Purposeful Buzz with Dana Pittman

http://urbaniamag.com/features/columns/purposeful-buzz/

“Simeon’s Story” by Simeon Wright (with Herb Boyd)
c.2010, Lawrence Hill Books
$19.95 / $21.95 Canada
144 pages, includes index

Reviewed by Terri Schlichenmeyer

You’ve been doing it since you were a teenager, maybe before.

A certain look sideways, eyes lowered. Unconscious flex of muscles beneath a flashy t-shirt. A smile, a glance, a wiggle of hips or lips or brows.
Where would you be without a little flirting? Married? Hooked up? Maybe not. But attracting the opposite sex is how our species perpetuates.

Flirting is fun.

You would never in a million years think it could get you killed.

But in the new book, “Simeon’s Story” by Simeon Wright (with Herb Boyd), you’ll read about a wolf whistle heard ‘round the country.

Growing up in Mississippi in the Jim Crow era, Simeon Wright knew that there were certain things a black person never did; specifically, he was never remotely disrespectful to anyone who was white. Sassing “Mr. Charlie” was a good way to get in trouble.

Wright learned from his father that some white people could be trusted, though. Mose Wright was a sharecropper. He knew who was fair and who wasn’t, and he wouldn’t work with dishonest landowners.
Simeon Wright indicates that he had a good childhood, despite Jim Crow laws. His parents loved him and he had a big, extended family. In fact, when cousins were scheduled to visit Mississippi from Chicago, Wright “was so excited that I didn’t know what to do.”

One of those cousins was fourteen-year-old Emmett Till, a big-for-his-age boy, almost the size of a grown man. Everybody called him Bobo and he was fun-loving, but Wright remembers that “he just didn’t know the rules.”
On the afternoon of Wednesday, August 24, 1955, Bobo’s lack of knowledge sparked a movement.

After a long day of work, Wright, Bobo, and three other boys went to a nearby store for some refreshments. For about a minute, Bobo was alone in the building with a white woman and as she stormed out, he brashly whistled at her. Days later, as Wright slept next to his cousin, two white men entered the family’s house and snatched Emmett “Bobo” Till.
In his foreword, Wright’s co-author Herb Boyd explains that this story almost didn’t see publication. Simeon Wright was tired of people taking artistic license with the story of his cousin’s murder. There were things that Wright didn’t care to remember, but he eventually agreed to lay some nasty myths to rest.

And with crystal clarity and blistering prose, Wright does just that.
Recalling a somewhat carefree childhood, Wright tells of youth interrupted by something so horrific that it hurts to read about it. He speaks of his father’s dignity and bravery, and of deep disappointment that was eventually soothed.

About those myths perpetuated by journalists, Wright has a few choice words. With anger apparent, he advises that “anyone planning on working in the communications field… go to the primary sources. They know what really happened.”

Surprisingly, you’ll probably find this book in the YA section of your library
or bookstore, but don’t let that deter you from this powerful, important memoir. “Simeon’s Story” is a story you must read.

Life is a storm.

Last week, somebody kicked in the door of my home, stole a plasma TV, some jewelry, a firearm that protected my family and a laundry list of other things. But more than the materials, the robbers stole the security that I felt in and around my neighborhood. For a week straight, I posted in the living room near the door to make sure it didn’t happen again. I scowled at my neighbors, “one of them did it!” I thought.

For a minute, I was out of my right mind and ready for anything. I slowed on what I love to do and kept guard to secure my family and the things I thought were mine. Then, I reread the Peace in the Storm interview, and thought about the positives of the break-in.

My family was safe and healthy. The robber entered my home in a short window of time, and if I came home much sooner, I could’ve faced my own gun. Or I could have been home when the robber entered and possibly had to use the gun myself. Either way, the situation turned out for the best.

In all storms, obstacles occur. While working the www.UrbaniaMag.com I ran into problems with the graphic designer, the identity of the publication and the economy. I dreamed of a print publication.

Decisions had to be made. I canceled the faulty relationship with the graphic designer and moved forward with a multimedia format that I could control the identity. As a result, I networked and met more positive people that allowed me to move in the direction I want to go.

Eliminating negative people in my personal and professional circle is part of my personal growth and is part of the “Evolution”, the theme of October content.

