Contradiction: “From Where I Sit…”

AUTHOR’S NOTES//
From the forthcoming literary release: “Silhouette” (spring 2010)

“I’ve written poetry, fictional storylines, and spiritually inspired pieces… all of which forced me to draw deep within myself and pull out something very ‘personal’ in an effort to illustrate a part of myself that very few people know…  Even still, this is perhaps the most personally inspired manuscripts I’ve ever written!  No, “Silhouette” is not a biography, an embellishment of true events, nor is it a literary timeline of my personal relationship profile… The storyline doesn’t parallel personal experiences, nor are any of the characters real…  Yet, I was more anxious to write this book than any other piece I’ve ever started… and as I began to type I found (perhaps coincidentally) that the writing process for this piece grew simpler as I sank deeper into the story… And now as I draw closer to completion, I’m finding that this project (though it may have been the easiest story to put on paper) may be the hardest for me to present… (maybe).  Ease and minimalism were birthed from music, a play-list of R&B/Jazz that I would listen to from time to time when airplane bottles of ™Absolute Mandarin just wouldn’t put me to rest.  From music, the vibe built… from heightening levels of inebriation, the story built…from life and love, aggression built… and as the story developed from a simple concept into published work I found that I could not only relate to the characters’ emotional disconnect, but I “am” the disconnect… (I think).”

“Each of these characters; through the growth of the story… in some aspect… represents a part of me.  At some point in my life, I’ve been each: the distracted pursuant, recovering from heartache who wouldn’t allow love to happen because of my own selfish ambitions; the idle-minded ‘player’ who chased it all but ended up empty-handed; the distant lover who unknowingly was the object of another’s affection; the physical embodiment of another’s “bad habits;” and finally the desperate realist who eventually comes to terms with his faults & is determined to capture love at any cost!  From where I sit, I am familiar with all five, and thus am (in essence) the breathing contradiction through which this story evolves… the “Silhouette” in which each character is romantically involved… (maybe).”

T.J. Breeden
www.iblmedia.com

Celebrate those who’ve Sacrificed…..

happy veteran’s day america.

Criticism 101… (article repost from May ‘09)

So……………..

The semi-finalist of the 2009 Amazon.com “Breakthrough Novel Award” have been announced (& congratulations to the winners), and as promised I finally received my reviews…  This marks the first official book review I’ve ever received, so to be completely honest I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I knew their would be some harsh criticism; I mean lets face it, getting a favorable review is 100% dependent upon timing.  You have to get your book in front of the right person, at the right time; and that person has to be in the right mood to really give your book fair consideration! 

…And as much as we authors would like to think of book reviewers as machines who grade everything on an even scale, I just don’t think that’s the case.  Some of the other authors who participated in this competition were brave enough to share their reviews on the official blog-board; and while the reviews were very honest, they were also a bit tainted considering a favorable review is dependent upon the reviewers’ personal taste rather than the authors ability to successfully put their individual style and form on display.

It’s an experience; right or wrong/ fair or unfair “it is what it is” so to speak.  This is part of the business, but it does not determine success nor does it make or break a book’s potential.  So, in that spirit, here are excerpts from my 2 reviews from the Amazon.com novel competition…

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REVIEW 1:
“This excerpt shows a lot of potential. It was clever and earnestly done. However, the setup just took too long and I never felt a link with the protagonist. I have read books about folks who did reprehensible or simple money grubbing activities, and it can be entertaining. But this one was just a bit too naively put together…”
 
“Still, I would hate to see this author give up. There were definite strengths. The author clearly has a vision to his/her style, a sense of where he/she wants to go with it. That is to be commended. It is perhaps true that a longer excerpt might have brought me to a happier conclusion about this entry…” 
 
“Would I read this if it were actually published… I might. There were certainly some intriguing moments.”

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REVIEW 2:
“…It’s fairly difficult to use a detestable first-person narrator and create a work in which readers will actually invest their time and emotion. A flawed narrator? Sure. Holden Caulfield was (almost tragically) flawed, but not detestable. From this novel’s first breath, the reader is completely disengaged…”

“You know what the “last nail in the coffin” was? The use of exclamation marks. I hate to be a killjoy, but exclamation marks have virtually no place in literature (and I use that term quite loosely in this instance)…”
 
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So…. There you have it!  2 reviews, one more unrelenting than the other but both very honest.  Sometimes the demographic of readership that you’re targeting is not the same demographic that reviews your title.  I wasn’t particularly damaged by these reviews.  I have to be honest with myself, not everyone will connect with a Hip-Hop inspired manuscript about a Ivy League educated, money-hungry launderer who enjoys a lavish lifestyle on the Vegas strip.  Not everyone cares to relate to the inner struggle of a character whose lifestyle is built on illegal tender and a need to prove himself worthy of the recognition that has always seemed beyond his fingertips. Narrative of how VIP, front row seats, and top-shelf liquor could serve as a sort of inspiration to a kid who grew up a poor orphan…. who managed his way through Harvard business networks and Wall Street social groups; only to switch sides and manipulate markets is not a subject of interest to everybody.

