Black Coffee

A Conversation with Tracy Price-Thompson, Author of Black Coffee

Q: Sanderella has such a wonderful and strong family in Black Coffee. Can you tell us more about that?

A: During periods of great hardship it is often the intimacy of family and the coping skills we garner from our upbringing that sustain us through the rough seas of our lives. In Black Coffee, I decided to portray a capable black woman who was obviously raised in a stable, loving environment surrounded by people who edified and encouraged her, but who was in no way exempt from the tribulations of life and the sorrows of failed relationships. As writers, we often rush to attribute the faults of our characters to some sort of dysfunction in their childhoods, but in Sandie’s case I wanted the reader to become familiar with a flawed but dynamic character whose trying experiences were due not to being reared in an inferior environment but, like a lot of women, to her own inability to make wise, mature choices in love relationships. In order to properly portray Sandie’s strength and fortitude during her periods of crisis, I felt it necessary to show the relationship between her familial interactions and her ability to cope with life on its own terms.

Q: Were you ever in the military?

A: Yes, I began my military career as a Transportation Coordinator, MOS specialty 88N, and after ten years of traveling and deploying, I applied to and was accepted into Army Officer Candidate School. I was subsequently rebranched into the Engineer Corps, and served there until my retirement.

Q: How much does Sanderella reflect your own personality? Is there a Rom in your life?

A: I get asked this question so often that it amazes me! Sanderella is actually a prototype of several women I had the pleasure of serving with. She has the spunk and sister-girl grit of a female drill sergeant I once worked with. She has the bad luck with relationships of a close friend who was an expert on rappelling out of aircrafts, but kept landing flat on her face when it came to spotting Mr. Right. She got her self-confidence and determination from a young private I once trained, who, no matter how many times she got hit with a brick, jumped right back up and rolled with the punches. And, of course, she got her coping skills and military expertise from me! Quite often women want to know if I have a Romulus and where they can find one for themselves, but unfortunately I have to tell them, “Sorry, ladies! I made him up!”

Q: What made you write this book?

A: While most readers know of someone who is either serving or who has served in the military, seldom are the unique challenges and triumphs of African-American soldiers portrayed in commercial fiction. Soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines live and operate under constraints and within parameters that the average citizen may never fathom. After serving honorably and bearing witness to the boxes African-American service members must often force themselves to fit into, I decided to pay homage and tribute to my boot-wearing sisters and brothers. I wrote Black Coffee not only to give voice to the minority soldier, but also to examine, through literature, some of the realities and complexities of African-American military life, and in particular, the constraints and boundaries placed on military love.

Q: Describe your writing process.

A: I do my best writing late at night or in the predawn hours of the morning. With so many children going in several different directions in our home, the atmosphere is usually pretty chaotic. I find myself mentally outlining plot sequences and practicing dialogue when in the shower or while shopping for groceries, then I have to rush back home to jot down notes. But my actual writing is done after my household has settled down. I require a peaceful spirit and minimal distractions to think creatively, so I usually have to sacrifice my sleep if I want my muse to take over.

Q: Which authors have influenced you?

A: Oh, I have been influenced by several authors. I come from a family of readers and grew up in a home filled with books. My parents never restricted my reading materials; instead, they encouraged me to read as broadly as possible and to choose from a variety of genres. As a result, I am one of those strange readers who can read and find enjoyment in almost any type of book, but I must say I have been most influenced by awesome writers like Gloria Naylor, Pearl Cleage, Marita Golden, James Baldwin, Stephen King, Robert McCammeron, Maya Angelou, Jewell Parker Rhodes, J. California Cooper, Richard Wright, Sonya Sanchez, Walter Mosley, Alice Walker, Sandra Jackson Opoku, and newcomer Bernice McFadden.

Q: What are you working on next?

A: Oftentimes the issues of intraracial prejudice between people of color are understated and minimized in contemporary fiction. While minorities may share common experiences, neighborhoods, and resources, the lines of demarcation can be quite distinct when it comes to matters of the heart. My next novel, Chocolate Sangria, explores the hearts of two lovers caught between the great cultural divide and the tribulations they face when lies are told, secrets are revealed, and black and Hispanic love spills across racial boundaries.