Interview with Lucinda Clark - Author and Compiler of "View From the Middle of the Road Vol II"

Today, Tyler R. Tichelaar of Reader Views is pleased to be joined by Lucinda Clark, who is responsible for compiling "View from the Middle of the Road, Volume II," PRA Publishing (2006), ISBN 9780972770361, a poetry anthology that showcases four African American Poets from the East Coast States. The poets write about love, life, and what it is like to be African American in this country.Lucinda Clark is the founder of P.R.A. Publishing. She has worked with visual artists and authors on the promotion and marketing of their creative works for the past nineteen years. She wrote her first volume of "View from the Middle of the Road, where the greenest grass grows" in 2004. She has published 8 other titles by other authors since then. She currently resides in Martinez, Georgia with her husband Robert and their two children. She is the publisher of two "View from the Middle of the Road" volumes, and one of the poets included in the second volume. She plans to release the next edition in the series next winter.Tyler: Thank you, Lucinda, for joining me today. First of all, "View from the Middle of the Road" is one in a series of poetry books. Would you begin by telling us a little bit about that series and how it came about?Lucinda: The View series began as an experiment in my transition from a visual artist agent to publisher of authors. I kept hearing how difficult it is to break into the business so I wrote and published the first View to get the total experience first hand. The art you find on each View cover is the way I stay connected to the art world; each new edition will showcase work by a talented visual artist.How the idea for the anthology developed--my husband and I started sponsoring an art and writing contest at our children's schools about 8 years ago. As the contest grew and queries from poets to be published have come in, we have found that we could expand our tribute to poetry platform by changing "View" into an anthology to expand visibility for all the poets out there who may never get the chance to see their work in print.Tyler: Lucinda, you are also a poet, but there's a big difference between being an unpublished and a published writer. How has your life changed since you've published your poetry?Lucinda: People are always wondering when will I publish my next book or suggesting things I should write about.Tyler: Publishing books yourself as opposed to being a published writer also adds a challenge, but probably also advantages and insights into the industry. What have been the biggest learning curves and also advantages to you as a publisher and poet?Lucinda: I don't really see that much of a difference between publishing my work and having it published by a bigger publishing concern. This is what most authors don't understand. A publisher can only put a set amount of time money and PR resources to a given project; then they must move on to the next project(s). It is up to the author to keep the title constantly fresh.My biggest learning curve, all the details that must be covered pre, during and post release of a title. Sometimes it can drive you mad!I have found the biggest advantage to being a publisher is the great number of people you get to help by showcasing literary works along with the programs we put on to promote what we do.Tyler: "View from the Middle of the Road, Volume II" focuses on four African American Poets from the East Coast States. Would you briefly tell us a little bit about each of those poets' works?Lucinda: Each of the poets selected for View II have had some sort of connection with us prior to the book's publication. Toni Quest is not only featured in the book, she is also the artist whose work is on the cover of the book. I heard Makal read at an annual arts festival here in Augusta; his reading and other self- published chapbooks were so powerful that we selected some of his previous works for this edition. Robert Ward was one of the winners of our contest that we held in 2006. He lives in North Carolina and writes wonderful sci-fi pieces that he is going to have published.Tyler: You didn't mention yourself, but I understand you're the fourth poet included in the volume, and consequently from one of the East Coast states.Lucinda: I am originally from Philadelphia, PA. I lived and studied in New Orleans where I received both my B.S. and Masters degrees from Dillard and Tulane Universities respectively. I have written for my sorority newsletter and the newsletter for my rotary club. I also have one or two articles I have co-written. I have also written lots of promotional material and press releases. I functioned as an artist agent before my leap into publishing.Tyler: How did you choose which poets to include in the anthology?Lucinda: Our choices were made based on entries and contact we had available at the time. We now receive queries from all over the world. So our pool of selection has expanded greatly.Tyler: Did you find similarities among these poets because of the region where they live?Lucinda: Not really.Tyler: I know it is difficult to summarize, but what do you feel is the message in these poems about what it is like to be African American in this country?Lucinda: Diversity of a culture within a culture is the best way to describe it. If you take the backgrounds of each poet showcased you will find that being African American is what we all have in common. I tried to work for balance by having an equal number represented by gender. Our educational backgrounds, social economic status, age, marital status and professional work are as diverse and varied as America. For example, Toni is married to a Jewish man; she battles daily with Multiple Sclerosis, yet she teaches art and runs her own art company. Makal, who is probably the youngest poet represented, lives in urbanized Aiken, S.C. He feels a strong connection to youth based ministering and speaks as a