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5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, interview, the soul of a man

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Marc Lacy, author of Bottomed Out (The Soul of a Man Edition)

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… (The Soul of a Man Edition)
Marc Lacy, author of “Bottomed Out”
(Peace In The Storm Publishing)

“Bottomed Out” is a fiction short story about a lower middle-class African-American family living in Indiana whose focus is to make sure their son, J.R., is raised correctly and learns wholesome life values. Unfortunately, J.R. is caught up in the hype of peer pressure and feels he has to “dress the part” by going through his teen life with pants sagging off of his behind.

Because of this habit, J.R. suffered an embarrassing moment on the basketball court. Thus, he was kicked off of the team and suspended from school. To teach J.R. a lesson, his father Buford put his own career and family reputation on the line in a very crucial fashion to prove a point.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write “Bottomed Out”?

Marc Lacy: The inspiration to write “Bottomed Out” came from noticing how the “sagging pants” issue is more prevalent now than it has ever been all over the country and the world. The points of emphasis are geared toward those youth who want to be somebody but are unfortunately unable to understand the importance of professionalism.

JP: What has been your personal experience in being a part of The Soul of a Man Anthology?

ML: My experience has been wonderful. Everything from meeting the faces behind the writing, to meeting the masses who have been positively impacted by The Soul of a Man Anthology.

JP: What is your most memorable moment of The Soul of a Man Anthology in terms of what has been expressed of you by someone who has had a chance to read
this book?

ML: I was at a book signing for another publication when someone came up to the table (who apparently already read Soul of a Man) and started bragging to a customer about how they enjoyed the book and that they encourage everyone to pick it up and read it.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish “Bottomed Out”?

My writing process for short stories is to go ahead and write it out as if I’m about to send it to the editor. After the raw/rough draft, I go in and apply as many fine-tuning waves as possible. “Bottomed Out” took roughly a day to write the draft.

JP: What is your latest short story collection, Wretched Saints (with Assuanta Howard), about? And what has been your journey with that book?

ML: Wretched Saints is a fiction short story book that highlights the fact that even when so-called “good people” do wrong, bad things can and will happen. When a person is up to no good…it is what it is, whether they are a preacher, drug dealer, or homeless hobo. But they have to recognize when God gives them the opportunity to recover.

Thus far, the book has been well received by various walks of life. Mainly the religious and non religious, the churched and unchurched, so on and so forth have been enamored by it. Wretched Saints has been great during book reviews/discussions.

Awards Recognition:

  • Marc Lacy (“The Looking Heart”) won the Poet of the Year Award(Disilgold.com)
  • Marc Lacy (“The Looking Heart”) won the Self-Published Poet of the Year Award(Aspicomm)
  • Marc Lacy won “Poet of The Year” – 2005 (C&B Books Distributors-NYC)
  • Marc Lacy won “2006 Poet of The Year” – via Memphis Black Writer’s Conference
  • Charles Owens won an Independent Producer of the Year Award for his masterful production regarding the CD REFlux (Disilgold.com)
  • 2007 Distinguished Alum Award for S.R. Butler High
  • 2007 Nominee for “Poet of the Year” along with Nikki Giovanni (Open Book Awards, for Rock & Fire)

http://www.marclacy.com/
http://www.avopublishing.com/
http://twitter.com/marc_lacy
http://www.facebook.com/marclacy
http://www.myspace.com/mlacy

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5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american authors, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, interview

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Alvin Romer, author of What Lies in the Souls of Men and Adam Where Art Thou? (The Soul of a Man Edition)

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JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… (The Soul of a Man Edition)
Alvin Romer, author of “What Lies in the Souls of Men” and “Adam Where Art Thou”
(Peace In The Storm Publishing)

My two essays in the book deals with the topical issue, as I give adamant reasons why we are in the pickle we’re in, and an in-depth analogy of the seminal essay, “Adam Where Art Thou?”

In a generic sense, I will reiterate and ask anew the questions: What do you think would be on the minds of men? And for the women: Just how well do you know your man? What should he be thinking about? I opine that the souls of men truly wants to be understood and not undersold as I give reasons why.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write “What Lies in the Souls of Men” and “Adam Where Art Thou?”

