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For Maya
I love you, Maya.
Lenny Kravitz
Calling All Angels
Calling all angels
I need you near to the ground
I miss you dearly
Can you hear me on your cloud?
All of my life
I've been waiting for someone to love
All of my life
I've been waiting for something to love
Calling all angels
I need you near to the ground
I have been kneeling
And praying to hear a sound
All of my life
I've been waiting for someone to love
All of my life
I've been waiting for something to love
All of my life
I've been waiting for someone to love
All of my life
I've been waiting for something to love
Day by day
Through the years
Make my way
Day by day
Through the years
Day by day
Through the years
Day by day
Through the years
Day by day
Make my way
Day by day
Through the years
Day by day
Day by day
Posted by Rashid on June 29, 2005 at 11:17 PM | Comments (1)
Seeing this turned me straight a little bit.
Posted by Rashid on at 4:26 PM | Comments (5)
The MIT Blog Survey: Take It!
Posted by Rashid on at 9:37 AM
Outdoor Track: Coby Miller
Basketball season!
Track season!
Basketball season!
TRACK SEASSSSOOOOOONNNN!!!!!!
Introducing Coby Miller:
Posted by Rashid on June 28, 2005 at 1:22 PM | Comments (7)
Interesting things about my birthday
You said your birthday is 6 / 25 / 1979
which means you are 26 years old and about:
62 years 8 months younger than Walter Cronkite, age 88
58 years 0 months younger than Nancy Reagan, age 83
55 years 0 months younger than George Herbert Bush, age 81
47 years 9 months younger than Barbara Walters, age 73
45 years 7 months younger than Larry King, age 71
39 years 5 months younger than Ted Koppel, age 65
36 years 0 months younger than Geraldo Rivera, age 61
33 years 0 months younger than George W. Bush, age 58
27 years 11 months younger than Jesse Ventura, age 53
23 years 8 months younger than Bill Gates, age 49
18 years 10 months younger than Cal Ripken Jr., age 44
13 years 0 months younger than Mike Tyson, age 38
8 years 11 months younger than Jennifer Lopez, age 34
3 years 6 months younger than Tiger Woods, age 29
3 years 0 months older than Prince William, age 23
and that you were:
22 years old at the time of the 9-11 attack on America
20 years old on the first day of Y2K
18 years old when Princess Diana was killed in a car crash
15 years old at the time of Oklahoma City bombing
14 years old when O. J. Simpson was charged with murder
13 years old at the time of the 93 bombing of the World Trade Center
11 years old when Operation Desert Storm began
10 years old during the fall of the Berlin Wall
6 years old when the space shuttle Challenger exploded
4 years old when Apple introduced the Macintosh
3 years old during Sally Ride's travel in space
a 1 year old when Pres. Reagan was shot by John Hinckley, Jr.
not yet 1 year old at the time the Iran hostage crisis began
Posted by Rashid on June 27, 2005 at 1:32 PM | Comments (2)
I'm 26
Well, I am 26 now.
Woo hoo!
Had a good day! Got phone calls, emails, a few cards, virtual cards, and also got gifts from two special friends who hooked a brother up with stuff from my wish list! That was a great surprise. :)
It was a low-key weekend. Just trying to manage my cough, which got worse after Thursday.
Today I go to drop shipments of Lazarus to two local bookstores. I'll make the official announcement when I get back. :-)
Posted by Rashid on at 7:08 AM | Comments (3)
One Word
Please leave a one word comment that you think best describes me.
It can only be one word. No more.
Then copy and paste this into your journal so that I may leave a word about you...
Posted by Rashid on June 24, 2005 at 7:30 AM | Comments (12)
Random 12
Lucas With the Lid Off, Lucas
I Care 4 U, Aaliyah
Track 28, Superman II Soundtrack
Hypothetically, Lyfe Jennigs ft Erin
Let's Dance (Live at the Beeb), David Bowie
Push It (Speed Garage Mix), Salt N Pepa
Summertime Frontin', Beyonce vs Pharrell vs. Wu-Tang, Mashed by DJ Crook Air
Murda Music, Krayzie Bone
No Call U, Prince
Fill Me In, Craig David
Sorrow, David Bowie
Thoia Thoing, R. Kelly
Posted by Rashid on June 23, 2005 at 8:27 PM | Comments (1)
Good News
Don't want to share the details right now, but I got several positive emails today. Lazarus is going places!
Posted by Rashid on at 4:34 PM | Comments (0)
A Good Morning
Prayer really does change things! That and a little bit of common sense.
Well, I had a rough Monday and Tuesday was only a little better. But after plenty of fluids, a decongestant, two days of multivitamins, cod liver oil tablets, cough syrup, fresh fruit, and plenty of R-E-S-T, I am starting to feel better!
The cough is still there, but it feels MUCH more like post nasal drip than bronchitis. But did you really want to know that? lol
My spirits are good. I closed out the year on a positive note. Professionally, some changes are in the works. Nothing major, still in the same building, but we'll see how it all pans out.
I've got lots of cleaning to do, but sitting on my ass and resting is paramount! I got all week to be productive. Today is for straight chillin.
