An open letter to Sister Souljah

Greetings to you Sister,

I just finished "Midnight" (around 2 a.m.) after purchasing it late Friday night.

I want you to know how excited I was about it. I am a newspaper publisher and could have requested an advance copy but wanted to wait and buy it to first show support and next to read it as others were too.

As I began reading I thought it was a lofty aspiration to attempt to speak in the first person of a seven year old African Muslim boy and then a maturing one and finally an "adult" one.

But let me say, you succeeded. I was so drawn to the story because the story line answered so many common questions I get as a Muslim woman who operates a business, homeschools, sews and bakes "from scratch".

But I have to say I was totally disappointed with the ending. I still don't know what turned Midnight into the person who worked for Winter's dad in "The Coldest Winter Ever".

Is there another book coming out next?

Souljah, I wanted to share with you how much I really admire your writing and your style. I think it is masterful that you are able to weave these urban tales in a way that captures the teens and their parents (or aunts in my case). Another job well done! (Except that ending girl!) I'd like to know for myself if there is another prequel coming out.

But I also want to let you know that I will be sending you two invitations to your business address.
One will be an invitation to speak to my radio audience and another to invite you as a speaker for a major women's writers conference that goes on here in Kentucky. I am chair of the Sonia Sanchez Lecture Series but will tell you more in the formal correspondance.

Inshallah, when we speak in the months to come I will attempt to remind you of a brief conversation we had when I met you in Chicago about 10 years ago :-)

Thanks for the great read and please let me know about that ending.

As-Salaam Alaikum,
Sister P