Regardless, the “ism” is hard but fair…
In life there will always be critics…
This is a fact of life…
All we can do is smile, and keep pushing!!

TJ // info@iblmedia.com

Is Social Media replacing Social “Living”?

I’ve gotta admit, I’m sort of new to the whole “social media” thing!!

…There was a time that the furthest I’d socially venture out into the web was ESPN.com to get updates during March Madness.  Then one day a friend of mine introduced me to Myspace, encouraging me to create an account because “all of our friends were on there!!”  Little did I know, that very few of my “friends” (being people that I actually know, not registered followers) were on Myspace; in fact I found myself receiving more friend requests from wierdo’s and rump-shakers than people with whom I shared a classroom or a conversation at a local night spot!  It was strange at first, befriending folks that I didn’t know… and even more frightening was the idea that the profile picture of the Brazilian model with long legs is being used by a 48 year old closet preditor to draw in inexperienced minors.  But eventually I got over those things and  found myself interacting on myspace more & more; liking the fact that I could introduce myself to someone on the other side of the country without Southwest Airlines or expanding my cell phone coverage. 

…Just, “Hi, how are you… I like your page!” & that would be it!  Talk about “Captain Icebreaker,” it couldn’t get any easier than that!  And it terms of marketing, if done properly there couldn’t be a better outlet to promote goods & services!  If you’re on the social networking scene to find love, I guess that works too (although I consider ‘Myspace Love’ to be the equivelent of speed dating on the telephone while wearing a disguise).  To be honest, I found it not to be that bad; so a few months later when I got emails about Facebook, Black Planet, & Imeem, I didn’t think anything… except ”SIGN ME UP!!”

Sad… I didn’t even realize I was developing a problem.  Myspace is kinda like the gateway-drug to even more habit-forming social media highs!  I still get cold sweats when I think about the feeling u get from receiving friend inquries across multiple web-portals… “Sweeeet!”  And like any narcotic, the addicted find themselves wanting more at the expense of the things that they once enjoyed… in most cases, what suffers is “Social Living.”

I have this friend……. really nice girl; has a great personality, lots of fun…. but she’d rather Twitter than have a conversation!  Instad of calling, she’ll send me a personal message on Facebook!  “Why Text?…”  She sends Tweet DM’s & short-hand “@-messages”!  I left her a voicemail, asking what she was doing… She sent me something using Bright-Kite, which basically GPS’ed that she was in line at Taco Bell!  I mean this with all sincerity, at some point we’ve got to go back to simply enjoying eachothers company… you know, having a real conversation around a table of friends & emptying glasses of Jack Daniels.  Ustream is for Chad OchoCinco & celebs that have thousands of people who are interested in watching them play Madden 10.   Leave 12second.tv to the pros, and let’s start socializing like adults!

“Funny thing is (now that I think about it)… I met her on Linked-In!!”
“I need an intervention!!!!”

–T.J.
www.iblmedia.com

Introducing: “Random”

 
“I’VE GOT AN ITCH!!!”
…this sudden urge to blog about things outside of the normal “promotional realm of things associated with the growth of my writing career.”  As the IbL Media Group continues to grow & expand, so has the need to expand the range of our communications interests.  Thus, we will begin doing things a little differently! Of course, we’ll continue to focus on artist development & use this portal as a gateway between the official website & all of our social media connections.  However, we’ll also be using the blog to talk about other things of interest. 

“…For instance, we’ll be covering major media & sports events across the country this year, with the first event coming very soon (too early to announce).  Our interest in the event is to use it as a means to gather research info for a major project, which is both a literary & video documentary.  So, we’ll be using the blog to get the word out about how exactly we plan to cover the event, where we’ll be, which social media streams will be using to promote our activities,… and more importantly how you can get involved to share in the experience!  Our focus remains on developing art, but we’re infusing a little random fun into it!!“

So, keep your eyes open!  Don’t be shocked that all of a sudden we’re talking about… oh, I don’t know… BOXING; because it could simply mean that we’ll be covering a fight soon (just an example).  Or, as the national health-care debate continues to garner steam… & a sudden post hits the web, perhaps consider that we’ve been outsourced to complete a small journalistic piece for a local newspaper, or maybe we’re are preparing a write-up for State Legislature (perhaps).

We’re expanding into other areas… so should the blog!  So, consider this my formal introduction, in an attempt to make you familiar with topics that may seem out of what you’re accustomed to reading here.  My hope is that these things will generate interest from people who have never heard of our small portfolio of books & media projects…. “Time to think outside the blog!”

