Articles on Education
The BV Q&A: Author Bebe Moore Campbell
By Patrice Gaines, Special to AOL BlackVoices,
Posted: 2005-06-21 11:24:47
The BV Book Club
Novelist Bebe Moore Campbell has a way of approaching broad life issues with simple contemplation, writing in a distinct African-American voice. Her diction and settings, themes and plots, all work together to uncover the usually-troubled personalities of her main characters. Typically, they are black women, fed up with life but strong and determined; fashionable, but realizing the downside of aging. They're also brave women, giving their all to push back the troika of gender, race and self-doubt.
Her best-known books, ‘Brothers and Sisters,’ ‘Singing in the Comeback Choir,’ ‘What You Owe Me’ and Your Blues Ain't Like Mine,’ are all award-winners. They are also some of the most-read books in black America’s reading circles. Her upcoming novel, scheduled for release at the end of the month, takes on mental illness. And in her unique style, she attempts to pin down another complex subject, sweetly exposing all the limitations and vulnerabilities of her characters.
BV spoke with Campbell from her summer home on Martha’s Vineyard about her new book, her writing process and why publishing houses misunderstand black women.
You have a new book coming out the end of June, right?
Yes, ‘72 Hour Hold.’ That title refers to the period of time that a psychiatric hospital can hold a mentally ill person against his or her will.
What’s the book about?
It’s about a woman named Keri, who becomes a radical when her mentally ill child is failed by the mental health system. Keri is also caught up in a love triangle. Her world stops when her daughter becomes mentally ill.
Novelist Bebe Moore Campbell has a way of approaching broad life issues with simple contemplation, writing in a distinct African-American voice. Her diction and settings, themes and plots, all work together to uncover the usually-troubled personalities of her main characters. Typically, they are black women, fed up with life but strong and determined; fashionable, but realizing the downside of aging. They're also brave women, giving their all to push back the troika of gender, race and self-doubt.
Her best-known books, ‘Brothers and Sisters,’ ‘Singing in the Comeback Choir,’ ‘What You Owe Me’ and Your Blues Ain't Like Mine,’ are all award-winners. They are also some of the most-read books in black America’s reading circles. Her upcoming novel, scheduled for release at the end of the month, takes on mental illness. And in her unique style, she attempts to pin down another complex subject, sweetly exposing all the limitations and vulnerabilities of her characters.
BV spoke with Campbell from her summer home on Martha’s Vineyard about her new book, her writing process and why publishing houses misunderstand black women.
You have a new book coming out the end of June, right?
Yes, ‘72 Hour Hold.’ That title refers to the period of time that a psychiatric hospital can hold a mentally ill person against his or her will.
What’s the book about?
It’s about a woman named Keri, who becomes a radical when her mentally ill child is failed by the mental health system. Keri is also caught up in a love triangle. Her world stops when her daughter becomes mentally ill.
Why this book, this subject?
I wrote this book because I have a mentally ill family member and I have become passionate about advocating for those people with mental illnesses and those family members who support them. It’s the most exciting book I’ve written.
Exciting?
Yes. First, it’s a first-person novel. And it’s also a saga. It’s also about a woman coming to grips with how strong she really is and her journey enables her to choose the man she needs to be with.
This makes how many books for you?
This is the eighth book to be published.
That’s certainly a respectable body of work. What are your writing habits?
I’m very disciplined about writing, but not in all areas of my life. I don’t think you should be. When I’m doing it I’m focused on doing it. When I’m writing and have a project that is due, I pretty much write every day.
How did you learn your fiction-writing technique?
I taught myself by reading. One time I had an editor Daryl Royster Alexander. I was doing a piece for the New York Times magazine and I was about to turn it in. She called me and we were on the phone about eight hours.
Eight hours?
I spent eight hours putting that piece together. It was a cover story. [Writing it] was an education: Story 101.
