The Sunday Sizzle

Recently Terry McMillan dropped by to chat about her new book the Interruption of Everything.

HG: Terry good to see you again.

TM Gibbs it is always a pleasure to drop in.

HG: New book messed up life. How do you do it?

TM: Well, it helps with book sales. (Laughing)

HG: I bet. I mean come on Terry if Stella's groove did not have a desire for Steve, this new book would die in the water. I mean come on another tale of the dilemma of midlife: an empty nest. Hormones gone wild. Too many irrelevant demands and too little room to breathe. Not much different than Stella although it seems you been influenced by that tall drag queen Tyler Perry with some of these characters.

TM: Tyler Perry is gay and I don't like gay people. My husband just found out he was gay. And I have problems with people who are gay. Gibbs what's up with you I guess you did not like the book. But since you gave hate I must reciprocate. You are probably gay like Winston I mean Jonathan.

HG: No, Hell--(repressing the spirit of Whitney) not at all, but I find it profounding mind numbing that you would put personal hurt on the front page of the newspaper to try to move a dull book. I mean come on Terry the beauty shop set is going to read it anyway. Good, bad or indifferent.

TM: Gibbs, you are usually more gracious but look you are probably an unemployed (Disappering Acts), if not also a philandering (Waiting to Exhale) black man, I got a lifestyle to maintain. My readers need to know that you can be 50 and fabulous (A Day Late and a Dollar Short). They need to know that a lil weave, a lil weight loss and some fabulous makeup will make you desireable. They are women who have accomplished things but I am stuck in that trap.

HG: What trap.

TM: That every woman needs a man to have true worth and true joy.

HG: So how does this personal mess with Winston I mean Jonathan help the book sell more copies.

TM: Well, they will buy this book thinking (cause you know black folks don't read book reviews) that I spill the juice in this book. But no. It's coming in the next book. And by the way, they don't know that just like you buy a dress and wear it to the club and return it the next day, they don't know you can return a book. So they get my latest work, I get my royalties. And trust me this story won't be over until How Stella's Groove went Gay comes out next year. I know my readers and what they want, I have come a long way since "Mama"

HG: Well Terry thanks for keeping it real.

TM: Stay Straight Gibbs.

HG: Do the same Terry do the same.