It's Friday, December 28, 2012, the last official weekend of this year! Can you believe how fast 2012 skipped by. Through all the bumps, hills, highs and lows, we made it! This weekend I'm going to relax with hot chocolate and comfort food (it's going to snow here in DC, so the timing is perfect) and chart my new path for 2013. How do you plan to spend the last few days of this year?
Blessings!
Trice
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Friday, December 28, 2012
Friday, July 20, 2012
Imagery Is Powerful
Imagery Is Powerful
I’ve seen some distasteful comments on websites and read
some very disturbing things that prompted me to write this post.
This week the Internet was all abuzz with pictures of Beyoncé
and her adorable 7 month old daughter, Blue Ivy. But things quickly took a turn
for the worse. Vicious comments about baby BI’s facial features filled the
comment sections of sites that posted the precious picture of Beyoncé and her and
Jay Z’s little chubby-cheeked beauty. What was even more disturbing (to me) was
that black folks were making pointed comments that made me shake my head. I
copied some of them below.
“She has nappy hair.”
“I hope she doesn’t
end up with Jay Z’s big lips and nose.”
“Damn, her nose is
already wide. I hope she don’t end up looking like her daddy.”
These are just a few of the horrible, mean-spirited things people
were saying about Beyoncé’s and Jay Z’s beautiful daughter. Who says stuff like
that about a baby? Anyone who can do that is obviously a very sad person
inside. And deeper still, this vitriolic banter sheds light on an even more
troubling problem. The issue of how we view beauty in the black community.
Black folks are still carrying around a heavy amount of
plantation luggage. There are many in the black community who still believe
that dark skin, wide noses, full lips, and kinky hair equals ugly. Instead,
they strive for lighter skin, slim noses, moderate-size lips and straight hair,
because these are all signs of perceived European beauty. That standard of
beauty is especially hard for black women. A chocolate brother is all the rage—Idris,
Morris, Lance, etc. But a chocolate sister? Not so much.
I remember when the striking Sudanese supermodel Alek Wek
hit the scene back in 1995 with her smooth, onyx-colored skin, lusciously full
lips, deep-set eyes, and toned, slender body. The reaction in the world of
fashion was one of fascination and intrigue. But the talk in the black
community was downright hateful. Black folks panned her “African” features as
though this beautiful woman was the ugliest thing they’d ever seen. I remember
hearing brother’s say things like, “She’s way too black” and some sisters say, “She
needs a weave to hide those naps.” Those remarks both angered and saddened me. I
was so happy when Oprah had Ms. Wek on her show and said, “If
you'd been on the cover of a magazine when I was growing up, I would have had a
different concept of who I was.”
Imagery is powerful.
Growing up, my father used to always tell me how beautiful
my chocolate brown skin was. I didn’t appreciate his praise back then, but I certainly
do now. My father was letting me know that I was beautiful and worthy, and he
was also preparing me for a world that wouldn’t always be as welcoming. It was
especially hurtful to me that I would be rebuffed by other black people. Brothers
and sisters alike have told me, “You’re pretty to be dark skinned.” Yes, idiots
have actually told me this to my face, as if dark skin couldn’t possibly embody
even a hint of attractiveness.
Women of other ethnicities spend large amounts of money to
get what the majority of black women have naturally—tanned/brown skin, full
lips, round hips, high cheekbones—it’s all so beautiful! A flat nose can be
just as beautiful as an angular one. Kinky hair can be rocked with a fierceness
equal to its long, straight counterpart. Beauty is truly in the eyes of who
beholds it, and it’s felt in the way each of us embraces what they have. It’s
okay to have hair that’s kinky or straight. It’s okay for skin to be dark or
light. It’s okay to have African, Asian, European or any other type of features.
But it’s not okay to uphold one standard of beauty as the yardstick by which
all other beauty is measured. We (human beings) are so much more than that.
Humanity is simply man’s love for his/her fellow man. Once
we embrace our shared humanity (love), we will embrace the beauty in each of
us. These aren’t just pie-in-the-sky words I’m speaking. This is real talk! I
pray that as the millions of Blue Ivy’s in the world grow up, they will look in
the mirror and embrace what they see, and they will live in a society that
nurtures it.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
On the Air with Trice and Brian 02/16 by On the Air withTrice and Brian | Blog Talk Radio
Tonight is the night! Tune in live at 8:00 p.m. EST, as my co-host, Brian W. Smith, and I interview bestselling authors; Pat Tucker, Kiffany Dugger, and Carl Weber! Hope you can join us!
On the Air with Trice and Brian 02/16 by On the Air withTrice and Brian | Blog Talk Radio
On the Air with Trice and Brian 02/16 by On the Air withTrice and Brian | Blog Talk Radio
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Self-Publishing Tip
Self-Publishing Tip—Have a plan: Map out a defined strategy/vision for your book, develop a detailed budget, create a realistic time line, know your target audience, do your research on industry standards and trends, and above all, PROMOTE!...to read more, visit my blog,
When I began my publishing journey I was as green as grass. All I knew was that I wanted to have the story I’d spent endless nights creating, published into a book. I spent 2 ½ years sending out query letters and doing research on the publishing industry before I finally decided to self-publish my novel, Unexpected Interruptions. But before I published my work, I knew I had to have a plan.