I had another editor, Faith Sale. Faith was not my favorite. I didn’t always want to hear what she told me. She was a hard editor but I learned a lot from her. I learned a lot about the business from my editor Adrienne Ingrum. She taught me more about the business than anyone. From day one, I had my own instincts. I was smart enough to know if I didn’t sell, I wouldn’t get another chance. And I was perceptive enough to know, they didn’t know how to sell me. They didn’t know how to handle a black woman.
What do you mean when you say they didn’t know how to handle a black woman?
Publicity-wise. ‘Successful Women, Angry Men’ was the first book I wrote. I had been writing for ESSENCE for 10 years at that point and I remember they weren’t going to go for an excerpt in ESSENCE. They didn’t know black radio stations. They seemed unaware of the black press. I had to introduce them to that.
Do they do a better job now?
Absolutely. I think publishers started doing a better job acquiring and promoting the work of black authors after the spring of 1992, after Terry McMillan, Toni Morrison and Alice Walker were on the New York Times Best Sellers List at the same time.
What advice do you have for beginning writers?
Read what you want to write. If you want to write a memoir, read a lot of memoirs. Steep yourself in what you’re trying to do. Take workshops. Send your stuff out and recover from rejection until someone says, ‘I’ll buy it.’
What helped you overcome rejection?
My writers’ workshop. Toni Cade Bambara was my teacher. It didn’t matter if three stories came back that week; I was nurtured. I was told I could do it.
About the Author
Patrice Gaines is a writer living in South Carolina. She is the author of 'Laughing In the Dark' and 'Moments of Grace.'
I wrote this book because I have a mentally ill family member and I have become passionate about advocating for those people with mental illnesses and those family members who support them. It’s the most exciting book I’ve written.
Exciting?
Yes. First, it’s a first-person novel. And it’s also a saga. It’s also about a woman coming to grips with how strong she really is and her journey enables her to choose the man she needs to be with.
This makes how many books for you?
This is the eighth book to be published.
That’s certainly a respectable body of work. What are your writing habits?
I’m very disciplined about writing, but not in all areas of my life. I don’t think you should be. When I’m doing it I’m focused on doing it. When I’m writing and have a project that is due, I pretty much write every day.
How did you learn your fiction-writing technique?
I taught myself by reading. One time I had an editor Daryl Royster Alexander. I was doing a piece for the New York Times magazine and I was about to turn it in. She called me and we were on the phone about eight hours.
Eight hours?
I spent eight hours putting that piece together. It was a cover story. [Writing it] was an education: Story 101.
I had another editor, Faith Sale. Faith was not my favorite. I didn’t always want to hear what she told me. She was a hard editor but I learned a lot from her. I learned a lot about the business from my editor Adrienne Ingrum. She taught me more about the business than anyone. From day one, I had my own instincts. I was smart enough to know if I didn’t sell, I wouldn’t get another chance. And I was perceptive enough to know, they didn’t know how to sell me. They didn’t know how to handle a black woman.
What do you mean when you say they didn’t know how to handle a black woman?
Publicity-wise. ‘Successful Women, Angry Men’ was the first book I wrote. I had been writing for ESSENCE for 10 years at that point and I remember they weren’t going to go for an excerpt in ESSENCE. They didn’t know black radio stations. They seemed unaware of the black press. I had to introduce them to that.
Do they do a better job now?
Absolutely. I think publishers started doing a better job acquiring and promoting the work of black authors after the spring of 1992, after Terry McMillan, Toni Morrison and Alice Walker were on the New York Times Best Sellers List at the same time.
What advice do you have for beginning writers?
Read what you want to write. If you want to write a memoir, read a lot of memoirs. Steep yourself in what you’re trying to do. Take workshops. Send your stuff out and recover from rejection until someone says, ‘I’ll buy it.’
What helped you overcome rejection?
My writers’ workshop. Toni Cade Bambara was my teacher. It didn’t matter if three stories came back that week; I was nurtured. I was told I could do it.
About the Author
Patrice Gaines is a writer living in South Carolina. She is the author of 'Laughing In the Dark' and 'Moments of Grace.'
2005-06-13 13:26:14
