Behind the Book: Brookstone University
One of the first locations introduced in The Diamond Collection is the fictional Brookstone University. Located in East Brookstone, New York, the school is one of the primary settings in Diamonds in the Rough. Carmen, Tiara, Monifah, and Rakim are all attendees although none of them will graduate with degrees from the school for various reasons.
Kinard Hall
The university is heavily modeled after my alma mater, Winthrop University (Rock Hill, SC). This is only natural since I wrote the first two books while in attendance (I attended Winthrop from August of 2003 to December of 2007). There are only two differences between the two. The first difference is that one school is fictional and the other is not. The second difference is that Winthrop is located in a small city while Brookstone University is located in a large city. In terms of the structure of Brookstone University, I did not describe the buildings or the campus. If I had of, the buildings would’ve been very similar to those on Winthrop’s campus. For example, Gardner Hall (which is mentioned at the very beginning of the novel- it is the place where Carmen meets Tiara before they head to the diner) represents Kinard Hall. There is also a nameless auditorium where Carmen meets Tiara to discuss the possibility of her being intimate with Jay. This building could very well be Byrnes Auditorium.
The French Toy Poodle, official mascot of Sigma Gamma Rho
As for similarities, both universities have the presence of Greek Life. This part of the story came from the fact that I joined Sigma Gamma Rho in 2005 and wanted to incorporate Greekdom into my novel. In the book, Carmen’s mother, Patricia Davenport, is a member of Delta Sigma Theta and Rakim is looking to pledge the fictional Theta Beta Psi Fraternity.
When the book first came out in 2010, I got the question of why Carmen’s mother was a Delta. Well, the honest answer is that I felt that if she was a Sigma Gamma Rho, it would be expected. I decided to go against the grain and make her a Delta. I also knew that if I ever wanted to create conflict between Carmen and her mother, one of the causes could be that Carmen became an honorary woman of Sigma against her mother’s wishes. This would only contribute to the strife that will already have formed between the two.
Next, the decision to create a fictional brotherhood for Rakim came during the editing process of Diamonds in the Rough. Originally, Rakim was pledging Omega Psi Phi. There is also a scene in the book where Carmen goes to Rakim’s house, sees his line brothers there, and they discuss brief details of his pledge process. I didn’t want to attribute hazing, an illegal activity, to any organization that was a part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) so I decided to create a fictional organization. By using Theta Beta Psi, the image of NPHC and Omega Psi Phi remained protected.
Since I am on the subject of Greek Life, I thought it would be only fair to disclose that the original version of The Ace of Diamonds focused on Carmen’s daughter, Kristian, pledging a fictional sorority, Lambda Pi Omega. Whether or not, I will keep this same story, but introduce it with new characters and as a book that is not part of the Diamond Collection is up in the air. For right now, it shall remain in my vault of unfinished works.
Something else you want to know about Brookstone University? Leave a comment!
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Behind the Book: Jay Santiago
Out of all the characters introduced in The Diamond Collection, it seems Jay Santiago is the most popular. I don’t know if it’s because of his protective nature or the description of his looks, but he’s definitely a fan favorite.
The name Jay Santiago came from a couple different places. I will start with his last name only because I’ve gotten the question if it came from The Coldest Winter Ever by Sistah Souljah. In that particular novel, the main character’s last name is Santiaga. While The Coldest Winter Ever is one of my favorite books, I chose the name Santiago because it was of Spanish origin and I loved the way it sounded. It is just a coincidence that the names are similar.
As for his first name, I named the character after the rapper, Jay-Z. I have always admired his career as a business person and knew that I wanted the main male character of The Diamond Collection to follow a similar path. In addition, most of Jay’s businesses have connections to the color blue, which is heavily associated with the rapper Jay-Z (it’s rumored to be his favorite color). For example, the club, Sapphire, is named after a blue gemstone and the soul food restaurant, Blue Magic, is named after a song that appeared on Jay-Z’s American Gangster album called, “Blue Magic.”
In terms of Jay’s background, he was born in Brookstone, New York to Hector and Lady Santiago who are both deceased at the beginning of the series. Both of his parents were born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico and moved to Brookstone, New York in their mid-twenties. Jay’s father, Hector, is 100% Puerto Rican while his mother, Lady, is a black Puerto Rican (she was born and raised in Puerto Rico, but has some ancestry in Africa). The idea to make his mother black came from reading an article in Latina magazine that featured La La Anthony. In the article, she says:
A lot of people don’t realize that I’m Latina, which is fine. One thing about being Latina is that there isn’t one look that comes with the territory. I don’t expect people to know my cultural background just by glancing at me. I do, however, expect that when I tell people my family is from Puerto Rico, that I will be believed and not accused of trying to be something that I’m not. It usually goes something like this: a person having a conversation with me discovers one way or another that I’m Puerto Rican and fluent in Spanish. That person then expresses their shock over these realizations for any number of reasons—common responses are, “You don’t look Latina” and “I thought you were black!” I never said I wasn’t black. And since when does being black and being Latina have to be mutually exclusive?