Stay Tuned……………………
www.iblmedia.com

I am Author #501

I AM AUTHOR #501

What’s Up!!
“…Some may know, and others may not; but I recently entered into a creative writing contest known in the writing community as “The Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Award,” sponsored by Amazon.com, and Penguin Publishing (in association with my partnering distribution group, CreateSpace Publishing.) Over 10,000 novelist submitted their pieces for critique and review; from which 2,000 were selected for serious consideration (basically meaning that they discarded 8,000 because the pitch wasn’t strong enough), and read a 30 page sample of the author’s novel. Next, 500 books were selected for the semi-final review by a team of “esteemed” writers and would be made available for national viewing on Amazon.com…”

“According to the contest outline, they were supposed to make their selection available on March 16th… so, I woke up early that morning, squinting through sleep deprived vision, hoping that perhaps they’d be willing to take a chance on a Hip-Hop inspired novel about laundered cash & crime on the Vegas Strip. 10am, no answer… 2pm, still nothing. Other writers were starting to panic, leaving nasty comments on the Amazon.com comments board… because it just didn’t make sense!! 6pm… 10pm… I said WHATEVER! No need sitting up all night waiting for someone to reaffirm to me that I’m a good writer. But still, I sat up. Finally, at 1:28am EST on March 17th, I received an email:

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T.J.,

Thank you for participating in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. We received thousands of submissions and were impressed with the incredible talent and creativity demonstrated by participating authors this year. We were therefore had to make some very difficult decisions. We regret to inform you that you have not been selected to move forward in the contest.

Your Excerpt was reviewed by two Amazon Vine Reviewers, however, and their feedback will be made available to you via your CreateSpace ABNA Dashboard in the coming weeks. You will receive an e-mail from CreateSpace to let you know when these reviews are available.

Best of luck with your novel,
ABNA Admin Team

_____________________________________________________________________

“…Well, they reviewed it, so I guess that means I’m somewhere in the 501-2,000 range. I could have either been the author who was next in line to walk through the door in VIP and unfortunately they realized that it had been filled to capacity, or at the end of the line. Considering, I wasn’t sure how to respond. There were some 8,000 writers, probably just as good if not better than me, who didn’t even receive the courtesy of a proper read of their pitch. I was chosen, but at the same time I wasn’t.”

“People ask me why I push so hard; how is it that I’ve been able to handle the journey when it seems that rejection is as evident as success. I found my answer in a song lyric: “Nobody else believed, until I BELIEVED ME!!” Instead of answering, I’d much rather pose the question: What will they say when my book, which has been deemed by literary agents and publisher alike to be too outside-of-the-box for mainstream media markets, is a NY Times Best Seller, is made into a major motion picture series, or fills the Soprano’s open Sunday Night time slot on HBO? I’m not making predictions…………. but I do believe me!”

“…I was never promised the road would be smooth… just that it would build character!! So, I’ll keep pushing; because……….. what do I have to lose?!”

_________________

T.J.
www.iblmedia.com

“Sundae School,” an excerpt from: “…My Rain”

An excerpt taken from:
Chapter IV/ Love Scene

I use her midsection as my canvas, occasionally dipping the brush on the inner most part of her thigh for more paint.  She’ll shake loose something sodium filled/ salty & thick so I know I have everything I need… I test myself to see I can convince her body to approve early release. It was my pleasure to look forward to the “pleasure.”  Eager to demonstrate growth of my education, I taste the perimeter & circumference just to test her. 

 Sundae School…
She likes to watch, as to make sure I’m not cheating… licks my kisses dry so that we share the sensation; my fingertips from her lips to her sundae/ Face to face with a likeness emblematic to creation/ A frequent exercise, so rather a place of recreation.  Turning over to her stomach putting the pressure on me… I have a tendency to arrive in view of familiar answer… I choose to prolong the “out-cum” & bury my face in the text. In deep thought, I forcefully continue, articulating every word, forcing every syllable, committed to an exercise oratorical perfection.

Bed sheets become a chalkboard as her nails grip and pull in response.  My persistence is welcomed by a slow grind… Even though I’m reading backwards, the warm, wet chaos forces dyslexia as we spin and turn in demonstrations of temporary madness.  We’ve lost track, my chin & the itinerary drenched in sundae as class ends… the bell rings Prince’s “Adore” and I want extra credit, realizing that there’s more I need to benefit from… We’re not done.  Because even as this moment continues, my body excites for the homework…

Available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, & wherever books are sold.
www.iblmedia.com

Overtime!!

