Beverly Pettiford

The Essence Of Exposure: Explores the lives, loves and losses of an American Indian and African family known as the Risingsun's. Descendants were born to this deep-seated ethnic mixture but Adrianna, the appointed matriach, was determined to live as American as apple pie.

Adrianna remeninsces about the shocking details of her experiences and that of her siblings. Because of family tradition and culture, at a very young age, she had to mature rapidly in order to be supportive to her siblings. Their fathers were not around during their developmental years. Their mother (Inez) was emotionally absent due to habits that kept her mind off reality.

Despite its shabby yet well scrubbed surface, this multi-generational family contains many secrets that have been kept in the closet for generations. One great secret is that Adrianna and her sister,(Ronnie) were impregnated at an early age. Adrianna and one sibling (Teddy) rightfully so cut Inez off from their lives. Another sibling (Robert) the "favorite child" seemed to not have problems with Inez. Yet, in an ironic twist of karma, they remain drawn to Inez as a result of unforeseen circumstances.

From love, their extended family provided an enrichment of historical answers to some of the mysteries that pervaded their lives.