I had to remind myself to breathe when I learned on Friday that the book I wrote an essay and poem for was released the day before! It is done and comes what may, I know I've done the right thing. There is so much shaming and trying to force be people into being less of themselves because of circumstances beyond their control or perhaps in their control, just maybe not knowing that serves no one. We have to, we must learn power with not power over others. It serves no real purpose for things to continue the way things have. Mankind has not improved doing the status quo.
I am delighted to announced that the Book "No Vacancy" edited by AJ LaStarr of which I was one of the selected authors was released this past Thursday April 11th. The official book signing was held in St. Louis on Friday April12th,2013.
100% of the saleswill go to a women homeless shelter, Shalom House, in St. Louis. It was my honor to write the essay "Stumbled, Fumbled, Roared & Thundered" and the poem "Undefeated" for this book (see page 82.
I strongly urge anyone to purchase the book, not for my ego, but all sales will go to a variety of homeless shelters around the country. True enough it is a painful subject no one, including the homeless population, would choose to have it in existence, but it is. Hiding & pretending will not make it go away. Nor will affixing blame. If you think it cannot happened to you, it can, in a blink. Or I bet there are people you know who have but are hiding that info because of societal attitudes, including fear, toward the homeless.
By purchasing the book or passing it along, you will indeed be passing it forward. When you understand that the vast majority of the homeless is NOT the stereotype but majority children & the elderly. With all the wealth this country has, it should not be happening. But the sad reality it is. And as quietely as it is kept, it is not majority people of color.
The editor told me me she received thousands of submissions from all over the world, so it makes me particularly humbled that I was selected. It is done now, it is out there. I don't know nor oddly OK with whatever comes from this. This was my contribution, my passing it forward with no pretense. I'm still not out of the woods completely, just on phase 2 getting ready to make a quatem leap.
In the meantime, get the book or pass it forward. The cost is $10.00 and can be purchase online at Barnes & Nobles and:www.amazon.com. Either myself or the editor or I would safely guess some of the other writers would be available to speak to any group.
I'm breathing a lot better today!
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