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We appreciate that advice and the very kind words, My Sister. We've been seeking first hand referrals from those in literature and the arts for the very reasons you mention. In our careers, both my wife Ife and I were often acknowledged as good writers, but my background is in non-fiction and businees writing and my wife's was mostly in business and technical writing. However, Ife has written two published fiction works, so that is very helpful. We've had one in-depth discussion with an excellent and experienced Editor, but her schedule and existing commitments may not conform with our desired publication schedule. We have developed an exciting and amazing story and sub-plots based upon true historical events and the results of my Family Heritage research. We are looking for an Editor, hopefuly one with historical fiction experience, to help put some poetry to our manuscript and some music to our story-telling. I have already emailed Troy Johnson re: Edit 1st at the suggestion of W. Paul Coates, publisher-owner at Black Classic Press. Your mention of authentic dialogue is ON POINT. A tip for anyone else who may need it: There is a website devoted to U.S. slang terms as they emerged in various decades. This is not the one Iused. but it is similar: https://alphadictionary.com/slang/?term=&beginEra=1800&endEra=1930&clean=true&submitsend=Search Also, very helpful has been my search for the etymological and time origins of various specific words/terms on dictionary sites. We definitely want to avoid anachronisms in language, science, etc. An example of the latter: The "germ theory" of disease was not broadly accepted at the time of the Cholera Epidemic of 1850, so the precautions taken by our characters would need to reflect that. Again, thanks for your appreciative words and encouragement. As you know - as a published author - writing a book is a daunting task. Historical fiction, as you point out, puts another layer on top of an already challenging task. Damani

While waiting for Troy to respond to the opinion solicited by Del, these are my thoughts. The article is biased, an example of Hollywood patting itself on the back, taking credit for and earning millions from an idea whose time had come, using isolated anecdotal evidence to make a questionable point. Praise for a movie owing much of its success to exciting images, and aggrandizement of the age old conflict pitting heroes versus villains, with the heroes triumphing; a bakery dropping crumbs for hungry black folks starved for the sight of action figures who look like them. But when all the hype dies down, what is left? Black Panther is a slick film about Africa not as it was. not as it now is, nor as it will ever be. What message does this comic book production really send? What the Mother Land could've been, - but woefully is not. White supremacy flexed its ruthless muscles and overwhelmed this continent, relegating it to the ranks of losers, losers who, nonetheless. continue to inspire the romanticized adoration of the diaspora in America where generic African garb. and liberated hair with all of its synthetic extensions, have become superficial badges of a bastardized African heritage. And why is such slavish homage due to a continent whose countries were guilty of participating in the slave trade, selling its own into bondage, sending their shackled bodies across the Atlantic to a land where they would endure hardship and degradation for 4 centuries. Where was African support during the Civil Rights struggle in this country, a movement launched by leaders descended from slaves, people shedding their blood sweat and tears in a quest for freedom, achieving gains that African immigrants now waltz over to this country and benefit from. And, yes, this movie is comparable to Obama's election, an event that that was a "flash-in-the pan", one where, with help from authentic black Americans, the son of a white woman and an African immigrant was elected to the highest office in the land, even though his forefathers had not paid their dues. Furthermore, how will the success of this example of great film making actually impact on black America? Will it create better schools, decrease the black prison population, generate jobs, stop black males from shooting each other, dissipate the baby/mama culture that has destabilized the family unit? Or will it just continue to overshadow films based on true stories about heroic black people. Films like "Hidden Figures", and the ones about the Tuskegee airmen, and Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall, the other movie starring Chadwick Boseman. Where is the acclaim for the superbly-remade "Roots" saga, and the kicked to the curb Nate Turner story? What is certain is that an inevitable sequel to Black Panther will perpetuate the mania. Like "The God Father", it gives all indication of being a profitable franchise. Ka-Ching, If i sound cynical, it's because i am. But i am a voice in the wilderness when it comes to my assessment of the film. You can't argue with success, and everybody loves a winner!

TRYING IT AGAIN!! (May have been "user error!!!!!" LOL Sister Mel, that was quite an introduction!!! Impressive. This is my first post, so bear with me if I don't quite fit the format here. By way of introduction: Native New Yorker - African in America Slightly active in Civil Rights - picketing, etc. in high school Attended Howard University and graduated in 1966 Married college sweetheart US Air Force and found that Air Power and Black Power do NOT mix "Taught" a Black History class at McNeil Island Federal Penitentiary (Visiting Prof, though!!!) My 'students' educated me!! Ever grateful, Ron Ben jar, Leo 10X, Pep and others!! Graduate school at Cornell University (1970-72) - in the aftermath of the armed student takeover of the Student Union bldg Protested murder of Brothers at Attica State Prison Co-led Operation: STOP - the student-faculty divestment organization - to persuade Cornell to sell its Gulf Oil stock; succeeded in doing so. Returned to Howard to work in Student Affairs - 32 years, including 14 years as Dean for Residence Life (student housing) Active with African Liberation Support Committee and Ujamaa Shule and Watoto Shule Former Member of the All African Peoples Revolutionary Party Retired from Howard U in 2004 Relocated to the highlands of the Republic of Panama Conducted Family Heritage research and discovered AMAZING info about my maternal great grandmother Mariah Otey Reddick Was inspired to write a historical novel inspired by her life. My wife Ife, a twice-published fiction writer, is Contributing Author Finishing the first true "First Draft" and now seeking an Editor Glad to be here and to meet all of you. Sisters and Brothers!! Damani

@Troy Hidden Figures worldwide box office was $236 million Maybe Nate should have played up the woman co-warrior angle to the historic battle... These young women aren't interested in the man rescues woman's honor trope. All my three daughters have seen black panther as did my women cousins and they were all impressed by how the women were portrayed in the film. This means to me this is how they see themselves. Possibly the way Nate views women came out in his filmmaking and simply turned off many young black women and women of color. Also @Troy don't discount Byron Allen who made a $20 million dollar bid for birth of the nation - he lost to fox searchlight who only paid 17.5 million

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Maybe you should consider going "that far" @D.E. Eliot, for given what your our positions are very similar. Your point pretty much sums it up: I call this the elusive white co-sign, unless you get it you will not enjoy mass Black appeal and the revenues that go with it. So Disney made a film with positive Black images, but let's be clear: this had nothing to do with uplifting Black people, it is all about making money. Unfortunately, I'd have to agree with you that if Black people created Black Panther it would not have enjoyed the same level of support from Black people and the film would not have enjoyed the same level of financial success as a result. But this is just an interesting a thought experiment because Black people do not make these kinds of films. This is what makes the whole thing so sad and pathetic. D.E. since you mentioned being published by a Black publishing company I wanted learn more about it, so I ran a Google search on the ISBN 978-0692927618, only Amazon's sites come up -- not even the publisher's site is returned in the search results. I also looked for the book in Ingrams database and could not find it there either. What is the publishers website address? Also, I encourage you to read this article Point #3 as it related to posting links to Amazon.

Troy, you're a braver man than I am, Gunga Din. For any books you might want to sell for Blue Nile, send me a list, and I'll send one or two each for whatever book (s) you want, and when you need more, you can just tell me.