Posted by Rashid on June 22, 2005 at 11:57 AM | Comments (3)
Last Day of School....
And I am sick as a dog.
I caught a cold last week and it is clearly turning into bronchitis.
Nothing more to say.
Posted by Rashid on June 21, 2005 at 6:14 AM | Comments (4)
brother to the dawn
all i know is
it was sunday
and this nigga
my bad
this strong black man
introduced himself to me
and i was like
god damn
and my girl was like god damn
and my friend didn’t see him
but we pointed him out
and my friend
was like god damn, too
all at once
the limitless possibilities
played themselves out on the
drive in of my mind
what if i went there
instead of here
pledged that
instead of this
went here
instead of there
zigged instead of zagged
what if…
what if i were brother to the dawn?
i would stay up all night
watching his chest heave
up
and
down
and
up
and hearing his light snore.
begging to illuminate
his face
with my soft light
but he is night
and a shadow persists…
i try to think of
ways
to wake him up
stealthily
i pretend to be his blanket
tickling his skin
but the shadow…
i am an owl
but instead of hey…hey
he hears who…who
and hugs the shadow tighter
fuck that shit,
i’m brother to the dawn
i can wake the motherfucker up
and cancel this shadow out
…bitch.
but the shadow turns over, smiles at me, then goes back to sleep.
…i ain’t no home wrecker
i realize
as my father’s chariot
threatens to burn across the
sky without me
i leave
with vivid images
of lovemaking seared into
my mind
images
that i didn’t need to see
but needed to see
to remember that the fates are
cruel
i’m the brother to the dawn
too late for midnight
too early for sunset
and resigned to my fate
Posted by Rashid on June 18, 2005 at 11:28 PM
There are nine days until my birthday!!!
As of 6/16/2005 6:39:28 AM CDT
You are 25 years old.
You are 312 months old.
You are 1,355 weeks old.
You are 9,488 days old.
You are 227,718 hours old.
You are 13,663,119 minutes old.
You are 819,787,168 seconds old.
There are 9 days till your next birthday
on which your cake will have 26 candles on it.
It's not to late to surprise me with something from my Amazon.com wish list!
:-D
I know, I'm silly.
Posted by Rashid on June 16, 2005 at 7:37 AM | Comments (1)
Stuck in a haze
Central Florida Future - News
Issue: 6/15/05
Stuck in a haze
By Sean Lavin
The odor of burning flesh permeated the air as two blazing hot irons seared the Greek letter Omega into both sides of Byron Washington's chest two years ago. Minutes later, a third and final Omega was scorched into the fraternity member's upper arm.
What Washington endured is known as branding. And Washington was not the only UCF student that allowed a red hot Omega-shaped iron to leave a lasting impression across his body. Twelve brothers of Omega Psi Phi also asked to be branded alongside Washington that night.
Washington, who is currently serving as president of his chapter, says branding in this context isn't hazing because it's not performed as a condition of membership. Nearly 80 percent of Omega brothers choose to get branded on their own accord, he added, pointing out that branding is only permitted after someone pledging his fraternity is initiated as a fully vested member.
But a tough new law that criminalizes violent hazing in Florida directly cites branding as a form of hazing, referencing the popular activity as type of "brutality of a physical nature."
The Chad Meredith Act, crafted by Rep. Adam Hasner, R-Delray Beach, is considered by many as the strongest anti-hazing statute in the nation. The law is named in honor of a Kappa Sigma pledge that drowned as a result of hazing at the University of Miami in 2001.
When Gov. Jeb Bush signed Hasner's bill last week, high school and college hazing resulting in serious bodily injury or death became a third degree felony. Hazing that doesn't cause an injury - but could have - is now classified as a first-degree misdemeanor throughout the state.
When asked about the Chad Meredith Act's effect on branding, Hasner acknowledged that "it could be prosecuted" under the new law. But he stressed that, "cases like that, if they were prosecuted, would probably be determined on a case by case basis."
"Each case is going to have to be looked at on its own merits by the prosecutors," Hasner explained.
The very prospect of seeing his fraternity brothers prosecuted and potentially put behind bars for carrying out the age-old tradition of branding, which has been alive for generations within the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, has Washington concerned.
"I would be worried if they want to take it that far to prosecute members of my organization," Washington said. "I'll never risk my personal freedom or college education for anything."
If prosecutors do start bringing charges against students for branding their fellow fraternity brothers, Washington says he and his brothers will launch a campaign to change the law.
Citing the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of expression, Washington said members should not be restricted from bearing their fraternity's symbol on their body in the form of a brand, much like they wouldn't be restricted from having the symbol tattooed onto their skin.
The state should "at least define [branding] a different way," he said, suggesting a distinction be drawn between incidents of forced branding and the consensual branding that his fraternity brothers enjoy as a symbol of pride in their organization.
But while Washington says branding is "not that big of a deal," and compares it to getting a tattoo, other UCF students see it as unnecessary.
"I can't even think of a reason why people would do it, I really can't," said senior Ashley Sturm, who feels the law should stay the way it is. "Because if the arm gets infected, then they can throw it back on the fraternity and say they were pressured into it."
"It just creates more harm than good," the criminal justice major continued. "There are going to be those issues you just can't escape."
