OCTOBER 1994 — PROLOGUE: YOU BET YOUR LIFE
" Jimmy subconsciously walked in half-time to the thunderous beat of repetitive, nonchalant, urgent, soul-saving thud of gospel house music that reverberated from the overcrowded, sweaty interior of Paradise.
He had hurried from the club without his jacket, still holding the small scrap of paper pressed into his palm by a hand that had vanished fast into the seething crowd of multi-hued chocolate jostling around the downstairs bar.
The early morning’s cool air sent a chill through his slim frame and Jimmy hugged himself against a stiff, gathering breeze.
He stopped where the note indicated, near the bright green yet rusting dumpsters under the small parking lot’s sole light. His dark brown eyes searched first the cars, then the shadows of the lot’s edges before he returned his attention to the now badly crumpled piece of paper. He held it up toward the light and moved his lips as he read its three words for the second time. The wind picked up suddenly, snatching the note out of Jimmy’s cooling hands into the air. Pissed, he hugged himself again.
“Fuck.”
The note vanished, swallowed by the lamp’s aquamarine glare. Again, Jimmy looked around the crowded, tightly packed lot. The music of Paradise pumped hot. His blood ran cold. Jimmy turned on his heels and headed back toward Paradise.
He did not see the note finally tumble to the ground or the hand that picked it up..."
THE SHORT LONG HISTORY OF "WHEN DIVAS GET READY"
WHEN DIVAS GET READY was first written in 1994 & completed in 1995. As is common for first manuscripts for first time authors, it was rejected many times before one publisher, Noble Press of Chicago, picked it and its sequel (yes, there is a sequel!) for a 1996 debut. Unfortunately, Noble Press folded before the novels made it to market and the rights reverted back to the author. Soon after, the original manuscripts were thought lost until they were redicsovered by the author. After revisiting the story and its myriad characters, J. Bernard went to work on making minor revisions and updates to bring the mystery up to speed for audeiences who have had two decades to be exposed to ever more complex tmysteries, twists and sophsisticated astroyrtelling on the page and television. Just past the 20th anniversary of what would have been their debut, J. Bernard Jones made the decision to bring When Divas Get Ready to market.
Video Clips
in order of appearance
Vogue Supremacy / Ballroom Style
The Arsenio Hall Show / Tupac Shakur
Soul Train / MC Lyte
Forrest Gump
In Living Color / Men on Film
Guiding Light
Chicago Bulls vs, NY Knicks 1994 Playoffs / Scottie Pippen
Babylon 5
Cabrini Green
Pulp Fiction
The Ricki Lake Show
Martin
World's Largest Stepper's Contest
Lawrence Taylor Retirement Ceremony
Natural Born Killers
World's Biggest Steppers Contest
Buju Banton
The Shawshank Redemption
Serial Mom
Hard Copy / Jeffery Dahmer
Tongues Untied / Essex Hemphill
CNN / OJ Simpson Bronco Chase
Whitney Houston/Australia
1994 Gay Games New York
The Rolonda Watts Show
In the Life / E. Lynn Harris
Jeffrey
The Mask
Black Is Black Ain't / Marlon Riggs
Eyewitness News / Oprah Winfrey Interview
New York Undercover
Another World
SportsChannel / Michael Jordan
The Crow: Reborn
Soul Train / R. Kelly
Due South
100% Pure Love / Crystal Waters
B96-FM / Chicago
Miss Gay Tri-State Continental 1994
Pumps & a Bump / MC Hammer
CBS This Morning / Harry Smith & Paula Zahn
Stargate
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Christopher Scarver / Jeffery Dahmer's Killer
In Living Single
Batman: The Animated Series/Heart of Ice
Sugar Hill
Soul Train
Crooklyn
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
General Hospital
Low Down Dirty Shame
The Ricki Lake Show
On Our Own
Regulate / Warren G
One of Us
The Lion King
At Your Best / Aaliyah
Hoop Dreams
CREDITS
THE 1994 Video
All clips used in the 1994 video belong to their respective owners. Their use is to provide a snapshot into the year 1994, and provide context for the story. No endoresment by any of the entities featured is implied nor to be inferred.
MUSIC
The Leftovers (HBO) — Season 1 Premiere End Credits; Max Richter