Elements of the
non-fiction book proposal
Writing In Wet Cement…
Cover Letter:
October 21, 2013 Monday
Brother Tracy Gibson – Formal Name:
Mr. Tracy Charles Gibson
213 South 49th Str
Philadelphia Pa 19139
Playboy Publishing
475 Park Avenue South
4th Floor
Manhattan, New York
10016
Dear Playboy Publishing:
I am a writer with a host of experience seeking publication
with your publishing company. My new
book ``Writing in Wet Cement,'' would do well as a work for your
worldly-thinking Black youth readers--and yes there are such people [We had a
Black Film Festival here in Philadelphia this past summer and such beautifully,
thinking, courageous and bright Black young people came out of the woodwork. I
was delighted and overwhelmed.]. I have
enclosed a short excerpts for your consideration and a formal book proposal as
best I could manage to get together. [If it is NOT suitable, please let me know
who you might suggest to get it in much better order, for your formal consideration.]. Please feel free to contact me at your
earliest convenience.
Peace and Blessings,
Brother Tracy Gibson,
Phone: 1.215.471.64.94.
[For more formal
Business]
[For sport and more
informal communications.]
Copy of Query Letter
Title Page
``Writing In Wet Cement,''
By Brother Tracy Gibson
Table of Contents [for the proposal]
Overview
About the Author
Brother Tracy Gibson is an uncle, writer, businessman,
philanthropist and activist living and working in the West Philadelphia
area. He was educated at The Ohio State
University [BA in Journalism with a minor in Black Studies]; and he has worked
for two major publications--The Philadelphia Tribune and after a Summer Internship
in 1977, he took a position at TV Guide Magazine in 1981. He worked there for a year and a half and was
transferred to Radnor, PA the mega magazine's National Headquarters. He worked
at TV Guide for a total of 13 years. He
loves politics and especially loves mixing metaphors by writing about political
events while also being an activist for progressive events and struggling
people, especially Black People.
Anything to do with the advancement of Black people, Mr. Gibson usually
finds His Way weighing in on the issue and working towards making positive,
progressive change. A life-long
Democrat, Mr. Gibson recently changed to being an Independent voter. He considers Himself a true North American
Patriot. He is single and ``In The Life.''
The Market / The Community We are Targeting for Sales
We are looking at the parents,
guardians and grand parents of young Black males and young Black females as our
main customer base. Their children, ages 12 through 27 who are interested in
growing their knowledge of self and of being a more viable, productive,
politically aware and informed youth, with take interests in the book as
Well. The parents, guardians and Grand
Parents will be between the ages of 35 to about 97. The reason we are choosing this particular
audience for our book is that this is the group needing the most help in
establishing better values through education, religious experiences, spirituality,
social contacts, political education and so forth. This is also the group that can best gain
from good, solid political analysis and stories with ethical and moral values
held within the telling.
Promotion
I think parents and young people
alike Will find the volume--``Writing in Wet Cement''--I wrote to be
constructive, delightful, thought provoking, informative, intelligent,
open-minded, helpful, respectful of our elders, and respectful of our people
and our ancestors and even an inspiration to do better in life. With a study plan, help from our churches and
Mosques and work towards discovering and rediscovering who we really are, this
book will help us towards a path to righteousness, responsibility, dignity and
self-respect. These aspects on life are
often missing in much of our own upbringing and in the upbringing of our
children.
Competition
There will likely be several
publications about Black men coming out soon, but I haven't seen many that deal
with Black youth and Black male teens in particular. Coming from the perspective a a Gay Black man
who DOESN'T want to see more Black teens take on this particular lifestyle, I
think I have a very unique but highly desirable perspective. First of all: one of the threats to Black men
and boys is this whole idea that our masculinity is under attack. [ It IS under attack and this is an issue I
deal with in a unique Way in the book.]
Second of ALL, Most of the Black community wants to see our Black youth
become responsible, reliable, Law Abiding, Up-Standing and employed or
successfully in business for themselves......
This book has all kinds of paths and roads towards those ends. I also have solutions and suggestions at the
end of each chapter that help lead people on paths that are more viable in
helping attain success in North America. Included: good work habits; successful
entrepreneurship; earning a degree; and buying a home. Starting a family too soon is one of the
major drawbacks of being Black and living in the inner city. I strongly suggest our youth get educated and
wait for marriage and children until they have started on a path to financial solvency.
