AFTERMATH: Big Literary Weekend

It too me a while ot get around to writing this.  This is actually quite a positive post.

I had a really good weekend, this past weekend that just passed from the 18th to the 20th.  I was able to hook up with some literary contacts that I had, and involve myself in some activities that were going on around here.  Considering the string of bad luck and misery that I'd been going through lately, I would say that this good fortune was much deserved.

I was able to hook up (at the last minute) with my peoples at the Caribbean Cultural Theatre, an organization that focuses primarily on Caribbean-American and Caribbean authors/poets based in the United States.  I know the founder/organizer personally, and we have been in contact with each other for a few years now (primarily through the internet).  When I finally moved back home, was when we finally got the chance to meet each other in person.  Anyway....I knew ahead of time that they were supposed to be having a "bookend" event on Friday, the 18th; a literary event leading up top the Brooklyn Book Festival on Sunday, the 20th.  I wasn't even sure if I was going to be able to attend either event due to my serious lack of funds.  That's when the brother offered me the opportunity to work as a volunteer at his event.  (It helped that he offered to compensate me for my services).

Of course...I jumped at the chance to help.

I basically worked as a "gofer" for his event on Friday (go for this...go for that, lol, lol).  I actually had a lot of fun, when I wasn't running around like a mad man.  I got to enjoy the program, and not have to pay to attend.  it reminded me of back when I used to volunteer for some Black film festivals in NYC in my younger days.  It also helped that i knew a few of the authors that were there participating in the event.

The big one was on Sunday, the Brooklyn Book Festival.  I helped to man the booth for the Caribbean Cultural Theatre, which was shared by two other organizations representing Caribbean authors; Read Jamaica (obviously based out of Jamaica), and Caribbean Reads (based in St. Kitts/Nevis).  I had a lot of fun, and really enjoyed interacting with the attendees in the crowd.  We signed up a good number of people to the CCT Mailing List, as well as selling a number of books by the associated authors.  I even snuck a few of my own titles in there, and sold a copy.  ;)

So, the weekend ended very well for me.  My spirits have been renewed, and being that the Autumnal Equinox has just passed, a renewed sense of purpose has filled my being.  I hope that this bodes well for my future plans at relocation as well.  I am now refocused, and charging ahead.   

Until next time...

Literacy Across Harlem March, Book Drive, & Community Celebration!!!

I'm hoping to make it out to this event up in Harlem.  It's on this coming Saturday, September 19th.  I've already been sharing it on FB and Twitter.  It's being organized by a great organization called Total Equity Now, based in Harlem.  To find out more about the organization and their upcoming event, please go to their website for more information.

www.totalequitynowharlem.org

Literacy Across Harlem March, Book Drive, & Community Celebration
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Harlem, NY
12pm to 3pm

Please come out and support, and help to spread the word!!!!

The Road Trip That Wasn't

This is going to be a little bit of a rant session....

So, I was supposed to go on a road trip out of town this past weekend to a Latino cultural event in Wilmington, Delaware.  I'd found out about the event about two months ago, sometime in mid-July, and told my "friend" about it.  We're pretty much unofficial partners, though I end up doing most (actually all) of the work, and research.  He was supposed to be my ride to the event, considering that I don't drive, nor own a car.

He left for a trip out of the country last month for three weeks, and then returned.  You'd think that all was good, and straight, right?  He comes back acting all brand new, and acting like he doesn't know how to answer his fucking phone.  I tried to chase him down for the last two weeks to confirm shit (among other matters, that I wanted to deal with him about), and it took me forever to get into contact with him.  Firstly, he gets the fucking day wrong, considering that I'd sent him a shit load of information about the damn thing (flyers, the application, my email correspondence with the festival organizer).  Then, he starts to cop pleads about, "Oh...I don't know if Ima be able to make it...", and other bullshit like that, like I just sprung this on him the other day.  Considering that he's been acting like a bitch since I told him about my plans to relocate, this really irritated me.  If this was a last minute thing, I would understand; I told this nigga about this shit damn near two fucking months ago!!!  He's claiming to be working a lot at his job; nigga...you's a cab driver!  Don't act as if you can't talk and drive at the same fucking time!

This is the reason why I want to leave so bad.  Cats be mad unreliable, and selfish about shit.  Everybody wants to benefit from what they can get from me, and not do shit in return.  The trip was also supposed to be a fact finding/research mission for me as far as relocating is concerned.  It was also supposed to be an opportunity for me to network with some people and/or organizations out there.  He fucked up that opportunity for me, and it wasn't the first time.  There was another event out there that I'd wanted to get out to, but again, he shitted on me by not answering his fucking phone.

If I had the money to travel, I would just go down there myself, instead of having to rely on others.  It's really starting to get to a point where I just need to look out for myself, and not worry about trying to help and carry others, as other author friends of mine have told me.  I know that that's not really in my nature, especially as an activist, but if I want to progress in my writing career, I need to be on that "self" tip.  Nobody is going to help me to progress in my career, and sell my books, but ME.  Not to mention, I'm sick of bending over backwards to help people, and not getting shit in return when I need that same support and assistance.

I'm now more determined that ever to move the fuck away from this bullshit ass city.  I'm tired of the wack ass people out here, and the lack of support.  I'm just going to continue to plan my escape from this shithole, and get the hell out of here once the opportunity presents itself.  I've had enough...

Currently Progressing.....

