I think I really began to understand my dad the day we had an argument.  – Excerpt from Gus Prologue Chapter.

“I felt that I finally understood him, the man – the human being, his humanity, and why he may have taken our dispute so hard.” 

It’s a humble, yet enlightening moment the first time you understand your dad. Not as your father, the bigger-than-life individual who raised and protected you, but simply as a human being. The qualities you admired are still present, but glimpsing a side of your father that you never previously noticed changes your perspective.

It is a rite of passage that one day the father becomes the son and the son the father. That part of life comes to us all. Rites of passage are a universal truth on the way to adulthood and it’s only in hindsight that we really know our parents and see the ways they have shaped us as adults. 

I grew up in Mississippi, probably a quarter of a mile away from where my dad grew up. I worked the same fields, picked the same crops and walked some of the same roads as my dad walked on his backroads journey. I drew upon my vivid childhood memories in writing “Gus.”  My book, I’m told, gives one the feeling that they are walking alongside Gus, the central character on his journey. It gives a writer a sense of pride when your readers personally share such feelings invoked by your writing. I strive to give the reader a full sensory experience, so when readers share such feedback, I know that though not there yet, I am on the right track.

My journey has been different than my dad’s. It was not fraught with the same dangers as his.  Mine was mostly a product of my own stubbornness, and yet, like my dad, I had to make a choice as to which path I would take.

We all have varying motivations to tell our stories.  I was very motivated in writing “Gus,” being proud of the challenges my dad overcame, but yet sad to imagine him going through them. I was driven in part by my own experiences and those of other Black folks, past and present day.

For those writers and aspiring writers among you reading this … what motivates you to write and tell your stories? What are your sticking points and what has kept you from completing your story?  Is it a “I want to write a book or story someday”? If so, just remember a bit of wisdom dropped on me early on. “Someday is not a day of the week.”

If you haven’t yet, check out “Gus Based on True Events” and walk with Gus as you follow him on his journey. 

Robert Frost – The Road Not Taken Excerpt

“The signposts are all around. Woe to the person who does not take heed their call.” – Excerpted from Gus the Perilous chapter.

My father’s journey was unique at a young age. At some point in his journey, he would have to make a decision that not only affected his life, but his family and his future family’s lives as well.

“Our lives are made up of the sum of your choices.” 

Like my father, my journey had its perils and hard choices, though I cannot ever claim to have endured what he did. Yet I had my fair share of warnings, some direct, some akin to a whisper or wisp of wind. However the choice for me, as I’m sure my father also had to decide, boiled down to whether I would walk a road of darkness or walk a path a little more well-lit.

Now looking at the image above, it is not always so clear or obvious as to which path is which. It’s never easy! All our journeys and circumstances are different. Our selection from the menu may appear different and somewhat clouded at the time, thus leaving the choice circumspect. But in the end, it is right or it is left, as it appears above. The decision that I and my father chose to make is one that many before us have also made. I am thankful to have chosen the road well-lit.

As Oma Dasala would say, “If you immediately know the candlelight is fire, the meal was cooked a long time ago,” or “Because it is so clear, it takes a long time to understand.”

If you’re willing, I would like to know how many of you, on your own journeys in life, have had to make the hard call?

Please do share!

What do we keep…what do we forget?
Excerpted from Gus: Based on True Events – Prologue

THE JOURNEY WE TAKE

What is a memory? Often our memories play in our minds like a movie. Unlike a movie however, they often appear unannounced with feelings and then they’re gone, sometimes at the most inconvenient times. A friend from film school who was into meditation told me he could play the day’s memories as images across his mind on command, as if watching a movie. He did so at the end of each day. He got so good at it that he could pull up movie memories from long ago with clarity and detail. For most of us, however, that is not the case.  We don’t have a plan to follow which would serve to guide and shape our memories, and in so doing minimize some of the day-to-day randomness and memory drift.

Stories are the memory keepers. The stories we hold on to are they stories of adventures, stories of our loved ones, or stories of our trials and journeys? Do we hold on to useful memories or painful ones, and how do they serve to knowingly or unknowingly, shape us?

Some memories we do fashion into stories, and we’ve all got a story to tell. They are what we keep. Today, history is full of books and stories of others – who they deem relevant, who they deem significant – but the lives of our own family, parents and forefathers are just as important to us. It is relevant and critical today that we tell and create our own stories. Our current society tends to bulldoze over the past and march forward for the new, symbolically tearing down history with the demolition of old buildings for new ones.

