{"id":5547,"date":"2013-10-04T11:55:17","date_gmt":"2013-10-04T15:55:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sistahsontheshelf.com\/?page_id=5547"},"modified":"2020-06-04T23:21:55","modified_gmt":"2020-06-05T03:21:55","slug":"claudia-moss","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.sistahsontheshelf.com\/?page_id=5547","title":{"rendered":"Claudia Moss"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a> IN CLAUDIA’S OWN WORDS<\/strong>…CLAUDIA MOSS is the author of two novels, Dolly: The Memoirs of a High School<\/i> Graduate<\/i> (her Holloway House debut, adolescent novel) and If You Love Me, Come<\/i><\/a> (her latest, self-published novel). Her short fiction has appeared in a host of anthologies including Longing, Lust, and Love: Black Lesbian Stories<\/i><\/a> (Nghosi Books), Gietic: Erotic<\/i> Poems\/Kinky Short Stories<\/i> (Gia Bella & The Siren), The Lust Chronicles<\/i> (e-book), The Hoot<\/i> &<\/i> Holler of the Owls<\/i> (Hurston\/Wright Publications), Purple Panties<\/i><\/a> (Strebor Books), SWING!:<\/i> Adventures in Swinging By Today\u2019s Top Erotica Writers<\/i> (Logical-Lust Publications), Life,<\/i> Love & Lust<\/i> and Her Voice: poetry<\/i> (Lesbian Memoirs).\u00a0 Her poetry has also appeared in Venus <\/i>Magazine.\u00a0 She is also the author of the independently published Wanda B.<\/i> <\/b>Wonders<\/i> series, which introduces the enigmatic Everywoman, Ms. Wanda B., who is a humorous social commentary, unafraid to voice her opinions on contemporary life in shades of black and white.<\/p>\n

When and how did your passion for writing get started?<\/strong>
\nMy passion for writing began early.\u00a0 It surfaced when I was in elementary school, but on a Spiritual level, it began because I had a reading mother, at whose feet I learned to cherish the voice and the power of words in a sacred place.\u00a0 Thus, I can to love reading and writing.\u00a0 Her story time after school or before dinner was one of the highlights of my childhood.<\/p>\n

My mother bought me a spiral-bound notebook singly for my writing.\u00a0 In a sense, it was my first published work.\u00a0 In it, I wrote a story about a teenage girl, who traveled to Europe as an exchange student.\u00a0 I took the time to research the details of my setting, and when I finally finished and my mother read the piece, she praised me and the story and had me to share it with the family.\u00a0 From the start, she recognized my gift; she knew who I was, and she encouraged my writing.\u00a0 I was always verbal, meaning I relished words and their power to relay meaning, and I excelled at anything language based at school (even though in the house my father welded the philosophy, \u201cA child must be seen and not heard.\u201d\u00a0 As it turned out, I tried never to practice that philosophy with my son\u2026but his story, I know, is another testimony. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Tell us about Soft Tsunami<\/i>.<\/strong>
\nSoft Tsunami<\/i> is a collection of poems that had been waiting for me to gather them from the coils of my locs over the course of several years.\u00a0 I\u2019m uncertain, but I believe I began writing the poems in 2004.\u00a0 I wrote those poems for so many reasons: to flap my poetic wings, to roar at life, to sweet talk my muse, to fight, to kick the closet door off its hinges, to love me and others, to give honor to the Goddess for this journey and all of its stages on which I sang and yet sing.\u00a0 Through all of the above, water baptized me.\u00a0 It soothes me in foamy revelry.\u00a0 It dripped from my eyes.\u00a0 Cleansed my soul.\u00a0 And took me high and higher.\u00a0 Until I learned to swim figuratively.<\/p>\n

