In Pursuit of Excellence

Coming Out!

Hotep!

I'm singing Diana Ross in a clear, strong voice, "I'M COMING OUT!"  Poetically, that is.  I am thrilled and filled with gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the American Books Expo in New York City this weekend; it already feels like a whirlwind!

Ah... Poetry.  I have been creating poems as long as I can remember.   From little ditties in elementary school to first love poems in junior high school...  I grew up with the emphatic poets of the 60's - Nikki Giovanni, Gil Scott Heron, The Last Poets, Sonia Sanchez...  Their poems fueled a movement: defiance, empowerment, unrepentent Afros, colorful African garb and a consciousness vibe. 

Fast forward to the 80's.  I did not find my true poetic voice until I found my true spiritual calling.  Soon, poetry became a vehicle to express and release: societal observations, stress cartharsis, emotional celebration, intellectual musings as well as expressions of gratitude, joy, anger, disbelief, frustration, and, of course, love and romance, yet again.

Soul Poems: Life as Fertile Ground is a collection of poems written over a 15-year period that are slices of my life's experiences.  They range in subject from the sacred to the defiant to the challenges life presents on a daily basis.  They also celebrate life in its myraid of manifestations: love journeys, delicious coffee, beholding the natural wonders of God's handiwork and affirmation for purposeful work that contributes to healing and wholeness.

Obamatyme: Election Poetry is another story.  I hadn't intended to publish these poems.  I was seeking personal, emotional release from the intensity of an incredible campaign cycle that I never thought I would live to see, much less participate in as a citizen in a vibrant democracy.  In fact, some of the strong emotion expressed in the poems meant that a few of them didn't make the book!

Both collections are now available for pre-order at www.amazon.com; Soul Poems will be released in September and Obamatyme following in October.  I am excited that folks are already asking to read excerpts; my publisher will put a couple of poems from each book on the website in the next week.  In the meantime, I'm Coming Out!!!  More later...

Peace and blessings!

25th Annual Celebration of Black Writing Festival

Hotep (Peace)!

I was pleased to attend the 25th Annual Celebration of Black Writing, held on the campus of Temple University today.  The festival has grown by leaps and bounds and world class authors were on hand to provide insights, workshops, autographs and inspiration.   The line-up included Dr. Haki Madhubuti, Sonia Sanchez, Dr. Houston Baker, Walter Dean Myers and Terry McMillian, amongst others. 

One thing is for sure:  it is amazing how many folks are writing and how many books are being published!

"The Business of Writing" was a very informative workshop featuring the Publisher and Founder of Third World Press, Dr. Haki Madhubuti.  Brother Haki is an old mentor of mine from my days as a student at Temple U and it was wonderful to see him and reconnect.  But he had sobering advice for writers looking to be published...

The publishing industry is being hard hit by this economy...  major newspapers are in bankruptcy, bookstores are closing and many black publications are in trouble... Staple publications in the black community, i.e., Ebony and Jet, are having difficulties and Essence is no longer black-owned...  Needless to say, this is not good!

For new authors, the publishing world is not what it used to be.  All of the panelists (Max Rodriquez and Thembisa Mshaka) talked about what authors must do that was previously handled by publishers.  Generally speaking, gone are the days of big advances and publisher-sponsored book tours, signings and parties.  Today, an author must not only write the book, but have a viable marketing plan or "platform" to publicize the book.  This is the business of writing!

An interesting sidebar was the issue of "ghetto lit".  In fact, the very lukewarm response from the panelists gave the impression for some that it was a source of contention...  Of course, anyone familiar with the stellar works published at Third World Press and its consistent emphasis on culture, empowerment politics, education and enlightenment, would know it would indeed be a source of contention for Brother Haki!  If ideas are powerful, life enhancing (or life destroying), the lack of uplifting literature, poetry, etc., is seriously problematic.  All the panelist agreed that much of what is available in the ghetto lit category is not "quality"... the disturbing implication of what we value, particularly as a culture product, could not be ignored.  In fact, one panelist lamented that a mainstream publishing "context" is being created for black authors which has the effect of marginalizing black writing, because ghetto lit sells...

And poetry doesn't... or so they say.  Of course, I HAD to challenge that assumption since I have two poetry books being published and available this fall.  So I read one of my pieces to close the session.  "the road is long...until" from Obamatyme received rousing applause and a couple people wanted more information with promises to purchase the book.  And Brother Haki graciously accepted the advance copies; I will follow-up with him for his thoughts, but he did indeed like the poem I read! 

Before I close this post, one more thing about ghetto lit...  I wonder does ghetto lit, like gansta rap, sell because we all really want it, or does it sell because that it is all that is widely available??  And the ultimate question of empowerment, not just economically, but politically - who really profits from any ghetto products and their promotion in the community?   "In the Pursuit of Excellence" will likely ask more questions that it provides answers... but the question of what we value, hence, what we spend our money on, is critical for a viable, sustainable future for ourselves and our children.

More later...

Peace and Blessings.

Hotep and Greetings!

 Welcome to In Pursuit of Excellence! 

At the urging of my publisher, The Elevator Group, I am now entering cycberspace...

Several years ago, I wrote a bi-monthly column for The Charlotte Post and The Philadelphia New Observer entitled, "In the Spirit of Ma'at."   In the Spirit of Ma'at was dedicated to the highest principles expressed by the Ancient Egyptians:  Truth, Justice, Righteousness, Harmony, Balance and Reciprocity.  In this column, I utilized the prism of history and culture as a starting point for social commentary...  These days, a lot of my social commentary is expressed in my poetry, hence, my two poetry books to be released this fall, Obamatyme: Election Poetry and Soul Poems: Life as Fertile Ground. 

Until now...  In Pursuit of Excellence, I hope to wisely use this medium to thoughtfully share my observations, concerns, vision and musings on a variety of life's circumstances...  Just maybe, as my publishers are convinced, my words may spark interest, discussion and even action...  We'll see...  and you will let me know!  More later...

Peace and Blessings!