Random House Book Proposal...

Elements of the non-fiction book proposal

Writing In Wet Cement…

Cover Letter:

October 28, 2013 Monday

Brother Tracy Gibson – Formal Name:

Mr. Tracy Charles Gibson

213 South 49th Street

Philadelphia Pa 19139

Random House Reference And Information Publishing

1745 Broadway 15-3

New York, New York 10019

Dear Random House Publishers:

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 beautiful, 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.

E-Mail: BrotherTracy11@GMail.Com

 [For more formal Business]

BLockBoi75@Yahoo.Com

 [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 grandparents is throw them out of the house and disown them.   There is also a real need for an organization for parents, guardians and grandparents 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 – 15.6

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 surprised to find that I 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 Street, 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