Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
<What's your next literary endeavor?>

I am working on a fiction book right now to take a break from the
family stories.  It is a new genre for me and one in which I would like
to work.  My writing group has given me great feedback, so I will
continue with this project for a few months.

It is the writing process that soothes and fills me.  I love the
written word and will continue both memoir and fiction...
  

    
TV in CHICAGO! That's gotta mean Oprah, yes? Yay!
  

    
Deborah -

Do you know what Syl is doing now?
  

    
What's the craziest thing you did?
  

    
Can't wait to  read your fiction, your writing style is so pleasant to
read. 

It sounds like you have quite a few books in you and we can expect
many more to come. Yahoo.

Is Carlos going to write something himself? He - obviously, both of
you - has been such a spiritual force for such a long time now. What's
been happening with the original band members, and also Carlos'
influence on the new kids on the block after his collaborative album
and the grammys?

Also, can you tell us a bit more about the work Milagro does and all
the good things happening with your foundations?
  

    
<TV in CHICAGO!>

Right now, TV in Chicago is the morning program on WGN (8 AM June 3),
but, as always, what the universe has planned is already in motion and
more appearances may come.

<Do you know what Syl is doing now?>

I have no idea what Sylvester Stewart is doing now.  That part of my
life/memoir upset our son, Salvador, so deeply that he asked around. 
He heard that Sylvester is in a wheelchair now.  

 Life is so very, very complicated.  How we treat our bodies, minds
and souls determines the quality and outcome of our existence.  Yet,
even though Sly led such an unevolved life, I do not wish him harm and
do not encourage anyone to hate him.  He lived within his level of
consciousness.  As hard as it was for me to accept he could not change,
as soon as I realized that was not my level of consciousness, I got
away.
  

    
<What's the craziest thing you did?>

One of the experiences I cut from my finished SBTS memoir, was a time
that Sri Chinmoy asked some of us "girl" disciples to gather together
100 edible items as "prasad" (blessed food) for him to give out in
celebration of 100 tiny sketches he had completed.  

Often times, he sold these paintings to disciples to raise money for
the meditation centers (himself?? - not sure).  

The scene in my book showed a few of us in Jamaica, Queens, pushing
shopping carts through an A&P market, throwing tiny marshmallows,
grapes, raisins, heads of cauliflower, maraschino cherries, M&Ms -
anything we could think of - into the carts.  Then we had to go back to
someone's apartment and put these items into white lunch bags for SC
to give to disciples.  

It was exhausting and ridiculous - a true example of mindless work.
  

    
<Is Carlos going to write something himself?>

Carlos has tried many times to work with other writers to put his
story down.  He has been so busy with his music that it has been
difficult for him to participate.

Once he read "Space Between the Stars" and saw how I created scenes
and texture, he didn't just want someone detached from him to interview
him and then create a book.  

Perspective is so important to the story.  Carlos wants his memoir to
have divine purpose and heart - and he now wants to be much more
involved in the writing and not just put something out that reads like
an extended interview.
  

    
Hi Deborah:

I'm in NY and just dropped off the copies of your audiobook I bought
as b-day presents.

The audiobook is really wonderful...a beautiful mix of sound, texture,
readings, and music. 

What kind of feedback have you been getting on that?
  

    
<can you tell us a bit more about the work Milagro does and all
the good things happening with your foundations?>

Since 1998, our Milagro Foundation has served agencies that support
children and youth in the areas of art, education and health.

Many of the organizations we fund are grass-roots agencies started by
one nurse, teacher, human being with a vision and a passion for
children.  Tutoring programs, summer camps for children infected with
HIV/AIDS, equestrian sports and activities program, leadership and
positive gender identity training for girls, fatherhood support, sexual
abuse recovery and counseling, sewing machines in India -- what an
honor to assist people who have the needs of others foremost in their
minds. 

We try to visit as many of the groups as possible, to feel the energy
and power exuded by these people who will hopefully change our world
through what they learn and receive.