Looking beyond the branding issues, Hasner called hazing an "epidemic" plaguing the state, and condemned the recent rash of incidents - including a high school soccer player from Deltona who was dropped on her head during a hazing incident - as "senseless and heinous acts that lead to physical injury and sometimes death."
"I think there is a much more positive way to impart brotherhood and sisterhood and team-building," added Hasner, who explained how he spent much of his life working to achieve just that as a chapter officer, advisor, and ultimately national officer of Phi Delta Theta fraternity.
"By increasing the penalties and criminalizing hazing in the state of Florida, I'm confident that we're going to put more students on notice that the state will no longer tolerate this type of behavior," Hasner said.
A major intent behind the law appears to focus on preventing what Hasner describes as hazing incidents that "may seem like fun and games," but instead "result in serious injury or sometimes even death."
Victims often consent to activities that seem harmless or fun, but unfortunately end in tragedy.
"Willing participants sometimes aren't willing participants," Hasner said, while pointing out how it was difficult for prosecutors to obtain a conviction in battery criminal cases related to hazing before his bill became law, because perpetrators used the victim's consent as a defense in court.
"This new law prevents the perpetrators of hazing from using the victim's consent as a defense," Hasner said. "It's an important new distinction in the law."
Aside from increasing the penalties for hazing, the bill only slightly altered the definition of hazing, which in part reads, "any action or situation that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student ... "
The law cites the following as further examples of hazing: "pressuring or coercing the student into violating state or federal law, any brutality of a physical nature, such as whipping, beating, branding, exposure to the elements, forced consumption of any food, liquor or drug ... or forced physical activity that could adversely affect the physical health or safety of the student."
And in addition to consent no longer being a valid defense against the crime of hazing, members of campus organizations hazing others can no longer escape culpability even if the activity resulting in the death or injury of the hazing victim wasn't part of an official organizational event.
Prosecution can now occur even if the fraternity's leadership or general membership had no knowledge the action was taking place, and only a handful of members violate the law on their own.
Another key addition to the definition of hazing is the language providing that hazing occurs for "purposes, including, but not limited to, initiation" into a campus organization. This language also throws out another frequent defense organizations use when trying to beat accusations of hazing - that the act was not required as a condition of membership to enter the organization.
Prior to Hasner's bill, hazing plaguing Florida's universities was handled by university and fraternity judicial boards. The biggest punishment previously dished out for hazing was expulsion from school - a slap on the wrist compared to the five years in jail violators now face.
Hasner says he is "very positive about the outlook of fraternities and the role they play in society." Hasner says his commitment to the Greek system will not end now that the Chad Meredith Act has passed.
"I've made myself available to all the state universities," Hasner said. "I will travel to any of the schools - at my own cost - to speak to student groups and the Greek system and explain why it was so important to make hazing a criminal act in the state of Florida."
Posted by Rashid on at 7:20 AM | Comments (1)
I am a spammer.
I just got an eight sentence email from a webmaster than didn't even have the guts to leave their name, LOL. People are so stupid.
Part of my marketing strategy for Lazarus is to talk about my book on message boards. A while back, I joined a BUNCH of message boards. I really tried to actively participate, really I did. But for the most part, many of these message boards are wiggedy wack. So I basically would start my OWN thread, usually in a Literature/Books/Entertainment thread so that the posts would be relevant. It would say "Lazarus by Rashid Darden" or something of that nature. Anytime I wanted to update the public about what was going on with the novel, I would post in THAT thread.
In my head, that's not spamming. Starting multiple threads on the same topic, changing the focus of existing conversations to fit your needs -- that's spamming.
So anyway, I could have ignored the email, but I felt like being a bitch today:
You know, I DID want to point out that my posts were all in the appropriate section of your forum (Books/Literature or whatever) and therefore were on-topic. You no longer have those separate sections of your forum, so of course I won’t make a new thread to discuss my book. It was my hope that by having a thread that was about the book, rather than creating new ones every time I had information to share, that it would be as unobtrusive as possible.
As I said before, a simple “please don’t do that” would have sufficed. It’s not that deep to me and really shouldn’t be to you.
Eight sentences, dawg. Eight sentences on a Black and Asian Unity Forum that had a BOOK section!
Let me just say one more thing....in all my time promoting Lazarus via the internet, African American people have ALWAYS had my back and bent "spamming" rules in my favor. It's like black folks understand more than anyone else just how tough it is for self-published writers. We have a collective understanding of our self-published heroes, like E. Lynn Harris. We know sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
I've quit like three different white gay yahoo groups for writers because they didn't accept my announcements about the book. Nearly ALL the black writers groups I am on accept announcements. I don't beg people to purchase Lazarus....I make them aware of my journey. There are very few black people who DON'T appreciate this.
So...whatever....I did my research and the people who run this website in question are losers anyway, LOL.
Bus how I responded to their email and it bounced back? REAL PROFESSIONAL, lolol.
And they are wack at website design.
Yes, I feel like being a petty bitch today.
Have a good one!
Posted by Rashid on at 6:54 AM
Too Damn Hot
Any time it's SO HOT that they close the school system, you know that:
1) They REALLY need some A/C in this piece, and
2) They are really in school too damn long.
