“Here’s a secret truth: If you can look at the minefield that is trying to be a successful writer and know you’ll get hurt traveling through it, it’s easier. It’s not personal, even when it feels personal. It’s hard, but it’s hard for everyone. But if you know how hard it is and you put in the work anyway, the success you do have can feel amazing, and earned.”
You’ve dreamed of being a writer, getting published, and finally – you’ve succeeded. Someone has paid money for your words, and they’re out in the world for people to read! Or, maybe you haven’t yet sold a story or novel, or you’re still writing for free on blogs and hoping that’s going to get you noticed. Either way, you aspire to greatness with your ability to turn a phrase. Here’s five things you definitely need to know, but probably no one has told you:
You’re still going to be rejected. No matter how many sales or awards or accolades you have, you will still not have them all. You’ll submit work that won’t be purchased. You’ll write beautiful prose that doesn’t get nominated for an award, or doesn’t win even if you make it onto the ballot. You’ll be left out of articles talking about the books to read this summer…
This is not my absolute favorite movie (It’s not say, Lean On Me or Malcolm X) but its one of those I can watch over and over again nonetheless. Not to mention the sound track is off the chain.
I love movies that have a little bit of everything in it: Action, Drama, and Romance (well, kinda). I could be partial to this one since my husband is, after all, a veteran. But, I will say it sheds some light on how Veterans are treated in this country. You go over there to fight for a country that won’t fight for you. So anyway, yall know on the streets they call money “Dead Presidents” or at least they used to back in the day. So this movie is obviously about some people after that bread, but that’s not why I like it. I like this movie because although it’s a sad one, its also very real. The struggle is real. “America, this be some kinda hard place for brown colored skin in the springtime.” And that hard time can make people do some crazy things. Here’s what the movie is about:
In the spring of 1969, Anthony Curtis (Larenz Tate) is about to graduate from high school, and decides to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps rather than go to college. He is sent to Vietnam, leaving behind his middle-class family, his pregnant girlfriend Juanita (Rose Jackson), and small time crook Kirby (Keith David), who is like a second father. Anthony’s close friend, Skip (Chris Tucker), later joins Curtis’ squad after flunking out of college, and his other friend, Jose (Freddy Rodriguez), is drafted into the Army. Once in the Marines, Curtis and his squad lose several fellow marines during combat, and commit several atrocities of their own, such as executing enemy prisoners and beheading corpses for war trophies.
When Anthony returns to the Bronx in 1973, after four years of service, he finds returning to “normal” life is impossible. He finds Skip is now a heroin addict, Jose is a pyromaniac, and Cleon (Bokeem Woodbine), a religious yet deadly staff sergeant that was in his squad, is now a devoted minister. After being laid off from his job at a butcher shop, Anthony finds himself unable to support Juanita (who had an affair while he was on duty) or his daughter. After an argument with Juanita, Anthony meets his girlfriend’s sister, Delilah (N’Bushe Wright), who is now a member of the “Nat Turner Cadre”, a revolutionary militant group. Anthony, Kirby, Skip, Jose, Delilah, and Cleon devise a plan to rob an armored car making a stop at the Noble Street Federal Reserve Bank of the Bronx.
What a plot! Whew. Although it is my thought that everybody and their mamas should have seen this movie already, I’m sure many of you have not. You have got to see this movie! What are you waiting on? Time to upgrade. (Meanwhile, I’m going to see the new Xman 🙂 ).
Guess whoose bizzaack! That’s right, Movie Night Friday! I’ve been thinking it over for awhile and I think this will be a fun re-edition to this blog. For a little PBS Blog History, a year ago I started Movie Night Friday. I did this because I wanted you all to get to know me better through the movies I watch. One thing I am always seeking to do is build better relationships with my readers. I also wanted to show that this blog is about more than writing, but provides a variety of subject matter. However, Movie Night Friday did not do very well and in an attempt to ensure growth, I moved it to its own page. In this way, anyone who is interested can go back and take a look-see. If you’d like to check out some of my favorite movies, Click Here.
I have decided to revamp MNF and to try and keep it going. To celebrate, I am introducing a new badge:
Isn’t he cute!? I love doggies and (aside from waiting until we move back into the country so I can get one!), I thought this would be an excellent re-boost to this feature. This little guy will be joining us every Friday and he is so ready to watch movies. That said, let’s get on into it, shall we?
In addition to the movies I’ve already talked about, another movie I really enjoy is Antwone Fisher. Being from the south side of Chicago and growing up in Robert Taylor I am no stranger to struggle, both economically and psychologically. I know how it feels to feel abandoned and in a desperate need to find oneself. I can even relate to him being in a foster home. So this movie really pulls at my heart strings. It has all of the elements that I think makes for a good film, emotional intensity, action, drama, and of course, a little romance. Antwone Fisher is also a true story which makes it even better. It’s not just a fictional tale but factual accounts of what really happened to someone. Here’s a snippet of what the movie is about:
“The touching story of a sailor (Derek Luke) who, prone to violent outbursts, is sent to a naval psychiatrist (Denzel Washington) for help. Refusing at first to open up, the young man eventually breaks down and reveals a horrific childhood. Through the guidance of his new doctor, he confronts his painful past and begins a quest to find the family he never knew.”