In this October issue, the illustrated piece “An American Evolution” by Jon Edwards slices into the idea of what it is to evolve as an African American person. Relentless Aaron shows the evolution of the author and businessman, while Ella Curry provides insight on why marketing is crucial in the down economy. Not to mention other exciting shorts and features, check it out now.

Whatever you do, evolve and find a way to make it through the storm. Use everything in your power to not let anyone kill your joy. Make it through the storm and look good doing it.

Stay green and healthy,

Q.B. Wells
Editor of Urbania Magazine

Searching for Whitopia by Rich Benjamin
c.2009, Hyperion
$24.99 / $32.99 Canada 354 pages, includes notes

Reviewed by Terri Schlichenmeyer

The invitation contained everything you needed to know to have fun.
Well, almost everything…

You knew the date and time and where to be. You knew who was throwing this shindig. But the invite didn’t say a word about what to wear.

So, naturally, you showed up dressed to the nines, sporting shiny things on your fingers and ears. Unfortunately, everybody else was in shorts and T’s, and you stuck out like a sunflower in a parking lot.

Everybody likes to fit in, so imagine seeking out situations in which you’re a minority. Read the new book “Searching for Whitopia” by Rich Benjamin, and you might be surprised by an interesting picture.

When President Obama was elected last year, many Americans sighed with relief: maybe now we could put racial problems behind us. But Rich Benjamin says nothing could be farther from the truth. Things are about to change again, in a big way.

Within the next 32 years, whites will no longer be the majority in America. With that in mind, Benjamin decided to study a phenomenon he calls Whitopia: a city or ‘burb with an overwhelmingly white population. Whitopia has “ineffable social charisma, a pleasant look and feel” (think Mayberry or Leave It to Beaver). According to statistics, many U.S. cities are already “whiter than white” and are becoming whiter.

Minorities, it seems, need not apply.

Benjamin decided to move into three Whitopia neighborhoods and live in each for awhile, in order to study things up-close.

In Utah, he found friendship, Poker Night, and an organized push to severely restrict immigration. Named one of the safest places in America, Benjamin says “the cozy warmth inside depends on keeping the enemies without.”

In Idaho, Benjamin entered a retreat for a white separatist religious sect, and discovered, to his surprise, an “unexpected blessing in… brewing crisis.”

And in Georgia, Benjamin found high-priced homes and panicked residents, afraid their land might revert to area blacks whose ancestors’ farms were seized by whites nearly 100 years ago.

I had a hard time with this book for many reasons.

First, the good news: author Rich Benjamin gives his readers much to ponder. “Searching for Whitopia” is thought-provoking and could start much-needed, important dialogue.

But…

Benjamin throws stats, facts, reasoning, cute stories and jaw-dropping tales at his readers at an alarming pace, and then later repeats them. More than once, I caught myself bored and skimming, or reading a sentence multiple times because of content overload. I also wondered often if there was a point to his points.

Perhaps most egregious is that Benjamin (who is black) claims “The ‘black-white race divide’ bores [him]” but he seems eager to emphasize it. Moreover, he understandably condemns racial comments and overgeneralities, but then makes them himself.

If you want to tackle this book, please do. The subject matter is important enough to take a serious look, but be sure to read it with time, many grains of salt, open eyes, and open mind. Otherwise, “Searching for Whitopia” is just an invitation to frustration.

Role of a Lifetime by James Brown (with Nathan Whitaker)
Faith Words (2009)
$24.99 / $29.99 Canada 203 pages

Reviewed by Terri Schlichenmeyer

It’s Sunday afternoon, and there’s nowhere else you’d rather be than in front of your TV. You’ve got chips, liquid refreshment, the remote, and you’re wearing your lucky slippers. Gotta support the team, you know.

But as you reach for a snack, you miss the game for just a second and something happened. You didn’t catch it. Argh! You’re momentarily lost. Thank goodness for sportscasters, right?

But what do you know about the folks who bring you the nuances of the game? Learn about one of them by reading “Role of a Lifetime” by James Brown (with Nathan Whitaker).

From almost the moment he was born in February, 1951, James Brown says he was a “mama’s boy”. Mrs. Brown ruled the family with an iron glove covered in velvet; she demanded excellence from her five children; and she raised them with Bible verses on her lips. Mr. Brown worked hard for his family at various jobs, and likewise expected results. His parents’ high examples, moralities, and life-lessons are the ideals that James Brown still carries with him.