I should be back soon -- they won't keep us long today.
Posted by Rashid on June 15, 2005 at 7:46 AM | Comments (2)
I Belong in London
You Belong in LondonA little old fashioned, and a little modern.A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock. A unique woman (well, that's what the Quiz said) like you needs a city that offers everything. No wonder you and London will get along so well. |  |
Posted by Rashid on June 13, 2005 at 7:30 PM | Comments (2)
FYI
FYI:
LAZARUS by Rashid Darden is now available at Matais Books, Cards, and Art, the ONLY African American gay and lesbian bookstore in the country.
Visit them on the web at www.matais.com or in person at 3203 E. Broadway in Long Beach, California.
Lazarus is still available from www.oldgoldsoul.com, www.amazon.com, or at a Pride festival near you!
Posted by Rashid on at 2:13 PM | Comments (1)
Spotlight on: malik m.l. williams
He's not expecting this, but it's the least I could do.
Why don't you check out my friend malik m.l. williams' endeavors?
His blog is the BrothaLove Rant Space. He doesn't write every single day, but when he does, the entries are always incredibly thoughtful and articulate. Nothing like mine, lol.
He is also a photographer, and I really like his images. I am hoping maybe I can get some freebies while I am in Atlanta -- you know a brother doesn't have any professional photos for the media, LOL. We'll just leave the photos out of the press kit so the media can think I'm ugly. At any rate, as I said, I am really feeling malik's photography. Check his site out at Brotha Love Images. And here is his portfolio at MuseCube.
malik is a member of The ADODI Muse: A Gay Negro Ensemble. ADODI Muse is "Atlanta's only black gay male performance poets collective." The group has been together since 1995 -- dang, isn't that hot? They're like the New Edition of gay black performance poets -- malik, you ain't Bobby, is you? Naw, you look more like the Ralph type, LOL.
They have a CD! You should buy it. It's called Ain't Got Sense Enuf To Be 'Shamed. If the title doesn't do it for you, then you just don't have a pulse.
malik has also written two novel-length manuscripts which I really want to read someday, but he doesn't know that yet. :-) In addition to writing, malik and I both like some of the same authors, like Octavia Butler and Sapphire.
Ladies and gentlemen, that's malik m.l. williams and he's been very good to me. So please be good to him, too.
Posted by Rashid on June 12, 2005 at 8:27 AM | Comments (6)
Strip Search and Kept
VH1 now has two competition-style reality shows.
One is called Strip Search.
The other is called Kept.
Hotties abound.
Okay, what's a word that means abound but to a lesser degree? Like maybe two hot ones on each show?
Somebody gay made these shows. Must have. Do straight women watch these things? Let me know.
At any rate.... Strip Search is about some guys who aspire to be dancers or something? It doesn't seem like they are training to be real deal strippers. Shoot... you ain't gotta do much to be MY stripper. Well, a body would help. But just shimmy a little then take it off. Why does there need to be a show about it? Just shimmy and strip.
Mmmmm....shimmy....I might have to ask a few of my favorite Kappas to hook me up.... ;-)
Here is some of the talent from Strip Search:
David is a bartender from Dallas. I really can't tell what his ethnicity is. Not that it matters; hot knows no color.
Marco is probably my favorite -- didja peep the Cancer tatoo? There's something about his lips that are like DANG to me. I've always been a mouth/lips/teeth person. Anyway, he is a hospital staff assistant in New Jersey. Is that the new term for orderly? Or is he an admin?
Tony is creepin up right behind Marco in terms of my favorites. He is a personal trainer and bartender in Chicago. The pictures don't do him justive -- he looks very intense and exotic on the show.
As far as Kept, that's basically a favor somebody owed Jerry Hall, cuz I swear she ain't done nothing since Batman. Apparently, these guys are competing to be her "kept" man. It makes no sense...I mean, who is Jerry Hall? Like, I know who she WAS, but who is she now? I am trying so hard not to call the poor woman a has-been. Luckily, the men of color on her show are kinda cute! Here they go:
I don't have any names or background info on the guys, but I hope they do well.
Check these shows out so I can have somebody to talk about them with!
Posted by Rashid on June 11, 2005 at 9:05 PM | Comments (5)
Distributors
I am so relieved.
I have FINALLY finished my marketing plan. My marketing plan, though in my head since last year, has only just now been written down in a format that would be suitable for potential distributors.
A distributor (in theory) sells my books on my behalf to bookstores. Having a distributor isn't mandatory for self-published authors, but it helps a whole lot if you don't have the time or ability to make contact with a lot of bookstores yourself.
Having a distributor also helps when people go to bookstores and ask for your book, but they don't have it on the shelves. If a bookstore knows that Lazarus is available through a major distributor such as Baker and Taylor or Ingram, then it's very simple to order copies. I am starting off by querying specialty distributors, though. Three specialize in African American titles and bookstores, and the fourth specializes in gay books and bookstores. I am confident that at least one, if not all four of those bad boys will pick up Lazarus. My marketing plan is HOT like fire! lol
Since I have limited resources, it makes sense for me to try to secure a distributor. It has been CRAZY trying to get in contact with one particular man at a local gay bookstore -- imagine trying to establish contact with ALL the contacts at ALL the bookstores! CRAZY!
