Troy

Waterstar I hear you. The idea that if we all had guns, that we would be protected from a police state is an illusion. They will always have us outgunned as they do now. They could just poison the air, water and food supply (which is being done to a certain extent now). Besides why do we need a police state when the masses are controlled by all the nonsense we have at our disposal now and a dismal educatoin system.

Kola I saw your photo yesterday, but not today. If it is a problem I look at it after a software upgrade taking place today.

Kola your sentiments have been echoed by others: "...Black should have started their own Akashic Books by now." Kola that statement pretty much says it all. But there are small Black owned presses, mainly in the urban space, doing their thing: For example I hosted a reading at the National Black Writers Conference (photo below K'wan, Wahida Clark, Troy Johnson). Both of their next novels will be published by Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams' Cash Money Content. Not only are the publishing these authors they are publishing other popular authors including the Ashley and Jauquavis, Treasure Blue, Iceberg Slim's Backlist and more. You also have Crystal Lacey Winslow's Melodrama Publishing and there are others. The problem remains; as we lose bookstores, magazines, websites, etc. The growth of these publishing companies will be constrained as there are not very many platforms to review or even talk about their books. Furthure, as growth is cramped, there is downward pressure on advertising bugets making a bad situation worse. Now entities like Cash Money Content may engage in more creative promotional tactics, capitalize on celebrity, cross over and reap more successes than traditional publishers, maybe not -- time will tell.

Kola, I think I know the store you are reffering to in Charlotte and it closed. The owner opened a Hooka bar, there are books for sale in the corner of the establishment, but calling it a book store would be a stretch I was there a just weeks ago. Signings are not effective for a number of reasons, but viewing them as opportunities to sell enough book to cover the course of the trip is short sighted. Signing are a form of advertsing and promotion -- an expense if you sell enough books to cover the trip -- great. But if you connect with people, introduce them to your work, those folks will talk about your work with others, post photos on social media. that can pay even greater dividens down the road. The "crippling" book signing is the one in which no one attends, this usually happens when the publisher, store owner, and author fail to promote the signing. Often no research is done to ensure a good date is chosen (Wednesday evenings in the south -- conflicts with bible study), Of course is get more complex but no so much so that common mistakes coulr be avoided.

I don't own a gun and have only fired one twice in my life. I thought about getting a gun one few times, but the only scenario I could invision using one was during a home invasion (a very unlikely event). When I was younger settling a dispute on the street was another consideration (fortunately I've matured). I still don't have one Sure, ban guns for everyone except active millitary. The penalty for actually using one should be extremely severe - i.e. Plexico Burress (sp?) would still be in jail. Just active military and specialized police officers like SWAT teams, but not your avergae beat cop.

Waterstar thanks for sharing this I too was unaware of the book, though I will probably not read the book it is was interesting to hear about its existence. While I'm not as old as Cynique, I'm old enough to recognixe how many of the gain we made since the civil rights era have evaporated for the majoirty of Black folks -- across the spectrum. The most fascinating thing to me is that is very little outcry, from the Black community about our condition. Cynique's point that "...goals more positive seem to be programmed to focus on materialism rather than nation-building." perhaps explains the lack of outcry as individuals focus on themselves when they are mere materialistic consumers. Perhaps the difference between Cynique and myself is that I'm inclined to try to do something about it given my relative youth. But the challenges are great becuase people don't really appreciate the magnitude of the crisis we are in. Waterstar would you mind elaborating on why you feel, "Things are changing and I am convinced that they are changing for the better." What are you seeing or feeling that I'm missing? I too believe things will ultimately improve, but not before they get much worse...

Thanks Kola, but don't get me wrong. I'm not saying Johnny has done anything wrong at all. He is using his God given talents and cultural advanatges to do great things. There is nothing I have to talk to him about -- other than say, "keep up the good work". My concern is that the same system in which a Johnny Temple thrives is the very same one in which I witnessed a dramatic reduction in Black bookstores, Black literary magazines, Black websites, a reduction in the number of Black people in senior roles in publishing houses, and indeed the power of Black indepedent publishing is waning. An older gentlemen, at the end of the panel, asked a rhetorical question which really spoke to what many were feeling. He asked, in essence, was the National Black Writers Conference becoming a multicultural conference? That question was important to me because it says should we, as part of this conference, spend our time celebrating the success of Akaschic Books, or should we spend our time getting down and doing the work necessary to figure out how to publish Black authors ourselves? It was not very long ago when Third World Press had a #1 NY Times Bestselling book. There is nothing on the horizon that gives me any indication that this feat will be repeated again.

