When the lights go out, it’s time to fall in love
Wanly Florexile premieres ‘Infinity’
Caribbean Life, JULY 30-AUG. 5, 2021 23
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
Lights out.
For most people, that means
it’s time to sleep, but not you.
Lights out means time to
turn ’em back on, pump up
the music, and get the party
started. And for those in the
new novel “Blackout” by Dhonielle
Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson,
Nic Stone, Angie Thomas,
Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola
Yoon, it’s time to fall in love.
Obviously, there was a mixup.
There was just one job opening
at the Apollo corporate
headquarters, but two candidates
were offered the position
and both were there for orientation.
Oops.
Bad on the company. Worse
for Tammi Wright, whose
heart was shattered upon seeing
Kareem Murphy walk into
the lobby. He’d broken up with
her a few weeks before, and
she thought she was over him.
Apparently not, but she wanted
that job so she’d wait, even if
she had to do it somewhere
near his fine self.
And then the lights went
out.
It had been stiflingly hot
that day and Manhattan’s
power grid couldn’t handle it.
Without A/C, buildings were
vacated, people milled around,
and Kareem suggested they
start walking home to Brooklyn.
Tammi thought he was
out of his mind but he had a
DJing gig that evening, door
die, and there was nothing
else to do.
JJ Harding, Jr. was on the
subway when the blackout hit,
but he didn’t worry until he
noticed Tremaine Wright a
few seats away. Tremaine was
claustrophobic, as JJ knew, and
he could see that Tremaine was
almost freaking out. He didn’t
want to intrude if the claustrophobia
was a sensitive secret.
JJ knew all about secrets.
The residents at the Althea
House were playing cards when
the blackout started and the
most beautiful woman Nella
had ever seen walked into the
building. Lana was trying to
figure out how to tell her best
friend, Tristan, that she liked
him a whole lot more than just
like. Kayla Simmons was sitting
on a tour bus, contemplating
a love rectangle.
Grace was in Seymour’s
Ryde, heading for Brooklyn,
and the party was about to
start…
Okay, yes, it’s a story that’s
contrived and convenient. Yes,
it’s a lot of meet-cute. It’s predictable,
too, but reach a little
deeper and “Blackout” is a
pretty intriguing concept.
It is, in fact, the ultimate
in collaboration: six authors,
cooperating on one single story
that arcs through six different
couples on one dark night
makes for an interesting tale,
in part because each of the
authors brings her own style
to the table here. The characters
aren’t interchangeable,
nor are the situations, which
gives readers a strong sense
that the people in these tales
are more dimensional. You can
feel the same heat they’re feeling.
You‘ll believe that they’re
heading for the same place and
that things are gonna get even
more interesting.
Want to go, too?
Then check for “Blackout”
in your local YA section.
Despite its strong language
(but no action past kissing),
it’s great for gentle romantics
ages 15-to-adult, so find it…
and turn the lights up.
“Blackout” by Dhonielle
Clayton, Tiffany D.
Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie
Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk,
and Nicola Yoon
c.2021,
Quill Tree Books /
Harper Collins
$19.99 / $24.99
Canada 256 pages
Blackout’s mulit-authors group photo.
Lenny Green’s 16th Annual
Family Day set for Aug. 1 By Nelson A. King
By Tangerine Clarke
Popular radio host Lenny
Green of The Quiet Storm,
whose annual family day in
Brooklyn has attracted hundreds
of residents over the
years for musical entertainment,
fueled by summer fun,
will return to Van King Park
in Bedford-Stuyvesant to celebrate
16 years.
The event will be held this
Saturday, Aug. 1, from noon
to 6 pm, and titled “It’s a
Brooklyn Thang.”
Musical extravaganza
The exciting summer
kick-off music extravaganza,
calling,“come one, come all”
will put on some of the industry’s
greatest superstar artists
including Gerald Aston, The
Manhattans, TED-The Wizard
Mills, Blue Magic, Peter
Gunns (Love & Hip-Hop).
Green whose hours-long
nightly sexy musical show,
aired on WBLS 107.5FM, has
millions of fans and features
co-host Indy Smith, professor
of psychology, author,
radio personality, and host
of Indy’s podcast, will bring
his charming personality and
sexy vocal to the event as
emcee.
In addition to loads of fun,
music and good vibes, the day
will give fans an opportunity
to enjoy the outdoors after
the event was cancelled in
2020 due to the coronavirus
pandemic lockdown.
Brooklyn-based independent
filmmaker Wanly Florexile
has been working on “Infinity,”
planning for a premiere
at month’s end.
According to Sarah A. Freiseis,
special project manager
with the Brooklyn-based
entertainment company PlaybookMG,
“the Haitian talent
has weathered the storm of
the pandemic and is delighted
to screen a film in the theater
after experiencing an extended
period of at-home movies
at the helm.”
Freiseis said Florexile
wrote, directed and produced
“Infinity,” stating that it is
based on a true story.
“The lead character is a
young homeless man who is
left feeling alone in the world
after witnessing the murder of
his parents,” she said, adding
that the plot features a complex
web of themes, including
friendship and betrayal, set in
New York City.
Freiseis said actors Wavon
Waters and Hector Mckoy star
in the movie, with entertainer
Johnny Famous also playing
a part.
“As an independent movie
maker, Wanly Florexile has an
enormous amount of freedom
with his artistry,” said Freiseis,
adding that the latter was
announced online.
“Get ready to be surprised!”
said Florexile, who launched
his own company, Flo X
Films, as part of fully embracing
all aspects of bringing a
film to life.
Flo X Films has also
released a web app so viewers
can stream Florexile’s body of
work directly without thirdparty
interference.
“The upcoming movie premiere
event is for engaging
with the community as much
as it is an opportunity to offer
a sense of exclusivity that
comes with a debut,” Freiseis
said.
“Media outlets, industry
people, and VIPs walking
the red carpet are, of course,
expected,” she added. “However,
the affair is also open to
ticket holders who have paid
for access to view the movie.
“Wanly Florexile has found
support in the local area, not
surprisingly, particularly with
Caribbean people, thanks to
his heritage,” Freiseis continued.