So, I've written SIX books in FIVE years time.  Not bad at all, wouldn't you say?  I'm currently working on books #7, 8, and 9.  I'm also conceptualizing books #10, 11, and 12 (really, I'm considering writing literary adaptations to some screenplays that I've written).  If I continue on the pace that I'm on, I might have #7 published by the end of this year.  Don't know if it's worth it to do that, or wait until early next year to publish it....

Still trying to relocate out of state. I've been doing a lot of online research on my relocation, finding out more about the new city that I want to move to.  I've been looking into jobs, and organizations that are out there, and options to focus on my Universal Africana Literary Arts Movement project;  I think that it would be a better outlet to explore, than focusing on The Consortium of Afro Latino Communities.  I never seem to garner the support that I feel that I deserve pushing that particular project, so I'm putting it on the back burner for now....

I'm hoping to do some traveling this fall, but that's kinda sketchy.  I would need money to travel, which I don't have right now.  I don't currently have a day job, which I really don't want to get one, but I need to have some sort of income.  The book sales aren't going the way I want them too AT ALL, so I need an alternative means to subsist.  I hate being in "starving artist" mode; people know that your shit exists, but don't really want to financially support you.  I know that freedom ain't free, but come the fuck on, people!  I'm sick and tired of wasting my time, talent, and intelligence for someone else's benefit at a regular day job.  But, without that support, I can't survive.

I'm definitely trying to focus my attention more OUTSIDE of New York.  Shit hasn't worked out for me here, so it's time for me to say adios carajo.  This year+ has been a bit of a waste of time, so it's time to search out new horizons.  I'm still working on promoting my literary works via email and social media, whatever the hell that's been worth.  I get "likes" and "favorites", but everyday when I log onto my publishers' website to check my sales, I haven't move not one damn unit; paperback OR ebook.  I need to find a way to target potential readers overseas, cause apparently, niggas here in America DON'T read (and some are even PROUD that they don't read).  Not much of a way to make a living, is it?

I'll keep you all updated on my progress.  I'm hoping to make it out to this Latino cultural event in a few weeks.  At least it will get me the hell out of NYC for a few hours.  Here's to hoping that my books will get me to travel.

Uhuru sase, y paz

Wilmington Hispanic Parade & Festival

Hoping to make it out to this.  It's not an Afro Latino event, but something that I want to attend nonetheless.  I won't be vending here, but I still want to be able to check it out.

Wilmington Hispanic Parade & Festival
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Wilmington, DE
www.facebook.com/nuestrasraicesdelaware

Spittin' Lyrics N Waxin' Poetic [Poetry Ebook]

My latest literary project!  A poetry book, featuring a collection of previously unreleased material that I've written over the years.  Wanted to show a different side of my creativity this time around.

Available in ebook format ONLY!!!  Available through Nook, Kobo, iTunes, Page Foundry, Scribd, and Oyster. 

Only $2.99!!! ISBN #: 9781516327188

Spread the word, and PLEASE SUPPORT!!!!  

Da Latest....

So, I'm continuing to do research into the new city that I want to relocate to.  I've actually been looking into relocating for about a month and a half already, before I even announced it here.  I'm now trying to make some connections there on the ground; networking with groups and people, researching possible employment opportunities, etc.  I wouldn't say that I'm trying to hit the ground running when I finally do move, but I just want to be prepared for when I finally get there.  I'm sick of being here, and need a change of scenery.  I'm tired of being broke, hungry, and frustrated.  I need piece of mind.

I'm considering working on a new literary project.  I'm putting together an ebook-only project; as in it will only be available in ebook format.  I'm compiling the project together now, and am considering my cover art options.  I don't want to say what the project is that I'm working on exactly at this point, but it will definitely be something different, and very creative.  I'll just say for now, that it encompasses some previously unreleased works that I've written in my past.  Stay tuned for more...

I'm still working on my other official literary projects.  I'm actually in the middle of writing several novels.  of the titles that I'm currently working on, I'm writing the draft for the sequel to "The Chronicles of The Black Fist".  It's an interesting universe that I've created, and I'm looking to expand upon it, possibly turning it into a series.  I'm also trying to complete two Sci-Fi novels that I've been working on for the past few years.  I'm also contemplating turning some of my screenplay ideas into novels. I have two of them that I think would work well as novels, and have already started working on them.  I'm not working on them as consistently as I should, since I'm now concentrating on moving, but they're still getting attention.  Maybe after I finally move and get settled into my new home base, I'll begin to work on them full blast.  Since the storyline  and character development is already there, the only thing that I really have to worry about is finally writing it out.

I know that I'm being a bit Secret Squirrel about where I'm planning on moving to.  I just want to have everything confirmed before I announce where I'll be moving to.  I'm not one of those types of people that will announce that I'm doing something, and then just not do it.  Unless there's some sort of official delay, I want to keep it under wraps until I feel that it's necessary to publicly broadcast it.  The one thing that I will say about it, is that I'll probably be returning to the Mid Atlantic region; it's conveniently located, as far as any travel that I want to do for my books.  I can travel to points in the north such as NY, Jersey, CT, and Boston, or points south such as my old stomping ground of Bmore, DC, parts of VA, and so on.  As it is, I was hoping to be able to travel because of my books, and have completely fallen off in that respect.  I was too busy focusing on this bullshit city, instead of just trying to be out and about.  Hopefully, I can rectify that once I move.

So, here's to the advancement of my travel plans, and the furtherance of my writing career.  I'll let you all know when my latest ebook project is released.  Hopefully, this newest project will actually be supported.  I'm sick of people just pressing the stupid ass "like" button, and not supporting my literary works.  I'm trying to make a damn living at this; the least that you can do is financially support me.  But, I digress...

Stay tuned!!!