We might be at the start of a new year, but it is still the dead of winter. Everything else in nature is still resting and storing strength for the spring. By then, the grass will turn green again, and new life will erupt from what I call the real new year: when everything in nature renews and is reborn.
I cannot help but wonder why we, as people from the earth, aren’t more like it. Why do we feel the need to rush ourselves through life? What would happen if we took five to six months to rest, plan, strategize, pray, meditate, and think? What kind of wisdom would we cultivate in this space of solitude? How much more impact would we make if we were well-rested and revitalized instead of busy and drained?
I think of this as I return from my break and continue my work. Except for this year, that work includes rest and joy. I’m not panicked or anxious about letting people know what I am up to or doing. I am not swayed by what others are doing on social media or concerned about needing to do more because I recognize I am not behind or late. I am where I need to be, and the things I need to get done will get done, each in its own time.
I am excited about the future in ways I have not been before because stepping back and slowing down will help me be laser-focused on one thing at a time, which will help me accomplish more.
In no way do I intend to be booked and busy this year. I’d instead be paid and productive because productivity includes rest.
In this season, I am embracing the beauty of unhurriedness.
These days, I am focusing more on shifting my mindset from trying to figure out how to do something new to maximize what I already have. This includes how to best nurture my personal and business relationships.
Gone are the days of randomly following people on social media and only liking their posts. How can we actually work together? I hope to participate in more collaborations.
We spend so much time at the start of the year trying to figure out what new, shiny thing we can go after when we already have shiny things around us and within us. How can we repurpose content we already have into something greater? How can we build on relationships we’ve already fostered into something better?
Instead of “What can I do?” I ask myself, “What can I do with what I have?”
Going forward, I am reminding myself that my gifts have no limits.
And I hope you are too.
From teaching and mentoring to sitting down on panels with the crème de la crème to share your perspective, Self-Publishing a book is about far more than book royalties. It is also the easiest way to become an authority in your field. It puts you in rooms you would otherwise not be qualified to be in.
And, while Maya Angelou spoke six languages, studied modern dance in San Francisco, and spent a year in New York studying African dance with Pearl Primus, she never went to college.
Malcolm and Maya both lectured at universities, although they never attended one. The people came to them despite them not having the degrees and certifications because they were exceptional at being themselves.
People will pay you to be yourself. To talk your talk. To let your light shine.
While writing books, I remember that I am not limited to only writing books. I can use my gifts to make an even more significant impact.
I was twenty-two years old when I loc’d my hair. It is the only other time it has been this short (or a little shorter than this).
As a spiritual-minded person, I do not think of hair as just hair. I see it also as energy. (I believe the keratin protein in hair contains crystalline structures that act as energy amplifiers and antennas.) Thus, as the years have gone by, a lot of energy has been built into my locs. Some of it good, some of it not so good.
While there is the power of all I’ve accomplished, there is also the energy of losing loved ones. The energy of miscarriages. The energy of depression and sadness. As the years passed, my hair became more burdensome. They are thick and healthy but heavy. I saw this as much more than the weight of hair, but the weight of all I was still carrying after thirteen years of growth.
While I don’t think I will ever cut my locs off completely (I love my hair!), the symbolism of my cut is a cutting off of toxic emotions stored in my hair over the years and a separation from the past. It is a physical, mental, and spiritual cleansing through the release of the old and embracing the new. As I let go of those old branches, I await the beauty of the new ones to come in.
Just as pruning trees helps to remove portions that have a disease, fungi, and other types of decay, my trim represents the removal of those parts of my hair that can spread to the other “branches” and prevent them from healthier growth. It helps expose my scalp to more sunlight, air circulation makes it easier to wash and sleep, and it does not hurt my neck and back.
I feel this all on both a physical and spiritual level.
I love the overall freedom this new look gives me. I literally felt a weight lift when these heavy locs hit the floor.
This year, I intend to live more freely. I do not want to rush to do anything, conform to anyone’s ideas, or allow myself to be limited in any way. I am here for it all. This haircut is a symbol of this freedom.
I am excited about this new beginning.
PS. Exciting new update on the Black History book coming!!
Hulu is about to release an exciting new series based on Octavia Butler’s book Kindred. This will open the floodgates to new interest in the book and a host of new readers.
Kindred was first published in June of 1979, which means there are new generations of readers who have probably never heard of it or read it.
First edition cover of Kindred
This brings me to one of my favorite sayings:
“Your book is always new to the people who have never read it.”
Yecheilyah
But what does this mean?
Books are eternal in that no one has read every book in the world, which is why classics like Kindred are still being discovered.
Your book is not only new when you first publish it. It is always new to fresh eyes.
