Moving " Backward " Towards My Indian Relatives

I'm blogging a lot today because I've taken a break from writing today. I usually write nonstop but I think I deserve a break from Jessica and the novel I'm writing. Oh I don't know, I may write on the novel a little tonight. I'm proud I'm challenging myself to write a Mafia story. I may be no Mario Puzo but I've never been one to walk away from a challenge. Anyway, I am moving forward in my career but I find that I cannot move forward in my family history until I've accomplished something I've wanted to for the last three years: the family tree.

I am in the process of breaking down my mother's side of the family to find my Indian ancestors. I have a theory: they were one of many tribes to settle in Texas decades ago, (laughing). I don't know if that truly narrows things down but I will try. My aunt has been doing well searching our family history but she's mainly learning about people we already know. I want to go beyond that to find my Indian relatives and to see if that part of my family is still around. Well I know they are around in some way but I need to find out where. I have been glowing constantly since realizing the richness of my family history. So many differences have been combined to form a magnificent breed of people. Okay, I may be getting dramatic (laughing). Heck I just want to know about that part of my life. I know of my Indian great aunt or Indian great aunts but I want to know my Indian cousins, uncles, aunts, etc. I want to know the Indian relatives that are close to my age and submerge myself in that part of my culture. What kind of Indians are they? What kind would I be? What tribe did they come from? What are their rituals today? Are they modernized or traditionalized Indians? Well...that's what I hope to find out.

How can I move forward if I don't know where I'm coming from? It's funny how we think we know everything about our lives and some of us have no idea what we're connected to, who we came from centuries ago or who we're related to now. This has been a silent dream for me. Hopefully one day I can conquer knowing each and every person in my family who died before me. And if not well...I won't hold my breath.

Down & Dirty

Got " down and dirty " with Sheila M. Goss a while back. For all that don't know Sheila is a best selling author and the music editor of Bella Online. I chatted with her about " Divas of the New Millennium " a few months back. So far this is one of my favorite interviews. It gave the book miles of exposure and I became very intimate in my young age. I hope fans of myself and the book will appreciate it. I tried my best to let them into the life of an author. It wasn't easy but...(laughing), it sure was fun!

The interview can be found here:

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art33054.asp

Ode to Jessica Simpson

It's amazing how much you can learn about someone when you write about them. I'm not talking about the things they've done but their emotions. I don't know why I became so interested in Jessica Simpson a while ago. But I am and now I am finding that I enjoy writing her story. I didn't know a thing about her when I started except that she was from Texas too. I heard all the negative things people called her, dumb, stupid, overrated, goofy...etc. I unlike most in the world try not to judge someone I don't know. Of course that's not natural. Everyone judges people on appearance, what they say from a distance, how they act, the color of their skin, who they date, what they wear, their occupation and so on. I hadn't judged Jessica Simpson like a lot of people had. I barely thought of her twice. It was when I was asked who would be my next subject, if anyone and for some reason she popped into my head.

It's funny because right before I started writing about her is when she began to get truly famous. I starred months before anyone knew of the " Dukes of Hazzard " movie. Now it's like Jessica has blown up and tapping into her life and how she feels has been very mesmerizing. I am realizing more and more that she isn't anything like the nasty things people have said. She's not dumb in fact she appears to be smarter than many. She has a leveled head. She knows better than to jump into business transactions without thinking thoroughly about them. She navigates her own career unlike most young singers of today who rely on people making every move for them. She's high into religion, I'm not but I admire that about her. She's sincere, kind and from what others say, success hasn't changed her one bit.

People can talk about Jessica all they want and that's their right. People talk about people they don't know. They love to hate the people they see on television. Most of it is jealousy. Most of it is sincere and some people just can't stand her. All of us has someone we don't like. But I'm finding Jessica, (as she would say), quite " irresistible ". It amazes me how different someone can be when you get to know them. If half the people who thought Jessica was the next, " dumb blond " could sit down and really understand her life, what she's been through and how she approaches decisions, I think they would retract their words. How can we call her dumb? Because she's a little corny? Because she may say some things that don't make sense? Because she giggles a lot and smiles when she talks? I guess I'm dumb too if that's the case. It seems like the people that hung this title on J.S. expects her to be perfect. She's so attractive on the outside so she has to be missing a few strings on the inside right? Maybe, but aren't we all. Still, I don't believe she's missing the strings people claim she is. In fact Miss Simpson proves to be smarter than many the more I write her story.

I like Jessica. Hmmm...(laughing). I never thought I'd say that just because I didn't understand her before. Like I said, I didn't think twice about her. I just saw her as another Britney Spears. Shame on me for judging someone I didn't know. Oh yeah, it's in my nature too. I am only human. But I do my best not to judge people and that's more than some people. I don't like to be judged before opening my mouth. Most of us don't but we don't practice what we preach. I think if all of us could sit back and see how hard it is to be famous we won't always gape open our mouths to criticize. It's hard to go through all that turmoil. To be away from the life you used to live. To put your entire world out there for people to see. I'm an author, I know first hand about how frightening the public eye can be. You never know whose attention you'll catch. You never know who will take it too far.

So this is my ode to Jessica because, well it's my blog and I can write what I want (laughing). Seriously, I just wanted to stick up for her. I find everyone dragging her through the mud and all she's done was be a nice person. So what if she played Daisy Dukes? People say she wasn't right for the role but I don't believe Susan Sarandon would have taken it so what's the big deal? My point is that no matter what certain people do, we're always there to say something negative about them. Some people can ruin entire lives and we say nothing yet we focus on the life of a singer or actor and think we have the right to condemn them for the choices they make. We know if we looked in the mirror most of us couldn't stand what we see.

