Quote – Alexander Mackendrick

“You’ll never be a great writer until you’re willing to ‘pull your pants down’.” Alexander Mackendrick

Sticks & Stones: The Changing Politics of the Self-Publishing Stigma

Sticks & Stones: The Changing Politics of the Self-Publishing Stigma.

via Sticks & Stones: The Changing Politics of the Self-Publishing Stigma.

Quote – Willa Cather

“Let your fiction grow out of the land beneath your feet.” Willa Cather

Quote – Hilary Mantel

“Write a book you’d like to read. If you wouldn’t read it, why would anybody else? Don’t write for a perceived audience or market. It may well have vanished by the time your book’s ready.” Hilary Mantel

Neglectful Reader #4 – Toni Morrison

Neglectful Reader #4 – Toni Morrison

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Born Chloe Ardelia Wofford on February 18,1931 – Toni Morrison is a prolific novelist, editor ,professor and activist known for widely read bibliography. She was born in Lorain, Ohio to Ramah and George Wofford in a working-class family. As a child she began reading Jane Austen and Leo Tolstoy. At a young age Morrison was heavily influenced by old black folk tales her father would tell her, as a child.

By 1949, Morrison entered Howard University and earned her Masters in English from Cornell University. At the collegiate level she had continued her fandom of great writers and studied the works of William Faulkner and Virginia Woolf. For the next step in her life Toni had major life changes that ranged from teaching English at Texas Southern University, marrying an architect Harold Morrison in 1958, having two children, divorcing Harold in 1964 and then becoming the editor of the New York City headquarters of Random House.

Ms. Morrison is an amazing example of how one can accomplish so much when they put their heart and soul into something they love and care about. Toni began writing fiction in a poetry group at Howard that met to discuss one another’s work. While attending the group she became inspired to write her first novel, ” The Bluest Eye”- a story about a black girl who longed to have blue eyes. This was the beginning of an amazing career of a writer , person and woman named Toni Morrison.

Through her vast collection of novels she became the voice for the voiceless. These amazing novels included: “Sula”,”Song of Soloman”(personal favorite), ‘Beloved”,”Tar Baby”, “Jazz”,”Paradise”,”Love”,”a Mercy”. As a black writer myself Ms. Morrison has always been a great inspiration and a positive mouth piece for young black writers.

Her work has amassed numerous awards-”National Book Critics Circle Award”(Song of Soloman), “Pulitzer Prize for Fiction” and “American Book Award”(Beloved). Not only did her work receive praise but, she did as well, in 1993 she was awarded the “Nobel Prize in Literature”. Toni was also awarded the National Endowment for the Humanities and National Book Foundations Medal of Distinguished Contribution to American Letters in 1996.

Ms. Morrison wasn’t afraid to speak her mind on issues outside of the writing world as well, which also warms my heart personally , whether it be politics or social issues- Toni spoke her mind. to me this is the existential mind set that a writer should always have in his or her back pocket.

Toni , thank you for all that you have and will do for the writing world.I promise to never neglect you as a reader I promise…lol.

E.L. Taylor III

A thank you chance encounter! by E.L. Taylor III

Hi everyone, just wanted to quickly talk about a great chance encounter I had at my day job today. I waited on my first drum instructor today, this guy was one of the most important individuals in my life who shaped my love of performing and listening to music. I have played the drums since I was 10 years old. As well as being a writer, screenwriter and filmmaker, I am also a musician at heart and music has always been a great comfort in my life that I’m sure a ton of people would agree with me.

It’s amazing how the universe works sometimes, it can introduce someone in your life and reintroduce them at a later date when you least expect it. When I spoke to my first drum instructor , my immediate reaction was to thank him and tell him how far he had helped me get as drummer and human being. I’ve performed music in grade school, high school and even played three years in of the best college bands in my state.

I felt so blessed to be able to play drums at the collegiate level- which was the most professional level I had ever reached. I was drumming from sun up to sun down and even on weekends and it was all because of the initial teachings of my first drum instructor. So if you are ever blessed to reconnect with a mentor, teacher, instructor or hell even just a friend in your life that made a lasting impact- just make sure that you thank them before they leave.

Peace

E

Poetry – Remember When

Remember When…by E.L. Taylor III

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Remember when you were famous for actually doing something.

Remember when we use to innovate.

Remember when we use to connect with one another.

Remember when we use to move forward, not backward.

Remember when we use to tell stories to escape.

Remember when we use to take a chance.

Remember when we use to laugh at ourselves.

Remember when we use to let go.

Remember when actions spoke louder than words.

Remember when we realized anything was possible.

ah….Remember when.