Here Are Some Ways of Resurrecting Your Backlist:[mepr-show rules=”31881″ unauth=”message”]Â
Update the Cover
Updating the cover can be an exciting way to reintroduce your older works. Has the market changed? Can your book compete? Take the time to consider what’s selling in your genre.
Because believe it or not, books are judged by their covers!
Repurpose Into Other Formats
Is your book available in every possible format? Paperback? Hardcover? Ebook? Audiobook? Bring your older book back to life by repurposing it into a different format to reach new readers.
Bundle It, Offer Discounts / Freebies
Book bundles are great for a series but can also work as a way of offering several of your books at a discounted price.
You can also offer discounts on your first book in a series or lower the price of an older book when a new book is about to drop.
Buy a New Book, Get an Older One Free!
Another cool idea is to give a book away free in exchange for an email or offer a “buy the new book and get an older one free” deal.
Republish It / New Editions
Whether the first edition is riddled with errors or you want to add an alternate ending, publishing a new edition can bring more attention to a book you thought died on Amazon’s electronic shelf.
I have long wanted to republish my very first novel, a Sci-Fi Thriller. I hope to reintroduce her to the world in the coming future.
The moral of the story is even if you published a while ago, you can still push your backlist to new readers.
Because, and I think it is safe to say, books never die.[/mepr-show]
Social media is a powerful vehicle for publishing short-form content that people can digest quickly and easily. We are all lazy to an extent with short attention spans.
Which is why I love blogging as a way of publishing long-form content.
It gives writers a chance to fully express the completeness of their thoughts. And, if you are long-winded like me, I enjoy being able to thoroughly add context to my thoughts with examples to nurture further understanding.
Blogging also helps me to keep writing in those spaces when I am not actively writing a book. (I wrote more about that here) This is important because it means I can continue to sharpen my writing skills (through actually writing) and engage with others even when I haven’t published anything new.
But there’s an exciting twist!
Blogging has, so far, helped me to publish two books, with another on the way. That’s because, unlike static websites, blogs are updated regularly, allowing people to leave immediate feedback and share. Authors can see how their content performs in real-time, producing invaluable information they can apply later.
One of the most powerful ways blogging helps me is my ability to repurpose the content I publish here into larger works. Thus, even when I don’t think I am laying the foundation for new works, I am!
The Women with Blue Eyes, I am Soul, and Black History Facts You Didn’t Learn in School (2023) are all descendants of my posts on this blog over the years. The latter is based on my Black History Fun Fact Friday series and will be the biggest project to come out of The PBS Blog.
I like to say that reading and writing are a partnership, and blogging is the perfect bridge where we get to see how our thoughts have communicated with readers.
What about you? Does blogging help you to write? Do you recognize any instances where you’ve published books from blogging?
Voting for this year’s International Author Boss Awards Are Now Open!
Today, we introduce you to Buddah Desmond, whose poem “Ghosts, Ghostbusting History + Visible / Invisible Lives (Freedom Is Ours)” won first place in our fifth annual poetry contest!
Buddah, Welcome to The PBS Blog!
What is your name, and where are you from?
My name is Buddah Desmond. I’m from the DC Metro Area. Currently reside in Alexandria, VA.
When did you first fall in love with poetry?
For me, it all goes back to music and lyrics. As a lover of music and words, I’ve always homed in on lyrics. Hip Hop was and still is a major influence. I learned early on how powerful words can be… Their impact… How they can move the masses. Songs like:
Eric B. & Rakim’s “I Know You Got Soul” and “Follow The Leader”
Salt-N-Pepa’s “Get Up Everybody (Get Up),” “Expression,” and “Blacks’ Magic”
LL Cool J’s “Rock The Bells” and “Around The Way Girl”
MC Lyte’s “Cappuccino” and “Poor Georgie”
Queen Latifah’s “Ladies First” and “U.N.I.T.Y.”
Kool Moe Dee’s “How Ya Like Me Now”
Big Daddy Kane’s “Smooth Operator”
Get Boys’ “Mind Playing Tricks On Me”
A Tribe Called Quest’s “Award Tour” and “Scenario (Featuring Leaders of the New School)”
Black Sheep’s “The Choice Is Yours”
Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)”
De La Soul’s “Me, Myself, and I”
Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power”
2Pac’s “Brenda’s Got a Baby” and “Keep Ya Head Up”
KRS-One’s “Sound of da Police”
Jody Watley & Rakim’s “Friends”
Run DMC’s “Down With The King”
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s “Thuggish Ruggish Bone”
Outkast’s “Player’s Ball.”
This is a small soundtrack of what inspired my love of not only Hip Hop but poetry as well.
