Ramblings of a Man Trying to Find His Glory in Da Sun

What I Learned At My First Booksigning

2010-07-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

I had my first booksigning at the Black Writers Reunion and Conference on Jun 24th, 2010. The experience was unlike any other--I can't describe it. It was a great success, and I'd like to share what I've learned.

1) Make sure you have ALL your booksigning accessories before the event. Postcards, business cards, poster, pens, receipt tablet, bookmarks, flyers, water bottles, charged laptop (and accessories) sunny disposition--account for all of them. Of course, don't forget your books, too.

2) Don’t party like it’s 1999 the night before. This moment definitely calls for celebration, but do that after the book signing. You should be wide-eyed and alive the day of, not looking like someone who just left the club. Who wants to buy a book from someone reeking of alcohol, anyway?

3) Dress to impress. I don't think a suit and tie or evening gown is necessary, but something semi-formal and presentable (i.e., blazer and nice jeans for the guys). Remember, this may be the first and only time potential customers see you in person. You want to make a great first impression!

4) Bring an assistant. If you can get one, of course. You want to engage your readers as much as possible while someone else takes care of the money transactions and other behind-the-scenes work. Luckily for me, I had my two Pantheon Collective co-warriors by my side.

5) Have a great pitch ready. Somebody asks you, "Wow...Sellout, huh? What's it about?" Now is not the time for a barrage of "ums" and "uhs." I admit, I fumbled a few times, but hey, practice makes perfect. Having a good pitch memorized will help keep the jumpy nerves down. And you might want to keep the gum, chew or food out your mouth, too.

6) Stand up and keep smiling. If you're standing, you catch people's attention more and it's hard to pass up a great smile. If you're sitting down, a stack of books or your poster may block your face and make you look unapproachable, especially if you're not smiling. People want to know the person behind the book, so let them see you and the pearly whites.

7) Engage passerby’s. Even if a customer walks by, try to engage them, especially if they have that I'm-not-sure-if-I-want-to-stop-at-this-table-but-it-seems-interesting look. There's no harm in asking them to come over. If they're still not moved by your pitch, maybe you can at least get their information on a mailing list or give them a business card.

8) Get contact info from buyers. If someone parts from their hard-earned cash to buy your book, you should send a follow-up "thank you" to them.

9) Autograph their book. Readers love a personal message from the author. Make sure you ask how to spell their name first! “Toni,” “Tonie,” “Tony” and “Tonee” all sound the same, but spelled differently.

10). Support your fellow author in the struggle. Hey, we’re all in this together! Support by buying a book or two from your authors-in-arms. It’s all about helping out each other, right?

SELLOUT (First Three Chapters)

2010-06-16T22:34:00.000-07:00

You can get your hands on an advanced copy of SELLOUT, BEFORE it goes on sale worldwide by sending an e-mail to pantheoncollective@gmail.com. We will send you an autographed copy for ONLY $10! This offer will last until July 11. Send an e-mail to pantheoncollective@gmail.com indicating your interest and GET YOURS!

Open publication - Free publishing - More sellout

No More Chief Package

2010-05-08T00:27:00.000-07:00

WARNING: NAVY JARGON!

Around this time a year ago, I would still be a Navy sailor in my utilities as an Aviation Maintenance Administrationman (AZ) First Class, browsing my OMPF file for the umpteenth time, gathering all the necessary documents for submission to the 2009 Navy Chief Selection Board. I knew the routine, and to be honest with you, I was tired of it. After eight tries, I’d pulled a Boyz II Men and had come to the end of the f*ckin’ road. My retirement was right around the corner. My last shot at khakis.

I thought my chances were…okay. Had the Safe-for-Flight qualification under my belt, passed the last AMI with flying colors, came off a four-year tour on the USS Ronald Reagan. Divisional CFL, Mentorship Coordinator, FEP Instructor. Not too bad, but definitely not great. And unfortunately, I didn’t have that all-important breakout EP.

