The Fiction Queen Answers your Questions.
Question: What is your feeling about being called African-American?
I have struggled with my identity for at least 50+ years. I was told I was Negro, Black, Afro-American, Colored, and anything else, other ethnic groups of Americans wanted to call me. It was as if I didn't have an ethnic group of my own, hence, the terms black, mixed race, bi-racial, cablasian... (Caucasion, Black & Asian), as Tiger Woods defined himself when being questioned by the media about his origin. I wished Tiger would have claimed his African-American Heritage on his father's side; and, the country in Asia on his mother's side. Our children need to know that there are many of us who shine as number one.
I wrote a letter to President Clinton when he was in office - giving him a definition of what I believe an African-American is. It is someone descendant from enslaved African people in these United States of America. You can read the Document along with the reply as it appears in our Topics for Discussion.
I know the slave trade dropped Black People from the continent Africa...all over the world, however, those people then had a country of origin that they embrace. They migrated to the United States from that country. To their knowledge, they did not have family members enslaved in the U.S.A., prior to 1865 when the slaves were freed.
Those Black people who came to America from those other countries know their National Origin and their ethnic group. They are not African-American. Many of them are offended when they are called African-American. Others, love to be called African-American - or African American because they easily fill positions that I believe should go to an African-American when he or she is qualified to fill them.
Every ethnic group who does business in our neighborhoods take their cash receipts to their own countrymen. I think business should be done that way. I look forward to the time that we as an ethnic group will do the same thing.
Answer: I love being called African-American because I am now somebody. I am not a color or a hairstyle. I can finally recognize other members of my ethnic group. My plight in America is that of my African-American sisters and brothers. It hurts my heart to know that after 400 years, so many members of my ethnic group is doing so poorly while building and living in the riches country in the world.
Question: If you are really the Queen of African-American Fiction, why haven't we heard about you during Black History Month? Also, you were born and raised in Chicago, why haven't you appeared on Oprah?
When you hear more about us, who have carried our group on silent wings, then and only then will you have access to a capitalistic system that includes all Americans. We must bind together to solidify our ethnic group, so that, we can support a system of economic empowerment that directs our resources to the development of an African-American Market Place in each of the 50 states... and all the cities and towns in America.
Answer: Of the millions of African-Americans who have been struggling to realize the American Dream, our ethnic group is still being deprived of dreams, ambitions, and aspirations, and Press access. Should Oprah be God? Truly, God has touched her. She is not responsible for all his children, nor her sisters and brothers, which is the human race.
Thank God for the internet. As you said, no one knows about the Queen of African-American Fiction. 
Now you do! By the way, I was the first person to ask Oprah, if she has considered running for President? I was a guest in her audience.
Question: If you really believe in God, why are you trying to separate his people? We have spent many years trying to live among other Americans of different ethnic groups. Now you are trying to roll back all of our achievements. Shame on you.
Answer: Narrow minded African-Americans drive me nuts. 
I haven't heard you challenge economic systems of other ethnic groups. Do you frequent China Town, Greek Town, Little Italy, Little Mexico, Puerto Rican Town, Asian, Japanese and other ethnic markets? Do you buy Kosher products, Jerk Chicken, bagels, Irish Soda Bread, Polish Suasage, German potatoe salad and pastries? I could go on, and on, forever asking you questions about your support for other ethnic groups.
How many of those ethnic groups support soul food kitchens? There is a conspiracy against soul food. It's rumored that soul food will kill you because it's so rich. Go tell that to the pizza makers who dress the pie with dairy products, greasy meats and compound carbohyrates.
Whenever I am challenged about trying to come up with ways to improve the economic conditions of my ethnic group, criticism is usually by members of other ethnic groups who have a lot to lose
because, they will no longer be taking our money out of our neighborhoods.
Question: What is your take on the death penalty?
Answer: Is there equal justice for all in this United States Of America? NO! NO! NO! No one should be on death row. Here is a poem from my book a Ballad of Poetry.
'Satan's Child'
Whose cultured hand could that be, snuffs life from any villian you see? A child of the Creator must know, that old brother Lucifer's, gotta go.
Could he now become, Satan's kin?
Tho' he's worked with the firery demon; his Father forgave him, for no reason. Who shall throw, that parting switch, that kills the smoke, without a hitch.
Could he now become, Satan's kin?
Question: What do you think is going on in the Middle East, especially with Israel and Palestine?