I know this won't solve all my problems, but it will help put my mind at ease.
The drawback to securing a distributor is that you are basically selling your books to them at a significant discount. They need the discount so that when they sell the books to bookstores, they can get a profit.
Did you know that most bookstores operate on a very slim profit margin?
At any rate, it would be nice to pick up a national distributor, too, and one of my author friends (hey girl!) has put me on to some tips and tricks to make that process a little easier. I haven't finished looking into it, but it looks promising.
My next project, now that I have replenished my shipping supplies, is to FINALLY send out review copies of Lazarus to the opinion molders on my list that I could get contact info for. Luckily, I was able to give my book directly to a lot of other authors at Pride, so I saved postage right there.
My readers have always come first, so other aspects of the grand plan have suffered. Ideally, there would have been some gap between my "print date" (fresh of the printer date) and my "publication date" (the arbitrary date I decide the books go on sale). In that gap, I would have been able to do things like send out galleys and whatnot so that most of my incoming reviews would coincide with my publication date. But I had to change the game -- I relied on pre-orders to finance over 50 percent of the cost of printing alone, so I didn't have the luxury of printing the books then waiting for orders.
In essence, I did a LOT at one time. I took pre-orders while letting pre-opinion molders review the manuscript, and later, e-book. I used those reviews to bolster my campaign. I wouldn't have DARED asked for a top-level "opinion molder" like E. Lynn Harris to review a word document via email, LOL. For one, I don't know him like that, nor would I expect someone that busy to be empathetic to my cause.
But, on the other hand, I was SO BLESSED to know people like Robert Denson from Sunpiper Press. He's not yet intenrationally known, but he runs a tight ship over there at Sunpiper. His mission is to help expose new authors, even those he's not representing at Sunpiper. I like him because he's ethical -- he didn't request a damn thing from me in exchange for the review. He's a real professional.
As the months go on, I hope to be reviewed in some national publications, which would be great. Today and tomorrow, I will continue stuffing envelopes, but instead of marketing plans, they will be stuffed with review sheets.
I am excited! Not excited to be giving away books (lol) but definitely excited to be sending books to folks who could potentially give me more good reviews.
Also, I know I'm talented and all (he he he) but sometimes it's a little surreal that so many of my reviews thus far have been positive. And to me, they are from the people who count -- the readers! I mean, if Dan Rather came out and said "Lazarus sucks!" yeah, it would hurt like hell, but is he REALLY in my target audience? Right. He's not.
Now if E. Lynn Harris and James Earl Hardy said my work sucked....yeah...that would hurt...lolol
Coming up one of these days....the great question will be answered:
"If I was approached by a major publishing house to be published, would I take their offer?"
Posted by Rashid on at 5:12 PM | Comments (2)
Random 12
Let's Get Physical, Olivia Newton John
Sexuality, Beyonce
Sahotas Boliyan, The Sahotas
Take Me With U (Unreleased Version), Prince
Freestyle (Hate Me Now), Eminem
The Cobbler's Song, Paul Robeson
Africa, D'Angelo
Breakdown, Luke
Urban Aire, Afro Celt Sound System
Limelight, T.I.
Foot Stomping, Flares
Dude Looks Like a Lady, Aerosmith
Posted by Rashid on June 9, 2005 at 7:10 PM | Comments (1)
Super Secret Plans
I forgot to mention that while at work yesterday, I had an epiphany about project #3. I am going to totally change the game up for that one. Can't say more right now...but it's going to be a HUGE payoff for all the real fans and supporters! Oooooh y'all gonna love it. The story itself will be good, but what you will love best is the way it is executed.
Tee hee.
Also, I have some things coming up this summer that SHOULD satisfy everyone who has read Lazarus already, and hopefully bring even more people to it. Don't worry, it's nothing you will have to pay for. I gotta make some contact with some people and hopefully I'll have an update about this in a few weeks.
Don't you love the secrecy? :-D
Posted by Rashid on June 8, 2005 at 6:07 PM | Comments (2)
Books and Shit
1. Total Number of Books You Own: I am estimating around 450 to 500.
2. The Last Book I Bought: All the books by Brent Dorian Carpenter.
3. The Last Book I Read: SONS by Alphonso Morgan
4. Current Book Reading: Taking a break from SONS before I begin The 21st Century Chronicles of Thugg The Barbarian King by Bent Dorian Carpenter.
5. Fiction or Non-Fiction?: I guess I prefer fiction.
6. First Book Read: Pat the Bunny.
7. Most Read Book: The Self-Publishing Manual by Dan Poynter
8. Largest Impact: The White Boy Shuffle by Paul Beatty
9. Favorite Scholarly Book: The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois
10. Sexiest Book: I really don't know...sorry.
11. Biggest Disappointments: Beloved by Toni Morrison
12. Five Books That Mean Something To Me: The Qur'an; Black Feeling Black Talk by Nikki Giovanni; Spoonbread and Strawberry Wine by Norma Jean and Carole Darden; The History of Alpha Phi Alpha: A Development in (Negro) College Life by Charles H. Wesley; and Invisible Life by E. Lynn Harris.
