General Topics – Page 7

Black History Facts: The First Amazon Review is In!

Heyy, ya’ll hey. Our first review for Black History Facts is in!

This is from SLT on Amazon. Thanks so much!

“The enlightening compilation “Black History Facts You Didn’t Learn in School” questions the traditional historical narratives and highlights a multitude of noteworthy occasions, personalities, and movements that are frequently disregarded or sidelined in traditional schooling.

This book provides readers with a thorough examination of lesser-known but incredibly significant facets of the black experience, serving as a monument to the richness and diversity of black history. From African ancient civilizations to the American civil rights movement, each chapter reveals a historical jewel that offers priceless insights into the tenacity, inventiveness, and accomplishments of black people across time.

By emphasizing Black history’s crucial significance in influencing communities and cultures all around the world, it undermines the limited perception of Black history as merely a footnote in the greater story.”

My new book, Black History Facts You Didn’t Learn in School, is available now on Amazon!

Note: If you’d like to review this book on your blog, let me know!

American History X

In High School, my history teacher made us watch American History X.

For those who’ve seen it, you know how graphic the movie is. And yet, we sat there, fifteen and sixteen years old, consuming this content with no explanation or breakdown of what we were looking at.

As an adult, I can watch it with new eyes and understand the powerful messages embedded within. But, as a teen, I found the movie disturbing, particularly the part where Derek made that Black man put his mouth on the concrete. It took years for me to get that image out of my head. Even now, if I watch it, I fast-forward past that part. It still disturbs me.

I had never seen anything like that before and was surprised that my white male teacher had allowed us to watch it. Nothing was censored. We saw everything, from the racist violence to the rape in the jail scene. And I had questions no one could answer.

It’s a powerful film with tons of messages about race, racism, and life choices, and it changed me.

I just wish my teacher had given a lesson to accompany it rather than allow us to be babysat by the TV.

This is one of many examples of why I am so adamant about how we present history and teach it. My biggest prayer, and hope, is for the young people coming after me to have a deeper understanding of history in ways I didn’t.

I hope Black History Facts is a start.

Thank you to all who have been on this journey with me since I first announced I was writing a history book three years ago.

Thank you to those who trusted me enough to preorder it so early and for all the love you’ve shown to the history videos on Instagram and TikTok.

Now that the book is out, we can move forward to doing more to help restore black historical truth for the freedom of all people.

This is only the beginning, and I am so humbled to have you with me.

My new book, Black History Facts You Didn’t Learn in School, is available now on Amazon and everywhere online books are sold!

You Are Valuable

I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but the world is so much better with you in it. So much more wise and so much more full. So much more flavorful. Has anyone ever told you how tasteless we’d be without you? Without seasoning. No salt. Bland. There is a power in your voice and in your breath that cannot be replicated. Your anointing simply cannot be copied.

I just thought you should know that.

That someone’s life is made better because you exist. I thought you should know how valuable you are and how empty the world would be without your influence. And when I talk about value, I am not talking about the fake social media kind where we post a thousand pictures of ourselves and brag about how personal the year is.

Nah.

I mean real value. The kind that makes you want to elevate your whole life.

I am not talking about a vibe. I am talking about a spiritual frequency.

And when you know your frequency (and I mean really know it), everything that touches you is also full of power. When you know your worth (and I mean really know it), you become fertile ground for precious new seeds to grow. You flourish and expand in every way.

I just thought you should know that today.

MLK Writing Prompt / Challenge

In our Poetry Business Network community, we are challenging ourselves to create and post a writing prompt to engage our audience. Yesterday’s challenge was an MLK writing prompt, but I missed it so I am posting it today!

Writing Prompt / Challenge

Yesterday, people worldwide paid homage to the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, the only non-president whose birthday is a national holiday.

Today, write your own “I Have a Dream” speech as a poem!

If you were to leave something behind for the next generation to learn from and to be inspired by, what would you say? What is the most important thing the world needs right now in 2024 America?

It doesn’t have to be a speech about race. It can be anything you think is important for this generation.

What words would you want immortalized as part of your legacy?

You may share a snippet in the comments, on your own blog, or scribble it in your own personal journal.

If you post it to Instagram, tag me so I’ll know!

I am going to do the challenge as well. I hope you’ll join me!

Your Authentic Self

In 2020, I thought TikTok was an app for children doing dances to go viral. That is until I went mini-viral myself.

Only I wasn’t dancing, singing, or participating in trends.

I was talking about books, poetry, and Black history.