This statement made me look at race, ethnicity and nationality in a whole different light and I wanted to somehow incorporate that into my novel. I chose to do it through Jay’s mother, Lady, and will explore the topic more in The Ace of Diamonds. If you want more of a visual of his parents, think along the lines of Raul Julia (The Addams Family) and Reagan Gomez-Preston.
When it comes to Jay’s physical appearance, several people have asked me to reveal who I see when I am writing about Jay, but I refuse to give up this secret (even for Behind the Book!). However, I will give the list of names that I commonly hear readers say they envision: Terrence Howard (I think it’s the eyes), Laz Alonso, and Michael Ealy.
I must say that Jay Santiago is a character that developed on his own. In the beginning, I had certain intentions for the character, but as I wrote, his character got somewhat watered down. Maybe, I was afraid to show how wild and crazy he really could get. I think that if I had of really let my imagination run wild, his transition from kingpin to family man would be much greater. Of course, this is my own personal opinion. There may be some who think he was crazy enough in Diamonds in the Rough.
What do you think? Feel free to share!
Tidbits about Jay Santiago
-He doesn’t have a middle name.
-He is 6’5 and has beautiful hazel eyes
-His hair is naturally curly, but he wears it closely shaven.
-He is an only child (currently)
-He has a high school diploma, but never attended college.
-He is twenty-seven years old at the start of Diamonds in the Rough and forty-four at the start of Diamonds are Forever.
-He owns a home in San Juan, Puerto Rico where his personal butler, Silvas, lives.
-At the conclusion of Diamonds are Forever, he has three businesses under his belt, Sapphire, Blue Magic and is set to open Iceland, a jewelry store.
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Behind the Book: Flame, Inc.
When Flame is first introduced in Diamonds in the Rough, it is nothing more than a small, but trendy boutique located in downtown East Brookstone, New York. The store, owned by Carmen’s mother, Patricia Davenport, caters solely to young women although Carmen dreams of designing business suits for men. As the series progresses, so does the business. The store eventually becomes a company with several different collections under its belt.
The idea to incorporate fashion into the book came from my random visits to Cato in Greenville, SC where my sister worked as a manager. During my breaks from college, she would allow me to come to work with her on occasion which gave me a glimpse into the ins and outs of running a clothing store. However, before my sister was even of age to work, she had always dabbed in fashion design. I can remember plenty of times when we were younger watching my sister draw different outfits. Often times when I am writing a scene where Carmen is designing, I try to envision these experiences that I shared with my sister.
In terms of the name of the store, Flame, this came about after watching Romeo Must Die, a film which starred Aaliyah and Jet Li. If you’ve seen the movie, you may remember that Aaliyah’s character, Trish O’Day, owned a clothing store called Serpentine Fire. The way the store was portrayed was almost identical to the way that I envisioned the store in Diamonds in the Rough. Therefore, from this movie, Flame was born.
The transition from store to brand came from following the career of Kimora Lee Simmons- Hounsou, most known for being the former President/ Creative Director of Baby Phat. She also starred in her own series, Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane, which gave the public a firsthand look at how she simultaneously ran her business and managed her family. I tried to show this same concept with Carmen’s life in Diamonds are Forever.
I will admit that it was from watching the growth of Baby Phat that I got the idea to branch out Flame with different collections (see the list below). It was also the Baby Phat Kids ads that featured Kimora’s daughters, Ming Lee and Aoki Lee that gave me the idea to have Carmen’s daughter, Kristian Kane as the face of Peaches.
Last, but not least, there are currently three locations of Flame aside from headquarters. The first store is located in downtown East Brookstone, the second store is in Time Square and the third store is in the fictional Brookstone Galleria Mall.