I always thought it was children's movie. I did not like a single Harry Potters Movie but I went becuase, initially I took my kids, by the the time the last one rolled around it was like a family tradition. The and the first Potter book, which was the last one, I read to my kids did nothing for me. I'm glad I can ignore the Hunger Games franchise completely. I published a review here: http://aalbc.com/reviews/hunger_games.html

Hey Waterstar I've been to at least two different stors in ATL. Medu (in a mall I forget the name of it) and the Shrine of the Black Madona (not too far from Moorehouse). Are you saying one of them is closed. I agree about Black bookstores there are a pillar of a community. The idea that a state like NC with cities like Greensboro, Raleigh, and Charlotte can not have a single Black owned bookstore boggles the mind....

Hey Kola, I was at the National Black Writers Conference this past weekend. The last panel on the last day was entitled. "Being Sold or Selling Ourselves: Black Writers and the marektplace". The panelists included Regina Brooks, Jlove Calderon, Linda Duggins, Lisa Moore, Johnny Temple and Cheryl Woodruff. Most of the talking was done by Johnny. While is he is clearly a nice guy, passionate and smart about what he does. I could not help but be taken by how seemingly obilvious he is to the fact that much of the ease at which has published so many Black writers is a direct consequence of his being a white man. I was going to address the issue at the panel, but like many others, I thought it wiser to hold my tongue. Perhaps even more important is the issue that Black people despite our money, despite our talents, in 2012 still can not publish our own writers; and are dependent upon the largess of sypathetic white folks. The panel will be broadcast on CSpan's BookTV in the near future -- I encourage everyone to watch it. You can judge for yourself.

This is picking on on a conversation from Facebook: http://www.facebook....206750629430735 Therone if you reply to this message I'll know to respond to your comments and pick uo the conversation here.

This is video 1 of 6, the same user uploaded so the rest are easy to find

Thanks for sharing. So tragic. Arrest for vagrancy then sold into slavery....

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Death of the Black Owned, Independent, Bookstore http://aalbc.it/deathboibs The title of my article may seem rather bleak, but if you look at the data this is exactly where we are headed -- and fast.

Waterstar I see no evidence of such guidance OK, it is too early in the morning for be to be so negative...

Waterstar my time is so limited that I rather spend doing something else that watch a documenatry of questionable validity. While professional integrity and critical thinking skills are not synonymous -- they are both sorely lacking in our media. I just Googled the film and found nothing to suggest that it was questionable. Wikipedia (our information Bible) #3 in my search result indicated nothing. I posted a link to my AALBC.com review. How did you find Kam's review?

Waterstar Spread the word! I wish I had tme for a book I'm doing everything I can to help Black books have a voice online. I just created a database of Black bookstores: http://aalbc.com/writers/bookstores.html There are 87 stores n this list and I hope to add more this is what remains after account for the closing of over 200 stores! I through websites were dying.

writergirl I hear you hence my donning of the symbolic "hoodie". Again I assert that Zimmerman too is a victim of an environment which gives raise to actions like this. Sure I Zimermman needs to be put under the jail; but unless the enviroment in this country changes Zimmerman is just a portent of the future.

Hey Water yes it is a longtime -- glad to see your name again! Unfortunately Lous Reyes Rivera, who write the above message, passed earlier this month: http://aalbc.com/authors/louis_reyes_rivera.html

Waterstar this is one of those situations when Kam's review: http://aalbc.com/reviews/the_boys_of_baraka.htm was enough for me. I had not interest is seeing the film. It is not very often he pans a film so strongly.

writegirl870 anyone who actually contributes to Wikipedia knows the deficencies you've just mentioned. Getting that point across to others is much more difficult. Now Britannica is on-line too, has been for years -- even BEFORE Wikipedia. The problem is that generating the content for Britannica take experts and that takes money. Britannica might even STILL be viable if Google served them first instead of WIkipedia for search results -- this is the ONLY reason Wikipedia has become so relevant and one of the most popular sites on the web. The only thing I not clear on is what is Google's strategy behind elevating Wikipedia at the expense of Britannica and every other better source of any given pice of information.

Cynique, people especially our people are just angry. It is a powder keg on both sides. Ignorant white folks don't know who the real enemy is -- once they figure it out then and maybe then things will change for the better. Black folks already know, but few are willing to admit, that even a Black presdient can not make things better. This will be demonstrated by our lack luster turnout at the polls in November.

Information-yet-no-critical-thinking-skills-Age I wish someone would write the book in the subject. The assumption is since we have more access to information that we are automatically better off -- when on every measurable level we are not. The assumption is that if we put a PC's in every classroom the students will be better off, or if everyone gets a 3D 60" flat screen TV with 1,00 channels and we'll be better entertained. It is very frustrating dealing with people who believe society is better off but can not point to a single thing that is actually better (especially for Black folks) other than to say technology has improved. Sure there have been advances for individuals as a result of technology, but I'm talking about the masses; who continue to be largley exploited -- with the aid of technology.

He is Barack Obama. Glad you got your keyboard fixed. Thought I see the caps lock is still broken :-)