When All Else Fails, We Cry

That night found me playing my trumpet on the windowsill of my apartment. I usually played in the nude and this time was no different. I was playing along side of Coltrane as he spun around in circles assisted by a light crackling sound. I sat there pondering my life and all of the situations that I have brought on myself since college. My bedroom door opens and standing there wearing only the notes that I blew out was Graphite, the new Graphite I might add. I pause my playing and look at her through the darkness of the room.

It was raining and a melancholy mood fell upon my Brownsville neighborhood. As Graphite leaned up against the doorway that separated the bedroom from the living room the sounds of Coltrane penetrated the walls of my apartment like a man would a woman after extensive foreplay--easily. In the kitchen I could hear the continuous dripping from my faucet. What does that have to do with anything you ask? That’s because the drip was in harmony with my heart pounding, BOOM BABOOM BABOOM BABOOM. She had it going on, a beautiful dark shoulder length haired woman with a plump set of breast that fell to a very tight stomach. Two well-constructed legs stretched down from a size seven waist. I looked at her and tried to figure out just what the hell I was going to do with all of this. I hadn’t been this nervous since the first time I made love to my ex-fiancé. And you know what happens to a man when he gets nervous or better yet over anxious, he can’t get it up and then finds some reason as to why it’s the girl’s fault. She’s too wet or too tight or some sh-- like that.

Then it happened, she kissed me and believe me, getting it up wasn’t the problem; the problem was not breaking my headboard. That night I came like I had never c-- before. I didn’t have sex or f---, excuse my language, but I made love for the first time. I thought I was going to f---, but she stopped me immediately. Gently grabbing the base of my skull she led my face to the spot where her body’s angles met. As soon as I tasted her, my mouth salivated in anticipation for my next slurp. Our hands and mouths explored each other several times over. This was the warm-up, what she called thirty-minutes of foreplay. Our synchronized movements continued endlessly until Graphite told me to open my eyes. I was about to c-- and my normal reaction as it is with most guys was to close my eyes.

Reviews:

“Among these four men growing up isn’t always easy!  But surprisingly their boyish habits is the least of their problems compared to the women they encounter!”

Sept/Oct 2002--- Black Issues Book Review

“In When All Else Fails, We Cry, the author establishes a rapport with the reader by simply keeping everything from language to personal problems to sexual exploits as real as they come. The story revolves around four men whose lives are chronicled in such a way that you begin to understand what most men have to put up with and what most women will never admit to.”
 

Sept/Oct 2002—Urban Spectrum Newspaper

August 6, 2002 This book was all I expected from Nikiel!!

A deep look into the lives of four men -growing-
A male bonding "waiting to exhale" story spoken snappy, straight to you the reader. In their own voices through questions, thoughts and poetry you feel the joy and pain as they feel it. There is success, failure, sex, suicide attempts, children, emotional abuse, wives and lovers. The woman speak straight to you as well through letters, thoughts and feelings about the choices they make. This book is Deep!
A very moving story with twists and turns. You will laugh and you will want to cry... when all else fails we cry...

If you have never read Nikiel, you will like the way he writes, he has a very different style of writing. In "concrete eyes," he let you the reader finish the story.....

GREAT BOOK!! I RECOMMEND IT TO EVERYONE, July 15, 2002

I was amazed with the writing style that this author had. This book was very good from beginning to end. I was very impressed with how you ended this book. The one thing I like about a book when I read it, is for it to be unpredictable and this one was very unpredictable. That made the book that much better. I think you did a very good job on this book Nikiel Hannah and keep up the good work. And remain unpredictable with your work.

GREAT READ!! VERY MUCH SO RECOMMENDED!!,
August 12, 2002

Alicia of Sista Friendz Book Club from New Jersey

I mentioned to my husband that this might be a book he would be interested in. Well to make a long story short, he picked up your book Saturday night and could not put it down.  He professed to me that the book was great.  Being that I had completed the required reading for Sista Friendz, I decided that I would take a peek at your novel and give first hand notes about the book.  I started it last night and I would have to agree with my husband that your book was good.  I finished the boo this morning and I am looking forward to your next novel.

I received your second book When All Else Fail, We Cry for my birthday and of course it was good. As always, keep letting your pen do your talkin.....cause no matter what you are putting the truth in plain and simple black and white.  May God continue to give you the strength you need to continue on in your writings and may be success be a long and happy one.

Melisa