Official Site of Preslaysa Edwards - Preslaysa Williams
Author. Actress. Blasian Gal.
In Today’s Notable Filipino Americans post, I’m featuring Alfredo Alcala. He was an award-winning comic book artist and illustrator who worked with many comic book publishers, including Marvel Comics.
He was born in Talisay, Negros Occidental, Philipines and later gained international renown for his work. His work appeared in comics like Savage Sword of Conan. He passed away on April 8, 2000 at the age of 74. You can read more about his work here.
Today’s Quotes by Black Women is from Ella Baker:
“Give light and people will know the way.”
-Ella Baker
It’s so easy for me to focus on what doesn’t work, to dwell on problems rather than solutions. Ella reminds me that shining light where it doesn’t exist helps me find my way.
Light also inspires others to do the same. As I shine my light, it creates a domino effect of goodness. In a world where negativity is the norm, being a light source is a refreshing reprieve.
One way that I shine light is by surrounding myself with people, images, and words that uplift and inspire. This has been hard for me in the past, and so today I focus on consciously creating an environment that inspires. This could involve decluttering, limiting certain forms of media, healing or ending toxic relationships.
Other ways that I shine light is my filling myself with good words. I love to read inspiring novels and stories that make me smile.
How are you giving light today?
I find solace through writing.
Since 2009, I’ve engaged in writing Morning Pages a la Julia Cameron. This is how Julia defines Morning Pages:
Morning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages–they are not high art. They are not even “writing.” They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind – and they are for your eyes only. Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize and synchronize the day at hand. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just put three pages of anything on the page and then do three more pages tomorrow.
However, as my life has become more full…more children to tend to, more responsibilities to manage…my heart has had a greater yearning for rest. It craves the quiet moments. My cat knows these moments well. With kiddos in the house, she usually spends her days in hiding. It’s only until naptime or in the early morning that she comes comes out and chills with me.
My morning pages practice has been shoddy over the years because whenever I engage in them, I feel like I’m wasting my writing minutes. With little ones underfoot, I usually steal every available moment I can to work on a writing project that others will read. I often neglect the writing that only I will read…(and perhaps my children one day in the future after I hit dirt.)
Could this an indication that I only care about my public face…and not my private heart?
Healing doesn’t start from the outside in. It starts from the inside out. Why do I so want to reverse a timeless principle?
Because I want to get to it! Power through that ‘to do’ list!
When I do slow down and commit the first part of my day to Morning Pages and time in alone, I feel anxious and restless. Julia Cameron says Morning Pages are like running a vacuum cleaner over your brain. Howevever, after consistently doing Morning Pages for a week or two, I still feel anxious and restless, but then something happens.
I am able to be fully engage in the rest of my day whether it be that novel or that baseboard. I feel clear. I feel present. I feel creative. Magic?
Nope. Just operating in the inside out.
I am very happy to feature this book by my fellow pub mate, Rachel Huffmire. Her debut novel, Shattered Snow, released earlier this month. It’s a fairy tale retelling of Snow White. Here’s more about it! -Preslaysa
“What if Fairy Tales were explained through time travel?”
Think about how well these two ingredients fit together: princesses that fall asleep for one-hundred years, beautiful queens who instantly transform into wicked old hags, and the stroke of midnight restoring reality. What if these well-loved stories were merely a way to describe time travelers?
That’s exactly what makes Shattered Snow so unique.
Named #1 in fairy tale retellings and #9 in time travel only 24 hours after its release on Amazon, Shattered Snow is a time-travel retelling of Snow White, and the first in a series.
Rich in historical detail, this book explores the life of Margaretha von Waldeck, the German countess who likely inspired the Grimm Brother’s fairy tale. A black-haired beauty, Margaretha spent her childhood playing with children who worked in the local mines. Hated by her stepmother, Margaretha was later sent to live with her uncle, Johann Cirksena. There, the prince of Spain fell in love with the beautiful and kind Margaretha. But when the King of Spain heard of their romance, he quietly had Margaretha poisoned by degrees. She spent her last day trembling as she wrote a parting will. A local man was later arrested for handing out poisoned apples to children.
But a time traveling vigilante in a mask could change everything…
Combining all the details of the true history, the beloved fairy tale, and a twist of science fiction means there’s something for everyone in this retelling. Appropriate for teens, intriguing for adults, Shattered Snow is available in paperback, ebook, and will soon be released in audiobook. Next up for the series, Sleeping Beauty.
About Rachel Huffmire
Rachel Huffmire grew up in the middle of a Utah wheat field where she found plenty of time to read and dream. After dabbling with writing novels and stage plays, she ran to the BYU bookstore for her first job. Behind the register, she watched local authors hold book signings and began dreaming up plots of her own.
She currently lives in Southern California where she enjoys sand at its finest: the beach and the desert. She loves to pillow fight with her two little boys, write science fiction and fantasy novels, and read bedtime stories to her husband every night.
You can visit her at her website or her blog, Writing Through Brambles.
Today in #BlackHistory– on January 2, 1836 William Lloyd Garrison began publishing The Liberator, an abolitionist newspaper.
From The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families by Stephen R. Covey (pp. 22-23)
Today in #BlackHistory– On January 1 ,1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, abolishing slavery.
Photo: Henry Lewis Stephens, untitled (c. 1863) of a Black man reading a newspaper w/ headline “Presidential Proclamation/Slavery”
It’s the final day of Kwanzaa! Today we celebrate the value of Imani which means Faith in Swahili. In the framework of Kwanzaa, faith means “to celebrate with all of our heart in our people, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.”
Whew. That’s a powerful definition of faith, especially the “righteousness and victory of our struggle” part. Let’s break it down a bit.
Last night, on New Year’s Eve, I experienced a powerful sharpening of the righteousness and victory of the collective historical struggle of Black people. I also experienced a powerful sharpening of my own journey as an Afro-Filipina woman.
The struggle came in the form of people who I had thought were supportive of my artistic endeavors, my efforts to center and celebrate women of color, my efforts to champion own voices art & literature. However, the people I had trusted only supported me up to a point.
The point where they got off the track was when I started flourishing in my Nia or purpose. As long as I was “in need” or “broken”, they were okay in playing the savior role.
This is an aspect of the journey that people don’t talk about too much. Some people are ready to “help” you when your “in need”, but they aren’t ready to stand with you and celebrate you when you’re flourishing.
However, Imani or Faith is what keeps us moving forward despite these setbacks. Imani enables us to keep championing our people, our teachers, our history, our leaders, and our journey as people of the Black diaspora.
So today, in the Spirit of Faith, we light the final green candle.
Happy New Year and Happy Kwanzaa. I wish you a blessed, victorious, and empowering 2019. Ashe and Amen.
