Roy L. Pickering Jr.'s Blog, page 7

Jay Z and NFL join forces

It has been announced that Jay-Z is going to become one of the owners of a NFL team and lip service will be paid to social injustice at some point by the forming of an "entertainment and social justice partnership". As you well know, Colin Kaepernick played a major role in dragging the NFL into matters of social consciousness, particularly overly/needlessly aggressive policing by officers that often end up with an unarmed black person being killed by a cop. Now it's not as if a fair amount of attention wasn't already being paid to the situation prior to Kaepernick taking a knee for the cause. Every other week it seems a video of racial bias goes viral. Word on the "street" has it that Russia is playing a big part in making sure such videos are seen by the maximum amount of people to keep friction between whites and people of color in America at peak. Whether that's true or not, what's indisputable is that too many of the racial tension incidents where at least one of the participants was a police officer ended up in someone being shot. More often than not it proved fatal. More often than not the victim of melanin had not committed a crime and was not armed, yet still managed to be on the receiving end of a cop's bullet. It's no wonder that Colin Kaepernick was disturbed by what seemed on the verge of becoming an epidemic. All decent people were, and many black people grew frightened and/or furious. Something clearly needed to be done and once Hillary Clinton "lost" to Donald Trump it was clear that aid wouldn't be coming from the federal government any time soon.

But was the NFL the best place to take a stand and make a plea? One could reasonably argue that this situation has nothing to do with professional football (none of the prominent victims has been a NFL player), so taking a knee while the National Anthem was played before football games was perhaps misdirected effort. During televised games is certainly a high profile, much viewed opportunity to draw attention to an issue. But it's not as if the NFL was the entity that needed to do anything about horrible, homicidal police officers with bigoted mindsets who are not worthy of the uniforms they wear. In fact, the only meaningful action taken by the NFL was collusion by team owners to keep Colin Kaepernick from returning to the league. He had become a PR nightmare for a league that wanted focus to be on its entertainment value. The NFL already had plenty of unavoidable thorns in its side. How best to discipline star players for various infractions, particularly those that do not lead to criminal convictions but seem in need of moral condemnation. The long term effects of concussions. Refs screwing up calls in prime time games, leading to constant tweaks of what is/isn/t a catch, what is/isn't reviewable by instant/slow mo replay. The last thing the NFL needed was to be dragged into politics, into the debate over what constitutes patriotism, into matters that were supposed to be in the domain of #BLM (Black Live Matter), not #NFL (National Football League).
Just as the dust FINALLY appeared to be settled (Colin Kaepernick sued for collusion and won an undisclosed amount of money. He still wants to play in the NFL and still hasn't been called for a try-out, but when you sue someone it's not surprising that they choose not to contact you for a job interview) Jay-Z of all people stirred things up again. We knew the topic was of interest to him because he had previously shown solidarity with Kaepernick, wearing his old jersey and referencing him when stating his reasons for not participating in the Super Bowl halftime show. Therefore it came as a surprise to many that Jay-Z isn't making headlines by coming out with a pro Kaepernick - anti NFL rap song, but rather, by entering the ranks of NFL team owners. Who the team will be remains a mystery for the time being. 
Jay-Z is famously a billionaire. If you're a billionaire who enjoys sports and/or realizes pro team ownership is a sound financial investment, you have the option of buying into a team. So if Jay-Z does have any more new music left in him, perhaps he will tell us why he decided to buy into the NFL with a remake of Bobby Brown's MY PREROGATIVE. If you see Jay-Z as being a sell-out because he seemed to switch sides from the oppressed to the oppressor, I can understand that interpretation. If you see him as as being a much needed brown face in the sea of white pro team ownership, I can understand that too. If you believe Jay-Z wants not only to make a sound financial investment and gain entry into the ultra exclusive club of professional sports team owners, but also to use this position to make change for the better in the NFL where it comes to taking action on behalf of social injustices, I can see how you would reach such a conclusion. Doesn't mean you're right, but we'll find out soon enough I suppose. For all we know Jay-Z may plan to finally give Colin Kaepernick the opportunity to try out for a NFL team once he's officially a shot caller for one of them, whichever one it may be. I can't imagine this to be his primary motivation by a long shot, but perhaps it's an item on the agenda of Beyonce's hubby. Based on past history Colin Kaepernick has shown himself to be a flawed quarterback who nonetheless is better than a fair number of back-ups currently in the league and is perhaps better than a few starters. This is assuming that he hasn't become quite rusty since his last time under center, which is certainly a possibility.
If Jay-Z was a hero to you because of his status as hip hop legend, you may feel betrayed. Or else feel the need to defend him against accusations by those who believe he has gone Benedict Arnold. As for me, I am neither enraged nor especially encouraged by Jay-Z's latest venture. I didn't see him as saving or destroying the world with Tidal (which I mostly ignored) and same deal with his foray into the NFL. If the team he ends up involved with happens to be my beloved New York Jets I suppose that will make me care a little bit more, but not substantially. Jay-Z told us a while back that he has 99 problems. Seeming to turn his back on the plight of Colin Kaepernick, patron saint of lost causes whom I sincerely respect but idolize no more than I idolize Jay-Z, adds a 100th problem. But I suspect it will blow over soon enough. Colin Kaepernick may or may not get a shot to return to the league. Jay-Z will remain wealthy, and I think he realizes that he won't be adding to his riches courtesy of many more hit songs in the future (he's rather long in the tooth by rap star standards), so instead he'll get his current money to make future money for him. Such is the way of capitalism and successful capitalists. He may lose some fans over this at least temporarily, but as with DOLLAR$ he has plenty of them to spare. As for the rest of us, we'll continue to enjoy Jay-Z songs and NFL games. No amount of kneeling for the National Anthem or saluting the flag or arguing over it threatens to impact that by a substantive amount. Ultimately we are here to be entertained.

