2023 South Florida Writers Of Color Online Literary Magazine

A collection of poems, writings and gleanings from South Florida Writers of Color.

By Dr. Ralph Hogges  

We Are The Others

By Dr. Ralph Hogges

Not only are the Powerful controlling and dictating the

Denials and Rejections of our quest for Freedom and Justice,

But are also adamantly opposed to Diversity, Unity, Inclusion and Equality.

Now is the Time.

This is our Moment,

For us, United, Organized, Energized and Mobilized,

To Confront and Defeat

Those who use their Power to Control and Dictate our Lives.

Let us remember the Biblical moment in the Bible wherein David stepped up and challenged the seemingly all powerful and invincible Philistine giant Goliath. There were those present who teased David and underestimated his courage and ability to defeat this giant that they all feared.

David was not a soldier.

He had no training in military weaponry.

He was not a boxer or wrestler.

He had neither a gun nor a sword.

He had only a sling and 5 stones.

Goliath had his armor and javelin.

As the battle of David and Goliath began,

David stepped up with Faith in the Power of God, and with a stone in his sling, he hurled it mightily to the center of Goliath’s head. Goliath fell to the ground, dead.

The Last Time I Cried

By Dr. Susan Lycett Davis

The last time I cried

It wasn’t this painful at all

The last time I cried

I sure wasn’t left folded in a ball!

But… Today I cried and it penetrated my soul

As the knee infiltrated the throat in the Fol’

… cause I mustered the courage to watch the tape

All sense of wonder and disbelief left me agape.

The thoughts that went through my head, where not Christian at all

So I feel for the masses who have no hope on which to fall.

Vengeance is mine says the Lord

But Father… I question real hard!

What about humanity, liberty and justice for all

Why are my black brothers taking he fall

People are people, good, bad or indifferent indeed

All genders, all colors, we are all from one ‘seed.’

Today I cried… no, I bawled for George Floyd,

And the ‘81 Black Men And Boys Killed By Police’, Lord!

For Trayvon, Ahmaud and others killed by racists beasts

For mother’s whose heart strings are torn in disbelief!

Black lives matter, All Lives matter

The pain is making me tatter.

Lord I know you are here… so hear my shout!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH… WE’RE ALL CRIED OUT!!

The last time I cried

It wasn’t this painful at all

I’m trusting you Lord to bring vengeance fi true

‘Cause Comeuppance is well overdue!

Writers Abandoned Manuscripts: Suzanne Bennett’s 7 Ideas For What To Do With Them…

Writers always produce more than they share with readers. Even bestseller authors have abandoned manuscripts. This article will give you some ideas on what to do with them.

Writers Write

Loved these Writers Write tips for those who write and have manuscripts that just can’t get done. Suzzanne Bennett shares 7 Ideas of what to do with abandoned writings. Here I share my favorite 3.

  • Create a space. Call it ‘graveyard,’ ‘slush pile,’ or ‘bits n bobs
  • Salvage the Wreck. The ‘To Salvage’ file contains revamped manuscripts that you still consider terrible, but where you hope to find a few nuggets of gold.
  • Revisit your Graveyard in times of need. Whenever you need inspiration, go to your pile of manuscripts, and start reading. You might just find a darling that once was ‘killed’

These were my favorites. Do you have abandoned writers? What can you do with them? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

The ‘Very’Alternative For Those Who Write …

Success Strategies

Style means the right word. The rest matters little.”
—Jules Renard

Remarkable resource shared in an Authors’ forum. Great ‘very‘ alternative for those who write.

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Need Inspiration To Write? Writers Share 23 Ways…

Success Strategies

Where does a writer derive the inspiration to write?

That was the question a new writer asked on a public forum. Here I share as experienced veteran writers excitedly chimed in.