The Collections of Flame, Inc
Flame- the original line, geared towards women, aged 21 and up
Peaches- created by Carmen Davenport for teenage girls. Her daughter, Kristian Kane, is the face of the collection
King- created by Carmen Davenport and dedicated to her firstborn, Jayceon “King” Santiago, a collection of business suits for men
Fresh Prince- created by Carmen Davenport, a collection of clothing for boys (toddlers), this collection is introduced in The Ace of Diamonds
The Major Key Players of Flame, Inc
Carmen Davenport, President
Tiara Washington, Vice President
Jerry, Senior Director of Marketing (introduced in Diamonds are Forever)
Cathy, Carmen’s receptionist/assistant (introduced in Diamonds are Forever)
Something else you want to know? Leave a comment!
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Behind The Book: Carmen Denise Davenport
The best place to start when discussing Carmen is with her name. Let me first say that there is no significance or meaning behind her middle name (Denise) or her last name (Davenport). Those names were just chosen randomly when I started writing the first book. For her first name, I chose the name “Carmen,” after watching Carmen Jones, a 1954 adaptation of the play Carmen, which starred Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte. I fell in love with the way the name sounded and wanted to use it in a novel. Thus, the character of Carmen was born.
Then, in 2001, another adaptation of the play came along that showcased one of the traits that I wanted Carmen to have. That trait was ambition and the movie was Carmen: A Hip-Hopera, which starred Beyonce Knowles and Mekhi Phifer. In the movie, Beyonce plays Carmen Brown an aspiring actress whose aspirations to make it to the top are so great that she doesn’t care who she hurts along the way. Sound sort of familiar?
While I definitely did not want to make a spin-off of Carmen: A Hip Hopera, I did want to take the trait of ambition and illustrate it in my novel. I showed this in the journey that Carmen takes to save Flame, the clothing boutique she inherits from her mother. If you’ve read the book, Diamonds in the Rough, then you know that Carmen does a few things that will make anybody question her morals and values. My goal was to create shock value by first showing her as a virginal, well-to-do college student who evolves into a woman who is somewhat of a femme fatale. The ultimate good girl gone bad. The good part about all of this is that Carmen is able to work through all of her obstacles and still come out on top.
It is this position of power that brings me to my next discussion. It may seem that every man wants or desires her, but it is not because of Carmen’s looks. Yes, she is attractive, which almost every main female character of a novel is, but it is Carmen’s wealth and power that attracts her to men. It is often said that a man will run from a financially independent woman, but if you are on the same level as her than there is no need to run. You are attracted to her status because her status is equal to yours. Besides, most of the men who are running after Carmen are on the same financial level as her. (Some of you may argue that Kane wasn’t, but you have to remember that Carmen was not rich or successful when they first met. She was a struggling store owner whose parents had moved to Dallas, Texas, leaving her to fend for herself.)
Speaking of attraction, I would like to share the visual I see when I think of Carmen. I see a woman who has a curvaceous shape, stands about 5’6, with dark brown eyes that matches a dark mocha skin tone. Her hair is relaxed and hangs just past her shoulders. I think the model depicted on the front cover of Diamonds in the Rough is a good representation of what I see. Even the model on Diamonds are Forever is a good match.
What do you see when you think of Carmen? Feel free to share
For those of you who haven’t read the books, check them out, and concoct your own visual masterpiece!
Tidbits about Carmen
-At the beginning of Diamonds in the Rough, Carmen is 21.
-At the beginning of Diamonds are Forever, Carmen is 39.
-Her favorite wine is Alice White Chardonnay
-One of her favorite foods to eat is honey barbecue ribs which is served at the fictional Old Town Bistro
-Her ethnic makeup consists of African-American, Bahamian, and… (This will be revealed in a future novel!)
-At the conclusion of Diamonds are Forever, Carmen is mother to 6 children!
-Carmen is an only child (currently)
Something else you want to know? Leave a comment!
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Behind the Book: Brookstone, New York
The fictional Brookstone, New York is the main setting of The Diamond Collection. Other minor settings are San Juan, Puerto Rico, Dallas, Texas, and the fictional Copperton City, Georgia, which will be introduced in The Ace of Diamonds.
When I first started writing Diamonds in the Rough, I knew that I wanted the main characters to live in a city that matched the lifestyles that I wanted them to have. In other words, I wanted them to live in a populous city that was fast-paced, vibrant, had glitz, glamour and offered a wealth of opportunities. In addition, I wanted it to be a place that was also crime-ridden. The first place I thought of was New York City. The added bonus was that it was known for being immersed with entertainment and fashion. To me, it was the perfect setting for the novel.
