Tag: pearls before swine

4 Reasons Why I Won’t Change The Name of My Blog

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Branding logic says that my blog should be called after my name. Had I thought of this before starting this blog, perhaps I would have (maybe) gone with logic. However, because I’m a tad bit crazy, even being aware of this hasn’t moved me to change the name of this blog (even after much suggestion).

#1: Connected To My Name

My blog is already connected to my name. What this mean is that many people are already aware that The PBS Blog is the blog of Yecheilyah Ysrayl. Branding in one sentence, as defined by Kristen Lamb is:

“A brand is when your name alone has the power to drive sales.”

I think this is the most clear and simplest definition of branding. Taking this into consideration, Author Branding is just the same “when an author’s name is strong enough to drive sales”, or in this case, drive views. I believe The PBS Blog is strong enough to hold its own as the blog home of Yecheilyah without me having to make that my blog title.

#2: Introversion

I’m shy! I’m not sure I’m comfortable naming my blog after me! “Welcome to the wonderful world of Author and Blogger Yecheilyah Ysrayl!” Just writing that made my skin crawl. I’ve always hated bringing attention to myself. Remember those days in High School where everyone wanted to show off their name brands but you were too poor to afford the Jordan’s? Good, now go back to that one time in forever you actually got a pair, and that one person who annoys everyone called you out and you knew it was just to mock you? Yea, that. The worst. Anyway, I digress. Long story short, I’m really shy even though I’ve come to notice people don’t believe I’m as shy as I am. I always get the side look when I say I’m an introvert, but it’s true. I am very laid back. I have the potential to sit in a room all day and not say anything and be completely fine with it.

#3: Not Just an Author Blog

I’m passionate about sooo much more than writing! For this reason, this is not just an author blog, even if I do talk about writing 85% of the time. OK 90%, whatever.

#4: Mission, Purpose, Goal

I named my blog Pearls Before Swine with the subtitle Truth is Stranger Than Fiction because it embodies my mission for this blog. That is, I will always prefer the truth (pearls) over the lie (swine) no matter the color, shade, or persona it’s packaged in and I will never force the truth down anyone’s throat. You see the truth is very precious, delicate and fragile like a pair of your mother’s most elegant pearls. She’s not going to give these over to anyone, let alone a pig who will rip them open and tear them apart.  A reference to Matthew Chapter 7, Verse 6 of the bible, Pearls Before Swine keeps me focused, and reminds me that truth is to be given only to those who want it. To those who will take it into their hands and protect it, use it, and wear it like sacred garments. Looking up at my blog name ALWAYS keeps me focused on my primary objective. I am to use my writing and skill set as a way to bring truth in the most creative and effective way possible. I am not to force, debate, or argue the truth because truth speaks for itself, and I am to never compromise my personal integrity because someone says so. Pearls Before Swine, because I’d rather die on my feet, than live on my knees.

PBS Customer Review Surprise

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In 2014, I tried my hand at writing a screenplay that reads like a movie script. I figured, OK well, since the writing moves like a movie in my head, why not? Of course, I would like to try my hand at all genres eventually. Anywho, July of this year will mark the 2 year anniversary of Pearls Before Swine so you can imagine my delight to log into Amazon and see this customer review for it! Of course this review was left some months ago but I had not seen it for some reason. Long story short, last thing I was looking for is a review from PBS. I wouldn’t say that I’ve forgotten about it, but I was pretty lazy in pushing it back then. Time truly flies and it just seems like I knew so little then in comparison to today in relation to book publishing. As I think about it, I think its because I wasn’t as into Book Reviews. I didn’t understand the value of them back then as I do today. But as I hold the book in my hands, I am still very proud of what the Designer did to the cover, and what the editor did to the interior. Shout out to Andre Hawkings of Kenosis Innovative Designs and Cynthia Brooks for hooking me up. Below is a screenshot of the surprise review. It truly made my day.

