San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Authors Summit is ‘more than a book,’ bigger than a dream
Christian novelist Jamison Charles saw God’s hand in his invitation to take part in the Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation’s fifth annual Authors Summit.
“I like to say, with something like this, that God’s winking at me,” said Charles, who jumped at the chance to share the story behind “Saved-ish,” his first book.
Charles was one of five area writers who took part in Saturday’s luncheon at Magnolia Gardens on Main. Featured authors also included Dominique Anderson, Rhonda Brown, John Harris and Mateen Diop.
Two additional writers took part virtually: Anastasia Higginbotham, whose work includes her Ordinary Terrible Things series of children’s books dealing with such issues as race, divorce and death; and Charlise Lyles, who shared part of her life’s journey in her 1994 memoir “Do I Dare Disturb the Universe? From the Projects to Prep School.”
The event, which raises money for scholarships, is part of DreamWeek. The annual summit, inspired by the work of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr, runs through Jan. 29. For a complete list of events, go to dreamweek.org/events.
The Authors Summit is designed to create a platform where authors can share their work and ideas.
Charles based his book on his own experiences. He was serving a lengthy prison sentence when he asked God for proof of the Lord’s role in his life. He started writing, something he did not know he could do, and was encouraged to keep going by the warden, a writing coach and others who read his work. He swiftly became dedicated to the craft, writing every day, a habit that continued after his release.
When Charles had a difficult time finding a publisher for “Saved-ish,” he decided to do it
himself. And he now takes great delight in seeing his book for sale online.
“I saw my name and I wanted to buy it myself, and I wrote it,” he said, laughing.
Charles plans to adapt the book into a play: “We’re going big,” he said.
He is now a minister — he earned a degree in theology after he left prison — and sees any chance to share his story as an extension of that work.
“This is more than a book to me,” he said.
Dominique Anderson, who also is a minister, shares things he has learned from his faith, his marriage and his career in his memoir, “What God Really Showed Me.” He’s hoping that young men in particular will find uplifting messages in it.
“I want to be a voice and a beacon,” he said.
John Harris, an Austin-based sportswriter, was on hand to talk about his first book, “From Gold Teeth to Gold Jacket,” the biography he wrote with NFL Hall of Famer Edgerrin James about the football star’s rise from a difficult childhood. It includes a forward by Peyton Manning.
Harris, who wore a jersey bearing James’ number and name, said he hopes young readers will find inspiration in the player’s story.
Rhonda Brown, who teaches in a Title I school, started writing
her first children’s book during the early part of the pandemic, responding to an observation from her students. She said her students had noted they didn’t see anyone who looked like them in the books they were reading, which featured mostly white characters.
She knew she had achieved something meaningful when she showed her first book, “Creation That’s Me,” to a 3-year-old who touched the illustrations and said, “Me!”
“I thought, even if no one else likes it, that’s worth it,” said Brown, who soon wrote a sequel, “Created to Be Yes it’s Me!”
Mateen Diop, a retired principal who grew up on the East Side, has written about his life and his experiences in the classroom in two books. The latest is “The Making of a MAD Man.” “MAD”
is a reference to his initials, as well as an acronym for motivation, diversity and determination.
It’s important to him to preserve his experiences, which he hopes include lessons readers can apply to their own lives.
He said when he talks about his writing, people often say they’ve always thought they had a book in them, but they’ve never done anything to put their ideas out into the world. He encourages them to stop waiting and start writing.
“I tell people the richest place is the cemetery,” he said. “That’s where all the books and plans and businesses go to die. If you want to do something, you’ve got to start doing it, or it’s going to die with you.”