Despite that he’s most famous for his work with FOX and CBS during football games, Brown’s first love was basketball. He was fortunate, he says, to have had good and honest mentors during his teenhood, and he worked hard to make them proud. His athleticism garnered attention from several colleges, but, with the idea of a “fall-back career” in mind, he attended Harvard. Following a disappointing summer in Atlanta when Brown was turned down by basketball’s Atlanta Hawks, he took his degree and stepped into the corporate world.

And while he was there, he learned lessons that sustained him through his career, first on local TV stations in the Washington, D.C. area; later, with FOX; and now with CBS Sports.

There are seven “ingredients” that make success, says Brown: “Good Communication Skills, Appearance, Personal Relations, Punctuality, Thirst for Knowledge, Being a Team Player, and Overcoming Adversity.” Put them all together, and you’ve got a winning combination.

Wow.

I didn’t much like “Role of a Lifetime” at first. The first few pages made me think this was just going to be another look-at-me sports bio, and I’ve had enough of them.

But I kept reading. I’m glad I did.

Author James Brown has written a book that goes beyond sports (although there’s plenty of that for any fan). This book is part motivational for any young person who wants to be a success. It’s part business, for anyone who needs a cautionary tale or two for advice. It’s part testimony to faith, which makes it an easy gift for anybody. “Role of a Lifetime” offers relationship advice as Brown talks about his parents’ marriage as well as his own. And it’s, of course, a biography about the friendly face you see each week on the TV but might not know a thing about.

But now here’s your chance. Pick up a copy of “Role of a Lifetime” and enjoy. If you’re a business-minded sports fan, this is an unbeatable book.

Barack and Michelle: Portrait of An American Marriage by Christopher Anderson
c.2009, Wm. Morrow
$25.99 / $33.99 Canada 326 pages, includes notes

Reviewed by Terri Schlichenmeyer

You were definitely ill-prepared.

There you were, ready to “take the plunge” and get married, when you suddenly realized you didn’t know a thing about where you were diving.
You were in deep already, that’s for sure. Deep pockets (weddings can get out of hand), deep confusion (who are all these people, anyhow?), and deep dismay (do you really know your fiancé?). But then it was over and you started life together, sink or swim. You’ve been floating along side-by-side ever since.

Now imagine living your married lives with an interested audience of several billion people. Read more in “Barack and Michelle: Portrait of an American Marriage” by Christopher Anderson.

The childhood and early years of Barack and Michelle Obama has been visited and re-visited by many biographers and journalists: she was working for a law firm, he was a law student. She was assigned to be his in-office mentor, he insistently wooed her. That, of course, is how a strong-willed leader-type born in Hawaii ended up married to a strong-willed leader-type born on Chicago’s South Side.

But what most people don’t know are the behind-the-scenes scenes in the marriage of our current President and his wife.
From the time he started college at Columbia University in New York, Barack (Anderson refers to both Obamas by first name) was an easy-going idealist who, perhaps due to his grandparents’ blue-collar background, wanted to “give back” and “change the world”. Michelle shared his views, but was easily irritated by what she saw as irresponsibility. Because Barack eschewed the private sector and doggedly pursued lower-paying employment with higher social returns, the couple struggled with money problems. His absences while pursuing public office made her feel like a single mother. She hated his smoking habit and his messiness. He hated being apart from his family.

They fought.

Though infidelity wasn’t an issue, she was angered when his star started rising and women aggressively flirted with him. He, too, was taken aback by it, but he was focused: he thought he had a shot at the Presidency. She told him that if he didn’t win in 2008, there wouldn’t be a second go at the job…

Being familiar with author Christopher Anderson’s past works, I was surprised that I really didn’t like this book at first. Much of what’s in the first hundred pages of “Barack and Michelle” is a re-hashing of what we already know, including info from Barack Obama’s own books. I didn’t need to read that old news again.

Despite that, though, I began to enjoy Anderson’s take on the lives of the Obamas, as well as their children and surrounding family. In the end, yes, this book reiterates what we already know, but, perhaps because of some teasing “Wow!” tidbits and a few little-known stories, Anderson seems to make it all fresh.

Supporter or detractor, if you long to make sense of the man (and wife) behind the office, pick up this biography. “Barack and Michelle: Portrait of an American Marriage” is a book you’ll enjoy diving into.

