Roy L. Pickering Jr.'s Blog, page 9

2017 Recap

I began the year by giving my two cents on the subject of diversity in book publishing. We need to hear from a greater range of voices in literature. We need to amplify those of us who are telling stories in #OurOwnVoices. What we probably don't need to do is get angry and shout down every white author / white character. Diversity means everybody, including those who are currently over-represented.  But some more of those who are under-represented sure would be nice.







I made my very first book trailer! I think it's awesome. I don't know if many people outside of my household like it too. I have no idea if it's helped me to sell a single copy of Matters of Convenience. But I'm still prouder and more pleased by it than I have reasonable right to be. Go me!

Selfie buddiesA post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author) on Sep 29, 2017 at 7:58pm PDT

Technically it was at the end of 2016 (a few days before Christmas) that my family acquired a dog. The one and only SHADOW!!!  He was a ceaseless source of amusement and affection throughout 2017. I don't know if everyone should have a dog, but certainly every WRITER should have a dog. As it turns out, I got the BEST one.







I wrote installments #1 and #2 in the Ava Appelsawse book series. One of my resolutions for 2018 is to get going on #3 while my wife completes illustrations for the first book. Publication date TBD.







Speaking of my wife, I saw how much she was enjoying Instagram so decided to join up too. I set up an account. I got hacked. I set up a replacement account. That one got hacked as well. I seriously considered surrendering but decided to give it one more shot. The third try has proven to be the charm. I still have plenty of exploring to do on there, but one treasure I did discover in 2017 was Bookstagram .







I partially embraced my inner nerd in 2017 and attended a Comic Con for the first time. It was a fantastic experience, definitely one to be repeated. Perhaps in 2018 I'll go full nerd and attend in high quality, budget bending costume. I think I'd make an awesome Black Panther.






I urged people to buy more books, particularly of the ink printed on paper variety. This is something I'll do every year until you guys are buying so many books (perhaps even some of mine) that I no longer feel the need. Until that magical moment happens, here's yet another reminder from me to BUY BOOKS.






Statues were toppled. I found this to be a good thing because those particular statues were testaments to bigotry and segregation and race based oppression and hatred. Surely a person can reside below the Mason Dixon line and be a proud southerner on account of something other than being on the losing side of the Civil War. The good guys won it for a righteous cause. Hanging on to confederate symbols of the battle to retain slavery is not a good look.





Mother Nature lost her mind and did a great deal of damage as hurricanes (and earthquakes and wildfires and...) followed each other in rapid succession. Among the devastated places was my beloved birthplace of St. Thomas, USVI. Also nearby Puerto Rico. Unfortunately we currently have a president who does not seem to realize that the people who live there are fellow Americans. He certainly doesn't believe that man caused climate change is a reality to be dealt with. Too much of 2017 was unfortunately spent being angered and sickened by Trump's behavior. But being furious all the time isn't good for the soul. Sometimes you gotta do whatever is required to generate a sense of calm even as the world is falling apart around you.






One of the ridiculously unfortunate aftereffects of the absurd election of Donald Trump (in addition to irritating Jemele Hill so much that she got herself suspended) was the normalization of Nazis by members of the media who have apparently lost their damn minds in pursuit of click bait. So I felt compelled to shout out to people in the back row who somehow missed why we fought World War II and seemingly have never seen an Indiana Jones movie or any of the countless other films and TV shows which clearly showcase that the Nazis are the bad guys .





As I began my year in blogging by writing about the diversity (or lack thereof) in book publishing, so I ended 2017 writing about Sensitivity Readers. It's a topic that inspires much passion on both sides of the debate. I wonder what a sensitivity reader might have said pre-publication of Patches of Grey, or in advance of the release of Matters of Convenience. Will manuscripts for The Absolutely Amazing Adventures of Ava Appelsawse pass before the eyes of a sensitivity reader before being given a thumbs up? Probably not. But that's just a guess on my part for it's in the future, something that I along with all of you know nothing with certainty about.

You need a book with SENSITIVITY

Sensitivity readers are only controversial if you ignore the fact that in this diverse country, it is entirely possible to publish a book that has been selected, read, and edited by only white people— Brit Bennett (@britrbennett) December 27, 2017

This is why I've been saying for years that authors from the margins must be twice as good to get half as far. They have to write *in ways that White gatekeepers will understand.*

I have had EXACTLY this conversation with authors you'd recognize. https://t.co/FnnqAtQ01a— Ebony Elizabeth (@Ebonyteach) December 28, 2017

I've found many articles/posts on the need for sensitivity readers in publishing. A reason given for the need in most pieces is the lack of African American editors. Gender is also cited. As 1 who works in publishing I can say I've seen no shortage of women, but def a lack of AAs— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017

When I graduated college my plan was to become a book editor while working on the side as a book writer. I interviewed for many editorial jobs but wasn't offered a single one. I don't believe this is b/c I was terrible at interviewing.

