Introverts aren’t great at talking about their books.
Here’s me awkwardly telling you about mine.
I wrote a memoir about what it means to be a human being who is holy. If you’re born Black and female in this world, holy is not often a moniker applied to your name.
In my years on this planet, I’ve found that even if you’re a church-going, bible-thumping Black woman (and thank God, I’m no longer either of those things), the church will gladly give you many titles, but rarely will it call you “holy.” It will call you a sinner saved by grace but not holy. A church girl, but not holy. Sister So-and-So, but not holy.
So I wrote a book examining how the Church, with its Bible in hand, has influenced how I’ve seen myself—a daughter of a Daughter of Jim Crow—in our cultural institutions throughout the years. It’s my first book – a coming-of-age Black eyed story, for sure.
Being a child born the year of Woodstock and man’s first trip to the moon, I titled my book Everybody Come Alive after a Jimi Hendrix lyric from his song Message to the Universe. Jimi sings “everybody come alive… everybody love a lot…” I’ve found these words to be true. When you come alive, you have a greater capacity to love a lot.
Here are some reviews:
“Candid and compassionate, Marcie Alvis Walker’s captivating memoir is reminiscent of her Instagram and blog, Black Coffee With White Friends. Not shying away from issues of race, gender, mental illness, abandonment and more, Walker’s strength in vulnerability is nourishing and comforting.”
—Ms. Magazine
“Walker’s gift is her soaring imagination and lyrical prose, which is reminiscent of a church lament—a song ‘sung like a wailing prayer, like a siren song to the heavenly host.’ This captivates.”
—Publisher’s Weekly
“Walker’s joyful voice renders an insightful, imaginative summary of her life.”
—Kirkus Reviews
I hope you read it. Please go and open the pages to get to know me a little better. And if you do, I’d love to hear what you think. Just holler at me in the comments below.
How did I miss this post? I bought both the Audible and hard cover book and listened to it in your fabulous voice; so at least I got that part right, and better late than never. 🫶
Just got the book and just read "A Story Before We Begin." It's timely. We just moved to the Deep South (if southern Tennessee counts as that). I realize more from the essay that, despite my friendship with the pastor, I have work to do at the Black Pentecostal church I started attending two weeks ago. She'll help. Developing story. As I expected from here and from Black Coffee with White Friends, Everybody Come Alive is powerful and delightful. But it's really powerful and delightful.