Welcome to another Black Book Chat! Today, we’re featuring Tracy Price-Thompson and her latest book, Gather Together in My Name. Please feel free to share your thoughts, comments, or questions regarding the book and remember that we’ll be here throughout the day today (Tuesday) and then wrap up things early Wednesday morning. As a reminder, this is a book discussion, so no need to worry about spoilers. 
Book Description:
From the nationally bestselling and Hurston/Wright award-winning author Tracy Price-Thompson comes a heartbreaking story of loyalty and love that goes beyond the ultimate sacrifice.
Coming of age in the heart of crime-ridden Brooklyn, Shyne Blackwood is one in a set of triplets born into poverty and great tragedy. While his brothers are raised to seek a life of promise, Shyne’s path veers early on. A street-seasoned hustler, he becomes known as a liar, a thief, and ultimately, a killer.
Personifying many of the negative stereotypes attributed to black men, Shyne is accused and convicted of the brutal murder of a child, and an entire city demands vengeance as he’s sent to death row in a cold New York state prison.
On the eve of Shyne’s execution, five people travel to Quincy Correctional Facility to witness the event. As the clock counts down to midnight, and while everyone has long since abandoned Shyne to his fate, a secret at the heart of this unthinkable crime remains to be discovered. It is a secret that will test the bonds of family, the strength of one man’s character, and the redemptive power of a love worth dying for.
About the Author:
Tracy Price-Thompson is the national bestselling author of the novels, BLACK COFFEE, CHOCOLATE SANGRIA, A WOMAN’S WORTH and KNOCKIN BOOTS. Tracy is a highly decorated Desert Storm veteran who graduated from the
Army’s Infantry Officer Candidate School after more than ten years as an enlisted soldier.
A Brooklyn, New York native who has traveled extensively and lived in amazing places around the world, Tracy is a retired Army Engineer officer and Ralph Bunche graduate Fellow who holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a master’s degree in Social Work.
Tracy is a firm believer in satisfying her muse, and takes pride in penning novels that both challenge the range of her creativity, and embrace the expanse of the human experience. A maverick at heart, Tracy feeds her muse first and all others second, and writes whatever pleases her and doesn’t require anyone’s permission to do so. She supports and applauds emerging writers who are dipping their innovative spoons into creative wells, and mentors several new authors each year.
A dedicated wordsmith who diligently studies the art and craft of fiction writing, Tracy is also the co-editor of the anthology Proverbs For The People, and composes professional literary reviews based on established
elements of writing for several print sources.
Tracy lives in Hawaii with her wonderfully supportive husband and several of their six bright, beautiful, incredible children, and she is currently at work on her next novel.Â
Website: http://www.tracypricethompson.com
Tracy, I’m so excited to have you join us today!
Even though we’ve already posted the bio, please tell us a bit more about yourself than what’s listed above. Also, why did you decide to write Gather Together in My Name?
-Tee
Hey Sis!
It’s a pleasure to be here today, thank you for inviting me and for supporting my work over the last ten years!
As many know, I am a wife and mother of six, a retired soldier, and a social worker who is fascinated by the complexities of the human condition. I decided to write Gather Together in My Name to give life to the problems of the death penalty as it relates to the race and gender of the victim and of the accused, and also to illustrate, when due to poor parenting, how deep the roots of a wounded child can run, and how wide they can spread. I look forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts!
Tracy,
I bet as a social worker, you get some pretty interesting outlooks on the complexities of the human condition. This book was very emotionallly charged for me. As a mother myself, I just could not see or understand how one could treat children as such by choosing to love or hate one more than the other. I found myself (after mentally fighting the mother), feeling sorry for her. In a lot of ways she missed out on a lot with all her children when she focused on one more than the others.
-Brenda
Hi Tracy!
Brenda, I’m with you. Even from the first few pages I was wondering how Della could be so cruel to Shyne. It was heart-wrenching “watching” Della’s treatment of him, yet I was fascinated with his relationship with Shug. But, I’m sorry, even at the end, I had no sympathy for Della. I do like that she acknowledged she was wrong, but it was too little, too late for me. It did show her remorse, so I guess that was good.
-Tee
Tracy,
Also, feel free to ask us questions too?
-Brenda
How did you come up with the idea for this story? If I’m not mistaken this books is different from your others.
Hi Wana!