My resume must have looked decent b/c I was called in to interview for most of the jobs I applied for. But for some reason I didn't "have what it takes" to receive a job offer. So I expanded my search net to jobs in other areas of book publishing.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017

Publishing seemed so glamorous. I wanted in somehow, some way, thru whichever door was opened. My main desire was to embark on road to becoming an editor, but as time passed, pressure mounted, & mostly what I wanted was a job offer of some kind. Ideally from a publisher or agent.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017

I vividly recall one interview for a job as a mfg. buyer that went particularly well. My confidence rose with each minute. But at the end the interviewer told me it seemed obvious I wanted to be an editor, and if they gave me the job I would prbly switch depts. 1st chance I got.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017

Eventually I did get a job in publishing. It was in manufacturing which means the job was to work with printers to provide what inventory said needed to be brought into stock. I was finally IN, but not as I had envisioned.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017

I was burnt out, happy to have a job, move out of parents' home, start grown-up life. I got to meet a bunch of editors. But I ceased trying to become one. I probably shouldn't have given up on original dream but that's how it went down. Besides, my TRUE DREAM was still to write.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017

The closest I've gotten to becoming an African American editor for a book publishing house was by making a main character in my latest novel MATTERS OF CONVENIENCE a book editor. I lived vicariously through Audrey. https://t.co/hwcoNKKYFA— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017

I haven't formed a strong opinion one way or another on the need for sensitivity readers, though in general my feeling is 'the more jobs available in or connected to book publishing, the better'.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017

But again, there are a minuscule number of African American book editors and literary agents in the field. As a writer, I accept the fact that I'll mostly be submitting to white men/women. As a person, I did my best to increase the # of black editors/agents by 1. It wasn't to be.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 28, 2017

Becoming an editor may have ended up being very frustrating to me. I want to create my own characters/stories/worlds - not help other people do it. Yes, it's hard to find black editors & lit agents. But it's also damn hard just to find readers. And still I strive...

The publisher knew who Yiannopoulos was when they gave him a $255,000 advance. The editor’s brutal comments are somewhat entertaining, but none of this should distract from the fact that they sought to make his bigotry both digestible and marketable. https://t.co/Ssg20zht0h— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) December 28, 2017

I tweeted earlier today on the topic of sensitivity readers. I suppose they'll catch some questionable content in manuscripts. But meanwhile book publishers also throw the bank at garbage like this periodically, "sensitivity" be damned. https://t.co/858gbdoIcl— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017

https://t.co/2ftuUhlAQF Joyce Carol Oates isn't a sensitivity reader fan. I hope this doesn't offend you. I remain unconcerned.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017

.@JoyceCarolOates I did start my own packaging company called @CakeLiterary. And @nytimes this is what happens when you reduce POCs as mere sensitivity readers in your article about writers. I get nonsense and harassment from entitled white folks. https://t.co/mKNAE7sgcg— Dhonielle Clayton (@brownbookworm) December 25, 2017

Next tweet has links to sensitivity reader articles. Those who dislike concept feel it veers too close to a writer's greatest enemy - censorship. Those in favor feel literature has been whitewashed for too long, & while we can't change the past, we can surely edit what's to come.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017

Of course, it's one thing to feel that the existence of sensitivity readers (which if nothing else, perhaps we can all agree is a rather terrible job title?) is an example of Political Correctness gone too far rather than seeing it as an unfortunate necessity in an excessively lily white industry.  It's another to go as far as Tucker Carlson did. Not that his snide point is entirely without merit.

"'Can we no longer read ‘Othello’ because Shakespeare wasn’t black?' the novelist Francine Prose wrote recently in an essay about sensitivity readers and censorship in The New York Review of Books."

Prose may not be aware, but the answer to that question will soon be "yes."— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) December 27, 2017

https://t.co/5ti8YR93Zq https://t.co/b45RmuuvlU My own opinion is that good writers have the empathy thing down so sensitivity readers aren't needed. Bad writers WILL screw up, but I won't avoid them b/c they're insensitive. I'll avoid b/c they're bad writers. Flawed foundation.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017

A sensitivity reader can only declare you've offended them personally. They may say "this is offensive to black people" but we didn't all vote on it. We're not a monolith & aren't offended by the same shit. e.g. Some don't like that I wrote "shit" while others could give a fuck.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017

What would sensitivity readers have advised Mark Twain about his top selling book? I think I can accurately guess based on this... A Line A Day: A kinder, gentler Huck Finn - SMH https://t.co/Ks2I0ey1sd— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017

I've written arguments for N-Word usage https://t.co/FA2VCwlOcV and against it https://t.co/kgKD1KTKkl so clearly my own sensitivity ebbs and flows depending on the circumstances...including whether we're talking about fiction mirroring reality or reality itself.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017

Back in 2007 I wrote about that time Hergé wrote "Tintin in the Congo" with less than stellar sensitivity. Borders (remember them?) handled the backlash in Solomon-like fashion. https://t.co/Z8la5tic2K— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017

Time changes what's considered offensive versus mainstream. What was once called outlandish is now deemed tame. Good writing doesn't look to society's current etiquette rule book for guidance. It comes from the heart & gut, not from what somebody else feels is appropriate to say.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) December 29, 2017

A post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author) on Dec 24, 2017 at 10:16pm PST

Normal Next Door Nazis?