This one decision can have an incredibly positive impact on life chances for
stability and happiness... I also have a
great and unique perspective about our parents who have Gay and Lesbian
children. We don't need to encourage
that behavior, but if our young teens or older teens or young adults do choose or take on that
lifestyle, the last thing we should do as parents, guardians or loved ones and
or grand parents is throw them out of the house and disown them. There is also a real need for an
organization for parents, guardians and grand parents who are dealing with the
homosexuality of their children that may well be an off-shoot of the book--such
as Black Parents of Gays, for example.
Partial Outline
New Outline for My New Book: ``Writing in Wet Cement,’’ By
Brother Tracy Gibson, October 16th, 2013 Wednesday...
1} Introduction; Page 1- 5.1
2} Quote About the Hopi Indians; Page 5.2
3} Quote About the Jewish People; Page 5.3 – 5.4
4} Dear Good Brothers and Sisters. A Rap on My Being Gay; Page
5.5 – 8
5} Malcolm X’s Comments on Ancient Black Civilizations; Page
8.9 – 9.1
6} Other Quotes; Page
9.2 – 9.9
7} Getting Help and Quotes from W.E.B. DuBois; Page 9.9 – 11.9
8} Warnings and Disclaimers; Page 11.9 – 1
9} Introduction #2; Page 12.3 – 14.2
10} Dedication to: Leon; Larry and Frank; Page 14.5 – 15.5
11} To: Knee Knee Dedication #2; Page 15.7 –6.2
12} Not So Famous Quotes; Page 16.3 – 18.8
13} Being Patient; Page 18.9 – 19.5
14} Being Honest and Open; Page 20.4
15} More Quotes; Page 20.5 – 20.8
16} An Open Letter About Homosexuality; Page 20.9 – 22.7
17} More Quotes and an African Folk Fable; Page 22.8 – 26.9
18} Sections of This Book; Page 27
19} What I say As Grace; Page 28.1 – 28.2
20} The Power of Being Black….. and Loving It…..; Page 28.4
– 30
21} The Broken Poem; Page 31.5 – 31.8
22} The Decision; Page 31.9 – 32.1
23} Visit Africa; Page 32.2 – 35.5
24}The Dog That Peed on the Birthday Cake; Page 35.5 – 35.9
25} Why Do All My Superheroes Have to be White??? Page; 36.9
– 37.8
26} The Truth About The Honorable Elijah Muhammad; Page 37.8
– 47.5
27} The Decision; Page 47.6 – 49.2
28} Green Light; Page 49.3—49.9
29} Why Many Black People Will NOT Vote for Obama Again;
Page 49.9—52.6
30} What Would Happen???...; Page 52.7 – 53.3
31} How I Feel About Black People, Being Black, and About
Our Achievements as a Race…; Page 53.4 – 55.2
32} Humiliation and Disappointment ; Page 55.3 -- 56
33} Why I Despise the Term ``Trade’’ as it is used to
Signify Black men and Other Stories of Discontent about the Black Same Gender
Loving Community; Page 56.1 – 56.5
34} Hatred and Homophobia Hurts Us All; Page 56.6 – 58.8
35} Men’s Country; Page 58.9 – 60.1
36} There Is Something Sad about Being Gay; Page 60.1 – 60.9
37} Liberty Vs. Liberation; Page 60.9 – 63.3
38} Forgiveness? Not So Fast; Page 63.3 – 64.3
39} Dealing with Your Anger, Frustration, Rage, Hatred and
Jealousy in a Positive Way Could Save Your Life… and Someone Else’s!!!; Page
64.3 -- 67.5
40} Another Healing Confession… What Goes on In Mental
Institutions; Page 67.5—68.9
41} On Being Frustrated; Page 68.9 – 70.2
42} A Report from Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney
about Haiti; Page 70.2 – 74.9
43} Pushback; Page 74.9 – 78.1
44} The Spy Who Never Loved
Us; Page 78.2 – 80.8
45} We Are Not the United States of Haiti… But We Should
Help…; Page 80.9 – 83.1
46} Friends of Somafco—Reaching Out to South Africa in a
Positive Way; Page 83.2 – 84
47} Sports and the Black Man… From Terrell Pryor and LeBron
James to Michael Vick and Don’t Look Back…; Page 85 – 87.9
48} Muhammad ALi; Page 87.9 – 88.5
49} Your Big Day; Page 88.6 – 89.7
50} Damned Yankees; Page 89.9 – 90.5
51} NBA Players; Page 90.5 – 91.2
52} We Have Become Numb: There is So Much Violence in
America; Page 91.2 – 93.3
53} Over Production in the West and How Indigenous Peoples
Learned Centuries Ago, to Live Off the Land --
Only taking What they Need…; Page 93.3 – 94.5
54} The Stolen Treasure of Tutankhamun; Page 94.5 – 95.5
55} Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and the Wonders of Africa; Page
95.5 – 96.9
