Troy

@ErnestLiving not a problem. Can you send me a headshot and bio Something different that what is on your website than I can use here: https://aalbc.com/authors/author.php?author_name=Ernest+K.+Aning yes I'd like to see your book.

How are you arriving at your conclusion of what the black consensus might be? Is it what you see streaming across your facebook feed or some other filter bubble? What makes you the arbiter of defining who or who is not in the black consensus? I still lament this fact, and relative to racism I feel it is a much bigger problem for Black folks today. Racism is FAR less of a problem for Black folks that it once was. I'm not saying racism is nonexistent -- in fact it is I who have been called nigger by white folks, not you. It is I who has lived in the segregated, dilapidated underserved inner city created by white racist policy, not you. It it I who has been pulled over by white po-po for doing absolutely nothing wrong more times than I can count, not you. It is I who have deal with racist elits in corporate America who were blind to their own racist-elitism because because they were never around anyone powerful enough to conscious enough to check them -- This all pales in comparison with what my parents went through. @Cynique I assumed you might know what racism actually feels like and could put it into proper historical context. Seems like as far as actual racism is concerned you are a spectator and don't really understand what being a victim of racism actually feels like and the generational impact that it has on people. I'd MUCH rather live with 45 as president in 2018 than live with Andrew Jackson as president in 1830. Wouldn't you @Cynique? It is true I'm optimistic about the racism decreasing over time -- because it has. I can also believe that wealth equality will continue to rise, because nothing is currently being done to stop it. These ideas are not incompatible. What I'm struggling to understand is why the fact that racism is less of a problem today that it was just 50 years ago is a point of contention or debate. @Chevdove do you think racism is worse today when compared to the jim crow era? If so why?

I've actually meet and had dinner, with a few other friends, with Goldie. She is smart, down to earth, and a Sista. We are not best buds or anything so I'll speak about her they way I would anyone. I would not call her a "clueless AfroAmerican woman." That would be inaccurate. I'm sure she knows many white women followed the leads of their husbands and voted for what they perceived as their own self interests. I think however Goldie is trying to appeal to white women on another level, the sorority of gender. I don't think it will work, because money trumps gender in America. But the click baity title will probably grab attention for the daily beast's website; which is the point of the article right?

At this instant noone. But consider China, Don't sleep. @Pioneer1 China is as gangsta as the U.S. They greatly outnumber of us, so they have more smart people than we do. On an economic front the US owes China trillions of dollars. Don't discount Russia either. Americans tend to think we are invincible. This comes from provincial thinking created by a diet of American propaganda. We obviously learned nothing from Vietnam -- who incidentally kicked our asses all up and down southeast asia.

LOL "pompous" oh my, have we resorted to name calling? Not even Pioneer resorts to that tactic No, I don't fashion myself as a "seer" either (that's Del's realm). Indeed, I'm a student of history, and looking at the trajectory of racism (or tribalism if you prefer), the trajectory, as far as Black folks is concerned in America, is pretty damn good -- I'l take 2018 American over 1818 American any day of the week. I suspect you would too Cynique. We've gone from enslavement, to jim crow, to being challenged when entering our building without using a key -- in just over 100 years. All indications are that we will continue to make progress over the next 100 years. I see things like 45's precedence as the last gasp of the dying legacy of old style white male dominance -- racist or otherwise. The results of the midterms have made this pretty plain. But lets be clear rich white men exert a great deal of control, a few elected officials, while a step in the right direction is not the solution. Real power needs to be wrested from these people and that will take a lot more action than we've, collectively, demonstrated a willingness to exert.

A problem for 45? Compared to what?

...they would have been locked up a long time ago. America looks out for rich white men, it is in our DNA. There were many who believed that Trump would not finish the year, given his record and behavior. This was purely an emotional response for most, and magical thinking for others -- remember rich white men are benefiting from 45's presidency. The notion that anything will change, given the Democratic control of the lower house of congress is also wishful thinking. Some believe the Mueller probe will be anticlimactic. I don't know... What I do know is that I'm not pinning my hopes on any meaningful change as a result of this midterm election. Perhaps in two more years when the senate and president are both democratic (which seems likely) we will see some meaningful legislation that will help the poor, working and middle class in this country. Trump is not going to jail in the next two years.