Before I left the RR, my highest rank was 13 out of 44, which was #5 MP. Wasn’t an LPO at that time, either. Worked in QA…as a CTPL. Yeah, I know. Not the kind of position for a senior AZ to do back flips over. But they recognized me on my eval for doing QAR-related work, overseeing the AZ programs. Ended up with all my programs on-track after the AMI.

But when August came around—the last month of my active duty status—I wasn’t on pins and needles like everyone else in my shoes, biting my nails and sh*t like “will I make it? Will I make it?” Hell no. Matter of fact, I was on terminal leave and had just enjoyed a month-long road trip, a little celebration my girlfriend set up for me. Kinda like a going away party. The way I saw it, I was done with active duty. Twenty years is a long time, but at thirty-seven-years-old, I was young enough to start a brand new chapter in my life.

So when I saw that big “N” (Non Selected) next to my name, I didn’t trip. Mindset wasn’t with it any more: Even if I made it, I would’ve “anchored away” the hell out. No, it’s true. By the time I got the results, I’d packed up my house, sent my belongings up north and put my first home up for sale.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of my service and I owe a great deal of gratitude to the Navy. I receive my retirement, disability and the GI Bill monthly. I did for my country; now my country is doing for me. That’s a cool thing.

But you know what? I can’t lie. Even though I’d made my decision to roll, I still wanted to say, “I made Chief.” A small part of me will be forever pissed that I didn’t.

Get Dat A** Movin'!

2010-03-26T22:26:00.000-07:00

Awwww, sookie, sookie! Weather at sixty-sum degrees, sun shining, people out and about wearing short sleeves and shorts…you know what’s up.

No, it’s not summer yet, but close. Winter retired for another year and has turned over the duties to spring, giving us a sneak peak on the next season to come. Before you know it, days at the beach and hot bikinis will come knockin’.

But by now, you’ve probably fallen off track on your fitness goals (you know you made them as a New Year’s resolution). Hey, it’s human nature--sh*t happens. But don’t fret. If you reclaim that determination to spark up your fitness, you can lose up to twenty pounds around the start of summer. Starting today, if you shoot for two pounds a week until June 21st—and succeed—you will be twenty pounds lighter. Simple as that.

Well…maybe not that simple. Commitment to health can be hard work, but not impossible. Important thing is to view health and wellness as a life choice (a marathon), not as a short-time fling (a sprint). A magic pill and surgery provides a quick fix, but you need to train your body to keep the weight off, otherwise you’ll look at the mirror six months later and be like, “damn. I’m flabby as hell again?”

But how do you attain that magazine cover physique? Well, there’s no magic formula; a proper diet, lots of water, cardio exercises and resistance training will do the trick. Females struggle with weight issues arguably more than men (especially around the belly), but for some reason, weights are scary to a lot of women--not because they think they’ll injure themselves, but most of them believe they’ll lose those feminine curves and look more like men.

Don’t sweat it, ladies. It takes years of training and testosterone injections to look like a beef-cake dude. However, resistance training does build muscle and burn fat, a nice compliment to cardio exercises. If you do only cardio (jogging, elliptical machines, bike riding, etc), you risk losing muscle—and you don’t want that. If you build muscle, you will burn fat even at rest because your body requires energy to maintain muscle. Where does it get the energy? From burning fat!

Of course, before you embark on a new exercise routine, it’s a good idea to consult with a personal trainer (such as myself :)) and/or medical professional (if applicable). Once you get knee-deep into resistance training, I recommend combining isometric and isotonic exercises. Isometric is when you contract a muscle with no movement (where you hold a position, such as planks); isotonic involves your typical up-and-down or back-and-forth repetitive movements (such as using a curl-up bar). Isotonic includes concentric (shortening of muscle fibers) and eccentric movements (lengthening of muscles fibers). Isometric and isotonic exercises build strength and muscle (isometric focuses more on strength while isotonic on building muscle).

In the graphics below (yeah, that’s me), I show two examples on how to combine isometric and isotonic exercises, so let’s get dat a** up and movin'! Summer will be here before you know it!

