Sept.- Oct. 2025 BUSY!!!!

It ain’t easy!

Hello folks. I know I missed September. I hate to claim the ubiquitous paltry excuse, but I’ve been busy! Not the least of which was an extended trip to Atlanta for a family emergency, my birthday, and the 16^th annual Jay Chapman Memorial Fund Golf Tournament.  The tournament was a great success again thanks to our many supporters who came out to back this worthy cause. Click on the video below to see events of the day. Bouts with a sinus infection, Achilles tendinitis and other assorted maladies have slowed me down a bit too.

At least I can say part of the busyness has been writing related. I went on a week-long transatlantic writing retreat cruise on the Queen Mary II in early September. We sailed from New York City to Southampton. England. There were other writers and my writing coach on the trip. I went with the specific purpose of getting a submission proposal in shape and I’m glad to say that with my coach’s help, I achieved that goal.

You know the memoir I’ve mentioned in several posts? Well, it has an official title and is now completed. At least completed to the point of submission. Those of you who have told me I needed to write about West End, West End Baptist, Brown High School, and growing up in the nineteen sixties and seventies, you got your wish. You may find yourself on the pages of People like us; A memoir in prose and poetry. It has been submitted. Not accepted, mind you, but at least officially submitted.

Submitting a book for publication with traditional publishers is a long, drawn-out process. It has been submitted to one university Press. You can only submit to one at a time (simultaneous submissions are frowned upon) and it can take months to get a response. We are still talking about months before I know anything definite about publication, so don’t get in too much of a hurry.

I’ve been asked by several people who would want to read this memoir. I know there are at least a few of you. But that’s not enough to sell a book. In the publishing journey when submitting a book to a traditional publisher there is a lengthy submission proposal. Among other things, they want to know who would read/buy your book. The answer can’t be just a handful of friends. And although I write mostly for myself, that can’t be the answer either. In the part of the submission form that asked this question here is what I put.

Who would like to read this book? People who . . .

• like to read about common people who overcome entrenched emotional issues and numerous life challenges to lead productive and content lives.
• like to read about growing up in the Southern culture of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
• like to read about women overcoming personal trials to find their way to live at peace with themselves.
• who live with the challenges of chronic illness.
• who have experienced tragic losses of children, spouses, and stillborn babies.
• who face reconciling personal convictions with employment requirements.
• who see incongruency between their spiritual constructs and organized religion.

Why do I think these people would want to read this book? In this memoir I piece together my story in prose and poetry. It describes how early experiences and environment shape our beliefs of who we are and what we can become. Struggling to overcome feelings of inferiority imposed by being identified as “people like us,” I spent a lifetime seeking affirmation, battling defeat and disappointment at every turn. Family dynamics, growing social consciousness in an era of blatant racism, spiritual enlightenment, justifying reality with one’s convictions, career adjustments, chronic illness, and the tragic losses of a child, grandchildren, and spouse all affected my desires for recognition. After realizing it was not recognition from others I needed, but my own self-validation and realization of my worthiness in God’s eyes, I turned these setbacks into redirection. No longer feeling the need to continually seek the approval of others, I am secure knowing accomplishments in my life have made a difference for myself and others. I finally live at peace with myself. What better realization could there be?

If this first proposal is not accepted by the press, there are others I’m considering. How many? I’m not sure. I may eventually consider going with a hybrid publisher or self-publish again. Who knows?

In the meantime, I am enjoying some down-time before the holidays. The beach is lovely this time of year, but here on Florida’s East coast the king tides and offshore storms have taken a toll, though so far, it’s nothing like a hurricane, thank God. It is still awesome to witness the power of God’s creation. And, to top it off, GEORGIA TECH is having a great season!

I am curious. For those of you reading this who are not personally connected to West End, Brown High, or West End Baptist, what do you think of this proposal? Considering how I’ve framed the description does this memoir sound like something you would want to read? Why does anyone want to read about another person’s experiences? Are memoirs a valid genre of literature?