Please go to www.milagrofoundation.org to see photos of our grantees!
  

    
<The audiobook is really wonderful...a beautiful mix of sound,
texture,
readings, and music. What kind of feedback have you been getting on
that?>

Hey Farai!  So great to hear from you.  (I just received your email
about PopandPolitics).

The audiobook is receiving wonderful feedback.  Most people did not
expect the bonus CD of music and LOVE Salvador's piano, my dad's
"Summertime" and the unreleased Santana tunes.

One man wrote that he actually bought the audiobook ONLY for the
music, but decided to listen to the book and loved it - so I guess the
range of experience is broad.

An unexpected gratification is that I have had a few sight-impaired
people tell me how grateful they were to be able to "read" my memoir. 
I had not realized how important audio is to so many and am deeply
pleased that SBTS is able to fill that need.
  

    
The audio book is very special. Is there any chance you'll release
another version -- unabridged? 
  

    
Wow, that was my next question.  It kind of ties in to the question I
originally asked, if the book was available as an audio book in it's
entirety.  I would buy that!

Any more teasers about the upcoming novel?
  

    
<if the book was available as an audio book in it's
entirety...>

You won't even notice that SBTS is abridged.  Kristin Lesko, who did
the abridgment, did an incredible job.  I proofed her edit and when I
read the audio, I hardly knew what was missing.  It's seamless.

The bonus CD with music and the interview with Carlos and me took time
away from me reading the entire book.  But I always wanted music from
my family included with my memoir.  It is incredibly special and such a
part  of who I am.



There is a version of the audio recorded for libraries in its
entirety, read by someone else.  I haven't heard it, but you may be
able to find it in your local library!
  

    
<teasers about the upcoming novel?>

It begins in Central California and the main character is a 19 year
old mulatta, Sierra (maybe her name will stay; maybe not).  I am
enthralled with creating a contemporary novel that reflects real life
challenges with blended people who have spiritual connections.

This is so much fun for me and frightening, yet exciting.  The writing
process is what I love and I feel no pressure right now; only the joy
of creating something new.
  

    
This might sound a bit 'wigged' out but I'll say it anyway. Your book
is having a profound impact on me and others whom I'm talking with at
our local bookstore.

There is some kind of 'vibe' that is synchronistic with all of us. I
think your book captures that cosmic vibration and as we read it we go
"yeah" and it helps us focus on the "greater things" of our life and
what is really happening above and below us. We, here, have a general
sense of bliss and feeling that good things are happening all around.
Your emotional and intellectual honesty seems to coincide with our own
- what is actually been going on in our own family circles for the past
6 months or so. That's not projection on my part, I've had four
different people tell me the same thing as they come to pick up your
book or I put it in their hands. Way cool.

For me, there is a kind of distillation of many years of half-baked
projects and thought about various fields of knowledge all coming into
focus - emotionally, intellectually and practically and your book
was/is the spark for that. Not running you for local goddess or
anything, but I cannot thank you enough.

More than that, 
  

    
<We, here, have a general sense of bliss and feeling that good things
are happening all around.>

I am glad that my "emotional and intellectual honesty" has had a
positive effect on people.  It is interesting that you say there is a
general sense of good things happening all around.

My philosophy is that "love is the way."  Of course there are a
million bad things going on, but if we rise together above the negative
to believe we can effect change through good works and believing in
love, that truly raises the level of the consciousness sea.

I'm sounding a bit "California" above, but it is universal, not just a
West Coast peculiarity. 
  

    
Hi, Deborah.  My wife and daughter and I are very happy to have met
you at Folio yesterday.  I hope it was a successful event.  How did it
go for you overall?

> I am glad that my "emotional and intellectual honesty" has had a
positive effect on people.

I regard that as an elegant understatement.  I'm not exagerating when
I say that your book has inspired me.

> My philosophy is that "love is the way." 

I'm with you there.  And I'm fond of repeating Joseph Campbell's
observation that, "If God is love, then love is God."

