free your mind…

Ever since I wrote that post about the “velvet rope” being used by the publishing industry to exclude folks with “alternative” contributions, I’ve been wondering whether that policy of exclusion applies to my own reading habits.  I don’t read as much as I used to, and I once would have characterized my reading interests as “purely literary.”  I never really thought of that as snobbery; I was in graduate school, and it just seemed obvious that you would write a paper on Toni Morrison–not Terry MacMillan.  Yet I haven’t hastened to devour Morrison’s latest novels, and realize I’m not as open-minded about my reading list as I ought to be.  So I was very glad that I found out about Carleen Brice through my online community, and I was even happier that I bought her novel, Orange Mint & Honey, for my mother for Mother’s Day.  I’ll be honest: I didn’t exactly know what the book was about, but I had read a short review that suggested there were enough broad themes to interest my mother.  Turns out, the book really resonated with my mom, and she plowed through it in about a day.  I borrowed it next, and was surprised to find how complicated and original the narrative was; nothing about this novel was expected, and that made the story compelling.  The protagonist, Shay, has imaginary conversations with Nina Simone, and after finding herself on the brink of a mental and emotional breakdown, opts to live with her mother for one semester.  School has always been her “safe place,” but when she finds her research is stalled (while her compulsive hair-pulling picks up), Shay drives home to Denver and confronts the painful childhood caused by her alcoholic mother, Nona.  Now, anyone who has had a hard time relating to their mother will find something of interest in this book.  What do you DO with betrayal?  Divorce your mother?  Punish her for life?  What if she’s ready to move on and you’re not?  I really liked that Brice made her characters flawed and unforgiving at times; the mother-daughter conflict takes time to resolve, yet Shay isn’t permitted to simply wallow in her (justifiable) bitterness.  The ending completely took me by surprise, and made me reflect on the choices I made in my 20s.  Brice has a new book out, Children of the Waters, and I’ll definitely be looking for it soon.  I’m taking down the velvet rope!  There are too many good stories out there NOT to take a chance on a new (or new to me!) voice…