Edwidge Danticat has an obsession with the sea, from The Children of the Sea, a harrowing story from her short story collection Krik? Krak! to her latest work Claire of the Sea Light. The book centers on Claire Limyè Lanmè, a little girl who vanishes in a small fishing hamlet in Haiti on her seventh birthday. It has a thriller-like pace that’s reminiscent of The Dewbreaker. The last time Danticat had a juvenile protagonist was in Behind the Mountain and of course Anacaona: Golden Flower, but there is something extremely odd about little Claire, and she is bound to be ranked among Danticat’s most memorable protagonists.

How did the idea for Claire of the Sea Light come about?
Once, I was watching a TV program about Haitian children who are placed in foreign-run orphanages in Haiti, even though their parents are still alive. These parents, who, for economic reasons, were unable to care for their children, put them in orphanages, hoping that their children will have a better life. I have a dear friend who grew up this way and eventually reconciled with his birth family as an adult. In the program I was watching, someone said that Haitians are not as attached to their children otherwise they wouldn’t just give them away. That stayed with me because I didn’t grow up in a nuclear family. My brother and I spent the early part of our lives with my aunt and uncle in Haiti, in a house full of cousins, whose parents, like ours, were working abroad. I knew how difficult that choice was for our parents and for my friend’s parents, and many other people who find themselves in that kind of situation. I wanted to try to write about someone making that choice and show the very moment that choice is made from these three different perspectives: the parent, the child, and the potential new parent.

Do you sometimes find yourself feeling torn between painting certain realities about Haiti, and painting another picture? Censoring yourself? Like, sometimes do you think to yourself, “Some people’s only exposure to Haiti are my books. So I’d better…
I love Haiti, and I want others to love it too, but I don’t think creating an alternate reality in which all is rosy and perfect is the only way to write about it, even in fiction. I think it’s important to tell nuanced and complex stories that show many sides to our physical spaces as well as our humanity. Nothing new about that though. That’s what some of our best Haitian writers have been doing for generations now.

Who does Edwidge Danticat read in terms of authors and poets? Who are her faves exactly?
I read a lot. I have lots of faves. Currently I am reading Jessica Fievre’s memoir Inheritance in manuscript and it’s spectacular. I am also reading Amy Tan’s new book, The Valley of Enchantment. I am re-reading a lot of older Haitian writers since I am editing a follow up to Haiti Noir, a book called Haiti Noir 2: The Classics.

Speaking of languages, do you think that one day English will supplant French as the language alongside Creole that is spoken and written in Haiti?
I don’t think so. Instead, I’d love to see the role of Creole expand further, in academia, in the educational system. I have now lived in the United States for 32 years. I write in English because of the circumstances of my life, but it’s not something I would want to see imposed on others, especially in their own country.

You tend to shy away from social media and the web…
Believe it or not, I am a little shy, and there is a part of me that feels like social media is the biggest stage in the world. I like the idea of having a book out then fading away for a while to become somewhat invisible again. I kind of need that to reboot and start working on something else. But I am doing a little bit more of the web and social media these days. My publisher does most of the posting on my wonderful Facebook page, but I contribute sometimes as well. And this year, I will finally get a website.

You lived in New York for most of your early life. But when one studies your career history, it seems that since you’ve moved to Miami, it’s like you’ve been producing books practically back to back, with less and less time in between new releases. Do you think that geography has had an influence on your creativity? Like, the closer you are to Haiti, the more inspired you are?
Miami is a great city and living here has definitely made it possible for me to get to Haiti more often. However, I don’t think living in Miami can necessarily be credited for my productivity. Actually I have a lot more responsibility now than I had when I was younger and living in New York. The family. The kids. Aging parents and in laws. Maybe becoming older and having more on my plate has taught me to better manage my time and has given me more to write about.

[Photo Credit: Josephine Demme]

Be sure to connect with the author on her FACEBOOK PAGE. You can purchase the book HERE.

Edwidge Danticat’s latest novel is Claire of the Sea Light, the closest thing she’s ever written to a paranormal novel. The story takes place in Ville Rose, a little town in Haiti, where Nozias—a man of little means—is seriously considering giving his daughter Claire away to a better-off store owner. But Claire disappears and as the story develops, it becomes apparent that Claire Limyè Lanmè is no ordinary little girl.

In Part 1, Edwdige Danticat discussed everything from social media, to book title choice, and the use of the Creole language in novels. The conversation continues!

The Dew Breaker, The Farming of Bones, Breath, Eyes, Memory. Your novels have the most intriguing and poetic titles. Do you usually come up with the titles, and then write the novel? Or do you name your literary babies after their actual birth?
Some titles come before. Some come after. Some come during. Breath, Eyes, Memory, for example, was initially called Daughters of Haiti, until the editor brought a line from the book to my attention. The Farming of Bones comes from an expression some former cane workers used to tell me about, travay tè pou zo, working the land to the bone. The Dew Breaker is a literal translation of choukèt laroze, a henchman from the dictatorship era.