single black male living in the modern day south. Robert Ward, who is older, has been previously published and is actively working in the commercial end of the arts. He has a family and supporting them is his primary concern. I have several educational degrees, have worked in research and health care, and am married to a physician. I am also raising teenagers. Our backgrounds speak volumes on how our ethnicity comes second to status as Americans. We are actually having the "American" experience. We just happen to be Black.Tyler: This second volume of "View from the Middle of the Road" is subtitled "U.S. in Us" while the first volume was subtitled "where the greenest grass grows." What is the difference between these two volumes of poetry?Lucinda: The subtitles serve two purposes:One is to get the reader to see the artwork on the front cover.Two it shapes the perspective of the poets being showcased.For example, in View I, if you look closely at the cover art, walking in Faith by Audrey Crosby, you will see a woman walking down the middle of the road. There is a tornado and a volcano erupting in the background. When you read the poems you will see examples of experiences I either viewed experienced or had related to me. My perception of each experience shifted based on where I was on my journey that we call life. The poems by my children at the end helped me understand that the middle is okay. And that the grass is never as green as it may look on the other side. We must always keep our eyes forward for that is where we will find ourselves.In View II, Toni's artwork speaks to the turbulent times we (not just African Americans) find ourselves in. America the great "melting pot" is going through an identity crisis. The culture in America is now statistic driven for marketing, research government funding purposes and so we are being labeled by ethnicity instead of what is a common bond for us all; we are all part of this country. So if you look at the cover art titled U.S. in US, we as African Americans are part of the fabric, which makes up the American flag. No matter how the statistics or past history may label us.Tyler: I'm very interested in your description of cover art. The old saying is true that a book is judged by its cover. Will you describe for us the process of choosing the cover art? Do you yourself conceive the idea for the cover art, or do you pick an artist and give them free rein?Lucinda: I am still constantly exposed to art because of my time as an art agent. I usually have a concept in mind so that the image for the cover just pops out from all the art I am exposed to. We have yet to select an artist to create a cover; if we continue, as we are, who knows?Tyler: Lucinda, as the publisher of "View from the Middle of the Road," why did you decide to publish anthologies, and what are the challenges you face in marketing an anthology?Lucinda: We have published 8 titles to date. One deals with Alzheimer's, another with being an Iranian refugee, one as a tribute to African American Daughters, one that deals with stages in a woman's life and one dealing with the transitions from birth to death, a children's book about a Hispanic family, and two view titles.I believe an anthology is easier to market than a single poet's title. It takes the same energy to promote one poet as it does to showcase many. If one gets heard, then others benefit. Because the anthologies are tied to our annual contest, I feel we are creating awareness, expanding minds and seeding the future of the literary arts.The biggest challenge is the statement poetry is hard to sell. My answer: do you have a favorite song? If you remove the melody from any song, the lyrics if read alone are poetry. I believe poetry to be one of the remaining higher literary art forms, because you still have to put on your thinking cap to create it, perform it effectively and to appreciate it when you read it. That takes a lot of imagination.Tyler: Lucinda, when did you first decide or discover that you were a poet?Lucinda: When I was a teenager I wrote poetry all the time. My parents strongly encouraged me to think about other ways to make a living. So I stopped writing and studied to become a doctor. After a failed attempt in becoming a doctor, I worked with artists and authors in Philadelphia. I re-found my writing muse after many of the artists I represented encouraged me to find my artistic voice. The courage to write poetry returned full force in 2003-2004 for the first View book. For example, I would be brushing my teeth and a poem would come fully formed into my brain. I find that some event or experience triggers my writing.Tyler: What do you think are the biggest challenges a poet faces publicly, especially compared to novelists or non-fiction writers?Lucinda: This is a great question!Having the ability to wear many hats in this business I would say. If you as the poet can appreciate the fact that your readers/audience are having at least two types of experiences when they partake in your work. One is when they read your work, without you there to share and give background, your work is received in a totally different way. Second, when you are reading to the audience. The audience can now be fully engaged in all aspects of the creative process. They know exactly what you meant when you wrote it, and they come away enriched because you shared. This cannot be stressed enough.Tyler: Thank you for joining me today, Lucinda. Before we go, would you tell our readers where they may purchase a copy of "View from the Middle of the Road, Volume II" and where they may go to find out more information on the book and others in the series?Lucinda: The book can be purchased online at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com. or by visiting our website http://www.prapublishing.comThank you Tyler for having on your program!Tyler: Thank you, Lucinda. Best of luck with this anthology and the ones to come. seuss book collection sets cat hat

