Therone Shellman June 15th article in Indie Rapstarz Magazine http://indierapstarzmag.com
When did you start writing? and what motivated you to write?
Ans. To be honest my writing endeavors started with writing love letters to the young ladies in Junior High. They were awed because, most young men don't like or know how to communicate. It started to become serious while I was about 17 years old, and become full blown at 19 when I began the first draft of Love Don't Live Here.
Growing up a 5 Percenter as a young man I was lucky enough to come in contact with some great older minds of brothers who were also members. They introduced me to many learned thinkers, writers, historians, etc. It is here that I became aware that there are many great writers, and I could become one myself. The icing on the cake is when I was introduced to some works of Walter Mosley. When I began researching who he was, and how his following/readers were of many races and ethnicity I made the decision that this is also what I desired to strive for. My experiences are the foundation for the way I see the world. As an artist I want to convey my thoughts to the world in a manner they can all understand.
Who were some of your favorite writers?
Walter Mosley, Langston Hughes, Richard Wright, James Baldwin, A.J. Rogers, Allison Walker, Toni Morrison, John Grisham, Manley P. Hall, Napoleon Hill, etc. There are so many other good writers works I've had the opportunity of enjoying. It would take a whole book to name them all, and the experiences.
Whats was your first book? and what was it about?
Ans.The name of my first book is Love Don't Live Here (revised edition). The story takes place during the 70's between Brooklyn, and Long Island, N.Y. It's about the lives of two black women who are in their early twenties. Both of them become single mothers through different circumstances. One, her boyfriend leaves here while she's six months pregnant. The others husband is a member of the Black Panther Party and winds up being killed. Through chance they both meet while at the supermarket. After speaking they realize they have a common goal, which is to raise their sons to become productive men in a society geared toward their demise. As women they don't know what their sons need. The book is fiction, but very realistic and historical.
Any other books you wrote?
Ans. Yes, my second book is No Love Lost- a story which takes place during the cocaine/crack era of the mid 80's into the early 90's within Long Island, N.Y. It's a story about the lives of two black teen males who break away from the middle class lifestyles their mothers strive to provide for them, and turn to the streets. The book is very graphic, realistic and true portrayal of the deadly lifestyle and the destruction it brings to both the individuals involved and the greater community.
I co-wrote a book called Love.com which is no longer available from my venture. But is available on amazon.com through other sellers. It is a fun, funny title with a very subtle but serious message about not letting people or life get the best of you.
The Secrets of Self Publishing 2 was just released. This is the follow up to the first edition which is my fourth title. My journey in self-publishing started almost a decade ago when most of the industry thought it was just a fad which wouldn't last. If you have watched all of Tupac Shakur's interviews over the last year before he was murdered, then I will say everything he stated about the music industry I will double and say it's also true about the literary world. Therefore the book is an opportunity for aspiring authors to get ahead start in learning the ground floor of the business.
Survivor I Changed the Rules, is my autobiography. But it also mirrors the lives of those who were teens in the 80's-90's. It speaks about a generation, and also the power we as individuals have to overcome obstacles, regardless of what statistics or the media state.
All You Need to Know to Become An Entrepreneur, isn't a very large book. Instead it is a straight to the point work detailing the ins and outs of entrepreneurship. The book starts right away with the different types of business structures and their pros and cons. I actually started writing as notes for myself, but as they work built I realized it would be a great book for others.
There are more books coming right after this article prints, so stay in the know.
What message you wanted to share in your books?
Ans. The messages I share in my works are about enlightenment, and reality. They are also about overcoming and progression.
How you feel about the young black males today and the direction they are heading?
Ans. Young black males today like the generations before them are being victimized and manipulated by a system of organized chaos which seeks to alter and destroy their images and also identity. There is no profit for many to see them being educated, self aware and progressive.
One thing I would like to speak about is the pants hanging off the waist. I understand this was started by some rappers. But to corporate America and some others this was a great opportunity to ensure it had become a part of urban culture. In prison culture it has always been a way for homosexual men to let others know they were available. In no way am I seeking to knock anyone's sexual preference. But I will say young people are being introduced to a lifestyle outside of men and women relationships when they haven't even figured out how to effectively deal with the opposite sex. I don't want to spend too much time on this because, there are so many other things to speak about. So I will move on to gang culture, and the break down and disappearance of rules and regulations. We understand that the streets have always been lawless in some manners, but today it's as if the Older Blind are leading the Younger Blind. So the reckless behavior is at all time high. Peddling, hustling, etc is no longer a business or means to get out the ghetto. Instead it has become a lifestyle to accept and desire the worst.
Unless there is a concerted effort between the black business sector, religious leader/community, civic organizations, black men in the arts (actors, singers, writers, etc) the same cycle of abuse and ignorance will continue to be passed down generation to generation. I was speaking to a woman in her twenties and she mentioned to me, that if black men in her age group aren't in gangs killing each other off, their gay or unconcerned about getting out there and making it happen. They want a woman to take care of them like their mothers did. My eyes opened wide at how brutal her words sounded. But when you sit back and think for a moment, you cannot be offended by someone speaking the truth of what is going on right now.
READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE IN THE JUNE 15th EDITION OF INDIE RAPSTARZ MAG http://indierapstarzmag.com
Get yourself a copy. While you're at it get a young person you know a copy!!