Alvin Romer: The idea and inspiration to write both of my narratives, ‘What Lies in the Souls of Men?’ and “Adam Where Art Thou?” are direct correlation to the state of the Black male in our society today. The former was posed to me by the publisher of The Soul of a Man Anthology, Elissa Gabrielle.

As I pondered the question (never realizing that it was the title of a forthcoming book that I would be a part of), I stopped and asked myself “What really lies in my soul? What are the things that bothers me most being a man of color in this world?”

The idea was simply for me to look at what I went through learning after I left the village and entered the world. The school of hard knocks prepared me well. I knew that I lacked all that would make me more of the man I knew I should be.

The book opens with “What Lies in the Souls of Men?”, and it appropriately sets the tone for the entire book. I intended for it to be inspiring to those that could relate to why we harbor things and allow them to fester and be scars that we wear on our sleeves.

“Adam Where Art Thou?” is the the extension to what we have put on the back burner that forces us to stand up and be accountable for not baring it all when it counts most.

I wrote the piece in harmony with and harking back to Biblical days when the Lord came looking for Adam and knew that he was hiding. This is profound as it portends that the Black man today still hasn’t come forward enough in certain situations to be Dominion over what God originally gave him.

JP: What has been your personal experience in being a part of The Soul of a Man Anthology?

AR: I think the second installment of A Triumph of My Soul Anthology Series has been long anticipated relative to the success of the first book in the series. The Publisher set the stage where the next book would naturally be what the men would consider triumphs against trials and tribulations that they’ would want to share.

The personal experience for me being part of this anthology had a lot to do with people expecting me to long have been part of something of this nature simply because they’ve felt that I belonged, and that after reading my essays for so long that I should have written a novel, a compilation of short stories or anything else to see that I was published.

The tone and tenor of the whole project allowed me also to use it as a lecture tool in crafting motivational speeches to the young folk that I mentor transitioning them from boys to men. Moreover, I’ve been able to talk to men’s ministries at various churches for them to be positioned to turn the tables for tides to turn in us being part of the solution in lieu of being problematic issues that society readily would want to place us.

JP: What is your most memorable moment of The Soul of a Man Anthology in terms of what has been expressed of you by someone who has had a chance to read this book?

AR: My brother who is a Pastor in Tampa, FL will be using my two entities along with vestiges of the stories from a few of the Brothers therein to launch a series of forums and rap sessions among both boys and men to find applicable means to help turn the former and latter into acts of accountability.

I love it when I pitch the book to women as I ask them, “How well do you know your man? Do you know what he’s holding back that would allow him to be better toward you and the household?” Invariably, I always get a sale and a great smile to boot. Not to mention that after they’ve read it, I get great feedback that I use in my speeches!

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Letters to “What Lies in the Souls of Men?” and “Adam, Where Art Thou?”

AR: Writers should be insightful and positioned where ink can flow indelibly with continuity. There’s not set process for me to write. I write when I can and where I can, and will honestly say that my writing process is a bit unorthodox and quite unlike the average writer.

Ideas come to me while doing routine things, and I jotting them down on pads that I keep with me at all times. Usually titles come first. I love creating catchy titles and creating text and content accordingly. I write best late at night when it’s just me and the golden veil of silence.

At times though, the bug will hit me any time of the day. It’s not uncommon for me to stop and just write. I’ve learned to conceptualize and outline topical issues into subcategories and fill in the blanks later. I teach this method to my students so that they further understand the need to format their ideas so that the writing process wouldn’t be a quagmire seeking insight and clarity.

JP: You are a very prolific and well-respected author. What s your latest novel, Of Righteous Apples and Other Spiritual Gems: Finding Purpose in Quality Living, about? And what has been your journey writing the that book?

AR: I currently have two non-fiction Christian projects that’s taking up most of my writing time. The first is a book two thirds of the way finished that I’ve set a Winter 2010 or early 2011 deadline. It’s entitled Of Righteous Apples and Other Spiritual Gems: Finding Purpose in Quality Living. That’s quite a long title with longitude to perfect latitude in how good precepts should accompany the wherewithal to live a better lifestyle.