In this puff piece, Nazi trash Tony Hovater wonders what the world would look like if Nazi’s won the war. NYT reporter then proceeds to write article as if they had: https://t.co/MvXd5NfmTe— Paul Barrett (@paul_barrett) November 25, 2017

What the hell is this, @nytimes? This article does more to normalize neo-Nazism than anything I've read in a long time. https://t.co/btyFyujkh6— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) November 25, 2017

If this article is supposed to be about the normalization of white supremacy, then the @nytimes is certainly doing its part to do just that. https://t.co/jbxYTFjis7— Sleeping Giants (@slpng_giants) November 25, 2017

Quick Thought: Why upset? This article isn't normalizing white supremacy. It's pointing out white supremacy is normal. It's not just skin heads. It's your friend, neighbor, church member, maybe ur pastor. Upset cuz this means it could be you too? #NYTimeshttps://t.co/Yiu5LXmrAr— Kyle J. Howard (@KyleJamesHoward) November 26, 2017

Oh my God, @nytimes changed the headline of that bullshit Nazi-sympathizing article. It now reads “In America’s Heartland, a Voice of Hate Among ‘Normies’”.

FUCK YOU, NEW YORK TIMES.— Stephen T. Stone (@Regular_Stone) November 25, 2017

Ohio Nazi #TonyHovater got the @nytimes white supremacy puff piece treatment but readers weren’t fooled. Backlash so bad they changed article title and removed it from twitter feed. Just when I thought social media was nothing but a time suck.— Margaret Kimberley (@freedomrideblog) November 26, 2017

You know why Black people are livid about that NY Times Nazi article? Because we don't find it confusing, amusing, fascinating or a learning experience to hear about the "Nazi next door" when we've long known and said aloud that racism is rampant in this country to crickets— DJ Polite (@Polite_DPJ) November 26, 2017

My v unpopular take on the #NYTimes article about the nazi next door is that is was less about normalization and more about THIS IS ALREADY REALITY.

I’m so sick of the “Can’t believe this *horrible thing* is still happening in 2017” schtick of reporting— a girl has no name (@shelliebeanie) November 26, 2017

Nazis are trending because NY Times wrote an article humanizing a fcking Nazi pic.twitter.com/RgLmTh8Dpt— hanis. (@bennetsmoak) November 26, 2017

I don't mean to sound intolerant or coarse, but fuck this Nazi and fuck the gentle, inquisitive tone of this Nazi normalizing barf journalism, and fuck the photographer for not just throwing the camera at this Nazi's head and laughing. https://t.co/Pxfx2KU9AN— Bess Kalb (@bessbell) November 25, 2017

NY Times Journalist: This young nazi hopes his bigotry and fascism will go mainstream and with my help writing this sympathetic article in the country's most powerful mainstream paper, maybe his fascism will go mainstream. https://t.co/pGDA1UTa59— Dan Therriault (@dantherriault) November 26, 2017

I don't mean to sound intolerant or coarse, but fuck this Nazi and fuck the gentle, inquisitive tone of this Nazi normalizing barf journalism, and fuck the photographer for not just throwing the camera at this Nazi's head and laughing. https://t.co/Pxfx2KU9AN— Bess Kalb (@bessbell) November 25, 2017

Complete and utter bullshit @nytimes
Not once was being a Nazi condemned. The goal of the article was to normalize bigotry. However, I am pleased we are no longer being fed the "economic anxiety" lie. White people can't handle competition from POC so they want us silenced/removed— KD (@Fly_Sistah) November 26, 2017

How many @NYTimes subscribers woke up this morning thinking: "Man, I really hope I get to read an article featuring a Nazi lying to me with my coffee and bagel" ?— Fresh Brew (@TheFreshBrew) November 26, 2017

So I think that given this history, we are right to speak out loudly and forcefully about this shady article in @nytimes on an unrepentant Nazi. I'm not giving him or the author any play on my timeline....— ProfB (@AntheaButler) November 26, 2017

Hey @nytimes. I’m not going to read your offensive clickbaity Nazi-white-washing article. And I’m not going to buy any NYT issues or subscribe until you re-examine your editorial policies re: normalising Nazis and climate change denial.— Esmerelda ☘️ (@poetic_medic) November 26, 2017

Bob is a vegan. He opposes child labor. He believes we should protect the environment.

