6 JULY 2024

So, if you’ve checked my vlog/blog recently, you’ll see that this past year and a half has been ROUGH. In the past year alone, I:

• Got really sick and it took 8 months for me to come out of it,
• Had to leave my job as a Dean because it was making me sick,
• Got a NEW job that is GREAT and a lot less stressful, and,
• Have COMPLETELY changed my outlook on life as a result.

With the exception of my job, I have (mostly) done away with the idea of deadlines, goals, and putting pressure on my art and artistic process.

This doesn’t mean that I’m not going to produce artistic works, i.e. books, screenplays, films, etc, BUT it does mean that I’m prioritizing the process, joy, fun, and the playfulness of creation first and foremost.

I’m adopting the idea of Gentle and Joyful Creation, wherein if it doesn’t make me happy or joyful, then I’m simply not doing it. Whatever “it” means!

In life, we take on so many ideologies that don’t belong to us, especially the ideology of being “productive” and “transactional”.

After dealing with my illness for nearly a year, you know what I realized? NONE of that shit matters. And that if you don’t have your health, you really don’t have anything.

So I’m putting me, my physical health, my mental health, and especially my comfort, rest, and happiness first. I’m prioritizing “being” rather than “doing”. Process rather than product. Journey rather than destination. Experiences and hobbies rather than products and sales.

But don’t worry, I’m still working on my creative projects, my novels, businesses, and I’m even considering shooting a film and designing a fashion collection this year!

In fact, the image here of the two Black girls standing back-to-back is a sneak peek of the series I’ve been developing this year: ASYLUM (or SODOM… I haven’t decided which title I like best yet, lol!)

I’m still creating. But I’m creating with a spirit of lush, delicious enjoyment, because if we’re not enjoying it, and life, what are we really here for?

20 FEBRUARY 2023

Amped, because I’m on my mid-winter recess vacation, and I’m using every minute to breathe life back into my creative business(es) and online publishing press, Rebel Ragdoll Press!

Recently, I’ve been working on:

• Updating and cleaning up my author website,
• Updating, rebooting, and preparing for the GRAND OPENING of my online direct sales bookstore! 

Inspired by my idol (Joanna J.F. Penn’s) lean into direct sales, I’m following her lead and finishing the construction of my online bookstore. I’m very close to finishing the revamp of my store, and I can’t WAIT for my readers to see it!

18 FEBRUARY 2023

After a year and a half long hiatus, I’m finally returning to my creative writing journey! Currently working on:

• WHEN IN ROHM (feature script)
• THE CAMILLE (TV series treatment)
• FRATERNITY (BOE #4) (novel)
  

My return to work is going to be gradual and steady. As I learned from going full speed ahead from March 2020 to August 2021, going hard in the paint for months at a time does NOT work well for me, lol.

Slow and steady wins the writing race, and I’m really excited to jump back into my work this year and to take my time with it. I’m also PSYCHED to be working in (and contracted for my work in) the three mediums I’ve always dreamed of writing!

Deadlines still are a thing, though, and so my focus is to prioritize those deadlines and focus on ONE PROJECT AT A TIME.

15 APRIL 2022

GOT SOME AMAZING NEWS!!!! Just heard back from my producer that three of the feature projects I developed treatments for are in production at BET!!!

AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

Mind, I’ve written six projects for this producer thus far, so I’m batting at 500 right now, and I’m STOKED.

I have no idea what the future of these projects are, but I’m so excited and grateful, and I’m feeling super affirmed right now. EEEEEEEEE!!!!

29 NOVEMBER 2020

Submitted my very first TV fellowship application to the Sesame Workshop Writer’s Room!

JUNE 2020

Arguably, one of my biggest achievements for this month has been finishing up my first year of teaching as a Theatre Teacher. And YEESH, was it challenging. Especially in the midst of a pandemic! O_O

But I survived, and so did my kid. In fact, she finished the year with incredible grades, and I’m super proud of both her success and her growth. If anything, those two things (her educational success and mine too) were our biggest and most exciting outcomes for June. 