Note: NEVER hold your breath while doing these exercises. Remember to breathe!

1. Starting Position

2. Do a full curl, then bring the bar down 1/3 of the way and hold it for five seconds.

3. Bring the bar down at the half-way point and hold for another five seconds. Return to starting position. Try to do 8-12 repetitions and 2-3 sets. Increase the weight with each set.

1. (Top of bar). Pull-ups are great for upper body strength. Use a dumbbell to add more resistance and incorporate isometric holds.

2. Half-way down, hold for five seconds. Do as many as you can.

The 38-Year-Old College Sophomore

2010-02-25T18:56:00.000-08:00

I thought everyone knew Rodney King. This particular woman didn't, and it irked me. How can you not know the man whose beatdown sparked one of the deadliest riots in the country? Was she asleep when they showed the video 89 trillion times?

But I'd forgotten something: The young woman who said, "huh? Whose that" was probably born on the year or year before the King beating; and no more than two-years old during the LA riots. It's easy to have a generation mismatch with a nineteen-year-old when you're thirty-eight. I'm two times older than her. Two times. Damn. Father Time can be so cruel.

But ya know what? It's all good. Just one of those things to expect when you go back to college after spending twenty years in the Navy. And I don't feel out of place at all, despite my age and color (not many brothas at my school). Most students are shocked to know my real age, anyway. Everyone thinks I'm in my 20s. Big ego boost right there.

Yup, I like my new role as full-time student. Unlike what I felt in high school, school is cool. I go to Cabrillo, a junior college just south of Santa Cruz. Courtesy of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, I not only don't have to pay for tuition, I get a monthly allowance AND book stipend. Free money for school. Yeah. Can you say "sweet?"

Flyers of school events posted everywhere. Posters of the next play by theater students. Young adults lying in the grass, chillin', studying, developing a fling. Conversations about the next exam sprinkling around me. It's all part of the vibe of higher education, and I'm knee-deep in it.

Some things haven't changed for me, though. While in class, my eyes sometimes stare at the instructor, but my brain floats somewhere to the next basketball game or something. Still late to class, too. That's a damn shame, huh? How the hell am I late to class when the military teaches punctuality in boot camp?

Probably because I'm no longer military. I'm on my own schedule now, dag-nabbit.

It's funny, too. Specks of pop culture's past seem to spring up everywhere. The other day, I saw a kid wearing a Dead Kennedys shirt, a punk rock band from the 80s. Some students are still carrying on the legacies of Bob Marley and Bruce Lee on T-shirts, just like my generation did. And will Chuck Taylors ever go out of style? Probably not. It's cool to witness retro stuff almost everyday.

But I don't think I'll ever get used to students taking notes with laptops. That's too 21st century for me.

The End

For Military: If you're about to separate from active duty and looking to go back to school full-time, here are some tips:

1. Make sure your SMART transcripts are up-to-date. You'd be surprised at what some colleges will take. That includes NKO courses, military schools, and specific certifications.

2. Know which GI Bill you want (Montgomery or Post 9/11?). Just because the Post 9/11 GI Bill is the best thing since Starbucks coffee, it doesn't mean it's the best for your situation. In some cases, the Montgomery GI Bill will pay you more monthly.

3. Know what kind of school you want. Junior college, public university, private university, trade school--which one? Brick-and-mortar or online? Or do you just need a specific certification? Full-time or part-time student? These decisions affect your GI Bill status. Also, I've yet to see a school that isn't veteran friendly. Cabrillo has a great veteran support system. University of Santa Cruz has received a lot of attention for its support of veterans.

4. Get familiar with the certifying official. This person will help you with all your GI Bill needs. You should know him or her by first name.

5. Seek out other veterans. Hey, they're just like you and they can be another resource, especially when you're fresh out the military. Cabrillo actually has a veterans club comprised of all branches. If your school doesn't have one, you may consider starting one.