Well aren't you? pic.twitter.com/8zQTB0g7xw— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 19, 2019

Hmmmm. When Sports and Social Issues Collide - https://t.co/RzAOiUTGxM https://t.co/gDVugdNzl2— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 13, 2019

Like many of you I have questions about this Jay Z - NFL partnership. Seems like an odd move in light of Jay's alleged solidarity with Kaep but it's not necessarily a betrayal. We shall see. If you're mad at Jay & also stan for Bey, I doubt he's acting against her wishes.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 14, 2019

According to reports, #JayZ is going to have a "significant ownership interest" in an NFL team. However, the team has yet to be revealed pic.twitter.com/aS9w9SLu9y— BallerAlert (@balleralert) August 16, 2019

Eric Reid @E_Reid35 is absolutely right. The Jay-Z/NFL partnership is an attempt to deodorize a league that still carries the stink of exiling @Kaepernick7 and bankrolling Trump. It’s not working.— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) August 14, 2019

This is going to get messy fast. Even if his heart actually is in the right place and not firmly lodged in his wallet, he was probably better off taking a pass on this opportunity. Then again, he's old by rapper standards so probably beyond giving a damn about his street cred. https://t.co/cSag0LYR54— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 15, 2019

Goodell + JayZ pic.twitter.com/lTFwBGusrR— Resist Programming

Indie August

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If you put enough letters together in just the right order you end up with a novel or two. #MattersOfConvenience #PatchesOfGrey #RoyLPickeringJr Shall we play a game of #Scrabble ? #bookstagram #authorsofinstagramA post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author) on Apr 18, 2019 at 4:31pm PDT

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Got my #SwellBottle collection done up #OutOfPrint style and all is right with the world. #bookstagram #PatchesOfGrey #MattersOfConvenience #RoyLPickeringJr #authorsofinstagramA post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author) on Sep 1, 2018 at 8:58am PDT

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Shut the Box and open the book. #MattersOfConvenience #PatchesOfGrey #Bookstagram #authorsofinstagramA post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author) on Nov 18, 2017 at 1:40pm PST

So here we are already past the mid-point of the month and I've only just now learned of the existence of a thing called #IndieAugust. Apparently at least some book bloggers are extra willing to shine a spotlight and do some reviews of books by indie authors this month. Better late than never to that party! If you are still on the look out for indie authored novels to read/review this month (or any other month of the year for that matter), look no further. To ease the burden on your pocket books I have made the Kindle editions of both Patches of Grey and Matters of Convenience available to Prime members for FREE from August 21st to August 25th of 2019. As always, happy reading! And since I'm doubling down on giveaways this month, let me repeat, happy reading!

Speaking of book reviews, see below for my thoughts on video for Stephen King's 11/22/63. He is in much less need of publicity than I am, but I'm all for shouting out great writers/writing whether everybody knows the author's name or nobody has ever heard of them...yet.

