Revolutionary Heat of Black August/350th Blog Post!!!!!

 The heat is ON!!!  Literally.  It's been hooooooooooot out in these streets lately!!! 😭😭😭😭   

Welcome to the month of AUGUST.  It is fitting, since this is also my 350th blog post!!! There's lots to talk about, and a lot of info to cover.  Hope that you guys are ready! 😁😁😁

For starters, celebrating the eight-year publishing anniversary of my poetry book "Spittin' Lyrics N Waxin' Poetic" (Draft2Digital, 2015).  It's a compilation of poems and rhymes that I'd written that were never-before-released material.  I'd never shared these works in any of my other publications, up to that point.  As part of the new info that I have to share with you all...the book is now available in paperback format!!  It's already available on Barnes & Noble, but is in pre-order status on Amazon.com.  I guess since the book was originally published on August 17th (in 2015), that they're going to release it as a paperback on that same date. Nooot to happy about that. 😠😠😠😠

Oh, well.  Order you copy of the paperback, while you can....

I've been able to add two more distribution channels through Draft2Digital; Odilo, and Gardners.  Odilo distributes to libraries, while Gardners distributes my books to the UK market.  Hey...D2D is doing what they can to help get my books out there.  Much respect to them for what they do for their authors!!! 😁😁😁😊😊😊

Speaking of D2D...I've finally uploaded my 1st book "Raise Your Brown Black: The Political Shouts of an Angry Afro Latino" [Book 1] to their platform.  I felt that I wasn't getting the reach that I deserved with the eBook only being distributed to the platforms that Authorhouse set up for it.  Putting it on D2D gives it a wider reach, as well as access to libraries in digital format.  It's all about outreach, baby!!!

2023 this month marks the four-year production anniversary of my vlog series "The Rough Draft" on YouTube.  I have to admit, I haven't posted any new episodes for the last 2 months.  My day job has been keeping me pretty busy (wearing me the fuck out is more like it...), not to mention not having the energy or subject matter to record anything.  I'm definitely going to do one this month to celebrate the four year anniversary, as well as update my followers (what few I have on there) on what's be going on with me. 

This month also marks my second year living in Raleigh.  I actually like it out here, even though I wish that I was a little more stable; not just financially.  Housing is expensive as hell out here, not to mention the issues that I'm currently having with my day job.  I don't necessarily wanna job hop again, but...something has got to give.  I can't really enjoy my life out here, with this fuck ass job.  There's no consistency, and I'm feeling over worked and unappreciated.  I barely have time to strategize my next moves for my writing career. 😕😕😕😔😔😔😟😟😟

 

But...I digress...

 

Looking forward to the celebrations of my achievements.  Celebrating the revolutionary history of this month.  Hope to talk to all of you guys again, soon!!!  Uhuru sasa, y paz!!!

 

Keep the fist raised.

 

#AlwaysOnMyLiteraryGrind

 

  

July's Rising Heat

 We have now entered into the month of JULY!!!  We are now past the halfway point of the year, and are smack in the middle of the summer season.  The temperature is rising, and so are the opportunities to make an impact.

 

First off...I gotta promote the latest sale that I have going on...

 

Smashwords is having this annual 'Summer/Winter Sale' on their store site.  My books are listed on Smashwords, and I've made them all available for the sale.  My titles are discounted at 75% off the regular eBook price.  Quite honestly...they're actually FREE for the entire month of July.  Feel free to cop a few, if not all, of my book titles!  Support a brother!!! 😁😁😁😁

 

I will be adding my 1st book "Raise Your Brown Black Fist: The Political Shouts of an Angry Afro Latino" to Draft2Digital as an eBook.  I want this book to be made available to libraries, and other outlets.  It's already listed on the major eBook distro channels of Kindle, Nook, and Apple Books; but I want to be able to reach a wider audience.  My publisher for it (Authorhouse) only distributes the eBook to the main eBook carriers, so I gotta do the additional legwork to get it out to other audiences.