56} ``Pirate’’ Issue in Somalia, West Africa Not So Cut and
Dry…; Page 96.9 – 98.2
57} Don’t Be Fearful of Witches, Werewolves, Warlocks,
Serpents, Goons, Gargoyles, Goblins, and Devils…; Page 98.2 – 101.9
58} There Is A Wealth of Talent In Our Family Roots…; Page
101.9 – 103.9
59} Life Is A Big, Ripe, Juicy Piece of Fruit, Grab a Piece
and Take a Big Bite We Are Not Here for Long!!; Page 103.9 – 105
60} The Confessions of a Black, Radical Homosexual
Writer…..; Page 106 – 109.5
61} There Is Nothing Queer about Being Gay; Page 109.5 –
109.6
62} The Kennedys; Page 109.6 – 111
63} The Gay Community vs. The Same Gender Loving Community;
A Conflict in More Than Just Terms; Page 111 – 115.7
64} A Life Lesson That Lasted; Page 115.7 -- 116.2
65} A Message to All Black Celebrities; Page 116.3
66} Mo About the Big ``O’’ Scam; Page 116.4 – 119.1
67} Media Chump Tyler Perry: What Will Be His Legacy? ; Page
119.2 – 122.8
68} The Missing Angle from the Media Triangle; Page
122.9 --
124.2
69} Three Champions; Page 124.2 -- 126
70} Good Health Care; Page 127 – 128.1
71} Good, Authentic National Security: (Minding Our Own
Business) – A Better Strategy for the United States and for International
Justice; Page 128.1 – 133.9
72} Running a Peace-Time Economy; Page 133.9 – 135.2
73} Cutting Back on the Bloated, Wasteful U.S. Military
Budget... Who Says We Can’t?; Page 1135.2 – 136.5
74} A Statement on the Importance of the Word…; Page
136.7 --
137.5
75} Why I Don’t Like Tiger Woods…; Page 137.6 --
138.4
76} Why We Need Reparations Now; Page 138.5 --
141.3
77} A Positive Message to People of European Descent Who Do
the Correct Thing (Not the Right Wing) Thing; Page 141.4 --
143.2
78} My Years At the All Peoples Congress; Page 143.2 -- 144.2
79} Being Exclusive is NOT The African Way; Page 144.2 –
146.8
80} Why and How Obama Happened; Page 146.8 --
148.5
81} More on President Obama; Page 148.5 --
149.8
82} More Still On President Obama: His Achievements After
One Year; Page 149.8 -- 150.5
83} The Number of Hangings in the U.SW. -- Mostly Down South; Page 150.6 -- 151.2
84} Voting—Why We Must!!!; Page 151.3 -- 153.7
85} From the Bottom—Patriotism – Who Owns It? ; Page
153.7 --
154.5
86} Skills Assessment; Page 154.6 --
155.6
87} Economics And Finances for Black Folk; Page 155.7 --
164.5
88} Leaving the Poor
People’s Club Behind Forever; Page 164.5
-- 167
89} The Knowledge Hut; Page 168 --
174.6
90} Twelve Disciples; Page 174.7 -- 175.5
91} Powerful Third Eye; Page 175.6 --
179.9
92} Brothers and Sisters; Page 179.9
Sample Chapters
Sample Chapter # 1:
Introspective Thoughts on Being Black and Gay in North America….
By Brother Tracy
Gibson.
It is not easy being Black and Gay in North
America--especially if you are a Grass-Roots Patriot...Yes we are attractive
and in ``Vogue.’’ Yes we have sex and have fun and can, to some degree, enjoy
our lives, especially now with the higher level of acceptance of Gay and
Lesbian people in general. But underneath the parties, the bar scenes, the
entertainment industry jobs and flashy new acceptance and the ``Gay Marriage’’
issue; there is a lot of pain that runs very, very deep and a Black community
that is still unforgiving, harsh and often hateful towards us. But all that
aside, I have to ask each and every Gay and Lesbian Black person in North
America, what have you done lately to raise the ethical standard for yourself
and our community? What have you done to be more honest in your personal and
business relationships? What have you done to make your living as a faithful
Christian, Jew or Muslim ring true, real and authentic with yourself
[ourselves] and in the face of GOD? What have you done to be honest with
yourself about the issues you have that need clarification, study, thought and
mental and emotional healing? When we do these things, this introspective homework,
we will see our level of acceptance rise and even if we don’t our level of
self-esteem, self-LOVe and self-acceptance will go up significantly and that
will cause the healing and the forward motion we have all been working towards,
waiting for and or are seeking to actually begin.....
