New To You Music Sundays – London Grammar – “Wasting My Young Years”

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2013, alternative rock, art rock, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Dan Rothman, Daniel Rothman, Dot Major, England, experimental, Hannah Ried, indie rock, iPhone, iPhone 5, iPhone Post, Key Yemaya Walker, London, London Grammar, Metal & Dust, Metal & Dust Recordings, music, New To You Music Sundays, Nottingham University, Wasting My Young Years

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school

Blue Lines Blog – Questions for the Author of Blue Lines Part I

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A Tribe Called Quest, Arthur Golden, Atlanta, Author, Azul Lewis, Blue, Blue Hurt, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, California, Capitol, Chapel Hill, college, Common, Common Sense, Creative Writing, De La Soul, East Coast, Education, Gate E, Georgia Dome, Georgia Tech, Gerald Milson, Hip-Hop, Hip-Hop Music, iPad, iPad Post, Jay-Z, Job, Key Yemaya Walker, Keypsiia, Keypsiia Yemaya Walker, Love, manuscript, Memoirs Of A Geisha, music, Nas, New York, Notorious B.I.G, Protagonist, Questions, Renee Turner, Sacramento, San Francisco, Sister Souljah, Starbucks, UNC Chapel Hill, University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wu-Tang Clan

In recent readings, I read Sister Souljah’s The Coldest Winter Ever, and chose to answer the questions she offerered at the close of her novel. Over the coming weeks, I will offer my answers to her questions (some tailored to address my manuscript) in respect to work, Blue Lines. These questions were answered some time ago, earlier this year. I am providing them in that form.

1. Why did you choose to focus on your book subject?
2. Is Blue Lines a true story?
3. How did you write the story so authentically?
4. Did you, and if so, why did you decide to include yourself as a character?
5. Where we’re you when you first started writing Blue Lines?
6. Which character did you create first?
7. How did you write the manuscript, what method?
8. Why aren’t all of your characters Black?
9. What were you trying to achieve with the novel Blue Lines?
10. Will there be a sequel novel?

1. Why did you choose to focus on your book subject?

Around 1995-96 I had wanted to write a work that centered on Hip-Hop music, a love for Hip-Hop and wanted to build that as the backdrop with a love story between a young aspiring artist and the woman he sought and loved, using them as the metaphor of the larger underlying story. With the time periods music ranging from the current Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Nas and Common, and echoing back to the Golden Age of A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and post artists like Wu-Tang Clan, I wanted to you h the 90’s elements in relation to the story’s timeframe. Over the next few years, I developed only five pages of sparse content with space to fill in a story. Honestly, I did not “feel” or have a connection that compelled me to write. Though I wanted to write a book and loved Hip-Hop culture. I wanted to create a valid and quality narrative that would speak to readers beyond a specific genre and target audience. I wanted a well written project that conveyed a universal story.

Cover Sundays – Yuna – “Here Comes The Sun”

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1969, 2012, Abbey Road, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Cover Songs, Cover Sundays, George Harrison, guitar, Here Comes The Sun, Kedah, Key Yemaya Walker, Malaysia, music, Savages, The Beatles, Ukelele, Vocals, Yuna, Yunalis Mat Zara'ai

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

Foto Fridays – Coit Tower circa 2007 – Blue Lines Travel Research

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2007, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Blur, California, Coit Tower, Foto Fridays, Instagram, iPhone 5, iPhone Post, iPhoneagraphy, Key Yemaya Walker, manuscript, Photography, research, Rise Filter, San Francisco, Sony DSC, travel

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school

Blue Lines Blog -Seeing Nelson Mandela in Atlanta 6/27/1990

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1918, 6/27/1990, African National Congress, Alma E. Hill, Anti-Apartied, Apartied, Atlanta, Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta Journal, Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Bobby Dodd Stadium, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech, Grant Field, Hot, iPhone 5, iPhone Post, Jailed, Jay-Z, July, July 19th, Key Yemaya Walker, Mandela, Mark Sherman, Mvezo, Nelson Mandela, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, President, Prisoner, Rolihlahla Mandela, Sam Walker, South Africa, Stadium, Steve Harvey, Summer, Thonnia Lee

“…lunch with Mandela…” ~ Jay-Z actually just played.

