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Book-Remarks.com Featured Author - Benilde Little
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About the Author Benilde Little is the author of the bestselling novel Good Hair, which examined class distinctions among African-Americans through a love relationship between a third-generation Harvard educated surgeon and the book's protagonist, Alice Andrews, a newspaper reporter and the daughter of working-class parents. James McBride, author of The Color of Water, called it "an important book to read for anyone who has ever been in love…a superb debut."
Born and raised
in Newark,
New Jersey, Little graduated from Howard University with a bachelor’s degree
in journalism. She also attended graduate school at Northwestern
University. Questions and Answers with Benilde Little
In writing ACTING OUT, did Ina do anything that surprised you? Ina did lots of things to surprise me--she went off when Jay's girlfriend Julie Jarvis showed up; going to David in D.C.; not sleeping with him...it's one of the things I love about writing fiction. When you've put in the effort to fully develop the characters, they do separate from you. It's magical when it happens. The character Zackie was done very well. Are any of these characters based on real people? Zackie is the only character that I've written who is based on someone I know. I had a very dear friend growing up who knew he was gay practically at birth--since we were about three and four years old. Our friendship ended when we went to high school, he cut me out of his life and I understand now, probably did then, that it wasn't personal, but it was easier for him to not deal with anyone who know him as a boy. Unfortunately he was an early AIDS victim, so he's been gone for a long time. Writing Zackie and an earlier character who was based on him, is my way of honoring him and people like him who are forced to hide who they are. It's a miserable way to have to live. What would you do if your characters want to do something that you don’t agree with? If they do something I don't like, I go with it, you have to let them breathe that's when the writing comes alive. Now that you’re a veteran author, do you approach novel writing differently than you did when you first started? Are your characters drawn differently? When I first started I had no contract, no audience, I just wrote for me and that was nice. Now that I have an "audience" and contracts, it's more difficult because there are time pressures and people's expectations. The expectations I deal with by reminding myself that I'm still writing just for me, the time pressure is a real thing that I have to deal with and abide by. In terms of characters being drawn differently, no, I do it the same way I always did. I have a very loose idea of who the character is and I write a few drafts and in that process get to know them better. Do you read your own books, and if so, do you read them like a fan or like a critic? I absolutely read my books and I read them in different ways, probably first as a critic, like now I'm reading Acting Out that way, but down the road I'll be able to read as a fan. I recently re-read The Itch and, at the risk of sounding boastful, was struck by how good it is. Should anyone who dislikes being criticized think twice before wanting to become an author? Why or why not? I can't think of anyone who likes to be criticized, I'm as thinned skinned as you can get--at least I used to be--but I do what I do because I feel called to, like I have to do it in order to survive and be emotionally healthy, so I can't give that up because some people are going to say mean things about my work. There are bad good critiques and just bad bad ones. The bad good ones teach you things--point out real problems which you can learn from; the bad bad, you learn to put them where they belong--in the trash. Do you use fictional locations or real locations in your books? I use both fictional and real locations. What are some of the greatest memories you have of being on tour? Coming up with a few fond memories of being on book tour is difficult because there are so many good things. The fact that people come out of their homes to see me at a bookstore and plunk down hard-earned money for my books is awesome to me; there have been so many wonderful moments--400 people gathered by two of my husbands clients and friends in Houston for a signing; the owner of a store in Indianapolis having a sheet cake made of the cover of The Itch; my very first book party given by my dear friend Monique Greenwood in Brooklyn sending me on the road--I cried so much thanking everyone that I could hardly read from Good Hair. My nephew who was a freshman at Brown at the time had come down from Rhode Island to be there, everyone who had touched me along the way to writing Good Hair was there, it was just great. What do you consider the single most gratifying aspect of being an author? Again, can't think of the single most gratifying aspect of this career, I'll give you a few: I can see my kids during the day; I can work in my pajamas; I get to mull over issues, ideas in my head--a lot; I love talking with my fellow authors in my weekly writers group and I love where I am now--having finished another novel.
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Benilde Little's Official Website
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Review of Acting Out Benilde Little is an observant writer with a penchant for good, relevant detail. She paints scenes with her words, makes you feel the characters, tempts you to question what you'd do if you were in Ina's situation, the narrator of this novel about a wife who finds herself in a marriage/mommy/woman dilemma. Benilde Little makes you know the character; every emotion that Ina feels, it's as good as yours. If Ina is there, so are you. Some of Ina's feelings are disturbing, or is it that she's just real, honest, able to get in touch with her heart no matter what's inside. In truth, Ina confesses certain feelings that many of us might hide for fear of judgment, for fear of misunderstanding. But if we're honest we can relate to Ina's musings, her regrets and non-satisfaction as a tired and wore-out mom, a disillusioned wife. Her third novel in approximately seven years, Little's absence from fiction has been felt; her return well worth the wait. With its candid revelations and realistic portrayal of family, marriage, and independence, Acting Out triumphs.
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Tour Schedule for Benilde Little ACTING OUT
Tuesday, January 21
Wednesday, January 22
Thursday, January 23
Friday, January 24
Saturday, January 25
Monday, January 27
Tuesday, January 28
Wednesday, January 29
Thursday, January 30
Friday, January 31
Tuesday, February 4
Wednesday, February 5
Thursday, February 6
Friday, February 7
Tuesday, February 11
Wednesday, February 12
Thursday, February 13
Wednesday, February 19 Marcus Books (Oakland, CA), 6:30 PM Thursday, February 20 Friday, February 21
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The website that promotes books written by or about African-Americans.
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