Welcome to Love's Troubadours, a
Lorraine Hansberry-inspired novel series about people learning and living as they love.Ananda
Kiamsha Madelyn Leeke (www.anandaleeke.com) is the author of the series. Click here to find out how it was made: www.lovestroubadours.com/id7.html.
The first book in the Love's Troubadours'
series is entitled Love's Troubadours - Karma: Book One (iUniverse,
Inc. - August 2007). It tells the story of Karma Francois, a thirtysomething Oakland-born BoHo B.A.P.
(Bohemian Black American Princess) with Louisiana roots and urban debutante flair. The novel begins with Karma's
life in an uproar. Her relationships and the museum curator career that she struggled to form in New York City have crumbled,
leaving no viable options to rebuild. Relocating to Washington, DC, Karma struggles with denial, depression, and debt.
A lack of full-time employment opportunities forces her to craft a gypsy existence as a Jill of Many Trades: yoga teacher,
art consultant, and freelance curator at Howard University Gallery of Art. Unable and unwilling to appreciate these jobs as
gifts, she wallows in a pool of lost identity-and doesn't see a way to keep from drowning. When she looks in the mirror, Karma sees a woman whose choices have dishonored her true character.
Now, for the first time in her life, Karma must learn to see herself for who she really is.
Love's
Troubadours - Karma: Book One is available on Amazon.com for $20.95. To purchase a copy, click on the link below.
Love's Troubadours Update & News About Upcoming Trip to Haiti
Hi All!
It's been almost a year since I last blogged on the site. Happy New Year and Happy Black History
Month to you all! A lot of great things have been happening since I last blogged. I spent 2010 doing research
and rewriting nine chapters of the Love's Troubadours - Symon: Book Two (December 2012).
I also
found ways to continue my connection with Haiti and her people since they play a role in Books One and Two. I volunteered
in the digital world as a Heart of Haiti Ambassador and was selected to travel to Haiti as a Heart of Haiti Blogger Ambassador with Willa Shalit of Fairwinds Trading and the Everywhere team in February 2011. Click here to read my Heart of Haiti blog posts. Visit my Flickr page to see my Heart of Haiti event photos. My Haiti trip will give me an opportunity to experience the Haitian people and their
culture in ways that will deeply impact my writing process.
When I return from my trip, I will host a live chat about
my experiences on March 5 at 8:00 pm ET. Please join me. Click here to register and participate in the online chat.
One more thing ... I began 2011 with a commitment to conduct digital advocacy
and raise funds on Crowdrise.com for the following causes over the next two years (January 2011 – January 2013):
I am also raising funds for Renewal 4 Haiti with my “Open your heart to Haiti today!” CafePress.com site. Please consider making a donation to support these organizations. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!
What I am reading in March: Soul Babies by Mark Anthony Neal
This month I have been reading Soul Babies by Mark Anthony Neal (one of my favorite Black male
feminists and authors …. Loved his book New Black Man). Click here to learn more about Neal and his
work: http://newblackman.blogspot.com. I am reading Neal’s Soul Babies as research for my next novel Love’s Troubadours –
Symon: Book Two.
“Great artistic efforts do more than just entertain, they enlighten.
Love’s Troubadours was highly entertaining, but also challenged me to explore the greater context of the world around
me, which is in my humble opinion the hallmark of great art. I learned much about my own strivings and angst while
perusing life through the eyes of a hip, chic, post-soul, educated yoga-loving, highly spiritual Black American Princess named
Karma. There are no canned characters in this masterpiece, only complex women and men dealing with the vicissitudes
of life through their inimitable postmodern brands of spirituality and social perspectives. Karma teaches us much about perseverance
as well as about self-transcendence and spiritual consciousness. One of the most fascinating aspects of this book is its fresh
appropriation of black middleclass sensibilities. Karma is an intuitive and progressive woman and her tastes and interests
reflect a mélange of black middleclass tropes often unexplored in contemporary cinema and books. Ananda Leeke fastens
our consciousness to a world of black female sophistication, and depicts Karma as an apotheosis of urban-chic and self-transcendence.
