What's Happening at Book Readers Heaven! Remember the Wonderful Song Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, Zip-a-dee-ay! My, Oh, My, What A Wonderful Day!

For many years, my family, especially my sister, Dee, and I hunted for this song. We had loved it since it had come out in a Disney film of the 40s. This happy-go-lucky song came to mind this morning, perhaps because of a recent discussion on The View, and especially led by Whoopi Goldberg... She and I agreed that it is so important for us, today, to take historical artistic endeavors as they are, for the "reality" of what was happening during our past.  This particular film was taken into the Disney vaults because of criticism. Finally, it came back, only to, in these recent days, find that we are once again dealing with people who refuse to accept art as it was created for that time...and enjoy it because of being able to see what was happening then...

It is truly a false assumption that, by taking something away, after it has been seen and enjoyed by a few, many, or millions, that it will be forgotten... That is NOT how our minds work... We want to remember what was meaningful to us during a given period of our lives... For me it is through literature and music...and also to a great extent, some types of paintings, sculptures and other art work created by so many.  The latter is so widely inspired by the artist that their work might not be pleasing for all. But that's OK because others will see the beauty in it and be inspired from their own personal experiences...  That's why any form of artistic endeavor is so important to all of us! We want and need to share that part of ourselves with others!

I remember my very first historical novel when the Gullah-English or Creole English was used. This is a form of language found in the Coastal low country region of South Carolina and Georgia including the Sea Islands... It took me time to sit and determine what was being said, but it didn't take long to pick up. Check out the article  to learn more if interested!

So what got me thinking about this? Well, many of you know there are some, especially in Florida, who are trying to delete our history if it is not related to the WASP background.  Such a sad shame... I reviewed another book that you may be interested in... An Anthology called How Dare We Write! Our personal family is important to all of us... How dare we not be able to share that personal history as we lived it?

Which leads me to a main issue today. You may have seen that I've been away from my blog and online. I have once again begun having what I called nightmares, which are really flashes back to certain periods of my life when something traumatic was happening. Most of us think of it today as PTSD. Post traumatic symptoms can linger on for many years dependent upon what the trauma was... For me, when I see or experience something that is not logical, not rational thinking, I will be sent back to the time when changes were made based upon whoever the latest boss was, for instance. The resulting additional work was often enormous even if it required just a few words by the boss that said..."we're doing it this way now and I don't care how you did it in the past (even if it was a better way...) 

As you may know, I had once again tried to write about my two issues that have caused trauma in my life...and find I really don't want to go back into thinking about those experiences. I may do some basic memoir type writings, without any effort to make an evaluative critical statement of significance... that could be more fun to think about. Maybe...

You know, folks, for the majority of my life, I was always working to achieve higher jobs, and then, later, when I got into publishing, combining my love of reading with publishing and then reviewing, I had led a very insular life. If I'm average in my lifestyle, you might have been just like me--we were always working to get our personal life in order. We may have voted, but it was a minor issue in our lives--something that was routine, like going to church or to the library or to get groceries for the week.

Post-January 6th has been a rude awakening for me. I thought much of what was happening was incited by the past president and, soon, things would get back to...routine, again. During the past several months, however, I have been shocked about just how much corruption has been uncovered--and, by how many people have been involved. The most recent confession by the head of Fox News that they all knew they were peddling lies--and doing so for the profit and ratings, has left me having no desire to even listen to the news. Has it always been like this? Should it require a major portion of anybody's time to deal with the issues evolving out of the political arena? I am shocked, disgusted, and unwilling to deal with this type of "crap" on an ongoing basis. Yes, I may feel differently from time to time, but I earlier just did not comprehend how bad things really are in America... Something must change; hopefully, we'll see how that can happen...It will take a majority of Americans being willing to continue to say we will not accept lying, election fraud, refusal to deal with gun control...and so much more... For me, it will take a lengthy hiatus from politics for the foreseeable future.

Happy to say I am now driving again! Free to get into my car and go out without trying to get somebody to take me...I don't think I realized just how confining a place can be without the easy ability to leave when you want to. However, I will be having cataract removal on both of my eyes beginning in April which will greatly limit my time on the computer. Hopefully, I can talk about all the great books I've been reading this month! At the time of that surgery, they will input my prescription for correction of my eyesight and I won't need to wear glasses after that! Wow! Praise God for giving the gifts of science and medical expertise to so many people!

You may have noticed that I've been inviting guest bloggers to share here at Book Readers Heaven. If you'd like to contribute in some way, send me a message! I've also been posting some reviews; however, they are NOT done in response to requests at this time. I may do some for long-term authors with whom I've worked, but, at least for now, I don't foresee an ability to receive and respond to specific requests. Feel free to use the comment section below for questions, suggestions, or just to say "Hi!"

