Ok so I'm doing a little bit of an adjustment in my writing and how I present to people. When I started this blog almost a year ago, I didn't have any intentions with it; basically it was just to see if I could create a buzz for myself. A year later, I haven't received the buzz I wanted. I thought starting with friends and family would get the ball rolling but apparently not cause they are still not supporting a bish enough to put any kind of comments in any of my post which is still very, very, very, (you get the picture) upsetting. Then I took a real good look at the content that I was putting on this site and realized that it may not be what interest them, but still it's hurts that I'm not getting no kind of love a year later.
But I digress.
For several months now I have been looking into switching over to WordPress.com. I've said it plenty of times in some of my threads. I've checked out some websites that have used this format and I'm impressed with what I've seen. I definitely decided to go ahead and go with Wordpress, but I've got to do it right. I can't do it blindly and expect readers to loyally keep coming to my lil' whatever this is, ya feel me. I'm thinking big this time. I have talent, I just need to figure out a great, organized plan to get my talent out in the open.
For the next week or two I'm going to sit down and write what my goals are for this website and how to get myself out there beyond just a couple of friends reading this out of pure sympathy because I begged them too. LOL.
My website will be the called the name of the publishing business I am starting. It will contain a section where readers will get excerpts on my books that I will be selling - yes selling! I have kids to feed!. I will have mini commercials to go along with those excerpts, a place for my blog and reviews and a bunch of other stuff I'm expecting to launch so get ready cause this ish right here, will definitely be the ish!
Peace and Love
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
BMF by Mara Shalhoup
Fitting that I come across this book around the time I posted on my Facebook page that the temptation to do something illegal to make quick money is sounding good right about now. And even as I'm writing Rick Ross's new single BMF is banging in the background. That's crazy that one man and his affiliates can influence a culture. And when I say influence I mean this 'family' name has been in so many rap songs you would think he was 2Pac or Jay-Z when all this lil' boy was was a big tyme drug dealer (that happened to create a movement). He managed to get Jacob the Jeweler into this mess of covering up for BMF and he had no reason; hell he has money coming out of his azz from the sales of his jewelry pieces alone. How many rappers cop his ish? But then again 98% of those rappers are frontin' anyway, they didn't buy them and they probably fake!
Ok let me rewind this back for a minute. BMF is supposedly giving you the basis of how the largest black owned *pause* drug cartel got started and how it all fell down; hence the title.
How do I feel about Big Meech? I mean that is why you are reading this right?
I'm torn. A great journalist, reporter, interviewer whatever you wanna call it, can empathize with the person they are interviewing. Empathize, not sympathize. What I mean is the one asking the questions can subtract their emotions and manage to feel where the person is coming from. The greatest at this? Oprah. Fuck wrinkly prune-face Barbara Walters! I'm not trying to say everybody run out and sell drugs and kill a few people either. But the BMF (Black Mafia Family) started out with seeing their father and mother working their azzez off in order to support the fam and the two brothers, like all hoods across America. They didn't want to live like that so they got into the drug game and instantly became addicted to the most powerful drug - money, quick money at that. Big Meech and his brother Terry were literally night and day when it came to handling business. Don't get it twisted, they both craved the money but Meech was the show off. He had to party hard with an entourage that would make Diddy's camp sit down. As a matter of fact one of Diddy's old body guard was intermixed in there too. Meech and his people all drove around in cars half of yall can not pronounce let alone spell. Lavish homes would not do justice to how his houses were. And somewhere in the mix Meech managed to get it in with some of the hottest rappers because he wanted to be one himself. (Nelly, Young Jeezy, Gucci Mane just to name a few)
Terry, unlike his brother, hated attention. He wanted to be the front man on his operation. When millions of dollars of cocaine were shipped, he was right there making sure no one jipped him. Money needed to be collected? Yeah, he was on that one too. Meech didn't handle the cocaine or the money too much so in case he got arrested they had no link between the cocaine being distributed or money from a sale. Maybe that was the reason it took the DEA (Donut Eating Azzez) so long to capture him and hit him with ish that would send him away for a long time.
