Shirley Gale

Thanks guys for responding. I just don't want to wake up and find this site gone for one reason or another. I joined Authonomy@harpercollins a few months ago. No sooner had I posted my manuscript for The Peanut Butter Trap, I discovered that they were shutting down the site. I was sick. So far I like what I see here and I just don't want this to go away. Thanks for putting me at ease a little.

I am a member of the SCBWI and they have the Blue Boards. OMG, there is participation to the point of it being overwhelming. I would love for something close to that kind of activity to happen with AALBC. It would be awesome. CDBurns, you are right, better to start slow rather than not at all. I will just keep telling people about this site--some will hear me, some won't

Now as far as FB is concerned, I closed mine down because it really started getting on my nerves. I even had a business account. I know that I am going to have to start it back, but I am going to put some serious thought into how it is formatted for my benefit.

Thanks again for sharing :)

Hello Troy and CDBurns,

By the way CDBurns, I just had the opportunity to read a little about you on the homepage. You are someone that I am glad to be getting to know. Also, I see that there are many members in the aalbc community, so where are their voices in terms of your request for recommendations on this homepage?

Troy, I do not know enough about what you are doing with the homepage, so I dare not comment on it. However, I am sure that there are others out there who should be able to provide feedback to you in this endeavor. I want to have membership where we, our people, have input. We have to comment and make suggestions to others so that all of us can grow. I see that people do a lot a viewing, but they are silent in their comments, suggestions, and critiques. I guess I love to run my mouth and express my thoughts--verbally and in writing. I encourage feedback and constructive criticism--I grow from it--we grow from it.

I wish that I could comment on the future homepage. I believe that you will make great decisions on what's great for the site. If I can offer any suggestions on anything in the future--pitch it to me and let me know. I will try my best to help in anyway that I can. My best to you. I would love to see this web community grow even more than it already has. Also, thank goodness for input from CDBurns. It looks like you can depend on him to always be there.

Good Day Troy,

My casting call video is stored on my desktop. It was produced using my windows camera phone. For some reason when I try to choose a file, it will not open. Also, I have the one book published right now. The ISBN given are: 978-1-4808-1480-6 (sc), ISBN: 978-1-4808-1481-3 (hc), ISBN: 978-1-4808-1482-0 (e). I really appreciate you creating a page for me on the new website. I would also like to set up my profile with my photo and other pertinent info. I cannot access that either. Is this because you are working on the new website? I am really happy to be a part of this organization. I see a lot of promise here. In the New Year, I would like to fully immerse myself into the AALBC community.

Hi Troy,

I have sent in my head shot, resume, and video on "Why I Love Books." I am wondering if it is possible to post my video on this site. I have allowed some of my teacher-friends to preview it and they all like it a lot. In fact, one of them shared the video with her students. If I am  allowed, do I use the insert other media tab to upload it? I think it's really cool and I would like more feedback on it.

I sure hope that I am among the chosen for the web-series talk show. It really sounds like fun. Also, can you clarify the extent of the hospitality provided--in other words, what is paid by the producer and what would be my responsibility? This would be a first for me in such matters.

Thanks :)

Thanks for catching my mistakes. I type so much that I cannot see my errors even after reading my materials over and over again. I would like to do a study on the brain to discover why one cannot see an error once it has been entered. I made the exact same errors on the original post. Thanks for liking this one. I really like it too.

This is the repost of my poem. Thanks Troy!

Life’s Candle

I saw a candle lit today,

long and strong created from clay.

Hot molten wax, no life in sight,

cooled to perfection and shaped just right.

Strong and slender, the wick took form,

the flame its beginning, a new thing is born.

A new breath inhaled, the candle—it cries.

An old breath exhaled, the candle—it dies.

The success of the flame is the endurance of man,

it flickers and flutters, so grand does it stand.

While melting and bending, it fears the wind’s gust.

Life is a mystery with no one to trust.

The burning of the wick shows a life endured.

The melting of the wax shows a death assured.

No air to breathe, the candle cease to be—

the flame gone out, I turn to Thee.

Shirley G. Perry-Church, 1993

Hello JonRenee,

Your poem is magical. I had the opportunity to read it twice. Thanks for sharing a piece of your beautiful soul.

Hello Harry,

I love the emotional impact that this poem brings. I love poetry that uses the powerful characteristics of our oceans and seas as metaphors for our intense feelings of longing. I would love to see it formatted in stanzas. However, I realize that this is your creative presentation. I really appreciate the content--it's moving.

After living in a fifteen year, first marriage, nightmare, God blessed me with the man who would show me A whole new World--our theme song. I wrote this poem for him and all the good men who worship their beautiful women.

Loving Him

Being with a man, the only way I can...

This man for me is special and kind. The man I see is top of the line.

He's beautiful, he's pleasant, he's smart and sweet. He's sensuous, he's sexy, the man is complete.

He is always considerate of my deepest feelings, careful never to hurt me--even in bad dealings.

He and I have just the right stuff, I love him so much, I just can't get enough.

He holds me tight and kisses me when I cry. He's beside me at night when my day has gone by.

His smile is that of the brightest sunshine, no doubt in my heart this man is all mine.

He allows me to win all the arguments and fights, even though he knows I'm wrong and he's right.

He loves me, he likes--he says he always will. A thing 'til death parts us is our greatest deal.

He's good to me--he cooks and feeds me in bed. His intentions are sincere, he's even better than I've said.

He gives me great advice to use as I may. This man is the best, what more can I say?

Shirley G. Perry-Church to my man!

