You get what you deserve in life. As much as we complain and whine about why we don’t have and why we should, we never stop to understand that we are all where we’re supposed to be. If you have something great it is because you’ve earned it. And if for whatever reason you are not where you want to be, it is because that place is not ready for your presence or you do not deserve to be there at this time.
A five year old is not mentally or physically capable of handling a dangerous weapon. You will not give a gun or a sharp knife into his hands because he will think that it’s a toy. But here’s the thing: this does not mean he does not deserve to have it. He is not to be given this now because he is not mentally capable of handling it. Only when this five year old is an adult and is ready to be trained in how to properly handle dangerous weapons and obtain the proper certifications, should he be allowed to embark on what is his. Perhaps his destiny is to be an officer, trainer, or a merchant of ammunition. Nevertheless, right now he is where he is supposed to be. That is learning the importance of safety and the value of life. As a five year old, the only thing he has to look forward to now is increasing his understanding of the world around him and when he’s ready, he will be where he’s supposed to be. You are where you are for whatever reason. Perhaps things are not falling apart, perhaps they are just falling into place. This is not your destruction. This is your birth.
Raised white with no idea he’s black too, Joseph is a young man of mixed ancestry with a deep passion for the state of Black America.
It is the spring of 1960, and a fight with his brother Edward compels a young Joseph to leave his mother’s Louisiana home and join his friends for a trip to Atlanta for The Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee’s second conference. Excited to live life on their own, Jo and his friends have left school and the lives they were living for a chance to become part of “The Movement”.
However, the teens are naive. With no money, and essentially no plan the seven friends, both black and white, set out for the road when they are stopped by a racist cop who makes them exit the car and already their journey is on to a rocky start. From the mob at the New Orleans Bus Terminal, to the Alabama gas station just shy of Montgomery, Jo quickly learns that the road to freedom is not as smooth as he had hoped.
Stella Trilogy Book Signing 2-26-16, Atlanta, GA
I am seeking book reviews for those interested in receiving a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Email ahouseofpoetry@gmail.com and find out more about Joseph and his friends. Will they ever make it to Atlanta? What obstacles will they cross to get there? Read this book free in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve teamed up with Harsh Reality to get March off to a great start! Check out my promo post for Book 3 in The Stella Trilogy and don’t forget to visit the bookstore!
I am still traveling but I wanted to give you an update while I have some down time. Would anyone like some coffee? Tea? Hot Chocolate? I’ll have a coffee with French Vanilla Cream, no sugar (the cream is sweet enough). And lets make that steaming hot. It’s cold out there!
Since we are having coffee right now, you should know that I am still waiting for more pictures to come back from the Book Signing but that it was a beautiful event.
My Team
First, I had a team of eight sisters who helped me to put it together and I am forever grateful for their generosity. Because of them I didn’t have to keep watch over the kitchen or escort people to their seats or take my attention away from the presentation. (*Team work always makes the dream work!*) My editor was also in attendance and we were both surprised with gifts from our supporters. Mine was a glass plaque with my company logo on it and some really encouraging words. I’ll upload a picture of it when I get home. It is absolutely stunning!
Order of Events
The library itself was excellent. Very spacious with a beautiful kitchen to store the food (the pic shown is before we covered it with all kinds of goodies. Still waiting on those pictures to come back). I began with a video of the Book Trailer and a PowerPoint presentation. I decided to do it this way to keep it fresh. The images and moving pictures helped capture and keep the audience attention as I rambled on about the details of the book. There was also a Q&A session.
Me and Harry
Since we are having coffee right now, you should know that I had the privilege of meeting a man named Harry. Harry is an older man whose family were sharecroppers and he expressed exciting interest in The Stella Trilogy. For those who don’t already know, I am really passionate about having these kinds of conversations with the elderly or older men and women who have lived during these times. It is a wisdom I think that we should all cherish. My dad in law has given my husband and I very exciting stories of his boyhood and their experiences picking cotton and sharecropping as well. It is most exciting. I believe oral storytelling is a major stepping stone to the writing of books today. Before anything was written down, it was passed along orally.
Next, we offered food and snacks to the guest as I prepared for the signing and allowed everyone to mingle. This gave me the opportunity to go around and speak to some of the guest. I think this is very important for Book Signings. You want to try to avoid sitting at a table all day. Instead, I wanted to make it as engaging and family oriented as possible. I think its important that everyone feels special and part of the process. After all, these are people who invested in me. It’s only right that I invest my time and attention to them too.
Since we are having coffee right now, you should also know that I was in a Black History Stage Play the day after the event (Sat.) at The Riverside EpiCenter (Blakk Amerika: From Prophets to Pimps) and it was absolutely powerful. I was casted in 3 roles: Besty Mae, a plantation slave whose son was sold away from her. Sheila Jones, Besty’s great great granddaughter some years later, and I also had the privilege of closing the play with a poem.
I’ll have more updates soon. Before we get out of here, I do want to thank everyone for their support of this work so far both offline and across social media.
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