My Chat With University High Alum
Author:Tami Charles
By, Vanessa Iowah & Brenaijah Gittens
Five hand selected students had the pleasure of reading an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Tami Charles' debut novel, Like Vanessa due to hit bookstores March 2018. I'm so pleased that Brenaijah and I were one of them. Like Vanessa is a story set in the 1980’s, occuring in our very own city, Newark, NJ. Telling the tale of a Black, 8th grade girl, named Vanessa Martin. She faces a plethora of problems, such as family issues, insecurities, bullies, broken friendships, and poverty. Despite the unfortunate predicament she is placed in, she stays strong and preserves through it all. Vanessa is inspired by Vanessa Williams' nomination as the first African-American Miss America. She is able to take one huge step towards her own goal of becoming the future Miss America and learn to love, as well as, appreciate herself. The novel also aims to send a message of strength and encouragement to Black girls and woman and pretty much anyone else who is struggling with identity issues.
Behind the inspirational and powerful story is author, Tami Charles. She is a mother, writer, bestfriend, and University High School alum. On December 20th, she joined my bestfriend and I, in an interview to discuss her recent work, her time at the school, and her future in writing.
What inspires you to write?
"I believe it is important write about strong girls of color. I want to be a role model, someone people can look up to and relate to. My writing is meant to be relatable so people can know that they don’t face these issues alone and it gets better. So I can encourage people to follow dreams, no matter what, and chase them with all their heart."
Did you write when you were younger?
“All the time…” My older work isn’t anything I’d be too eager to show, but I’ve been writing for as long as I could remember. Writing is something that comes easily to me, like second nature, I’ve always enjoyed it and will continue to. “Especially as little girl, I would always talk to myself, always made up stories.”
How did you develop an interest in writing?
How did you develop an interest in writing?
“I’ve always loved to write… as a little girl… I always made up stories.” Even though I always wrote, it was just a couple years ago that I’ve given my dream of being an author an actual chance. I had been teaching for 14 years though, and it was actually my students that pushed me to pursue being a published author. But, I wasn’t addressing the topics I did in Like Vanessa then, until later.
While I was reading I wondered what Vanessa’s mom (in Like Vanessa) symbolizes for her?
“Most children look up to their mothers, but unfortunately, for Vanessa that was missing. She was only able to create a faint recollection of her mother from incomplete past memories and hopeful dreams. These memories created a perfect image of her mother that she continuously worshipped and looked up to, often comparing herself to them. Because her mother wasn’t around for most of her childhood, she was filled with this emptiness and misunderstanding.”
What inspired you to write about this topic?
My previous work didn’t tell “stories that were authentic to me.” I needed my first book to convey a deep message, as my introduction to the world of publishing. One day I went out to dinner to a editor that had rejected me and “...her question to me was, you know, she said you have all these interesting parts about you; culturally, experience-wise, why are you not writing about that?” And that question motivated me to “re-evaluate who I wanted to be as an author.”
How long did it take you to write Like Vanessa?
I had the idea after meeting with the editor that encouraged me to start writing on topics along the the lines of the ones in Like Vanessa (culture and empowerment). I started writing it in 2013, completing the first draft because of an online writing contest. After reviewing it in during winter, I started querying by the spring of 2014. My agent and I spent about a year revising the story, until we finally found an accepting publishing house. Then, we spent another year revising with the editors. So, I’ve been writing Like Vanessa for 5 years, along with a couple side projects. I’ll be publishing 7 books, in the next 2 years."
Where do you get your ideas?
"Two books that I’ll be publishing next year were written from pitched ideas. The ideas were pitched to me from 2 publishers, “so I take the idea, and add in all the stuff.” But, I get all my original ideas from anywhere. I get inspired from anything from “watching kids talk” to “newspaper articles.” I also have a notebook with about 15 ideas, that I plan to develop and create new stories from. Basically, I get inspiration from anything."
What is your advice to aspiring, young authors?
How would you categorize your experience at UHS?