6. Consider pausing the GI Bill. If the tuition is not too expensive and you can afford it, it may be better to pause it and use later for a more expensive school. In my case, I'm pausing the GI Bill until I transfer to a university. Also, you can apply for financial aid if you qualify, even with the GI Bill (because it's not considered income). Nice!

7. Get Involved. Don't be idle! Get involved! Join a school club! Volunteer! It's amazing how much you can grow your personal network system simply by asking questions and just "doing." I volunteer at a veterans center (where we help veterans with PTSD) and stroke center. I wouldn't have known about them if I hadn't asked questions or gotten involved.

Birth of The Pantheon Collective

2010-02-15T01:48:00.000-08:00

Too many no-thank-you's came to this.

After seven years, two agents, and umpteen rejections from publishers, I decided to listen to fate and try another route to book publication. It just wasn't in the cards for a brotha, so I seized a new opportunity.

I found it in my partners Stephanie Casher and Poet Qwantu Amaru. Together, we created The Pantheon Collective (TPC), a new venture for publishing our work and eventually, other authors. Do the damn thing ourselves. Screw the big dogs. We can do this "ish" together.

That destiny includes the launch of my debut novel Sellout in July. I'm still editing this book, so it's nowhere near ready. The pressure's on. Man, it's on.

In our blogs, we will detail the ups and downs of starting the business, the "dirty dirty"--interpersonal conflicts, financial obstacles, logistical issues, deadlines, burnout--all of it. This way, you can see what it's really like to start a business with other people. We hope you learn from us and avoid some of our eventual mistakes. We're intelligent people, but TPC is bound for roadblocks. We either have to climb over them, walk around them, or bust through those mofos.

But I won't just rant about TPC. Oh no. I'm a man of many interests and if you looked at the banner, you'll know what I'm talking about. So, I plan to talk about all kinds of ish because I have a lot of ish to say.

Tips for Writing Query Letters

2008-09-27T02:38:00.000-07:00

Here are my 15 tips for agent-friendly query letters:

1) Research the agent first. You don’t want to query a questionable agent who requires a “reading fee” (biggest scam ever.) Preditors and Editors is a good resource (http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/pubagent.htm).

2) Use quality paper. I love bright white, 20-lb paper. No notebook, color, flimsy or paper with zig-zag, cutesy, third-grader designs. No hand-written letters, either.

3) Use one sheet for your query. Agents get dozens of queries a week. No agent wants to read three pages. Agents want "to-the-pointness."

4) Know the standard query letter format: 1-inch all around, Times Roman or Courier new, 10-12in font. Double space paragraphs only.

5) Know the submission guidelines. Not all agents accept email queries. Some agents have a word-count requirement. And you'll feel like a fool if you submit an erotic thriller to an agent who only accepts religious fiction.

6) No "Dear Agent" or "To whom it may concern." Address the agent by name. If you don't know it, research it. And definitely spell the name right!
Note: Be careful with gender. A name like Jerry Michaels sounds male, but "Jerry” could be female, too. "Dear Jerry Michaels" would suffice.

7) Cover the main points of a query: opening, description, qualifications (i.e. doctor writing a medical thriller), publication credits (including awards) and closing. Have a good hook!

8) From the gate, get to the point. An opening shouldn't say, "be prepared to experience the greatest adventure of your life when you partake on a fantastic voyage courtesy of my sure-to-be New York Times bestselling novel entitled..." Say the genre (fantasy, thriller), word-count, title and what the story is about.

9) In the main body, describe your story in two to three paragraphs. Nothing cute, no gimmicks, no fancy words such as "filled with belly-bustin' humor..." or "it will make you laugh, cry, pissed-off..." The description should be similar to the back of a book.

10) If no qualifications or credits, don't sweat it. Write about your writer groups or conferences you've attended. Or if writing a book about a detective who's also a mother of three boys, definitely include you’re a Mom of three boys!
And if a well-known writer referred you to the agent with permission, mention that!

11) Research similar books. Describe a book or two like yours, but definitely write what makes your masterpiece stand out.