13. Book Tag (you're it): LumaNatic, BlackMartha, anybody else who wants to answer in their blogs or in this space
Posted by Rashid on June 7, 2005 at 7:09 PM | Comments (1)
Score!
Thanks to a hook-up, James Earl Hardy got a copy of Lazarus. Hopefully he'll read it and fall in love with it. :-)
I'm working today, which is good. Part of me wanted to stay home and write, but I know that suffering through these last few weeks of school will pay off. I need every single hour of work that I can get because when June 21 hits, that's it. No more subbing until the Fall.
Fred Smith hipped me to what goes on at the Book Expo America a little bit. Fred seems like a really cool guy.
I guess I should stop blogging in the nude and put some clothes on and go to work.
PEACE.
Posted by Rashid on at 7:57 AM | Comments (5)
#3
I have been trying so hard to complete my outline for Project #3. Well....as hard as I can given the fact that I work (damn near) full-time and am trying to create a "tour" for the summer. I'm not quite overwhelmed -- I'm working at my own pace -- but I definitely haven't been in the writing mindset like I'd prefer to be.
By now most of you all know that the sequel to Lazarus is called Covenant, and my goal is to have it available in 2006. My third project would likely debut in 2007. That's IF the money is right, ya know.
In self-publishing, I can't just "decide" to publish a book. A lot has to be in order, primarily finances. It took a lot of resources that I didn't have to produce Lazarus -- I'm happy with the final product though, even though I can't cut all the same corners a second time around.
After I'm confident the finances are together (for the second book, that is), then I get a marketing plan together (another one, in addition to the Lazarus plan). For 2006, the marketing plan will include lots of travel, a "tour" if you will. There are LOTS of events in even numbered years that I could potentially sell books or make appearances at. The four largest black sororities are having conventions, as will the Alphas. Not to mention alllll the gay black pride festivals and different literary festivals. Also in 2006 will be my class reunion and an APO convention.
I am excited. What I am not excited about is how to finance the whole thing.
Things would be different if I actually had a career in addition to publishing. That's not to say that writers with real jobs have it easier -- they are probably way more stressed than I am. But it would be nice to have a little more disposable income.
I'm not complaining though! Please believe I am happy -- for real!
But back to my outline. I am taking a different approach to #3 and it's a challenge. I need all the spare time I can get this summer to work on it. I once thought I'd actually be able to finish the whole thing this summer, but that's a rather lofty goal.
Not to mention I have some editing to do on #2.
I sure could use a laser printer right about now.
I could use a lot of things right now.
How about Amazon.com sucks? Okay, so it doesn't COMPLETELY suck. For some reason people equate being on Amazon with success. All it really means is that I joined a program in which I pay Amazon a (small) annual fee and they purchase books from me at a crazy discounted price. They then sell my books through their website and cut me a check once a month.
Basically, it's consignment. It's not a bad thing, but all in all, I'd rather people purchase the books directly to me because that means I can invest more of that money back into Old Gold Soul.
That means I get to pay for more travel to the different Prides Atlanta is going to damn near break me, and I have no idea how I'm going to afford to go to Fire & Ink. Charlotte Pride is become an impossibility for now. (The upshot is that I may be able to recruit an Old Gold Soul field representative to man a table in Charlotte for me.) But I GOTTA go to New York this summer. Pride is irrelevant, I just have folks I need to see in NY.
Things will be looking up in the coming month though. (Not that things are down at all, I am just venting about things.) After I wrap up subbing (God bless DC schools being in session until JUNE 21) I will have some down time to just get things together and move forward.
One of these days, I am going to post the folks who I envision to be in Lazarus: The Movie some day. That should be fun. Maybe I'll do that tonight.
Posted by Rashid on June 6, 2005 at 7:26 PM | Comments (2)
The Grind
My diary is shifting its focus a bit. You will notice that one particular category is a bit sparse now. It was time to move on toward a new "me" so to speak. I'm still the same person on the inside, but I need to be mindful that as the months have gone on, I've come into contact with a lot of people.
I appreciate all of you who follow my daily journeys and lessons -- your comments have been very supportive. But like Sarah in the Labyrinth, I've got to take these next steps on my own.
But guess what? You will be able to learn a LOT more about writing and publishing than ever before! Dudes, I am so remedial when it comes to publishing and promoting. It's like being the head of your class at the urban neighborhood school, then you transfer to the magnet high school in the suburbs and you're like DAMN is it REALLY this hard?
So, considering I have a little anxiety type of problem, sometimes promoting is a big deal. I don't talk about it much, but I get really edgy in large crowds. So yes, THAT explains why I was so wound up at the DC Gay Black Pride Festival last weekend. All those people....that HUGE cavernous space. I held up quite well, all things considered. I think that's because there was constant mental stimulation (distraction, if you will) and I was able to FOCUS: on the sale, on the customer, on networking, on the performers, etc.
But now I have to travel a whole lot more than I would have to in my normal life and face bigger crowds, bigger caverns, and more danger strangers. lol.
