Book Birthday

By the time this post comes out, my book’s birthday will have come and gone. That’s right! Sad, Black, & Fat: Musings from the Intersections went live on August 5^th. What a journey this has been!

Side note: I’m available for podcast, interviews, and other promotional activities! Check out my contact page for more info!

Climbing the Rungs

I didn’t set out to write a book. This whole thing started with some sad blog posts from a few years ago. I knew that I wanted to write a book one day, but that was one of those goals that people say they have and never do anything about. Stuff like winning the lottery and buying that beach house falls into that category. So one day was a day that might never come.

The pandemic helped to inspire me to do more with my dreams. I had a lot of time to sit around and think about my life. What did I want, and how was I going to get it? I was unhappy but what was I doing about it?

Around this time, I applied for membership to Rung for Women. Rung is a new non-profit organization devoted to helping women to move forward in their lives and achieve their dreams. Their promotional materials resonated with me. They were offering answers to the questions I was asking myself. Additionally, they were offering solutions; solutions that took the form of life coaching, therapy groups, and career exploration. I was willing to investigate these options, and I’m becoming a better person because of it. I’m exceedingly grateful for Rung’s guidance and the support of their staff and my cohort sisters. This book wouldn’t have been possible without you!

Self-Publishing, Sort Of

I reached out to a small, independent publisher that I found through a friend on Facebook. Fruitful.Poetic.Light Press was a new publishing house committed to giving Black women avenues to get their stories out to the world. Bri was terrific to work with throughout this entire process. Her knowledge and expertise were a huge relief because I knew nothing about getting a book published. She helped me apply for copywrite and edited my book, pushing me to get deep and flex some literary muscle. If anyone is looking for a good editor/publisher for their work, I will implore you to look Bri up. Next year would be a good time as she isn’t taking new clients at the moment!

#WritingCommunity

I also want to acknowledge the #WritingCommunity on Twitter! It might seem hard to believe, but I have a terrible time talking about myself. Hence, I wrote a whole book about me, right?

Seriously, the writing community has helped me greatly. I’ve made friends, learned how to promote my book, and have begun networking to build up an audience. It has also been motivating to see other people’s challenges within the publishing process. Some of these big publishing houses are a trip and are straight up abusing these writers. There are more than a few horror stories out there. I don’t know if I would ever want to work with one of these companies. I’m not into getting chewed up and spat out.

Why The 5th?

August 5^th might seem like a random day for a book to come out. Most release days are near the weekend when people have more free time to check out your stuff. I chose this date for a reason.

I have written before about my maternal grandfather. Ed was an interesting character in my life. He was my favorite person for a long time, and I was quite the spoiled granddaughter. He would take me on fishing trips, and we would hang out at the lake all day. I remember biting hunks off of a roll of garlic bologna we had purchased earlier that day at the deli instead of wasting time with making sandwiches. He was a character.

My grandfather was barely literate. He couldn’t read much more than his own name. Being unable to read was pretty typical for poor Black men in the South. So imagine how tickled he was to learn that his favorite (only at the time) grandchild knew how to read at four years old! It amused him to no end. He would show me off to his friends and ask me to read something in front of them. It was cool since I usually got a sweet treat as a reward for being so smart. I can remember him asking me to read highway signs for him as we cruised around the city. These are cherished memories for me, and I chose his birthday for the release of my book to honor him. I know I’m still making him proud.  

Endless Gratitude

Thank you to my mother for believing in my dream and pushing me when I didn’t want to be pushed.

Thank you to my husband for listening to me cry and complain while I was trying to make positive changes in my life.

Thank you to my friends who read my stuff and tell me that it isn’t crap.

Thank you to everyone who identifies with and appreciates my writing. I do this for y’all.

Not much else to say with this one. My book is out in the world now and I would greatly appreciate it if you purchased a copy or two. Get one for you and one as a gift for someone. You could even buy one to donate to a little free library. Donate it to a regular library if you would like. That’s great too. You can hop over to this page to get your copy as well as read some interviews about the book and some advance reviews. I would also appreciate good reviews on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Reviews let the companies know that this book is hot right now and it helps authors greatly. Word of mouth promotion is stellar as well. Make a trip to your local bookshop and request that the book be carried there. It makes a difference, trust me of that.

Thank you again for all the love and support. I hope you enjoy the book.

Be safe. Take care. I love you.