1993

Hello Everyone,

I wrote this poem during a time in my life when I saw too many of our young Black men slinging dope and killing one another. This was a time when I saw black anger turned inward. I wrote this one during the early nineties. Why are so many of our young black youth still in the same predicaments today--in 2015? This poem was featured in the Virginian Pilot in Norfolk, VA and the Journal and Guide, our only Black Newspaper at the time. Once it was released to the public, some people, especially young Black men, took offense to being labeled "weak."

Sorry, I just think that weakness exists in the absence of strength, courage, and endurance. There are far too many of our beautiful, young, Black, men locked up because they made the wrong choice to make a dollar. Still today, there are far too many of them not handling their business. There are far too many of you separated/apart from us--your beautiful Black Woman! I suspect that I will get others who do not like this particular poem. If that is the case, please counter me in a positive discussion and enlighten my ignorance.

Come Back Young Brother

Young Black Man, You are--

Afraid not to be weak, yet too weak to be strong.

Afraid not to say "yes" to what's right, too weak to say "no" to what's wrong.

Afraid not to look, listen, and learn--too weak to stay and wait your turn.

Afraid not to just walk away, too weak to pray for a brighter day.

Afraid not to deal in dope, too weak to be your mother's hope.

Afraid not to open your eyes to the light, too weak to resist the perils of the the night.

Afraid not to cry out for help, too weak to make just one more step.

Afraid not to learn in school, too weak to follow the golden rule.

Afraid not to love your brother, too weak to stop hurting one another.

Afraid not to stop the guns and caine, too weak to wake up and come in from the rain.

Afraid not to feel your pride, too weak to let goodness be on your side.

Afraid not to see your brother's plight, too weak to vote and make it right.

Afraid not to obey government's laws, too weak to resist its fatal flaws.

Afraid not to speak of your pain, too weak to stamp out killing in vain.

Afraid not to come back home, too weak to let your love be shone.

Afraid not to take a bride, too weak to know that she'll be by your side.

Afraid not to heed your mother's frown, too weak to resist beating her down.

Afraid not to be the true Black man, too weak to know that you're the only one who can.

Afraid not to give it all to God, too weak to shuffle the deck and pull the right card.

Afraid not to look around you and live, too weak to stop, to care, to give.

And finally, young brother--

Afraid not to see that you're Black, too weak to know its time to come back!

Shirley G. Perry-Church,

1992

Hi Troy, here you go again. I just visited this website. I am all over this. Thanks to you, I am knocking on a lot of doors. I am busy, busy, busy.  My hubby writes inspirational quotes on strips of paper to me every morning and leaves them on the computer. He is always there for me when I get a little downhearted. I would like to share some with you, our members, and guests:

"The only thing that stands between a person and what he or she wants in life is the will to try it and the faith to believe it possible." --Author unknown

"Dear Past, thank you for your lessons. Dear Future, I'm ready. Dear God, thank You for giving me another chance."  --Author unknown

"Make mistakes, take chances, be silly, be imperfect, trust yourself, and follow your heart." --Author unknown

"If you want to reach the stars, you must learn to stand on your toes." --Shirley Perry-Church

God bless your efforts!

.

Wow! Fifteen years of data. This is awesome. I just took a peek. I will take more time to go through this great information. You have provided us with so many resources to draw from!!!

Troy, thanks for sharing this. What great pioneers we have. I love it when our folks are continually recognized and awarded for their excellence in literary art.  Big Congrats to Mr. Johnson. I am so inspired! This makes me proud to have been a former Louisianan

Thanks Troy, I'll keep watching for updates and developments. I might miss this opportunity, but hopefully, I will be ready for the next one.

Okay, will do. I know you told me this before, but for some reason, I saw that everybody else attached their poetry. I certainly want as many people as possible to see it. so I will post them.

Thanks :)

On 11/8/2015, 7:11:13, Troy said:

Hi Shirley, it would be much better if you simply posted the poem on the page. Copy and Paste works well and preserves the formatting.  

Attaching a word document  forces people to download a file that could potentially hold a virus.  Some people, mobile users in particular, may not have a program to open the file.

Hi Troy, this is great. I am working on getting my books published and appropriately priced as soon as possible--I can hardly wait. How long does this promotion last and how often is it repeated. I hate missing out on the good stuff. Love this!!!

Hello Everyone,

I want to share another one of my poems. I love this poem so much because of the way that it portrays life. I am always amazed by the arrangement of words and the way those words make us feel. I hope you will share your views on how this poem makes you feel. Your views and criticisms help me to grow and develop more in my writings. Someday, I hope to publish my book of poems.

Thanks,

Shirley

Life's Candle.docx

Hello Troy,

I am so excited to be a member now :). I am also very interested in this QBR's The Black Book Review Casting Call. I have learned so much from visiting this site as a guest. I belong to a few literary and professional organizations where I paid handsomely to join. However, I want to say that I have not participated as much as I have on this site. I love my people and I enjoy hearing what we have to say about most things--not all things, ha ha, but most things.

I would like to see more participation and support in terms of great comments by the our members and guests. Great comments aren't always what we want to hear, but these comments are positive in a constructive way that can be beneficial to the receiver.  Let's always help one another to become bigger, better, and stronger,

Troy, you are a great example of one who provides great constructive feedback. As a result, I have made more progress in my literary pursuits. aalbc.com is wonderful. Again, I am happy to be a member. In the coming days, I plan to explore all that it has to offer. I am also telling people about this wonderful platform for our people.

Thanks so much,

Shirley Gale