Author attemps to portray own reality

Monday, May 20, 1996

Copeland to read from and sign books on campusBy Stephanie
Sheh

Daily Bruin Contributor

Some say that art does not imitate life. However, in Sheila
Copeland’s novel "Chocolate Star," it does.

"It’s kind of like the Cosby family," Copeland says. "People
said that (the Cosby family) wasn’t realistic, and it was very
realistic. There were lots of people who lived like that. And when
you get to a certain level it transcends color. (Chocolate Star) is
about people and it’s not even about a race of people. It
transcends color."

Copeland will be signing and reading from her first novel,
"Chocolate Star," today from noon until 2 p.m in 158 Haines Hall."
"Chocolate Star" follows aspiring artists as they embark on their
separate journeys toward fame, climb to the top of their field, and
eventually meet in Hollywood.

Hollywood and the glamours of the entertainment world are not
unknown territory to Copeland. The author trekked through the
music, television and film industries for twelve years. Copeland
coordinated, marketed and arranged promotional products for the
likes of Jodi Watley, Shanice and Michael Jackson.

"While I was working in the industry I saw a lot. I was behind
the scenes," says Copeland. "I observed a lot. So these characters
are based on actual people, but I’m not saying who. They’re several
people in the business, but I made a lot of it up too."

However, Copeland’s novel is based on much more than her
experiences in Hollywood, it’s based on her entire life.

"This book kind of comes from my background," Copeland relates.
"We writers write from what we know. I grew up differently and I
wanted to write a story about the kind of life that I lived.

While Copeland didn’t start out with much, by the age of 16 she
had earned a scholarship to a prestigious girl’s boarding school.
From there she progressed to Tuffs University and continued to
USC.

"To me, being poor is a state of mind," Copeland says. "And I
never saw myself as poor. There might have been things that I was
without, but I never saw myself as poor. I never thought of myself
as being inferior to anyone."

Copeland’s view of herself helped her ease into the world of
higher education. This experience was significant to her and she
wanted to share it. She says that she not only wanted to present a
different picture of African Americans to the world, but also for
African Americans themselves. The author sees the character’s
stories as relevant to all readers.

Copeland is excited about wider audiences being exposed to the
contemporary African American culture. She says that more and more
authors have embraced the changes and challenges of their culture.
The author also says that they have "progressively tackled the
changing landscape of the black man, the black woman and their
relationships."

"’Chocolate Star’ remains in spirit with contemporary African
American literature, offering a new class of positive,
well-rounded, inspirational characters who take control of their
lives," Copeland says.

EVENT: Sheila Copeland will be in Haines 158 from noon until 2
p.m. today. "Chocolate Star" is in limited release and will be
available this summer.

Author Sheila Copeland