Your books have had some really interesting covers. Do you have a say with cover design?
The publisher usually sends me covers and thankfully, if I really hate a possible cover, they won’t go with it. They are also very much open to my suggestions. The cover photo for Claire of the Sea Light, for example, was taken by my friend Carl Juste and the cover girl is my oldest daughter Mira.

Do you tend to finish every novel you start?
I have at least four unfinished books in my drawer right now. Two of them might become one at some point in the future and two might never become anything at all.

All your heroines, from Sophie Caco to Ka and down have always inspired pity, empathy, and admiration. They’ve been good, well-meaning girls all around. Do you ever think about having a villainess as your main character?
That’s one of the novels in my drawer.

Out of all your novels and literary works, do you have a favorite?
Brother, I’m Dying because my father and uncle are alive in there.

Which one do you think would make a great Broadway musical?
Anacaona, Golden Flower, one of my children’s books.

At this point of your life, you’ve written nearly a dozen literary works. Do you sometimes revisit, say, your first book; your second book, and tell yourself, “Ugh, why did I write this! If I were writing this now, I’d do it so differently!” Like, do you wish you could rewrite some of your other earlier books, based on what you know now, as a human being who has done a lot more growing up, and a writer whose pen has gotten more mature?
I can’t even read some of the early work. Most writers will say that. Of course there is so much I would do differently, if I were writing those books now, but I had to write them to mature and that’s how it is.

What’s the most off-the-wall interpretation; wait-a-minute-I-never-intended-for-this you’ve ever had about one of your novels, either from a critic or from a reader?
I don’t consider any interpretation off the wall. When I’m done with a book, I realize it is no longer mine. I might disagree with an interpretation of something, but I never consider it off the wall.

Edwidge Danticat. Author. Wife. Mother. Daughter. Should the word feminist be added to the list of your descriptors?
Wi. Feel free to add it on. I am definitely a feminist.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I spend time with my family. I have two small children, so the “time when I’m not writing” is well accounted for.

What’s next for you?
I am currently editing Haiti Noir 2: The Classics. It will be published in January 2014. It’s a sequel to Haiti Noir, with many older stories. We have stories that have never been translated into English before from Ida Faubert—one of Haiti’s first published women writers—Jacques Roumain and Paulette Poujol Oriol. We also have stories from Lyonel Trouillot, Jan. J. Dominique, George Anglade, and Dany Laferrière, among others. I am extremely excited about this book. I think it will introduce—or reintroduce—a whole new generation of readers to some older as well as contemporary giants of our literature. And just as with Haiti Noir, part of the proceeds will go to one or several grassroots organizations in Haiti.

You can purchase Claire of the Sea Light HERE.

Kreyolicious Celebrity Sightings…in which…in which I track down our Kreyolicious celebrities and see what they’ve been up to.

Stella Jean was all smiles at Milan Men’s Fashion Week in Milan, Italy. The Italian-fashion designer showed off her own Spring/Summer 2016 collection.

Those ballerina flats she has on sure look comfortable on Stella Jean, don’t they kreyolicious cheries?

I like the fact that she’s wearing jeans on the runway. Those accessories on her wrists! The top she’s sporting is no doubt from her own collection. And the nerdy glasses…so Stella.

Ooh, let’s take a look at those jeans again! They are slightly baggy…almost hood-baggy, and Stella has the hems rolled up. Always had this impression that she was very petite, but I see she’s rather tall. Hey, she did used to be a high fashion model at one point! So kreyolicious.

One thing I’ve noted about Stella Jean is that she rarely has her hair sweeping her shoulders. It’s almost always in a bun or in a low-maintenance mode. That’s simplicity for you.

Garcelle Beauvais looked glamorous, and downright kreyolicious at the Hollywood premiere of the Warner Bros. film Magic Mike XXL.

For some, weary white is a scary thing. You never know when you might drop something on your dress…no matter how careful you may be. I like the straps on the dress, and I really, really adore Garcelle’s bob. That cheve is laid, kreyolicious cheries.

Garcelle had to show up looking her best at that premiere. The film Magic Mike XXL is all about being fit.

Ooh, look at that Egyptian mascara on Garcelle. She really has pretty eyes. Hard to believe that Garcelle is almost 50. That’s that Black/Haitian Don’t Crack combo at work. I remembered when I interviewed her, she had mentioned how she’s continuously working on herself. I will never forget that. Working on the inside, and on the outside.

And a full photo of her look…Look at those arms! Boy, she looks like she be lifting bags of diri. So toned.

Didn’t I read somewhere that Garcelle is a descendant of a Haitian general…a Mr. Beauvais? Athlete on the war field, and an athletic body on the red carpet. These Beauvais seeds were born to kill it.

Ooh, how cool is it that she topped that all-white outfit with those green flats?

So, while Garcelle Beauvais was attending the Magic Mike XXL premiere of Magic Mike XXL” at the Chinese Theatre IMAX in Hollywood, blogger, journalist and social media influencer Claire Sulmers was showing off her intricate braids not too far away at the Mondrian Hotel in Los Angeles at the Tidal X: Meek Mill event.

