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.
In March of 1997, after my grandfather had past, we arrived in Jamaica Queens, New York and the first night there, I slept soundly in the basement on this pillow, with his blanket (brown with tiger, not sure whether it’s from Cuba) and the knit blanket that my Mother has made, and had recently sent him. I treasure these items, and if lucky enough, will pass them to my progeny.
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.
In 1997 while driving from Atlanta To New York for my Family Patriarch’s funeral, around Charlotte the information came across the radio that B.I.G. had been killed. Later that evening, as my family had cleared the Holland Tunnel, New York’s Hot 97 played “Hypnotize” back to back on repeat, while they played rememberances of Biggie by different artists. My Grandfather’s passing, will always be tied to this, in my mind.
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.
Wow, I can’t believe that it has been 14 years since March 9th, 1997. It is funny how the events around that Sunday served as the preface that would eventually lead to my writing Blue Lines.
I can remember that early morning as we drove from Atlanta to New York for our family emergency. I had to abruptly leave school, and while my younger brother and sister sat on the back bench of the rented van, my mother had taken over the driving duties somewhere on I-85 in North Carolina, actually the worst leg of the trip between Atlanta and New York. My father slept, as my mother, surprisingly composed due to her state the days before. When I heard her mention, they just said on the radio Biggie’s dead. My ears perked up, and I raised from my college student form being sprawled across the middle bench of the van.
“Damn,” I thought as she turned up the radio so that we could get more details. A very shaken Busta Rhymes was reached by phone, and he said that all East Coast rappers were trying to get out of L.A., that proved that this was senseless violence. My heart sank, and at the moment I thought of how my family tragedy and the murder of Christopher Wallace would be tied from that moment forward. The events of that weekend would eventually lead to my meeting the future subject of my future manuscript, and future novel Blue Lines.
I have chosen “Hypnotize” as this week’s installment of Hip-Hop Quotable Wednesdays submission, because as we finally made our way into New York and Funk Master Flex was playing Biggie’s new single back, to back, to back. Continue reading →
Blue Lines Blog 