This week I celebrate my blog’s third birthday. Everything was so new back then in 2013. I was a newly minted Golden Heart nominee who had to have a landing page for potential publishing offers. I still had my mother then, and I was determined to make my place in the industry, and had lots of hope that I would succeed.
Three years later, my mother is not here and the realities of the publishing world have recently presented themselves with the closing of Samhain, leaving the continuation of my “Migrations of the Heart” series in limbo.
So I begin my third year of the blog at a bit of a crossroads. It’s the crossroads that I believe, in this current climate, all historical authors find themselves. Should I write in a different time period? Write new characters of different ethnicities? Call my inspirational writing a failure and write sweet instead? Write contemporary? My conundrum is not unusual or singular, but what will be different is how I plan to resolve it.
I will have to make some decisions about my 2016 that I didn’t realize I would have to make. I may not make all of the appearances I thought I would, which is one reason why I don’t have that as a page as part of this blog. That’s ok. But the one thing I’ll stick with, and that is the mission of this blog: to keep telling the stories of history that people have not known before. In whatever work I do, I’m going showcase the humanity, spirit and resilience of African American people. Yes, that means as one New York Times bestseller author once told me, “Some audiences are smaller than others.” However, with the selection of The Preacher’s Promise as the reading book club selection at Spelman College, I have hopes that other Historically Black Colleges and Universities and institutions will be more receptive to what I do in the future. I have hope that my historical approach will not whither away, but will continue to spread and grow.
So, at this Easter holiday and blog birthday, I’m renewing my promise. My faith and hope in my task remain strong. The approaches may change and be different, but the end goal with always be the same. After all, a large purpose of story is to see the humanity in one another. My promise is to make that purpose hold firm, strong and true.
Happy Birthday! Continue the good fight!
Good friends and supports like you help, Parker. Thanks!
Go Piper! Go Piper! Go Piper!
Ha! Thank you for the cheer, Parker! Looking forward to meeting you in person soon!
Holler!
Looking forward to it!
Happy Birthday to your blog, Piper, and remember – “smaller audiences” simply means greater growth potential!
So true, Felicia. Thanks for pointing it out!
Never lose faith, Piper! Lots of great people fought an uphill battle—your characters, for example!
So true, Susana. The example of the ancestors still is there. I try to put their spirit into the characters to remind us all of the uphill battle. Thank you for the reminder and for stopping by today!
The plus side of crossroads is that its also the opportunity to try something different. I’ve been there a few times. Publisher collapsed WITHOUT paying me all my earnings. Found a new one a year later. Sales were low so new publisher didn’t know if they wanted to offer me another contract. Now I have two contracts on the table! Don’t lose faith. I know whatever decisions you make, will be the best one for you. Best of luck on whatever you decide and I know the opportunities are waiting for you! 😉
You have quite the story Shelly. You are an inspiration to me. Thank you for being that and for stopping by today. I appreciate it!
Happy third birthday to the blog, Piper. I think your choice of historical subject matter, well, matters. The changing face of publishing may make things harder to figure out, but without a challenge, life would get boring.
Truth, Becky. I appreciate that you stopped by and said so. 🙂
Hi Piper..like you I am finding myself having to make decisions in 2016 that I had not anticipated. I even had to leave Atlanta and return back to Bermuda for a period. But guess what? Whilst here, (Bermuda, that is) Piper Huguley was on my mind and I ordered the first two of the Migrations of the Heart series. I am halfway through the second in the series, A Pearl of Promise. Ohhhhh….such a good story. Just know that through your books, woven through the story I have learned historical details…people, places, events, etc. that I had not known prior.You are one of my go to Historical Fiction authors! So on this Resurrection Sunday, my prayer for you is that, that which appears to be in the “tomb” so-to-speak, will again arise. You will have your “3rd day” experience and will arise with new life, vitality, new audiences and platforms. Keep the faith alive…keep writing…continue to tell the stories that awaken us. You inspire me! Happy Blog Anniversary!3 is significant. Plus….I NEED to have the 3rd book in the series in hard copy. (smile) – EUGENIA ROBERTS (Bermuda)
Hello Eugenia (I’ve always loved that name)!
Thank you for your kind words and insight! I guess reevaluation is just a part of life, isn’t it? I appreciate that you are enjoying the stories and thank you for giving Ruby and Mags a chance. Nettie is available in hard copy still from the publisher at Samhainpublishing.com And when the time comes and you order it, let me know what you think. I love your analogy, too. Thank you so much for your comment and for stopping by!
Thanks for letting me know I still can get the 3rd book. On a side note…you are my facebook friend on one of my pages. The problem is….I can’t remember the page. Is it a Grow page or Eugenia Roberts or Gina Roberts. Whatever page it is, I set up just for my writing community. It is probably the one I can’t remember the password to. I’m blaming “menopause”..lol. Would you be able to tell me which page and send a message to my email account at growspeaks@outlook.com. Thanks so much.
You are an inspiration to me. I read and write historical christan fiction with African American characters. You are one of the few good ones that I read that don’t just focus on slavery but other parts if our history. Also, I feel lifted after your stories. Keep doing what you do, you are opening doors I pray you find a publisher.
Davina, your kind words have inspired me. Thank you so much for commenting and I hope that together we make headway into a world that needs stories like ours.