Soft Tsunami <\/i>hits on a myriad of emotions, but in reading, I could envision Tsunami <\/i>being about one specific type of woman. Who is this woman?<\/strong>
\nHands up.\u00a0 I love your questions.\u00a0 I am writing about the type of woman who is unafraid, even as she walks through what she perceives as fear. \u00a0She carries on anyway\u2026since she has an unwavering faith in herself.\u00a0 And in this, she bows to the Divine.\u00a0 She is a woman who speaks her mind, yet is mindful of the weight and power of words to hurt or harm, to lift and love.\u00a0 And she is a woman who is ever longing, something she realizes must cease with her\u2026in the water\u2026shed it like pride and bikini\u2026so that she can bare herself, her soul to love who is probably right under her smile.<\/p>\n

I also know this woman has confidence for days. Are you as cool as a fan these poems would have us to believe?<\/strong>
\nYes, I am cooler.\u00a0 I am unabashed, on most days, and nutty enough to be freely me on any street corner, in any face, behind any mic, on any stage, to say what I say, laugh as loud as I want to laugh, write what I write (which many times is about a woman taking up the reigns of her sexuality and defining what she desires for herself) and walking like I have oil wells pumping between my thighs.<\/p>\n

There’s also an element of grown woman swagger in these poems. Does age play a part in how you write? In your sexuality?<\/strong>
\nI love that\u2026\u201dgrown-woman swagger.\u201d\u00a0 Thank you.\u00a0 Indeed it does.\u00a0 Hmmm.\u00a0 I gather age does play at part behind the scenes of my poetry, because the girl and younger woman in me are screaming, \u201cWe\u2019ve had our share of coy, cute, playing it safe, don\u2019t say that in public, be good!\u00a0 Hell, say what you wanna say!\u201d\u00a0 Answering this question makes me think of WHY I love the song \u201cSay What You Wanna Say\u201d in The Karate Kid<\/i> movie!\u00a0 Now I must spend the rest of my time here living my dream, doing things my way, saying it my way.\u00a0 As Adina Howard said in the Unsung<\/i> episode chronicling her life, \u201cThat\u2019s right.\u00a0 I\u2019m a bad bitch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yes, again.\u00a0 If Age is a lady, this is what she says in my script, \u201cHey, Babe, Don\u2019t waste time.\u201d\u00a0 Come out whenever you can, every day if you want to.\u00a0 Come out each time the opportunity presents itself.\u00a0 When you accept and lovingly embrace all parts of who you are, the world will accept and lovingly embrace you, too!\u00a0 And if it can\u2019t in some instances, accept its respect.<\/p>\n

How did the inspiration for these poems come to you?<\/strong>
\nThe inspiration of the poems came to me from where I was at that particular place in my life.\u00a0 If I was being touched by another person, I\u2019d craft a poem.\u00a0 If I were in a trying relationship moment, I captured it in poetry.\u00a0 When they came up and presented themselves in my locs, I germinated on them and sat with journal in hand or at the computer and opened to their arrival.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve noticed of late that inspiration arrives these days in the morning.\u00a0 Usually, I meditate for a few minutes, still and present before the Divine, in gratitude.\u00a0 And as I go about the business of preparing for the day, manna downloads: what I need to proceed in a story, a poem starter, a motivational note for me or a Facebook post!\u00a0 It\u2019s simply amazing!<\/p>\n

What’s your writing process?<\/strong>
\nMy writing process involved me deciding what I\u2019m going to focus on in the way of poem, story or novel.\u00a0 Once I determine it\u2019s going to be, for example, my new collection of stories, and then I sit and ponder how I will begin.\u00a0 I make notes in an outline form, aiming to include all that I want the story to say.\u00a0 If need be, I engage in research.\u00a0 Then I decide what musical atmosphere in which I want to write, and I sit down or go into an enclosed place and get it in.\u00a0 Some years back, I\u2019d write one day and revise what I\u2019d written the day before, which made for a long process toward finishing a piece.\u00a0 I\u2019d gleaned this from E. Lynn Harris, one of my fav authors, when I interviewed him for Black<\/i> Romance<\/i> magazine.\u00a0 Today, I set about the drafting process without editing in mind, and when I\u2019d birthed my literary creation, I begin the editing process only then.\u00a0 I realize it is a whole new world in itself, a world in which I can include subplots and different twists and combine characters and other such creation delights once you can view a work in its entirety.<\/p>\n

