"Why have you kept your story a secret, Taj?" the interviewer asks me. A simple question. A difficult answer. I am a grown man, but I still hesitate. He prods. "Are you ready to tell your story because it may inspire others?" "No!" It's an answer that spills out before I can stop it. I take a breath. How do I explain? "You're both writers," I say. "You take ideas and words and confusing bits of life and weave them together into a captivating story-one that you hope not only entertains, but somehow makes sense of the world. Is that right?" The man holding his laptop closes the lid. His friend sets down his notepad and pen. A glance crosses between them. "Well, isn't it?" I ask again, my tone more edgy than I intend. "That's the goal," the writer by the camera admits. I lean closer. "This will appear selfish and I don't mean to sound that way." I lick my lips and lower my chin. "I'm ready to tell my story not just because it may help others-which I hope it will-but because it's time I try to make sense of my past. I hope that by finally talking about all of this, by pulling it out and casting a little light on it ... my desire is to somehow ... well, I guess I want to ..." "What is it?" "I'm hoping to forgive God." Excerpted from The Orphan Keeper by Camron Wright All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