TONI MORRISON

REST IN POWER

I just learned Toni Morrison has passed. Perhaps the greatest writer of all time. My heart is broken but the thought that her books were left behind for us, some which I haven't gotten to yet, is a source of joy. R.I.P. to a true queen. Y'all can keep your royalty. I have Toni.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 6, 2019

https://t.co/RY3ZzjGutj

— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 6, 2019

How Toni Morrison Fostered a Generation of Black Writers https://t.co/MayrwuOT9H— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 6, 2019

"If you can only be tall because somebody is on their knees, then you have a serious problem."

Rest in Power, Toni Morrison. ❤️

ROY'S BOOK REVIEWS - My new YouTube channel

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I've decided to give the #booktuber thing a shot. Since I already have a bunch of #bookreviews composed in written form which appear on #Goodreads and #Amazon and on my blog #ALineADay - I figured I would try to overcome my camera shyness and film some for #YouTube. Guess I'll post one per week. So far I've recorded 3 of them and despite the lack of frills, bells and whistles, IMHO they're not half bad. I'll let you know when my channel is activated and hope to hear your opinions in response to mine. #StayTunedA post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author) on Jul 25, 2019 at 8:27am PDT

Yes, it's true. I have decided to join the ranks of BookTubers who post videos sharing thoughts about various bookish matters on YouTube. Videos will be released to my channel ROY'S BOOK REVIEWS on a weekly basis. Please tune in each Tuesday (or whenever you can get around to them) to hear my thoughts on novels I have read over the years. Fingers crossed that I'll manage to hold your attention. My videos are all in the 10-minute range, give or take a couple minutes. Thoughts and opinions are 100% completely my own. None of these books were sent to me free of charge in exchange for a glowing report. If I loved a book, I let you know. If I hated it, I respectfully let you know. If I'm on the fence, I straddle and give you as much spoiler free details as I can to help you make up your mind about whether you care to check the book out. If you agree with what I've said, please let me know. If you disagree, please let me know. If you've been convinced to pick up a book based on my endorsement of it at ROY'S BOOK REVIEWS, that's fantastic. As a writer myself, I know that word of mouth is invaluable to both authors and readers in constant search of their next great read. So I'm thrilled to be spreading the news via YouTube videos that I have read plenty of great books, with countless others sitting on my TBR pile waiting for me to get around to them, and I encourage you to take a chance on as many as you can. First one up is my review of Philip Roth's novel THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA.

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#bookreviews #starratingsA post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author) on Jul 28, 2019 at 10:22am PDT

https://t.co/OTCe8FcOk6 pic.twitter.com/PVxExUnPfw

— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) July 30, 2019

Juneteenth thoughts

Happy Juneteenth! A video for those who need to learn more about the holiday. #Juneteenth2019 #Juneteenth pic.twitter.com/PSOsvTLaJl— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) June 19, 2019

Outside the Oval Office, I kept a painting of a small crowd huddled around a pocketwatch, waiting for the moment the Emancipation Proclamation took effect. On Juneteenth, we celebrate the anniversary of that news - freedom - reaching slaves in Texas. And something more: pic.twitter.com/kSkLHbfnc3

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 19, 2019

And slaves. Can’t forget the slaves. https://t.co/bwaPQy61lv— Matthew A. Cherry

Leaving Neverland

For years I have been an enormous Michael Jackson fan. Not the fanatical variety that dressed up like him and tried to emulate his every move, but I've been in awe of his musical talents from nearly as far back as I can remember. I've been around the block long enough to have watched him perform with his big brothers, ironically (in retrospect) seeming so much older than his years. At my first job as a summer camp counselor for 7, 8 and 9 year old kids at my church, the kids put on a talent show at the end. The girls performed Stop! In the Name of Love and the boys, led by this little guy who was a fantastic dancer, performed Dancing Machine. I remember hearing songs from Off the Wall the first time around and knowing immediately that there was a new sheriff in town. I expected him to become a big movie star after The Wiz but it turned out to be a one shot deal. Along with everyone else I recognized while watching Motown 25 that he was ready to explode to the next level. I remember anticipating the hyped debuts of videos such as Thriller and Remember the Time that actually turned out even cooler than we imagined they would be. In college I lied to a girl or two I was trying to impress, claiming to be one of the background dancers in Michael Jackson's video for Bad. I named one of my short stories after an MJ song (You've been hit by, you've been struck by...). If not quite a stan, I was definitely a Michael Jackson all caps FAN.

As Jackson got older he definitely got weirder. Stories about him grew increasingly disturbing. The odd changes to his appearance actually turned out to be useful distractions from odder, not particularly low whispers about his personal life. I remember feeling relieved when he married Lisa Marie Pressley. Maybe, in spite of some eccentricities, he was basically a normal guy after all. People try to take advantage of absurdly wealthy celebrities by making up salacious stories and suing them as a get rich quick scheme all the time. Michael Jackson was quirky because of an abnormal childhood, but nothing more sinister than that. I tried to believe this and was largely successful at convincing myself.