So why do we have to judge anyone? Oh yeah, oh yeah I forgot, it's human nature. Well, I'm rolling my eyes up now because I hate when you can't change what's going to happen. That's life. It's nowhere near perfect, but life is something we must live and live with. No artist has ever been able to change that so why should I be? I wish I could. Now let me go back and continue my Jessica Simpson piece...

Jessica photo, Scanned by Stacy-Deanne

Alicia Keys, Ashanti, Beyonce, Destiny's Child, Jennifer Lopez & Mya: Divas of the New Millennium (Press Release)

Fiction Author Stacy-Deanne Dives into the World of Divas!

Alicia Keys, Ashanti, Beyonce, Destiny's Child, Jennifer Lopez & Mya:
Divas of the New Millennium
By Stacy-Deanne, Kelly Kenyatta, Natasha Lowery and Kwynn Sanders

(ISBN# 0-9749779-6-9 / $16.95 / Trade Paperback / 160 pages / Colossus Books)

July 2005-National

" Brings together music's young powerful women " Billboard Magazine

" Usually when you put seven equally sexy, dominating women on the same territory it means trouble, yet sometimes it's an antidote for success. " ---- Stacy-Deanne

Music books are made to have you jamming but few educate while entertain. " Alicia Keys, Ashanti, Beyonce, Destiny's Child, Jennifer Lopez & Mya: Divas of the New Millennium " is the first book of its time. It combines the authors' spirit and admiration with hard-hitting facts and an inside look into the music world.
Alicia Keys busted on the scene in 2002. She is now one of the most successful young artists in the world. Alicia combines a Billie Holiday persona with a dynamic combination of piano and soul that hasn't been touched since the great Ray Charles. Ashanti known as the Princess of Hip-Hop & R&B and a Lady of Soul Award recipient, rose to the top of music charts in 2002 by selling 500,000 copies of her debut, self-titled album in its first week. Admired by millions all over the world, Ashanti is respected for being a woman who is not afraid to ' do her own thing '. Beyonce & Destiny's Child- Destiny's Child's success made Beyonce Knowles a star, Beyonce in return brought ' girl groups ' to a new height by transforming Destiny's Child into today's most successful female group by dominating the charts with songs of encouragement, women empowerment and loads of sex appeal. Jennifer Lopez known as the " Queen of Latino Soul & R&B ", is a franchise within herself. She has produced hit albums, hit films, a clothing line, modeled for the world's top designers and if that isn't all has changed the face of beauty forever. Idolized by millions she continues to shock, soothe, seduce and overwhelm fans all over the world. Mya is known mostly for her artistic dancing style and fast-rising hits. With versatile style that cannot be imitated, Mya is one of today's most remarkable female artists.

Before these ladies were seen as beauty queens or mantras of the music world they were just like other little girls, struggling to hold on to a big dream. " Divas of the New Millennium " educates and creates a compelling read that will be appreciated for years to come.

Author Stacy-Deanne
Born in 1978 Stacy-Deanne is originally an author of fiction. She finished her first novel at nineteen years old. Stacy's hobbies include modeling and landscape photographer. Stacy is one of the youngest writers to ever be accepted into the Author's Guild. For more information please visit: http://www.stacy-deanne.net

For further information contact: Amber Books at 480-460-1660 / 602-243-3144 or email: amberbk@aol.com. Bookstores and libraries, please contact Amber Communications Group, Inc. directly or your wholesaler /distributor for ordering.

For interviews, media and promotional opportunities email: Stacy-Deanne, author of Ashanti, Mya, and Jennifer Lopez at her promotional address: stacy_deanne2@yahoo.com You can also reach Stacy at: stacy_deanne@yahoo.com

Visit WWW.AMBERBOOKS.COM to see the complete ACGI collection.
AMBER COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC., 1334 E. CHANDLER BLVD., SUITE 5-D67, PHOENIX, AZ 85048, TEL: 480-460-1660/602-243-3144, FAX: 480-283-0991, EMAIL: AMBERBK@AOL.COM , WEBSITE: WWW.AMBERBOOKS.COM

Jamaica Dream

I am sick of saying I'll do things and never do them. Lately all I can think about is getting away from the pressure and hassles of everyday life. It's funny. I've managed to relax more since the book was released. Then when I calmed down I found out how well it was doing. I'm happy but I still need to get away. I've been having Jamaica dreams, wondering if the things that happen in the movies really do come true. It is my dream to live a life of travel. I've always wanted to take some time away and drift to exotic places even if it were just for a few days here and there. I really need a vacation. I long to go off to some romantic place and see what it's like to learn about different lands, submerge myself in different cultures. I plan to take a trip to Jamaica next summer, hopefully. I just hope I can make it. I am tired of being afraid to try something new. I want to get out and experience life more. I've spent years since I finished high school being a workaholic, doing all I could to get published and learn the business. I keep thinking that it is time for me to get some space. I used to travel and enjoy it so much. I haven't had a trip in about three years and it's hard to adjust. I'm not talking about the millions of events authors go to on a regular basis. I want a Jamaica dream. I want to vast in a tropical island just to see if my breath can be taken away. I can't imagine how it feels to just let yourself go and slide into new adventures and just be free. I am so jealous of the women in the films that can just drop everything and hop on a cruise. I've longed to do that for years. I know now I have to make that step or else I won't ever do it. I make a promise to take that trip to Jamaica or somewhere just as nice next summer. It'll be something that's missing. Something that I truly need.