12) No outlandish reviews from family/friends! Agents don't want to know how much Mom, Dad and your brothers Moe, Larry and Curly loves your story!

13) Pitch one story at a time in your query. Of course, you can mention a sequel is
in the works.

14) State why you solicited that particular agent. Maybe they represent an author you admire? Or their twenty years at Random House convinced you? Think about it: Doesn’t a prospective employer ask, “so, why do you want to work for us?”

15) Know the difference between fiction and non-fiction queries. For non-fiction, the project can be incomplete. For fiction, the novel must be complete and preferably, professionally edited. Never query with an incomplete novel.

Five Tips to Spit-Shine Your Prose

2008-05-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

How many times have you read a novel and felt a part of the action? Great novels spike the reader's fear, anxiety, anger, laughter--even hormones. May even keep the reader up until the wee hours, glued to the pages. Stephen King and Nora Roberts make the big bucks for good reason.

Painting a picture with words demonstrates a unique talent. However, writers must study the craft--as with any skill. The story may be clean off the rack, but may still need a nice coat of wax. No worries. These five tips will help put the "spit-shine" on that masterpiece:

1) Show don't tell

The number one rule. To truly "show" vice "tell," incorporate the five senses (touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight). For example:

The boy saw the beautiful girl he wanted to ask to the prom. He was very nervous.

Becomes...

Karen stood in the doorway while laughing with her friend Sheryl. Sam stared, his heart pounding at the sight of her. Everything around Sam faded except for the sound of that angelic voice. Her long dark hair caressed soft cinnamon skin. Green eyes sparkled like rubies.

She could win a Maxim magazine girl-next-door contest. A young woman like her needed real-man quality, though. Sam didn't qualify.

But today, Sam ate his spinach. He wouldn't miss his chance.

Sam stood from his seat, hauled in a breath, then walked toward Karen. Karen turned to him and smiled. Roses scented the air. Karen's favorite perfume. Now Sam's.

Sam inhaled that familiar scent, then said, "K-k-Karen?"

Okay, this example didn't include all the senses, but it doesn't take a high IQ to know Sam is nervous and Karen is a nice-looking girl. No need to "tell" the reader.

2) Use active voice, not passive

With active voice, the subject performs the action. In passive voice, the subject receives the action (in other words, acted upon). Active voice is more crisp and "to the point." It's also less confusing. Use little to no passive voice (non-fiction writers can get away with more passive voice than fiction writers). In most cases, perform a little switcheroo to achieve active voice success. For example:

The body was carried by the hitman. (Passive)

Becomes...

The hitman carried the body. (Active)

Active voice hits home quicker and sounds better. In some cases, active voice uses less words than passive voice, and still achieves the same goal (as in the above example).

3) Cut down on adverbs (specifically "ly" and "ing" words)

Adverbs modify words. That doesn't mean adverbs make other words better. Too often, authors rely on them for safety net support. Beware of this trap. Find a better word to replace the adverb. Action and dialog can kill the need for an adverb, too:

She walked quickly out the bedroom to escape the boiling rage her husband created.

Becomes...

"You bastard! I hate you!" She slapped her husband, then stomped out the bedroom.

Instead of "walked quickly," "stomped" gives you a better picture. Through her actions and dialog, you can feel her rage.

Note: Watch adverbs that modify the word "said" (he said enthusiastically; she said playfully, etc). "Said" alone works fine.

4) Limit "to be" words (is, are, was, were)

"To be" words have their place. I've used a few in this article. However, not using these words strengthen your writing, especially in fiction.

Be careful when starting a sentence with "there were" or "there was." Nine times out of ten, you can take these words out:

There was thick smoke in the room. There was a hit man standing by the door holding a gun.

Becomes...

Thick smoke darkened the room. The hit man stood by the door holding a gun.

Or

He was there.

Becomes...

He stood there or he sat there.

Cutting "to be" words give your writing a polished finish. Note: When an action interrupts another action, use a "to be" word:

He was washing dishes when his wife smacked his head with a spatula.

