Compositions of Black Joy: October update!
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Hello friends!
I’m excited to share the latest on Compositions of Black Joy: A Visual Chronicle of the Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival (2015-2022).
From refining the manuscript to strategizing for the upcoming book launch, this past month has been pivotal and really busy!
Without further delay, let’s get into it!
Manuscript Milestones
First of all, I’m thrilled to share that the manuscript is nearly complete!
To ensure that each and every section of the book shines bright, I’ve been polishing the text and captions so that it’s all clear, concise and insightful.
At the last minute, I decided to add an Afterword to give the book a more personal close, reflecting on the journey of writing this book, and inviting readers to take action inspired by the book's themes.
I really honestly can’t wait to share the visual narratives of the Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival in Germantown, and the incredible people behind it.
Layout and Design Progress
Beth, my wonderful graphic designer, is finishing up the manuscript’s layout. The plan is to wrap up this process by early November so that all that will be left to add to the final manuscript are quotes and endorsements.
Strategic Planning and Advance Reader Copy Preparation
This month, I had the pleasure of working with two experienced consultants who helped me develop a strategic plan for the book’s launch. Their insights have been essential in ensuring Compositions of Black Joy reaches as many readers as possible.
One of the areas they both advised me on was to invest time and energy in preparing for the ARC phase of this process. Following their recommendations, I’ve begun building a group of ARC reviewers who will begin their assessments in November.
Social Media Updates
To end the month, I decided that November will be a good time for me to get on camera and share a bit more of my journey in writing this book. Today I wrote a series of scripts, and starting next week, I’ll be recording video content (pray for me) that will post weekly to social media. Each video will end with an invitation to follow along and/or support the project as we move toward the book launch.
Despite the fact that the prospect of putting myself out there makes me a bit nervous, I’m excited to connect with you through these videos and to bring you closer to the heart of Compositions of Black Joy.
Looking Ahead: Book Launch Event Planning
The official launch is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025. Stay tuned for more details about the event as they become available.
To Conclude
Thank you all for being part of my journey of bringing Compositions of Black Joy to life. Your support has been incredible, and I can’t wait to share more updates with you!
With gratitude,
Tieshka
Tiesha, do you know about the grants being offered for writers who use their talent to write stories that focus on issues other than white issues and/or white characters. Here is the url in case you are interested. https://pw.smapply.us/prog/mini-grants/
I wasn't familiar with this, so thank you Sandy.