New Western Novel - "Apache" is A Superb, Hardcore Western

Apache, the second novel in the Jake Silver Adventure series by newcomer author Jere D. James, is a gritty, dark, hard-core, action-packed Western novel. Far more traditional than James' first title, Saving Tom Black, Apache delivers punch after punch of shocking, action-filled scenes.Set in Arizona, ca 1888, James sends his main character, U.S. Deputy Marshal Jake Silver, on a blind search for his missing sister who, in order to escape the stigma of having an illegitimate child, left home to marry a ne'er-do-well, unknown rancher in southern Arizona. Finding Sophy is Jake's excuse for leaving the comforts of girlfriend Betsy DuBonnet (Saving Tom Black) but it's equally apparent that Jake's real motivation to leave on this quest is to have some time on the trail to sort things out regarding his relationship with Betsy and the subsequent expectations for marriage that he unhappily finds himself facing.In the months since arriving in southern Arizona, however, Sophy Silver has been befriended by Nantan Lupan, the last of the Bodonkohe Apaches. James fully explores the taboos of a love affair between an Indian and white woman, showing society's abhorrence of such a liason. One cannot help but root for the hapless Indian, however, and hope that James will bring this enticing, excellently well-drawn character back in a future novel.New to the series also is Captain Peter Burt, a man who is quite taken with the winsome Sophy Silver and aids the marshal in his search. Unlike the tender, often humorous Saving Tom Black, such is the seriousness of this work, that the only humor in the book comes from Burt. He is yet another character that this reviewer would like to see in a future title.James does an excellent job in this book of adding a dark dimension to the heretofore perfect Deputy Marshal Jake Silver, which makes this character even more likeable and real. If Jake comes across as too good to be true in Saving Tom Black, that image is happily tarnished in this read.This book takes many unexpected twists and turns as Jake Silver pursues his sister and her lover, and the outcome of this pursuit is remarkably fresh and unexpected. However, the ultimate end of the book will be surprising, even shocking.James does an excellent job of paving the way for future books in the series, skillfully planting innuendos along the way. If this writer can continue in this vein, the Jake Silver Adventure series may prove to be as long-lasting and popular as some of the other great. Western series. dr seuss cat in hat quotes