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The Epically Awesome Blog Award

The Pearls Before Swine Blog is proud to accept its 9th Blog Award as nominated by the beautiful Lisa Tetting of Rebirth of Lisa but you knew that already. Thanks hun for always thinking of me. Now, the rules:

The Award Rules:

  1. Thank the blogger who nominated you, linking back to their site
  2. Put the award logo on your blog
  3. Share ten awesome facts about yourself
  4. Nominate ten blogs

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I hate to be so rebellious (Sike, I love it lol hee hee), but seriously I do have to run errands shortly so I do not have time to nominate the awesome blogs I have in mind. You all know I don’t like half doing anything if I can help it so I will see to it some other time (when I have more time). I will however share ten awesome facts about myself:

 

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  •  February will mark nine years together with my love bug.
  • I have a twin sister which has been an awesome journey growing up
  • Book #2 in my Stella Series has received 5 Star Reviews on every review written so far….total awesomeness
  • I will be traveling to New Mexico for the first time ever the end of this month and I will be in Atlanta for the first time this February to debut Book #3 in the Stella Series
  • I successfully completed all of Blogging U’s Writing Assignments which I do not take lightly since they were such a great boost to my creative juices
  • I love German Shepherds and want to move to the country on acres of land so I can get one…awwwesome
  • I beat my husband in a game of Moral Kombat Komplete Edition last night and will talk about it until we play again
  • My hair is the longest its ever been…EVER. I think my Locs are totally awesome
  • I will be publishing a book review on this blog soon of another awesome Indie Author
  • I’m running out of awesome ideas

Writer’s Quote Wednesday – Love, Hatred, Fear

It’s Your Favorite Day of the week again….Silver Threadings Writers Quote Wednesday.

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http://silverthreading.com/2015/01/14/writers-quote-wednesday-dream-writing-2015-3/

Today, I quote Walter Mosley:

Walter Mosley

Mosely just described three of mankind’s strongest emotions. Together they have the capacity to build up, tear down, and cease movement. They can cause either direction or inaction. Fear is a literal stop sign. It comes with a sickle that can literally wipe out any chance of movement. It is the opposite of courage and nothing can be done without a certain level of courage. Fear also leads to Hatred. It takes a lot of energy to hate someone, and hate will eventually destroy the hater. It will eat you inside out; claw its way out of your mouth until you are nothing more than the jealousy that has consumed you. And Love. Love is a language understood by all of mankind. And as such it is stronger than hatred. Pure love is the answer to every question, the solution to every problem, and the result of every success story. Love overcomes everything because love is everything. It is for these reasons that Love, Hatred, and Fear will always have our attention in one way or the other.

About the Author:

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An only child, Mosley ascribes his writing imagination to “an emptiness in my childhood that I filled up with fantasies”. For $9.50 a week, Walter Mosley attended a private African-American elementary school that held pioneering classes in black history. When he was 12, his parents moved from South Central to a comfortable working-class west LA. He graduated from Alexander Hamilton High School in 1970.

Mosley describes his father as a deep thinker and storyteller, a “black Socrates”. His mother encouraged him to read European classics from Dickens and Zola to Camus. He also loves Langston Hughes and Gabriel García Márquez.

Mosley started writing at 34 and has written every day since, penning more than forty books and often publishing two books a year. He has written in a variety of fiction categories, including mystery and afrofuturist science fiction, as well as non-fiction politics. His work has been translated into 21 languages.

Mosley’s fame increased in 1992 when then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton, a fan of murder mysteries, named Mosley as one of his favorite authors. But Mosley made publishing history in 1997 by foregoing an advance to give the manuscript of Gone Fishin’ to a small, independent publisher, Black Classic Press in Baltimore, run by former Black Panther Paul Coates.

His first published book, Devil in a Blue Dress, was the basis of a 1995 movie starring Denzel Washington.

Nominated for The Premio Dardos Award, Whoo Hoo!

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Oh my goodness! Ok, this was much unexpected. I had no idea I would be nominated for a Blog Award and I also didn’t know I would be this excited to receive it. I would like to take the time to happily accept this nomination *waves to the crowd* , and to thank Rebirth of Lisa for nominating me, and to urge yall to run on over there and check her out at: http://rebirthoflisa.wordpress.com.

What exactly is The Premio Dardos Award anyway?

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Now, for the hard part. Technically I’m supposed to nominate 15 other blogs I feel are worthy of this award but chances are I’m going to break that rule. I have no idea who to nominate for an award. Guess I should get myself over to these awesome blogs and see whose names to list here. Pardon me if it takes a few days, I’m a little slower than the rest of you people. But, I happily accept this award and the boost of encouragement. Thanks Again Lisa!