Like all too good to be true tales, this all came to an end. With all of the workers up under Meech you would think it would be easy to capture him cause you know niggas get jealous of the boss and want to outshine him eventually becoming a snitch. Whatever Meech had tho, his workers had; it was a family affair. However when niggas started to get caught, whoooooo they mouths became diarrhea. (Ugghh!) Funny how that happens. Read the book to find out more details on how that went down. Walking away from it, I really felt like Meech was a certified pimp and his 'fam' were his bitches, cause he let them do all the dirty work while he sat back eating good. I mean last time I checked that was the definition of a pimp. they should have tacked on prostitution to the list. I just call it how I see it, I don't need any residual members of the BMF to come looking for me and do me and my family in. It's just business, nothing personal.
Before I go just a few things about this chick's writing style. At times she would tell a story and then the following chapter would be something that happened before the previous chapter's events. She should have did it all in order. Also numerous times she repeated ish, felt like I had multiple deju vu moments. But it was a decent read, if you like criminal ish!
Peace and Love
Ok let me rewind this back for a minute. BMF is supposedly giving you the basis of how the largest black owned *pause* drug cartel got started and how it all fell down; hence the title.
How do I feel about Big Meech? I mean that is why you are reading this right?
I'm torn. A great journalist, reporter, interviewer whatever you wanna call it, can empathize with the person they are interviewing. Empathize, not sympathize. What I mean is the one asking the questions can subtract their emotions and manage to feel where the person is coming from. The greatest at this? Oprah. Fuck wrinkly prune-face Barbara Walters! I'm not trying to say everybody run out and sell drugs and kill a few people either. But the BMF (Black Mafia Family) started out with seeing their father and mother working their azzez off in order to support the fam and the two brothers, like all hoods across America. They didn't want to live like that so they got into the drug game and instantly became addicted to the most powerful drug - money, quick money at that. Big Meech and his brother Terry were literally night and day when it came to handling business. Don't get it twisted, they both craved the money but Meech was the show off. He had to party hard with an entourage that would make Diddy's camp sit down. As a matter of fact one of Diddy's old body guard was intermixed in there too. Meech and his people all drove around in cars half of yall can not pronounce let alone spell. Lavish homes would not do justice to how his houses were. And somewhere in the mix Meech managed to get it in with some of the hottest rappers because he wanted to be one himself. (Nelly, Young Jeezy, Gucci Mane just to name a few)
Terry, unlike his brother, hated attention. He wanted to be the front man on his operation. When millions of dollars of cocaine were shipped, he was right there making sure no one jipped him. Money needed to be collected? Yeah, he was on that one too. Meech didn't handle the cocaine or the money too much so in case he got arrested they had no link between the cocaine being distributed or money from a sale. Maybe that was the reason it took the DEA (Donut Eating Azzez) so long to capture him and hit him with ish that would send him away for a long time.
Like all too good to be true tales, this all came to an end. With all of the workers up under Meech you would think it would be easy to capture him cause you know niggas get jealous of the boss and want to outshine him eventually becoming a snitch. Whatever Meech had tho, his workers had; it was a family affair. However when niggas started to get caught, whoooooo they mouths became diarrhea. (Ugghh!) Funny how that happens. Read the book to find out more details on how that went down. Walking away from it, I really felt like Meech was a certified pimp and his 'fam' were his bitches, cause he let them do all the dirty work while he sat back eating good. I mean last time I checked that was the definition of a pimp. they should have tacked on prostitution to the list. I just call it how I see it, I don't need any residual members of the BMF to come looking for me and do me and my family in. It's just business, nothing personal.
Before I go just a few things about this chick's writing style. At times she would tell a story and then the following chapter would be something that happened before the previous chapter's events. She should have did it all in order. Also numerous times she repeated ish, felt like I had multiple deju vu moments. But it was a decent read, if you like criminal ish!
Peace and Love
Saturday, June 19, 2010
whateva! ish don't change
Well this apparently is my last week of school since for whatever reason they chose to discontinue my status as a full time student! Feelin' real pissed right about now. I don't understand it. I see cats all the time runnin' around gettin' things out of life they don't even deserve and I don't mean just material ish either-a decent family, someone that puts up with they ish 24/7! Here I am finally with a legit plan to start my own business, raise my kidz on my own and I still can't get it right! Everything loves to walk away from me like it never existed! That feeling of me standing still and everyone else passing me has hit me like a semi-truck!
