Member of the Month: Randi Pink

The See Jane Write Member of the Month for March is Randi Pink.Randi Pink2016 is sure to be a big year for Randi. On March 12 she will take the stage at this year’s TEDxBirmingham to give a talk on how collective misconceptions can transform the world into a place of fear and prejudice. Then, in September, Randi’s debut young adult novel Into White will hit bookshelves.

Into White tells the story of 16-year-old Latoya Williams. Toya lives in Montgomery, Alabama, attends a mostly white high school and has trouble fitting in. After a run-in with a bully, she wonders if her life would be different if she were different. She prays to a higher power to make her “anything but black” and the prayer is answered.

“Diving into the mind of a complicated sixteen-year-old girl was a challenge, but it was such a joy,” Randi says. “Toya is a multidimensional young lady – she’ll make you laugh and then you’ll turn the page and find yourself in tears. She’ll piss you off, and make you wonder why you cried for her in the first place. That’s my Toya, and I’ve selfishly held onto her for too long. I’m proud and excited to introduce her to the world.”

I had a chat with Randi recently about her upcoming book and TEDxBirmingham talk, about how to get a book deal, and about the writing life.

(more…)

Hello, March

March 2016

Hello, March. It’s nice to see you.

I’ve decided you will be the month that changes everything.

I have serious decisions to make about my business, about my blog, and about my writing career. And I’ve decided I won’t let you leave me before I do.

(more…)

Can You Write Your Life Into Existence?

octavia butler
Image by thestoryscape via Blavity

I’m a girl obsessed with goals. I write yearly goals, monthly goals, and even goals for the week.

But so often these goals get lost in my litany of daily tasks. When my daily to-do lists and my lofty aspirations go head to head in battle, the to-do list wins — always.

Then I think of Octavia Butler, the black woman warrior writer who, as Kiara Collins so perfectly stated in a recent article for Blavity, “literally wrote her life into existence.”

(more…)

Ready to Get Your Blog in “FORMATION”?

beyonce is my spirit animal

Well, I did it. I snagged two floor seat tickets to Beyonce’s Formation Tour!

One of my best friends and I will be heading to the Nashville show come May 5!

Ever since Mrs. Carter dropped her new single “Formation” the day before the Super Bowl I have, of course, been thinking of lessons we lady bloggers and lady bosses can learn from the message of “Formation” and from the public’s reaction to the song and video.

And her song also inspired me to create a new mini e-course that I’m excited to tell you about today!  

But first, here are five things I think Beyonce’s “Formation” teaches us:

(more…)

Celebrate Yourself at SOL Dance Experience

sol

What is SOL Dance Experience?

Finding the words to describe SOL Dance Experience is no easy task.

The SOL Dance Experience website simply states: “SOL Dance Experience is a LIGHTS OUT, free-form dance session for women of all fitness levels.”

And you could go to SOL Dance Experience to get in your exercise for the day. Dancing your heart out for a whole hour will certainly help you work up a sweat and burn off some calories. But to call SOL a fitness class just doesn’t seem sufficient.

You could go to SOL Dance Experience simply because you love to dance, but this isn’t the time to work on your technique or to show off your skills. You truly are in complete darkness, save the glow-in-the-dark tabs (or fireflies as the session leaders call them) that help you stay in your own area and keep you from bumping into other dancers.

The SOL mantra is “Find your light in the dark.”

Last night I went to SOL Dance Experience to celebrate my 35th birthday with a dozen members of See Jane Write. Using SOL Dance Experience as a birthday party isn’t necessarily a thing, but I certainly think it will become one after last night’s session.

(more…)