5) Use as little words as possible

In the movie Ocean's Eleven, Brad Pitt summed it up: "Don't use seven words when four will do." That goes for writing. Less is best:

In order to obtain a drivers license issued by the state of California, you must be able to locate the nearest DMV.

Becomes...

To get a California drivers license, find the nearest DMV.

First sentence has twenty-two words; the second ten. They both say the same thing, but the second reaches the period faster. Why take a fifteen-minute drive on the highway when a five-minute shortcut through the back roads will get you home, too?

As you can see, it doesn't take much to achieve "tight" writing. If you feel your writing is dull, these tips may give it the shine it lacks.

Tryna get my muse on!

2007-05-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

Damn, it's been a minute since I posted here. Ever since Myspace took er' body hostage, I, along with a billion other people, migrated over there. The Dark Side. The hostage taker, hook-up maker.

But it's all right, though. I decided to come back, maybe use this blog like a web diary or somethin'. Talk about this writing thing, prolly, like how a brotha tryna get his muse back.

Speaking of that...

The last year or so, I hadn't been connecting with the right side of my brain much, downloading ideas through my fingers the way I used to. Had other things going on, serious issues I need not explain--and not any of them dealing with writing. Actually, much of it stripped away my motivation somewhat.

Don't get me wrong - I wrote...a little.

Worked on my manuscript here and there, pumped out a few paragraphs and what not. Even wrote an article. But I didn't have those daily wee-hour marathons, handcuffed to my chair, molesting the keyboard, eyes damn near taped to the monitor. Guess I lost my "litbido."

But not anymore. With a plane ticket to New York for the upcoming Book Expo and
an opportunity to meet writers knee-deep in the game, the inspiration
has returned from a long hiatus. A writer friend pumps out a chapter a night, which
also lit a fuse to my muse. Got my litbido back, pumped up on "writeagra."

Oh, yeah. You ready for some of dis, baby?

Yeah. My hands be stroking the keyboard, tapping its buttons, hitting it...sometimes soft...sometimes hard...for hours. Can't keep my hands off it anymore. Laptop fits so well on top of me. From News at Five to News at Eleven, I'm still hittin'. Energy level off-da-chizain, no signs of slowing down. Yeah. I...

Oops! My bad! Writeagra got me trippin', boy.

So...um...a-nee-way, I'll make an effort to post to this thing more often. As long as I'm high on a nice dose of Writeagra, my litbido will keep me "up"...for hours...tappin' it...

The keyboard, that is.

Black Writers Reunion - 2006

2006-07-19T20:58:00.000-07:00

Damn, feel like I haven't posted since the LL Cool J Kangol and too-tight Puma sweatsuit wearin' days. I definitely need to get better at blogging.

But, then again, I was away for 6 months, supporting this war on terrorism and all, doin' my part. Got back two weeks ago, so I'm somewhat rusty.

Anyway...

I had the pleasure of attending my first BWU in Dallas last weekend. Flew in on Saturday afternoon, left Monday morning, had one good a** time in between. Finally got to meet people behind the emails and man! Talk about flawless! Everyone I met could've strutted down a Ms. Black Universe runway.

But that ain't what I'm writing this fo'...

Tia Shabazz, an obvious project coordinator extraordinaire, did an excellent job. All the presenters were well versed and shelled out helpful info for all. I was truly impressed.

Hopefully I can attend the next conference, behind the podium maybe? We'll see...

Oh!

Just remembered sumn': If you're an author--and you have published credits and writing credentials under your belt--DO NOT BE MODEST! I have said publication credits, but when folks asked if I was a writer, I wasn't quick to let people know much about my background. Yeah, I said I was a writer, but didn't list my accomplishments. In other words, being modest.

What the hell for? I got skills--and I should be able to talk about it. A writers conference is NOT the place to be humble. Lesson learned.

Also got the pleasure of seeing my agent Mondella Jones again after 3 years. We discussed a course of action for one of my manuscripts, and I must say, although I have to revise and rewrite A-gain, I agree with what we talked about. That's the name of the game and I'm willing to do what it takes to polish my manuscript, no matter how long. Gotta take care of my baby, right?