Ans. To be honest my writing endeavors started with writing love letters to the young ladies in Junior High. They were awed because, most young men don't like or know how to communicate. It started to become serious while I was about 17 years old, and become full blown at 19 when I began the first draft of Love Don't Live Here.
Growing up a 5 Percenter as a young man I was lucky enough to come in contact with some great older minds of brothers who were also members. They introduced me to many learned thinkers, writers, historians, etc. It is here that I became aware that there are many great writers, and I could become one myself. The icing on the cake is when I was introduced to some works of Walter Mosley. When I began researching who he was, and how his following/readers were of many races and ethnicity I made the decision that this is also what I desired to strive for. My experiences are the foundation for the way I see the world. As an artist I want to convey my thoughts to the world in a manner they can all understand.
Who were some of your favorite writers?
Walter Mosley, Langston Hughes, Richard Wright, James Baldwin, A.J. Rogers, Allison Walker, Toni Morrison, John Grisham, Manley P. Hall, Napoleon Hill, etc. There are so many other good writers works I've had the opportunity of enjoying. It would take a whole book to name them all, and the experiences.
Whats was your first book? and what was it about?
Ans.The name of my first book is Love Don't Live Here (revised edition). The story takes place during the 70's between Brooklyn, and Long Island, N.Y. It's about the lives of two black women who are in their early twenties. Both of them become single mothers through different circumstances. One, her boyfriend leaves here while she's six months pregnant. The others husband is a member of the Black Panther Party and winds up being killed. Through chance they both meet while at the supermarket. After speaking they realize they have a common goal, which is to raise their sons to become productive men in a society geared toward their demise. As women they don't know what their sons need. The book is fiction, but very realistic and historical.
Any other books you wrote?
Ans. Yes, my second book is No Love Lost- a story which takes place during the cocaine/crack era of the mid 80's into the early 90's within Long Island, N.Y. It's a story about the lives of two black teen males who break away from the middle class lifestyles their mothers strive to provide for them, and turn to the streets. The book is very graphic, realistic and true portrayal of the deadly lifestyle and the destruction it brings to both the individuals involved and the greater community.
I co-wrote a book called Love.com which is no longer available from my venture. But is available on amazon.com through other sellers. It is a fun, funny title with a very subtle but serious message about not letting people or life get the best of you.
The Secrets of Self Publishing 2 was just released. This is the follow up to the first edition which is my fourth title. My journey in self-publishing started almost a decade ago when most of the industry thought it was just a fad which wouldn't last. If you have watched all of Tupac Shakur's interviews over the last year before he was murdered, then I will say everything he stated about the music industry I will double and say it's also true about the literary world. Therefore the book is an opportunity for aspiring authors to get ahead start in learning the ground floor of the business.
Survivor I Changed the Rules, is my autobiography. But it also mirrors the lives of those who were teens in the 80's-90's. It speaks about a generation, and also the power we as individuals have to overcome obstacles, regardless of what statistics or the media state.
All You Need to Know to Become An Entrepreneur, isn't a very large book. Instead it is a straight to the point work detailing the ins and outs of entrepreneurship. The book starts right away with the different types of business structures and their pros and cons. I actually started writing as notes for myself, but as they work built I realized it would be a great book for others.
There are more books coming right after this article prints, so stay in the know.
What message you wanted to share in your books?
Ans. The messages I share in my works are about enlightenment, and reality. They are also about overcoming and progression.
How you feel about the young black males today and the direction they are heading?
Ans. Young black males today like the generations before them are being victimized and manipulated by a system of organized chaos which seeks to alter and destroy their images and also identity. There is no profit for many to see them being educated, self aware and progressive.
One thing I would like to speak about is the pants hanging off the waist. I understand this was started by some rappers. But to corporate America and some others this was a great opportunity to ensure it had become a part of urban culture. In prison culture it has always been a way for homosexual men to let others know they were available. In no way am I seeking to knock anyone's sexual preference. But I will say young people are being introduced to a lifestyle outside of men and women relationships when they haven't even figured out how to effectively deal with the opposite sex. I don't want to spend too much time on this because, there are so many other things to speak about. So I will move on to gang culture, and the break down and disappearance of rules and regulations. We understand that the streets have always been lawless in some manners, but today it's as if the Older Blind are leading the Younger Blind. So the reckless behavior is at all time high. Peddling, hustling, etc is no longer a business or means to get out the ghetto. Instead it has become a lifestyle to accept and desire the worst.
Unless there is a concerted effort between the black business sector, religious leader/community, civic organizations, black men in the arts (actors, singers, writers, etc) the same cycle of abuse and ignorance will continue to be passed down generation to generation. I was speaking to a woman in her twenties and she mentioned to me, that if black men in her age group aren't in gangs killing each other off, their gay or unconcerned about getting out there and making it happen. They want a woman to take care of them like their mothers did. My eyes opened wide at how brutal her words sounded. But when you sit back and think for a moment, you cannot be offended by someone speaking the truth of what is going on right now.
READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE IN THE JUNE 15th EDITION OF INDIE RAPSTARZ MAG http://indierapstarzmag.com
Get yourself a copy. While you're at it get a young person you know a copy!!
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