He's a serial killer who has tortured and murdered 14 people.

He likes "Big Bang Theory". He pays his taxes. He served in the military.

He collects fingers.

Loves cats. Has three of them.— Charles Clymér

BOOKSTAGRAM

Not real tech savvy but did figure out how to post my book reviews 2 instagram. A Line A Day: Doing it for the 'gram https://t.co/pHbLqkf3vH— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) October 29, 2017

Next thing is to step up my book photography game. So many appealing photos of books online these days. I see this as a good thing for print— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) October 29, 2017

Even tho book photos are primarily found online, they showcase the beauty of PRINT books, and so end up promoting ink on paper held in hand.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) October 29, 2017

I didn't think of instagram as a tool to promote books, particularly printed ones, when it first came out. But it has worked out that way.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) October 29, 2017

1st 2 book reviews I posted to instagram are 4 Mat Johnson's PYM and Brit Bennett's THE MOTHERS. https://t.co/iqHNDhUENH Two enjoyable reads— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) October 29, 2017

Next review will be of Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize winning THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. https://t.co/GEv6WBne17 https://t.co/TlAaXroyH9— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) October 29, 2017

Some of my favorite follows on Instagram are authors.— Pusha C# Ph.D (@grisuy) October 29, 2017

From what I can see - authors, readers, bloggers, photographers, bibliophiles, etc. are all making a wonderful go of it. Apparently print needed to be near death for us to truly appreciate the beauty of ink on paper. What a time to be alive!

TRUMP VS HILL

Based on very recent tweets, Donald Trump is not done feuding with Hillary Clinton. But if Trump vs. Hillary wasn't enough to satisfy him, now we have Trump vs. Hill. That would be Jemele Hill, ESPN commentator. Pretty easy to pick sides in this one. Granted, Jemele Hill's area of expertise is sports - not politics. But as someone who is also a human being, Jemele is allowed to have opinions on the Clown in Chief. I suppose that in being a public figure who is a spokesperson for her employer, there are some limitations on how she chooses to express personal non-sports opinions, no matter how accurate they are. Politics is neither sports nor entertainment, despite what we often see on TV. But sometimes no matter who you work for, you just have to get something off your chest. And ESPN, a network that is supposed to be about sports and nothing but sports, has certainly spent some of its valuable air time delving into non-sports areas. They even once decided to dedicate an entire show to this subject...






If we were able to make it through that well intentioned effort from the most peculiar of messengers then surely our patriotism can take the hit of Jemele Hill calling it like it is about the man who has taken the US presidency hostage.

Jemele told the truth. https://t.co/Esr1QOUntX— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) September 12, 2017

Jemele did spit truth. Political opinions from sports commentators isn't what we tune in 4. But on Twitter, professional & personal collide.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) September 13, 2017

I often write abt the intersection of sports w/ politics & social issues. But I don't work 4 ESPN so no restrictions https://t.co/RzAOiUTGxM— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) September 13, 2017

Criticizing Trump is something I do wholeheartedly. It's HARD for intelligent people not to rail against him. https://t.co/1thKf3keuL— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) September 13, 2017

Disney/ESPN chooses to tread > cautiously & I understand the reason for this. Trump fans are sports fans too. Don't alienate if unnecessary.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) September 13, 2017

One can manage to bite tongue abt a president who is incompetent. But when he's also a bigoted a-hole, the urge to criticize is overwhelming— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) September 13, 2017

We are with you @jemelehill ✊

THE CALM - a short story

2017 has been merciless in the weather department for many people, and there are still several months to go. Climate change deniers just shrug and dig their heads deeper into the sand. Meanwhile residents of Houston, Texas have exchanged homes for motor boats thanks to Harvey, the Caribbean (aka my homeland) was pummeled by Irma with extra attention paid to Barbuda. Hurricane Jose is apparently waiting in line right behind Irma. Hurricanes often move up from the Virgin Islands and pay a visit to Florida. Book (and 6-toed cat) lovers have an eye on Ernest Hemingway's Key West home this weekend, hoping it survives the pounding rain and whirling wind to come.

Moving beyond the United States of America (which already has Donald Trump to deal with so mean spirited weather on top of that seems unfair) to view the world at large, we find a variety of devastation from Mother Nature taking place. Most recent (last I checked) was an earthquake in Mexico.

Destruction of property by nature's elements gone wild from time to time is inevitable. Unfortunately, so too is loss of lives. There isn't much to be done about that, not even by those who fully accept that climate change is both real and largely a man made phenomenon. Sometimes in life the best we can do is hang on to the sturdiest object around with one hand, to our closest loved ones with the other, and pray to whoever/whatever we believe in that we'll manage to weather the storm.