"I had a really good experience here and attended University from 7th to 12th grade. I had amazing teachers that helped me graduate with scholarships and fuel my love for literature. My 7th and 8th grade AP Literature and Latin teacher, Marie Giranda, “introduced us to fine, classic, beautiful literature and she helped me love words” as well as, teach me about Latin roots. My math teacher, Darnell Davis, and Spanish teacher, Quetzy Rivera, helped me apply for extracurricular academic activities and scholarships. “...my time here at University was very valuable, I met my best friend, Stephanie Bowles [here].” I truly appreciate my time and here and I am proud to be a UHS alumni."
We really enjoyed our chat with Tami Charles. It was really cool to meet the person that wrote a book that we read. We appreciate the time that she took to spend talking with us. When we asked Tami Charles if she had any advice for the students that attend her alma mater she said this:
While I was reading I wondered what Vanessa’s mom (in Like Vanessa) symbolizes for her?
“Most children look up to their mothers, but unfortunately, for Vanessa that was missing. She was only able to create a faint recollection of her mother from incomplete past memories and hopeful dreams. These memories created a perfect image of her mother that she continuously worshipped and looked up to, often comparing herself to them. Because her mother wasn’t around for most of her childhood, she was filled with this emptiness and misunderstanding.”
What inspired you to write about this topic?
My previous work didn’t tell “stories that were authentic to me.” I needed my first book to convey a deep message, as my introduction to the world of publishing. One day I went out to dinner to a editor that had rejected me and “...her question to me was, you know, she said you have all these interesting parts about you; culturally, experience-wise, why are you not writing about that?” And that question motivated me to “re-evaluate who I wanted to be as an author.”
How long did it take you to write Like Vanessa?
I had the idea after meeting with the editor that encouraged me to start writing on topics along the the lines of the ones in Like Vanessa (culture and empowerment). I started writing it in 2013, completing the first draft because of an online writing contest. After reviewing it in during winter, I started querying by the spring of 2014. My agent and I spent about a year revising the story, until we finally found an accepting publishing house. Then, we spent another year revising with the editors. So, I’ve been writing Like Vanessa for 5 years, along with a couple side projects. I’ll be publishing 7 books, in the next 2 years."
Where do you get your ideas?
"Two books that I’ll be publishing next year were written from pitched ideas. The ideas were pitched to me from 2 publishers, “so I take the idea, and add in all the stuff.” But, I get all my original ideas from anywhere. I get inspired from anything from “watching kids talk” to “newspaper articles.” I also have a notebook with about 15 ideas, that I plan to develop and create new stories from. Basically, I get inspiration from anything."
What is your advice to aspiring, young authors?
- “If you are young and want to be an author: Believe that you can;
- If you truly want to be an author, you need to read everything (especially the style of writing that you want);
- If you want to be a good writer, you have to be a good reader;
- You need some form of discipline (a designated time for writing).”
How would you categorize your experience at UHS?
"I had a really good experience here and attended University from 7th to 12th grade. I had amazing teachers that helped me graduate with scholarships and fuel my love for literature. My 7th and 8th grade AP Literature and Latin teacher, Marie Giranda, “introduced us to fine, classic, beautiful literature and she helped me love words” as well as, teach me about Latin roots. My math teacher, Darnell Davis, and Spanish teacher, Quetzy Rivera, helped me apply for extracurricular academic activities and scholarships. “...my time here at University was very valuable, I met my best friend, Stephanie Bowles [here].” I truly appreciate my time and here and I am proud to be a UHS alumni."
We really enjoyed our chat with Tami Charles. It was really cool to meet the person that wrote a book that we read. We appreciate the time that she took to spend talking with us. When we asked Tami Charles if she had any advice for the students that attend her alma mater she said this:
“Whatever it is you want to do in life, find someone else who is doing it better, study… look to see what that person is doing, how they’re doing it, what makes them so great at it, take little tidbits; make your own.”
* If you are an alumni or your know an alumni that should be featured in our Phoenix Flame Alumni feature, email the Journalism Teacher Ms. Jones at: teachjones22@gmail.com *
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