking through some neighborhoods today, we saw quite a few nice residences. One had a Jaguar parked outside. Another had a new Range Rover. The division of wealth here is as inequitable as it is at home. And just like at home, the price of fuel is causing chaos. Gas here is nearly $9 US per gallon. That would be catastrophic for us, and the average income per month here is a fraction of ours. Still, like usm they have managed to keep their cars on the road. There are many more vehicles here than I expected. The streets here are no different than any other larger city in the US. In fact, downtown Dakar looks a lot like some areas in New York. The market place could have easily passed for China town.

The longer we are here, the more I see how widespread the economic effects of the state of foreign affairs are. With the exception of the language being spoken, most of the conversations oveheard here are much the same as ones you would overhear at home: fuel prices, unemployment, need for education reform, the media's unhealthy influence on the nation's youth... the list goes on.

My photographs from today are probably some of the most interesting I have taken so far, not because they were of things I had never seen before, but because the sights were remarkably similar to what I would see at home. One example before I go: At the public middle school, we sat in a classroom today at desks students would normally occupy. There was carving all over the wooden desk, just like students do at home. That was to be expected. Kids are just kids everywhere. What I did not expect to see, however, were the names "G-Unit, The Game, and Young Money" right beside a carefully carved hand holding up a middle finger.

Some of the girls were eager to pose for pictures, and they were dressed no differently than any girl you might find in a US middle school, except I'm sure these girs were violating a few US dress codes. It's amazing the influence American music and hip hop culture has had even here. And most of the students don't even speak more than two words of English. They are educated in French.

My time on the computer is about up, and I think we are leaving soon for our next school visit. If I do not get the opportunity to blog again later this evening, I'm not sure if I will be in touch again for quite a few days. Tomorrow, we leave for Touba, the Holy City, and from there we go to Toubab Dialaw for the weekend. I am not sure about internet connections there. My next entry could very well be Sunday evening when we return to Dakar. If so, I should have quite a lot to tell by then.

Nangeen def?

2008-06-18T14:06:00.004-04:00

(How are you all?)

There were a number of power outages today, which I am told is nothing unusual. I had hoped to blog earlier while at the West African Research Center but was unable to for that reason. There have been a couple of outages of power and water since I got here, but they usually do not last very long, or they occur at times when we are away from the university guest house. I keep hearing people mention the possibility of going to an internet cafe, but so far not one has materialized. I would love to go to one right now, because as much as I would like to keep a record of my trip for everyone at the moment, Dama Xiff. (I had a Wolof lesson today; that means I'm hungry.)

Speaking of food... I haven't mentioned it, but the food is absolutely wonderful here. The first meal I had made me want to jump in the plate and wallow. Every meal since then has reqlly been something to write home about. I have taken a picture of everything I have eaten. I hope my camera battery holds up. Between the market, the beach, downtown, Goree Island and all of my meals, I know I have taken about a thousand pictures. It's a shame I cannot upload them from here. I would try, but I'm afraid this IBM E74 will wipe my pictures out and neither of us will have them.

Today we visited a high school and learned about the education system in Senegal. We also had the Wolof lesson and a discussion of the slave trade. Tomorrow there will be more school visits and a reception with educators and community leaders at the WARC. We're into the business part of our trip now. This weekend, it will be all about play again when we spend a few days at Toubab Dialaw (a resort of sorts). I wonder if there will be internet service there?

Listen to me. True to form. Of all the things I could ask, and it's about internet access; I can't help it. I like to stay connected. Still, if there is no connection this weekend, I promise to go with the flow and just enjoy myself and take many more pictures of delicious food.

Jàmm rekk. (I am at peace/It is well with me.)

A buyer's market...

2008-06-17T15:15:00.003-04:00

As internet time is hard to come by here, I have to keep in contact with everyone here rather than via email. It's hard not being able to read messages regularly or to talk on the phone at all, but I'm adjusting. Perhaps as well as I am adjusting to the French keyboard. Someone should have warned me to pack a good old American QWERTY; I never would have imagined the need for it.