Here's the massive devastation of Hurricane Irma in St. Maarten https://t.co/je09fNZM78 pic.twitter.com/zyzWKdoQRD— CNN Weather Center (@CNNweather) September 8, 2017

For those on a fixed income and no car, preparing for a hurricane is no easy task https://t.co/Up3MnzyROs— NPR (@NPR) September 8, 2017

Irma and Jose have 150+ mph winds, the 1st time on record the Atlantic has seen 2 hurricanes so intense at same time https://t.co/HRVLMQyxZ3 pic.twitter.com/WsFfXgyRC2— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) September 8, 2017

Raising funds to assist with the aftermath of hurricane Irma
Both before and after that storm comes "the calm". I once wrote a story with that very title. You can find and read it below.




                           THE CALM                              BY ROY L. PICKERING JR.  Certain days are never withdrawn from one's memory bank.  Such was the case of the first full day of a summer that was taking over for a rain filled spring, fresh on the heels of a bitter New York winter.  Incarceration by nature's less than ideal elements had finally concluded.  The sun now blazed with abandon, summoning God's creatures to emerge from hiding. A picnic seemed in order.  Paulette felt the same, surely a good omen.  We had not agreed on much of anything in some time. Our frequent opposing views added spice to the relationship in the beginning.  As long as we shared lust for one another in common, other things didn't much matter.  Over three years gone by, the carnal nature of our union having peaked and moved beyond, it was in doubt as to whether Paulette truly was the yang to my yin, the negative charge to my positive, the creamy center to my cookie crust. These worries I put aside, for I didn't need to get along with Paulette to know that I loved her.  I was willing to work out whatever problems we may have, though not inclined to have my love life be a chore, I was hoping the passage of time and shared experiences would work the kinks out for us.  Ending the relationship never emerged as an option, even in our most heated disputes.  I took this to mean that Paulette felt as I did. We spread a blanket on the grass of a nearby park, popped Miles Davis into my CD player, set up assorted reading material (I was reading Faulkner, she examined Cosmopolitan magazine), and partook of grapes, brie cheese on crackers, and a pitcher of lemonade.  
The rippling lake before us was a constantly changing work of art reflecting the cloudless sky above.  A man taught his precocious daughter how to fish; a dog frolicked with his masters; children rolled by unsteadily on rollerblades or glided past with more assurance on bicycles; lovers lay blissfully together as far as the eyes could see.  All of this Paulette and I contentedly observed, our souls filling up with peace much like the air was becoming saturated with pollen, the latter of which I had prepared for in advance by taking a sinus pill.  I felt secure for perhaps the first time that we would make it, that the winding roads of our separate lives were no longer running parallel, but had merged together as one. Unable to snag a coveted location under the shade of a tree, Paulette and I spritzed each other with water to endure the humidity.  After an hour passed, a steady breeze began to blow.  The sun's rays took pity and lessened in intensity, perfecting the level of comfort.  We kissed tenderly, then passionately, then reposed with hands held and hearts light. I assumed the first roll of thunder to be my imagination, the second a misinterpretation of a lick by the bass player accompanying Miles.  The third roll was too distinctive to be anything other than what it was.  Looking upward, I saw that the sun's clemency was due to clouds which had crept upon it.  In the following silence I hoped the inevitable would not occur, but a flash of lightning on the horizon told me that hoping would do no good. Paulette and I hurriedly packed our belongings under the rapidly darkening sky.  The first drops trickled down large, cold and ominous.  The breeze, once gentle as a baby's kisses, now sent debris into orbit.  We had just begun the race we had no chance of winning when the barrage started.  There was no shelter in sight that was a match for the storm's force.  We could do nothing but get drenched and either find humor in Mother Nature's unpredictability or not.  I saw no reason for a little water to ruin our moods, but Paulette's joy endured the rain as well as a lit match. I went away for nearly two weeks on a business trip the next day. Upon my arrival back home, the tone of Paulette’s "we need to talk" on my answering machine foretold that our reunion dinner date would likely spoil my appetite.  It did.  Paulette felt that continuing further with the relationship would keep us from getting on with our lives.  I had not been aware that either of our lives was on pause.  Therefore, I objected strenuously to Paulette’s resolution.  It was one thing to fix what was possibly broken, but to simply discard our relationship was inexcusable.  Paulette was convinced that we weren't meant to be, to which I rebutted that nothing was meant to be.  Things just were.  Paulette replied that our thing was just over. That summer had been shaping up to be special but turned out to be an idyllic backdrop for my grief.  I could find no humor in the irony that of all our disagreements, the only one to matter was the one about breaking up.  Paulette probably would have said solely for the purpose of contradicting me that our final dispute had actually been about staying together.  But no matter how the situation was viewed, it wouldn't change the fact that I was now alone, nor help me cope with this any better.  For longer than I care to recall, I isolated myself while waiting for Paulette to realize the folly of her decision.  If she ever did, she didn’t bother to let me in on her change of heart. Time tends to all matters in due course.  I am not of the opinion that wounds heal so much as they are buried under the growth of new skin.  They become invisible to the eye, but continue to be a part of who we are.  As Paulette predicted, I eventually began conducting the business of getting on with my life, no doubt considerably later than she.  Breaking up with someone is something one does long after already having done so emotionally. Perhaps a trite lesson to learn, but valuable nonetheless. And so I decided on a lovely August day to prepare a picnic for one and head to the park.  It was a mirror of the occasion spent there the year prior.  The lake was as ceaselessly moving yet never changing as I remembered, and the sun remained a boiling pupil in a vast blue iris.  About me adults huffed and puffed to sweat off a few pounds while children played for the right reason.  I surveyed my surroundings and saw that God's creation was a good one; that beauty persevered in the face of ugliness; that some people should never wear a bathing suit in public.  I thought of my past and present, tried to ponder my future but came up blank because it had not yet been formed.  No matter.  If not to be granted knowledge, I would settle for serenity.  Tomorrow would be here soon enough.

