Monday is the anniversary of the day my mother was born. Every year around this time I get a little melancholy, but this year is even more emotional. My mom LOVED TV. Loved it, loved it, loved it! She had 2 subscriptions to TV Guide, one for the bedroom TV and one for the living room. She loved to read too. She is the reason I loved to read. So I can't even imagine how thrilled she would be with a television movie based on a book that her daughter wrote.
(This is one of the last pictures we took together. I was about 25 and she was around 41. She was visiting me here in Denver, and we were about to go out on the town. We hit a comedy club, then went to a dance club and heard a band. She flirted from the audience with the lead singer while I whined about wanting to go home. "You can sleep when you get old," she told me. Dig my glasses! And I'm pretty sure those are freckles above my lip, not a stache!)
My mom took me to the club (once telling a bouncer, "I'm her mother, would I lie about her age to get her in a bar?" Answer: yes). Jill Scott's mom took her to the ballet. Jill, who plays the mom in the movie, pays tribute to her own mother.
Speaking of mothers, mommies might like this interview with me about the book and the movie on the Sun Kissed Mommy blog.
Catch me on From Cover to Cover chatting with authors ReShonda Tate Billingsley and Pat Tucker. On Monday evening I'll be on the Black Authors Network talking with Ella Curry and the Go On Girls Book Club!
9 comments:
I love your writing, and am So Looking Forward to the Movie!!!
I know from what you say here that your mama would be so thrilled for you, and proud of your success.
I just discovered your blog here and am so happy about that...
Want to share that my sister calles pajamas "the homeschoolers uniform"!
My mother is dead, and I took care of her ( role reversal many of us experience) for the last few years of her life. She was a writer with over 60 published titles of historical fiction and romance. We were lucky to have had great moms...and as soon as I saw your book, and read it, I knew my mom would have enjoyed it and appreciated your work.
I feel she ( and maybe your mom, too) will be watching "in spirit" with us all on February 21st!
xooxxo Chloe River Peart
ps...I first discovered you on Marisa De Los Santos FB page, good networking! You go girl...making your mother proud!
Carleen. I feel you and for you. I saw the Lifetime promo for Sins of the Mother night before last and just about jumped out of my skin with joy for you. I've read your writing about your mom before, and somehow, seeing this post, before I read your words, the photo and the title line told me the whole story. The picture is one that I recognized, before I even did the math. My mom turned 18a month after she had me. I have a similar picture, of a 26 year old me, with my 44 year old mother. My mother, also a bit of a rebel, looks out at the camera with a look of glee and pure joy, while the look on my face radiates a calmer joy, less ownership of and time in the world. I immediately recognized your picture. Your mother young and beautiful, the look on her face difficult to describe, but containing many things: pride, and ownership of something - her life, her choices, her triumphs. You standing beside her, younger, less certain, but very much you and certain in your own way. I'm babbling and not making much sense, but I appreciate your post sista. And love love love that promo. Much love to you.
What a nice photo, Carleen and a good experience to remember your Mom by. It's funny what moments and experiences bond us to our parents. My relationship with my mother is conflicted--for me at least--and I've come to the realization though it's not without sadness, that it will likely always be that way. Still, she is mother and a good part of who I am is because of my relationship with her. Anyway, I look forward to seeing the movie on Sunday! I'm sure many of us daughters will shed some tears...
Chloe, I was with my mother during her last days too. It was a huge experience!
Angel, Thank you! Would love to see the pic of you and your mom.
Cheri, My relationship with my mother was conflicted too so I feel you. I think the mother-daughter relationship is often complicated to say the least.
When my mom passed away last year, someone told me that her mom had passed 10 years ago and she still missed her. Me? I'm hard core. I'll get over it, right? Haha!! I teared up reading about *your mom!
One of the saddest thoughts I have is that no matter what I do, I can't prevent my own children from having this same pain when I'm gone. I don't want them to hurt like this, not about me!
Edi, You make me want to cry. I know that one of the hardest parts of leaving for my mom was leaving us. It was brutal. But I know mothers would rather have that pain than the pain of having one of their children go first. There's no way around it though, is there? In this life, there will be the pain of loss, no matter what. Sorry to hear about your mom.
I can imagine my mother being so excited by this movie. Like your mother my mother loved, loved TV espcially movies aobut black people. She would have love your book I can almost hear her now talking about all the charaters. In a way my sister and I will be with her when when we settle in to watch it.
Lafreya, Yes, I believe will be with your sister and you--she always is. It's a nice image of the 3 of you watching this movie. Thank you!
Hi, I just read this post and it is funny how we remember the little things like her ordering 2 t.v. guides. I am sure your mother would have been very proud of you, but I do understand conflict with ones mother, as I didn't become conflicted with my mother until I became an adult and a secret was revealed. It is amazing how this changed everything in my life, we see each other, but the conflict will never be resolved. By the way, I keep meaning to take your book to my mom because she loves to read and I know she will enjoy. I am going to do it this week. Barbara Albin
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