Yes, Gather Together is themed and formatted differently from my other works. I’m the kind of writer who grants myself creative license to go wherever my muse takes me. With this novel I heard the voice of a small boy inside my head, and he was crying out for love and understanding. He was a good boy who had done lots of very bad things, and society had judged him harshly without taking time to acknowledge the pain that he had endured. Shyne Blackwood spoke clearly to me and told me his story. But not only did he speak, those who loved/hated him spoke too, which is why the novel is formatted from multiple povs. You learn more about Shyne from the people whose lives he touched than you do from the man himself, which gives his character complex dimensions.
Tracy, you did a fantastic job with not only Shyne’s character, but the others as well. It always amazes me to see writers into the psyche’s of the opposite sex and you were there, my sister! Though Shyne was the “bad guy” he was my favorite character in the book and my heart went out to him more and more with each chapter.
-Tee
Hi Tracy:)
First I must say I enjoy reading your books. A Woman’s Worth is one of the most touching stories I have ever read.
In Gather Together In My Name…the dramatic twists in the story….did you know you were going to put them in or as you continued to write, the twists fell into place?
Hi Sharon, thank you for your support! I’m happy you enjoyed A Woman’s Worth.
I have a general idea of the plot direction and twists when I sit down to write a story, but it’s usually very vague and sketchy. I am more of an intuitive writer than a mechanical one, meaning I’m not successful by laying out all aspects of the story or developing a character and plot diagram prior to writing.
My characters and their flaws, triumphs, and decisions typically unfold as I write. I listen to my muse and it speaks to me. I grant my muse full access and it feeds me. I respect my muse and it rewards me. I knew some things about Shyne and his story prior to writing it, but the majority of the plot came to me as my fingers hit the keyboard!
I
Hi Tracy,
First off, I wanted to tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I was so invested in these characters, I felt like I knew them personally.
My question is: If you had to go with a different ending, what route would you go?
Susan
Hi Susan!
Great question!
I often get questions about the way I choose to end my novels, and truly my endings are a major part of how I view the world, which is typically from outside the box. In Gather Together in My Name I was rooting like hell for Shyne. I wanted him to be vindicated. I wanted his name to be cleared and the heroic act he was committing to be acknowledged and applauded. I wanted Shyne to live!!!
However, Shyne’s fate, and everyone else’s in the book, were too deeply intertwined for me to alter the course of his destiny. I wouldn’t change anything as it was fated to be as it was. Shug had to believe he had gotten away once again. Virgil had to have his righteousness tested. The DA had to feel vindicated, although she was wrong, Della had to lose everything she loved as a penance for not loving enough, and Shyne had to go out like a man, not on the streets in a gunfight, or through some other act of thuggery, but with his dignity and self-respect restored by committing a selfless act based on the humanizing elements of loyalty and love.
Thank you for responding, Tracy! I never considered the “poetic justice” that was served to Della.
Thank you once again for such a great read!
Susan
You’re welcome Susan!
I’m all late chiming in, but I absolutely got all this while reading and I’m glad you ended the book the way you did. Shyne, even though a hardened criminal, got my respect with how he went out. I especially loved his speech at the end and even how he seemed to want his mother’s love, knowing he’d never live to see it. His loyalty to Shug was also a bit heart-warming to see, yet also makes you a bit angry that he didn’t fight for himself. But, I guess that would’ve been out of character, especially after their bond. I felt really bad for him, for his story, but more than anything bad that he didn’t have that love that all kids need and that the system didn’t seem to notice any of that.. Sigh.
-Tee
Hi Tracy,
I really enjoyed the book. The twist was really interested. The mother angered me in more ways then one…did you get inspiration for her character from anyone personally?
Dena
Hi Dena!
Great question. I am so fortunate to have had a loving mother who would have lain down and died for my siblings and I, but as a social worker I see all kinds of mothers from all walks of life. Della is a composite of a woman who is capable of compartmentalizing her maternal instincts. As you saw, she was quite capable of providing adequate love to Shadow and Shug, but because of the mental illnesses and depravities she grew up experiencing through her father, and the superstitions she embodied, Della was able to place extreme blame for a tragic accident on the shoulders of her helpless and innocent infant son. Let’s hope mothers like Della are few and far between!
Definitely! I couldn’t fathom a mother acting like this, but I LOVED how you balanced her out with Miz Peggy. Though she couldn’t completely overshadow Della’s shortcomings, she was definitely Shyne’s lifesaver–her and his love for Shug.
