In praise of Bebe Moore Campbell

I'm saddened today to learn that one of my favorite writers has passed away. I knew she was sick, but I had no idea it was so serious. Brain cancer.

I am a fan and an admirer. I considered her a mentor, even though we never met (except years ago she signed a copy of Your Blues Ain't Like Mine for me). I modeled my literary career after hers. I wanted to start with nonfiction and then move to fiction, like Bebe did. I picked my first literary agency because it had been Bebe's first literary agency.

I still hope to write a book one day as beautiful as Your Blues or as insightful as Brothers and Sisters or as warm as Sweet Summer (a memoir). To write books that mean as much to someone else as her books mean to me.

God bless you Bebe and thank you for blazing such a clear, true path!