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Interview with author Michelle Stimpson
SP: Welcome
to Soul Pen, Michelle. I love your book, so the privilege of
interviewing you is quite rewarding! Congratulations on your success
with your debut novel, Boaz Brown,
and speaking of success, how exciting has all of this been for you?
Michelle: Thanks,
Mata! This interview is exciting for me as well--considering the fact
that your website has featured such wonderful authors.
This whole journey--from first thought through publication--has been a
vision come to pass for me. It has been and continues to be a great
blessing.
SP: Michelle,
like many writers today, you have website. I recently visited your
site, and I especially enjoyed the "For Writers" section. Tell your
fans about some of what they will find at michellestimpson.com.
Michelle: As you mentioned,
they will find a section I posted in response to the many questions I
receive on the writing process as well as the publishing process.
Basically, I've put out everything I know (which may or may not be
much!) in an effort to help others in their quest to write for the
Christian audience. There are so many of us who want to live a life
that is pleasing unto God--including the choice to honor Him by what we
read.
SP: I
applaud you for leading readers into the very sensitive subject of race
relations in America. Is there a specific event from your own
experience that inspired you to write Boaz
Brown?
Michelle: The
inspiration for Boaz Brown
came right after the 9-11 incidents. I remember seeing a picture
of people (survivors in a dark room) who were covered in gray ash. They
were so thoroughly covered that I couldn't tell what color they were,
what their hair texture was, sometimes not even the gender. It was the
first time in my life that I saw people without the filter of race. And
the Spirit revealed to me that what I saw then--one people covered in
gray ash--was the way God saw his children--one people covered under
the blood of Jesus. As awful as that day was for us all, I saw
something about myself and about the world. His children shouldn't have
all of these adjectives that the world puts on us when we define
ourselves in Him. Black Christians, White Christians, Hispanic
Christians--it only serves to divide the body of Christ. We,
Christians, are supposed to be known for our love (John 13:35). And yet
the irony of it all is that the most segregated hour in America is
Sunday morning at 11:00. If we, the body of Christ, cannot love past
color then we have no right to ask or expect the world (our
educational, financial, or entertainment venues) to do so.
SP: You've
given the focal character of your novel, Miss LaShondra Smith, great
depth, allowing readers to see her mind and feel her heart. For those
who have yet to become acquainted with LaShondra, tell us a little
about her.
Michelle:
LaShondra is a 30-ish woman who is busy with the work of God in her
life. She's a vice-principal who also works actively in her church. She
has a loving, supportive family and one good solid homegirl, Peaches.
LaShondra isn't really twiddling her thumbs in hopes for the right man,
but it would be nice if the right man came along. She has been around
the block a few times and she knows what she does NOT want in a man, so
she's decided that she's going to hold out for God's best. She knows
that she wants a man of integrity who loves the Lord. Not asking for a
whole lot--just a black man who will do right by the Lord and by her.
Problem is, when God sends the "right" man, he is the "wrong" color.
LaShondra has to decide if she's going to reject this gift because it's
in the wrong color wrapping paper and (in the process) she learns a lot
about the ugly prejudices she has carried around all her life. It's all
about her willingness to align herself with the will of God.
That said, this book isn't just about her issues with race as it
pertains to her Boaz. Maybe someone's Boaz is "too short" or "too fat"
or "too whatever". It's about being equally yoked however God allows
that to occur.
SP: As I am learning, the journey from that first written
paragraph to publication is long and challenging. With any challenge,
there are things we learn about ourselves. What are some things you've
learned about yourself during this season of your life as you've
written, published, and now promote your work?
Michelle: Oooh,
that's deep, Mata! I've learned quite a bit. In terms of writing the
novel, I really had to check myself. I wondered (and prayed), "Are you
sure I'm the right one to write this book?" because I had a whole lotta
stuff that fought against the idea of interracial anything. Like
LaShondra, I grew up hearing things like, "Don't trust white people",
"Indians are crazy", "Mexicans are nasty", and "Black folks don't know
how to handle business", and "Stick with your own kind". Those things
become a part of you when you've heard them all your life. I felt I was
going through this challenge with LaShondra because on one hand, I
respect my parents' experience. They (Boomers) went through things that
I only read about. And then you have my generation (30-ish, x-ers) and
we were the first in our families to go to K-12 integrated Southern
schools. Then you have this newest generation, and they don't care what
color you are so long as you know how to play Nintendo. Things are
changing--due in great part to the sacrifices made by my parents'
generation. So I'm in this catch-22 whereby I want to pass down the
history, but it's hard to do so without passing down the anger,
the resentment, the hate. We have to do it in His love, and that's what
this book is all about. Examiming ourselves in light of the truth of
His love. You'll laugh along the way, get mad along the way, think
along the way, and pray along the way. It's time that we all
(regardless of color) get to a point where we can remember the history
and embrace the lessons because we don't want to repeat the same
mistakes. But we have to let go of the grudge (black Americans) and the
shame (white Americans) in order to move on. As Dr. King said, "We
might have come here on different ships, but we are all in the same
boat now." This is especially true for Christians in a country that is
in a position to influence the world.
SP: Michelle, you are an inspiration, and I'm so glad you were
able to share with us. I hope we get to talk more in the future!
Michelle:
Thanks, Mata. It has been a pleasure! God bless!
For more about Michelle, visit her website www.MichelleStimpson.com.
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