Categories
#blacklivesmatter Excerpts Promotion

New Book, Old Poem for #blacklivesmatter

Below is a short story and poem I wrote for a blog contest 2 years ago. I came in 3rd and was very pleased. Please click here if you’d like to read the other wonderful submissions in the contest. They have nothing to do with #blacklivesmatter. The theme of the contest was Fall and Winter.

I felt like this was a good time to share this story here. Though the title speaks of the fall season in 1954, the fictional story I’ve written wouldn’t have taken place until 3 or 4 years later at best (most likely much later). I chose the title year of 1954 because that’s the year the supreme court ruled that segregation in schools was unconstitutional. For my story, I imagine the law changing in May, and in the Fall, a young black woman finds herself the only black student in an all-white school.

THE FALL OF ’54

Images sourced from Pexels.com. Design by Toi Thomas.

Shay stared at the blank paper and sighed. The bell would ring soon, and she’d have nothing to turn in. “Write something,” her teacher had said, “something that the season inspires in you.” Shay had watched as her classmates, the children who looked nothing like her, all dove into their assignments with glee.

“If only they were me,” she thought, as she turned and stared out the window. Shay fought the smile threatening to lift the corners of her mouth when seeing another class at play. How happy they all looked. Running and jumping around. And then, she saw something that brought on a new battle.

Shay fidgeted in her seat, twisting her frown into the semblance of indifference as she watched the children begin to pick up leaves. Back and forth they ran, sharing and trading, all trying to gather as many unique samples as possible. Two boys gathered close to the window could be overheard, “This one’s almost the color of my boots and this one has streaks of red. “

Shay repeated the words in her head, “the color of my boots and streaks of red.” She looked around the room, for the first time noticing the seasonal decorations. She even dared to glance at the flyer for the Harvest ball to be held at the end of the week, the ball no one had expected her to attend. Who could she possibly go with anyway? No one else looked like her.

The ticking of the clock snapped Shay back to the urgency of her assignment. “Write something that the season inspires in you.” If she didn’t write something soon, she’d be in trouble and sent to detention again. At least this time, she’d actually have done something to earn it.

Shay sighed heavily and picked up her pencil. When a girl nearby looked her way, Shay turned her eyes and focused on her paper. With one more glance at the children outside, Shay began to write. When the bell rang, Shay turned in her paper.

With his red pen in hand, Shay’s teacher decided to start with her paper.

Red, and yellow, and orange, and more,
All the colors, from sky to floor.
Heaped, and swept, and piled, and raked,
A mother yells, “For goodness sake!”

Floating and flying, drifting on by,
A mosaic scattered across the sky.
Gathered and bundled, twisted, and tied,
A perfect decoration, out or inside.

Smooth or cracked, pointed, or flat,
Tiny and round, thick on the ground.
Brown, and copper, walnut, and cherry,
Gold, and plum, rustic and merry.

Colors and shades, hues galore,
The beauty of fall, they all adore.
The colors of fall on things that don’t speak,
The colors of race, so long left weak.

Colors adored for decoration,
Colors singled out for oppression.
Colors of nature deemed a beauty to see,
Why can’t they see that beauty in me?

When Shay’s teacher was finished with her paper, he placed the red pen in his drawer.

The Fall of ’54 – 2018 Copyright © Toinette J. Thomas

Also, I’ve written and illustrated another children’s book. I actually wrote it two years ago but never illustrated it. I wrote it to help me cope with issues I’ve seen and am experiencing. I’ve always used my writing to help me cope and this was meant for just that. I never had the intention to share this with anyone. I wrote this for myself and did not consult beta readers or editors. I’m only putting it out now because I want the world to be clear about where I stand. As an author, we are told not to get political unless we write about politics for fear it will cost us readers. At this point, any readers who don’t get the #blacklivesmatter movement probably weren’t supporting me anyway. So, here it is…

It’s cold outside, why can’t I wear a hoodie?

Why do people follow me at the store?

There’s no easy way to explain racism, especially to young kids, but the sooner kids learn the truth, the better they can combat it and work to help make changes.

This is a light, yet serious, story about perceptions. This book was written to help parents start the race conversation with their children, whatever their race or skin color may be.

Don’t avoid the race talk. As with many things in life, if you don’t talk to your kids about race, someone else will. Someone else may shape your child’s point of view on race, if you don’t.

Amazon.com– $2.99 eBook | $9.99 Paperback

Add this book to your Goodreads.com bookshelf here.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords #blacklivesmatter


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Categories
#blacklivesmatter Excerpts Fun Hops

Urban Nightmare #WEPFF Challenge featuring Driving Home #amwriting #poetry

Click to learn more.

This recognition means a lot to me and anyone who can directly relate to this poem. Thank you to everyone for all the kind and encouraging words.