I mean the only positive thing out of this is the fact that I can focus more on getting this website put up and my writing but it would have been a good look to have that Bach. degree in marketing next to my name. I was really learning some ish to help my business.
What ever happened to 'God helps those that helps themselves'? What a joke!
I mean the only positive thing out of this is the fact that I can focus more on getting this website put up and my writing but it would have been a good look to have that Bach. degree in marketing next to my name. I was really learning some ish to help my business.
What ever happened to 'God helps those that helps themselves'? What a joke!
Friday, June 18, 2010
next week; on vaca
I will be back next week some new work, I'm just really trying to keep my A+++++ grade so I'm focusing on my 2 papers and finals.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Real World Natsuo Kirino
Author of the book Grotesque came with another one. And she kept it consistent, whether that's a bad idea or good you be the judge. Just like in Grotesque she separated the chapters by characters, except with Real World it was less like a personal conversation and more of each one's perspective on one situation - actually one murder.
The story starts right away with the act being done next door to one of four friends. The son, Worm, kills his mama one average morning. His next door neighbor calls one of her friends but quickly dismisses the idea of a possible break-in for the couple having sex. The girl goes about her business after talking briefly with neighbor's weird, slinky looking son. Only thing after she attends her cram school classes her bike is stolen along with her cell phone. Worm calls all of her friends on her contact list and admits for whatever stupid reason that he murdered his mama that morning. Instead of letting the police know the four friends become intrigued by being associated with a murderer. Slowly they realize that this is not some CSI show.
The story is kind of weird because the way the young girls talk and interact with one another you would think that it should have been put in the teen category. After you get passed that you realize that the description is dead on to a lot of the way teens interact these days, kind of self absorbed. Each girl is so distinctively cooky that even their perception of each other is off. It makes you wonder how in the hell they even stayed friends for this long. With all this going on the murder doesn't seem as significant anymore.
I loved the ending even though it is tragic, which of course I'm not going to tell you cause you need to go buy it or borrow it from the library and read it your damn self. It is a nice summer read tho.
Peace and Love
The story starts right away with the act being done next door to one of four friends. The son, Worm, kills his mama one average morning. His next door neighbor calls one of her friends but quickly dismisses the idea of a possible break-in for the couple having sex. The girl goes about her business after talking briefly with neighbor's weird, slinky looking son. Only thing after she attends her cram school classes her bike is stolen along with her cell phone. Worm calls all of her friends on her contact list and admits for whatever stupid reason that he murdered his mama that morning. Instead of letting the police know the four friends become intrigued by being associated with a murderer. Slowly they realize that this is not some CSI show.
The story is kind of weird because the way the young girls talk and interact with one another you would think that it should have been put in the teen category. After you get passed that you realize that the description is dead on to a lot of the way teens interact these days, kind of self absorbed. Each girl is so distinctively cooky that even their perception of each other is off. It makes you wonder how in the hell they even stayed friends for this long. With all this going on the murder doesn't seem as significant anymore.
I loved the ending even though it is tragic, which of course I'm not going to tell you cause you need to go buy it or borrow it from the library and read it your damn self. It is a nice summer read tho.
Peace and Love
Sunday, June 13, 2010
American Subversive by David Goodwillie
Do you really know your friends? I mean besides the general shell of the person, i.e. their favorite color, favorite food? After reading this book I came to the conclusion that I don't. Some wise words from Ms Maya Angelou 'when someone shows their real self, believe it'. I believe that to its fullest. In society we get caught from the time we come out of our mama's womb forced fed to believe that the world with all of its materialistic signs is our reality. We walk around in our little box that is similar to other robots oblivious to a bigger...something. Forget questioning stuff that isn't a part of the American pipe dream. Until one day one small circumstance causes our colored glass window to shift slightly although the situations afterword are not as slight.
That's exactly what happened to Aidan, a popular blogger. One email shifted his blogging world. It awakened him to a world that was more meaningful, a underground world above ground. Without realizing the stakes Aidan became part of that underground where secret organizations were fighting the injustices of the world. Then in came the question I asked at the beginning, do you really know your friends? Everyone became suspect. Even though this was a fiction tale it hit way too close to home. It made me realize that what I consume daily is nothing. How do we know what these large corporations or the government is hiding? And how do we really know how our friend would react when you've stumbled across something that is borderline terrorism. We really don't.
