Naleighna Kai's Literary Cafe Magazine NK Literary Cafe Magazine - April 2018 Issue | Page 24

Book Fascination
Books have always fascinated me, as early as a
young girl in elementary school I was a fan of Judy
Blume and Beverly Cleary books, that is when my
love affair with books began. This girl here loved
when it was library day because it was time to pick
out a new book and get lost in the words.
As I got older, curiosity had me sneaking to read
my mother’s books, Jackie Collins, V.C. Andrews,
Mary Higgins Clark and Stephen King and these
unique writers had me hooked. My favorite was
Jackie Collins because she had some incredible
stories and I was truly fascinated by the lifestyles
of the rich and famous.
I loved them all because it was a getaway from
reality. Especially Judy Blume. Her characters were
relatable, the oddballs, the less popular ones. I felt
like the oddball growing up in a middle-class suburb
in New Jersey since I was from Richmond, Virginia.
As an adult, I have re-read those childhood
books because my children were reading them. I
fell in love with them all over again. Jackie, VC,
Stephen King, and Mary Higgins Clark are all
classic wordsmiths with unique storytelling skills.
Mystery, suspense, with some glamour appealed to
me and stories penned by them, possessed those
elements in varying degrees. Those “Fab Four” all
have had their books turned into films. Not only
was that a fabulous accomplishment, but it became
a personal career goal of my own.
In my early twenties, I didn’t know the difference
between being signed with a major publishing
house or self-publishing. I simply knew I liked
reading books and if they were good, I would
complete them in a single day. It wasn’t until a friend
loaned me Omar Tyree’s Flyy Girl, that I saw that
urban fiction was quite as interesting as my favorite
mainstream books. I was able to read about people
who looked like me and instead of dining on caviar
and champagne, they were eating fried chicken
and collard greens. Stereotype, maybe, but who
doesn’t enjoy dining on southern cuisine?
Let’s fast forward to the present day. Kisha Green
24 | NKLC Magazine
Kisha Green
Kisha Green
is now a published author, blogger, book promoter, and
consultant. This means I still love books and have made
a living by turning my passion into profit. Sounds great,
right? Well, it did until I started second guessing myself.
One minute I want to be this best-selling author that
everyone is buzzing about, and then the next, I want a
lucrative career as a literary agent. Writing takes a back
seat when a client has a new book or literary endeavor
that piques my interest. Then, when I see a colleague
land a book deal and or make the best seller’s list, I
suddenly want to be an author again. The struggle is
real. My time management skills are real. There isn’t
enough time in the day, because, on top of all of that, I
have to find time to do book reviews and currently have
twelve on my to be read list. Oh, and did I mention I am
in school too?
So, to write or not to write, is the question; but knowing
me, I will continue to do it all as I have in the past. One
thing that I realized is that I do need more structure
and also should prioritize. I have neglected writing full-
length novels because I didn’t want the commitment.
So I give my readers these short stories. Right now,
my readers are bored with those (as am I). Recently, I
received some sound advice, Write a full-length novel!
Yep, just like that, and then that same person offered
me an opportunity that would be a good look exposure-
wise. I guess I needed some motivation and someone to
say what I was thinking, but also who could explain the
business sense of it all. I do wish there was an outline of
the ones I do for writing, but for my day to day schedule
to make sure I am writing daily and won’t miss this 2019
deadline.
Pray for me because the struggle is real. *smile*