The Return of Black Cool & RIP Maya Angelou

There was a time when men and women (including African Americans) wore tuxedos and gowns on stage and on television. It’s that time period that’s revisited in the novel The Queen of Comedy. There’s a free sneak peek of the novel on Amazon, and it will be available on Kindle for free on these dates: May 31st, June 1st and June 2nd.

 

 

 

“I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.” – Maya Angelou  (1928-2014)

 

The LA Times has a tribute to Maya Angelou that Dear Author listed this week:

Maya Angelou’s TV legacy, from ‘Roots’ to ‘Sesame Street,’ ‘Super Soul’

 

 

I’m taking a few more days to work on Queensrealm, but The Queen of Comedy will also be released in June

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Queen of Comedy is a generational tale, not only focusing on the history of black entertainers during segregation, but bickering relatives who work in the genres of comedy, music and film

 

Here’s a very brief excerpt highlighting a primary character during one of his performances in 1966:

David Latimore hit the stage as soon as his name was announced. A shock of spotlight caught him leaping into view like the moment a black and white print develops in a darkroom tray. Holding a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other, he did a side slide toward his mike, accompanied by the driving, jazzy beat of percussion. There was rousing applause in front of him, a standing eight count followed by blaring horns behind him, then full orchestration. More blinding light greeted him, illuminating the dark contours of his face. He paused, taking an extended drag from his cigarette and taking a moment to size up the audience. Because comedy was like foreplay. If he took the time to savor the occasion and did it right, the payoff was one big climax. That was just how seductive the power of laughter could be.