Are you planning to write any more novels?<\/strong>
\nYes, and thank you so much for the question.\u00a0 I am at work on finishing the ending of my manuscript, Not Without Passion<\/i>, a piece for which I\u2019ve fleshed out a Scene Card Outline that makes me sing and dance inside.\u00a0 Now if it does that for me, I\u2019m walking out on faith that it will do that and more for my readers.\u00a0 It is like nothing I\u2019ve ever written.\u00a0 Funny, grown-up lesbians, drama-filled, contemporary, fresh, serious with easy moments, passionate —Not Without Passion<\/i>\u2019s cover is already under my cover artist, Lincoln Jude\u2019s awe-inspiring hand.<\/p>\n

Another novel has made itself known on my laptop\u2019s computer.\u00a0 It beckoned.\u00a0 I followed.\u00a0 And now I am well into being wooed by it as well.\u00a0 So it is correct for me to say that I have two more novel manuscripts in the cue.\u00a0 Praise the Goddess.<\/p>\n

I need a sequel to If You Love Me, Come<\/i>. Will you revisit these characters again?<\/strong>
\nThank you for saying that.\u00a0 I so appreciate you for saying this, as my sister\u2019s running mantra is \u201cPlease revisit If You Love Me<\/i>.\u00a0 You left it open.\u00a0 I love the characters and want to know what they are doing.\u00a0 I want to know how they fared in their new scenarios\/situations at the end of the novel.\u201d\u00a0 She isn\u2019t the only one who has voiced this sentiment, like you.\u00a0 So I have spoken it to her.\u00a0 I will indeed write a sequel to If You<\/i> Love Me, Come<\/i>.\u00a0 I will admit that I, too, love and miss Miz Too-Sweet, Mr. Will, Free, Sharmayne, Nzinga, Rhonda, and Pinky\u2026and the cast of characters they love!\u00a0 I receive your much-appreciated praise as a confirmation from the Divine to get it poppin\u2019!<\/p>\n

Next week brings National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11. Any suggestions to those planning to share their lives with loved ones?<\/strong>
\nOh my yes!\u00a0\u00a0 I say, Come out on all virtual stages, proudly and lovingly, again.\u00a0 Inform family who already that you are gay that you are celebrating National Coming Out Day on October 11th<\/sup>.\u00a0 Wear your rainbow regalia and come out to family and friends who may not know that you are gay.\u00a0 Ask people if they have gay friends, if they know suspect they are in the closet.\u00a0 Show your love by helping them come out by being your loving self.\u00a0 Suggest friends read a novel by a gay author, and discuss it.\u00a0 Highlight a gay friend, and take her or him to lunch to show your solidarity.\u00a0 Watch a gay movie with family and enjoy a discussion with family and friends.<\/p>\n

What are you working on next?<\/strong>
\nRight now I am working on what began as a long short story or a novelette.\u00a0 It is now presenting itself as a novel.\u00a0 At present, I have named it \u201cWrong Number.\u201d\u00a0 It reveals the beauty of fate and its unexpected twists and turns.\u00a0 It even speaks to what you think you know about yourself and what the Now is presenting you!\u00a0 \u00a0Hmmm.\u00a0\u00a0 I love it, and I know readers will also!<\/p>\n

I\u2019m also writing a collection of secret stories much like Eve Ensler\u2019s The Vagina Monologues<\/i>.\u00a0 I\u2019m learning to be like Amy Tan and holding a few details secret.\u00a0 When I publish a bit of the coming collection on two sites to announce the coming work, I will return to pull the curtain off the goddess, Sistah!\u00a0 That is a promise.<\/p>\n