I'm sure somewhere in Dakar someone will give me a "good price" for one. I have learned that anything can be bought here. After bluffing to a vendor that I was out of money today, she offered to trade the necklace she was trying to sell me for my lipstick. Maybe if I had two tubes...but I packed light, so no deal. Plus, it was used lipstick! I could not do that in good conscience. After we exchanged US money for CFAs yesterday at the bank (the value of a dollar being down to 395 CFA, whereas it is optimally closer to 500 CFA), we were introduced to the open market, and it's everywhere! Obviously because we were Americans, we drew a crowd, but people were selling everything from cell phone chips, t-shirts and caps, dolls, and jewelry to boom boxes and jelly shoes. I lie not. It started raining suddenly and a flock of umbrella salesmen appeared. One girl was selling shower caps.

So far, I have spent my money on internet time (500 CFA per hour) and jewelry to give to my friends when I return. Still, the computers here in the guest house are slow and do not have Microsoft Word, speakers, cameras or microphones, so my communication seems one sided, except when I can use Yahoo Messenger. Too bad my boys are too young to type.

I have only been here about two days, but already I have a million stories to tell and about as many pictures to show. I'm having a great time and learning a lot, but I'm surprisingly homesick. It feels more like I will be here a year rather than twelve days. Today was fabulous, though; going to Goree Island to see the slave houses and the "Door of No Return" was a truly priceless experience. It was so worth the trip to have that tour and to hear Professor Ousemane Sène's lecture on Leopold Sedar Senghor and the Negritude Movement. I am so full. I could go home now and be happy, but we are just getting started. I can't wait to get home and add my pictures to my blog. I might later check to see how difficult it would be to upload them from here.

I have so much more to share, but the rest will have to go in my journal. My time is about up in the lab, and others are waiting. Before I go, however, allow me to share a thought from Prof Sène:

Humans (westerners, Europeans, etc) are too narcissistic to accept anything they cannot control (i.e., the spirit world)--they try to turn everything into something they can control--money.

Waking up in Dakar...

2008-06-16T07:53:00.002-04:00

I awake near 6:30am to the sound of what may be a truck passing but sounds like a plane overhead. I wait for the sound to pass and I listen more. Nothing.Other than the gentle hum of the window unit and the oscillating fan set to blow on the shirt I washed in the sink last night, there is no noise, no indication of where I am.

I step onto the cool tiled floor and sneeze. There is mold in the room. I could not tell last night, but this morning it is very noticeable. Having crossed into the next room, which also smells moldy, I soon display the knowledge of my first trial and error lesson from the day before: Pull the lever up to flush, not down. Actually, it is more of a button than a lever. Any American would have pushed rather than pull.

I open the curtains to reveal the view that was concealed by darkness the night before. The sight does not match the sound I now hear at the window. I hear birds, but I see none. Unlike the area that I was led into yesterday, the back view of this university guest house looks as if a bomb went off or a construction project was thwarted years ago. What could easily be five or six, five-story buildings lie in gray ruins. In the center of that scene, in a littered courtyard sits a mature tree with bountiful foilage and far-reaching branches. The birds must be there I think. So this is Dakar.

I open the window to my bedroom and lean out for q few photos. I can see far from the fourth floor. The Caribbean color and landscape of the building I'm in blooms in sharp contrast to the gray ruins ten paces away across the courtyard. The faint smell of ocean brought in by a breeze erases the trace of mold until I close the window. This will be my first full day in Senegal. Today should be interesting; we will go to the central banking district to exchange dollars for CFAs...

Hats off...

2008-05-21T22:42:00.002-04:00

...to all the authors who have made it to the point where they write for a living (i.e., no longer have the "day job"). The past few days have been incredibly hectic for me. I've just started teaching a new round of online classes and the "setting up" process of Week 1 has me rattled. What's worse is I've spent so much time working on the classes, I have barely written a word outside of email replies to students. I can tell a real difference between myself now and say 10-12 years ago. Back then, I could make it for two days off of ten minutes of sleep, but now... I am seeing double.

