A Progress Report And Book Recommendation

Happy Friday, Wordsmiths! I can’t believe it’s the end of the week already. Seems like I was celebrating another “Born” day, just yesterday.
Oh well, like sand from an hourglass so are the days of our lives. I confess, I’ve wanted to use that quote from the popular soap for the longest time 🙂

I have a bit of news to share with my wonderful readers, along with a book recommendation. First, allow me to take you back to the Summer of 2014 when I shared that my poem, Brown Girl Challenge, had been selected for inclusion in the Michele Obama anthology.

I recently received an email from the authors of the anthology; Rose C. Thevenin, Paula Marie Seniors and Michelle Duster, who is the great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells, by the way. Well,  It’s a green light, people. The authors found a publisher for their book!

The title of the book is “But I Went, I Did Fine” – Michelle Obama: From the Southside to the White House.  How The First Lady Impacted and Inspired African American Women and Girls

I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it! Okay, so…just sayin’ though. 🙂

This is the book I highly recommend for y’all  to put on your 2016 reading list:

 Soldier With A Backpack: Living And Dying Simultaneously, by Linda Diane Wattley, begins with the horrific molestation of a little  girl.  At the age of four, Linda is taken from  the comfort of her bed in the middle of the night. She is carried to her parent’s bed and sexually assaulted by her father. I’m reading this and I’m crying, literally breaking down… I cry for that little girl and for every little boy/girl child who have endured the trauma of sexual abuse .

The author guides us through the dysfunction of a family and the suffering that follows a child whose innocence is taken. She shares informative and enlightening messages on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD, affecting those who  are traumatized by sexual abuse and other traumatic experiences, like our military men and women.

 There’s never been enough information about post traumatic stress disorder. As a young nurse in the 80s, I witnessed doctors who were baffled by patients suffering  from PTSD. The cases were rare and treatment questionable at best. Doctors only resolution at the time, seemed to be strong sedation and wrist and ankle restraints. I applaud the insights  the author shares about PTSD in her book.

Go here to visit the author’s website: http://www.lindadianewattley.com/

Go here to purchase a copy for your reading enlightenment: https://www.amazon.com/author/lindadianewattley https://www.facebook.com/Lindadianewattleywww.lindadianewattley.comproduct/B015QP2WEK?ref_=k4w_ss_details_rh

 

Quote for today:

If you want to change the world pick up your pen and write – Martin Luther King Jr.

Peace, Blessings and Prayers…

 

A Congratulatory Post On Poetry And Books

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope your week was productive and that you have a safe and memorable weekend of rest, reconnection and gratitude. I, like you, was saddened to hear of Robin Williams death. I was remembering all of his great performances and his upbeat, perfectly timed improvise & jokes that made us laugh until we hurt. What baby boomer doesn’t remember Mork & Mindy? His passing is unfortunate and very sad. There are never enough words.

This is a congratulatory post of sorts that I’ve been meaning to share with readers about what’s been brewing on my creative stove, give a well-deserved shout-out to an author’s milestone accomplishment and share information about clara54’s upcoming guest author appearances.

I admit it. I didn’t spend time working on my memoir during my hiatus. I couldn’t bring myself to create in that cathartic space and so I went back to writing poems; a genre I’d found a bit of success in, in the beginning of my freelance writing career.

I wrote a few new poems and gathered some of my languishing poetry to enter them in The Mary Ballard Poetry Chapbook Prize Competition.http://caseyshaypress.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-mary-ballard-poetry-chapbook-prize.html where they placed in the competition’s quarter finalists. The finalists vote comes at the end of August. Fingers crossed:)

I received edits to a poem selected for inclusion in the Michelle Obama Anthology (the authors changed the title) which is set for publication in the historical academia’s “The Black Scholar” sometime in September.

My poem “When Morning Comes” was selected to appear on the website Best New Poems for 7 days where readers and poetry lovers get to vote on the poem they like best and that poet wins the contest. My poem is scheduled to appear on the site August 29th. I need your votes, people! so go here to vote for When Morning Comes www.BestNewPoems.com.

I’m collaborated with,and will be the featured author on a new upcoming Christian Romance Guide, penned by my colleague and friend, Evelyn Cogdell. At our last correspondence, Evelyn was held up and anticipating returning to the project in September. More on that as it unfolds.

Kathy Pooler, who blogs at Memoir Writer’s Journey http://www.krpooler.com/blog is presently on a blog tour for her just released memoir and will be stopping in at clara54 the first week of September to talk about her new book (which has received great reviews) and her journey away from emotional abuse.

The same week, Kathy will guest post at my Authentic Woman site to encourage, inspire and empower other women to live a life of wholeness, away from abuse.

I was stuck writing my memoir and turned to penning poems on my time away. I also connected with Joy Devok, a prolific cross genre author who blogs at “My Life a Legacy” and who just happens to have recently published her e-book of poetry, called Poetry: Touch the World with Your Art and Soul.

Look for Joy’s appearance very soon as she joins the writers blog to talk about her enormous body of work and the joy of writing poetry. I’m excited to have these authors visit and share with us their writing process and talk about their books.Congratulations authors!

Whew, this post was supposed to be short and sweet. What happened!? If you have great news to share with my readers, please feel free to inquire about joining the fray:)

Works of Local Chicago Authors- Black History Month Showcase

Happy Friday visionaries! What better way to celebrate Black History Month than by introducing my readers (you guys):) to some of Chicago’s very own women authors and History makers in the making? First of all let me also remind everyone that February is also Women History, Chinese New Year and the opening of The Olympic Games! There’s so many worthy and historical causes happening during the month of February and as a woman and African-American, I chose to pay tribute to those past visionaries by sharing works of deserving folks right here in Chicago.

Yvonne Randle and Evette Collins are two charismatic authors who met as members of the Hurston-Hughes Writing Ministry. The two women teamed up to pen their inspirational and self-improvement relationship book, “The Secret to Creating Loving Relationships.” To pick up a copy visit the website at www.24-karatlove.homestead.com

Ms. Marcie Hill is a favorite among the Chicago elite group of writers and authors and is highly regarded in Social Media. Her latest book for writers and bloggers that is touted to become an educational resource for schools, libraries and other businesses, is “62 Blog Posts to Overcome Blogger’s Block”. Visit amazon.com to pick up your Kindle edition http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D9Q1R4A

Evelyn Cogdell is one of my favorite local authors. She modestly pens Romance Novels that sizzles with a Christian theme of what true love between the sheets really looks likes. A great interviewer, Evelyn latest interview is with Author and Playwright Crystal Rhodes. Read it here: http://voices.yahoo.com/renowned-playwright-succeeds-as-author-12524038.html

No, I don’t have another book at the moment, but while you’re waiting 🙂 you can read my latest poem here -http://voices.yahoo.com/a-matter-perception-12521027.html

Finally and believe me I didn’t realize how many great writers I knew, right here in Chicago! Can you imagine those I don’t? Anyway, up last are four women authors (diversity!) consisting of Michelle Duster, great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells, Cynthea Liu, Jen Cullerton Johnson and Trina Satira who formed MuseWrite by and for women of change. Their anthology in honor of First Lady Michelle Obama is called First Lady Depiction and due out in mid February. One of my poems, “Brown Girl Challenge” was chosen for inclusion. You can visit their website here-http://www.mldwrites.com/MIchelle_s_Bio.html.

This is a peek into some of what The Windy City has to offer by way of literary contributions. Please support these wonderful authors and feel free to share input on creatives in your city that you feel people really should know.

Enjoy your weekend!