Commemorating this day 23 years ago. My family and I braves the Atlanta heat to see a recently freed Nelson Mandela during his visit which took place at Bobby Dodd Stadium, at Grant Field on the campus of Georgia Institute of Technology, known to many of you as Georgia Tech.

The attached article is from the Atlanta Journal & Constitution from that day 6/27/1990.

Enjoy a piece of history.

Atlanta opens heart to Mandela: 50,000 cheer ANC leader at stadium
NEW HERO: “Our parents experienced Martin Luther King. Our generation is experiencing Nelson Mandela, ” one Atlantan said.
By Ron Taylor, Joseph Albright

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlantans endured oppressive heat, police barricades, shoving matches and long schedule delays Wednesday to get a glimpse of Nelson Mandela, the South African anti-apartheid leader who has enjoyed a hero’s welcome in each U.S. city he has visited.

At Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium, about 50,400 people cheered as Mr. Mandela linked his people’s struggle against racial discrimination to the civil rights movement in the United States.

Hip-Hop Quotable Wednesdays – Kanye West – “Homecoming”

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Chicago, Chris Martin, Cloud Gate, Coldplay, Graduation, Hip-Hop Music, Hip-Hop Quotable Wednesdays, Homecoming, Kanye West, Key Yemaya Walker, Lyrics, Millenium Park, music, The Bean

[Intro – Kanye West]
Yeah.
And you say Chi city,
Chi city, Chi city

[Chorus – Chris Martin]
I’m coming home again.
Do you think about me now and then?
Do you think about me now and then?
Cause I’m coming home again
Coming home again.

[Verse 1 – Kanye West]
I met this girl when I was three years old
And what I loved most she had so much soul
She said, excuse me little homie, I know you don’t know me- but,
My name is Wendy and, I like to blow trees and,
From that point I never blow her off,
N—-s come from outta town I like to show her off,
They like to act tough, she like to tell em off,
And make em straighten up there act, cause she know they soft
And when I grew up she showed me how to go downtown
And at nighttime my face lit up so astounding

Blue Lines Blog – Remembering Michael Jackson (1958 – 2009)

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1958, 2009, actor, arranger, Beat It, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, businessman, choreographer, dancer, entertainer, Epic, Key Yemaya Walker, King of Pop, Legacy, Michael Jackson, Michael Joseph Jackson, MJJ Productions, Moon Walk, Motown, music, music producer, musician, Paris, philanthropist, Remembering, Singer-songwriter, Smooth Criminal, Sony, Thriller, Universal, Youtube

Thriller

Beat It

Smooth Criminal

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

Blue Lines Blog – RIP Bobby Blue Bland

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Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Bobby Blue Bland, Frank Sinatra, Junior Parker, Key Yemaya Walker, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, RIP, Sam Cooke

Robert Calvin “Bobby” Bland (January 27, 1930 – June 23, 2013), also known as Bobby “Blue” Bland, was an American singer of blues and soul. He was an original member of the Beale Streeters,[1] and was sometimes referred to as the “Lion of the Blues”. Along with such artists as Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, and Junior Parker, Bland developed a sound that mixed gospel with the blues and R&B.[1] An imitator of Frank Sinatra, he was also known as the “Sinatra of the blues”; his music was also influenced by Nat King Cole.

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

Music Mondays – Daft Punk feat Pharrell – “Lose Yourself To Dance”

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"Lose Yourself To Dance", Daft Punk, Music Mondays, Pharrell

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

Foto Fridays – Bathroom Art at City of Ink

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Art, Atlanta, Bathroom, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Castleberry Hill, City of Ink, Foto Fridays, Instagram, iPhone, iPhone Post, Key Yemaya Walker, Miya Bailey, Photography

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.