The Rebellion Within

In The Rebellion Within (published in the June 2, 2008 issue of The New Yorker), Lawrence Wright describes the known life of Sayyed Imam Al-Sharif-known in some circles of the extremely secretive jihadist underground as Dr. Fadl.Fadl, an extremely gifted Islamic scholar, met Ayman al-Zawahiri in 1977 while both were attending medical school in Cairo. Within a decade he found himself at the ground floor of the Jihad movement. As a matter of fact, he literally wrote the book on the subject.Two of Fadl's texts, The Essential Guide for Preparation and The Compendium of the Pursuit of Divine Knowledge, became (and probably remain) cornerstones of the training and indoctrination of Al Qaeda recruits in the power vacuum of post-Soviet Afghanistan.Much happened in the following decade. On the sprawling list of Topics Most Americans Ought to Familiarize Themselves With, 1990s-era Afghanistan is certainly near the top. The meteoric rise of the Taliban and the fast polarization of Islamic politics, I should not need to remind you, remain era-defining issues.But there are lengthy books for that, written by people with so much storytelling ability that I, in comparison, look like a kid scribbling with crayons. I recommend going all-out with Steve Coll's excellent Ghost Wars.Anyway, here's how Fadl ended up: In October 2001-seven years after he cut ties with his extremist past and took up supposedly earnest work as a surgeon-was arrested by Yemeni secret police and thrown into an Egyptian prison with a life sentence. Since then, he's mellowed out, renounced violence and become a vocal opponent of Al Qaeda.If you've got an hour to kill, it's a great read. dr seuss cat in hat history

Ken Blanchard Book Review - Whale Done, Accentuate the Positive and Build Trust

This book is a refreshing way to look at the power of positive relationships.The author, Ken Blanchard has caught the essence of learning how to manage and motivate people by watching and learning from trainers of killer whales.When I first read this book or heard of this book I had to ask,"What can you learn from a killer whale and relate it to people and relationships?"To my surprise we as leaders or managers have a lot in common with the killer whale. Killer whales whole bases works around the family pod. All the other whales in the family will depend and follow the leader. From watching the inter actions of a killer whale pod you can learn the power of positive relationships.As a leader that has and wants a lot of people following you the first place you need to start is in your own house. In the year 2010 we have equal partnership with our wives or wives with husbands.Warning: This is my disclaimer, what you read next is my opinion!Even though our wives are equal partners in our marriage and in life it is the responsibility of the head of the household to accentuate the positive and build the trust in the relationship.Personally this is were men today fall way short. We need to point out the Positive instead of the Negative in our relationship. By doing this will change your marriage if you do this for thirty days. Once you do that and you see the results you will keep doing this because you will not want your marriage any other way. Guys try it, I dare you!Now this will flow right into how you also deal with your children. Today's children have very low self esteem issues and their attitudes stem from the house hold. So instead of always pointing out the negative and you start accentuate the positive and build trust, you will see a big difference in your children. You will see their attitudes changing and the way they think of themselves.As a leader of people and by using Attraction Marketing are we not building trust and accentuating the positive? The way to look at this as a business owner, is if a new person joins and goes out and tries something on their own and it did not work. As a leader your best way to correct that is to always accentuate the positive to the situation and keep building trust.In summary: This is just one of the several ways we can learn from killer whales. With out accentuating the positive and building trust the killer whales would never do what their trainers want them to do. The same things will go with our marriage,children and in our business lives. This information came out of the first few pages of the first chapter of Whale Done. Whale Done is only six chapters long but is fill full of awesome ideas about relationship building.Just Remember: We are all on a journey towards or goals and dreams so make sure you are living life to the fullest and make sure you are having fun while you are doing it!written by: Mark WezykFreedomteamleader dr seuss cat in hat book

