A Hidden Gem: Dael Orlandersmith

I just finished reading a great American play entitled, Yellowman (2002), which is written by actress/writer Dael Orlandersmith. The play was nominated for the 2002 Pulitzer Prize in Drama, which was the same year that Suzan-Lori Parks became the first African-American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize in Drama for Topdog/Underdog (2001). Before picking up the book at the library, I had never of Orlandersmith. Ever. I was browsing through the book aisle and saw a thin yellow spine that read, "Yellowman." Interesting title, I thought. Then, I became even more interested when I saw the photograph of  the playwright: a Black woman sporting braids. I find myself being drawn to Black female writers because I feel they understand me. It's like, finally, I see myself on those pages...but I digress. I first picked up Yellowman in 2008. Interestingly, I didn't read the play when I first checked it out from the library (I have that habit; I checkout a bunch of books, and read only a few). Last month, I checked out the book again. This time I read it, and I loved it. It was a fast read. It almost went too fast, but I enjoyed reading every bit of it. I love the language in Orlandersmith's play--it's poetic and lyrical. I could feel the heat of South Carolina. I could feel the humidity cloak my body and the dust fall on my skin like rain drops. Orlandersmith's writing and content reminds me of Alice Walker. The richness. The beauty. The womanness. It's so awesome when you discover a  writer that interests you and pulls you in. It's like meeting someone who captivates you. You're under his spell. Finding a writer that intellectually stimulates you is like finding a needle in a haystack: hard! Because I liked Yellowman so much, I am now reading Beauty's Daughter; Monster; The Gimmick: Three Plays (2002). Hopefully, those plays are as good as Yellowman. I'll let you know if I liked them. By the way, are there any writers that you have discovered recently?

Say It Ain't So, Tin House!

Darn, another rejection and dreams of stardom are flushed down the toilet, once again. The blow came in an e-mail with the words, "Your submission to Tin House," in the subject line. Uh-oh, I thought. About three weeks earlier, I had received an email confirming that my submission was received, and for the last couple of weeks I was daydreaming about seeing my poem published in the crisp pages of Tin House...and then my whole life would change. I would be discovered by a New York literary agent and then I would have a book deal and BAM I'm a household name! Please note: I am being extremely sarcastic and completely delusional. But when I saw that email from Tin House, I knew the deal...defeat...another one bites the dust. Usually, when you receive a response too soon, especially when it comes from a literary publication, it's not a good sign. So, I braced myself for the inevitable and opened the email. Yep, it's what I expected. One of those impersonal rejection letters. Or should I say note of brevity where you are a nameless soul:

Dear Writer,
Thank you for your submission to Tin House. Unfortunately, we must pass at this time. Best of luck placing your work elsewhere.

Sincerely,
Tin House Editors
2010-06-03 13:25:39 (GMT -7:00)

As a result of my Tin House rejection, I'm thinking about submitting my work to another publication, preferably Callaloo, but I'm not sure. I know everyone says that a writer should simultaneously submit their work to various publications, but I never do that, which is not the most efficient route to become published. I have to understand that just because a literary magazine passes on my work, it doesn't necessarily mean that my work is crap. It might mean that my style of writing or content is not "suitable" to the publication's aesthetic. Or at least that is what I have to tell myself. I know that ZZ Packer, author of Drinking Coffee Elsewhere (2004), mentioned that she had submitted a number of stories to The New Yorker before her story, "Drinking Coffee Elsewhere," made its debut in 2000. So, I got to keep writing and keep hope alive. If your work has been rejected, please don't feel discouraged. In fact, give a shout out to the publication that rejected your work. Don't be mad--you're just earning your writer's stripes.