I was rocked when he died as evidenced when I wrote One Glove-One Love: Michael Jackson tribute and Michael Jackson Memorial Service. I knew there would never be another like him. Although I didn't consider him to be a music genius on the level of Miles Davis or Prince, Michael was certainly the ultimate entertainer. To make a proper comparison, rather than choosing another singer it probably makes more sense to compare him to Harry Houdini or Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Game changers!

Last night I watched the documentary Leaving Neverland. I've officially seen and heard enough. I can no longer see Michael Jackson as innocent until proven guilty. Now it's the other way around. At least I still have Janet...and Tito.

Get your Michael Jackson binge listening on while you still have time...— Travon Free (@Travon) March 4, 2019

Even the Church of Dr. King can't handle it!#LeavingNeverland https://t.co/BgLplBIoLG— Daniel Raza (@S_DannyRaza) March 4, 2019

This Leaving Neverland documentary is sickening. Primarily wtf is the matter with this guy's parents? Father at least had the sense to stay away from this show but Mom is cheerfully on camera acting beyond clueless.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) March 4, 2019

I would eventually learn why there was no appearance by the fathers in documentary. Not a whole lot of happy in these stories.

#LeavingNeverland - Either MJ was a monster or these people are really f'd up for making up such horrible stories. But they make the parents look just as bad for incredible negligence as they make Michael Jackson out to be a predator. How can no anger be aimed at their parents?— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) March 4, 2019

Sure seems that MJ groomed particular types of families who were easiest to manipulate. Not only overwhelmed by his stardom but also hopeful to achieve their own stardom with Jackson's help. I also think MJ maintained relationships with kids, esp. famous 1's, that weren't sexual— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) March 4, 2019

Macaulay Culkin, Emmanuel Lewis, Corey Feldman are credible when claiming relationships w/ Michael Jackson weren't sexual because they're likely telling the truth. I used to think if MJ was into boys he'd just pay for sex trafficking. But these families basically acted like pimps— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) March 4, 2019

Michael Jackson is not the 1st person to have his "childhood stolen". Whether it's due to child stardom or far less glamorous reasons, there are quite a few people who missed out on traditional childhoods. Most don't compensate as adults by hanging out with kids all the time.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) March 4, 2019

Yes there was a childlike quality to Michael Jackson,

but to what degree was it a lure?

But you can be strange without being a pedophile. Was MJ both? I'd like to believe he wasn't but more than being a stan, I'm a realist.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) March 4, 2019

One thing made clear to me from social media regarding high profile criminal cases of various natures is that people pick a side early on. Based on desired outcome they choose what evidence sways them & what to dismiss in order to to support pre-reached conclusions.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) March 4, 2019

If you're sympathetic to the accuser for whatever reason, it won't matter to you that case against the accused isn't ironclad. You'll accept the accusations without requiring hard proof. The accused person's denials will fall on deaf ears.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) March 4, 2019

Conversely if you're sympathetic to the person accused of wrong doing, no amount of circumstantial evidence will be enough to convince you they're guilty. You'll grasp any straw that points to possible innocence. Conspiracy theories will seem quite reasonable even if far fetched.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) March 4, 2019

In the end you may never know what actually went down with 100% certainty. Your guesses/assumptions will be right some of the time and wrong some of the time. But in your mind you'll always be right and that's what counts.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) March 4, 2019

Sometimes you just know something in your gut. This isn't true knowledge. It's belief. It's conviction. But it really really feels like knowing what is/isn't true. So we go with it.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) March 4, 2019

The smoothest criminals are those who excel at choosing perfect victims. This keeps them from being caught/accused for a long time, & when day of reckoning finally does arrive the accusations come from flawed sources that are easy to dismiss. Powerful people are tough to topple.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) March 4, 2019

I am a therapist that works with survivors. If the abuser is a loved one (I.e., parent, sibling, etc) often the loss of the relationship to the abuser is as traumatic as the abuse itself. It can take a long time for a victim to come to terms with such a loss.— J Axman (@jeffluvsmetal) March 4, 2019

Even if you take out the matter of the sexual molestation (which I believe happened) just the psychological damage MJ did to these boys by fostering a fantastical relationship with them and then coldly cutting it off is unconscionable. Their parents failed these boys as well.— J Axman (@jeffluvsmetal) March 4, 2019

I don’t know if what happened to him was at the hands of Michael Jackson, but that statement rings very true to me, as a survivor. It seems normal because it’s what you know until you mention it to someone “normal” and they are horrified :/ it’s a shitty feeling.— Jᴇɴɴɪғᴇʀ (@oyofmidmidworld) March 4, 2019

If you're not able to stomach watching the documentary (you certainly wouldn't be alone) but you are interested in this subject, I recommend reading this BuzzFeed article at minimum.