The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero by William Kalush
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

4 stars earned because the subject of this book led such an interesting life. 2 stars earned because the tedious writing style pulled off the feat of making Houdini's exploits seem quite mundane. So I've split the difference to give it 3 stars. Overall I'm glad I read this book. What I came into it already knowing about Houdini only scratched the surface of his accomplishments. I had no idea that he was a major participant in the earliest days of airplane flight. Not until reading the jacket cover did I know he most likely participated in spying for the government. Turns out he was also a Hollywood star (writing, directing, acting), a bibliophile who amassed practically a public library's worth of books, a man on a mission to warn the public against con artists who promised (for a price) to provide connections to the dearly departed, and perhaps least surprising - a ladies man. Houdini proved to be much better at escaping from all manner of devices than at keeping his extramarital affairs secret from his wife. The subject matter of this biography is juicy but the prose manages to be overlong and repetitive and I'll just say that it's way less of a page turner than it could have been. But I read through to the end and now feel that I know just about everything there is to know about Harry Houdini EXCEPT how he managed to pull off all that wonderful magic. He is and probably forever will be the gold standard of mystifying entertainment.

View all my reviews

Statues

Imagine thinking the removal of a statue of a failed general from 150yrs ago was the first step in the genocide of your entire ethnicity.— Mat Johnson (@mat_johnson) August 14, 2017

It shouldn't be harder to find monuments to black abolitionists than to white supremacist traitors.— Samuel Sinyangwe (@samswey) August 16, 2017

Great-great grandson of Stonewall Jackson: Confederate statues are meant to "intimidate black people and further white supremacy" #DNlive pic.twitter.com/kTPetgcO3K— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) August 17, 2017

"The statues of Lenin and Stalin are down, but the fight against their ghosts seems harder." https://t.co/9Odlm0NxGz via @BrainyQuote— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 18, 2017

Robert E. Lee led a secessionist army into Pennsylvania, where his troops captured free blacks and enslaved them. https://t.co/8okDmKv84F— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) August 14, 2017

Slavery, racism, torture, rape, treason and sedition are all worse. https://t.co/7rAF6lmQUj— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 17, 2017

Nazis are marching without fear. Counterprotesters are getting mowed down in the street.

Whether you like or not, it's time to pick a side. pic.twitter.com/LY2ZdAQ8pw— Yes, You're Racist (@YesYoureRacist) August 12, 2017

I don't care what color/religion/whatever you are. If you walk around thinking you're a member of "the chosen people", you're the problem.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 12, 2017

Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You.....— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

I had no idea a guy whose idea of classy is to stamp his name in gold on everything was such a fine art lover https://t.co/US8YDizK65— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 17, 2017

Don't forget that shortly prior to mayhem & tragedy in #Charolettesville this was the nonsense being peddled by WH, extra emphasis on the W. https://t.co/Pj1ZNgR1qI— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 14, 2017

In April, President Trump ordered the government to review & possibly shrink as many as 40 national monuments. https://t.co/CkT833SfdP https://t.co/BU4WCIGFcH— Robinson Meyer (@yayitsrob) August 17, 2017

Remember when Trump didn't disavow support from David Duke. This emboldened KKK once he won. Now a life has been lost. Try Trump for murder.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 14, 2017

That little baby grew up believing in goodness and justice and standing up to hate. Heather Heyer. Say her name. pic.twitter.com/82noPD35uU— George Wallace (@MrGeorgeWallace) August 13, 2017

Touching sign renames Charlottesville park "Heyer Memorial" after woman's death https://t.co/1wu3gUch7N pic.twitter.com/iaf7WkGekZ— HuffPost Politics (@HuffPostPol) August 14, 2017

Heather Heyer's mother: "They tried to kill my child to shut her up. Well, guess what? You just magnified her!" (via ABC) pic.twitter.com/I9dmC3Ntj4— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 16, 2017

#BREAKING: Baltimore City Council just adopted resolution to destroy all Confederate monuments #Resist #ImpeachTrump https://t.co/9K8ZvWILQt— Scott Dworkin (@funder) August 15, 2017

Ex-Confederate capital Richmond to "immediately" consider removing Confederate statues https://t.co/WcSEPLxa8g pic.twitter.com/dJs9ovQx6n— The Hill (@thehill) August 16, 2017

Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson will be removed from the CUNY hall of great Americans because New York stands against racism.— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) August 17, 2017

At 2pm we reported on the busts of Robert E. Lee & Stonewall Jackson in the Bronx.

