Writer Ellen Morris Prewitt Blog

Writing Can Bring Us Together

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on April 15, 2023. Posted in Featured, General, Writing. 4 Comments on Writing Can Bring Us Together

This morning, preparing my space, I spread out my index cards, fanning them onto the folding table. To mix it up, I alternated cards written in red Sharpie with cards written in green or blue or black. On each card, I had written the start of a sentence: I always smile at… Or, If you tickle me… My best friend is… I’ve always...

Where Do We Go Now?

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on April 14, 2023. Posted in Featured, General, GOD, Racism to Reconciliation, Writing. 8 Comments on Where Do We Go Now?

Where do we go now? The Guns and Roses refrain keeps traveling through my brain. I’m in flux. We’re re-establishing a presence in Memphis, renting an apartment downtown until we can hopefully find a condo. I’m so place oriented, y’all. This splitting back into three parts—New Orleans, the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and Memphis—has...

What We’ve Made of Christianity

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on April 9, 2023. Posted in Featured, General, GOD. 14 Comments on What We’ve Made of Christianity

The Easter service was lovely, it really was. My favorite person was in church, and she tootled her fingers at us during the passing of the peace. And yet it wears me out, what we’ve made of Christianity. Today, the Gospel reading on the most momentous day of our religious year began with Mary Magdalene. Early in the morning, Mary Magdalene...

The Lie We’ve Made of Mary

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on March 26, 2023. Posted in Featured, General, GOD. 2 Comments on The Lie We’ve Made of Mary

Is there any worse hatchet job in history than the lie we’ve made of Mother Mary? “Meek.” “Mild.” “Obedient.” It’s all over our theology. Even the hymn we sang today on the Feast of the Annunciation claimed that Gabriel came to “meek and lowly Mary,” made his proclamation, and “gentle...

Banned Books are Just A Tool

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on March 25, 2023. Posted in Featured, General, Racism to Reconciliation. 6 Comments on Banned Books are Just A Tool

Recently, two things came together. A wonderful Mississippi author and friend recently won a prestigious award. Congratulating her, I mentioned I was going to the Mississippi Banned Book Festival. Then I thought: oh, lord, have your books been on those lists? She didn’t know, but her books, which include Civil Rights truths, experienced a...

Examining White Privilege: Inventory

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on March 7, 2023. Posted in Featured, General, Racism to Reconciliation. 8 Comments on Examining White Privilege: Inventory

This is the 3rd installment of examining white privilege as a spiritual discipline. I’ve talked in previous posts about the “why” of examining white privilege as a spiritual discipline and the “when.” This installment focuses on the inventory phase that traditionally begins spiritual disciplines, including that of examining...

Black History Month Recs: ALL

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on March 3, 2023. Posted in General, Racism to Reconciliation, Writing. 2 Comments on Black History Month Recs: ALL

Here it is! What you’ve all been waiting for! All 28 recs for Black History Month on Black authors whose work I love! Seriously, that’s what it is. February 1 I’ll start with American fiction writer Charles Himes. He’s best known for his Harlem detective series with Grave Digger Jones and Coffin Ed Johnson. But I’d like to...

Black History Month Recs: Last

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on February 28, 2023. Posted in Featured, General, Racism to Reconciliation, Writing. 2 Comments on Black History Month Recs: Last

The end of February has arrived. Thus has my last installment on Black History Month recs. Go here for the earlier recs on Black Authors whose work I love. And now for the last! February 23 Mississippi author Linda Jackson’s Middle Grade novel Midnight Without a Moon is a delight. I fell in love with the protagonist from the get-go. The descriptive...

Black History Month Authors: Part 4

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on February 23, 2023. Posted in Featured, General, Racism to Reconciliation, Writing. 4 Comments on Black History Month Authors: Part 4

Or maybe this is part 3. I’m getting lost. Whatever, here’s the latest (and penultimate) installment during Black History Month with recommendations on Black authors whose work I love. You can read earlier recs here. February 16 I came to Octavia Butler so late in life it’s embarrassing. My only excuse is that I haven’t been much...

Recs on Black Authors: Part 3

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on February 16, 2023. Posted in General, Racism to Reconciliation, Writing. 3 Comments on Recs on Black Authors: Part 3

it may not be time for the 3rd installment in my recs on Black authors during Black History Month, but I’m ready to do it. You can see the 2nd installment here which will link you to the first as well. February 10 I started Jesmyn Ward’s Salvage the Bones, and never finished it. I thought, to be honest with her plot, Ward couldn’t let...