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Women Love Omar Tyree, Whose Novels Aren't "Fairy Tales"

By Tera Hodges
Black College Wire

Photo credit: www.omartyree.com Omar Tyree asks "why good women love bad men."

Although Omar Tyree has written 12 novels, he is most known for "Flyy Girls." At the mention of the title during a lecture at Florida A&M University, women began to clap and cheer in adoration.

Tyree used the moment to address what he considers to be a problem with women in the black community.

"'Flyy Girls' was one of my best sellers. It was about a woman who made all the wrong choices. She's a sister in the 'hood," he said. "But in the follow-up, I allow the main character to mature and graduate from college with a master's degree, and I received negative e-mails from sisters all over saying they couldn't relate."

"Why is it that you all can relate to the hood, but not a master's degree?," Tyree asked the audience.

As a lecturer, Tyree describes his goal as "educating blacks, as well as other cultures, on the present, past and future struggles of African people in America."

In his talk before a half-filled theater at FAMU, his topics ranged from his books, such as "For the Love of Money" and "Single Mom," to the psychological state of black people in America.

"Nothing I write is a fairy tale," said Tyree, recipient of an NAACP Image Award for outstanding work of fiction. "I write real stuff because I am a real person."

Tyree acknowledged that his book "College Boy" mirrors his college experience at the University of Pittsburgh, a predominantly white school.

"I was the Laurence Fishburne character in Spike Lee's 'School Daze.' I was a revolutionary Afrocentric black man. I felt as if I was an island, with no one to relate to," he said.

He also said he believes polygamy is the solution for improving the black family.

"People such as Michael Jordan can afford to have more than one household, with more than one wife. There could be more privileged black children if wealthy, successful, black men were able to marry more than one woman," he said.

Tyree posed for pictures, signed autographs and sold books.

"After I release 'Cold Blooded' in August, I want to come back and have a session where men and women can go at it concerning why good women love bad men," he said.

Some said they would come back to hear him.

"I didn't like everything he said, but overall, he is a great writer," said Kia Folsom, a junior broadcast student from Cincinnati.

Tera Hodges, a student at Florida A&M University, writes for The Famuan. She may be contacted at [email protected].

Posted April 16, 2004