-Tee
Hey Tracy.
I really enjoyed the book. My question is the same as Wana’s-how did you come up with this idea? And I am interested in Ssan’s question too. This book didn’t go how I thought it would but that added to my enjoyment of the novel.
~Criss
Hello Criss,
Thanks for your question.
The premise for this novel was with me for a long time. I started out wanting to write a novel about a man who was falsely accused of a “short-eyes” crime and imprisoned for it, and things just developed from there. I typically write across multiple genres because my stories aren’t rooted in one thing or the other, simply yarns of creativity that are unraveled at the whim of my fickle little muse!
Do you plan on writng more books “to give life to the problems of the death penalty ” or you wait for your muse to guide you and go from there?
Hi Wana,
I probably won’t write another story on this topic unless the gift is tossed to me by my muse. I am an impatient reader and writer. I like to explore new things and typically don’t revisit my old themes.
My next novel is called 1-900-A-N-Y-T-I-M-E and it is a sexy little thriller that takes readers in a totally different direction than any of my other works. It is scheduled to be released next month and as different as Knockin Boots is from A Woman’s Worth, and Chocolate Sangria is from Gather Together in My Name, 1-900 is a totally unique offering that I believe my readers will enjoy.
In addition, the second volume in my Sister 4 Sister Empowerment Series, My Blue Suede Shoes (with TaRessa Stovall, Elizabeth Atkins, and Desiree Cooper) will be out later this year as well. Other People’s Skin was the first volume.
So, as you can see, my interests and my writings are all over the map in terms of genre and themes!
Tracy,
If you need any readers for your new books before it comes out, I just want you to know that I am available.
Brenda
Brenda please send me your email address at tracythomp@aol.com. I will certainly take you up on the offer!
ROFL….there ya go, Brenda. Get in there, girl.
-Tee
LOL…YG Brenda!!!
Are y’all picking at me? No, I’m not too proud to ask. My bible says, you have not because you ask not. So, I’m putting it out there. Thanks Tracy.
-Brenda
Hey everyone…just a quick apology. It appears the site went down for a few minutes. Hopefully no one tried to post during that time and if so, you’ll repost your comment or question.
-Tee
Hi Tracy,
I was struck by the jailers comment, “Some fools needed saving from themselves.” I believe that there are tons of black men in jail behind machismo and a false sense of what’s honorable. Did you agree or disagree with Shyne’s ultimate show of affection?
Lenita
Lenita, you are so right. I totally agree. This whole thing about having “street cred” and not snitching, etc, has probably landed a lot of our young men behind bars.
Shyne was a bad boy.
Whether he paid a price for this or for something else, he knew there were dues to be paid. His motivation came from the pact he made with Shug after Shadow was flung out of the window. They promised never to put a look like that in their mother’s eyes again, and Shyne knew that seeing her precious Shug in jail for his heinous crimes would kill Della.
Shyne made a sacrifice. Even the most abused child still has love for his mother. He loved Shug far more than Shug loved him, and I believe his sacrifice, while noble and damning, elevated his character to a status that otherwise could not have been reached.
Definitely! I think I said something to this extent earlier, but I really did love his character. It also shows that no matter how bad a person does you (in this case both Della and Shug), he still had love for both of them. Far more love than he ever received.
-Tee
I enjoyed your book very much, and the ending was awesome. I too was wondering the same as Susan if there was another ending that we could have gone with. I hated to see Shyne die. He was very neglected as a kid.
Tanisha, I understand. I know it’s hard when a character you have come to care about dies. I faced this in A Woman’s Worth as well, with Abeni. The thing is, in order for my writing to be credible I must often take the story down a road and to a conclusion that is uncomfortable. This is how art mirrors life. We are forced to take the good with the bad because happily ever after is usually reserved for fairy tales. I wanted Shyne to live as well, to be vindicated for this crime, but Shyne sacrificed himself willingly, and the fact that he was an innocent man shows us his inner strength and resiliency, and that sometimes there are things that are worth standing on principle for, which is what he did. He could have stopped his execution but that loyalty and that love were guiding him, and after some of the horrible things he’d already done in his life, Shyne proved that there was honor and something in his heart that was bigger than his own desires. There was no other possible ending for me.
Hello Tracy,
I truly enjoyed the book and the ending was completely unforeseeingable to me. The book showed a lot to me the importance of a man’s relationship with his mother. What are your thoughts about those types of relationships and how it came in the development of your story line with the relationships between Della and her son’s.