Leeke takes us on an entertaining and enlightening journey as we watch an incredibly complex protagonist like Karma navigate
through the matrices of her personal reformation, negotiate transitional changes, overcome family and relationship challenges
and emotional angst, and emerge as a more evolved and emotionally whole woman. This is a well-written book and a fascinating
look at an underrepresented portion of contemporary black middle-class life and spirituality.”
Shayne
got me thinking about the type of people I write about in my Love’s Troubadours novel series. So I did
a google search for Neal’s definition of post-soul. See below.
“the political, social, and cultural
experiences” of blacks born “between the 1963 March on Washington and . . . the Regents of the University of California v. Bakke challenge to affirmative action in 1978.”
After reading the definition, I realized me and
most of my characters are post-soul!
When I saw the cover of Soul Babies featuring Soul Train dancers, I hollered
because Soul Train was one of my favorite shows growing up in the 70s. It was a religion for me to watch Don Cornelius
and the Soul Train guests and dancers. They taught me how to dance and dress (at least in my imagination cuz’
my mother would not allow me to wear some of the clothes!).
What do you think about the post-soul definition?
What
were your favorite memories from the 70s?
Do you listen to 70s music? If so, who are your favorite artists and groups?
“Wearing Spirit” is a multi-media
exhibition of paintings, sculpture, photography, textile art, video and installations honoring the power of the sacred feminine
in African spiritual traditions. When I walked into the gallery, I felt a powerful energy wash over my spirit and
‘heart as I took in the beauty of each piece of artwork. AMAZING! Each artist’’s work touched
me deeply. I felt the presence of my ancestors in their work.
Attending the opening reception for “Wearing Spirit” was a HUGE
moment for me because my mixed media wire sculpture “Erzulie’s Black Heart” was included in the
exhibition.Clic here to watch a video of my interview at the reception.
Did you know Erzulie is the Haitian goddess of love? She
plays a major role in my novel Love's Troubadours and creative work. Below is my artist statement for the exhibition.
Artist Statement
Ananda Leeke’s passion for African goddesses
began while she was studying Kemetian and Yoruba religions and writing My Soul Speaks, her first chap book of poetry, in 1992.
In 1995, Leeke began using coat hangers, an assortment of wire, found objects, vintage jewelry, fabric, and amulets to sculpt
images of African goddesses including Oshun, Yemanya, Oya, Maat, Auset, and Het Heru. Over the past fifteen years, she
has explored these goddesses in her artwork, writing, and travels to Cuba, Egypt, Ghana, Louisiana, and Senegal. She
discovered Erzulie, the Haitian goddess of love, while writing her debut novel, Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One. Erzulie influenced the lives of many characters in Love’s Troubadours. Erzulie’s veve is incorporated
in Love’s Troubadours logo and artwork on the book cover.
Erzulie’s Black Heart is a goddess of
love and healing who was born out of the middle passage experience of enslaved Africans in Haiti. She is a Petwo spirit.
Her love and healing energy are hot, aggressive, and quick to act when the children of Haiti need her. Her black
heart represents a sanctuary for Haitians when they are faced with life’s hardships including poverty, illness, violence,
and natural disasters such as hurricanes and the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that occurred on January 12. Erzulie’s
Black Heart heals the pain and suffering of Haiti’s sons and daughters. She protects them with the fierce love of a
Black warrior woman. Her intention is to bring the children of Haiti to higher ground.
I also had a chance to reconnect with Dr. Marta Moreno Vega, the founder of the Caribbean Cultural Center, and my dear sistalove Shantrelle Lewis, the curator of ‘Wearing
Spirit.” Shantrelle also serves as Director of Programs & Exhibitions for the Center. Dr. Vega and Shantrelle
agreed to share their thoughts about “Wearing Spirit” with Ananda Leeke TV. See their videos below.
My NYC play dad Fred Mays and sistalove friends Jill Barrett, Toni Blackman, and Zahava came to the event to show their support. In addition, I met artist Michael Cummings and filmmaker Spike Lee (love his movies She’s Gotta Have It, Mo Betta Blues, Malcolm X, School Dayz, and Bamboozled).
Click here to see the Center’s photos from the opening reception.
Watch video from Ananda’s March 14th book talk at the Historical Society of DC
My book talk for my poetic memoir That Which Awakens Me and novel Love's Troubadours was
held on March 14 at the Historical Society of Washington, DC. It was a lot of fun and a HUGE success!!!! Many thanks to my sistalove Karen Sallis for organizing the event with
Rosemary Reed and the Society’s staff! Big thanks to everyone who attended the event!!!!