To be clear maximizing ones wealth if fine, but not when the cost is the impoverishment or harm caused to others. We live in a world where a trillionaire is celebrated while the masses of people who work for him are struggling to make ends meet. Pharmaceutical companies executives are maximizing their wealth and that of their share holders, but look at how many people have died as a result of lobbying to make these drugs to easily obtained. Pioneer a drug dealer works very hard to maximize his wealth, do you think there is nothing wrong with that? Of course this is fine, but the same rule applies: if doing well for yourself, or family requires one to rob or harm someone else then it it wrong and civilization break down. Look if someone attacks you or tries to take something away from you, you have to defend yourself. This country was build on the principle or taking from and harming others, so it is no surprise the mentality persists, but if you are a bully there is always someone bigger and badder than you willing to kick your ass. American are much better off when we work to maximize our own benefits AND everyone else's.

I previously recommended that authors select 5 to 10 BISAC codes for their book. However BIAC recommends choosing three as a best practice: https://bisg.org/page/BISACSelection I find it is useful, at least in my database, to apply more if they are truly applicable. Again, it makes it easier for books to be found. I'm already creating my own codes and applying BISAC for books that don't have them. @ErnestLiving are you planning on writing any more books? Also email me at troy@aalbc.com ill send you my mailing address. I added your book here: https://aalbc.com/books/bookinfo.php?isbn13=9781732457300

I was seriously considering reducing my focus on book about celebrities. One reason is that there is too much focus in the adult market on celebrity -- at least for my tastes. Celebrities rarely promote their products on the website, so they don't support the site. The thinking by publishers is that the celebrity's platform is all that is needed to move the book. Sure a famous person with a mediocre book can sell far more copies that an obscure author with a great book. If the focus is on sales then books by non-celebrities don't get published or they get less support from publishers. I think there needs to be more attention paid to the obscure authors with the great books. I add all the books in the site manually. In the time it too me to write this post I could have added the book. I'm going to pass on this one... I'm open to thoughts.

Yep it looks like they will. Also Mueller already has them I'm sure. Democratic control of the house spells trouble for trump. But he is safe until the end of the year, I'm going to use my $50 from you Del to take someone on a nice dinner date -- thanks!

Yeah I spoke to someone else about Harvey supposed support of Trump and they basically said what you said. The Root article indicated that Harvey was a supported and this is misleading.

OK you are now making this conversation really dicey when you start commingling "race" and "skin color." One is subjective and the other is purely arbitrary, so a reasonable discussion is very difficult, still I'll try... I was talking about Black and White because that was what this conversation was about. Now you want to bring brown immigrants into the mix (another pioneer tactic ). Xenophobia does not equal racism, nor is it a function of skin color. Not all people south of the board are "brown" -- many are physically indistinguishable from what you know as white. This is a notion fueling social media hysteria and exploited by our president. Cynique when protestants were and catholics were running around killing each other was skin color a consideration? I may be an idealist, but racism will fade away. History tells us this -- and it should be obvious. I'm sure the majority of Americans know Black people are not genetically inferior. Little more than 100 years ago we enslaved on this belief -- a belief any educated person would reject today. Cynique racism is fading and it will continue to do so. A woman challenging a man from coming in behind her in an apartment is not proof to the counter While describing my impressions of social media a climate change as "panic" is a bit much () The difference between racism and climate change is that climate change will not go away unless we actually do something. Unless we do something there will be a calamity on a global scale. Now this will not likely effect you or I, but future generations certainly have cause for concern. As far as social media, I don't like it for a variety of reasons and it quite possibly may be a more serious problem that American racism, because it too is global in influence. 45 is in the whitehouse because of social media, the genocide in the aftermath of the Arab Spring is a result of Facebook. @Chevdove White on white hostility seems to go back as far as recorded history. Forget Chicago, something really needs to be done about this "white-on-white" crime

Thanks @Mel Hopkins, right now I have it on the Books Main Page: https://aalbc.com/books/ and it is on the category's page as well. For example you will see it on the Romance / Fantasy Category. I even created collages of books in each of the categories. This was done just to help me on social media sharing, nt I think they are just cool to look at

@Mel Hopkins, Hmmm Bill is fantastically wealthy, and Camille is not going to be around a heck of a lot longer -- how much money would he have to spend? He should have just driven his car off a cliff if that is the case. Fingers cross for Abrams!

