Poet, playwright, and professor, Marcia L. McNair

Meet Poet, playwright, and professor
Marcia L. McNair



Black Author Network family, allow me to introduce poet, playwright, and professor, Marcia L. McNair. Marcia is a former assistant editor at Essence Magazine and currently teaches English and Journalism at Nassau Community College in Garden City. In addition, she is an adjunct professor at Molloy College in Rockville Centre. A single mother of two, McNair has been a resident of Long Island for the past fifteen years. Her first novel, Emales, is available through http://www.emalesonline.com/ or Amazon.com. Marcia is the host of Diary of a Mad Black Feminist Radio on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/.

Intimate Conversation with Marcia L. McNair

EDC: Marcia, where are you from?
MN: I grew up in Summit, NJ, but I have lived on Long Island for the past 20 years.

EDC: Give us the synopsis of the book, Emales. Who are your two main characters in Emales and what do you like most about them?
MN: My book, Emales, asks, "Why is reading someone else’s E-mail so tempting?" This intimate glimpse into the cyber love life of two passionately opinionated African American women is as addictive as eavesdropping. As the discussion grows from personal computers to the simply personal, Ebony and Wanita aren’t afraid to go where no sister has gone before, as they debate each other about everything from office romance, meddling mothers, interracial dating, the holiday blues, homophobia, to Y2K.

My two main characters are Ebony Jones and Wanita Williams, two BFL's (Best Friends for Life). What I like about Ebony is she is very assertive in expressing her opinion, and she has an afro-centric perspective. Wanita, on the other hand, is far more conservative, vocal, but in a more diplomatic way. These two are not afraid to disagree and often do, but they continue to love and respect each other.

EDC: What makes your book stand out and would make a reader pick it up?
MN: E-Males is one of the few books on the market written in the electronic mail format! The book is comprised almost entirely of the email correspondence between a variety of characters. In addition, the book dispells stereotypes about African American women because my characters are well-educated and successful, but not just obscessed with romance. Their emails discuss important issues regarding race, class, and gender as well.


EDC: Ultimately, what do you want readers to gain from your book?
MN: I'm not sure who coined the "eductainment", but that certainly describes E-Males. While readers are laughing and crying along with my characters as they experience various ups and downs, they are also learning about pressing contemporary social issues. In the end, I want readers to gain insight into how African American think and feel about the world we live in.


EDC: What is the one most surprising thing you have learned in creating novels?
MN: I always thought it would be such hard work, but when you are doing what you love, it's not like work at all.


EDC: What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?
MN: I've had so many achievements that it's tough to point to just one, but I will never be as proud as when a poem I wrote in high school won a national contest. I've won contests, won grants, been published in anthologies, newspapers and magazine, and worked for Essence Magazine, but the first time you see your words in print is always the sweetest! That inspired me to keep writing, and I've been writing eversince.


EDC: What advice would you give a new writer? Would you change anything?
MN: My advice to new writers is to never give up! It's never too late to write that book!


EDC: What can we expect from you in the future?
MN: I am co-writer of a play called Diary of a Mad Black Feminist which will be produced by the Shades of Truth Theater Company in New York City next year.

MN: An excerpt from E-Males is included in the play which deals with a number of political, social, and relationship issues facing African American women today, from the AIDS epidemic, to male/female relationships, how black women mistreat each other, the lack of media attention for missing black women, and just about any other controversial issue there is out there.
For further information about the play and the radio show of the same name, people should visit: http://diaryofamadblackfeminist.com/


This Intimate Conversation was shared by EDC Creations and Ella Curry. Have you ever had an Internet relationship? Do you spend time in a long distance relationship and emails are the bridge? Tell us about your E-Male experiences.
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