Having never visited New York, I realized early on when I first started developing ideas for the novel that this would be somewhat of a problem. Almost everything I knew about the city came from what I saw on television and the internet. Deep down, I knew that I could make it work. The plus of having a real city/state in a novel is that it allows your readers to form an instant connection with the book. It is easier for them to visualize the setting if it is a place that they are already familiar with. For example, if the setting was New York City and I had the characters in Times Square, most readers will automatically see busy streets, tons of people, and billboards everywhere.
However, with a fictional city, you can create more of your own world. You can create your own restaurants, your own street names, your own colleges, etc. You have more creative control with a fictional city than one that actually exists. The good part about this is that you can take some elements of various “real” cities and combine them into one.
Realizing this, the city of Brookstone, New York was born.
To begin, I’m unsure of where the name actually came from. I just remember writing and typing Brookstone. It’s like it came to life on its own. In the series, Brookstone is one of the biggest cities in the state of New York. It’s not as big as New York City, but it’s a decent size. It is also divided into two parts, East Brookstone and West Brookstone. East Brookstone is stereotyped as the part of the city where the upper class resides while the lower class is considered to live in West Brookstone. To illustrate this, I have Carmen, whose family is well off, living in East Brookstone while her best friend, Tiara, whose family is lower middle class, lives in West Brookstone. I put these characters in two different parts of the city to show that they do mingle despite the stereotypes.
As for the businesses that are established throughout the book, most are in Downtown Brookstone, which is on the Eastside. Below are a few major landmarks that are mentioned in the series.
Landmarks in Brookstone, New York
Brookstone High School- attended by Carmen and Tiara (and a few others who I’ll discuss later *winks*)
Brookstone University- attended by Carmen, Tiara, and Rakim
Davenport Realty- owned by Harold Davenport/ Lotus Pagua (Carmen’s father)
Flame, Inc. – clothing company owned by Carmen (previously owned by her mother, Patricia Davenport)
Sapphire- hip-hop club and bar owned by Jay (was previously an elite gentleman’s club owned by his father, Hector Santiago)
Blue Magic- soul food restaurant owned by Jay and Carmen (introduced in Diamonds are Forever)
Iceland- jewelry store owned by Jay Santiago (introduced in Diamonds are Forever)
Something else you want to know? Leave a comment!
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Update: The Ace of Diamonds
“Where is the Ace of Diamonds,” is a question that I commonly hear. I get the question in person, in email, and through Facebook and Twitter. To be honest, a part of me does enjoy hearing the question because it lets me know that people are interested in my work. In addition, it also makes me feel as if I am letting my readers down because I don’t always have an exact answer to the question. I also cannot give the answer that they want such as a release date.
In terms of the novel right now, it is finished. After hitting several unexpected roadblocks, I have decided to move forward and self-publish the book. Unlike Carmen, I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I also do not have a multi-million dollar business that allows me to live lavishly. However, what I do have is faith in God. While I cannot give a solid release date as to when the book will be available, I do want to say that I am working to have it available sometime this year. I have already started taking steps to make this happen.
While I am working to save for this project, I will be starting a blog series dedicated to the Diamond Collection entitled, Behind the Book. This series will give a, “behind the scenes” glance at my thoughts and visions for characters, settings, etc. As a fan/ reader, you will also have the chance to inquire about anything that you want to know regarding the series. I am looking forward to your feedback and hope you stay with me for the ride!
Razzle~Dazzle
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Bout to Explode…Nowhere for You To Run
I gave this post the title, “Bout to explode, Nowhere for you to run,” because that’s how I feel when it comes to Dawn Richard’s music. I feel like she’s about to be the next best thing and everybody is going to be a witness of it! To be honest, she’s already the next best thing! This is the first single from her EP, Armor On, “Bombs.”
Sidenote: Dawn was originally in Danity Kane and Diddy-Dirty Money.
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Video: Brianna Perry “Marilyn Monroe”
Marilyn Monroe is the name of the song, but after watching the video, I saw more “Beyonce,” than Marilyn. The car scene reminded me of Upgrade U, Brianna walking in the red pumps reminded me of Crazy in Love, the scene in the chair next to the car reminded me of Party and her being in the mirror reminded me of Bey’s “King Bey photo.” I’m not saying she’s biting, but these parts of her video just made me think Beyoncé. Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think.
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*NSFW* Behind the Scenes of Round of Applause (w/ Waka Flocka, Drake, & Draya Michele)
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LeToya Luckett: Life, Love, & Music
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Get Your Popcorn Ready: Basketball Wives Miami
necolebitchie.com
Come February 20th, the women will be taking over the court in a new season of Basketball Wives: Miami. Of course, I plan on live tweeting during every episode (unless I’m writing) as the drama unfolds. There are also two new ladies joining the cast: Kenya Bell and Kesha Nichols.