No you didn’t just give us a full playlist!
lol
When I first read your poem, I wrote “Top” on it because I knew it would be among the top five. Like, even if it didn’t win, I knew it would somehow be a winner. So, please tell us, what inspired this piece?
I’ve found that the experiences, stories, voices, and the true history, herstory, and theirstory of Black and Brown people continues to be silenced, censored, and ignored. Far too often, our contributions to history, society, and culture are embraced only when it’s convenient for the powers that be. And when we typically raise our voices, show up, show out, turn up, turn out, and redirect our buying power, that’s when we are blasphemed. Like “How dare they do such a thing?” When all we’re doing is fighting for basic, civil human rights. We’re only visible when they want us to be visible. Like we’re ghosts. When we raise our voices, they ghostbust. And that’s why we fight. Why we must continue fighting for and claiming life, visibility, justice, and freedom. So that’s the inspiration behind my poem.
If you could have lunch with your favorite poet, living or dead, who would it be?
See, that’s not fair. You always get me with these questions. When you have more than one favorite poet, questions like these are always difficult. LOL! How about a luncheon with a panel of our favorite poets instead? LOL!
My answer to this question will probably change depending on the day, lol! If I must choose, I’d say either Maya Angelou or Nikki Giovanni. Can you imagine?!! Not only would the conversation be out of this world, but the food would probably be unforgettable, too.
Awesome. What inspired your writing journey in general?
I started writing short stories around 7 or 8 years old. Song lyrics followed shortly thereafter. But it was hearing Maya Angelou’s poetry recited by Justice, the character Janet Jackson played in John Singleton’s classic film, Poetic Justice, that inspired my poetry writing journey.
Yass. That’s my movie.
I’ve said this before but, Maya Angelou’s poetry moved me in ways that I’m not sure I knew how to comprehend, let alone describe when I first heard it. One thing was certain—I wanted to do what Maya Angelou was doing, with the hopes of being able to write poetry that resonated with others the way Maya Angelou’s poetry resonated with me. She’s a poet’s poet. Her command of the language, her consciousness about the human condition… Her compassionate, soulful writing leaves you with a better understanding of yourself, others, and the world.
Exactly. You hit the nail on the head with the human condition. Maya was all about that.
I already know the answer to this question because you strike me as someone who speaks…you into spoken word?
Yes, I have. Many times. Performing for me, whether it’s poetry or music, is otherworldly. There’s something about it that transcends space and time. It’s like going to a higher place. When I’m really in my element (and not too much in my head), I lose myself in the performance. It’s almost like blacking out but in a good way. There’s nothing on this planet that compares to the experience of performing.
What does freedom mean to you?
I think my best answer to this question comes from a piece that I wrote entitled, “Finding Freedom.”
“Loving yourself and others unconditionally is freedom
Shaking bad habits is freedom
Holding on to your joy through it all is freedom
Standing in your light is freedom
Not being ashamed of your voice, your story,
and where you came from is freedom
Getting up even when everyone and everything
around you wants to keep you down is freedom
Building the life you want is freedom
Knowing better and doing better is freedom
Not letting your emotions influence every
action and decision you make is freedom
Exercising your right to choose is freedom
Saying NO is freedom
Being every bit of the FAB person you are is freedom
To find freedom
You have to be
willing to release
all that’s kept you
in bondage
To be free
you have to
free yourself
Free yourself
Free
Yourself
FREE.”
“Finding Freedom” appears in my forthcoming project, Everything I Miss(ed) At Home.
Okayy. Go off then!
What advice would you give to people who want to pursue a career in poetry?
Read. Read. And READ some more! And not just poetry books. But all kinds of books. Reading opens your mind to possibilities beyond your current realm. So absorb, learn, and apply as much as you can. Follow the journeys of the writers who inspire you and learn about their process, who or what inspired them, and how they pushed their respective genres forward. Seek mentorship from writers who are in the process of getting to where you want to be or who have already achieved the levels that you desire to achieve.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and try different styles. Push yourself and your artistry as far as you want to go. There are no limits, other than the ones we place on ourselves. Be confident in yourself and who you are as an artist and poet. People are always going to have something to say. It’s your choice what you want to do with it. If it’s constructive criticism, take it into account and determine if and how you want to incorporate it moving forward.
And it goes without saying that rejection comes with the territory. Do not take it personally. It’s not a rejection of you as a person, your artistry, or your writing. What’s for you is for you. And it won’t be denied. Your job is to keep going. Keep writing! Don’t stop, keep on!
Loving the motivation!
Please, tell us about your books/work.
