Thursday This and That

Several Unrelated Thoughts, Links, and Announcements

1. Tomorrow: A Guest Post by Christine Fonseca and an Ebook Giveaway!

I’m happy to be a stop tomorrow on Christine Fonseca’s blog tour for her latest book, Lacrimosa, which is part of her Requiem series. Be sure to stop by to read an excellent guest piece from her on being fearless and for a chance to win a free ebook.

2. Recent Links for Writers on Branding

Branding and platform seem all the buzz these days. Here are a few links to recent, useful posts for writers:

3.  A Tribute to Mister Rogers

My most recent Psychology Today piece was inspired by the new PBS documentary, Mister Rogers & Me.

4. Allison Joseph’s AWP Acceptance Speech

I was inspired by Allison Joseph’s acceptance speech for the 2012 AWP/George Garrett Award For Outstanding Community Service in Literature, the text of which is now available online:

“I grew up in the seventies and eighties in the New York City borough of the Bronx–a skinny, ashy-legged girl with no particular passions—I didn’t sing, or dance, or rap, or get by on my stunning good looks—except for the words that were beginning to scurry around inside my brain and demand to come out via my fingers. I hoarded pencils and pens like they were going out of style. I wrote my little poems in little notebooks that I hid under my bed. I didn’t want my Caribbean immigrant parents to know that their first-generation daughter wasn’t going to be the doctor or lawyer that they wanted. I was going to do something with these furtive scribblings—I didn’t know what yet, but I knew that those little notebooks, and the books of poems I kept borrowing from the library, had something to do with what I was going to do with the rest of my life…” Read More

5. Oscar’s Gift: Planting Words with Oscar Micheaux annotated serialization coming soon to a blog near you!

Check back on Sunday for more details.

6.. Jonathan Capehart’s Memories of Growing Up  Black in America

Finally, on a more serious note, for anyone who is following the tragic case of the death of Trayvon Martin, be sure to read Jonathan Capehart’s thoughts on the experience of being male and black in America:

“Reading about Trayvon reminded me of the list of the ‘don’ts’ I received after my sheltered existence in Hazlet, N.J., was replaced with the reality of Newark when my mother remarried in the 1980s.

‘Don’t run in public.’ Lest someone think you’re suspicious.

‘Don’t run while carrying anything in your hands.’ Lest someone think you stole something.

‘Don’t talk back to the police.’ Lest you give them a reason to take you to jail or worse…” Read More