I have been politically and
financially and even socially ostracized for some of the views I have. When you
LOVe God and LOVe yourself, you have a tendency to step on the toes of racism,
injustice, bullying, phoniness and hate without even trying or taking
calculated steps to do so. The Bull-Shit artists have to move out of your Way
so you can do your work. It is NOT easy to be real with yourself. Especially if
the Bull Shit artists sit in the White House, in Union Halls, in Editorial
Board meetings at the Philadelphia Tribune or at Philadelphia Magazine’s plush
down town editorial office. Or, yes, on Wall Street or at the TV Networks or
other places of power like the Pentagon or Madison Avenue. There are now, more
than even, a lot of Bull Shit artists in this world. [I could name several, but
you might be surprised at the names I come up with. You might also be suprised
to find thatI am NOT only talking about White racist Republicans.] I am also
talking about young attractive Black men who are homosexual, but because of a
job and a paycheck, stay inside a cocoon they perceive as safe and cushioned. Just
ask the Brother who is now getting all the accolades for ``coming out’’ as a
Gay BLack man who plays for the NBA. Everybody loves him now, but no one is
talking about the people he may have hurt when he was flexing his perceived
Heterosexual muscles by calling other Gay men, maybe even sex partners, the big
``F’’ word... Calling people that name may have made his male ego larger and
helped him shrug off the looks he might have been getting when it was
discovered in the press that he had no steady girlfriend.
But those are only allegations. I
can really only talk about myself. Therapy has done me a world of good. I have
seen a therapist for about 34 years. Now I mostly go to get medicine every
third month and to chat a bit about any real troubles I’ve been having. Usually
now the troubles are more professional than personal in nature, especially
since I don’t have a steady man friend right now. But we as Black Gay men do a
lot of hiding, shady treatment of others and back-biting that feeds into a lot
of negativity. This negativity ultimately goes into the general perception that
we are not a healthy segment of the Black community. But our Whole Black
community needs to be sitting on the Psychiatrist's sofa. We have, as a people,
some very hurt feelings and hurt ideas that need to be set correct, healed and
rectified so we can, as a people move on and move forward...
I want to share with you two
things that my Pastor at church, the Unity Fellowship Christ Church in
Philadelphia, Pastor Jeff Haskins said to me or omitted to comment on that show
just how far we have to go as BLack Gay and BLack Lesbian people and as BLack
people in general. I once mentioned in an e-mail that we should have a picture
of a Black Christ at church, not the White one that has been there for seven
years. [We share the church space, so I’m not sure this is possible, but it
would have been nice to have gotten enough respect to have gotten an
answer.]Don’t get me wrong. Pastor Haskins is a sweet, kind, generous [in
spirit], LOVing, and healthy person [in mind and body]—much more so than many
of us as Black people are. Really we can even have a White Jesus and A Black
one, but we should certainly have a BLack one.
There is only a White one there now.... He visited my home once when I
was feeling a bit down and not making good decisions for myself for a brief
time.I was not dealing with reality correctly and honestly for a while there
and Pastor Haskins and my LOVing Sister, Mrs. Claudia Aziza Gibson Hunter,
really helped me find a better path. GOD helped also. But the fact that there
is a White Jesus at church--and only a WHITE Jesus-- speaks volumes about how
we don’t or can’t correctly take on the mantel that GOD has given us and move
forward with it. When we truly LOVe ourselves we want to see our image in
positive places and represented by positive people. Sometimes I think it
doesn’t matter if Jesus was Black or White, but to pray in the presence of a
White picture of Jesus in a mostly Black, politically aware, self-affirming Gay
church says we are not really serious about who and what we are and how we can
advance from where we are to what we want to be. That little picture says it
ALL. Black images have been emasculated, destroyed, torn asunder, disheveled
and misrepresented since the days of Amos and Andy right through to the images
that are displayed in Tyler Perry’s movies. That one little picture may be part
of the reason we don’t have the new church building and new location we want
for our church. Another thing that Pastor Haskins did that showed me where He
is as opposed to where He needs to be was I once told him over a nice Asian
dinner at 40th and Chestnut Str, that I had suffered with some anger issues
around race in North America. He said point blank, ``I Guess you are just
racist.’
’After I picked my broken ego off
the floor, I said, no I’m not a racist.I have totally legitimate concerns about
being Black in North America.I think those concerns have been revealed by the
dismay many people have after the ``innocent'' verdict for Zimmerman as a dead
Trayvon Martin lay in the ground....I think those concerns are revealed when we
look at the incredible numbers of Black men and Black women who are
incarcerated in U.S. prisons. I think those concerns are totally understandable
when we look at the continuing unemployment rates in cities like Philadelphia,
Detroit [where the City Council voted down a proposal for Africa Town and now
the City is going Bankrupt], Chicago, Los Angeles, Newark and Camden to mention
only a few.And I think those concerns are still very real when I look at the
total mismanagement of our Schools at the hands of a mostly-White state board
in Pennsylvania that is more concerned about the profits of the private sector
than the Well-being of our youth and their proper education.