I write about the human condition, and the things I see in the world around me. I write in a way that is, at times, edgy, raw, and in your face. It can be prose-like. And there’s a musicality within it. My work is inspired by personal experiences and the experiences of others, current events, history, culture, and social issues.
Themes within my work include: home / belonging; personal + collective freedom + liberation; the transformative power of love; community wellness; legacy + living a good life (relationships + family + community + honoring our ancestors); personal empowerment (self-esteem + self-love + self-acceptance); the fight against oppression (police brutality + injustice + inequality + inequity + racism + homophobia + transphobia + sexism). The subject matter can get heavy, but there’s an underlying message of faith, healing, hope, optimism, persistence, resistance, and resilience.
Whew. Wait, hold on. Let us get our pencils and write this down!
I released my first book Prevail: Poems on Life, Love, and Politics in 2012. A chapbook entitled, Exotic Shifter, followed in 2014. It served as a prelude to From The Inside Out: A Poetry Collection, which was released in 2020. After that, I digitally released a short collection of love poems entitled, shifting from the inside out, on Valentine’s Day in 2022. And my forthcoming book is entitled, Everything I Miss(ed) At Home. The poetry in Everything I Miss(ed) At Home dives into the meaning of home. The place(s) we call home. Those we find (or don’t find) within our families, friends, communities, within our intimate relationships, and most importantly, within ourselves. Release date is TBD, but it’s on the way! It’ll be published by Liquid Cat Publishing.
Where do you see yourself a year from now?
Promoting my forthcoming project, Everything I Miss(ed) At Home. More performing, on virtual and in-person stages. Participating in festivals, workshops, and author events. Getting more poetry published in online magazines and journals. Finalizing my next manuscript and preparing it to be published. And giving back in whatever way I can!
We will be on the lookout for that book!
Now let’s dig into the poem that snatched the number one spot!
Photo by Collis on Pexels
“Ghosts, Ghostbusting History + Visible / Invisible Lives (Freedom is Ours) ” by Buddah Desmond
Covered in the blood
Blessed
Praised
Adored with oohs and ahhs for what some
might call our supernatural powers and abilities
Yet, beneath the adoration—we’re deemed
disembodied souls
Ghosts
Immaculate for show and tell
For milking and misappropriation
For capital interests and bottom lines
Yet demonic and sacrilegious when we
demand the dignity and respect all beings
created by God deserve to receive
Dispirited
Ever ghostly
Most invisible
We rise up
And they ghostbust
To exterminate that which they don’t want to see
To disassociate from that which they can’t bear to concede
Ghostbusting is their band-aid
Their ego-stroker
Their power sustainer
As we know, without proper healing—sores and pain remain
And as we know, you can act like something
isn’t there all you want
But there comes a time when you can ignore it no more
History wasn’t meant to be comfortable
There were atrocities and inhumanities from
sea to shining sea that we can’t ignore
Some still happening to this day
And while some will proclaim it wasn’t all bad
We know it wasn’t all good either
Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile
In the wrong hands, history is rewritten to
block out the true history, herstory, and theirstory that binds us
These hands set out to make our visible lives invisible
These hands ghostbust nonfiction
Turning it into the bestselling fiction that has so many
misled, pimp slapped, and hoodwinked today
These hands dare anyone to speak out and
criticize their recrafting of history
For punishment is swift, shameful, and at times, lethal
Forgive them father for they know not what they do?
Excuse me father, they know exactly what they’re doing
There’s a reason why ghosts and spirits roam
To right wrongs
To vindicate
To fight for justice
And they will not rest until their mission is fulfilled
For every uprising
Every protest
Every rally
Every boycott
Every march
Every sit-in
Every strike
Every campaign
Every cultural, political, and legal battle
Every BLACK OUT
We will not rest
Until our lives are no longer invisible
Freedom is ours for the taking
And our freedom—
Oh, our freedom—
We’re taking it!
Buddah Desmond
Buddah Desmond (aka BDez) is a writer / poet, artist, singer, entrepreneur, and health and wellness coach / advocate. His writing highlights the gritty side of life, while offering messages of hope, love, healing, and resilience.
He is the author of four poetry collections, Prevail: Poems on Love, Life, and Politics (2012), Exotic Shifter (2014), From The Inside Out: A Poetry Collection (2020), and shifting from the inside out: love poems (2022). His writing has appeared in numerous publications including MOOV, MUSED, MelaNation, Mixed Mag, LitMag 2020,No Line Left Behind, Osamasetorbest.com, and sana sana (vol. 1). He is a member of Gamma Xi Phi, and has served as a healing leader in the DC-based arts + faith + social justice organization, The Sanctuaries.
His next poetry project, Everything I Miss(ed) At Home, is forthcoming.
lol
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