Wow, Torrie, thoughtful question.
I have three sons (and three daughters) and I know the kind of relationship that I have developed with them is unshakeable. I believe mothers have tremendous influence over their sons, both positive and negative. We are the first women they love and the source of their first seeds of knowledge. We teach them so much, whether we intend to or not, and I believe that oftentimes it is that mother-son relationship that ensures either their success or their demise. Mothers are POWERFUL!
I’m having issues posting, everyone, but I am here. Tracy, I loved this book! I’ll be back to share more thoughts when I have a bit more time.
-Tee
Okay, Sis! Thanks!
Thanks for understanding and a big ole apology for my absence most of yesterday. I didn’t realize I’d be out of town when planning the chat. But, a sista couldn’t turn down a get-away. We’re heading out in a few hours, but just in case I miss you, thank you SO MUCH for not only joining us and giving so freely of your time, but also for writing this remarkable story.
-Tee
Tracy,
I LOVED Kimberly’s character, especially her ability to see a bad thing coming. Appreciated the way her family was depicted and got the connection between her family producing her self-worth and Shyne’s producing hostility.
What was wrong with Janet’s upbringing to make her see love in that way?
Lenita
Lenita, you are one of the very few who ever mention Kim. I loved that intelligent young black sister! Kim had her head on super straight, and you are right that it was the nurturing and the self-worth provided by her family that made her a very different character than Shug. Kim was official! I wanted to do a whole section from her perspective but my editor didn’t think it was necessary.
I would’ve loved to see that section, Tracy! Kim was another of my favorite characters. I like how she saw things for what they were and even though she could’ve reacted totally different to Janet, she still looked out for her in a sense. I also LOVED that she deferred her feelings for Shug with what was right. Speaking of….another character no one has mentioned yet (unless it’s further down and I haven’t gotten to it) is Virgil. He was my other favorite!! So often people lose their values along the way and I loved what he stood for and how in the end, he made right his wrong when claiming not to remember what Shug looked like. I also love how he confronted Shug at the execution. I was cheering for him.
-Tee
Tracy,
I love your books, and must say that A Woman’s Worth was my favorite. In Gather Together in My Name, you had several twists and turns. The ending is not quite what I expected and really hated to see him go.
What prompts you to write the storylines that you do? After reading some of the readers reviews, do you think you should have written a different ending? Also, how long does it normally take you to write a book?
Keep up the good work. Looking forward to your next book.
Hi Peaches!
I am a very fast writer. The characters live in my head 24/7 until I finish a book and when pressed under a deadline I have been known to write a novel in 10 days!
I don’t think any other ending would have capped this story off more credibly, and I generally get my story ideas from being receptive to that little voice of creativity that lives in my head.
I believe truly creative writers always write across genres and about things they have no personal knowledge or experience of. I never wanted to be coined as one type of writer or the other, as contemporary, historical, erotica, whatever. I just allow myself the benefit of freedom and creativity in everything I write and stay true to myself in my style and technique.
Tracy:
Look forward to reading your new book. You know I enjoy reading your work. Love the cover.
Hey my sister, thanks for your enduring love and support. Love ya, miss ya!
Hi Tracy,
Thanks for chatting with us today. I have read nearly all of your books and must say that I am a huge fan of yours. Just out of curiosity, of all the books that you have written, which is your favorite and why?
-Brenda
Hi Brenda!
Thank you for your warm words!
If I had to pick a favorite I think it would be a tie between A Woman’s Worth and Gather Together. Both really allowed me to tackle deep themes and explore unfamiliar avenues. Peace and balance, T!
Hi Tracy..!! Sorry Im just getting here but I couldnt access the site. You know I love all your books and look forward to the next one. Thanks for taking the time t chat with us today…!!!
Thanks, Linda!!!!!!
I always appreciate your love and support. Blessings, T!
Gather Together in My Name comes close, but A Woman’s Worth is still my favorite.
-Tee
Hi, Tracy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found myself re-reading the last few pages again and again. I hoped that Shug would “man up” and stop his brother’s death, but I guess that would have been too predictable.
Great read.
LOL! Yep, Hope, many probably hoped the same thing. But Shug was a narcissist and a serial killer. He loved Shyne as much as he was capable of loving anyone, but he surely wasn’t going to voluntarily switch places with him. Shyne’s death was a lesson for Virgil as well. Sometimes no matter how righteously you try to live, circumstances are beyond your control. Virgil: “This time justice would have to be meted out by the Lord.”