Still! As with last month, I’ve been writing my buns off in the TV and novel department! Here’s what I’ve been up to:

• Plotting my SONS OF EXODUS series (the prequel to the Books of Ezekiel)
• Plotting my BOOKS OF EZEKIEL series
• Worked on the BOOKS OF EZEKIEL TV pilot
• Continued developing my first mega-course for THE BOHEMIAN BADASS brand and business! The course is called “PLOT LIKE A BADASS” and is designed to help writers of sci-fi, action, and survival horror to plot breakneck, high-octane, action-packed, and thrilling novels

MAY 2020

This month has been personally and professionally taxing. A lot of crazy things have been happening in my life (most of them unprovoked), and those things have taken an emotional toll on me.

Still! I’ve been writing my buns off in the TV and novel department! Namely, I’ve been:

• Plotting my SURROGATE TV series
• Plotting my EZEKIEL TV series
• Plotting my WHEN IN ROHM TV series
• Plotting my ASYLUM TV series
• Plotting my SANDMAN TV series / film
• Worked on the following novels: Wolves, Ash, and Ember (Sons of Exodus #5), Sandman, Fraternity (Books of Ezekiel #4), Hollow Point (Books of Ezekiel #5)
• Worked on the following TV scripts: Asylum 

APRIL 2020

I hate to say this, because it sounds callous. But it’s also my personal truth: COVID has been horrible to me, my family and friends, and especially the world… but quarantine has been very good to me. 

I’ve been home since March 11, and for the first time in nearly a year, I’ve actually been able to take care of myself. I’m sleeping more, no longer eat out regularly (and eat meals mostly made/cooked at home), am spending more time with my daughter, have eliminated my commute entirely, and have cut my work stress down to pretty much 10%.

I’ve also been able to do a lot more things that I enjoy, including WRITING. LOTS OF WRITING. I’ve also picked up a painting hobby, which I love, and am pursuing my long-delayed interests in gardening, homesteading, tarot, astrology, and fashion design.

Getting A LOT of writing done. A LOT, a lot. I haven’t been able to pick up a pen or put my fingers to keys for months… honestly, I hadn’t worked on anything since June 2019. While this year I released THE LOCK IN (BOOKS OF EZEKIEL #3) and was working on the audiobook and paperback releases, I was still experiencing a serious dearth in my writing habit.

Now, it’s back on like popcorn, and I’ve moved fully into pursuing not only novel writing and series development, but also TV writing, TV series development, and screenwriting.

 It’s been wonderful.

MARCH 11, 2020

COVID hit, and the world is standing still. Walking the streets feels like an episode right out the Walking Dead. Super scary. Very quiet. 

I’ve taken refuge both in my office space at home and in the new survival horror TV series I’m working on, SURROGATE. I’m LOVING its progress right now, and working on it every day has been glorious.

I have a lot I’d like to say with this series. Everyone gets held accountable. And I think it’s also producible on the indie level, so I’m stoked.

Also finishing a LOT of books and creative courses now, including lots of courses for TV writing and dramatic writing, and the illustrious Shonda Rhimes has been an incredible role model in this regard.

1 OCTOBER 2014

What am I working on this month? MOTHERHOOD! Today, my gorgeous little girl was born (this pic is her at 3 months old, though).

Motherhood is one of the hardest journeys I’ve ever EVER taken, so writing has (unfortunately) fallen to the wayside while I focus on being the very best mommy I can be!

It’s sooo worth it, though. Isn’t she ADORABLE?

DECEMBER 6, 2013

Screamed in joy as I hit the “publish” button on my first novel, “Ghosts of Koa: The First Book of Ezekiel”. This tome sat at a nice fat 512 pages and was to be the first of a series of novels of similar lengths.

LOL! Oh, I was such a sweet summer child then, lol.

But I was super amped to have written, edited, and published my very first novel in a genre that I coined “epic urban fantasy”. This book birthed the badass Ezekiel D’jihara Anon into my world and started the journey of a lifetime.