There’s a reason whey she’s called The Fashion Bomb. Maybe it’s because she’s known as a fashion blogger, but I rarely see her being cited as one of the instigators of the natural hair movement. But she ought to be. She’s been rocking these blonde twists. I like how kreyolicious avant-guard she is when it comes to her look.

Karen Civil joined singers Tyrese and Kelly Rowland in Cali as part of Genius Talks presented by AT&T during the 2015 BET Experience at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Ms. Civil was the panel’s moderator. Look at those spiral curls on and wore a coral romper. Look for Karen’s book set to be released by Cash Money and Simon and Schuster this November.

[Photo Credit: Garcelle Beauvais—Frederick M. Brown and Kevin Winter. Karen Civil—Jerrod Harris. Claire Sulmers—Jason Merritt. Stella Jean—D’aprano.]

Claire Sulmers started out as a fashion blogger and has quickly morphed into a multi-media mogul. The granddaughter of a Haitian immigrant, Claire claimed her piece of the American dream in the mid-2000s via The Fashion Bomb, a fashion blog. She took fashion journalism to a level unknown to the niche, by integrating edgy commentary with a personal flair. The fashion entrepreneur earned a spot on Ebony 100, that magazine’s oh-so-prestigious list and has asphalted the path for other fashion bloggers. A recognized influencer, Claire has gone to heights even she, the ever optimistic dreamer, never dreamed of. She once aspired to write for some of the world’s biggest fashion outlets—now, the little project she started years ago, is considered as one of the world’s biggest, go-to fashion outlets. At one time, she wrote for Essence magazine. Now, her Fashion Bomb empire is consulted alongside Essence, and sometimes even before Essence.

So, what can we learn from Claire Sulmers’ journey?

1. Learn from mistakes and move on.
For a while, Claire was hosting her blog on .blogspot.com. This was just fine….but she she had neglected to purchase the domain for her brand. Someone snatched it, and as Claire later told Black Enterprise, said individual was asking a fortune to sell it back. How could someone high-jacked her brand’s domain from her? She could have sat there and asked herself that question over and over. Instead of weeping all the water out of her body, Claire purchased an alternative domain. She continued to work on building her brand, and bombers know to go directly to that domain, and not that other one. When certain social media platforms started to get popular, Claire hurriedly signed up for the username for her brand.

2. Stay motivated, encouraged….and know your value.
If consumers of color are often ignored, how much more a media mogul who’s trying to cater to them. Claire watched as mainstream newly-blogging, fashion bloggers were being praised in the media for doing what she had been doing for years—except of course targeting women of color. She watched as they got sponsors, fashion lines, exclusive invites, and collaborations—while she (and her audience) were being ignored. She continued to make a go at it, and with time, mainstream media outlets—from Glamour, New York Magazine, Time, to Teen Vogue—took notice, featuring her or referencing her. Brands like Toyota recognized her power and the buying clout of her audience, and came on ship as a sponsor.

3. Don’t think you’re going to get where you want to be within 24 hours. It takes hard work, baby.
Everybody wants a blog like The Fashion Bomb, and want loyal readers like Claire’s. They want to be invited to Mercedes Fashion Week, want to be on prestigious panels and get courted by big brands…but without putting in the actual work. It didn’t happen to Claire in the scope of one day. It took moving to France, when all the French she knew was what she had learned from class, and all she knew of Paris was what she had read online. It took years of working without any applause or recognition—or pay, for that matter. It took juggling freelance assignments while pumping and creating original content for her brand. No, you won’t get there over the course of a 24-hour day, but with non-stop, hard-work, you can get there.

4. Cherish your heritage.
Claire stated in an interview that upon immigrating to the United States, her grandfather changed his last name from Silmé to Sulmers because he wanted to blend in. Claire wants to claim that back, and told a fashion reporter that if she ever has her own fashion line, it’s going to be christened Silmé.

5. Once you get up there, don’t forget you were once down there.
As a graduate of Harvard University, little Claire Sulmers dreamt of working in the fashion industry. But that industry isn’t exactly easy to break into as a new pair of good-fitting pumps. Claire remembers this and created “Breaking Into the Industry” series on her website, where her readers can get priceless insight into what it takes to work in fashion. While some have maintained a proprietary attitude towards the wisdom they’ve gained, Claire makes it a point to share hers. Additionally, she’s given a slew of college students and grads their first taste at working in fashion through internships and writing opportunities.

There you have it Kreyolicious cheries…5 Success Principles We Can Learn from Claire Sulmers, better known as…The Fashion Bomb.

[Photo Credit: Angela Weiss, Jason Merritt, and Vivien Killelea]

FASHION BOMB WEBSITE | FASHION BOMB ON TWITTER | FASHION BOMB ON INSTAGRAM

CLICK HERE TO READ OTHER ARTICLES IN KREYOLICIOUS’ SERIES 5 SUCCESS PRINCIPLES WE CAN LEARN FROM….It’s my newest series. Hope you like it.