Tracy,
What are your thoughts on sequels? Do you think you’ll ever be tempted to revisit one of your novels with a sequel? Why or why not?
Hi Brenda!
I don’t usually do sequels. When I am done with my characters I am usually done with them! I try to explore and develop them so fully that they are totally realized. I haven’t considered sequels to any of my novels, although lots of people have asked for them!
Tracy,
With the recent release of the new Kindle, I’ve seen more and more books being added to this type of media. How do you feel about the move to put more books on electonic media like the Kindle or Sony Reader? Has this changed the way you market your books any?
-Brenda
Hi Brenda, great question. My middle daughter has a Kindle and loves it! She is constantly reading from that thing. I think the ease of access to material is great, and the compact, condensed way of collecting books is great too, but I believe there will always be readers who want to curl up with a real book and then put it on their shelves. You can’t knock technology, though, so I’m sure the Kindle and other tools like it will continue to evolve as long as there is a demand for efficiency.
I haven’t embraced it completely yet. I still like a book in my hands. Tried audiobooks, but I would forget I have them half the time and end up buying the book anway.
-Brenda
I don’t have the Kindle, but I have a Sony Reader and I do love it, simply for the ability to carry many books at one time. I wouldn’t trade it over never holding an actual book though.
Now….if anyone wants to buy me a Kindle, I’ll gladly send my address.
-Tee
Hi Tracy,
Sorry to chime in so late. Had a pesky little computer virus that needed to be dealt with…sigh.
Anyway, I LOVED Gather Together In My Name, as I did all of your other books. They’re part of my permanent collection. You’re one of my “anything with her name on it, I’m buying” authors. LOL. Your books never fail to make me think about something in some new way that I hadn’t thought of before. Now, Gather had me cursing, crying, shaking my head, plotting murder, wanting to slap somebody, and just plain old out of sorts. Loved it, right down to the last page. I think I ate it for breakfast, lunch and dinner in, like, a day and a half, if that. Couldn’t put it down.
Don’t really have any questions, per say. Just wanted to reach out and touch you, the way your muse never ceases to touch me. Keep writing and I will definitely keep reading…
Terra
I have to admit that I haven’t read this book yet, but I’ve read others by Tracy and she is, by far, one of my favorite contemporary AA authors. What I love most about your writing, Tracy, is how you don’t allow yourself to become pidgeon-holed into writing a certain type of book or storyline. It’s really refreshing because as a reader, where your work is concerned, I never know what to expect when I open one of your books, but I’m always, always pleasantly surprised and satisfied that I’ve read a good story when I close them. Thanks for doing what you do and doing it so well
There were many different themes in Gather Together in My Name that we could expound on, but that bond between Shyne and Shug was very much the focus of our monthly theme “Blood is Thicker than Water.” So I’m throwing out a question to the group. Could you be Shyne? Could you take one for the family even if it meant your death?
–Brenda
I’d like to think I would, but this is one of those that I don’t think you can answer, unless it happens to you.
-Tee
For some family members but definitely not for others. I have come to realize not everyone is worth my sacrifice.
I don’t think so, Brenda. I think, if I were Shyne, I would’ve fed Shug to the wolves. LOL. After everything that happened, I would’ve been tired of taking hits for him. Probably would’ve packed a bag years before and gotten lost somewhere…
Who knows? I wish I were the kind of person who could say, unequivocally, yes. But, I really don’t think so. I do admire Shug’s loyalty and it speaks volumes about him as a person, but that mama of his would’ve run me off long before…
Turn that question around on you, Brenda. What about you?
Girl for me, blood isn’t that thick. Shug would have had to take his on own death penalty. It certainly wouldn’t be me in there. I kept hoping that Shug would get a good attack of the guilts and rescue his own brother, but no, he just let it happen. And don’t talk about the mother. I, too, probably would have left her long ago too.
So, I probably would have fed them both to the wolves…lol.
Brenda
Hey ladies, Tracy,
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was one of those I just didn’t want to put down. I loved how you shifted gears, having us feeling sorry for Shug because his wild brother was always ruining things, and then totally changed lanes on us. To me, that process of taking a reader to the height of emotions (good or bad) and so expertly engaging readers by using the characters is what makes a memorable story, and this certainly isn’t one I’ll soon forget. Kudos!
- CandaceK