Gone Away Into the Land by Jeffrey B. Allen

The dust jacket text for Gone Away: Into the Land promises an epic fantasy adventure. I can tell you that this is one novel that exceeds expectations. Author Jeffrey B. Allen takes the reader on an adventure that will leave you thinking about the story long after you close the final page.We meet our protagonist, twelve-year-old John Gerber. John's life is not that of an average pre-teen-not even close. John, his mother Ellie, and his sister Marny live in constant, paralyzing fear of John's father, Daniel. Daniel, or the beast as John calls him, is an extremely volatile man whose rage could explode on his family at any moment-and explode it does. John dreams of ending the beast's reign of terror, of taking his family away before it is too late. The first fifty pages of Part 1 are no fantasy as the author describes in vivid, shocking detail Daniel's unpredictable fury and a horrible example of violent abuse, as the beast leaves John and Ellie beaten and bloodied and kidnaps six-year-old Marny.With the help of a mysterious taxi driver, John and Ellie begin their search for Marny. This is where the fantasy starts as it is believed that Marny is somewhere in the candy factory where Daniel was employed. Soon John and his mother are aboard a train in an amazing land called ZingZongLand. ZZL is a place that is all about creating the best tasting candy. The leader of the land is called KyaSiftar. The Siftar's main rival is the minister of Southland province named Mengus. Desperate for power, Mengus has his sights set on dominating the land and controlling the new flavor creations. Mengus recruits the beast to aid in his conquest of the Land. He believes that gaining control in the Land is the key to overthrowing the World as well.Jeffrey B. Allen showcases his considerable imagination and writing talent in creating an entire universe. His lead is a believable, lovable character with which readers young and old will quickly bond. The villains are wonderfully horrible and easy to loathe, without overshadowing the hero. The secondary characters are interesting, fresh and well drawn. The dialogue is crisp and clear and well suited to the vast variety of creatures and peoples. Allen slowly reveals his characters' secrets along the way, keeping the reader captivated throughout. He wastes none of these nearly 500 pages, using suspense and vibrant description to keep the pages turning. He brings all the players together in a David versus Goliath-type showdown for the ages that will have you rooting for John to the end.Gone Away is building momentum, was recently picked up by a major publisher and was accepted in several school libraries. I believe it will become the next time-tested classic fantasy tale, universally adored and mentioned in the same breath as The Wizard of Oz, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Lord of The Rings. I highly recommend this thought-provoking, entertaining read.Gone Away Into The LandStrategic Book Publishing (October 1, 2009)
978-1608608591
Gone Away Into The Land
Jeffrey B. AllenBy William R. Potter for Readers' Choice Reviews dr seuss book collection

