It's The Holidays. Add Books to the List.

Hey friends. Been a minute. I'm still here. Basically, been in a doctoral program studying Educational Leadership for Social Justice at Loyola Marymount University. Fun stuff. Busy stuff!

With the holidays coming, I wanted to send a short plug for books as holiday gifts. And mine -- Play It Forward, Right Side of the Wrong Bed, and Down For Whatever -- showcased on my Amazon Author Page -- will be perfect romance and social justice novels for your friends. More info on my official website www.FrederickLSmith.com.

Also adding some book club and small speaking engagements here and there. Skype and FaceTime are awesome ways to set up events with your groups. Let me know.

Till next time...
fs

L.A.s Brotha Fest -- Wine & Words -- on Sunday, July 5, 2015.

I'll be one of the guest authors at L.A.'s Brotha Fest event -- Wine & Words, a celebration of Black LGBT Literature -- on Sunday, July 5, 3 - 6 pm, at the Carl Bean House, 2146 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018.  Learn more about additional Brotha Fest events at www.BrothaFest.com. 

I'll be speaking about and reading from my latest novel, Play It Forward, which came out earlier this year.  

The story explores when the worlds of a community activist and a pro basketball player collide, little do they know that their dirty little secrets can lead to a public scandal and an unexpected love affair. The story focuses on Queer People of Color in L.A., and the reviews so far have been very positive.

I’d love to schedule a book club, book reading, or Skype event with you & your organization in the coming weeks and months. 

To read an excerpt of Play It Forward, you can visit my website: www.FrederickLSmith.com, or the publisher’s website: http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com/9781626392359B.html. 

The book is available as a paperback or e-Reader on all online retailers and bookstores.

Thanks for your time and consideration. Have a nice day!

fs

BlaqOUT Conference. UC Riverside. 4/10 and 4/11/2015.

So excited to be part of the annual BlaqOUT Conference at UC Riverside. It starts today, Friday, 4/10, and continues all day Saturday, 4/11.

The conference focuses on issues important to those at the identity intersections of being Black and Queer.

I'm presenting a creative writing and memoir writing workshop at the conference about getting Black Queer identities on the page. I'm all about creating space for more writers, more stories, more scholarship about Black Queer identities. Our society needs the work by Black Queer artists!

There's still some room to attend, if you're in the L.A./SoCali area this weekend. Hopefully, see you there!
fs

Toni Morrison. "I Know How To Write Forever..."

I'm super excited for Toni Morrison's new novel, God Help the Child, coming out April 21, 2015.

Here's a nice preview reading and interview with Toni Morrison from the NY Times: I Know How To  Write Forever.
fs

Strange Fruit. NPR Show.

Hey friends... Did a fun radio interview last week with the wonderfully talented journalists/scholars at the Strange Fruit show, from the Louisville, KY NPR affiliate WFPL. We talked Play It Forward, writing, career/academic goals, etc...

But listen for yourself... Find the interview here.

Strange Fruit focuses on issues important to Black LGBT communities, through a scholarly and pop culture lens. It's one of my new favorite shows to listen to. I hope it becomes yours, too.
fs

Dear Teen Me. A Letter to My Teenage Self.

Hey friends. Check out a really fun guest column I did for the Dear Teen Me site: A Letter to Teenage Frederick Smith. You'll enjoy it... and the columns from other authors speaking to their teenage selves.
fs

Pasadena Library Author Fair. Sat., 2/21/15.

Another upcoming reading/signing event. This time at the Pasadena Public Library Author Fair, taking place Saturday, 2/21/15, 10 am - 2 pm.

I'll be tabling/selling/signing books most of the time, but will have a 10 minute time slot to read from Play It Forward. My reading time is at 1 pm. So, I hope it you stop by the event, you'll be there especially for my 1 pm reading!

And then stay (or come early) and buy some books from some wonderful writers from the San Gabriel Valley! The event itself should be very fun for readers, writers, and people who love books.
fs

UC San Diego readings. Friday, 2/20/15.

Hola. Hope everyone's doing well. 

I'll be heading down to San Diego to the UC San Diego campus on Friday, February 20, 2015. Doing a series of readings and conversations at the UCSD Cross Cultural Center and LGBT Resource Center.

Info here for the CCC event. Info here for the LGBT Resource Center event.

If you have friends down there or on the campus, please send them over. We'll have copies of Play It Forward available and I'll be signing and talking about the themes of the novel, Black Queer community issues, Queer People of Color topics, etc...

Take care!

fs