My nephew Mike – Ribs, they called him – was one of the greatest natural storytellers I have ever met. He could not only tell a story, but would actually take on the voices and characters in the stories he told or created. These were stories he often retold from memory, from his own personal viewpoint of events in his life. He was a great orator. When he was in California with me, he created a pseudonym for himself, Miguel. When he went out to enjoy an evening, he would dress as and cloak himself in the Miguel persona; it was amazing to watch. I never had the social grace he had, to move with ease from person to person or in a group. But given a script, I could act almost as effortlessly in front of a crowd.

THE JOURNEY WE MAKE

I had intended to sit down with Mike, to just get him talking and record some of his amazing recollections for stories. Sadly, he passed last year, taking his untold stories with him. It is my hope that in an upcoming story or two, I can pay homage to him and his life and story as I saw it. That memory is mine to keep and share.

Initially, Gus was meant to catalog the journeys, lives and shared memories of my parents and siblings through stories I had experienced and ones that I had been told, in order to pass them on to future generations. 

We remember best via stories. Entire industries have been built around our ability to communicate through them. Books, movies, radio programs in days of old, theater, music and many more outlets provide stories real and imagined. It is even a part of the sales process, as demonstrated by one of America’s greatest salesman storytellers, Zig Ziglar. All of these various venues pass on the essence of a truth, an idea, a fantasy or a message. I myself like the fiction vehicle.

At the nexus of my story and my Dad’s, we see the impact of a memory he kept and how it impacted his life. As I’m sure it is with many we’ve lost, with their stories untold, the precious memories are also carried away with them.

I’ve mentioned before that most African-American families can go back no more than a couple generations of our family lines. We tend to hold onto bits and pieces of stories that have been told to us via present-day family and extended family sources. Memories conveyed through stories do tend to stick with us much longer. Our stories are ours to tell, ours to make.

We may not know our endings, but I think knowing our beginnings, including the beginnings of those who came before us, is critical to who we are and our view of ourselves. I’m sure this is in part why adopted children, in some way, seek their beginnings through their birth parents.

Stories are what we keep, so I’d like to know who among you can chronicle the history, not only of your own journey, but the journeys and lives of your families, your forefathers and mothers? At the end of the day, what journey will you have taken or made?

Today it is easier than ever to publish a book. It is what comes after that, the next level, that seems to challenge us: marketing and getting seen.

Visit New Artist Voices and share some of your stories with us. Let them “Be Seen and Be Heard.” In the next few months, we will begin author interviews for authors showcasing their works and their brands, both existing and upcoming.

Whilewriting my first published book, “Gus -Based on True Events”, I thought a lot about my dad’s journey.  I grew up in Mississippi, probably a quarter of a mile away from where my dad grew up.  I can describe it vividly to this day. I had my own journey to take, of course, but that is a story for later. However,it was similar to my dad’s story in that I had a choice to make. Like him, there were days I could have chosen the good or the dark side.  Richard Pryor’s words jumped into my head more than once: “they don’t make ni***s like that anymore.”

Reliving my dad’s journey as I wrote, I questioned myself. Neither my generation nor current generations had the grit to endure what he went through I felt. Life was harder then, yet the choices were simpler, “protect. “Protect and care for those you love.” Chime in if you wish!

I think as young men, many of us, are raised knowing that if we fail that’s it, there is no parachute. Society doesn’t always look kindly on the failures of men. Self-worth is tied to accomplishment—Man-up and keep pushing forward or fall to the wayside.

In many ways, I think the male ethos has that same operating system today. But there are changes, even reprogramming attempts, good or bad. The question is, can it be changed and with what sacrifices? Where do we go from here? These are the stories on the horizon, I believe, that today’s men will have to cope with and manage. Stories to be told, seeking an author’s voice. Visit the New Artists Voices Blog and start a dialogue or share your voice.

It’s curious, strange even how life can sometimes direct you to a particular path.  

I was checking into the equipment room at film school when I saw it. Screenplay short competition! There was no hesitation. I knew exactly what I wanted to write about, because I had recently completed filming it.

I gathered the application in hand and went home to embark immediately on my journey. Overnight I scribbled out a treatment outline of my screenplay, submitted it the next day, and thought nothing more of it. Within a few days, I received notice that my story treatment had made it through the preliminary rounds and was headed to the final competition. A feeling of Instinct and passion overtook me and drove my hand to complete my task. Within a week to ten days, it was announced, I was a winner. 