 

Speaking of Draft2Digital...I'll be releasing the paperback version of "Spittin' Lyrics N Waxin' Poetic" this month through their P.O.D. arm, D2D Print.  I might as well bite the bullet, and see what happens.  I don't really have anything to lose by doing that, since I haven't been having any success with it solely as an eBook.  At least now, all 14 of my books will available in physical paperback format.  I'm still debating about printing "Fiesta Girl" through them, and delisting it from KDP.  Let's just see how this one goes, and then I'll decide if I want to use them to print some of my other books...

 

I'm planning on discontinuing the plan to do the Black/Brown Bookstore Book Tour.  I don't have the mobility to get around to some of these bookstores that I want to promote & do the signings at.  I'm trying to be as economical as possible, and lugging all those books through Greyhoud or AmTrak just doesn't sound feasible. I might just try to concentrate on doing some of the local festivals to vend at, which would be much easier.  Maybe if I knew some fellow local authors out here who would be interested in doing the tour as a joint venture, I'd commit to it.  I don't want to say that it's hard for me to make any friends out here, but it's not very easy to find any like-minded people that think the way that I do.

 

That's all for now.  Looking forward to keeping you guys updated on my other upcoming plans.  Stay tuned!!! 😊😊😊

 

Uhuru sasa, y paz!!!  Keep the fist raised!!!

#AlwaysOnMyLiteraryGrind

 

Upcoming Sales & Updates!!!

 Got some new info for ya!!!  Hope that it makes your mouth water, and excited with anticipation!!!

First order of business....my latest novel "Second Chance Points" (Kindle Direct Publishing, 2022).  

 

 

It is currently available at 65% off in paperback format on Amazon.com!!!  In other words...the normal price is $9.95, and you can now purchase it at Amazon for $3.47!!!!  That's an absolute steeeeeeeaaaaal!!!!  If that price doesn't motivate you to run out, and purchase a copy...I don't know what will!!!

 

ALSO.....

 

In July, Smashwords will be having their annual "Summer/Winter Sale" on their store.  All eBook titles listed in their store will be available at discounted prices. Since Smashwords merged with Draft2Digital, I am now able to participate in this annual sale. All of my titles listed on Smashwords will be available at 75% off !!!!!  The sale runs throughout the entire month of July, from July 1st to July 31st.  If you have an account with Smashwords, show ya boy some love!!!  Cop the titles that you haven't copped yet!!!

Finally....

Draft2Digital has a new distribution channel available for libraries (which I believe was originally a Smashwords outlet).  My eBooks are now available to libraries through the distribution channel of ODilo.  My eBook titles are available to libraries now through SIX different national distributors, and one international channel (BorrowBox).

 

That's all for now!!  Hope that you go out and support ya boy!!!  Cop your copy of "Second Chance Points", and support the sale on Smashwords next month!!!  Always staying on my literary griiiiiiind!!!

Uhuru sasa, y paz!!!  Keep the fist raised!!!

#AlwaysOnMyLiteraryGrind 

June's Summer Blast

 We have now entered into the month of JUNE!!!  We are already at the halfway mark of the year!!  It feels like just yesterday, we were celebrating the start of the new year.  :-O

As always, with the coming of June, I have to let you know about my publishing anniversary.  In the month of June, I will be celebrating the eight-year publishing anniversary of my fifth book "Demure Nights" (CreateSpace, 2015).

This project was more of an experiment. I wanted to see if I could write something completely different from all the other books that I'd written at the time.  This is my second novel that I'd written, and am actually quite proud of it.  I was able to let my imagination run wild, writing an erotic novel, and let out every naughty, nasty impulse that I could think of.  The sales for it haven't been what I thought they should be, but the project is still out there in both paperback & eBook formats.

 

Still considering printing my books through D2D Print.  I might do my poetry book, since that's the only book that isn't available at all, physically. I didn't really go crazy with the fonts in the book(I think I only used Philly Sans), so that should be the easiest to convert. I'll probably do it by mid-month, or so.  I was considering waiting until August, when I actually published that book, but...naaaaaah.