What I liked about this book is that it perfectly explained the perspective of 2 unknown people. One whose life had been mundane that he did not realize how boring it was until he received that email with the caption under a picture 'this is Paige Roderick and she's responsible for the bombings'. The other, Paige, who fell into this because of the death of her brother whom she was close with. Opposites do attract. No this is not another sappy love story at least not in the physical sense; their connection was on another level, respect maybe. Whatever it was, you could feel it smoking out of the pages.
I love books like these that has a powerful storyline and even more explosive (no pun intended) characters. Oh and I am intrigued by the fact that the author opened a forum to marinate on ish other than so called 'reality' shows, my hood, and the media to issues that we don't see. There's a reason for everything, coincidences don't exist.
Peace and Love
That's exactly what happened to Aidan, a popular blogger. One email shifted his blogging world. It awakened him to a world that was more meaningful, a underground world above ground. Without realizing the stakes Aidan became part of that underground where secret organizations were fighting the injustices of the world. Then in came the question I asked at the beginning, do you really know your friends? Everyone became suspect. Even though this was a fiction tale it hit way too close to home. It made me realize that what I consume daily is nothing. How do we know what these large corporations or the government is hiding? And how do we really know how our friend would react when you've stumbled across something that is borderline terrorism. We really don't.
What I liked about this book is that it perfectly explained the perspective of 2 unknown people. One whose life had been mundane that he did not realize how boring it was until he received that email with the caption under a picture 'this is Paige Roderick and she's responsible for the bombings'. The other, Paige, who fell into this because of the death of her brother whom she was close with. Opposites do attract. No this is not another sappy love story at least not in the physical sense; their connection was on another level, respect maybe. Whatever it was, you could feel it smoking out of the pages.
I love books like these that has a powerful storyline and even more explosive (no pun intended) characters. Oh and I am intrigued by the fact that the author opened a forum to marinate on ish other than so called 'reality' shows, my hood, and the media to issues that we don't see. There's a reason for everything, coincidences don't exist.
Peace and Love
Friday, June 11, 2010
Just because you do urban lit doesn't give you permission to half ass your shit!
Now I know I've been out of the loop when it comes to my street lit. I mean that's what got me writing since I was...well as long as I can remember. I probably came out of my mama's womb with a pen and a pad in my hands! With that being said, what the hell has happened?! Are you people serious?! Everybody cannot and should not write hood stories or write for that matter on the topic, especially if you were not brought up in the hood.
Two days ago I started this book that I had my mouth watering for. Moth to a Flame. Great title, great cover, synopsis (description on the back of book for you Hooked on Phonics readers) on point. It's like they invested more on the outside and stopped there! You know what I'm talking about ladies, it's the summer time so the fellas got the clean big body trucks and drop tops out, system is heard way before the ride is seen. He calls you over and you all excited cause he leaning low looking delicious, then BAM! Far away brotha resemble T.I. but up close disappointingly he looking like Pitbull, chopped and screwed teeth and all! That's how I felt when I started this story.
For all my aspiring writers and established ones please understand there really might have been a reason the big wig publishing houses did not want you on their roster. I'm proud of my entrepreneurs making a gateway for us to make our mark in this publishing game, that's why I want to start my own. But get your ish together before you go plopping some hood name on a letterhead just to say you getting your hustle on!
Read up on having a business, network with other publishers, editors, and authors so you have connects so when you are ready to hop on the publishing game you have a solid business fam. Get your work out there whether thru your own blog site (like yours truly), newsletters, magazines just to name a few outlets. Don't depend solely on your friends. Half of them cannot read, most of them are 'yes' people that will not tell you your ish sucks for fear they will not be on the thank you page and the rest of them are not experts! If the highest level of education they've acquired is the sixth grade, well then Houston, we have a problem! Cause I seriously think that is what happened in this case. And say what you want; 'She ain't published nothin'!' or 'What has she done?' and 'She hatin'!' No I'm not hatin' or any of that other stuff I'm just going to tell it like it is out of love.
First off, writers need to seperate their writing from how you speak in reality. Meaning unless someone in the story is talking do not put slang in your writing. 'Pookie nem was seen walkin' down the block' is not a legitimate sentence! This is going to sound harsh but do not proudly show how ignorant you are!
