On November 5, 2007, I asked a question to my fellow bloggers that arose during the final editing phase of Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness. The question posed,
“When does a girl become a woman?”
Marva, author of Opinionated Black Woman and Woman To Woman, responded by writing a post worth reading. As a gesture of my gratitude to MarvalusOne for taking the time to answer my question, I’ve decided to spread some link love by sharing her reply.
Click on “Sunday’s Thoughts On Tuesday: Womanhood” to read her reply. I hope you enjoy reading her post as much as I did. If time permits, please leave her a comment.
Thank you, for helping to spread some love on Good Friday, a day when Jesus Christ loved us enough to die on an old rugged cross in order do what had never been done. Because He lives, ….
Copyright (c) 2007-2008 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.
Popularity: 99% [?]
March 21st, 2008
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Quick question. If Opportunity knocked on your door, called you on your blue tooth enabled cell phone, sent you a text message on your iPhone or Blackberry five minutes from right now, would you be ready? If not, here’s a quote that I hope will challenge you on this “Hump Day” to get ready for your special date with Destiny.
“To every man there comes in his lifetime that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered a chance to do a very special thing, unique to him and fitted to his talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the work which would be his finest hour.”
– Winston Churchill
Popularity: 95% [?]
March 5th, 2008
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Last year, my wife, KWiz, and I watched the movie “Freedom Writers.” This year, we watched “The Great Debaters.” Both are unforgettable films. If you’re an aspiring writer who needs a reason to finish writing your book, please don’t wait to see either of these films. Both are amazing examples of the art of story-telling.
It’s true! Everybody has a story to tell. Some of you are extremely talented, gifted writers who can effortlessly employ the power of the written word to tell your stories. For me, writing is a struggle, which is why I started blogging last year. Have you ever wondered if there’s some secret formula or writing technique that will make one book sell better than another?
Can “talent alone” ensure the success of the books that authors allegedly choose to write? Who or what enables prolific writers to repeat the meticulous process behind the creative chaos that made your book a success? Does the timing of a book’s release play a significant part in its author’s ability to emotionally connect with one generation and not another? Do you believe that book sales, or the lack thereof, are an accurate indication of the perceived success or the failure of a book?
According to prolific author Paulo Coelho’s profile, “Slow initial sales [of The Alchemist] convinced his first publisher to drop the novel, but it went on to become one of the best selling Brazilian books of all time.
Have any of you ever pondered the possibility that the part you played did little to determine the success of your book? Did God’s sovereign will and perfect plan have anything to do with the success of your book? If yes, does it really matter whether or not an author chooses to employ “urban street teams” or “main stream” marketeers to promote a book that’s destined to become a national best seller? As writers, what part do we play in the books we author?
Do books choose their writers or do writers choose the books they pen? I had no desire to write a book before I began to pen Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness. I believe the book that I birthed chose me. I can still recall waking up in the middle of the night to write the first page of my big dream. Once I began writing it, I couldn’t stop. Whenever I felt inspired to write, I didn’t sleep much. I didn’t eat. I didn’t talk. Since I didn’t have anything to distract me, I just wrote. I constantly canceled or rescheduled appointments until the words stopped flowing from somewhere deep within the heart of my soul.
Am I crazy or has this ever happened to any of you? What did you do initially? Did you look around the room to see if you were all alone? Did you ignore the words you heard or did you heed the still, small voice that inspired you to believe that you could achieve something bigger than yourself? Did people laugh at you, ridicule you, and reject you when they heard about the genesis of your big dream? My mother and my wife stood by me at a time when I needed their love and support the most.
Writing Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness was an act of faith for me. I wrote on anything and everything I could get my hands on as evidenced by all the cardboard boxes still stuffed with the hastily scribbled notes that I stockpiled over the years. During those difficult days when I had no place to lay my head, I didn’t have time to feel sorry for myself. For reasons that still escape me, I refused to give up after the fall I survived.
Nevertheless, trusting God when nothing made sense wasn’t easy. To challenge myself to keep getting up and showing up for my street fight with Adversity, I started writing poetic essays. Writing literally saved my life after my business failed and I was forced to file bankruptcy. Because of the vision that God gifted to me, I had a plan that I could believe in. God’s unchanging love gave me hope during my darkest days. It’s true! Without a vision, people with no reason to hope will perish.
For reasons now known, “But by grace still go I” is not just some empty Christian phrase that I casually toss around to sound spiritual. If you’re a published writer, did your book choose you or did you choose your book? I hope this post has encouraged somebody to rise to your feet and inspired you to honestly believe that you can beat impossible odds with God’s help. If so, please let me know.
Copyright (c) 2008 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.
Popularity: 33% [?]
January 14th, 2008
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To promote the importance of honoring, valuing, and respecting our cultural differences, here’s a link to, Viva! Cinco de Mayo, that will provided some insight and historical background about the importance of what occurred before and on May 5, 1862.
If you celebrate Cinco de Mayo, please make your presence known so that the rest of your blended, extended family members may acknowledge you as you celebrate your history. If time permits, please share the role that the women played who actively participated in this historical event.
Popularity: 11% [?]
May 5th, 2007
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