In movies and the news, Harlem has been portrayed as a
breeding ground for poverty and crime, the dark underside of a fast
paced and fashionable New York. Grace F. Edwards, born and raised
in Harlem, knows and writes about a different side of Harlem in her Mali
Anderson mystery series.
Mali is a tall, thin middle class ex-cop with grey eyes
suing the NYPD for wrongful termination at the beginning of the
series. Mali lives with her father, Jeffrey Anderson, an elderly
bass player who teaches her about Harlem's history when it was THE place
to be, and her nephew, whose parents died in a hiking accident in
Europe. Now that she is out of a job, she has returned to college
to get her Master's Degree in social work, which she gave up to join the
force. In the meantime, she stumbles onto murder, kidnapping, and
a serial killer and follows her instincts into trouble.
With a richness of detail that engages the senses,
Edwards has penned a series of mysteries that stands out from the
rest. Edwards uses the rich and diverse history, restaurants,
foods, and music of Harlem to entice her readers into the heart of
darkness that lurks in every city.
Edwards' first love is romance, but she says that even
with romance "I mix in a little murder." Despite
claiming that she never expected to be published and only wrote for her
own pleasure, Edwards first book in the Mali Anderson series, If I
Should Die, earned an Anthony Award nomination for Best First
Book. Her second book, A Toast Before Dying, won the 1999
Fiction Honor Book award from the Black Caucus of the American Literary
Association and film and television rights to the series have been
sold. The latest book, The Viaduct, is a departure from the
Mali Anderson series. The main character is a Vietnam veteran
caught in -- you guessed it -- a web of murder. As with romance and
Mali Anderson, Edwards prefers to mix a little murder into everything
she writes.
Edwards teaches creative writing and has been a member
of the Harlem Writers Guild since 1974. At 71, she is a tall, thin
and beautiful woman who looks much, much younger. Possessing a
penchant for murder, Grace F. Edwards writes a view of Harlem as spicy
as Charleston's BBQ ribs and as hot as the jazz at the Cotton
Club.
* * *
You
have said you began writing at age 7. Why did you wait until
nearly retirement to publish? Was it a conscious decision or did you put
your writing on hold?
I began writing at age 7 but I caught a lucky break in middle age
when Terri Macmillan's agent heard me read an excerpt from In the
Shadow of the Peacock [at the Harlem Writers Guild]. The agent
connected me with McGraw-Hill in 1988 and Peacock became one of the few
works of fiction by a black writer that McGraw-Hill ever
published. No writer ever puts their writing on hold. The
sooner they're published, the sooner they're able to quit their day job.
Were you ever in doubt that you would be published?
When I started writing, I had no idea I would be published.
Peacock was part of my creative writing thesis in graduate school.
I was simply glad to complete it.
How long have you been associated with the Harlem
Writers Guild and why did you join?
I joined [Harlem Writers Guild] in 1974. I needed help getting
my thesis together.
What writing did
you do, and what was published, from the time you were 7 until the
present time?
I never wrote for publication, simply for pleasure. It was a
lucky accident that I met an agent who was interested in Peacock.
What do you write
for pleasure?
I produced In the Shadow of the Peacock.
Were you returning to college or attending for the
first time?
[In the Shadow of the Peacock] was my graduate thesis in the
creative writing program at CUNY. I returned to college after a
20-year absence.
What
did you do after graduation from high school until you retired?
After [high school] graduation I went to college.
What did you do after college?
Several uninteresting jobs not worth mention. Writing was my
focus.
Who offered you the contract to write the Mali
Anderson series?
Doubleday offered the contract [for] Mali Anderson. I was
introduced to an agent who was interested in a novel about a female
sleuth in Harlem. She connected me with Doubleday.
Your Mali Anderson books include If I Should Die,
A Toast Before Dying, No Time to Die, and Do or Die. Why
did you choose 'die' as the theme for your book titles?
Good question. I don't know. I wanted to name the [third]
book The Wednesday Woman because the woman who was murdered was
the pimp's Wednesday girl. However, the editor wanted consistency
in the titles so...
You describe Mali the way someone could describe
you. Is Mali a younger version of you? Is she who you might
have been had you made different choices?
The only similarities between Mali and me are the [height] and
[weight].
