The PBS Blog

When the Truth is Stranger than Fiction

literature

February 23, 2026

Ain’t No Red Carpet for the Prophet

Revolution sounds pretty. This polished word makes a giddy sound, like raising your first or rubbing your feet together. We quote Martin with a rhythm that swells the chest. Malcolm’s words hum like power. Assata’s taste like survival. Garvey’s tickles the ear. Lumumba’s boom like djembe drums. Angela’s convinces the tongue that it is brave.… Continue reading

Poetry

anthropologist, artist, blog, blogger, books, literature, poem, poems, poetic, poetry, revolution, sacred, spoken word, truth, wordpress, writing, Zora, Zora Neale Hurston
May 30, 2024

To Be, Or Not to Be, a Historian

As I read the latest review of my new book, I stumbled across the word historian and paused. “Historian? Me? Nah.” “Yecheilyah Ysrayl is a renowned author and historian known for her commitment to uncovering and sharing the untold stories of Black history. Her expertise and passion for the subject matter are evident throughout the… Continue reading

Articles, creative writing, General Topics

#Thankful Thursday, African American Studies, black america, black history, Black Literature, blog, blogger, blogging, Historian, historical, history, literature, wordpress
April 25, 2023

New: Book Review Directory

I have created a page on the blog listing all the books reviewed so far to make it easier for you to access them. Browse the directory and meet your next favorite author! These are the authors whose books received a score of 3* or more. Support the author by purchasing the book if it… Continue reading

Articles, book reviews

#TuesdayShares, authors, blog, blogger, blogging, book reviews, bookish, books, directory, indie authors, list, literature, publishing, reading, registry, reviews, self-publishing, traditional publishing, wordpress, writers
June 8, 2021

The Women with Blue Eyes: Rise of the Fallen is LIVE

The Women with Blue Eyes: Rise of the Fallen is live! About. When Tina’s nephew, Ronnie is killed, she is left to care for his siblings and to solve a series of mysterious murders involving only black men. Investigating each murder thrusts her and her team into a world of deities, demons, and fallen angels, leading Tina… Continue reading

self-publishing, The Women with Blue Eyes

#TuesdayShares, #TWWBE, african american, amazon, author, black, blog, blogger, blogging, Fantasy, fiction, Independent Author, Indie Author, kindle, literary, literature, novel, publisher, publishing, self-publishing, The Women with Blue Eyes, urban fantasy, wordpress, writers, writing
January 21, 2021

3 Poetry Lessons from Amanda and Angelou

Lesson #1: Study Amanda Gorman, 22, became the youth poet laureate of Los Angeles at sixteen years old in 2014 and the first national youth poet laureate three years later. On Wednesday, she became the youngest poet to write and recite a piece at a presidential inauguration, following Maya Angelou and Robert Frost’s considerably more experienced footsteps. (Los Angeles Times)… Continue reading

Poetry

#ThankfulThursday, alliteration, Amanda Gorman, art, Black Literature, blacklit, inauguration, language, lessons, literature, lyrical content, lyrics, maya angelou, metaphor, poems, poetic soul, poetry community, simile, study, symbolism, vocabulary
January 14, 2021

Stepping Outside the Genre Box

Once upon a time, back in 2017, I shared the first chapter of a crazy fantasy story about fallen angels disguised as women with blue eyes killing black men for their power and one woman’s mission to stop them. I had no intentions of ever publishing it. My purpose was to share a free story on the… Continue reading

Articles, creative writing

#ThankfulThursday, black women, blacklit, blog, blogger, blogging, faith, fallen angels, Fantasy, fear, limitations, literature, No Limit, readers, rise of the fallen, The Women with Blue Eyes, urban fantasy, wordpress
February 10, 2020

Lit Mag 2020 Is On the Way

The 2020 Lit Mag Literary Magazine for Poets is on its way out! We are proud to feature last year’s Grand Prize Winner Chanelle Barnes on the cover. Volume 2, Edition 2, is scheduled to print Tuesday, March 3, 2020. This year’s magazine features the winners of “Yecheilyah’s Annual Poetry Contest 2019”: Chanelle Barnes, BuddahDesmond,… Continue reading

General Topics, Poetry, self-publishing

#MondayBlogs, 2020, authors, blogger, blogging, blogs, champions, Independent Publishing, indie authors, Lit Mag, Literary Magazine, literature, LitMag2020, Magazine, poetry, poets, publishing, readers, reading, Second Edition, spoken word, Volume 2, winners, wordpress, writers, writing