Playwright Alretha Thomas's Debut Novel Sheds Light on Children Suffering in Silence (April 01st, 2008)
Playwright Alretha Thomas says her tumultuous childhood served as an inspiration for her debut novel "Daughter Denied." The urban dysfunctional family drama, told through the eyes of a precocious 7-year-old and her mother, takes place in the late '60s and '70s.Playwright Alretha Thomas is known for tackling the grittier side of family life in her stage plays. Her 2004 NAACP Theatre Award winning play “Civil Rites” dealt with the plight of a single mother raising a son in a gang and her 2002 NAACP Theatre Award nominated play “A Shrine to Junior” focused on a couple struggling with the death of a child. Thomas says her life experiences have no bearing on the subject matter for the aforementioned pieces. However, she acknowledges that there are similarities between her debut novel “Daughter Denied” and her life.
The author, like her protagonist, never knew her real father, grew up poor in a nomadic existence and was abused. The parallels beg the question, is “Daughter Denied” memoir or fiction? “Although Tina and I share similar backgrounds, the book is not a memoir. However, my childhood experiences served as a major inspiration for the book. According to Children’s Defense Fund data, every 35 seconds in America, a child is confirmed as abused or neglected and every 6 hours a child is killed by abuse or neglect. Children are suffering behind closed doors,” Thomas said.
Thomas says that as a child she felt utterly helpless to do anything to stop the verbal abuse and extension chord beatings she suffered at the hands of her stepfather. “I was a child and during the time I grew up, you didn’t talk back to your parents. You were supposed to be seen and not heard.” Thomas hopes that ”Daughter Denied” will inspire communities to get more involved and to take notice of children in the community who may show signs of being abused.
“Daughter Denied,” published by Diverse Arts Collective will be formally launched at Stage 52, 5299 West Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90016, on Saturday May 3, 2008 from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. KJLH on-air personality Adai Lamar will host the event which is free and open to the public. Thomas will read from and sign copies of “Daughter Denied.” Additionally there will be door prizes and refreshments.
“Daughter Denied” is artfully told through the eyes of 7-year-old Tina, a sensitive and precocious girl, and her mother Earnestine, who’s trapped in a cycle of heroin addiction and co-dependency. This grim routine leaves Tina and her siblings trapped in a grueling cycle themselves: bouncing from one hole-in-the-wall to another; vacillating between faith and despair as Earnestine makes and breaks promise after promise to end her drug use
and leave their abusive and career criminal stepfather, Brother Floyd.
On the surface, this urban dysfunctional family drama spanning a decade between the late 60’s and late 70’s has all the makings of a dark reading experience. However, Thomas manages to flip the script bringing delightful down-home wit, humor, feistiness and suspense to the story and its colorful cast of characters. Moreover, Tina, the most vulnerable character emerges whole, never disintegrating into hatred and her messages of renewal, trust, love and hope bring the salvation to the story that she ultimately herself receives.
Thomas grew up in San Francisco, California. She attended USC earning a BA in Journalism. She currently resides in Southern, CA with her husband. She is available for literary events, interviews, online chats, book club meetings, luncheons, churches, speaking engagements, and conferences. For more information about “Daughter Denied” please visit the official website or call 626-858-1907.
Daughter Denied
Alretha Thomas
Diverse Arts Collective, May 3, 2008
$19.95 US: ISBN 9780975918593 (Paperback)
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Alretha Thomas
Diverse Arts Collective
www.Daughterdenied.com
Diverse Arts Collective
www.Daughterdenied.com