By 6pm, they were history https://t.co/FJQuYzcB6F pic.twitter.com/lQS7XUjj5H— Gothamist (@Gothamist) August 17, 2017

Booker to introduce bill removing Confederate statues from the Capitol https://t.co/BMMC8CeHrr pic.twitter.com/HdHLDWlIkq— The Hill (@thehill) August 17, 2017

#BREAKING Protesters in #Durham topple confederate monument downtown pic.twitter.com/a3BNIavyxC— Derrick Lewis (@DerrickQLewis) August 14, 2017

Tony Dungy and the Buccaneers have donated to the costs of removing a Confederate monument in Tampa https://t.co/LT7QVajQYg— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 17, 2017

GOP CONGRESS: "I am deeply troubled by bigotry & moral ambiguity toward it!"
REPORTER: "Will you stand up to Trump then?"
GOP CONGRESS: ..." pic.twitter.com/6kahj9GFmO— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) August 16, 2017

Statue talk reminds me that Odessa turned its Lenin statue into one of Darth Vader https://t.co/fGL4TqPwD8 pic.twitter.com/Q5LSTBGz3s— pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee) August 17, 2017

TRUMP: We must respect and honor our beautiful statues!

STATUE OF LIBERTY: pic.twitter.com/QSZnLtqEQn— Jesse McLaren (@McJesse) August 17, 2017

We've gone from Stephen Miller saying "statue of liberty poem doesn't count b/c added later" to our president defending statues over people.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 17, 2017

This is a merry-go-round, not a "statue." https://t.co/IYKh9dN9Xi— Joyce Carol Oates (@JoyceCarolOates) August 17, 2017

They should gather all of the statues and monuments to racist a-holes from yesteryear & stick them together in Museum of Hate.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 17, 2017

Sadly that museum will get its fair share of visitors.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 17, 2017

I'm not a fan of banning/censorship of art/literature. We can learn from hateful ancestors. But what we shouldn't do is celebrate them. EVER— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 17, 2017

So don't melt down statues of Civil War heroes, evil dictators, etc. But don't pollute our parks with them either. Off to the #MuseumOfHate— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 17, 2017

To southerners who will miss statues of Robert E. Lee et al I give the same advice I've given other hero worshipers. https://t.co/gEz4ui97Un— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 17, 2017

When statues get taken down, hopefully they're replaced by statues of a diverse array of well deserving but under the radar American heroes.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 17, 2017

I'd never salute statue of Robert E. Lee b/c slavery supporting traitor. Put up statues of whoever invented velcro, the ATM, the TV remote,— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 17, 2017

People who actually contributed mightily to the fabric of our day to day lives. Champions of the ever evolving industrial revolution.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 17, 2017

when can we make this a statue pic.twitter.com/KhmHpxlBSp— Reclaiming My Time (@seelolago) August 17, 2017

The statues aren't worth defending when under attack, nor does their existence overly bother me. Current US policies/legislation is my focus https://t.co/VZTyckjbwR— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 17, 2017

New cover of @TheEconomist goes there. pic.twitter.com/bwtFDZrBDx— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 17, 2017

My first cover for The New Yorker entitled "Blowhard." pic.twitter.com/OjnjELalVP— David Plunkert (@plunkert) August 17, 2017

pic.twitter.com/HSCpD7Te3m— Classandra Green (@ClassyGreen) August 17, 2017

I wonder how Trump would feel about an Obama statue. I'm sure it would have a higher approval rating than Don even if face looked like this. pic.twitter.com/FCRTSfLZNm— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) August 18, 2017

#ArtLitGiveaway

My wife and I, currently working together on our first joint children's book [The Absolutely Amazing Adventures of Ava Appelsawse], have decided to co-host a giveaway contest. My portion of the prize is a copy of my latest novel, Matters of Convenience.  Erin is contributing an 8 x 10 art print from her Etsy shop to the pot. The winner will have five prints to select a favorite from. Narrowing the number of choices down to five was no easy feat since she is rather prolific with pencil, pen and paintbrush.

Our contest is open only to US residents who are at least 18 years old, and it is being held on Twitter. We don't require that you follow either one of us on there, though it would be nice. To enter, all it takes is a retweet of the tweet that will be pinned as of 7/24 on my Twitter page or the one on Erin's. You can do so daily for the duration of the contest. With a contest entry tweet pinned to both of our accounts (@authorofpatches and @gfillustrator), that means you can make two entries per day.