Writers Inspiration

  1. The desire to be heard
  2. From within
  3. Life experiences
  4. Prayer
  5. Observations and creativity
  6. From being disciplined
  7. Desire to entertain. Seen housands of movies and read countless books.
  8. Culture
  9. Inserting imagination into current events.
  10. Nature. Walking around the beach, rivers, forests. Observing the moon and the stars
  11. Sitting and watching people walk around
  12. Learning something cool and new
  13. My imagination – lot of times from photos of places and people
  14. The need to share what I know
  15. Jesus Christ
  16. Life experiences – history read
  17. Love, hate inferences. Sit in a pub or hotel and watch. Watch as a woman looks at a man with love or fear. See how children clutch at their parents hands
  18. When a writer…

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Self-Care: 9 Ways To Sharpen The Mental Blade…

Success Strategies

Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it’s holy ground. There’s no greater investment.”

Stephen Covey

The concept to sharpen the saw highlights the point that when you have been going, going, and going …and you can’t seem to see any results. Acknowledge that it’s time to stop. It’s time to refresh. It’s time for a break to get the rest you need to start thinking so you can be productive again.

Here are a few suggestions that Brett and Kate McKay shared in their article on how you can fuel your brain’s recovery and sharpen the mental blade:

  1. Read the Great Books
  2. Write a position paper on a topic of your choosing
  3. Listen to a stimulating podcast
  4. Listen to a Great Courses course
  5. Take an online course
  6. Attend a lecture at a local college
  7. Join a discussion group (synergizing mental and social domains!)
  8. Visit a museum
  9. Watch a documentary

Did…

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Let The Adventure Begin!

The ball dropped and suddenly we went from the old to the new. it’s new year’s day at universal and islands of adventure. Beehives of Chattering voices everywhere. I sit quietly People watching cultures far, near, and everywhere. Fun. Rides. Food. Smiles. Tired feet clad in running shoes, t-shirts, jeans, tights; it’s family time you can’t miss.

Lots of gleeful noise amidst the screams of the world famous hulk ride. Twists, turns, ups, downs. It’s like you’re just gonna explode. Why would people do that to themselves?! Omgeee! 

There’s Spider-Man. Tired legs allowed the young ones to go do their thing. After men in black, fast n furious, I was missing nothing. 

But who am I to complain after enjoying my own knee jerking skydive that only few dared to hit

It’s Started With a Bang

Yep it’s New Year’s Day and it started off with a bang with plans for a year filled with lots of fun, excitement, and thrill. All wrapped in fear of the twists and turns among the unknown. But hey, doing it anyway. You won’t know until you try, right?

Armed with goals to finish my long outstanding book series titled RedLight, I’ll getaway for a solo retreat to think, to plan, to write in a faraway land. A time of peace and quiet. It’s become personal January tradition.

You’ll also like A late January Evening by the seashore

Hope you’ll achieve dreams held dear without fear this year. Need help? Let’s connect.

Cheers

Authors Share 13 Ways To Rid Writer’s Block…

Success Strategies

Overcoming writer’s block isn’t always easy, but it helps to keep a pen and paper at the ready for when inspiration strikes.

Unknown

Many complain of experiencing writer’s block. It refers that time when writers attempt to write and nothing comes. Some complain that it last days, weeks, months. Others say it may even last years. The question came up in an authors’ forum. Here I share 13 tips recommended.

  1. Take a day off from writing
  2. Work on two different books at the same time. If you have trouble with one, move to the other. It helps with the creative process
  3. If you don’t know what you’re going to write there’s no point in sitting down. What you can do is think during the day what the next few pages are going to be like (when writing fiction). So when you sit you know exactly what’s coming
  4. One writer suggested…

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23 Trending Apps For Writers…

To write is to Breathe

To write is to breathe

Dr Shelly C

23 Trending Apps for writers and authors. Here are my top favorites:

  • Canva for flyers and book event promotion
  • Books for easy access reading
  • Kindle for deep reading at airports, on a plane, train and anywhere to make waiting a pleasure
  • Spotify for my audiobook GreenLight for inspirational reading. A must commute resource
  • Goodreads is a resource to up book connection with the writing community,
  • Hootsuite is a stress saver. Pre-plan posts and walk aaay
  • Social is a place to meet, greet and connect with Book lovers, readers and share updates about my writing prowess

From the App pic, Which can you not live without? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