One Nation Under Surveillance - Privacy From the Watchful Eye by Boston T Party

"One Nation Under Surveillance: Privacy From The Watchful Eye" by Boston T. Party is an interesting and eye opening book full of strategies and techniques to keep you, your belongings, and your activities private. It's obvious that the author is sick and tired of Big Brother's ever increasing invasion into every aspect of our lives. You don't have to agree with him on everything, nor do you have to take all the measures outlined in this text, to gain some valuable information regarding privacy and to have your eyes opened to things you probably didn't know were going on.I'm not personally looking to drop off the grid right now, nor do I plan to implement a lot of the privacy strategies outlined in this book. However, I am still very glad I read it. It opened my eyes to things, and there are things in the book that I'll be using personally.Right at the beginning, the author discusses why a person might want more privacy, and his number one reason is oppressive government, high taxes, and war. Like I said, the author is not too fond of the government, but then who is these days? Learning about how information is collected on us, and by whom, is a good wake up call. There's some Interesting and scary stuff here. He then does a good job of describing privacy vs. paranoia, though some may think the line is not quite where the author draws it.There are chapters on a variety of topics ranging from interesting, to a bit complex, to things that were beyond my personal lifestyle goals, but interesting to read nonetheless. I found the chapter on people, and who you trust to be very interesting, and did not expect to find a segment on sociopaths when I first got the book. Chapters on I.D., Financial Privacy, and Mail provide ways and steps you can take to live more anonymously. The chapters on telecommunications and passphrases really interested me, and anyone that secures data and other information with pass words or passphrases would learn a thing or two from this section. Some very good info here.The author also writes quite a bit about computers and operating systems. He has no use for Windows, and suggests Puppy Linux as the most privacy orientated operating system, and explains why and how to set your computer up with it.As someone concerned with Big Brother and all of the information gathering done by our government, it is not surprising that this book contains a chapter on the Census and ACS. If you have concerns with either of these, and want to know a bit more about them, this chapter will fill you in. The gun chapter was pretty basic. Buy from individuals and gun shows that don't do paperwork if you don't want people to know you have them. That and keep your mouth shut. Sure, there's a little more than that, but not much, because basically that's it to keep private.There are also short chapters on living quietly, keeping your car private, traveling private, and using private entities. Regarding these chapters, the author provides a little basic information, but one must do more research. On one note, Montana is also a state that you don't have to show proof of insurance upon registration. A vehicle can also be registered in the country where an entity has it's registered agent too. That gets to the chapter on entities, such as trusts, corporations, and LLCs. The author provides some bare bones information that might or might not work for certain situations. As someone who has formed thousands of business entities for others and has studied a lot of asset protection strategies, I'd suggest you follow the advice the author provides on page 21/8 - become your own expert. You really need to learn a lot more than the author put in this eight-page chapter if you wish to use entities as part of your overall privacy and asset protection plan.The final chapter provides some of the author's thoughts on privacy's future. I should also note, that the book is not just the author's thoughts. The book contains many quotes and passages from other sources, and the author does a great job of providing those sources. It's an extremely researched book with a lot of places to go look for additional information on the topics covered.I think this is a valuable book for several reasons. First, it's eye opening and provides information that many people are unaware of. Increasing awareness of some of the ways people are losing their privacy is important. Second, for some individuals who would rather live privately off the grid, so to speak, this book offers a lot of practical strategies and resources for doing so. And lastly, for many others who don't want to completely disappear or take the extravagant position of privacy, this book provides information that can be used to the degree the person wishes to keep certain information secure from others, even if it's just using better pass words and being more aware of how information is being collected. I'm glad I read this book, and it's one I'll keep on the shelf as a resource. seuss book collection sets cat hat

Book Review - The Lessons From Apprentice - Chapters One - Three

I have enjoyed watching a few seasons of The Apprentice. Although my business is a network marketing business, the strategies I have learned from the show have been numerous. I've always loved watching how the teams who find the most creative forms of advertising often are victorious over their opponents.I was excited when I found The Lessons from Apprentice during a recent shopping excursion.I smiled all the way through this book. Many of the lessons I learned from the show were shared in the book.Right off the bat, Mr. Trump speaks of both name and location. In the first chapter of the book, Mr.Trump shares his thoughts on choosing a name and what that name says about you and the business.The first task a team receives is to choose a team name. Team names speak volumes about the group as a whole. What I find interesting is that in network marketing, group leaders sometimes choose names that end up hurting them in the long run. Imagine two teams, one is called "Sally's Silly Girls". The other team is called "The Entrepreneurs." Which team do you think men would be more inclined to join? Which team do you think a doctor or lawyer would be more inclined to join?Chapter two is titled "Brainstorming 101." Mr. Trump speaks of several seasons of the show and explains how simple brainstorming done correctly spelled victory in challenge after challenge.In network marketing, reading the words of others can very often help you in building a larger customer base and a larger sales team. Over the years, I have enjoyed many different authors, all who take a different approach to sales and marketing.If you want to know how to sell more, read books written by a top seller. It doesn't matter what they are selling, what matters is that they are closing the sale. If you want to understand more about team dynamics, read books written by an expert in that topic.The goal here is to know who to brainstorm with for each topic.Chapter three is about instinct. I have to say that after reading the chapter, I'm not sure I would have given the chapter this title. It was a chapter more on planning and what to do when your plan doesn't quite work out as you had expected.In network marketing, there are many times that a backup plan is needed. For example, someone orders a product for a gift and the item doesn't come in. What's your plan for this happening? How do you satisfy the customer and keep your cool? Knowing what might happen and how you'll react are key to succeeding.This is a book chock full of everyday business lessons. It's well worth the cost of the book and the space on your bookshelf. dr seuss cat in hat quotes