> I'm sounding a bit "California" above, but it is universal, not just
a West Coast peculiarity. 

Deborah, I agree that it's universal.  But to the extent that it is
"California,", perhaps it's not such a bad thing.  For instance, I
remember last June we went to see Hugh Masekela perform a special
one-night-only concert at the Herbst Theater, in celebration of the
10th anniversary of apartheid's official demise in South Africa. 
Masekela specifically wanted to thank the San Francisco Bay Area for
for having led the US in this regard.  That's one way in which history
will look kindly on our California thing, despite it being the butt of
many jokes.
  

    
Deborah, do you think you could work with Carlos to write his
lifestory, or would that put too much pressure on you? 
  

    
<Folio yesterday...>

The Folio event was bright and fun - signing books was great.  I
missed the format of book store readings and answering questions, but
it was nice to connect with people up close.  And to meet your
beautiful family...

<do you think you could work with Carlos to write his life story, or
would that put too much pressure on you?>

I have been asked by numerous people if I could/would write Carlos's
memoir with him.  It seemed before that it would be "too much Carlos"
(a jest around our house), but in truth, a memoir is so personal and
the revelations sometimes painful for others.  I truly believe it would
be more interesting and freeing for Carlos to work with another
writer, although I could do an authentic job because I know his family
and background so deeply. 
  

    
Perhaps, for Carlos, his memoir would be music.

;-)
  

    
<Perhaps, for Carlos, his memoir would be music.>

Interesting, but he wants a book to relate his experiences with and
without his guitar.  In the past, he has told stories about meeting
different musicians, playing with Miles (his #1 mentor/idol), John Lee,
Wayne Shorter, Herbie...  he has a million stories.  And the metaphors
Carlos uses when he speaks are quite unique and beautiful .  

He remembers visually, like the time Miles took him and his best
friend, Gary, to a nightclub in Harlem and Miles tried to start a fight
with the bouncer; I was home in our Queens apartment worrying about
where Carlos  was, not imagining Miles telling a 6'6" man to go *$%+
himself!  
  

    
that's funny! I can understand why it would be certainly be easier for
you if Carlos collaborated with someone else, and it has to be
liberating to write exactly what you want without having to conform to
someone else's expectations, ESPECIALLY your husbands.

You and Carlos share so much of your working lives anyway. Has
publishing this book been comparable to releasing a Santana CD? Has it
been what you expected? Is there anything about the release/book tour
experience you'd like to change?
  

    
<Has publishing this book been comparable to releasing a Santana CD?>

Carlos is an international star (& I mean that in the purest sense of
the term).  When he is gearing up to release a CD, our publicists have
to turn down many requests for interviews and Carlos receives national
attention.  I never understood how incredible this was until I released
Space Between the Stars.  National media was not interested in my
work, and, because media has often not read or even listened to product
before they interview, they certainly had no idea of the content of my
memoir.

My experience has been much simpler, much more local, and to be
perfectly honest, that has been fabulous for me.  I think I would be
intimidated to be in front of the cameras that Carlos is so accustomed
to.  I truly believe that my audience will grow because of the writing.
 I love that the media has been respectful of me and kind.
  

    
<anything about the release/book tour experience you'd like to change>

I have loved every book store and audience.  I wouldn't change
anything.  Every city I've visited so far, I have been delighted by the
audience and their participation in my life experiences.

When Kitsaun and I arrived in Morgan Hill Saturday, March 19th, the
town was absolutely empty.  Only one family walked on the sidewalk and
cars zoomed through town on their way to Gilroy or points beyond.  We
meandered into a coffee shop, read the newspaper, and then sauntered
into BookSmart.  I was thinking, "I hope there are at least 5 people
inside."
Sitting silently, waiting in folding chairs, were at least 70 people. 
More came until the talk began.  You could have knocked me over with a
breath of fresh air.  I'll never forget the children in that audience,
the laughter and the love.