Some other stuff I found (while looking for a picture or two to accompany this post) to be taken with as large a grain of salt as you wish:

MJ and Boys;  NY Post article;  National Enquirer article

THE BLACK ATHLETE - Reprinted

pic.twitter.com/nUAdxfbgbG— Big Dave

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing.
AUGUST WILSON#amwriting #writing #writinglife pic.twitter.com/S1FgUAEcnz— Jon Winokur (@AdviceToWriters) February 6, 2019

Tell #stories filled with facts. Make people touch and taste and KNOW. Make people FEEL! FEEL! FEEL!
OCTAVIA BUTLER#amwriting #fiction pic.twitter.com/HJ3yZ4PPzS— Jon Winokur (@AdviceToWriters) February 12, 2019

"The more you know of your history, the more liberated you are." - Maya Angelou pic.twitter.com/6w9k2YIEMt— Capital Prep Schools (@CPREP4Life) February 8, 2019

In 1959, while Lorraine Hansberry broke down the matters of racial discrimination and importance of family, Berry Gordy Jr. formed 1 of the most successful Black owned record labels, Motown Records.

That same yr, jazz trumpeter, Miles Davis recorded “Kind of Blue.” #BHM2019 pic.twitter.com/yAbGoIk6a3— California Endowment (@CalEndow) February 12, 2019

Langston Hughes. Born Feb 1, 1902. “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.” A writer for the Chicago Defender and a major contributor to the Harlem Renaissance. His insightful, wise words still ring true. #playwright #activist #poet pic.twitter.com/6bcMGSxeRt— Black History Images (@BlackHistoryUS) February 1, 2018

James Baldwin. "I am what time, circumstance, history, have made of me, certainly but I am also, much more than that" pic.twitter.com/WPZzcjNdWH— Black History Images (@BlackHistoryUS) March 8, 2014

Alice Walker. "Everything want to be loved. Us sing & dance & holler, just trying to be loved." #art #history #writer pic.twitter.com/oWfnvRVcCZ— Black History Images (@BlackHistoryUS) March 7, 2014

Audre Lorde. "It is not our differences that divide us. It's our inability to recognize, accept & celebrate those differences." #poet #truth pic.twitter.com/vkZ7R0sqoU— Black History Images (@BlackHistoryUS) September 19, 2017

James Baldwin gives the best answer I’ve ever heard to those who claim they are “color blind” and that Black people should stop talking about race and just move on.#BlackHistoryMonth
/12pic.twitter.com/zAfOO11rVN— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@MuslimIQ) February 12, 2019

Toni Morrison annihilated this interviewer. #BlackHistoryMonth has been on strugg but this moment should tide us over for a few days. pic.twitter.com/xrvGmw2zzp— NoSugarNoCreamMag (@NSNCMag) February 12, 2019

A Line A Day: Blackness Defined https://t.co/cquexwVLcs #blackhistorymonth— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) February 12, 2019

A Line A Day: Fatherhood and Black History Month https://t.co/iGil5yHhzq— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) February 12, 2019

Better Believe It's Beautiful https://t.co/ne6vmB4b6P via @Etsy for #blackhistorymonth— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) February 12, 2019

A Line A Day: ALL THINGS BLACKNESS https://t.co/RDnDATUSch— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) February 1, 2019

#BlackHistoryMonth https://t.co/gY787agzH7— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) February 2, 2019

Since it's #blackhistorymonth here are some #BlackBookReviews https://t.co/tvQRZeSzzC— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) February 9, 2019

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#bookrecommendations #blackhistorymonth #bookstagram https://lineaday.blogspot.com/2014/02/blackbookreviews.htmlA post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author) on Feb 10, 2019 at 9:52am PST

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How many of these authors have you read? #bookrecommendations #blackhistorymonth #proverbsforthepeopleA post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author) on Feb 9, 2019 at 12:34pm PST

Happy Black History Month! pic.twitter.com/N9u2L49mN7— Sleeper Athletes (@SleeperAth1etes) February 1, 2019

Last but not least, a date near and dear to my heart in Black History because I had the opportunity to participate in it directly was: 1-20-09

CHAPTER ONE - read by the author

I hope you enjoy listening to this excerpt (with accompanying slideshow of visuals) from my novel MATTERS OF CONVENIENCE. Perhaps I'll keep recording and create a full audio book. Then again that's probably best left in the hands of those with greater expertise, though I don't think I sound half bad if I do say so myself. If you want more of the story, a printed or electronic copy of my book will need to be obtained and read. For now, just hit play and kindly grant me about six and a half minutes of your attention.