That Bird Has My Wings: The Autobiography of an Innocent Man on Death Row by Jarvis Jay Masters
HarperOne 2009
$24.99 / $32.99 Canada 281 pages

Reviewed by Terri Schlichenmeyer

By no stretch of the imagination would anyone say that the man in the orange jumpsuit could be called “nice”.

The metal around his waist and wrists attest to his badness, and the look on his face further cements it: this is a man that few people would mess with. But once upon a time, he wasn’t bad at all. Awhile back, that man in the orange jumpsuit was a little boy in blue overalls. He’s a menace now, but he was someone’s baby then.

So where did things go wrong for him? Read the new book “That Bird Has My Wings” by Jarvis Jay Masters and you’ll see…

Until he was seven or eight years old, Jarvis Masters lived in a drug house with his sisters. The children knew they were loved because their mother, a heroin addict, came home now and then. But there was rarely anything to eat, cockroaches were playthings, and strangers constantly wandered in to shoot up in the bathroom.

Then someone called Social Services.

The children were split up and Jarvis was placed with an older couple who longed for a child of their own. Mamie and Dennis treated Jarvis like a son, buying him toys, giving him guidance and nurturing his dreams.
When Mamie fell sick, Jarvis was placed in another foster home where he was physically and emotionally abused. He ran away and was eventually sent to CYA (California Youth Authority), an environment in which he wanted to stay. But case workers needed to find him a permanent home, so they sent him to a military discipline camp for boys. Nobody realized that Jarvis had already become accustomed to institutionalization.

For most of his teens, Jarvis bounced from relatives’ homes to state facilities and back, becoming enmeshed in drugs and crime along the way. He tried to get an education and a career, but family “business” was too strong a pull. Once involved with guns and robbery, he knew it was only a matter of time before he’d be caught.

When I got this book, I was expecting a 281-page howl of innocence, but author Jarvis Jay Masters only briefly touches on that argument in this powerful autobiography. Yes, he decries his harshest sentence but he doesn’t dwell on it. It’s almost as if the charge of conspiracy to commit murder (the reason he’s on death row) is a minor point in this book. It barely takes up a page-and-a-half.

The bigger story – the one that comes blasting through “That Bird Has My Wings” – is one of an eager, smart little boy who was hungry for guidance and structure but gets shuttled aside instead. It’s a tale of regret, remorse, quiet acceptance, gratitude, and strength that lays the blame squarely and surprisingly on its writer as well as on the adults who hurt him.

If you’re in search of something that doesn’t glorify crime or make it seem like anything less than wrong, you can’t do wrong by getting this book.

“That Bird Has My Wings” absolutely soars.

Seth Ferranti is the acclaimed author of a number of books, perhaps most notably “Prison Stories”, which he self-published through his company Gorilla Convict Publications. Ferranti currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for dealing drugs. He has currently served 17 years. As he was sentenced under the guidelines of an LSD kingpin, Ferranti’s case was widely publicized and covered in high profile sources like Rolling Stone magazine and The Washington Post.

Not only did he form his company while in prison, he has helped to publish other incarcerated writers. Ferranti is an accomplished journalist and has written pieces for a wide variety of magazines including FHM, Vice and Don Diva. More information about Gorilla Convict Publications and Seth Ferranti’s work can be found at http://www.gorillaconvict.com

Urbania: Can you tell me a little bit about your publishing house Gorilla Convict? How did you find the other writers that you are currently publishing?

Seth: Gorilla Convict Publications is the voice of the convict. It is founded and formed by prisoners and for prisoners. We are trying to bring readers the voices that might not otherwise be heard. We are trying to shed light on the stories that have been manipulated by the mainstream media and government. We give the prisoners side. We give voice to the legends of the street. They have been glorified and name dropped in hip hop, now with Gorilla Convict Publications you can read their real stories, in their words and the words of their homies, co-defendants and relatives.

We try to promote any other prisoners who are writing and putting out books from the penitentiary. We know it’s a struggle because we did it ourselves. So anyone with like minds we hook up with and help them to do their thing. Like my man Lamont “Fridge” Needum whose book STRAIGHT SAVAGE is like that and my dudes from the MIA Plex and Mike Harper who wrote BooBaby and STREET RAISED respectively. Their books are like that. At Gorilla Convict we promote and network to find the talented writers that exist within this system. There are a lot of dudes in here with a lot of stories to tell.

