One Night in Brooklyn: How 6-Year Old Magic Just Came Full Circle

So I wanna start this post by saying that energy doesn't lie. 

Back in 2014, it really was the worst of times in my life. 

My sister had just passed away, I was going through a divorce and the very beginnings of an awful custody battle. But one thing I made sure to do during all of the storms, at that time, was to have fun. 

In the summer of 2014, that meant going to New York...a lot. 

So one summer evening, after either a book reading or having spent the day for the very first time at the Harlem Book Fair (I really can't recall), my friend and I made our way to a hot spot inBrooklyn everyone loves--Brooklyn Moon. This morning I went looking for pics of that evening, but there are none to be found...because I've learned over the last few years especially that sometimes the magic is fleeting--sometimes the moment is so pure and grand and blissful that it's not meant to be/can't be captured by convenient human devices. You can only relive it in your mind--and if you train that, it can be just as if not more satisfying than watching a playback on a camera or phone.

I just remember a sea of beautiful Black folks, coupled with the best music and the best food, and lots of likka (read: liquor). I hadn't sold all of my books earlier that day, wherever I had been, and really felt like I was kinda 'playing writer' in that room. The energy that night was just incredible...everyone in the room, to me, seemed gorgeous and accomplished--people to hold on to. My friend jumped up and told everyone in the restaurant that I was a writer and had some books on me. He pulled out all the copies I hadn't sold of The Ghanaian Goldilocks, which at the time was the only book I'd published. I blushed as much as a Black woman can and tried to hide under the table.

It was too late. The love that was in the room swarmed around and toward me, and my little engine that could of a book. And then, something so beautiful happened.

Somebody asked for the price of the book. At the time I was sellin' them for $10 (and making no profit--now it's $16.95 on Amazon!)

All of a sudden it was a scene that would have made any stripper or entrepreneur happy--

Folks were thrusting 10 and 20 dollar bills at me faster than I could take them.

By the end of that night, I had absolutely no books left.

I paid the bill with what I made, thrilled and full.

And I left there feeling like a writer.

It really is one of my favorite life memories.

While at the restaurant, we were seated close to two gorgeous women from the islands. 

I took to chatting up one of them, a woman so lovely and radiant inside and out, I couldn't fault my friend (who was also, admittedly, a love interest) losing his train of thought while speaking to her.

I mean, come on. Karla's fine, y'all.

And if the visuals weren't gift enough, the woman has a voice TO DIE FOR. We kept in touch all of these years, thank goodness, through social media.

She writes sweet messages with greetings like, "Hey sistah luv!" and signs off with "Miracles and blessings..."

A few years back she moved back home to Trinidad, and I enjoy seeing her updates...and photos--

I mean...Karla FINE, y'all.

So for the past few months I've been recording and re-recording audiobooks for my publishing house's entire catalog. Karla kept popping into mind, and then one night it dawned on me--her voice would be PERFECT as the mother, Mama Abena, in The Ghanaian Goldilocks. So I reached out to her, and naturally she agreed to do the part, adding that she had a studio in her home.

See how the universe hooked that up?

Last night I left Karla and message, all high off of hearing her perfect audios that she's already sent over, and it hit me--she was there at the very beginning...one night in Brooklyn when I was too shy to call myself a writer.

"Do you remember, Karla?" I asked her. "You were there right from the very start! Who would have thought you would do a voiceover for it?"

She laughed and said, "Yes, love. It's all in His timing."

You can follow Karla Gonzalez, who is an author, actor, singer, artist, and choreographer on ig at @bronzsoleil. Thank you, Karla, for keeping that same energy. Love you.