Second in all of the writing books I've studied (yes, studied! I'm always looking for ways to perfect my craft) one thing that I try to accomplish is showing, not telling. I'm going to pull an example from this damn book:
'She could see that Raven was into him and
she could tell that her husband wasn't fond
of the idea at all.'
Now this example is not as bad as some of the others but it's bad enough for me to point it out. I get that her husband was angry and all but wouldn't it be better to have given me a more descriptive sentence? I can't just take your word for it that the man was mad. And how mad was he? A little? A lot?
'She felt a wave of something foul and
followed it until her eyes locked onto
her husband's face. The whites of his
eyes were crimson red. The vein in the
side of his forehead pulsated.'
You get the drift. If there is a way you can express it thru the five senses take that road instead of just simply saying 'he was mad' or 'J.J. was the best sex partner' show us why, ya feel me?
Another thing that bothers me, and I pinky swear this is it, is all hoods across this wonderful world is not the same so stop creating the same ish! Female writers tend to make the female character 'boss bitch' who is running thangs on the streets and then falls head over heals over the kingpin of the streets. The fellas tend to write about the brotha who is womanizing, into drug pushing and gets caught up resulting from greed. It's all running together, how many ways can you write the same ish? Seriously we go thru the same stuff every other race goes thru. Take a story line that seems out of place and put a hood twist to it. I promise you people will jump on it. Don't create a mediocre story just cause it's hot right now. I stepped out of my comfort zone and wrote a psychological thriller and I enjoyed it!
My point to this rant session is that now that we have somewhat of a legit piece in this writing industry and people all over the world are taking notice of our talents, lets take it to the next level. Right now it seems as though these 'urban' publishers are putting out crap just to say they have some titles under their belt! That is an ingredient to disaster. If they are picky about selecting bestsellers than so should you!
Now am I going to finish Moth to a Flame? Heeeeeeeeeellllllllllll no!
Peace and Love
Two days ago I started this book that I had my mouth watering for. Moth to a Flame. Great title, great cover, synopsis (description on the back of book for you Hooked on Phonics readers) on point. It's like they invested more on the outside and stopped there! You know what I'm talking about ladies, it's the summer time so the fellas got the clean big body trucks and drop tops out, system is heard way before the ride is seen. He calls you over and you all excited cause he leaning low looking delicious, then BAM! Far away brotha resemble T.I. but up close disappointingly he looking like Pitbull, chopped and screwed teeth and all! That's how I felt when I started this story.
For all my aspiring writers and established ones please understand there really might have been a reason the big wig publishing houses did not want you on their roster. I'm proud of my entrepreneurs making a gateway for us to make our mark in this publishing game, that's why I want to start my own. But get your ish together before you go plopping some hood name on a letterhead just to say you getting your hustle on!
Read up on having a business, network with other publishers, editors, and authors so you have connects so when you are ready to hop on the publishing game you have a solid business fam. Get your work out there whether thru your own blog site (like yours truly), newsletters, magazines just to name a few outlets. Don't depend solely on your friends. Half of them cannot read, most of them are 'yes' people that will not tell you your ish sucks for fear they will not be on the thank you page and the rest of them are not experts! If the highest level of education they've acquired is the sixth grade, well then Houston, we have a problem! Cause I seriously think that is what happened in this case. And say what you want; 'She ain't published nothin'!' or 'What has she done?' and 'She hatin'!' No I'm not hatin' or any of that other stuff I'm just going to tell it like it is out of love.
First off, writers need to seperate their writing from how you speak in reality. Meaning unless someone in the story is talking do not put slang in your writing. 'Pookie nem was seen walkin' down the block' is not a legitimate sentence! This is going to sound harsh but do not proudly show how ignorant you are!
Second in all of the writing books I've studied (yes, studied! I'm always looking for ways to perfect my craft) one thing that I try to accomplish is showing, not telling. I'm going to pull an example from this damn book:
'She could see that Raven was into him and
she could tell that her husband wasn't fond
of the idea at all.'
Now this example is not as bad as some of the others but it's bad enough for me to point it out. I get that her husband was angry and all but wouldn't it be better to have given me a more descriptive sentence? I can't just take your word for it that the man was mad. And how mad was he? A little? A lot?
