I've discovered that I am moved to action by things and people that inspire me. I love when things touch me in such a way that I feel as if I must do something about it. That's how I felt when I saw BADU-IZMS at the Fringe Fest for the first time. It was a cool concept for a play that made me want to create many beautiful stories to tell people. When I received an email from the writer of the show I was overjoyed! Sometimes a person's spirit can be revealed in the things they write (I guess I had seen her spirit in the play) but her email so touched me. I grew up always knowing I wanted to create art for people but didn't know how. Pamela's sharing her gift of writing made me feel as if I should write more as well. And she loved GREASE enough as a kid to write something based off of it - how could I not love her! Here's a glimpse into her story and I think she'll make you wanna do something too!!!
NAME: Pamela Davis-Noland
AGE: 40-something
HOMETOWN: Lake Charles, LA
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: New Orleans, LA
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:
Attended McNeese State Univ, Majored in English / Literature (Lake Charles, LA) and Baylor College of Medicine, Medical Assistant/ Medical Terminology (Houston, TX)
OCCUPATION: Writer
AS A CHILD WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP:Before age 12, I wanted to be a Nurse. I began writing poetry when I was 11 and by the time I was 13, I’d written my autobiography and directed my first Stage Play; an adaptation of the Movie, Grease. My dreams of being a writer began shortly thereafter.
More...DO YOU LOVE WHAT YOU DO: I don’t know if Love is a strong enough word to describe how I feel about this gift; and that is exactly how I refer to it because I do believe our talents are our gifts from God... Do I love what I do? Hmmm… YES, emphatically. It is indeed my predilection.
HOW DID YOU BEGIN YOUR CAREER:
I wrote my Novel, Coffee-Colored Dreams and shopped it around to publishing houses and agents. It was enthusiastically accepted by one of the Major Publishing houses but they sat on it for a while (okay, waaaay too long!). Through the advice of a colleague who’d gone through the same ordeal, I declined their offer, established my own Publishing Company (Keen-Amity Publishing) and went on the mission of marketing my own Novel and facilitating workshops to help other potential Authors. Channeling my inner thirteen-year old confidence, I adapted the Novel into a Stage Play of the same name and the rest is history… Both the Novel and Play has been well received by readers and theater goers alike. Since 2006, I’ve written two additional stage plays (The Unacquainted, Badu-Izms) and the Novel, ‘Tuesday, Summer of ’74’ due out this Summer.
ARE YOU LIVING THE LIFE YOU DREAMED OF:
I wake up every morning and look out my window and smile and say thank you to the Creator that this is real and not a dream…
WHO IS YOUR FEMALE INSPIRATION:
My Mother! She quit school in sixth grade to help her mother raise her niece and nephew, got married when she was sixteen and immediately swept away to a city where she knew no one but her husband with whom she had nine kids - all before age thirty! She is the most organized woman I’ve ever met, she ran our household like a Corporation. My Dad brought home the money and she mad it work. Thanks to her, we all attended private school where we were some of the cleanest, most well-dressed and trained lil’ Catholic kids in the neighborhood! Now in her mid-70’s, she’s helping to raise her great-grandkids. Whenever I face any challenge, all I do is think of her…and I get over it!
WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN:
Grab a nice bottle of wine, pick up the phone and call Carrington; one of my closest friends, who should have been a stand up comic. We do this thing where I’ll tell him a story and then wait about a minute or so, sit back and let his jokes fly on the subject at hand, creating hilarious scenarios, re-writing lyrics to songs to fit the story, etc. and I laugh until I have tears rolling down my face and a stomach ache!! Whew…this boy is FUNny, I tell ya’!
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER WOMEN IN PURSUIT OF THEIR DREAM:
Don’t ever stop pursuing your dream. Those “so-called” obstacles that get in your way are part of the process…the journey…the story… The Dream is NOT the end…it begins at the conception and continues as long as you live.
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES OR MOTTO:
I have a ton of them. My most recent Motto is:
“…sometimes you gotta get knocked down to get up!” (Bumpin’ me againMystikal ) LOL
Read more about Pamela at her site where you can also find information about the upcoming shows of BADU-IZMS on March 20 and 27 in New Orleans! http://www.keenamity.com
