Black History Month: Guest Columnist - Tonya Lanier
Tonya Lanier, an author and historian who focuses on the preservation of local African American history, will be serving as a guest columnist this month for Davidson Local. Get to know Tonya below:
How long have you been writing? I have been writing for a very long time……..since the age of 10 or 11. It started with a dime store diary whose lock broke on the first day.
What are you reading now? I have Billy Summers by Stephen King cued up on my audiobook. Will by Will Smith and Amanda Gorman’s Call Us What We Carry are staring hard at me from the shelf.
Who is your favorite author? I am all over the place with writers. It depends on what I am in in the mood for. I like to read emerging authors as well as the seasoned. Of course, I love me some Terry McMillian, Alice Walker, Charles Frazier, John Grisham and I adore Sarah Addison Allen.
How do you decide what to write? My stories find me. I use to ignore the things that popped into my head…… dismissing them quickly. I now realize that this information is crucial and was sent to me for a reason. I have a gazillion slips of paper and story starters.
How did you begin writing? My English teachers at Lexington Senior High School were very instrumental, Mr. Charles Hales, Ms. Jane Hedrick and Ms. Doris Helvey. One of them gave my class a journal assignment to write a page at least once a week. I looked forward to this homework. I realized I was on to something when the red-inked remarks continued to be positive and awesome affirmations. My overall grade was an A++. That yellow journal is still with me today.
Where do you do most of your writing? Most of my writing is done on my computer at my desk. However, I can sit in the recliner and write great drafts.
Have you seen any famous writers? The term “famous” is relative. My girlfriend Janice and I enjoy going to book signings and discussions. We have been in the company of Angela Davis, Nikki Giovanni, Isabel Wilkerson, Terry McMillian, Nicholas Sparks, our NC Poet Laureate, Jaki Shelton Green.
What do you consider your writing challenge? My biggest challenge is finding enough time to write. There’s not enough hours in the week to get it all done. I try to make writing daily a priority.
What do you consider your writing strength? One my strengths is the fact that I enjoy putting pen to paper and fingertip to keyboard. No conversation is safe around me. I listen attentively for nuggets that might be used later. I love words…….good words. When I am watching something on television I get excited when a good word is used. I know, that sounds corny.
Why write? There is a story in each of us. No one can tell your story but you. And while some tales might be similar, none of them will be the exact same. The hardest part is giving yourself permission to jot down those things that might be uncomfortable or private. This took me a minute because I felt so exposed.
Are you writing something now? Multiple projects are always happening over here. There’s at least five books in various stages, many stories and a few pieces of poetry. In addition to writing, I enjoy researching and digging for details, two filing cabinets of articles are proof of that.
Favorite color? Yellow. Favorite food? Seafood…..that’s s-e-a and not s-e-e! Favorite sport? Does reading and writing count? Favorite person? Anyone genuine. Hobbies? Shopping, collecting and preserving history.
What’s your New Year motto? Watch what I do….in 2022!
