Writing through the dark… surrendering to the story that wants to be told": A reading and discussion with Novuyo Masakhane. House of Jewels: A Novel in progress.  House of Jewels is a love story between two souls. It is the telling of Novuyo’s relationship with her Aunt Canis`spirit and the impact her restless soul has had on Novuyo life. As a child she heard bits and pieces of my aunt's story that always began with her murder in the Fall of 1955.  Her death appeared in several news papers across the country and in many cases it became front page news. This is a novel about both my family's history and an essential part of America's rich and diverse cultural history and an inquiry into African American organized crime in the 1940's and 1950's.. The novel is a fictional story based in truth, written in two time lines. China and Alonzo are trying to work out their love affair with the challenge of living in different cities and balancing their emerging careers. We travel back in time to the 1940s with Byrd as she aspires to become a famous dancer only to be met with a life she's not prepared for. Dancer, writer, writing coach, filmmaker, inspirational teacher... Novuyo Masakhane, born in Denver, Colorado and raised in Southern California, has worked as a professional artist for over 20 years. Novuyo was raised in the African American sacred and secular dance traditions and began performing at the age of three. She currently teaches writing classes for aspiring writers in Austin and also weekly classes in African Fusion Dance. Novuyo says she is a weaver of many gifts, each one supporting the other.