One day I will be able to say that I write for a living (and not just that I live to write, because you know I do), for the time being, though, I'll just have to keep trying to burn the candle at both ends and hope I'm strong enough to make it. Selah.

Television OFF...Brain ON...

2008-05-19T20:14:00.003-04:00

Need I say more. There is very little that holds my attention for long on TV anyway, yet sometimes I find myself skipping from channel to channel or watching a marathon of shows I have already seen before. I have a thing for certain sitcoms and almost any plastic surgery, medical wonder, forensic science, or investigation type show. When I get into one of these, I can spend literally hours on end glued to the set.

Now we know that is counterproductive. Trying to validate my vegging, I have even used the excuse "maybe I'll see something that will spark an idea for writing." Well, let me tell you, that rarely--if ever--happens. Hence, I am on a TV diet. No more than one hour any given day, no matter what. Whew, that's harsh...how about two hours...an hour and a half? I know, I know...Television OFF...Brain ON...

Literally, GEMS Book Club

2008-05-19T00:45:00.000-04:00

Click to Enter:
http://www.literallygems.com

The Official MBParker Website

2008-05-19T00:33:00.003-04:00

Click to Enter:

http://www.margueriteparker.com/

Ode to Accountability...

2008-05-18T21:58:00.005-04:00

Last night I reluctantly sent the schedule for my major summer writing project to my accountability partner. In exchange for my watchful eye on her progress as well, she has agreed to hold me to my schedule. Why do we do this? If you are a writer, you know how easy it can be to lose focus now and then. I cannot count the number of times I have scheduled and rescheduled a production date due to procrastination, writer's block...life. Having a network of acccountability partners helped me stay on track with A Debt Too Deep. So, I know if I'm going to have this sequel ready for release this fall, I need someone to help keep the fire lit under me.

Do you have a goal you really want to reach? Whether it be writing, banishing debt, or staying clear of a no-good-for-you old flame, do yourself a favor and get an accountability partner. (Yes, have someone all up in your business, looking over your shoulder... and choose someone that you would hesitate to let down.) It can make the difference in you meeting your goal and making a new schedule for the same goal again next year. Selah.

Summer Reading...

2008-05-17T10:04:00.014-04:00

This weekend I will settle into reading the book club's pick of the month, The Garden of Ruth by Eva Etzioni-Halevy. I have been putting it off, but I am looking forward to the read. Our last experience with this author was The Song of Hannah, and it was really great. This author truly has a gift. She can spin three verses in the bible into a full-length novel with detail like you would not believe. That's an inspiration.

Miracles never cease...

2008-05-17T08:45:00.000-04:00

I cannot believe it is quarter til nine on a Saturday morning and my babies are still in bed. Usually by 7am Mykal is peeling my eyelids back asking for Cheerios. I thought I would take this moment and get at least one entry in. It took me a little while to get started though. With cnn.com as my homepage, the first thing I always see when I sit at my computer is world news. I must say, this past week has truly been a rough one for the world. Today, my heart and prayers are still going out to China. Sure, closer to home there are "tragedies" happening. Economic slump and insane gas prices are unsettling the locals, but we have never seen the likes of earthquakes and other natural disasters that wipe out what amounts to more than the population of the city in which we live in a matter of minutes. These are praying times. I was thinking at one time of taking cnn.com off as my homepage--too depressing. However, now I think I'll leave it there...so I know how to direct my prayers.

It still doesn't officially feel like "summer vacation" to me. I guess that's because I decided to teach summer classes this time, and they start on Monday. Still, they're online and I don't have to keep regular office hours, though I'm sure I will be there still. I need to go ahead and finish tying up all my travel loose ends before I start having those "unprepared" nightmares.