Book two will be called The Female Pastorate: Divinity or Division in the Church? That title is self-explanatory! But suffice it to say, women feel that they belong in the pulpit just as a man does, and some male Pastors feel otherwise. My premise is: What does God have to say about it?

There’s pros and cons to both entities and finding those golden nuggets was both exhilarating and sobering as I dug deeper into the souls of both looking for answers! I’m looking for a publisher, but will likely publish them on my own. The goal is to found Anointing Grace Publishing Company in the very near future.

www.theromerreview.com
http://alvincromer4trr.blogspot.com
http://www.alvincromerverbatim.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/n4wiz51

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5 minutes 5 questions with, african american author, african american book, african american books, amazon.com, interview

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Jihad, author of Letters to Caged Kings on Lockdown (The Soul of a Man Edition)

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… (The Soul of a Man Edition)
Jihad, author of “Letters to a Caged Kings on Lockdown”
(Peace In The Storm Publishing)

My name is Jihad Uhuru. I write to educate, empower and entertain. I call my writing Socio-conscious Urban Contemporary Fiction. I write for he Kings and the Queens that don’t know who they are nor who the creator is.

Often we get judged for what we write but not often do we get judged for what we right. There are hoods and negative situations everywhere. I write what I know and about who I know, with a twist in hopes of getting our young Kings and Queens to learn how to think.

I infuse history with the present to point out issues and solutions to problems Black people have in this country through my stories. Thank you for this opportunity to express myself, King.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write “Letters to Caged Kings on Lockdown”?

Jihad: I read a book back when I was in prison in the ’90s. It was entitled Soledad Brother by George Jackson. It was a book of letters the author who was incarcerated at Soledad prison, his brother Jonathon, Angela Davis and his mother.

It was so intimate and inciteful into the psychology and the psychodynamics of prison-life, society, the political and US injustice system. I wanted to share some letters to and from my nephew and other inmates who followed behind me into the prison industrial slave complex.

I wanted people to read and feel our passion in hopes of better understanding the incarcerated male psyche. My intent is to one day do a book filled with letters and responses from me and Kings on the inside.

JP: What has been your personal experience in being a part of The Soul of a Man Anthology?

Jihad: I haven’t had much of an experience. I promote the book when I travel which is very often. Most stores I go to don’t have the book. I think it’s an excellent concept, and I hope it takes off one day. Maybe other Kings will do similar projects such as this one.

JP: What is your most memorable moment of The Soul of a Man in terms of what has been expressed of you by someone who has had a chance to read this book?

Jihad: A young brother wrote to me from prison and said that finally someone has written something real. That was all he said. And I thought it was deep.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish “Letters to Caged Kings on Lockdown”?

Jihad: “Letters to Caged Kings on Lockdown” was done. My books are very popular in prisons around the country. I have thousands of letters from Kings on lockdown, and I just used letters from my nephew and other inmates and my responses back to them. All I had to do was type their letters, so it took a couple hours.

JP: You are a very prolific and well-respected author. What is your latest novel, Preacherman Blues II, about? And what has been your journey with that book?

Jihad: My latest book will be available only on my website July 1, 2010. It will be in stores nationwide Oct. 4, 2010. It is my favorite of all seven of my fiction books. By far, Preacherman Blues II will be the most controversial.

I use real names, and President Obama dies of natural causes that are not so natural. At the same time Bishop TJ Money, the most prolific and outspoken religious leader in Georgia, is catapulted to the world stage and becomes the most popular man on the planet thanks to the real powers that be that pull the strings of government.

Bishop Money makes George Bush and anyone that came before him look like an angel. It’s going to take Bill Clinton, Hillary , Assata Shakur, the famous freedom fighter exiled in Cuba and 3 other women and a lot more to stop the powers that be and Bishop TJ Money from becoming the next President of the United States. Anyone that has read Preacherman Blues knows how intelligently corrupt Bishop Money is.

http://www.jihadwrites.com/

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