Urbania: Do you ever think of writing a straight up biography about your own life?

Seth: I’d like to write a biography one day or a movie script about my story. I’m not a gangster or anything like that. I’m just a kid from the suburbs who got caught up in this bullshit war on drugs and now I am paying the price with this 25-year federal sentence of which I’ve served almost 17 years of so far. So eventually, yes, I will write a straight up biography of my life and case and the circumstances that led me to be incarcerated. As of now, magazines like Rolling Stone and Don Diva have touched it upon, but I look forward to writing the complete and unabridged story one day. But for now I have a lot more stories to write and to share with the world in my Street Legends series.

Urbania: I know you didn’t start writing books until you were in prison, did you ever have any indicators earlier in life that you wanted to write?

Seth: I always played in bands when I was young. I still sing and play guitar. I know its kind of weird being that I write about gangsters and urban stuff, but really I am way into punk and metal, music wise. Though I do love a lot of the early hip hop stuff like Run DMC, Beastie Boys, NWA, DAS EFX, UTFO and stuff like that. I have always written songs and poetry and lyrics and the like, and it just evolved into what it is now. So I guess I did have indicators early in life that I wanted to write. It’s about more than that though, it’s about being able to create and to have a vision and follow through on it. That’s what I think I have always been about even when I was out on the street selling LSD and marijuana at all the east coast colleges. That was my vision back then, Gorilla Convict is my vision now. When I finally hit the streets my vision will take on a new form.

Urbania: What are currently your main motivations as a writer?

Seth: My main motivation as a writer now is to get stuff done. I want to put out a book a year for the rest of my bid, 6 years. So that when I get out I will have a resume, my books, my works that will speak as to what I am capable of. I want to be heard. I want these stories to be heard. I think it’s great that hip hop and urban fiction has opened up these doors. Especially for me and other people in prison. It gives us something to aim for and it gives us hope of a future life when we get out.

I want to use my time wisely and crank out as much quality material as I can. I’m happy that people are interested in my work, but for real I would do this regardless. This is my passion. Like I said, I’m a visionary and I won’t compromise my vision for anybody or anything. My wife and I started this from prison. When I get out I want to take it as far as it can go. That is my motivation.

Urbania: Street Legends 2 comes out next month. Can you talk a bit about how this new book compares with the first Street Legends?

Seth: Street Legends Vol 2 drops in DEC 09 and it carries on where Street Legends Vol 1 left off. In Vol 1 I wrote about the death before dishonor sic- Supreme, Wayne Perry, Anthony Jones, Aaron Jones from the JBM, Boy George and Pistol Pete. Six of the most recognizable gangsters of the hip hop era. These dudes were the black and Latino John Gotti’s and Pablo Escobar’s.

Now in Vol 2, I am profiling the original gangsters. Dudes you might have heard about but never really knew about. Frank Matthews, Peanut King, Michael Fray, The Boobie Boys, Short North Posse and New World. A lot of the street legends we hear about from the rappers are from New York, so I widened my scope on this one and tried to write about legends from different areas including Baltimore, DC, Miami, Columbus, Ohio and New Jersey. I wanted to talk about the older legends you might not have known that much about and some of the newer, not so hyped up ones. So basically Vol 2 is the same format. We are just talking about different legends.

Urbania: Do you think you have inspired other people in prison to become writers? Can you give some examples?

Seth: I think I have inspired other people in prison to be writers. Me and my man Joe Black started off together, he wrote Street Team and Squeeze. I’ve also been around Robert Booker who wrote PUSH and Eyone Williams who wrote Fast Lane and Hell Razor Honeys I and II. My man Fridge who wrote STRAIGHT SAVAGE and Plex who wrote BOOBABY and Mike Harper who wrote STREET RAISED.

I’m sure I have inspired them and they have inspired me and vice versa. Wahida Clark has been corresponding with me since she first started writing. Also Kwame Teague, who wrote the DUTCH series for Teri Woods, is someone I correspond with. I know a lot of writers who are still in prison. We have all inspired and tried to help each other. I’ve done whatever I could to get interviews and articles about all the people I have named here in magazines and on Internet sites. I appreciate Urbania doing the same for me. I’m sure there are more writers too. That’s just off the top of my head.