You know, I just hought of something. I need to think of a way to keep the most personal aspects of my home life out of this blog. (It's kind of hard to do when I revert to using it as a journal.) Still, there are such things as stalkers in this world, and I'm not trying to invite strangers into the deepest parts of me here. So, is my task for today to think of a singular theme for my blog? Sounds like a challenge... Dare me.

Does this count?

2008-05-17T00:38:00.001-04:00

Hey, technically, it's a new entry, even though I have not moved from this spot since I posted "yesterday's" message. But I'm not just dawdling here. I forgot to add that since the time I originally created this blog, some truly awesome things have happened. The one I wanted to highlight most of all is the April 2007 publication of my first novella. A Debt Too Deep marked the beginning of new things for me as a writer. 2007 was an eventful year, and venturing into self-publishing made it memorable. Though the "high" of being able to click into Barnes & Noble and Amazon online and see my book listed is starting to trickle off a bit, I'm SO looking forward to reviving the feeling with a new publication this year. Speaking of the next publication... I should probably be (really) writing rather than blogging at this very moment. I have a long way to go. Wish me God's speed, then come back tomorrow to see what else I forgot to say...

Giving it one more shot...

2008-05-16T23:13:00.004-04:00

As you can see from the date of my last post, I had truly abandoned this blog. I cannot really remember why I did so at the time, other than I never have been one to keep up with a "journal" on an absolute daily basis. (However, I do have an on-again-off-again journal for every year of my life, dating back to high school. Now that there's some interesting reading. LMBO.) Another reason for my long absence here is that I discovered Myspace (www.myspace.com/margueritebenjaminparker) a ways back and started a bit of a blog (also seldom updated) there.

Originally, this blog was to be a bit of a discussion cafe for my fledgling book club, then Parker-Bordeaux Reading Group. Two years later, the gorup is still going strong. We've grown quite a bit, lost and gained some members and got a new name. You can find us now at our new home on the web http://www.literallygems.com/. Our new website, while full of life, does not (yet) have a blog. Hmm... I said yet when, in fact, I doubt we will ever have one. The team blog concept just did not pan out for us. Even after the trouble of fonally getting all signed up, we were all just too busy to keep up with the thing.

I think now, this blog will become what most people's blogs are, just an online journal for me. I am going to try very hard (for real this time) to keep up with the thing. I actually have some pretty exciting things to share coming up. Namely, I'll be in AFRICA next month for a study visit. I REALLY want to chronicle that trip here. Aside from still not knowing enough French to fill a thimble, I'm very excited about the trip.

So, let's see how this goes... Any wagers? Will I keep up with it this time or not?

November/December Reading: The Atonement Child

2006-11-17T23:22:00.000-05:00

This will be my first encounter with Francine Rivers. I have heard wonderful things about her writing style. I'm just getting started, but I must say, I am already enjoying the story.

October Reading: He's Fine...But Is He Saved by Kimberley Brooks

2006-10-13T03:36:00.000-04:00

Selected by Member: Charmaine Smith

Book Reviews:

"Kimberley Brooks debuts on the inspirational scene with a well developed plot and believable characters in her heartwarming and engrossing novel. He's Fine . . . But is He Saved? engages you from the first page to the last."
Jacquelin Thomas -Author of The Prodigal Husband and Soul Journey www.JacquelinThomas.com

"Looks don't mean a thang, he's only a fine devil if he ain't got Jesus! Fiction comes to life in this book as it becomes a voice of single women and their challenges with finding true love and happiness."
Ty Adams -Author of bestselling Single, Saved, and Having Sex www.TyAdamsOnline.com

Angela Benson

2006-09-07T06:43:00.000-04:00

The new Reading Group pick for the month of September is The Amen Sisters by Angela Benson. This will be the second book I have read by this author. The first was Awakening Mercy. I'm still in the early stages of The Amen Sisters, but the fact that is was published by Walkworthy Press has lifted my expectations. My first encounter with a title from that publisher was Temptation by Victoria Christopher Murray.

The MBParker Archives--"Must One Sell Out..."