Driving Home

Pexels.com

It’s cold outside, but I can’t wear a hoodie.

My pants are too tight, but at least it doesn’t look like I’m carrying.

My car is run down, but at least I’m less likely to get pulled over.

I just need to make it a few more blocks…

#BlackLivesMatter

~

NCCO- 49 words- Driving Home 2020 Copyright © Toinette J. Thomas

Please visit other entries in this hop and enjoy some funny, scary, touching, and thought-provoking stories. You’ll be so glad you did.


Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords #blacklivesmatter

Categories
#blacklivesmatter Excerpts IWSG

#IWSG June 2020: What really matters?

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Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.

Optional Monthly Question: Writers have secrets! What are one or two of yours, something readers would never know from your work?

I’ve chosen not to answer the question this month. My heart, honestly, isn’t really into this post right now. I’m hurting and feel betrayed. Still, I made a commitment to promote a book I’m, actually, really excited about, so that’s what I’m going to do… but first. 🙁

While the IWSG has a no politics policy, I just want to say that #BlackLivesMatter isn’t about politics, it’s my reality. If you get that, please pray that my dad, my brothers, my nephews, my cousins, and even myself continue to make it home safely each day. If you don’t get that, please don’t try to explain anything to me in the comments. This is one of those times when I’ll just delete it any way. If that upsets you, I understand, and it’s okay for you to unfollow this blog.

🙂 Now for something I’m really looking forward to.

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It’s Launch Day for Bad Fairy!

Title: Bad Fairy
Series: A Bad Fairy Adventure (Book One)
Author: Elaine Kaye
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Fantasy Middle Grade
Length: 66 pages
Age Range: 8-12

BLURB: Thistle Greenbud is not a bad fairy. She simply doesn’t like rules, and it’s just her luck that her homework is to create a new rule for the fairy handbook. But first, she has more important things to do. Like figure out how to get back at Dusty and Moss for playing tricks on her.

Before she can carry out her plan, though, disaster strikes and she finds herself working alongside the very fairies she wanted revenge on. Can they work together and trust each other, or will things go from bad to worse?

 BUY LINKS:  Amazon   |   Barnes & Noble

EXCERPT:

As we watch the boys, the wind picks up, making the fern lay flat, exposing us. We gasp and make a dash for the closest tree. Behind it, we huddle together.

“Boogles! A branch just hit me,” Weedy says.

The sky turns black. Wind swirls dust and leaves, and spits pebbles at us. This is not good. We have to get going now or else our payback will get blown away.

“Let’s go!” I scream and lead the group from behind the tree, but the wind makes it hard for us to move forward.

Rose and Lilly grab hands as they run, screaming, toward the creek. Lacey stumbles over a fallen twig, landing flat and hitting her face hard on the ground. When she doesn’t move, I race to her as sand and pine needles prick my skin.

I help Lacey to her feet. Luckily, she only has a few cuts on her face. A tiny bit of blood streaks down her forehead. She looks at me. Fear is bright in her eyes. She needs help. We all need help. I peer toward the creek. The boys are still there, frantically trying to lift the bag full of stones.

Shouting a warning and waving my arms, I hurry to the creek, trying to get their attention. Finally, Dusty sees me. He looks as if he’s been caught with his hand in the pixie jar.

I point to the sky and wave them to come our way. Rain starts to fall. Dusty pulls Moss from the creek. Fat drops of water pelt my head and wings as I wait for the boys to reach me.

“It must be a twisty!” Dusty screams. “We better find shelter.”

GIVEAWAY:
3 Signed Paperback Picture Books –
Pea Soup Disaster, Doctor Mom, The Missing Alphabet

Eligibility: International

Number of Winners: One

Giveaway Ends: July 1, 2020 12:00am Eastern Standard Time

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Elaine Kaye is the author of A Gregory Green Adventure series. She first created Gregory Green after her son, who loved her homemade pea soup, thus inspiring the story Pea Soup DisasterBad Fairy is her middle-grade debut and the first of A Bad Fairy Adventure series.

Kaye has worked as a library assistant and teacher’s assistant in elementary schools in the Sunshine State. She currently lives in Florida, but she has called Michigan; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Okinawa, Japan home. She is a grandmother of three boys.

Amazon / Goodreads / BookBub / 

Instagram / FacebookTwitter / LinkedIn / Blog

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No personal updates today.

Visit Lit Carnivale.com to see what I read in May.
I may have read something by you.

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Did you answer this month’s question?
I already got my copy of Bad Fairy. Do you think you’ll pick it up?
(Rhetorical) Do you get what it means to be black in America?
It may take some time, but I promise, I will stop by your blog.

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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:
Pat Garcia
J.Q. Rose and
Natalie Aguirre!

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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share more inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #39).

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords #blacklivesmatter