Nine minutes of fame!

On the set of “Write-On” with host, Judy Saxon. Could Oprah’s sofa be far off?

"Ready for my closeup...

"Ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille." Cable TV interview tomorrow.

WELCOME TO THE LAGUNA WOODS BOOK FESTIVAL "Mind Bloggeling Internet" Presentation

Laguna Woods Book Festival May 8, 2010

Come to my class at the Laguna Woods Book Festival, May 8th. "Mind-Bloggeling" Internet.

California Quake

Each March, Professor Dean Nelson of Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, California holds a weeklong celebration called Writer’s Symposium by the Sea. I highly recommend attending if at all possible. My friend, Luis Urrea (author of Into the Beautiful North) presented at last year’s event. This year I heard Garrison Keillor and Professor Michael Eric Dyson of Georgetown. Dyson is a wild man. He was there to speak about his Martin Luther King, Jr. book, April 4, 1968 and hip hop culture. I couldn’t resist, had to write this ditty after the dynamic presentation.

Crill Auditorium Epicenter
of Point Loma Quake

By Charles Redner

Yo, Professor Dyson
Jive’n like Ali
but bite’n like Mike Tyson.

Had a message, delivered it strong—
there are words that just don’t belong.
For a Black man began with “N”
The other invective, come again,
for a woman “H” it ends.
While spoken festive style
no joking in the aisles.
Those two words will delete
this audience never to repeat.

Yo, Professor Dyson
you shook the foundation
of our “I have a dream” education.

Made us think of race
as a on-going case,
not just historical footnotes
of nineteen-sixty’s quotes.
A work in progress
amid giant strides
providing we all don’t backslide.

Yo, Professor Dyson
you set the stage on fire
then received a standing O.

Oh, so deservedly so!

March 25, 2010

Down But Never Out & HBR

Had a very successful launch of Down But Never Out and The Hummingbird Review at the SOCAL Writers’ Conference in San Diego on Feb 14th. I am not going on a schedule tour just yet. I am holding off the publisher’s publicist for now. I am learning about the wholesale and distribution channels for both books as most independent publishers do not provide the sale forces at the wholesale level. Much paperwork, B&N requires their own forms and procedures, the B&N college book stores require different forms as do the other chains and independent stores. For March and April I had planned to stay local in southern California. In late May or early June the Philly Boxers Association plans to unveil the Giardello statue in south Philly, planning a tour of greater Philly area at that time including readings and signings with Down syndrome organizations and other community groups.

HBR up, up and away!

Want to launch your book in a big party setting? Then be the reason behind the social mixer on a Friday night before a conference of writers. About 200 attendees of the San Diego Writers’ Conference came to the mixer and heard all about American’s newest literary journal—The Hummingbird Review straight from the organizers. They also announced a contest we sponsored, offering a $100 prize with possible publication in the next issue of up to 1,000 words (they judge, we retained right to publish or not). With a table by the front door and next to the bar every evening, we got to meet and talk up HBR with many of the attendees during the three days. We sold books at our own table and not through the bookstore that wanted a 40% cut. We sold 30 books and gave some to the staff and instructors. It was a fun weekend, especially when Jackie came by to say hello. Wish more of you could have stopped by. Next conference, Newport Beach in September!