The Haps - 1st Quarter 06

2006-03-17T06:56:00.001-08:00

Been a while since I posted on my blog, but I'm still in the writing game. I'm actually away on "gov'ment business" until mid-summer. Since Jan 06, a few wonderful things have happened that I hope will take me to the next level as a writer:

Jan 06 - Set my sights high with my resolutions: Get a story in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Zane's Caramel Flava, more magazine/anthology credits that pay(ch-ching!), short story adapted into film and the biggest piece of the pie--book deal.

Jan 06 - I will be a contributor for the new magazine Untouchable Magazine (www.untouchablemagazine.com. Scheduled to launch this summer)

Feb 06 - Received an email stating one of my stories was accepted for Chicken Soup for the Mother's and Son's Soul series. I 'bout fell out my chair. Less than 2% get accepted.

Feb 06 - My story "Sindelity" is published in the anthology "Truth Be Told: Tales of Life, Love, and Drama" (http://www.michaeltowens.com/exctbt.shtml).

Mar 06 - Received an email from none other than Zane stating one of my stories was accepted for her erotica series Caramel Flava. I DID fall out my chair.

Mar 06 - A personal essay of mine will appear in the upcoming anthology Gumbo for the Soul late this year (http://www.gumboforthesoul.com)

Not bad so far. Not bad at all! Still got a film adaption and book deal to go. Can I get them both? We'll see. Maybe next quarter...

New Article "Nig-huh?"

2005-09-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

My music makes me cringe sometimes. Especially at work.
Why?
Well, imagine preparing for Monday morning madness at your desk. It’s just another day on the job--the same ole’ same ole’, nothing special. To help drive 9-to-5 hours along, you grab your IPOD. Screw the CDs for now. Your new favorite gadget can shuffle your favorite jams in party-mode rotation all day.
While fidgeting with the pint-sized DJ system, your supervisor stops by to rap a little morning small talk. You know, the “how was your weekend” stuff.
With your thumb on the IPOD play button, you reply, “Nothing big. Just a little--”
But then...
“‘Cause some niggas ain’t nuttin but bitches! I be killin’ mutha--”
Oops.
So much for small talk. Ain’t nothin’ like a spitfire of N and B-words to kill that.
Panic kicks in. While banging fingers against the monitor, scrambling to kill X-rated babble blasting from five-inch speakers, a hard frown sets on your supervisor’s pink face. Kind of a strange look, actually. Somewhere stuck between shock, surprise, humiliation—-maybe even disgust.
You turn the volume knob to drop “bitches” and “niggas” to hush level, but then your supervisor steps away, shaking his head.
And you didn’t even hear how his weekend went.
This ever happen to you? Well, if you bump today’s Rap music, it probably has...

Are you a Rap fan who thinks the lyrics are too offensive? Let's Discuss it!

My 2005 Publication Credits (so far)

2005-08-31T13:27:00.000-07:00

As I continue on in this crazy journey toward book publication, it occurred to me I've had a few success stories so far this year. Each of them inching me that much closer to my dream of having a book on the store shelves with my name. They are:

April 05 - Monthly Guest Author on Julie Dupre's website for my story "Open House" (http://www.joliedupre.com/index.html)

May 05 - Suite Magazine accepted my story "Open House" for May 05 edition(www.suitemag.com)

June 05 - Adult Friend Finder magazine accepted my article "Two Minute Drill" (http://adultfriendfinder.com/intgroups/aa228/tyadmin/acprint_admin_article.html). My first paid article!!

July 05 - VIP NY Magazine accepted my article "Signs" for the August edition ( http://www.vipnymagazine.com). My second paid article! Go James!

August 05 - Bonita Magazine accepted my article "Two Minute Drill" for the Sept edition (http://www.bonitamagazine.com/).

I'd like to end this year with more success stories. Got three months left. We'll see...