2006-07-12T00:09:00.002-04:00

As you know, I posted some of my really old work on the website for all to see (scroll down to the archives at [link no longer available] ). It's funny to me--even though it has been YEARS since I last thought about these works, a lot of them still seem relevant to me today. For example, I am currently in limbo again about how I should wear my hair. I'm loving a bouffant, curly afro this summer, but I know August is right around the corner and I will have to go back to work on campus. I'm surprised I still think about things like whether or not my look is "corporate enough" Monday through Friday. That's the same stuff I was talking about in "Must One Sell Out to Buy the American Dream" (1998). I can't say that I remember what motivated me to write it back then, but it certainly still fits today.

Victoria Christopher Murray

2006-07-12T00:02:00.000-04:00

A Sin and a Shame will be my third encounter with this author. I read Temptation and Joy and enjoyed them both. I was surprised to see that "Jasmine" would be returning for the new book, and I'm about scared to know what she will do this time. Have any of you read other books by this author?

Welcome Back!

2006-07-11T21:23:00.000-04:00

If you followed a link from the web page to the blog at an earlier date, you will notice that things have changed. I decided to try this new format because it seems to mesh with the look of the website better than the last blog I had. I hope you like it, and I look forward to many riveting discussions here.

Introducing MBParker...

2006-07-11T21:08:00.000-04:00

You are likely to see this photo everywhere. It is my publicity shot. The photo was taken by a dear friend and I have yet to see a photo I feel captures my essence better than this one.

You will find out more about me through my posts and through the material I put on my website.

Soon, you'll come to know my work even better when I am that critically acclaimed author I have aspired to be for so long. Then you can say you knew me when...

Always, MBParker: A Reading Writer

"I AM GIFTED" GIVEAWAY

UPCOMING EVENTS: 2011 National Book Club Conference

UPCOMING EVENTS: Black Pearls Magazine Chocolate Social

Keep E-Readin'...

THANK YOU, TECHIES!!!Feeling the love from E-readers...Thanks for buying and downloading WHERE CREDIT IS DUE from BN.com and Amazon. Feel free to leave reviews here...or leave them there...as long as we hear from you!

Gullah Love - February 2011

DO YOU HAVE A NAKED NOOK?

WHERE CREDIT IS DUE [Kindle Edition]

Author Interview by Nikki Odimba

WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

BN.com is already out of stock! While they await a new shipment, you can still place your order at Amazon.com or at www.parkerbordeauxbooks.com. Thank You!!

WHERE CREDIT IS DUE [SEPTEMBER 30, 2010]

Write ready for a challenge?

WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

NEWS from Parker Bordeaux Books

Prince of Egypt? No Problem...???

The Haunting Intersection of Fact and Fiction

This morning's challenge...

ESSENCE asks: Where Is the Love?

Orange Mint & Honey...Hmm...

The Little Feet in Haiti...

Raise Your Book: A Toast to A Year of Excellent Reads...

Run with it...

"Your Black is Beautiful, Baby."

Black Writer's Reunion & Conference 2009

Back at it...

A Brief Senegal Slideshow...

A Day Like Any Other?

Still organizing...

Home again...

So much to see...

Common to man...

Nangeen def?

A buyer's market...

Waking up in Dakar...

Hats off...

Television OFF...Brain ON...

Literally, GEMS Book Club

The Official MBParker Website

Ode to Accountability...

Summer Reading...

Miracles never cease...

Does this count?

Giving it one more shot...

November/December Reading: The Atonement Child

October Reading: He's Fine...But Is He Saved by Kimberley Brooks

Angela Benson

The MBParker Archives--"Must One Sell Out..."

Victoria Christopher Murray

Welcome Back!

Introducing MBParker...

THANK YOU, TECHIES!!!
Feeling the love from E-readers...Thanks for buying and downloading WHERE CREDIT IS DUE from BN.com and Amazon. Feel free to leave reviews here...or leave them there...as long as we hear from you!