White folks have a Loooong history of killing other white folks for a variety of reasons. You lived through WW II, you witnesses global slaught largely at the hands of white folks on an unprecedented scale. Racism was just a tactic to justify life long enslavement of Black folks. I don't think racism is all that complicated and it certainly has nothing to do with biology, or any inherited traits. In a century, assuming the planet is still habitable, people will look back on the time unable to fathom why people were racist. I'm less racist that my parents, and my kids are less racist than I am. Once we die off America will be a better place, at least as far as this racism stupidity is concerned. Cynique if people are born hating folks of different completions why don't Black people of different completions hate each other?

No I can't think of a single good reason for a Black person, indeed any person, to support 45. All the Black people I know who support him are interested in maximizing their personal wealth and are not too concerned about anyone else especially other Black people -- pretty much like 45 supporters of all colors and republicans in general. I did not know Steve Harvey was a trump supporter, but steve always struck me as someone really interested in being rich. I still can't wrap my head around Jim Brown's support of the man. Money usually "trumps" race for many Black people. But this is America and money trumps everything. Tonight's midterms will tell us a lot about our country. Winter is coming...

Sure chikdren can tell humans apart from each other, but the fear or hated based upon those differences is taught. Cynique where did you get this from? I know you did not read this in a book. Is it based upon an observation. At the risk if offending you, it sounds exactly like something Pioneer would say Racism is not inherent to humans: it is a learned behavior. America is perhaps the greatest teacher if racism. They have people beliving it is human nature... deep. @Chevdove, OK.

Hey man this us cool Omar on the Wire reading your book and now Wendy Williams shouting you out way back in 2005.. time is flying.

That is just white folks talking amoungst themselves. @Mel Hopkins, i missed you post about Bill sacrificing himself for Camille. That seems highly unlikely to me; why do you think that?

This is who Facebook really makes most of the from. The money facebook get from small businesses like mine is chump change, which is why we are not serviced very well.

@Milton I used your quote in the newsletter I'm mailing in the morning. Yeah I know it is November.. but I've been busy At any rate I've categories most of the book I have on AALBC using the BISAC codes and hyper linked your message as shown below: “It's Black Speculative Fiction Month! This month we celebrate the Black Fantastic by supporting our creators and their events throughout the Diaspora! If you've never read a Sword and Soul, Steamfunk, Afrofuturism, Africanfuturism, African Fantasy, Science Fiction, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Horror book or graphic novel by a Black author, this is your month. I encourage all my friends to read, support an author by writing a review, attend a Black Speculative Fiction event, share a book, event, and/or an author with friends. This is our month, so let's celebrate!” —Milton J. Davis There are over 4,600 BISAC codes defined (yes I counted them). I would you believe there are no categories for Afrofuturism, Sword and Soul, or anything African (the list of codes is American centric). I've taken to creating my own codes so that I can categorie these books and make them easier for readers to find. The challenge for authors is discovery. The lack of stores, websites, magazines, media coverage, make the discover of book very challenging today. I most people I talk to have ever heard of N.K. Jemison. @Valjeanne Jeffers, I believe I have all your books (physical) on the site: https://aalbc.com/authors/author.php?author_name=Valjeanne+Jeffers

The TEA who also read Barracoon. The ladies attended the Black Authors & Readers Rock Weekend in Maryland and discussed the book with attendees. I'll be joining them for the 2019 celebration. Enjoy the video.

Praise Song for the Butterflies by Bernice L. McFadden Publication Date: Jul 03, 2018 List Price: $27.95 (store prices may vary) Format: Hardcover Classification: Fiction Page Count: 224 ISBN13: 9781617755750 Imprint: Akashic Books Publisher: Akashic Books Parent Company: Akashic Books Read Our Review of Praise Song for the Butterflies Book Description: Praise Song for the Butterflies addresses “Trokosi,” the practice of sending girls to shrines as slaves to serve priests in order to protect their family from the gods’ anger.

I attended on day of this two day event and I'd have to saw it was once of the best book festivals I've attended in a long time. Below are video I shot during the event. It is just a small sample of all that was there to see and do. These videos are also grouped in a playlist on Youtube.