To Read, To Read, To Build Your Writing Creed. 7 Books On Writing…

Success Strategies

grayscale photo of man sitting on brown wooden bench reading news paper during day time Photo by Craig Dennis on Pexels.com

Every Secret of a Writer’s soul; every experience of his life; every quality of his mind, is written large in his works. ~Virginia Woolf

Here are 7 books that will help to strengthen your writing craft:

  1. Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr.
  2. Working People Talk About What They do All Day by Studs Terkel
  3. How Fiction Works by James Wood
  4. The Rest is Noise by Alex Ross
  5. Kill All Your Darlings by Luc Sante
  6. On Writing by Stephen King
  7. Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t by Steven Pressfield

Happy Reading!

Cheers!

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South Florida Writers Of Color Online Literary Magazine…





Stories, Poetry, Writings and Gleanings inspire prowess

Dr. Shelly Cameron

Mentors Matter: Memories of My Lifelong Mentor Dr. Ulysses Van Spiva

By Ralph Hogges
Looking back over my life brings forth memories of my struggles to achieve educational and career opportunities in the White Supremacy’s Deep South and the special person that God put in my life to protect, teach and guide me. His name was Dr. Ulysses Van Spiva. He was an amazing blessing in my life. I write to share some of those memories of my lifelong mentor with you.  

After earning my master’s degree at Tuskegee Institute (University) on May 16, 1972, I was hired as a personnel administrator in the University Personnel Relations Department at Florida International University (FIU) on August 28, 1972. FIU was a new university in the Florida’s State University System, scheduled to officially open on September 14, 1972. 

Standing on the elevated steps of the Primera Casa (First Building) on that Grand Opening day ceremony, with city, county and state VIP officials and numerous other leaders, I glanced here and there, searching for some black employees, but finding only a few. They were mostly janitorial and lawn workers.

Read More in Writers of Color Literary Magazine

Insightful And Inspirational Wisdom for Aspiring, Beginning and Emerging Writers

By Indiana Robinson
My name is Dr. Indiana Robinson. I am a Jamaican-American author of 50 books, primarily in the nonfiction genre, and minimally in the fiction genre. Among the nonfiction topics I have published and am publishing are memoirs, biography, history, unsung heroes, visual arts, poetry, academics, music, ancestry, children’s activity, animals, meteorology, geography, spirituality, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), proverbs as social commentary, leadership, sports (cricket), culinary arts, and business. My sole fictional work is a novella comprising three short stories on companionship, trickery, and fable. I publish my books under the pen names of Inyaso, Dr. D., and a few others.

I am also an educator/dissertation chair and earned my doctorate at Nova Southeastern University a decade ago. My books are available from: https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/Inyaso.

Dr. Ralph Hogges asked me to answer the following questions. I hope my responses will be insightful and inspirational to aspiring, beginning and emerging writers.
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Power of the Blood at Work in You 
“Veil Torn in Two” Volume 2
Release Date TBA
www.neatbooks4u.com 
By Arnetha Thomas

We already said, “Our growth process is inevitable for maturity.” I’m reminded of the title “No pain, no gain,” secular hit song of 1988 by the late Betty Wright. Her lyrics are prevalent for todays’ problems. She sang about life troubles and to gain something, we must go through something. The late Betty Wright lived and grew-up in Miami, Florida.
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A Woman’s Worth
Excerpt from the Book: Rhythm and Hues – Twenty-Three Stories of 
Hardship and Hope
By Corey B. Collins

At times like these, the woman wonders what the point of it all is. Recent news of the unexpected death of yet another close friend, a mere two years her senior, came out of nowhere and rained down on her like a storm for which she was woefully unprepared. Sorrow cements her to the cream-colored recliner in her living room. She looks down. Her lap cradles the framed photo. Moisture wells just beneath the lower lip of her left eyelid. Knowing she must conserve the lion share of her sadness for the marathon day of grief lying in wait at her friend’s funeral, she rations just one tear. It eventually breaches the rim of her eyelid, journeys the length of her cheek and pools at the bottom of her chin. Then, gravity continues to have its way. The picture frame intercepts the liquid before it meets the ground. She wipes the droplet from the glass housing the most recent image of her dog Ozzie. Her furry friend had been gifted by her older brother fourteen years ago as a comfort in the wake of the untimely passing of her longtime human companion and soul mate of thirty-six years. Lung cancer had been the thief that stole her husband. A familiar ring abruptly invades the woman’s airspace, rescuing her from her melancholy malaise. She answers her smart phone.
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Let Healing Rise

