Sisterfire: Black Womanist Fiction and Poetry

by Charlotte Watson Sherman

A new collection of recent and original stories and poems by some of today's notable African-American women writers--including Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, Gloria Naylor, and Ntozake Shange--explores the contemporary concerns of African-American women. Simultaneous.

Genres: Poetry, Fiction, Feminism, Gender

378 pages, Library Binding

First published August 1, 1994

About the author

Born Charlotte Denise Watson, in 1958 in Seattle (Washington), the eldest of three children in a working class family. Displayed an early interest in literature. Dreamed of being a writer since third grade when Pippi Longstocking hijacked my imagination.

My mother believed it was dangerous for a daughter to always have her head in a book -- which led to reading by flashlight beneath bedcovers, a geeky, camouflaged appetite for studying the dictionary and keeping poems secret until publishing my first at nineteen.

I studied Social Sciences at Seattle University and began law school shortly after the birth of my first daughter. Once I realized I could actually become a lawyer, I left the University of Puget Sound and never looked back.

I worked as a pretrial screener, outreach coordinator, sexual abuse counselor, emergency housing counselor, child welfare worker, mental health screener, volunteer coordinator for a literacy program, research interviewer, and finally, when my youngest daughter left for college, a professional librarian.

It turns out, writing is the only thing I thought I was any good at, but it is definitely my calling.

Through an extraordinary blast of effort and good fortune, a collection of short fiction, Killing Color, was published by Calyx Books (1992); then shortly after, a novel, One Dark Body, by HarperCollins (1993); then an anthology, Sisterfire: Black Womanist Fiction and Poetry (1994); another novel, touch, (1995), and finally, a children's book, Eli and the Swamp Man (1996).

I received the following awards, fellowships, grants:

Seattle Arts Commission Individual Artist Grant, 1989; King County Arts Commission Fiction Publication Award, 1989; Artist Trust GAP Grant, 1989; Seattle Artists 1991 Research and Development Grant; Great Lakes Colleges Association Fiction Award, 1992; Black Women’s Gathering Women of Achievement Award, 1992; Washington State Arts Commission Fiction Fellowship, 1993; Brandeis University Women’s Committee Distinguished Author’s Award, 1993; Governor’s Writers Award, 1993; Seattle University Award for Professional Achievement, 1994; Granta literary magazine’s Best of Young American Novelists, shortlist, 1995; Barbara Deming Memorial Fund.

My fiction and nonfiction have been published in Essence, Ms., Parenting, American Visions, The Seattle Times, and Goodness Portland; as well as anthologies such as When I Am An Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple, The Bluelight Corner, Spooks, Spies, and Private Eyes, Edgewalking on the Western Rim, and In Search of Color Everywhere.

I am currently revising a third novel, as well as a YA historical fiction tale I hope will be published as an illustrated story.

My muse is history. The task of healing and reconciling the past, propels the writing. My tools: word, image, ritual, dream, magic. - See more at: http://www.charlottewatsonsherman.com...

(from http://www.charlottewatsonsherman.com/)

Reviews

[Pachyderm Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely wonderful book detailing through both fiction and poetry from a "black womanist" perspective what it is like for them to live, love, laugh, and learn from the broad rooms to the bedrooms of this multiracial, multicultural, and misogynistic morass of a melting pot called "America."

[Aysiamilan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a very nice read. It really put me in touch with who I am as an African American woman. I identified with some of the issues addressed through the short stories and poetry. I laughed, cried, and celebrated with these women. My favorite piece was "Vanity" by J California Cooper. The story was captivating and told so beautifully. (Now I want to read all her work!!) This anthology also introduced me to the poets Akua Lezli Hope and karsonya e. wise. The is highly recommended reading that is guaranteed to expand your horizons and lead you to discover other authors and poets for further reading.

[Thicklox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of stories by some of the best authors! I think anyone who has had the opportunity to have read this books will either relate to one or more of the stories or know someone who does.