How I developed my plan:
The first thing I did was write down my vision for my work, which ultimately turned into my strategy. I determined what goals and milestones I wanted to achieve, and what kind of reach and exposure (regional, national, international) I wanted to accomplish. I also knew that in order to fully realize what I had envisioned, I had to have the money to do it, so I developed a concise, detailed budget. My budget was based on the extensive research I had done on the publishing industry. Through tedious homework each night, I learned what was required to properly publish a book and the many costs involved. After I knew what kind of expenses I would likely incur, I developed a time line. This step was invaluable and extremely helpful because it kept me on track with each task in front of me. It was my road map!
And above all, I PROMOTED! From the moment I decided to self-publish, I began telling everyone I knew about my book. The minute my book cover was complete I posted it on my newly designed website (every author should have a website!), uploaded it to bookselling and literary websites, made bookmarks and postcards, reached out to book clubs, and started setting up a book tour.
I followed my timeline and stuck with my plan (as closely as I could), and I believe to this day that it was a great factor in the success of, Unexpected Interruptions. Having a plan doesn’t ensure success because as we know, life doesn’t always happen the way we want it to. But, if you have a road map in front of you, you’ll have a good idea of where you need to go, and you’ll avoid a lot of pitfalls!
Visit me at www.tricehickman.com
When I began my publishing journey I was as green as grass. All I knew was that I wanted to have the story I’d spent endless nights creating, published into a book. I spent 2 ½ years sending out query letters and doing research on the publishing industry before I finally decided to self-publish my novel, Unexpected Interruptions. But before I published my work, I knew I had to have a plan.
How I developed my plan:
The first thing I did was write down my vision for my work, which ultimately turned into my strategy. I determined what goals and milestones I wanted to achieve, and what kind of reach and exposure (regional, national, international) I wanted to accomplish. I also knew that in order to fully realize what I had envisioned, I had to have the money to do it, so I developed a concise, detailed budget. My budget was based on the extensive research I had done on the publishing industry. Through tedious homework each night, I learned what was required to properly publish a book and the many costs involved. After I knew what kind of expenses I would likely incur, I developed a time line. This step was invaluable and extremely helpful because it kept me on track with each task in front of me. It was my road map!
And above all, I PROMOTED! From the moment I decided to self-publish, I began telling everyone I knew about my book. The minute my book cover was complete I posted it on my newly designed website (every author should have a website!), uploaded it to bookselling and literary websites, made bookmarks and postcards, reached out to book clubs, and started setting up a book tour.
I followed my timeline and stuck with my plan (as closely as I could), and I believe to this day that it was a great factor in the success of, Unexpected Interruptions. Having a plan doesn’t ensure success because as we know, life doesn’t always happen the way we want it to. But, if you have a road map in front of you, you’ll have a good idea of where you need to go, and you’ll avoid a lot of pitfalls!
Visit me at www.tricehickman.com
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Self-Publishing Tip
I haven't been doing a very good job of posting lately, and it seems as though time gets away from me much too easily! But, I wanted to post this quick piece of advice for aspiring writers. I'm constantly asked, "How do I publish a book?"...The answer is long, complicated, and much too involved to explain in one setting. So, for those who are interested in publishing their own book, I'm going to post a tip each week. Here's the first one (this one is short, but oh so important):
Self-publishing tip for the day: The most important step in publishing on your own starts with research. Be a sponge, learn ALL you can, study best practices, and don't depend on others to always show you the ropes. If you demonstrate initiative (again, researching and informing yourself about industry standards and trends) others will gladly help you on your journey!
Blessings,
Trice
Self-publishing tip for the day: The most important step in publishing on your own starts with research. Be a sponge, learn ALL you can, study best practices, and don't depend on others to always show you the ropes. If you demonstrate initiative (again, researching and informing yourself about industry standards and trends) others will gladly help you on your journey!
Blessings,
Trice
Thursday, November 3, 2011
On Air with Trice and Brian 11/03 by On the Air withTrice and Brian | Blog Talk Radio
On the Air With Trice and Brian was HOT tonight!! The lovely and talented Monique Mensah, and the phenomenally talented Marc Lacy both graced us with their presence, giving listeners both inspiration, motivation, and knowledge! Listen to the archived show by clicking the link.
Visit Monique Mensah at www.moniquedmensah.com
Visit Marc Lacy at www.marclacy.com
On Air with Trice and Brian 11/03 by On the Air withTrice and Brian | Blog Talk Radio
Visit Monique Mensah at www.moniquedmensah.com
Visit Marc Lacy at www.marclacy.com
On Air with Trice and Brian 11/03 by On the Air withTrice and Brian | Blog Talk Radio
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