By Rosemarie Cole
You are divided red and blue
My heart ache for you
If - My people pray
There will be ray
Of light and hope
Fill your crevices with love
Then blessing will come from
above
If – My people seek
I will speak
Of life and peace
I set you on a hill
For the earth – void to fill
If – My people turn
You will not be burn
By sparks of fire

Last Time

By S. Ettosi Brooks
The last time I saw Jamaica I’d said goodbye to my heart.
I lost it somewhere between Hope Gardens and Constant Spring. 
So we meet, So we part.
I remember staring at the bus as it retreated from me carrying my love, hopes and dreams.
The moon, impassive to human foolishness, sent a soft shimmering sound floating by.
I looked through tear veiled eyes at her hard, bright fulness.
A baby in her mother’s arms stared at me. You know, the way children do as if it was God looking at you through their eyes?
Now, the child full blossoming with the careless beauty of youth, sashays past me. I knew it was her at once, but she did not know me. How could she?
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Learning Is Important To Your Retirement Journey

Excerpt from the Book, Retirement: The Journey and The Destination
By Patricia Reid-Waugh

A positive senior mindset rejects the idea that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” This adage has proven not to be true. Instead, we have embraced the reality of lifelong learning. While that adage may have originated from some people’s preference not to have to learn new things in old age, it says nothing about our ability.

Experience shows that it is never too late to pursue a dream. A positive retirement mindset is being willing to start from scratch where necessary. Early in retirement, I realized that almost everything I wanted to do involved learning some new skill or technique to complement the competencies I had acquired over the years. Was this a problem? Not at all.
I wanted to play the violin and the steel pan. Although I was an accomplished pianist and organist, fully functional in music theory, the violin and steel pan required different skills that I had to learn from scratch. I had to put on the beginner’s mindset and become that little girl learning music once again. At first, the idea was intimidating. But then it was invigorating!
	I wanted to have an active presence on the Internet to maintain social engagement, access entertainment, improve my knowledge, and buy and sell products and services, among other things. This meant developing a broader range of digital skills than the basic computer competencies I had acquired to get by in the working world. I had to delve into topics like digital marketing, webpage building, and e-commerce, learning these tools and technologies for the first time. These skills did not even exist when I was in school. But, was I able to learn them at seventy years old? Absolutely.
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Gleanings of Hope, Leadership, Success and Inspiration

The Grave is filled with Dreams that were never realized

Les Brown
The inner feeling that quietly tugs at your heart. Look closely. Listen quietly. You will hear. For years, my mom wanted to write her story. She wrote on notepads, pieces of paper, the typewriter, then reached for the computer. A journey that lasted decades throughout her life. A journey that was never to be fulfilled. My sister too-like a Martyr stricken by the ravishes of cancer, dreamed of telling her story. But, like my mom, she too passed away with it in her heart quietly waiting. She accomplished much yet still had that silent dream that was never fulfilled.

                                    The grave is filled with dreams that were never realized ~Les Brown

Today I write to inspire you, you, and you to go after your dreams, goals, and aspirations. A Certified Professional Coach, I smirk as I reflect on God’s sense of humor. I write on all things business gleaned from my research on success., leadership, and change. Strides before the pandemic I followed the Quest to write on stories of inspiration from over a decade of blogging and journaling. Intrigued by the quiet tug, I followed the lead as the inspirational series unfolded. It began with Green Light: When God Says Go; then My Safe Place and the soon to be published Red Light: When God Says No. Red Light came through a child’s handwritten note on a napkin. It was voiced by my daughter’s 10 year-old son who giggled as he asked me to write it. Intrigued, I looked up with a smile to the Lord and nodded in surrender. The prequel – My Safe Place was just being published. Who am I to disobey? The series unfolded.
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