In No Time to Die Mali faces a serial killer
named Ache. What research did you do to create Ache?
None.
Do you believe serial killers are spurred on by media
attention?
No. Serial killers -- as far as I can figure out -- are so
disconnected from the real world they're probably functioning and/or
re-acting from different stimuli (voices, visions, etc.).
How did you create the characters of Marin Taylor in The
Viaduct, Mali, and Celia of In the Shadow of the Peacock?
All the characters were created out of thin air. Honest!!!
Your characters are so well drawn and believable I
almost expect to be able to go into Berth's beauty shop or listen to
Mali's father play bass at the Half Moon. Are your characters
drawn from real people or are they a composite of people you know, have
known, and/or have seen?
I take that back. Some [characters] are composites, but most
are really drawn from my imagination.
How did the CBS series based on Mali come about?
The CBS project was a result of my agent's efforts and connections.
Will you have any input into the CBS series?
Once I signed the contract, I have no input in the CBS project.
Queen Latifah and Mali do not resemble each other, at
least not by your description of Mali. Why was Queen Latifah
chosen?
You're right. Queen Latifah and Mali do not resemble each
other. However, that's a moot point now as Queen Latifah is no
longer interested in the series. She's concentrating on movies and
has a full plate. The producer is looking at other actresses to
play the part.
Is
CBS close to finding someone to star in
the CBS version of the Mali Anderson mysteries?
Alas, no one has been found yet but the producer is still
trying. I'm sure he'll succeed because there are an abundance of
young actresses these days and Harlem is a hot topic.
Will any of the CBS series be filmed in Harlem?
When and if the series is made, I do expect that some of the scenes
will be shot in Harlem. However, I have no voice in the decision
making.
Will you continue writing more about Mali or will the
books end with the CBS series?
I hope to continue with the Mali Anderson series.
Where do you see Mali and the other characters
headed?
I see at least three more Mali Anderson books. I hope my
publisher shares my view.
What do you hope to accomplish with Mali?
I hope to accomplish the following: to show a different aspect of
Harlem [through] Mali's middle class sensibilities, to highlight the
history of jazz and the famous nightclubs that are no longer
there.
Have your books had an impact on Harlem?
Not really. Quite the reverse. Harlem has had an impact
on me.
How has Harlem had an impact on you?
Harlem shaped my personality, my love of music, especially jazz and
blues, and I feel lucky in that I'm able to draw on a store of memories
to enhance my stories.
You have said you were working on a romance when the
mystery series came along. Will you go back to writing romance?
I will complete The Blind Alley, a story that is 3/4
finished.
What happened to the romance you were writing?
I stopped. The Mali contract was simply too attractive.
You show such a love of Harlem and its history.
Why did you move to Brooklyn?
I was born and raised in Harlem but have not always lived
there. I've lived in the Bronx for a number of years and by the
time I decided to return to Harlem, the prices for brownstones had
spiraled out of my reach. So Brooklyn beckoned and I'm quite happy
here.
You have said you write thank you notes to
reviewers. What do you say to reviewers who pan your books?
Nothing. Any publicity is better than none at all. (And
I really mean that.)
What do you want
readers to take from your books?
I want folks to come away from my stories with a sense of what
Harlem was like in the 40s, 50s, and 60s when all the jazz spots were in
full swing. I hope I was able to do that [through] Mali's dad's
voice.
Do you feel
someone teaching others to write for publication should be
published? Does it matter?
It doesn't matter. In the Harlem Writers Guild, we have
several unpublished writers. Their critical response and insight
are definitely worth listening to.
What writers have
inspired you most?
There are several: [William] Faulkner, [Toni] Morrison, [James]
Baldwin, and lately, James Lee Burke.
What is the best
writing advice you ever received?
Read. Read. Read. Join a writer's group or a writing
class and also read other writers in order to get a sense of style.
Outline your plot. Identify with your protagonist and decide what
it is that your protagonist wants.
What does the
writing life mean to you?
As Mark Twain once said, "Writing is 1% inspiration and 99%
perspiration."
What do you do
when you get writer's block?
I put my work aside and spend some time reading my favorite author
of the moment - James Lee Burke - a terrific writer.
What legacy would
you like to leave?
Legacy: To encourage younger writers to develop their talents, and
not become discouraged.
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