End of Year Book Giveaway Blitz

I've decided to close out this one-of-a-kind year with giveaways for my two novels at Amazon (scroll down for links). Next up will be publication of my first children's book and the undertaking of my third novel. Stay tuned.



Kindle edition of MATTERS OF CONVENIENCE will be available FREE OF CHARGE from December 20th to December 24th (aka Christmas Eve).

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No reasonable excuse or explanation occurred to her for declining his invitation. Her body craved to be explored by his touch. She longed to discover the places that would make him arch with pleasure, moan with delirium, hum her name in delight. Yet something made her suppress these urges, told her she must wait, that it was too soon. And although the source of these warnings was vague, she opted to obey them over desires that were far better understood. #Temptation #MattersOfConvenience #RoyLPickeringJr #AuthorOfInstagram #WritersOfIG #BlackAuthors #booklovers #bookworms #bibliophile #bookquotes #diversebooks #bookishlove #writerlife #indieauthor #blackbookquotesA post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author) on Dec 6, 2018 at 5:50pm PST

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Every sentence she spoke formed a melody, her voice like the musical notes of a snake charmer luring him from his basket. She stood apart from the mural of women who had graced him with their presence over the years. It was as if they formed a flat image while she alone was three dimensional. #MattersOfConvenience #RoyLPickeringJr #AuthorOfInstagram #WritersOfIG #BlackAuthors #booklovers #bookworms #bibliophile #bookquotes #diversebooks #bookishlove #writerlife #indieauthor #blackbookquotes Art by @eringopaintA post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author) on Nov 18, 2018 at 11:49am PST

Kindle edition of PATCHES OF GREY will be available FREE OF CHARGE from December 27th to December 31st (aka New Year's Eve).

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Pickering’s talent is astonishing and ignores every precedent. – Alvah’s Books Pickering’s love for his characters makes us empathize with all of their plights. – Five Borough Books Pickering’s writing style will cause readers to empathize with the characters’ actions, no matter how wrong. – RAWSISTAZ Reviewers The plot kept smashing my soul into pieces. – Books and Wine Pickering’s writing is beautiful and poignant, causing the reader to become one with the characters, feeling their pain, their anger, and their hurt. – A Book Vacation "Patches of Grey” is a deeply complex tale with authentic characters whose personalities are strong and well developed. Mr. Pickering writes with a voice strong enough to one day propel him into the category with the likes of other great Novelists such as: Richard Wright [Native Son, Black Boy], Ralph Ellison [Invisible Man], and John A. Williams [The Man Who Cried I AM]. - Dianne Rosena Jones Roy L. Pickering, Jr. deftly weaves a coming of age tale. – Reads for Pleasure Patches of Grey is a story that will appeal to all audiences and make for great discussion between parents and their young adults, students and book clubs. – Precision Reviews Pickering’s talent is fluid and crisp. There’s a certain clarity to the prose that’s considered and well judged – just enough to paint the picture and more than enough to drive along the narrative. – Unheard Words ...a must read! This recently honored B.R.A.G.Medallion book is one you will be glad you picked! - IndieBrag #bookreview #bookstagram #PatchesOfGrey #RoyLPickeringJr #authorsofinstagram ##BookAndBarbecueA post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author) on Sep 3, 2018 at 4:27pm PDT

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#PatchesOfGrey #bookstagram #authorsofinstagram on a snowy dayA post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author) on Mar 8, 2018 at 2:17pm PST

Happy downloading!  Happy holidays!  Good luck with keeping your resolutions for 2019 especially if one of them is to read more often, more varied, more great books. Happy reading!!!

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Got my #SwellBottle collection done up #OutOfPrint style and all is right with the world. #bookstagram #PatchesOfGrey #MattersOfConvenience #RoyLPickeringJr #authorsofinstagramA post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author) on Sep 1, 2018 at 8:58am PDT

p.s. - Here is my final book review of 2018. Kept this one short and sweet.

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



View all my reviews