The impact of people tuning in for these topics in a world where people read comments and captions on social media more than they read full-length books is not lost on me and quite humbling.

I posted a video at the end of 2023 showing the books I read that year, and it currently has over 9K views, over 800 likes, and 453 saves…

…and I’m only showing books!

No words. No explanations. Just a showcase of about six books I enjoyed this year and a dope song to go with it.

If you are a creative in any field and want to advance this year in a certain area, I hope this inspires you to tap into the power of your authentic self.

You don’t have to be on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube if you do not feel drawn to those platforms. The one calling out to you won’t feel forced, and you will never have to act out of character to succeed.

You can discern this is not just about TikTok and social media platforms.

When we open ourselves up to being the most authentic versions of ourselves, no matter where we are, doors open that we don’t even have to knock on. We won’t have to chase opportunities; they come to us.

Here I am, getting viral-like numbers for discussing topics the average young person would typically find boring in a traditional classroom.

And I’m not even posting every day.

It’s spiritual, how things align when we show up as who we are.

Covering My Head: On Grief

2020 was very challenging for me for reasons unrelated to the pandemic. As I reflect, it was difficult not only because of the tragedies themselves but also because of their proximity to one another.

I remember when I got jumped on as a teen by a group of girls in Chicago. Another quickly followed each blow until I could do nothing but allow myself to fall to the slippery floor of Nicky’s Restaurant and cover my head. They were too fast. The least I could do if I didn’t have the time to throw a punch was protect my face.

I walked away from that fight, blood trickling from my scalp. When I arrived at the hospital, it was so crowded that the blood had dried by the time I saw the doctor. I sat on the edge of a bed in the hallway while the doctor pierced me with the surgical stapler. I was not under anesthesia, but it didn’t hurt. It simply felt like pressure.

The staples dissolved and I healed nicely. I finished school and went on with my life like nothing happened. The scars from that night are invisible.

That’s how it feels to grieve the events of 2020 when I lost my mother and suffered multiple miscarriages in the span of a few months, each blow coming too fast for me to recover fully.

And I wonder if I am just balled up on the floor, covering my head to protect my face.

The Best Advice is Lived Experience

I saw an Ad on Facebook where the person was telling authors that selling their books on Amazon is a waste of time and that they should sell directly from their website.

And, if you buy the course for $89.95, he’ll teach you exactly how to do it.

Be careful with this kind of advice.

It’s not even that it’s bad, but it is unbalanced.

Questions.

How many people visit your author’s website monthly? Not your blog, your static author website?

How many author websites do YOU visit regularly?

When you think about a book you want to buy, what is the first thing that comes to mind?

For me, the answer is not from the author’s website but from Amazon, and if I am going offline, I am hitting up Barnes and Noble or my local Independent bookstore.

I have always advocated for author websites because they allow authors to track leads.

You can collect data to keep in touch with readers, like email addresses and phone numbers—something you can’t do through Amazon, which doesn’t show who bought the book. You only know if that person leaves a review.

But I wouldn’t consider Amazon a waste of time when they are the number one go-to for people looking to buy books.

This person’s perspective lacks balance. Authors can have books available through their websites and on Amazon. Also, consider everyone’s journey is different:

Some authors need help to afford or do not want to pay for a website, which requires buying a domain name, paying for e-commerce, and the percentage your cart of choice (say Stripe) takes out of every transaction. Meanwhile (at the time of this writing), setting up an Amazon Author Central page is free.

And some authors prefer to add a website outside of Amazon to track leads because they understand that a book is a product. And individuals don’t have products; businesses do. These authors see the value in their books not as the end but as the beginning of a thriving and profitable business, and businesses have websites.

What I Recommend:

The best advice is lived experiences, and I recommend that everyone do what feels right with their souls. Otherwise, we risk stifling an author’s creativity and rob them of the opportunity to learn.

To increase traffic to your static website or landing page, promote it. Let people know the option to buy directly from you is available. Offer your books as signed copies and throw in some book swag. People do buy from author websites if you let them know.

Use your blog as your website. Because they are updated often with posts, they get much better SEO and traffic than static sites. You can set it up for free right here on WordPress. You don’t have to buy a domain unless you want to. (I did because I’m extra, lol.) It is also a great way to build community.

If you opt out of a website, set up your Amazon Author Central so you can send people there to buy your books and follow you. People who follow you on Amazon will get an email the next time you publish a new book!

Experiment! Test things out. Take risks. Sometimes we don’t know what we like because we’ve never stepped outside the box. Let experience be your teacher.

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