What’s a typical day like for you?<\/strong>
\nLoving these questions!\u00a0 A typical day for me entails rising between 9 and 10 AM, depending on what time I fell asleep after a night of reading or writing.\u00a0 Meditating before rising, I grab a banana-blueberry smoothie with one tablespoon of Chia seeds.\u00a0 I take care of little Foxy, a sassy Pomeranian, and sit to make love on my laptop. \u00a0I read and write until a family member returns and engages me with their warm and beautiful presence.\u00a0 I work a bit more and then pause for a long walk before relishing a raw dinner.\u00a0 I enjoy a bit of TV with the family, not much, and after a show or two I return to my laptop to edit or read or write, until I faint with fatigue!\u00a0 In short, I honestly love my days, and the only person I await is my girlfriend, partner and wife.<\/p>\n

What’s your favorite book?<\/strong>
\nI have three favorite books.\u00a0 They are Paradise<\/i> by Toni Morrison, Bliss<\/i><\/a> by Fiona Zedde and The Other Side of Paradise<\/i><\/a> by Staceyann Chin.<\/p>\n

What piece of advice can you share with aspiring authors?<\/strong>
\nMy advice to aspiring authors is Learn to work constructively with your Inner Critic.\u00a0 Operatively adverb: constructively.\u00a0 If you let it, your Inner Critic can silence you, make you afraid to put a word to paper for whatever you dealing with in your life.\u00a0 Walk out on the field of your creativity and dare that critical voice to roar.\u00a0 Call it the Lion of Fear.\u00a0 Stand there in its roar, your knees knocking, bones shaking and bid it mete its best performance.\u00a0 Then you write what you want to write any way, even if your pen trembles.\u00a0 Your silence that Miss Critic in action, writing, and the more you trust yourself to write the words of your heart, Miss Mama will pack up her bags and set up shop elsewhere.\u00a0 Make certain she isn\u2019t likely to return by being open to her stealthily return.\u00a0 Oh yeah!<\/p>\n

Why do you feel it’s important for black lesbians to tell their words and stories as you did with Soft Tsunami<\/i>?<\/strong>
\nI feel it is important for black lesbians to paint our own verbal portraits, because no one else can cull our experiences quite like us.\u00a0 The Goddess gave us this phenomenal walk, and I wouldn\u2019t want anyone else to tell me what it means to be me.\u00a0 I define me.\u00a0 Our portraits are diverse and beautiful, simply breathtaking in all of our joy and pain.\u00a0 The world requires our voices, our paintings, unedited and unveiled.\u00a0 We trust no one to leave our sacred stories in galleries, on the wind, on e-readers and shelves, in hearts and in mouths\u2026for fear our unique translations will be lost in the telling.\u00a0 We must paint with our colors, proudly, uniquely, nakedly nude, to do the Divine justice.<\/p>\n

On a final note, where do you get your energy?<\/strong>
\nI get my energy from so many places!\u00a0 (Smiling again)\u00a0 I am energized by the realization that I have another day to stand on the stage of my life and be.\u00a0 My passion and enthusiasm charge me.\u00a0 Almost anything makes me grateful, even things others might find debatable inspire me, and this creates its own energy!\u00a0 My raw lifestyle inspires and delights me.\u00a0 I\u2019m serious\u2026but the simple act of choosing to smile rewires me!\u00a0 And loving my family and friends energizes me!<\/p>\n

Interviewed October 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

IN CLAUDIA’S OWN WORDS…CLAUDIA MOSS is the author of two novels, Dolly: The Memoirs of a High School Graduate (her Holloway House debut, adolescent novel) and If You Love Me, Come (her latest, self-published novel). Her short fiction has appeared in a host of anthologies including Longing, Lust, and Love: Black Lesbian Stories (Nghosi Books), […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":3929,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"spay_email":""},"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sistahsontheshelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5547"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sistahsontheshelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sistahsontheshelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sistahsontheshelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sistahsontheshelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5547"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.sistahsontheshelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5547\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7545,"href":"http:\/\/www.sistahsontheshelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5547\/revisions\/7545"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.sistahsontheshelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.sistahsontheshelf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5547"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}