'She felt a wave of something foul and
followed it until her eyes locked onto
her husband's face. The whites of his
eyes were crimson red. The vein in the
side of his forehead pulsated.'
You get the drift. If there is a way you can express it thru the five senses take that road instead of just simply saying 'he was mad' or 'J.J. was the best sex partner' show us why, ya feel me?
Another thing that bothers me, and I pinky swear this is it, is all hoods across this wonderful world is not the same so stop creating the same ish! Female writers tend to make the female character 'boss bitch' who is running thangs on the streets and then falls head over heals over the kingpin of the streets. The fellas tend to write about the brotha who is womanizing, into drug pushing and gets caught up resulting from greed. It's all running together, how many ways can you write the same ish? Seriously we go thru the same stuff every other race goes thru. Take a story line that seems out of place and put a hood twist to it. I promise you people will jump on it. Don't create a mediocre story just cause it's hot right now. I stepped out of my comfort zone and wrote a psychological thriller and I enjoyed it!
My point to this rant session is that now that we have somewhat of a legit piece in this writing industry and people all over the world are taking notice of our talents, lets take it to the next level. Right now it seems as though these 'urban' publishers are putting out crap just to say they have some titles under their belt! That is an ingredient to disaster. If they are picky about selecting bestsellers than so should you!
Now am I going to finish Moth to a Flame? Heeeeeeeeeellllllllllll no!
Peace and Love
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
What I'm up to?
Lets see. As you can see I have did a little short story for you. Hope you enjoyed, it's just a lil' something something. But I do have 2 stories that I'm doing at the same time. One is a urban hood story what I have been writing way before urban lit became the ish. It will contain a lot of betrayal between best friends, murder of course, and revenge. As a matter of fact I think that is what I'm going to call it 'Sweet Revenge' or 'Poisonous Revenge' something like that.
The other story is about relationships and how even the most 'perfect relationship' can be crumbled with one little action. However before you get done dissing and cussing out the man in the story something will happen that definitely make you go 'What the F**k!'. Yeah, I shocked myself with it too. I swear my multiple personalities be coming out strong. I'm glad I figured out how to contain them all!
I also have another review that I will plug in tomorrow or Friday. This book was just as twisted as my damn head is! I've been getting into Japanese writers lately. But I'll have that for you.
Peace and Love
The other story is about relationships and how even the most 'perfect relationship' can be crumbled with one little action. However before you get done dissing and cussing out the man in the story something will happen that definitely make you go 'What the F**k!'. Yeah, I shocked myself with it too. I swear my multiple personalities be coming out strong. I'm glad I figured out how to contain them all!
I also have another review that I will plug in tomorrow or Friday. This book was just as twisted as my damn head is! I've been getting into Japanese writers lately. But I'll have that for you.
Peace and Love
Monday, June 7, 2010
Ugh, finally! A Daughter's Worth written by yours truly Talia!
Alright finally my butt figured out how to create my book into a PDF so everyone can enjoy. As promised A Daughter's Worth! I mean would you really kill for your mama?
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Felt the need to post this again!
Will you.....
The look of pain, betrayel, abandonment;
all of that tattooed permanently
on their faces but not by choice.
I watch the attitudes of my sistahs.
This is their armor, their skin.
Fuck putting on foundation,
attitude is their makeup
but not by choice.
I watch the swagga of my sistahs.
You can't buy that shit from Walmart
or Abercrombie & Fitch!
Their curves sway rhythmically to their own music.
And yet you still do not notice,
is this your choice?
To leave us to raise your children
while you parade the 'prize' around the hood
where we once greased and braided your hair,
where we played hide go get it,
smoked a blunt and drunk our red kool-aid
out of the pickle jars until the street lights came on?
Are you that disconnected with yourselves?
Afraid of looking at us directly in the face
because you will only and always see the
reflections of yourself?
They are not band-aids that will cover up
the burden of carrying the world on your shoulders.
Only we can lighten that load.
Only we can help lift you, love you, relate to you,
and help fulfill your destiny of being the Kings you
all are suppose to be!
Sit down with us and chop it up a lil'.
Reconnect with us, love us!
Will you make that your choice?
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