Kola Boof

Well, the truth is the truth Troy.....ZANE oughta try it sometime. People like me...dying of brain cancer....are the types who will say any and everything. Facing death makes you feel as though you might as well just tell all. I tried to make friends with Thumper. He flatly rejected my attempts and was exceedingly hostile. In fact, our very last exchanges were about me trying to be friendly towards him. And for the record, people can look up the ORIGIN of our in-fighting. HE was the one attacking me and using my "African identity" to do so......in reality, he was JEALOUS of my charisma and the fact that people were far more entertained and into me. That's not my fault. I was gracious to Thumper and he was hostile. I gave it right back. Of course "Snooty black folk" (especially the book reading variety) are put off by bodacious "unruly" women like me. That take it too seriously and they don't even try to listen to anything that goes against their Snooty Attire. It's their own insecurity. Missing ABM is an understatement for me.

Troy, The reasons I don't post here are varied. #1---My ally ABM is no longer here. I was greatly disparaged and disliked and no one wants to be around people who dislike them. In 2008, I talked about being treated for brain cancer...not a single person said a single consolatory thing or came to see me at Loma Linda. (*Well Jackie Joice did). It was almost as though I wasn't a human being. It showed the underlying contempt & hatred for me. I continue to suffer with health issues (diabetes, heart valve disease) and I don't need the stress of always fighting things we should all be against (colorism)...or being told that I'm a fraud, don't exist and that I'm not wanted here. #2--I feel that everyone made up rumors about me, especially about my "sexuality"...and this has greatly impaired my ability to trust. I feel that people here did everything they could to keep me from being published...I believe members here have spread untold lies and half-truths about me throughout the industry in hopes of destroying me. No matter how I've tried to reach out and be friends with everyone, there has always been a moment of rejection or disingenuous feedback. I am very open and real and I don't trust the people here. I know for a fact that Deesha Philyaw took money in exchange for making up outrageous stories about me and my family. Claiming to be my friend and lying on me for corporate enemies who paid her. I know this to be fact. I'll never forget the link she co-signed claiming that I was really a White Male Racist (that he was writing my books). Tim or Tom something. I know that ZANE bad mouthed me and tried everything she could to derail my career. For no reason. She simply turned on me one day (*later I found out it was because I unknowingly slept with her husband Wayne years back). Which served her fat behind right considering the way she slandered my name. I could have made ZANE a ton of money writing erotica; I am excellent and imaginative writer; not to mention a Built-in PUBLICIST...but to this day...no one thinks about utilizing my TALENT & Charisma and exploiting my talents on "Business GP." NO---only White Jewish people have sense enough to do that. That's my main problem with Black folks in this industry. They don't even know how to set personal feelings aside and band together and utilize each other's talents to form something. We should have a MOTOWN of publishing by now! Shit. Bookstores are obsolete...publishing is now SHOW BIZ. Troy ...you said "Kola's antics"....I was serious. It wasn't antics. #3---Though I will fight and be combative with people over things I believe in....I generally have LOVE for all people. I don't stay mad long and I love everyone on GP regardless of how they feel about me. #4---I am busy writing...and take "free moments" to post on Twitter and Facebook where my fans are many and I can "see" them.

Carey, HUGS King. Thanks for all your kindness and support over the years. Unfortunately, I don't have time to visit that board. I'm ensconced in writing 3 different books. But I am so happy to see you!!! Yours always, Kola

Hello all, I decided to write about my personal experience being Vaginally Infibulated and how I felt watching the now infamous "Swede Cake Video" that purported to honor women and girls like myself. I hope you'll read what I had to say. LINK: http://www.owlasylum.net/?p=1823 KOLA BOOF

Troy, I still doubt that any BLACK Editor/Publisher would have signed Kola Boof. I sent several great manuscripts to **Third World Press** and they ignored me. Ditto that Paul guy at Black Classics Press. That to me....says everything about this issue. There is a very unfortunate "Tunnelvision" by Black people in literature. It's as though they've completely forgotten Zora, Baldwin, Alice Walker and everything about "the edge." Would a Black Truman Capote or a Black Norman Mailer be recognized by Black editors and Black Publishers? The treatment towards me says it's not likely. LIKEWISE....someone Black should have started their own Akashic Books by now. They should be savvy enough and cutting edge enough to make it happen. But there's mostly "safe conservatism" with Blacks in literature. They want to bore us to death. IF I wasn't "shut out" and such a pariah within Black American literary circles.....I would start a house.