Urbania: On one of your blogs you mention you are interested in filmmaking when you get out. Are you going to get into Directing films? Also are you thinking of making your books into films or would you do something new?

Seth: I am going to get into film making when I get out. I want to write and
direct. I want to be like Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. Like
I said before, I have a vision. Some of the stories I written about would
make great films.

But I want to do more than gangster films. I want to do action/adventures with a gangster edge, of course. Anything I do has to have that edge to it. But dudes like Supreme and Boy George have tailor-made stories for film. When I am in the right position, I will push to get those films made. I will write them and then I will do all I can to get someone to bankroll them. I have written a couple of scripts and am still perfecting my screenwriting craft.

Street Legends: Vol: 2 can be purchased the Booksellers below.

Amazon

Jihad is a writer and motivational speaker. Early in his life, Jihad embarked on a life of crime, which landed him in prison for seven years. He was shot on several occasions and in a car accident, which left him paralyzed.

Miraculously, Jihad regained usage of his legs. He also discovered his love of books and for writing while in prison. Jihad’s books include the autobiographical novel entitled “ Street Life” which was written in 1998.

Jihad has since written five other novels. Jihad’s most recent release is a book of non-fiction entitled “The Survival Bible 16 Life Lessons for Young Black Men.” For more information about Jihad’s works, check out www.jihadspeaks.com.

In addition to his writing, Jihad is also an inspirational speaker and a real estate investor. He is the founder and CEO of the non-profit organization The Wake-Up Everybody Foundation. This company is dedicated to “positively and proactively re-awakening the African-American psyche through self-realization and re-education.”

We interviewed Jihad his work and his ideas for helping and encouraging young people. As far as his novels go, Jihad explained that he gets his ideas from major emotional experiences in his own life. He explained, “I could be running at the gym, and I’ll have a thought that develops and won’t go away. That thought usually comes from something I see or hear that I am a very passionate about.”

Jihad’s new book “The Survival Bible 16 Life Lessons for Young Black Men” has some truly insightful ideas. One of the most important points he strives to make is that youngsters need to intentionally seek out books written by people who share the same cultural identity.

Jihad explained during our interview, “In life, all of our formal education comes from either books or scholars that are teaching from the people and the books that they were taught from. These may not be books or schools of thought that have your best interest in mind, being that you are black and only have the identity that others have told you. So, you have to READ books about your yesterday written by people who look like you and have your best interest at heart. You have to do that in order to establish your cultural identity. This is a must in understanding how you got to be where you are. By studying your ancestors, you can see how to avoid their mistakes and understand how they achieved their successes.”

Jihad goes on to explain, “Your identity is your foundation. There is nothing
that can stand through rough weather or turmoil without a foundation. That
is why our people are in the condition that we are, most of us have no
foundation. See, knowing the past is knowing the future…. Everything in
life revolves, the earth, our bodies, our story. There is absolutely nothing
new under the sun, so knowing your past in essence is knowing your future,
because with knowing your yesterday, you can map out your tomorrow. In
essence, this is what they mean by Know thyself.”

Jihad’s work is self-published. Overall, he feels this experience has been very challenging. He explained that as an independent publisher he never had the same distribution outlets as the major publishers. “It’s like a grass roots movement for life being independent, at least until the media or the people really latch on to your work.”

As far as suggestions go for readers looking to become writers and follow a similar path to success, Jihad’s main words of advice are “ READ, AND JUST DO IT. Begin at the beginning of your thoughts and just write
what’s on your mind, and don’t worry if you are an avid reader, the story will come to you as you are writing.” He explains that it is important for new writers to realize that the hardest thing to write is the first page.

Jihad’s inspiration for new writers is as follows, “How many times do you see a movie that you know you could have done better or a book you could have wrote better? Sit down and just do it… everyday if it’s one word, one sentence, write… and most importantly read. Other books are your school. Don’t worry about stealing anyone’s ideas, as I said before there is nothing new under the sun, so how can you steal what never belonged to the author in the first place… It’s all about your twist on one of the few stories that have been done a million times a million ways.”

Of course, in addition to his books is his motivational speaking career. Jihad described a recent experience at one of his live events. “It was beautiful. The young King had never read a book before but his mother made him read The Survival Bible while he was grounded… After reading my book, he told his mother that The Survival Bible was the greatest one gift he’d ever received and he was going to change the world and make her proud. I spoke with the young King and told me that he was selling his PS3 to help his mother buy books from a reading list put in the Survival Bible. He is 13…. That one King’s words are worth more than any amount of money I could be paid to write.”