I want to get back into doing more in-person events.  It;s the height of festival season, but I never seem to get any decent time off.  I need to look for a new day job.  This one sucks ass.  My scheduling to too irregular for me to plan anything.  Plus, I just don't like the vibes there, anymore.  😔😔😕😕😞😞😞

Still trying to plan my Black/Brown Bookstore Book Tour.  I juuuuuuust might have to put that on hold.  Reasons are A) I just don't have a consistent schedule to plan anything out, and B) I'm not very mobile to be able to travel anywhere.  I don't feel like I earn enough to be coming out of pocket to travel via train or Greyhoud, so that's also killing me, as far as traveling to do in-person appearances are concerned.  Oh, well....   

Looking forward to hitting you off with another blog post soon.  Getting close to 350 blog posts.  Gonna have to find a way to come up with something special to celebrate that.  Let me know if you guys have any ideas...

Keep the fist raised.  Uhuru sasa, y paz.

#AlwaysOnMy LiteraryGrind

(Late) Blooming of May

 This is late, no doubt about it.  Been dealing with a bit of stuff behind the scenes.  Need to be able to be more consistent with these posts.  The month is nearly over, and I'm just being able to post something.  Definitely need to work on that...

The month of May brings you a few anniversaries.  The first is the six-year publishing anniversary of my novel "Seductra, Web of Desire" (CreateSpace, 2017).  I always did love this project.  I love the pacing of it, as well as the overall storyline.  I think that the characters are pretty well rounded, and well developed.  It's a damn shame that people continue to sleep on this particular project.

ALSO in the month of May...it the one-year publishing anniversary of my latest literary project "Second Chance Points" (Kindle Direct Publishing, 2022).

 

This was a supreme labor of love.  It officially become one year old on May 6th.  I'm straight cheesing like a proud papa.  Trying to do what I can to gain some sort of traction for it.  This time around, I actually emailed two women's basketball leagues (the GWBA, and the WABA) a FREE digital copy of the book.  Also added a men's bball league into the mix, as well (The Basketball League), so here's to hoping that the emails have an impact on my sales, and the popularity of the book.

 

I was hoping to make it to this Black comic con that I had just discovered that existed out here in Raleigh.  The con is called Sable Con, and ran from May 20th-21st.  I was supposed to be scheduled off that weekend from my blasted day job, but got scheduled to come in that weekend because my fuck ass coworker doesn't know how to mf come to work anymore.  Of course, I been told them to fire his nonworking ass months ago, but...wtf do I know?!?!?   This would have been a perfect opportunity for me to get out there, and network with some local creatives, and just plane get tf out in public.  I haven't been able to attend/enjoy any type of cultural events since I moved out here almost 2 years ago bc of these wack ass jobs. This is seriously starting to kill my vibe... 😡😡😡😡😕😕😕😕

 

Still trying to organize my Black/Brown Bookstore Book Tour.  My issue is still mobility.  It sucks, not being able to drive.  Don't really wanna come outta pocket for a bus ticket, or train ticket, but I may not have much of a choice...not if I want to finally do this tour.  I'll keep you posted...

 

That's all for now.  Hope to see you guys next month.  Hope to be a little better about posting this ish on time. 

Keep the fist raised!!!

#AlwaysOnMyLiteraryGrind 

 

 

The Mighty Rains of April

 We are now in the month of APRIL!!!  for those of you into mathematics, the FIRST QUARTER of the year is now in the books.  Time certainly is flying by us.This definitely means that you have to seriously get on your grind, and work to achieve all of your goals for the year.

 

To start off, April marks the seven-year publishing anniversary of my short story anthology "Drum Speaking: Tales From An Inner City Griot" (CreateSpace, 2016).  This book is a collection of 13 different short stories spanning several different genres.  I'm quite proud of this book, and feel that it is quite slept on, like much of my other books.  

April also marks National Poetry Month.  Shout out to all of my poetic peoples out there.  May you continue to wax poetic, and bless the world with your words and lyrical rhythms.

Working on shooting the latest episode of The Rough Draft.  This will make it Episode no. 59.  I'm hoping that people will find my videos interesting, but I can only do so much.  I'm considering adding music to the into and end of the video; I wanna use the instrumental to this song produced by this Hip Hop artist that I listen to, and support.