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“Walk Away” by Olivia *Official Video*
I have to say that I rocked with Olivia since day one. I remember when Bizounce first came on the radio (107.3 JAMZ) in Greenville and my sister told me, “there’s this girl on the radio singing n***a, f***k you.” LOL! When I heard the song for myself, I was like, this is a good song, a little edgy, but good. Then, “Are U Capable?” came out, which I liked as well. I ended up buying Olivia’s first CD that same year, but never heard anything else from her after those 2 singles.
Then, she popped up in 50 Cent’s “Candyshop,” video. I was like, “yes! She’s back!” However, we all know how that ended. Before I knew it, she was gone from G-Unit without 1 album released. *sad face*
Still, she emerged once again on VH1 in Love & Hip-Hop (LAHH) with a new single, “December,” (one of my favorite songs of all time- real talk). Now, here’s the follow-up, “Walk Away,” which she actally performed in Miami on an episode of LAHH. Check it out:
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Haven’t Loved Right by Kandi
I can’t quite form my words when it comes to how I feel about this song. I’ll just say this, it contains some of the most powerful lyrics and emotions. I love it!
Behind the Song:
The Official Music Video:
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Who Runs the World? Girls! (Acapella Version)
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Let’s Celebrate His Dream
In celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, here are your ten facts regarding this inspirational leader!1. Martin Luther King Jr graduated high school at the age of 15. There are also some reports that he skipped ninth and twelfth grades.
2. King’s last speech before his assassination was entitled, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” and begin with “Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.
3. In 2002, Martin Luther King was portrayed by his son Dexter Scott King for The Rosa Parks Story.
4. Martin Luther King was originally born Michael King. His father changed his name as well as young Michael’s to Martin Luther after the German Protestant leader, Martin Luther.
5. King was awarded the Pacem in Terris Award, named after a 1963 encyclical letter by Pope John XXIII calling for all people to strive for peace.
6. In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and discrimination through nonviolent means.
7. The Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial cost $120 million to produce and was first approved 15 years ago.
8. Martin Luther King was the first black American to be named as TIME Magazine’s Man of the Year.
9. Martin Luther King was the subject of the U2 song “Pride (In the Name of Love)” from their 1984 album “The Unforgettable Fire”.
10. To date, all 50 states observe the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
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Book Signing: Rhoyal Rendezvous
Greetings all! Just wanted to drop a little note that I will be signing copies of Diamonds in the Rough and Diamonds are Forever at the Rhoyal Rendezvous event on February 3rd. Please see details below!
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Theta Eta Sigma presents RHOyal Rendezvous: It’s All About Me
Please join the lovely ladies of the Theta Eta Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. for “Rhoyal Rendezvous: It’s All About Me.” The event will take place on Friday, February 3, 2012 from 7-10pm at The Clebourne House located at 138 Clebourne St Fort Mill, SC.
General admission is 10.00/ 15.00 at the door
VIP admission is 20.00/ 25.00 at the door (VIP includes massage, drink and gift)
You may purchase tickets at www.thetaetasigma-sgrho22..com.
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The Vogue Archive: “Clown”
So I was listening to some of Frank Ocean’s music on YouTube and I thought about how it felt to write a brutally honest song. I haven’t done it in a while, but I remembered a song I wrote in college, which I felt fit into the category of being brutally honest. I’m not speaking in terms of bashing someone, but in terms of putting your honest feelings out there without embellishment. Here’s mine, its called “Clown.”
You see the pain never leaves
It just quietly hides
And no one understands
Why you’re afraid to go outside
When you enter into a world
And find a love that’s all new
And it becomes your world
The only thing that loves you
But then its taken away
All of a suddenly
No proper explanation
You were left alone to breathe
And you got an attitude
You’re so confused
Everything’s fell down
But you paint on a smile and become a clown
You see the rain is there
It’s coming out the cloud
You feel it everywhere
But you really don’t know how
And every inch of your body
Flinches in pain
And your eyes won’t stop crying
You just hear songs that say…
He was taken away
All of a suddenly
No proper explanation
I was left alone to breathe
And I got an attitude
I’m so confused
Everything’s fell down
So I paint on a smile and become a clown
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V*Nasty Freestyle
For those of you who don’t know VNasty, she’s associated with Kreayshawn (“Gucci Gucci”) and also has a mixtape out with Gucci Mane entitled BAYTL (in reference to the Bay area where she’s from and ATL).
Simply Vogue 