Also....Troy please fix my profile so that I can add my photo. It's not allowing me to add photos. Kola Boof

LMAO!!! (at Troy looking like Donna Summer in that hood). Anyone who has her album covers will recognize the expression on Troy's face..... ~*~ There is a Black owned bookstore in Charlotte, NC. It is owned by a young black man who used to be a football player. I was invited there but then ended up not going. I did a 38 city book tour last year. It was amazing to find that almost no one else was touring!! Johnny Temple told me that book tours are dying out because they don't sell enough books and the expense of sending out the authors (esp. black authors) is crippling. The industry really is changing; it's dying. But at the same time, a new birth is taking place. It's "formless" in its infant stages. KOLA

Troy...you should have spoke up. Johnny is definitely someone you can "be open & honest" with. I do it all the time. And he has great respect for truth...even when it makes him look soiled. Also, you're right. Black Editors at the major houses cannot sign who they wish...and we as Black artists have no "black owned" power brokers we can go to in order to be published and heard. In my case...I'm not sure that a Black owned publisher would give me a voice. It seems that I am too outspoken & introspective for most of the Black literary establishment. If it weren't for White Jewish men like Johnny, I would likely be silenced. It is hard for me to put down Johnny...because he rescued my career and he lets me do whatever I want and he puts a lot of backing into me. I can say almost anything to Johnny and he doesn't get upset. So I advise you to always speak up with him. He won't take it personal. He's very aware and humble with Black artists. He will listen. KOLA

Thanks so much. NO...there is no DVD of the lecture or anything. Kola

So many aspiring writers ask me about becoming a writer. I think this interview is the only time I've been given an opportunity to talk in depth about the forces that shaped me into a writer and about what the processes are like. I feel lucky to have someone like Johnny Temple molding and controlling my career, because with the way publishing is right now...it's a total mess. There is no money in it. The audiences are fickle and the houses don't give much backbone and support. Anyhoo, it's my favorite interview I've done since Kam Williams (here at aalbc.com), which has always been my favorite. I encourage everyone who writes to keep on doing it...because eventually, once the business configures into its new shape, they are going to need strong writers. Storytelling is a part of the human condition that never goes out of style. Stay focused, believe in your voice and practice writing often!

What's been going on with Kola Boof? I just did the most amazing interview with nthWORD magazine....it has to be my most revealing ever. It's the first time I got to talk in depth about publisher Johnny Temple and many other topics...such as Naomi Campbell's desire to play me in a film. I still get so many emails from Thumper's Corner visitors asking me a bevy of questions...I think you'll really appreciate the blunt honesty in this interview and where I'm at now with my career. "Literary Bad Girl Kola Boof" (Sessions) http://shorts.nthword.com/2012/04/literary-bad-girl-kola-boof-sessions.html nthWORD magazine

WOW! This event was so successful and so different than anything I've ever done. Giving a lecture (to a roomful of black women doctors!) on a particular subject is much calmer and more invigorating than the normal free-reign book reading. I spoke on why I don't like being called a 'strong black woman' and prefer we think about replacing it with 'the living woman' as our mantra. The women overwhelmingly agreed to and related with the entire historical picture I painted of how this language (strong black woman) does at times box us in as ..."mule of the world"...."they're strong (not really women) & can take care of themselves"...."be a strong black woman & take it like a man." It was quite a strong reaction, a lovely bonding time & I sold a ton of books. I also fell in love with Atlanta. What a beautiful and serene city. Kola Boof