15 August 2016
I have a large extended family, and only three of its members have read all 19 of my books. The others claim to be "too busy" or "not into reading," but they demand free copies of my books anyway.
Growing up in rural Alabama in the late '50s, I loved the written word. I read everything from the Bible to the ads in the Sears and Roebuck catalogues. Such creative nourishment inspired me to make up my own stories. I told everybody I wanted to be a writer, and everybody told me I was crazy. I was advised to forget about writing because it was a hobby, not a real job-especially for a black girl.