I hope you take the time to consider just how important our historical artistic and magical creations have been in bringing our lives both joy as well as important social information.  We cannot delete our history unless we lie about it... How do you feel about a country that is based upon lies... Consider just how badly things are at present.  We need to ensure that we help our young people understand our past--not try to wipe it from the pages of books, movies and all other media instruments! Don't you wonder how God feels about the prejudice and bias that some of his children have for others?! I know I do!

Watch for Interesting Look at Age of Aquarius

God Bless

Gabbie

H O W D A R E W E ! W R I T E

This book is about courage...Many entertainers have succeeded in the world of song, speaking directly to the spirits of men and women who see "words" as part of their lives. But writers, from one culture to the next, find that there are walls to be climbed to be an accepted, published author...

Sherry Quan Lee discussed the problem with many others and finally a publisher who suggested she write the book she wanted to read. After thinking about it, she instead suggested an anthology. How Dare We! Write, is the end result! It certainly is a must-reader for writers, as well as members from the various cultural backgrounds presented. But if you aspire to writing as a career or to express yourself fully, no matter your racial background. This book is for you too!

This non-fiction book is divided into six topic areas: Literary Gatekeepers (and other myths), The Tyranny of Grammar, Identity(ies), Personal Narratives, Rejection Not an Option, and Healing the Heart. These include 26 essays with multicultural backgrounds...All but White... No, this is not prejudice, it merely acknowledges that books for Caucasians are numerous and readily available. This is a first effort to bring personal accounts of the writing experience from those multicultural individuals who have wanted to write, but could find few books that would help them...begin...to start to tell their personal stories...

Writers Who Dare!

SHERRY QUAN LEE, editor of How Dare We! Write, author of Love Imagined: a mixed race memoir, Modern History Press, August 2014, How to Write a Suicide Note, Loving Healing Press 2008, and Chinese Blackbird, Asian American Renaissance, 2002, reprinted 2008 by Loving Healing Press, approaches writing as a community resource and as culturally based art of an ordinary everyday practical aesthetic. She is a Distinguished Alumni of North Hennepin Community College. She is the former Program Associate for the Split Rock Arts Program summer workshops and the Online Mentoring for Writers Program at the University of Minnesota where she also earned her MFA in Creative Writing. Quan Lee is a community instructor at Metropolitan State University, Saint Paul, Minnesota, and she facilitates community workshops at Intermedia Arts, Minneapolis, MN, and elsewhere. She was a first year, 1996, participant of Cave Canem, a writing retreat for Black poets.

How Dare We! Write

A Multicultural Creative Writing Discourse

Edited by Sherry Quan Lee

Libraries inspire a sense o belonging for me. They feel like home. Since childhood, shelves of books never judged my tastes; checking the catalogue for current library holdings and figuring out the inter-library loan systems unlocked gates I never knew were sealed. Discovering a favorite place in the library to read through the pile of books I found also brought its own rewards. The library became my sanctuary, a place where I could determine my destiny. Despite the recognition that I was often the only woman of color exploring bookshelves of texts, and the feeling that university spaces were not meant for a Mexican-American like me, the Watson library felt safe...It was in college when I learned libraries were politicized spaces... from What Would Eden say?

I find trying to review an anthology is impossible...each of the essays has much to say...each of the writers dares to say their own words...I want to share about each writer...It moves from the academic environment into Grammar, for instance. Can you imagine being forced to use proper English grammar when you are sharing a dialect or a broken-english language as an immigrant? I've read many books by individuals from different races and their use of their natural phrasing and even spelling, to me, adds greatly to the authentic voice of the author and/or the characters in the books. I've even learned to read, Gullah, the Creole language they used...I worked at it sometimes, but I was so pleased I had the opportunity to do so...

Why should America be asking writers from different races, who are now here as citizens, to ignore their heritage. Four writers speak to this issue--allowing their own identities to survive! One of the things I learned is that Native American is actually incorrect. They were indigenous to the land long before it became America...That is correct...But is that really true if we don't even treat them as fellow Americans are treated?

Yesterday, I reviewed an African American author's book, The Dark Skinned Sister. She addressed the issue of, within the African American race, individuals discriminate based on the  shade of Black... Certainly then, I was attracted to the more personal stories of how, say, mixed race individuals find their own identities. The Editor of How Dare We!, speaks to her desire to become a creative writer. Immediately she noticed there were no books about her--a Chinese Black female who grew up passing for white in Minnesota... She dared to write herself into existence!

I must admit that I was somewhat distracted while reading this book, knowing that America is now in chaos, with hatred against races different than...white... How we got to this time is really sad... What is important now is that, just as the "Me-Too" movement has begun to speak out, so, too, is it the time for each of us to write our self into existence. No matter your race--this is an important book.  Now is the time to support men and women who are looking for acceptance and an identity that they can feel free...to...be...  Read this book as a beginning, perhaps, of daring to be...you... Highly Recommended.


GABixlerReviews

Giving Each Individual an Identify Is Important

To me...

Make it important to you...bring America

back together, neighbors loving neighbors

~~~

Dare to Listen! Dare to Read! Dare to Write!