New Video Presentation: Overtime

“…With this presentation, I wanted to show how the novel (“The Lion’s Den: Chronicles of a Las Vegas Money Launderer”) progresses through chapter 10; which is a critical point in the storyline for the main character.  Alex Pryce has mastered his craft as a money launderer, and is preparing to emerge as the nation’s biggest purveyor of illegal activity… And as he’s enjoying the fruits & celebrity of his labor, he’s also falling in love with a woman whose peace-filled aura is an escape from a life tainted by crime & murder.  The song I chose fits his “zone,” and has been a huge inspiration to my prep work for the follow-up novel.  In essence, it is ”Amazing” how he’s been able to maneuver above the federal authorities, while flooding the streets of Las Vegas with cash generated from international crime and corruption… mostly free of suspicion, because on the strip everybody’s out to break the bank

“…Flashing lights, ringside seats, champagne, cigar smoke… and a ridiculously lavish lifestyle piloted by foreign automobiles…”

Chapter 10: Overtime (“Speeding” Revisited//)
.”The Video Presentation can be viewed on the left column of this blog (video #2), and on our homepage: www.iblmedia.com  It was drawn from the introductory section of the novel entitled “In my Zone!!” and is sort of a prequel to the video above.  Thanks for all of your support//

Style + Music = Fuel!

Music has proven to be a huge influence in my books; both in terms of cementing my writing style as well as helping me to identify subjects & topics that work well with my approach.  In the “Author’s Notes” section of The Lion’s Den, I wrote about how music has deeply inspired my style.  I’ve dedicated the past 2 books (both “The Lion’s Den” & “Love 3:16″) to artists whose music influenced the flow of the book.  I dedicated “The Lion’s Den” to Jay-Z’s “Reasonable Doubt,” and “American Gangster” albums, both of which served as a soundtrack to the artistic process.

The Following is an excerpt from the Author’s Notes in the introductory section of “The Lion’s Den” vol. 1:

“The Lion’s Den was written beneath a soundtrack of my favorite musical artists.  At times, the creative tone of this manuscript seemed to be synchronized artistically with a playlist of Hip-Hop, Alternative, Instrumentals, Gospel, Jazz, etc.  Music has been the fuel to this journey, and thus has tremendously influenced my writing style.  There were periods throughout the development of this project when I would literally close my eyes and type to bass & treble.  Momentum built from tempo, intertwined with the emotional sequences of the storyline, made this writing process particularly smooth.“

“I would describe my writing style as “poetic.”  Though this manuscript wasn’t written within the structure of the Iambic Pentameter, the use of analogies and synonyms makes this reading experience unlike any other.  This project is different, not only because of its literary arrangement, but because the story’s main character narrates the journey in a very honest, sophisticated, and almost lyrical tone.  It is the story of Alex Pryce, an urban Ivy Leaguer who is both the product of Chicago’s financial district and the inner city borough; who forwent professional designations & Wall Street Hedge Funds, for an underground cash pool & the Las Vegas strip.  This storyline is poetry converged into American realism; fiction mixed with Hip-Hop’s true essence of story telling.  Sure, its fiction… but it is also rooted in something that is very real!“

Accepting my personal writing Style, infused with Music created Fuel for the artistic experience…

That’s me… what inspires you?!?!

 

Just Do It!!

“…Sometimes we find ourselves at a place in our lives in which we have no Earthly idea as to how we’ve gotten where we are.  We’re not familiar with the process through which we’ve arrived, nor do we recognize the destination.  It was supposed to just be a resting post; something like a Day’s Inn… but somehow it’s turned into something more long-term.  I look at myself for example, & must honestly acknowledge that writing books and moonlighting freelance media jobs is the very LAST thing that I would’ve ever thought I would be doing… and yes, is far from topping the list of things in which I am most interested in.  I’ve grown to love literature… both written & performance art…. “but this aint what I wanted!!!”“

“But what I’ve noticed of late is how my developing passion for words has inspired those around me to explore their own personal, deeply-rooted, artistic interests.  My teenage nephews are now producing and publishing their own music; friends are now working on manuscripts that they’ve kept hidden for years…  Sometimes God uses our journey to inspire others!  And although I haven’t been listed on any New York Times List, and was even forced to swallow a few crushing NY reviews of my work, I definitely have made a small impact in the lives of folks whose dreams I’ve taken a vested interest in.”

“…But it’s not just family and friends!  It’s the random emails from people who have read my books and tell me how much they liked it… And how seeing what I’ve been able to accomplish as a self-published writer has encouraged them to trek the same path towards publication… Hour long conversations with folks who are in the process of reading my novel, and want to discuss the main character as they begin to see a little of themselves in him!  These types of connections dismiss the New York criticism; making the initial “Hazing” process worth the temporary scarring.”

“I guess what I’m trying to say is: keep believing, keep pushing…. Keep doing whatever it is that you’re doing, even though you may not have ANY IDEA why you’re still doing it!  When it all comes together, whether the fruits of your labor will be enjoyed by you, or shared with you by someone else who has been inspired by your drive & determination…. Don’t let up!”

Be Patient, not complacent!
Trust yourself, even when nobody else will…

JUST DO IT!