Yea that’s right, Denzel is in this one so you already know its on point. Antwone Fisher, the man, is also….wait for it…a poet. Among other things. I am proud to say that I have a collection of his poetry on my shelf, “Who Will Cry For The Little Boy?” (Don’t ask me why it looks like that! I’ve had it awhile obviously and yes, before the movie lol…< He recites his poem by this name in the movie). He also has a memoir entitled: Finding Fish, which I do believe started it all, and his most recent work (2010) “A Boy Should Know How to Tie a Tie”. Below is a snippet from Wikipedia on the man behind the movie:
“Fisher was born in prison to a single mother. His father Eddie Elkins had been shot dead by a jealous girlfriend two months earlier. Antwone was placed in a foster home weeks after he was born and remained in foster care through most of his childhood. After living with a foster mother for two years, Fisher was taken away from her. He was then planed into another foster home with a family named the Picketts. He spent 14 years of his childhood with the Picketts and was abused physically, verbally, and sexually. He was then moved from the Pickett home after having a fight with hi foster mother. Antwone was sent to George Junior Republic School, a discipline school for boys, from which he graduated prior to joining the United States Navy.
After three years with the Bureau of Prisons, he began to work as a security guard for Sony Pictures. It was there Fisher decided to find his true family members. He contacted Annette Elkins, who turned out to be his aunt. Within months of this contact, Fisher met all of his family, including his mother Eva Mae. He learned that she had given birth to four other children who were taken away as wards of the state. Fisher said after their meeting, “In the place inside me where hurt of abandonment had been, now only compassion lived.”
Most of this is portrayed in the movie (except the mention of his brothers and sisters) and the director did a great job, who is by the way, Denzel Washington. Luke is also a very good actor and very handsome. Denzel better watch out now, the ladies love Luke. LOL. Below is the Trailer to the movie and as always, thank you for stopping by!
Movie Trailer:
Did you see this movie? What do you like about it? Don’t be shy, comment below!
My Stella Trilogy has been a huge experience. I have come to network with so many talented authors and aspiring authors both online and face to face. I’ve grown as an artist exponentially in regard to my understanding of book publishing and it is one of the finest aspects of Self-Publishing. That is, with every book I publish I learn something new about myself and about my work. I notice the discrepancies that I may have been blinded to in the writing process and every piece of advice and constructive criticism I hold in my heart with the intention of learning from my mistakes and building on my strengths. I definitely do not see myself as some big author. The last thing I want to do is get comfortable. The moment you get comfortable and start to think you are something when you are not, that is the moment you fail. For that, I am most humbled by everyone who has supported and continue to support my work. Because of you, one fact remains: It’s been over a year since the publication of the first book in the Stella Trilogy and people are still talking about it.
Lots of people however, have been asking me about my WIP (work in progress). I’ve gotten questions from is there going to be a Stella Book Four? To what am I working on now? It’s almost like there’s a secret service of readers who know that I’m working on something and why haven’t I said? Lol. Well yes, I have not mentioned anything about another book. To start, I’m a real private person. Especially when it comes to my behind the scenes work. That’s right, I’m stingy in the beginning. I do not like to share much while in the beginning stages of writing. I think its most important to stay focused, for the foundation is the most critical aspect of any building. So I, a builder, have kept closed lipped on the details of my next work. Until now.
On Sunday, May 29th, I’ll finally reveal the title to my work in progress, along with some details on what the impending book is about. Speaking of this project, I will say for now that it is not a Stella book and this one is a full length novel. The projected release of this project is Spring of 2017, an exact date will be revealed toward the end of this year, time permitting, with the book cover debuting at the beginning of the year.
In the meantime, how about you? Are you an author? At what stage do you share your works in progress?
It just is what it is. White Privilege exist and is alive and well in our society. It means basically that a person feels like they are entitled to things because of who they are and where they come from. Even more, not only are they entitled, but society itself entitles them. In America, white privilege is not something that is exclusive to Jim Crow or something that existed a long time ago. White Privilege exists right here today in our society. Just look at Ethan Couch, better known as The Afluenza Teen. The young man who murdered four people and got away with it on the premise that he suffers from a condition called “Affluenza” or someone who has an alleged lack of motivation and isolation due to being affluent or wealthy. When they labeled Ethan with this supposed “psychological” condition, they were basically saying that he suffers from white privilege. That is, he was born white and wealthy. This is just one such story in which white people can get away with what other people cannot. And I really hate saying “white people” since I don’t really believe in identifying any group of people by colors. There are not white people and black people. There are nations of people. So anyway, for the sake of understanding, white privilege is real and its time for us to stop denying it exists. Just to use politics as an example, had Ben Carson said half of what Donald Trump said he would have been metaphorically lynched. Destroyed. Over with. Stick a fork in him, he’s done. Everybody can see the obvious racism of this “Trump Card” but what many have not said is why he’s winning. Trump in short, plays on the people’s emotions (and not just white racists, many black people are agreeing with him too). He’s simply appealing to the heart of what many Americans have felt for years but have not voiced in public. Donald Trump is not a politician, he’s a business man. So yes, he’s a racist. Yes, he’s a clown. Yes, he’s this and he’s that but the reality is what? Many Americans are supporting him and many will vote for him. Now, what does this say about America? Because this is not about voting or about Trump. What it says is that contrary to popular belief White Privilege still exists, and more so, many Europeans do wish to make America great again. Do we understand what this term means? Making America great again is a term used by racists who wish for things to go back to the way it was in the days of Jim Crow, you know, when niggas knew their place. “Make America Great Again” is for those who wish for America to go back to the way it used to be. Blonde hair, blue eyes, white privilege. America’s sweetheart.
The PBS Blog 