This is the life I chose, though.
These are the things I would get if I were an independently wealthy novelist:
A publicist. Someone to hold my hand and lead me down a red carpet when crazy people are trying to talk to me. "I gotta go," I say. "I'm sorry, I gotta go." Someone to arrange my tours, interviews, personal appearances, all that. On one hand, those are the more fun things about promoting, but on the other, that's just one more damn thing to do.
A personal assistant. Someone to sit next to me for those six hour shifts of book-sellin' at festivals. Someone who understands just how tightly I get wound up and figures out the right things to say to calm me down. Someone who can be my hype-man or hype-woman. The person who my suitors would have to get in good with before they can holla. Someone who can help me keep my life together.
A driver. I hate public transportation. The driver can't be the personal assistant, because the personal assistant has to keep me entertained. But the driver can be entertaining too. I dunno, like Garrett Morris or somebody. But from 30 years ago.
That's about it. I'm sure there are more.
So I go to Lambda Rising Bookstore here in DC today. The goal was to meet James Earl Hardy and give him a complimentary copy of my novel. Well, long story short, it seems as though the people at the store weren't sure if he was really coming or not because it wasn't an official signing. So I was like "fuck that, yo" and I left a few copies of Lazarus there and my card. The cashiers I spoke to were Miranda and Dane (Dain?). Dane was saying he really wished I had gotten in Lambda Rising BEFORE last weekend -- because people came to the store requesting my novel!!! I was like are you serious? And he was like yeah. I was was like how many? And he was like five. So I was thinking okay, more like three.
I was excited about that.
Now, the reason I have not put my book in Lambda Rising yet is not a good one -- I just hadn't made the time. But the fact that potential readers were loking for it AND the fact that I saw books from other authors I met in MY section (the black section) I was shamed into getting on the ball and taking the necessary steps to get my book in there.
Again, no particular reason other than not having/making the time. But that will be changing.
I dunno y'all....this is the life I chose. Though the road is bumpy, I think I am doing pretty well. I'm not on the grind as hard as Alphonso Morgan, God bless him. But I am doing more than many. Hell, I did more than many by writing the damn thing, lol.
Posted by Rashid on June 5, 2005 at 8:11 PM | Comments (4)
The 4400
This was my SHIT last year!
Posted by Rashid on June 4, 2005 at 1:39 AM | Comments (1)
A Very Tiny Picture of Me
Posted by Rashid on at 12:39 AM | Comments (2)
My Wish List
I know you want to go to Amazon.com and hook me up for my birthday, ;-)
It's June 25th. Hurry! Supplies are limited.
Of course, the best gift would be purchasing Lazarus for yourself or your friends. BUT, if you've already done that, then hey, knock yourself out at Amazon!
Posted by Rashid on June 3, 2005 at 7:25 AM | Comments (1)
What's the Verdict?
Singing in the shower? Guilty
Left the stove on? Not Guilty
Ate stale food? Guilty
Spit in someone's Drink? Not Guilty
Stole Something from a friend? Not Guilty
Bossed your friends around? Guilty
Played with Barbies? Guilty
Left a hicky on your past or present BF/GF? Not Guilty
Sang the wrong words to your favorite song? Guilty
Lit candles & let wax run all down your desk? Not Guilty
Made a Sex tape? Not Guilty
Kissed your posters of your favorite stars? Guilty
Played Air guitar? Not Guilty
Listened to stupid music and said you like it? Guilty
Had sex with a stranger? No contest.
Did a Wrestling move on someone? Guilty
Had a Lite Brite? Guilty
Threw a surprise party for someone or yourself? Not Guilty
Made someone cry? Guilty
Had the balls to ask someone out? Guilty
Opened your Xmas presents early? Not guilty
Ever been caught doing something "dirty"? Not guilty
Did the time-warp? What's that?
Found money, and didn't turn it in? Guilty
Gave money to a homeless person? Guilty
Sang cheesy 80's songs? Guilty
Dug for buried treasure? Not guilty
Thought Star Wars was cool? Guilty
Pretended to be a South Park cartoon? Guilty
Had a super-hero costume? Not guilty
Still sleep with your baby blanket? Not guilty
Told a family member to Fuck off? Not guilty
Lied to protect a friend? Guilty
Broke a bone? Not guilty
Played D&D? Not guilty
Got lost in your own little world? Guilty
Seen "the goonies" more than 10 times? Guilty
Played a Video game for more than 5 hours? Guilty
Watched "Scream" and actually Screamed? Not guilty
Dyed your hair a color from the rainbow? Not guilty
Hugged your mom in the past 24 hours? Not guilty
Drank until you passed out? Not guilty
Fought over a girl/boy? Not guilty
Posted by Rashid on June 2, 2005 at 1:57 PM | Comments (1)
It's so sad.....
It's so sad that I come from such a POSITIVE experience this weekend, networking with REAL authors with REAL books that are REALLY selling....to come home to emails from bitter folks who are mad at me because I inadvertently didn't respond to an email they sent me back in February.
I mean, come on....I won't even dignify most of this jerk's email with a post to my blog, but I will say that a brother has SERIOUS issues if he would wish me poor sales. A man must have SERIOUS issues if he thinks my excerpt is SO BAD that he had time to REWRITE IT and email it to me.