If you missed the event,
watch several videos. See the links below.
Has Artist/Author Ananda Leeke's work made a difference
in your life this year? If yes, then click on the PayPal button above
and make a donation to Kiamsha.com, LLC, Leeke's healing arts company. PayPal offers Visa, MasterCard, and American Express
secured payment options.It also offers a PayPal card that you can use for other purchases. Many thanks
in advance for your gift. It is greatly appreciated!
Kiamsha.com, LLC promotes creativity through coaching
and expressive arts, teaches contemplative practices (i.e. yoga, Reiki healing touch, meditation, breathing exercises, journaling,
affirmations, and prayer), and builds community that awakens your soul and transforms your life.
AKOMA is a Ghanaian Andinkra symbol that represents the heart and
means keep an open heart filled with compassion.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud It
is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil,
but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
WHAT IS LOVE'S
TROUBADOURS?
Love's Troubadoursis a healing fiction series that features stories told by people who are learning and living as they
love. The healing fiction series is deeply rooted in the storytelling traditions of the West African griot and troubadours
of the French Middle Ages. To learn more about these traditions, read the sections below.
Senegalese Griot, 1890
WHAT IS A GRIOT?
A griot is a West African poet, storyteller, historian, advisor, arbitrator, and wandering musician
who serves as a repository of oral history tradition. Griots are walking history books who memorize traditional songs
and teachings, folktales, cultural history, and family relationships. This information is passed down through generations. Griots
also marry them with current events and chance incidents to create praise songs and stories with wisdom teachings, comic relief
and satire, political commentary, and gossip. Today, griots live in Senegal, Mali, Gambia, and Guinea. They are present among
the Wolof, Serer, Mande, Malinke, Bambara, Fula, Tukuloor, Wolof, and Mauritanian people. There are several African names
for griots including jeli (a word that means "blood in the Manika language that is derived from ; northern Mande areas),
jali (southern Mande areas), guewel (Wolof), gawlo (Pulaar, a Fula language), and igiiw (Hassaniyya, an Arabic language).
WHAT IS A TROUBADOUR?
Troubadour is derived from an Old French word "trobador" which comes
from the verb "trobar" that means to invent or compose. When you put it all together, troubadour refers to a composer
and performer of lyric poetry. The French Middle Ages (1100-1350) gave birth to the troubadour tradition in the eleventh century.
The tradition defined troubadour lyric as poetical, rhetorical, and musical fiction. They dealt mainly with themes of courtly
love, chivalry, nature, life, and death. Most troubadour lyrics were metaphysical, intellectual, and formulaic. They also
included many genres including alba (morning song - the song of a lover as dawn approaches, often with a watchman warning
of the approach of a lady's jealous husband), canso or canço (the love song, usually consisting of five or six
stanzas), dansa or balada (a dance song with a refrain) ensenhamen (a long didactic poem, usually not divided into stanzas,
teaching a moral or practical lesson), enuig (a poem expressing indignation or feelings of insult), escondig (a lover's
apology), partimen (a poetical exchange between two or more poets in which one is presented with a dilemma by another and
responds), planh (a lament, especially on the death of some important figure), salut d'amor (a love letter addressed to
another, not always one's lover), and tenso (a poetical debate which was usually an exchange between two poets, but could
be fictional).
ODO NNYEW FIE KWAN is a Ghanaian Andinkra symbol that means the power of love.
Copyright 2009-2012 by Madelyn C. Leeke. All rights reserved.
The
slogans "Love's Troubadours"; "Be love, love light, and live as the spirit of life"; "YOGA is Your
Opportunity to Graciously Accept yourself"; "Honey I'm OM"; "OM on My Mind"; "Our Womanist Spirit";
"BAP Living"; "Black American Princess...BAP Being At Peace"; "Sisterhood, the Blog"; “Ananda
Leeke TV”; “The Ananda Leeke Radio Show”; and "That Which Awakens Me" are the intellectual property of
Kiamsha.com, LLC. They may not be used without the prior consent or licensing by Kiamsha.com, LLC.