The book is almost here!
My baby girl Amelia hanging out with me as I put the final touches on my final edits to my book I Am: Intend Align Manifest, available to the world very soon!
There are so many mixed feelings associated with the anticipation of being so close to manifesting this intention that I set 29 years ago.
Back then I wrote poetry and one of my poems was published in an anthology. As I read my name in print and reread my words, I knew that I wanted to experience that feeling again.
The best part of childhood is trying on new identities. Our tiny worlds expand as they collide against other worlds. We either embrace, reject or file the novelty we discover and if we are lucky, we remain the pilots and captains of our own quests.
As I reflect on my life as a freshly-minted middle aged Black woman, the enduring commitment that I’ve always had is the commitment to write. As E.M. Foster says, “How do I know what I think until I see what I say?”
My love of and for writing started as a trauma response. After growing up with an incarcerated parent who struggled with addiction and dealing with the aftermath of being raped at age 12, I found my voice between the lines. I found my courage after spilling out my heart, my blood - in ink, on the paper.
Another important component of childhood is the opportunity to explore and find those things that you are a good at. Those gifts and those talents become the building blocks of self-esteem and self-confidence. This is why exposure is so important for young people. I discovered that I was good at and with words. Gifts are the things that we love to do, that love us back.
About 2 week sago, I submitted my final manuscript of my book, I Am: Intend Align Manifest to my publisher. Today, I had the opportunity to participate in an outing to the Minneapolis Institute of Art with some of my coworkers to experience Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys. I had a chance to FINALLY see two pieces by my favorite artist Mickalene Thomas. This was my first chance to see her work in person and I was absolutely blown away. It is not lost on me that today I had the opportunity to experience the work of these brilliant artists, and then to come home, finish my final round of edits on my proof and resubmit the FINAL FINAL copy to the publisher.
In front of Portrait of Qusuquzah #6 by Mickalene Thomas my favorite artist. This work is on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Art as part of the Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys.
Outside of manifesting motherhood, this truly is the longest held intention that I’ve held.
So what does it feel like? It feels like excitement. The kind where the final number is called just before you scream - BINGO. It feels like relief. Kind of like pedaling up a steep hill while sitting on a bike. It feels like impatience - the kind where you’re planning a surprise party for a loved one but have to keep it a secret.
God willing, we are just a few weeks away from having the final PUBLISHED book in our hands. To all of those who preordered, thank you for being one of the reasons why this is happening.
Love,
Donnie
One of the design edits will be to remove the lady and the couch from the cover. Outside of that, the designer really captured the spirit of the book!