And most importantly, a NIGGA has serious issues if he won't even give you the name of his "novel" -- Rashid Darden has never ever turned down a sale.
Folks are CRAZY y'all!!! Like seriously mentally unbalanced. I'm not scared...just full of pity. I can't be all things to all people just because I wrote a book.
Luckily, most people know that. But the fruit loops ALWAYS find me, LOL
Posted by Rashid on at 7:38 AM | Comments (2)
Continued...
So Sunday morning, I was a wreck. My boxes of books fell off the dolly outside the house and I was like FUCK! Somehow, we got there -- stressed as hell, but there in one piece.
Nikki and Dwayne met me there, and we were joined by Perquita -- my HEROES!!!! They helped me sell books all day, but most importantly, they kept me sane.
Okay, so let's talk about the Writer's Island, henceforth and forevermore known as THE LEPER COLONY. That's the area of the exhibit hall that was reserved for the writers. Well, I can't even remember who said it now, but it was something like "Y'all were so far from the action, the Writer's Island must have been from LOST."
Yes, they kind of screwed us over. And yes, I, Rashid Darden, had the WORST booth at Pride, LOL. I was sorta kinda late. Like, we could set up anytime between 8am (yeah right) and 11:45am. Since I THOUGHT that each table would be reserved, I didn't have to rush. I got there at around 11:50am and Pride began at Noon. My booth had no table and chairs, so I waited for them and they arrived shortly. Once we got seated and set up the books and whatnot, I realized that our view was of about a hundred feet of EMPTY SPACE and the bathrooms at the far end of that. Yes, Old Gold Soul had the worst booth at Pride ladies and gentlemen, but we worked it out.
The other authors at Pride were Brent Dorian Carpenter, Alphonso Morgan, Yvette Michelle Hall, Eustace Bellille, Michael Christopher, Walter Wright, and Shawna Grundy. Oh yeah, Steven G. Fullwood was also there as was Conscious, but for various reasons, they were not on the Leper Colony.
I know I am forgetting a few writers, but I didn't get their information somehow...
Anyway...
I did pretty well when it came to sales. Not super duper fantastic, but really well none the less. I was told (repeatedly) that I would have done better if the Leper Colony had been located in the same location it was the previous year. But once again, this entire Pride was just my practice test. I wasn't mad at Pride -- just had to figure out different ways to adapt to the situation.
This would be a good time to note that I saw one of my other girls from Georgetown there. I told my Nikki she was there, and Nikki was like "I KNEW IT!!!!!" See, Pride is the place for revelations. If you're bold enough to come to Pride, please believe that somebody somewhere is going to recognize you. Hell, it costs 12 bucks to get in, so of course you WANT to be there. You didn't just wander in because you had to use the restroom.
I bought lots of t-shirts from a place called UniTees. They were really nice! Support them...it seems like they design the official Pride shirts, too.
I honestly didn't see a whole lot of other stuff that I wanted to purchase -- that was definitely different from the last time I went to a Pride. I sorta wanted some Pride jewelry, but there just wasn't any. The day before, someone did get me a few Pride bracelets. God bless frat.
BUT.....I DID get me two, count them, two calendars. Okay, so they were 2005 calendars. Which were half over. BUT, I got pictures with the model NGO. I don't know if he was gay or not, but he sure was attractive. AND humble and gracious. Not your average Igbo, eh?
I also got the City Gym Boys calendar. They were okay. I liked NGO better though.
Tweet performed. Wasn't really feeling it, mostly because the acoustics were some garbage. And she really could have sang "Oops (Oh My)" for way longer. She did sing "Sports, Sex, and Food" which is one of my favorites from the new album. Next year though, can we get Amerie?
I neglected to mention in my prior entry that I got to meet the man known as Audacity during Pride. That was great! He is a really nice guy. Looked nothing at all how I imagined. But then again, no one ever does.
Other performers....we had some African drummers at one point, but that was so random. They were good though. But my favorite part was when Running Water (the stage name of a drag queen -- are they still called drag queens?) performed "Jesus Can Work it Out." Anybody who listens to the Russ Parr Morning Show knows that song. The audience seemed somewhat receptive to it (from my vantage point) but I was REALLY feeling it. We needed some gospel up in that piece.
A lot of cool people visited my table. Some bought books. Others signed the guestbook. And others just took a flyer or card with them. One of my favorite moments was when I gave this Omega (with a brand) a post card as he and his friends were just kinda chillin' near my table. Me and Dwayne watched the expression on he and his friends' faces change from curiosity to familiarity with these big ass grins. It was GREAT!
Oh yeah, the Greeks were definitely in the house....Alphas, Ques, Kappas, Sigmas, AKAs, Deltas, SGRhos, and even a Chi Upsilon Sigma! It was hot, for real. Next year, man.....just you wait and see.
I feel like I must be forgetting a whole lot....I reckon the gaps will be filled in if you check out my Gallery. I have added pictures from Pride!!!!
Enjoy!!!
Posted by Rashid on June 1, 2005 at 4:40 PM | Comments (2)