The contest closes at midnight EST on 8/9/17. A winner will be chosen at random and notified later that day. To claim prizes, reply within 48 hours of notification with choice of art print. If not claimed within that time, we'll do another drawing.

Stay tuned for future giveaways to be hosted by Erin and I on facebook and Instagram. For now, our inaugural contest is open only to those fond of expressing themselves in bursts of 140 characters or less.

Good luck. Regularly spare moments to appreciate art. Happy reading.

Matters of Convenience - pictures to go with the words

MATTERS OF CONVENIENCE by Roy L. Pickering Jr. - available at Amazon in print & kindle formats

BUY BOOKS or else BYE BOOKS

Sad news: @tanehisicoates's Black Panther comic is being cancelled by Marvel https://t.co/UPBClA21Dc (h/t @TheVerge)— Alexander Nazaryan (@alexnazaryan) May 15, 2017

I recently went to Comic Con & wrote a lil abt experience: https://t.co/MdHSiWJeo5 At end of post is link to article abt increased diversity— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

Title of article is - Comics: You’ve Got Your Diversity, So Why Don’t You Buy Them? Excellent MF'ing question. https://t.co/lTt1baY7EX— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

1 of 2: Whether subject is comic books or novels or any other category of book, you can't diss publishers for not being more diverse if when— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

2 of 3: they do pub content that is right up the alley you're supposedly asking for, you ignore it and so the publisher doesn't make $$$$$$$— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

Clearly there is plenty of support 4 artistic works from POC SOME of the time. Look no further than Get Out or DuVernay or Empire or Atlanta— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

But other times, despite positive word of mouth & plenty of rah rah from cheerleaders, sufficient support simply is not there.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

This makes sense. Not everything can be a hit. The market loves what it loves and ignores what fails to catch on for whatever reasons.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

My point is you can't just point exclusively to racism as reason why you're not seeing more representation of this group or that group.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

It isn't just the NFL that's a copycat league. So too is publishing, movie making, etc. When there's a hit, imitators are sure to follow.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

When there's a flop, it will likely be a long ass time before another attempt to mine that particular area for gold will be made.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

Chances are limited for content producers who are outside of the mainstream (yes, mainstream = white). Support needs to show up big time.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

& ultimately there needs to be some crossover to the success. You think Get Out made all that $$ with only blacks going to see it? Hell nah!— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

U want > POC repped on page/screen? Don't make a hashtag. Don't write a think piece. Hit easy button & simply put your $ where your mouth is— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

If you build it they will come is bullsh*t. Often they won't show up. But what is true 100% is - If you buy it, they will produce more of it— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

Oscars won't be "so white" if more people who are brown/marginalized put down > green to see themselves represented in a top quality manner.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

By top quality I don't mean "Madea's Pregnant" (not knocking Perry's hustle but is what it is). I mean top quality. https://t.co/OY4nurKFcZ— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

Headway is certainly being made. Success of Moonlight e.g. probably doesn't happen a few years ago. But the exception needs 2b made The Rule— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

Seek, discover, purchase, promote, spread word of mouth love for the type of art you appreciate and want to see more of on regular basis.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 16, 2017

I was thrilled by Fences finally making it to the big screen. It earned some award nomination, but > important, hopefully made decent $$$.— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

If the box office #S were there, we'll see more August Wilson and other #BlackExcellence on screen. If it wasn't, "Madea's Pregnant AGAIN".— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

PoC aren't out here writing diverse books just for y'all to retweet and add them to your "tbr" YOU NEED TO BUY, READ AND SUPPORT THESE BOOKS pic.twitter.com/vVARZu7yt6— l e e n a h (@froitana) May 14, 2017

And read them as part of your regular reading habits, not just part of an event or special occasion. https://t.co/9XzyLJW4rF— vantine (@vantine) May 15, 2017

this thread ❤️ also if you're short on money: follow authors for giveaways and deals, check 'used' on amazon, and try the book depository https://t.co/6EdjtzXLzH— edna (@booknymph) May 14, 2017

Giveaway for Matters of Convenience is underway https://t.co/f4r4ThWiFk & Kindle ed. is discounted to just $1.99 https://t.co/sDgGixMhRY— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) May 15, 2017

In other book related news...

Harlequin is closing Kimani, Western, Superromance, Nocturne, and Love Inspired Historical lines. (2/3)— Courtney!!! Milan (@courtneymilan) May 15, 2017

But I refuse to grow disheartened. I will continue to write from the heart and hope that readers give it a try. I will continue to find and support and promote brilliant writing from a diverse array of authors. Some I will like, some I will love, from time to time there will be a MEH...






...and every so often I will be awed and powerfully reminded of why I fell in love of reading and writing in the first place.