The first Queer people in publishing meeting – the hookup

I came with no expectations other than to mingle and meet other fellow gays, discussing sexuality, identity, books and of course working in publishing.

As I entered the room, I glanced over it quickly and was surprised to see how diverse it was. I expected a lot of white women between the ages of 30-60 years old with a few men around because that is usual audience in publishing, so I was very surprised to see an actual rainbow.

Why is there so much black on black crime?

The first time I was asked this question was at work. Discussing another employee whose family member was ill, I was told that young people aren’t used to death, we should be used to weddings and babies. As nice as that sounds, that isn’t true. I have been to 7 funerals in 3 years. I had mentioned in the conversation that my cousin was killed last year. I hadn’t intended to go that deep and say so much and I am still not sure why I did, but I wasn’t prepared for the question by a white colleague who asked, “if you don’t mind me asking, but what is it with black on black crime?”. I had no idea how to answer, other than to respond with the fact that my cousin wasn’t actually killed by black people, but by a set of Eastern Europeans (I am not particular sure where they came from). I didn’t explain further that it was drug and other crime related as it only aids the idea that young black men are always up to no good.

Ten things I learnt from my MA Publishing degree

It has been almost a year since I graduated from my MA in Publishing and I have worked in various areas of the industry, from academic, children’s and literary publishing to agency, sales & marketing, as well as events management for a financial magazine.

I know quite a few people interested in working in publishing and possibly studying it as a degree. Here are the top ten things I learned throughout my MA.

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The challenges of being self-published: Marketing 101

 

There is an enormous satisfaction about being self-published. You own all of your rights, you get to choose how much you work on your product and when you want to work on it. You are literally setting up your own income. You are your own boss!

However… there are sooooo many challenges that come with all of the amazing rewards. I will be posting a mini series on the challenges of being self-published.

The myths and legends of dating a white person – do they really smell like milk and soap?

My girlfriend laughed when I first told her that I thought all white people smell like milk and soap. I am glad she found this funny because I realise now that had the roles been reversed and she told me what I smelled like, we may not be together.

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How Indie got her groove back

Guys, I said it back in 2015 in an old post on another blog that I will find myself in a relationship and I did it! This is my first relationship as an adult and so much has happened. My girlfriend and I are moving in together, we have met each other’s parents and families as well as friends and our relationship is so beautiful amazing and pure, it is legit everything I have ever wanted (I feel like I have received the most necessary gift in life).

BGBC (Black Girls Book Club) – 1 year anniversary TUN’UP!

I just need to clap and give a round of applause for a minute for how incredible, how needed, how magic it is to have BGBC.

Founded by friends Melissa and Natalie a year ago, the BGBC has excelled to such heights that tickets for events are sold out in minutes.

Re-discovering her

I am about be to real cliche when I say New Chapter: New Me, but it is real y’all.

I think it is imperative that every young woman, especially a young woman in her twenties, must take time out to rediscover herself. You have left your teenage years behind and have entered into womanhood with grown responsibilities. At 18 I believed I was a woman, I am almost 25 years old and I have so much to learn.

Ladies, do not forget what you worked so hard for