Shortly after the competition sponsors unknowingly to me contacted my film school announcing my award. Greeted by my teachers I felt a new sense of reverence. It was my second time in my life being led to this proverbial well. 

“You are all  the writers and directors of your own stories.”

Look for it in late 2021 or early 2022

Whether you are a writer looking to publish your first book, or perhaps, you’re an author working on your next manuscript, understanding the publishing landscape is the first step in the publishing journey. While there are many variations in book publishing, there are really three main categories that we can look at to determine which method is right your you. First, is conventional publishing – which means your book is published by a traditional publishing house, most of which are headquartered in New York City. Typically, most of these publishers pay the author an advance on the book before recouping their money back and hopefully making a profit through the book sales arrangement in your contract. They also provide varying levels of promotion and distribution. There are hundreds of conventional publishers, many with big names such as Penguin/Random House, Hachette Book Group, Harper Collins, and Simon and Schuster.

Next, there is self-publishing, where the author handles most of the aspects of the publishing process without the involvement of a conventional publisher. The third method is Independent “Indie” publishing which is similar to self-publishing but involves working through a company that handles the design and printing of your book. But the key is, you, the author makes all of the decisions everything from the cover design to the price. We will explore Indie and Self-publishing in future articles, but for now, let’s take a look at the conventional publishing option.   

Conventional Publishing

We’ve all had dreams of being the next Steven King, putting out books that sell like hotcakes on bookstore shelves and online venues. The fact is, only a hand full of authors experience this level of fame and success, but most are published through conventional publishers. However, most authors that are published through conventional publishers are regular people who work very hard to create content that people want to read. Some of the biggest names are: Simon and Schuester, Penguin, and Berkley, to name a few. To that end, while there is no magic to getting a conventional book deal, allow me to offer a few solid steps and principles that can give you a good shot to get there.

Step 1) Write a “Book Proposal” or “Query”

A book proposal is a long summary of your book (10-25 pages double spaced). In many cases, you can write your book summary and get a book deal before actually writing your book! The main idea is to thoroughly capture the essence of the book so that your agent (which I will get into later), can determine its viability for publishing, (without having to read the entire book). The proposal is the primary tool agents use to pitch books to publishers. It covers a range of topics including; identifying your audience, competitive titles, author credentials, promotion plan, and a chapter-by-chapter overview of the book. There are many different formats and approaches to book proposals, so a quick google search should point you in the right direction. Note, you must edit the proposal to meet the requirements of each prospective agent that you plan to contact. Once an agent agrees to represent you, she will assist you in editing the proposal into the best possible document that she can present to publishers. Now let’s discuss acquiring an agent.

Step 2) Find an Agent

Conventional publishers, for the most part, prefer to deal with agents versus working directly with authors. While many will accept direct book queries on their websites, having a good agent gives you far better odds of signing with a publisher than trying on your own. A book agent is a broker of sorts in that they represent authors and pitch book proposals to various publishers with which they have a working relationship. The goal of an agent is to match the author’s book with the right publisher at the right time. While this may be simple, it is not always easy. I had to solicit agents for over three months before landing one ahead of my first book “Expert Selling: A Blueprint to Accelerate Sales Excellence.” The process can be exhaustive but if your writing is good, you have a good topic that can sell, and you have a social network that you can access to assist in the book promotion, you have a decent opportunity to land an agent. While, we’re discussing agents, knowing another author could get you in the door, so look around your network and talk to authors about their agent or publisher, who knows, you could get lucky. Here is a list of literary agents, read through and review the websites of the ones that you think might fit your writing genre. Most will indicate their “submission” process for book proposals. It is very important to read these requirements carefully before submitting them because each agent will have her own rules on how she wants your information to be submitted. Submitters who do not follow the submission specifications will be automatically discarded.

Step 3) Write your Book

Duh? Of course, you have to write a good book to make it to a conventional publisher’s title list. But becoming a good author is like anything else, it takes good practice. I’m always encouraging aspiring authors to write anywhere and as often as possible. Start with blogging, then perhaps move on to submitting magazine articles and so on. Linkedin also has a very powerful publishing platform. The LinkedIn publishing platform allows you to join industry groups and submit articles that not only help you perfect your writing skill, but they can also expose you to potential connections who could help you break through the elusive conventional publishing door.

