In 2015, after 2-year-old Kyrian Knox’s dismembered body was found in Chicago’s Garfield Park neighborhood, the city was stunned. The ensuing manhunt led to the arrest of Kamel Harris, a Chicago caretaker. With seemingly no evidence tying Harris to the crime, police and prosecutors forged ahead in charging Harris. Last year, Harris was fully aquittedContinue reading “A Child’s Murder Goes Unsolved: A Chicago Thing”
Category Archives: Non-fiction
The Chicago Police Have Failed Us, and So Will Lori Lightfoot
While watching Lori Lightfoot hold a press conference about gun offenders and weekend violence, I cringed. Part of the reason I cringed was because of the creature standing behind her, the failed Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, the same man who did nothing to punish the officer who shot Rekia Boyd in the head andContinue reading “The Chicago Police Have Failed Us, and So Will Lori Lightfoot”
America’s Trash: The Average Black Man
As the commander-in-chief douses with gasoline the racial fire that has consumed America and led to two recent mass shootings by at least one known white supremacist, this country’s judicial system continues to be tone deaf when it comes to the plight of Black men. This is obvious in the case of Gaston Tucker, aContinue reading “America’s Trash: The Average Black Man”
Inspiration Comes from Everywhere
As you’ll find if you read my blog thoroughly enough, I grew up in the Robert Taylor Projects on the Southside of Chicago. If you do any research, you’ll find it was not the ideal place to grow up, being overwhelmed with drugs and gang activity. But it is where I am from, and IContinue reading “Inspiration Comes from Everywhere”
Increasing Book Sales With KDP Rocket
Today, I’m talking about increasing book sales with KDP Rocket. It is a program that is not a subscription that allows you to get inside knowledge on keywords so that you can have a greater chance of your books being found on Amazon by readers. You’re probably wondering why this is so important. OK. KeywordsContinue reading “Increasing Book Sales With KDP Rocket”
What It Means to Be a Self-Published, Indie Author in 2018
A lot of writers who do not have book deals classify themselves as self-published or indie authors. They take on that title and expect instant success. Most of the time, if their first book does not do well, these “authors” drop out of the race to being America’s next great writer. Over the last twoContinue reading “What It Means to Be a Self-Published, Indie Author in 2018”
Becoming Writer: Formal Education as an Author Versus None as a Writer
Yesterday, a fellow blogger asked me a good question about formal education as a writer versus no formal education as a writer. A lot of writers struggle with this. Some see education as the end all, be all that will make them a best-seller. Others who don’t have this education sometimes feel inadequate. It tookContinue reading “Becoming Writer: Formal Education as an Author Versus None as a Writer”
The Pressures of Being a Struggling Writer
Your manuscript should be at least 80,000 words. Hearing that may be overwhelming. It’s similar to that part in I, Robot where Sunny tells Will Smith’s character the vast amount of stairs they have to climb. You may think, how the hell do I come up with 80,000 words? Then, you may think, I’ll justContinue reading “The Pressures of Being a Struggling Writer”
The Cop Who Nothing Except Everything
About two weeks ago, I had the unfortunate opportunity of being pulled over by a twenty-something cop who thought he knew it all about traffic law. It was nearly 11 pm on a busy street when a girl on her cellphone zipped into the street. I pressed my brakes so hard, the tires squealed. AsContinue reading “The Cop Who Nothing Except Everything”
Millennium Park Seduction
Quetta and I became acquainted rather oddly. Before she was my high school sweetheart, we lived our lives parallel, our paths never really crossing even though we had many of the same classes. Back then, I was just a scrawny kid with gaps between every one of my teeth. Everyone knew me as “smart,” butContinue reading “Millennium Park Seduction”