There is an old saying that one should not become engaged in conversations that rest upon Religion and Politics, however, I believe the only way to achieve lasting peace and harmony in the middle east is to follow God's plan and open the Holy Lands to all of God's Children. So, I will break my silence and comment.
If one believes our Creator wanted man, who he made in his image and his likeness, to go forth and populate the Earth, then that land mass, over there, is much to small to settle all Jews, Moslems, Christians, Israelis, Arabs, Palestinians, Gentiles, and others who wish to settle in the area. If man is to have dominion over all things on the Earth, he should not be confined to such a small land area for his own existence and survival.
I would like to see the current land mass house Synagogues, Churches, Temples and/or Mosques, designed only as man can design and construct them, to represent God's Kingdom here on Earth; where all of his children could make pilgrimages whenever they felt the need to seek out a peaceful place to meditate in the presence of the Creator.
Every religion could have their own Holy Temple there, designed to show our creator how much we love him.
I believe our father in his wisdom, when he said there will be wars and more wars, knew that the fight would be over his kingdom on Holy Land here on Earth.
If man is like God, then he should think like him. The only lasting solution to the current crisis is to use the Holy Lands for paying homage to God. Just think how great our Creator will feel when he looks down upon his children as we flock to the area in droves.
Answer: God made the world big and beautiful with enough land for every ethnic group to have a place that they can call a home land. We should create new countries by redistricting and redrawing current land masses. People in all geographical areas will finally live in harmony with their neighbors, because there will be no need for the term occupied territories. This seems like a hugh task, but, look at the wasted lives and resources that occurs over and over again, over time due to warring factions. 
Here is another poem from A Ballad Of Poetry:
*** Our Trip ***
Man is ...an amazing being.
He makes beautiful, most everything.
With heavenly guidance from God's hand.
Everything is lovely in this land.
Highways to byways to oceans too,
there's nothing more for us to do.
But enjoy the sites...near and far;
while vacationing, in our car.
Question: What would you do to solve the impending nursing shortage crisis?
Answer: I believe it is time to change our way of thinking. With so many people embracing a global economy, it is time for us to create a dichotomy in nursing. There should be Registered Associate, and Registered Bachelor Nurses (RNs).
Two year and three year diploma graduates, two year associate graduates, License Practical Nurses with Pharmacology Certification, should all be included in a category titled Registered Nurse, (RN I). Those who have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing would rest in a category titled, (RN II).
The playing field will become level for United States Nurses. They will finally be able to set and persue goals for themselves that lead to a Doctorate in Nursing Education, Nurse Prationer, or whatever higher education in the field that they can dream of attaining. they will not have to repeat courses that they had already met the requirement for the nursing programs.
Registered Nurses entering the United States from other countries, must sit for and pass Foreign Boards, as well as United States boards if they plan to occupy any position in the healthcare system. They will not be allowed to work in any licensed professional position until they obtain further education and pass United States boards. There will be no more professional titles for them to claim, for example, if one cannot pass his boards, he/she cannot automatically work as a Licensed Practical Nurse, nor a Certified Nursing or Patient Care Assistant. They must sit for and pass those boards and examinations also!
I think we will see error rates decline in our healthcare system, along with immediate improvement in the quality of care provided throughout the industry, due to continuity of nursing education provided throughout the Healthcare Industry.
Question: You said there is a poem in your book, (A Ballad of Poetry), for every occasion. What do you have on freedom of speech?
Answer: You asked for it. Here it is!
** Please Encourage Me **
You said: "You have the freedom of speech". I spoke: "You called me a Communist Leech".
My words were not what you wanted to hear; so, a 'disc' preserved my life from fear.
Every move I made, you followed to see. If I sat leisurely, you wondered about me.
What I did in play and nothing, were par; deeds you conjured made suffering, by far.
I thought I'd done, the very best thing, when I disclosed, a fantasy dream fling.
Now I'm finding, that I was the fool, for giving you, that evidential tool
Question: Since everyone is talking about using the 'N' word, when are you going to put your two cents in? When and why did people began to use the term to identify blacks? I'd like to know what you think.
Answer: The 'N' word has not been part of our volcabulary. According to the comedian Dick Greggory, comedians used the term to poke fun at black people. I used the term in my book, A Ballad of Poetry to explain a sceen with the interaction of whites with blacks on a few occasions. According to anthropologist there are three classes of man. 1.Negroid(black) African 2.Caucasion(white)European 3. Mongoloid(yellow) Asian.
Questions you asked continued