So there you have it. I hope this article helps you at least feel more informed about the publishing process and your available options. Check back here to catch my next article on Self-Publishing very soon.

Gus Is the first official book release for author G.S. Willis. The relation to today’s events was sort of a happenstance that arose as a result of telling the story. But I did realize as I was writing it how similar it was to racial relations today. It was also pointed out using the words of my sister in law that “It’s not much different today.” 

At the end of the day Gus is a family story of conflict, love and the trials we face in life. How we never really know a person, even family without knowing their story.

G.S. Willis next planned book release “My Fellowman” is set for an early to mid 2021 book release. It is a story based on a screenplay short he wrote while in film school. It caters to a young adult or children’s audience and has magical and spiritual undertones. Life holds many mysteries and only time will tell.

In my life and travels from film school, photography, acting and writing classes I have met many talented individuals from all walks of life, from all over the world. They all had their own unique rich and colorful stories to tell. From my travels abroad to Europe to the Caribbean islands there were always the storytellers. Each imbued by their culture, their family and their personal experiences.  Funny, sad and exciting.

My family growing up had many lively storytellers and as a child I would sit around the outskirts of the adults listening and soaking them all in to my enjoyment.  Those were good days for me.

When I was in jogging shape I would get up at 5AM before work and run for 30 minutes.  There were a couple of small rabbits who would greet me on my path TO and FRO on my daily runs. During those morning runs I would toss my ever growing number of stories around in my head and work them out.  When I returned home I would record as much as I could remember on to a mini tape recorder and take the recorder to work with me where I would listen to the tape and transcribe  what worked to the stories that were I progress.  In the evenings and weekends I would hit the local coffee shops for a couple of hours. Not surprisingly it was not a unique idea and I met several writers there. One whose book went on to do very well.  Another gentleman I met had worked for the movie studios and had decided to leave. One of the producers saw the story he was working on and asked him to leave it with her. He left on his trip to go overseas and when he returned it has sold a million or more copies. I was excited at the possibilities for sure.  The book is called “The Black Snowman” by Phil Mendez and can be found on Amazon.

I could write more but the above that was and is part of my process that I wish to share.

One of my nieces had approached me at a Christmas dinner years ago as I began writing my dad’s story and mentioned not knowing much about our family’s history. She was a little frustrated because she couldn’t get much if any from the family elders. Truth be told who really knows how much they really had to share. It was then that I knew I was on the right track with my plans.

Growing up I was always that child who like to hang around with the adults and listen to their stories. Looking back now I’m sure some were tales but the stories were always rich and intriguing, imbued with humor and some mystery. And it would last up until the point I heard those dreaded words… “Ok, go on and play now, this is grown folk’s conversation.”

And so, I would until another day and another story. It nurtured in me a growing and vivid imagination. Most “Black Families” that I know can only go back a couple generations or so of our own heritage.

The legacy book would, in my mind and my vision, become a book that could be passed on to future generations. Answering questions like the one my niece had posed. My hope would be that the book would continually grow and future family generations could add to it. Ideally, along the way inspiring other emerging family writers to take on the mantle to share and contribute family stories of their own.

Legacy book additions could be full blown character driven stories. Or something as simple as recording Sister X had three children, Malcolm, Martin and John. Malcolm is a Fine orator and gives motivational speeches. Martin is an Educator and John is a family man etc. or anything they wish to share. That is my hope.

Gus Based on True Events is first and foremost a Family story. The landscape of the main story however takes place is in a time when racism was more overt. Southern States like Mississippi were places with unabashed racism and Jim Crow was the norm. But they were not the only places.

I was very young when I left Mississippi. Shielded by my parents and a large extended family who understood the climate, I and my younger brother escaped much but not all of the racism of the day. To put it in perspective when we left Mississippi it was five years after the murder of Emmet Till in Mississippi. The picture in Jet Magazine of his swollen face as he lay open casket, still haunts me to this day.

I think the song is meant to be words of hope and inspiration for her daughters. Well It inspires me as well. Below is an brief excerpt of some of the lyrics.

“I hope you never lose your sense of wonder 
You feel the ache But Never Lose your Hunger.
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean 
whenever one door closes I hope one more opens. 
Promise me you’ll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or Dance…I hope you Dance.” 

…We hope you’ll Dance.