Some of the leaders of the Black
Gay community are in desperate need of more training on racial matters; leadership
matters; matters of relating to other leaders without letting ego get in the
way; and in matters of raising funds properly and ethically. There is a segment
of the so-called ruling class that really wants to help us even though much of
our stigmatism has been their fault.We have to find Ways of letting that help
and healing happen in positive and meaningful Way without falling all over each
other grabbing for dollars, free professional services and the non-gentrified
refurbishing of our houses, businesses, communities, churches and schools. We
cannot afford to be in high and respected places and be novices politically.
That just doesn't work.
On yet another matter and in my
relating to another Black Gay activist in Philadelphia. I sent an e-Mail to
Brother Tyrone Smith about how I felt a real level of ostracizing or
marginalizing from our own community, but I personalized it and mentioned him
and Michael Hinson, another Black Gay leader--very visible--in Philadelphia
during the Street Administration. Michael was also very visible before that as
head of the Colours Organization. [Brother Tyrone was head of an organization
called Unity which provided support services to people with HIV and Aids in the
Philadelphia area.]Unity was very, very effective for any number of years and
Brother Tyrone MUST be commended for part of that effectiveness under His
stewardship. I want to publically apologize to Brother Tyrone and Michael for
that remark, but like I’ve said, I’ve felt out of the loop for years in some
circles of leadership right here in Philadelphia, even though I have dedicated
myself to the political struggle here for over three decades.
Copyright warnings and
infringements from ``It's Your Biz,'' By Susan Wilson Solovic, with Ellen R. Kadin
and a forward by Edie Weiner. Page 150...
``Because I write many columns and blog posts
for a variety of companies and media organizations, I use search-engine tools
to alert me if anyone is picking up and using my material. Some people have
literally copied my writing and presented it as their own, even though this is
an obvious copyright infringement. There are both civil and criminal penalties
for copyright violations, and the severity of the penalties depends on the
situation.''
Supplemental Materials
[Such as a resume]
RESUME
I Am Brother Tracy
Gibson—Writer—Consultant—Advocate----Businessman: 213 South 49th Str;
Philadelphia; PA; 19139-4205. Phone: 215.471.64.94. E-Mail:
BrotherTracy11@Gmail.Com.
Objective:
To find a job as a consultant to help advocate for issues
and concerns facing businesses and non-profits owned by People of color
communities, especially within the Black community.
Work History:
I have developed several components for my own company
[Brother Tracy Gibson and Associates, Inc.], including:
The Black Millionaire’s Network—devised systems to help
substantiate and stabilize Black communities. We are building a plan to help
people in the Black community find and develop jobs; increase credit ratings;
build savings; send youth off to college on scholarships; and systematically
support Black businesses, positive, healthy franchises, and Positive
Partnerships….
The Knowledge Hut Stores—I am laying the ground work for a
network of stores that will sell positive, constructive and ethically centered
products to our Black youth such as positive DVD’s and CD’s; Black History and
self-help books; and positive message Tee-Shirts and greeting cards. This is to build better ethical values to
young Black lifestyles.
Brother Tracy Gibson and Associates, Inc.—Through our Parent
Company, [Brother Tracy Gibson And Associates, Inc.] we are doing positive
advocacy work and research on various issues that are critical and vital to the
Black community such as: Advocating for the placement of The First Black woman
on the Supreme Court; Better relations and a constructive relationship with the
Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia; establishing legal grounds to abolish the
trade embargo against Cuba; establishing positive ties between the Black
community and the city’s community of Black Gay and Lesbian people [Funds
derived from these unorthodox partnerships will go towards Black women with
children having more funds for Day Care in the home...
Progressive Writing History:
I have an extensive blog entitled: The Politics of Real.
Access At: http:thepoliticsofreal.blogspot.com.
I have written for the following publications: The Leon
Williams Journal; SBC Magazine; TV Guide Magazine [TV Listings and programming
evaluations only]; The Philadelphia Tribune.
Education:
BA in Journalism with a minor in Black Studies from The Ohio
State University in Columbus, Ohio. Also: attended Community College and Temple
University in Philadelphia...
Blog Access: http:ThePoliticsOfReal.Blogspot.com Member:
National Writers Union
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