"I didn't want to speak for Black people and I wanted to speak to and be among them…it's us."
--Toni Morrison
Many may know me as Franny, but I'm here as Keondria: lover of BLACK literature. I've loved reading ever since I realized I could lose myself in the pages of books and be submerged into a world created by putting various words together. In school, I was always an advanced reader-- I was in the 3rd or 4th grade reading Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck or trying to get through Agatha Christy's mystery novels, but I still felt something was missing. Harry Potter had come out around that time and although the magic aspect was cool, I wasn't impressed. Black authors weren't apart of the curriculum or even in our school library. My curiosity piqued once I discovered the African American section at the public library. It was Big Girls Don't Cry by Connie Briscoe that made me realize that people like me wrote stories. I would later discover some other great Black authors who came before Connie but she was my catalyst.
The love I have for literature is inherent; my affinity for Black literature is comparable to Sydney's love for Hip Hop in Brown Sugar. I come from a middle to low class single-parent home in Lafayette, La where reading not only became an escape, it was a necessity. My mother couldn't read well; her education went as far as middle school, so she vicariously lived through my academics by pushing me to learn and to always make sure I was better than her. I remember her asking me to read and comprehend important letters that came in the mail. Sometimes, I became frustrated because I felt pressured to be perfect, but in retrospect, she only wanted me to exceed her limited abilities. Thank you, Rosenella.
As I grew older, my relationship with reading never faltered, but as I excelled in English (the subject), comprehension became just as important. What am I reading and what does it mean? The importance skyrocketed when I learned that my ancestors were essentially punished for reading and attempting to teach others. It also made me empathize with my mother because I remember her telling me her sisters and brothers had to work in the fields instead of going to school.
My light was little dimmed after the passing of my mother because I just did not want to do anything that reminded me of her. I even resorted to a fake love for math, ew. Even though I was good at math, it was boring to me. Nothing changed; the same ole formulas being studied over and over again, whereas books were unpredictably creative. I can confidently say that my flame was reignited when I found the Black Urban Fiction community on Facebook! I became a test reader but was also introduced to Black writers who were my peers! A whole new level unlocked where you didn't have to email your favorite author-- you could comment on their posts or send this a direct message. This is where I was introduced to Charae Lewis, Desiree Granger, K.C. Mills, Mz. Lady P, Shvonne Latrice, BriAnn Danae, Bianca, and Diamond Johnson, a host of others!
When I realized a career could be made from my passion, my heart was elated. I felt like I found my purpose. Out of all the jobs I've experienced, being an editor has been it for me. I considered all my years of reading different genres and authors has equipped me to be a great editor, along with the numerous college English courses I took beyond what was required. Me preferring to edit Black stories is pretty obvious. My contribution to the culture is my keen eye for detail and the audacious ability to keep African American Vernacular English intact. We as Black people have our own language and that should be upheld, not whitewashed. Yes, we should write properly in terms of it being understood effectively by our audience but should we have to conform to what society deems proper English? No. This has always been my intention as an editor these past seven years. Although I've quietly built a career of editing some of the bestselling urban fiction novels, I now feel the urge to take it a step further. I am here to encourage and teach Black authors that we must take pride in the work we release along with the intent behind it. I am here to teach with examples from novels my audience recognizes. I'm here to enlighten others about the beauty of Urban Fiction.
And so, it begins...
To view the services I offer as well as the authors I've worked with, check out my website and if you haven't already joined the mailing list, do so and never miss a blog post. Welcome to The Write Intent Blog.
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