Next from Jihad is the sequel to “Preacherman Blues.” He not only plans on writing more novels, but also many more self-help books. In fact, the next self-help book on the horizon is “The Survival Bible: 16 Life Lessons for Young Black Women.”

Felicia Pride is best described as an author, speaker and voice of her generation. She has a Master’s degree in writing and publishing from Emerson College and she currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

Pride’s numerous books span a variety of categories including hip-hop, pop-culture, fiction, and young adult literature. Perhaps her most acclaimed work to date is called “The Message: 100 Life Lessons from Hip-Hops Greatest Songs.” This book has been called “Chicken Soup for the Hip-Hop Soul.” This book was even profiled by USA Today.

In addition to her writing, Pride is also an accomplished speaker who has spoken at schools and venues around the country. In 2004, Pride founded Backlist. This is an organization that conducts creating workshops and seminars, and that curates community events. Backlist also consults with artists and writers. More information about Pride’s work can be found at her website http://feliciapride.com/

Urbania: How did you get started writing? Did you always know you were a writer? Tell us a little bit about your background as far as when you realized this was one of your passions.

Felicia Pride: I didn’t always want to be a writer. I got my start while working in corporate America. I wanted an outlet where I could be creative so I found an opportunity to write for free for a small newspaper out of Staten Island, NY. I did this on my downtime. I began writing about music and the first time I saw my byline on a published article, it was a wrap.

Urbania: Your new book is called Patterson Heights. Can you tell us a little bit about your inspiration for the book?

Felicia Pride: The book takes place in Baltimore and is about a family that suffers a tragedy and how they each of them deal with the pain differently. It’s told through the eyes of fifteen-year-old Avery Washington who has to embark on a quest to find out who he is in order to move on. I’ve wanted to write a book based in Baltimore about a regular family who must deal with what life throws at them. Baltimore can get a bad rap sometimes, and I wanted to show another face of the city.

Urbania: Your book “The Message” is a really unique concept and since it has been released it has clearly made a lot of waves. Can you tell us a bit about your experience promoting your book?

Felicia Pride: Overall, the experience promoting THE MESSAGE has been amazing. I’ve met so many interesting people, including a lot of smart young people who have found value in the book. Their engagement with the book has taught me a lot. I’ve had the chance to give keynotes, and facilitate workshops for them and they’ve helped me grow in many ways.

I also was able to bring my family into the mix to help me (both sister and mother are in education) and together we developed an enrichment program based on THE MESSAGE that aligns with national academic standards. So that’s been exciting as well.

Urbania; What types of books do you enjoy reading most personally. Do you have any current recommendations?

Felicia Pride: I read all types of books, but the ones that I enjoy most are imaginative, different, and make me marvel at the power of words and the talent of wordsmiths. But a current recommendation, and I’ve been recommending this book all over the place, is “The Black Book: 35th Anniversary Edition.” Originally presented by Toni Morrison, it’s a book complete with images, archival documents, and news articles that chronicles the African American experience in this country. Everyone should own a copy.

Urbania: Do you have any suggestions for writers looking for inspiration and motivation to get started?

Felicia Pride: Write. Write. Write some more. You’re not a writer unless you write. Push aside those feelings of doubt and fear and write. The more you write, the better you become. And read, read, and read some more. The more you read, the better writer you become.

Urbania: How about suggestions on getting published?

Felicia Pride: Network like your life depends on it. And well, if you’re trying to be a published writer as a career, it kind of does. Most of the opportunities that I’ve been blessed to have come into my life has been the result of the relationships I have built and nurtured.

Urbania: I noticed you and your organization Backlist have done a lot of speaking engagements on a variety of different topics everything from strategies for success to hip hop. What types of audiences and/or topics do you enjoy presenting most?

Felicia Pride: Definitely teens and young adults—high school to college students. We vibe off each other’s energy. I learn from them. They learn from me. I was them and they are me.

Urbania: What is next on the horizon for you?

Felicia Pride: I’m working on a few multimedia projects, one being about my family in Baltimore. It’s an amazing story and I almost feel like I became a writer to tell it.