Still trying to work on organizing the Black/Brown Bookstore Book Tour.  Running into a few complications while organizing it.  I'll go into further detail in that new episode of The Rough Draft.  All will be explained there... 

My latest novel "Second Chance Points" (Kindle Direct Publishing, 2022) is now ELEVEN MONTHS OLD!!!  My latest baby will be turning a year old next month!!!  Time really does fly by.  Still doing what I can to promote it.  Reaching out to two professional women's basketball leagues (and a few of the teams from one of the leagues), as well as one men's league.  Keeping my fingers crossed on their support for this project....

 

Well, that's about all for now.  Looking forward to keeping you guys updated on my further progress of my writing career.  Shout out to the LSU Lady Tigers for winning the 2023 National Women's Basketball title!!!

 

Keep the fist raised.

 

#AlwaysOnMyLiteraryGrind

 

 

The Madness of March/Spring In My Step

 What's good, peoples?  We are now in the month of MARCH!!!  The first 1/3rd of the year is over.  The Veneral Equinox will be starting soon (as well as the changing of the clocks), and the spring season will begin.  It will also be allergy season for those of you that suffer from allergies.  Personally I don't, but...thought I'd just mention that, lol, lol, lol, lol.  Yeah...I'm kinda an asshole for that. 😆😆😆😆😆

In the month of March, I will be celebrating the 9-year publishing anniversary of my comedic memoir "In My Lifetime: Funny Stories of Life Lessons" (Outskirts Press, 2014).  This little gem is a favorite of mine, though it's been met with mixed reactions from those who've read it.  Some get my humor, others don't, and wanna impose their bullshit belief systems on me, and shit.  You obviously didn't properly read the book, because you would've figured out that I really couldn't give a fuck what you think. 😆😆😆😂😂😂

March also marks the 3-year publishing anniversary of my books "Suicide Amy" (Kindle Direct Publishing, 2020); my Street Lit/Young Adult novel, and my time-traveling Science Fiction novel"Time Will Reveal" (Kindle Direct Publishing, 2020).  They were my dual release for that year, celebrating my ten year anniversary as a published author.  Sales were better for Suicide Amy, than they were for Time Will Reveal.  That kinda saddens me a bit; I think that TWR is a pretty good novel.

 

I'm still trying to plan my Black/Brown Bookstore Book Tour.  My mobility is still an issue.  Had a friend who was willing to drive me to one or two of the locations that I wanted, but now they've kinda disappeared on me, not answering their phone.  Can't really plan much, if I don't have a reliable ride.  I'm keeping the hope alive, though...

 

There's an event that's going to be held in Richmond, VA in April called the Kidz Comic Con Book Festival.  I'm hoping to vend at that event.  I need to do more in-person events, anyway.  It will be held on April 8th.  I'm hoping to make it to that festival, and vend two of my books there.  Of course, read the paragraph above, as one of the issues that I face.  I'll let you know if I'll be vending there, or not.  Keep...hope...aliiiiive!!!

 

It's almost tournament tiiiiime!!!  What colleges are you rooting for to win the NCAA championship..? Get ready to fill out those brackets!!!  We will soon have a men's champion and a women's champion crowned for this year.  Makes me think about my most recent book "Second Chance Points" (Kindle Direct Publishing, 2022).  Yes...I threw that in this blog post.  Yes...I'm shamefully plugging it.  It's my blog, and I can do what I want to.  😆😆😆😆

 

Looking forward to [posting more episodes of The Rough Draft.  Episode number 56 has already been posted.  Need to shoot & post Episode 57, and number 58 to represent for March.  

Marinating on some ideas to write.  Wanna finish up "The Adventures of Don Fiero Valiente", since that one has been ratting around in my brain for the last few weeks.  Hopefully, I get some time off from my day job to actually be able to write something down.

That's all for now.  Will keep you posted!!  Come back soon!!!  😁😁😁😁

Keep the fist raised.

#AlwaysOnMyLiteraryGrind