As Told By Me

Usually when I perform at a show I am one of the few female Poets there or simply a token. So it feels so good to be a part of a show dedicated to female Poets! The joke is, even shows over the years that claim to represent women, would have a line-up with men (sometimes 50%) in it anyway.....don't get me started on other similar examples of hypocrisy that I could really go on about lol.

I am just happy to come across an event that sticks to its title and to finally see more females representing again. As some who has promoted and organised live events, I know how exhausting it is to look for female Poets/Spoken Word Artists so I look forward to what I am going to see and hear at the As Told By Her (ATBH) event this week.

Last month they had a theme of 'Chocolate' which practically made me dribble at the thought of two of my loves (cocoa and writing). I am a Food Blogger after all, that was such a tease it wasn't funny. I wrote a mouth-watering, funny poem that all Chocoholics would appreciate, only to end up being wasted when I got double booked was not able to attend that show kmt. However, it's a poem saved for another occasion or another book (most likely) so there is still something to look forward to where that's concerned. Even more so, when I came across the theme for this month's ATBH event being 'Relationships & Situationships' I could not believe my luck as my book is all about that and some!

Everything happens for a reason and I am looking forward to digging into that girl talk, although this would be for a mixed audience and men love my poems so I've found so it makes no difference to me, sharing some of my most appropriate poems from the book that I don't get to perform much.


AS TOLD BY HER
Thursday 3rd November, 7pm
@ Dogstar
389 Coldharbour Lane
Brixton
London
SW9 8LQ


FREE ENTRY

My Mission

It has been a while since I last blogged although that DOES NOT mean that I have not been active, please don't get it twisted. I have been more active on my Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn pages the past month than on here, my food blog also I suppose.

My book tour was meant to officially end in August but marketing a (lifelong) product never really ends and fortunately for me the demand was there so extra dates mounted up- I'm not complaining. My extended tour has taken me to Watford, different parts of London and soon Bristol. There are many literary festivals taking place this month that I hope to take advantage of but that takes extra time and money that my circumstance does not permit.

Speaking of which, that leads me to explain my mission that I have mentioned before to my audience more so via my mailing list and social networks, as some may know I am raising funds to further market my book and publish the special edition by Christmas. This is a much bigger mission than it sounds as that takes plenty of funding. Further marketing in regard to my book means; videos, online ads, print ads, staff, travel and accommodation for extra tour locations. The cost of all this is in the thousands but EVERY LITTLE HELPS! And I need help from my audience and corporate sponsors to reach this goal. Book sales are wonderful but not enough to raise what is needed for what I am trying to achieve. There are also rewards granted in return of your sponsorship.

The feedback and reviews that I have received so far from audiences as well as Radio Presenters and Promoters over the course of my tour, has been absolutely wonderful. I am so pleased that my writing has given so many people so much pleasure, and I intend to do the same with the special edition. I'm stepping up! Like I said this is a mission dammit. Not one that I can't achieve either, just one that I would be needing extra help with, a crowdfund per se. Sponsorship is imperative here. I appreciate your assistance even if that is just through the means of reviews, endorsement, buying my book, sharing and liking my social media posts or attending my promotion events, if not financial sponsorship. Taking the time to fully read this post with the consideration of helping me in some way is also greatly appreciated.

Full details about my requested sponsorship can be found via the link. I have formal proposals available for corporate sponsorship and funding of significant amounts, simply contact me to find out more.

To know more about my book you can see to the Amazon page which contains some amazing, authentic five star reviews (THANK YOU SO MUCH READERS!) and to hear some of the content you can watch the following videos taken from my book tour this past year. Please note that the special edition will include pictures (such as the hardback edition) and an audio CD.

 

I hope to see an increase in my sponsorship or even readership with your participation shortly. Thank you in advance. In the meantime you can sign up to my mailing list to remain updated with my projects as my newsletters also have the occasional sponsorship options click here.

Until Next Time,

SPONSOR MY PROJECT

#ImAllin

We All Need Oxygen (Book Tour)

 

We do indeed. It goes without saying that I am just using a pun on words with my title here. Speaking of which, there were a lot of puns and metaphoric jokes made at Once Upon A Mic when I performed last week, some of those jokes were actually funny and made me laugh out loud even the silly ones which is rare. I also had some of the best compliments that I ever received in regard to my performance "Thank you!" you should all know who you are. To my knowledge the event wasn't filmed which is a shame but there was photography and just so you know, I did perform poems from both this book and my forthcoming one to keep it fresh. A year of performing the same poems does get daunting and I always felt it for musicians in that regard.

As part of my (gradually mounting) extended tour dates for I'm All In, I will be a featured act at an open mic event called Oxygen in West London this week. I have yet to check out this event so I am very much looking forward to it as there will also be many other acts of other genres. Come down to watch me perform or to even buy a book, or two! If you are unable to make my performance you can always buy the book online in hardback or paperback (do remember that a special edition is on the way) by simply shopping on Lulu, Shop Infiniti, Amazon or Barnes & Noble.


OXYGEN
Thurs 1st September, 7:30pm
@ Café Zee
5 New Broadway
W5 5AW

ENTRY: £3

Once Upon A Mic (Book Tour)

I will perform at Once Upon A Mic in East London this coming Friday. Performing, signing and selling books for my 'near to the end' I'm All In book tour. More event details can be found on Facebook or Eventbrite.


ONCE UPON A MIC
Friday 26th August, 7:30pm
44 Commercial Rd
London
E1 1LN

ENTRY: £4-5.00

One of My Best Interviews/Appearances

So I was on East London Radio (ELR) recently and it honestly was one of the best interviews I've had so far and I've had quite a few including ones outside of my publishing work (check out the video interview of me as a Film Director with Guide and Inspire). The Presenters were accommodating, friendly and asked me all the right questions, they clearly did their homework and it was refreshing, I admire that.

More Presenters/Hosts/Red Carpet Interviewers need to be that way in my opinion, I am a harsh critic of that and not just because I work in media but I am a fan of interviews in general as they make me appreciate someone (e.g. Celeb/Politician/Influential person) more but not when the are giving one word answers to stupid, irrelevant questions about what they're wearing, who they're dating and their celebrity friends business! If and when I interview someone I learn about them first so that I have knowledge if not interest, in what they are doing, have relevant questions to ask, an idea what people may want to know about them and build a rapport to make for a better conversation. It is a skill that's all I'm saying. Not everyone has it but the ladies of ELR do so rant aside, I am giving a compliment and their compliments of my work was very much appreciated also. Listen to the interview on Mixcloud, bear in mind that I appear 40mins into it.

I had a great day altogether as the weather was fantastic, the interview was great, I went everywhere I wanted and needed to go before heading to my last destination which was a booking in South London later in the evening. That next appearance was to perform at SELAR, quite an eclectic and most certainly memorable evening (nudity took place- not me) but nothing I was a stranger to (the elaborate ways in which people express their art as opposed to nudity lol). I had a nice time, met some great people and the host was absolutely lovely which is always a joy to experience when you participate in such events. Twice my poetry/performance was described as "captivating" oh my days you have no idea how that makes me feel. Glad to know I touch people in such a way with my words and stage presence for that matter.

It was just a wonderful day beginning to end that had me going to bed smiling, don't you just love those!

SELAR 'Dating' and Change in Tour

After I appear on Talk radio show on East London Radio 1-2pm this Saturday, I will perform at SELAR in South London. The theme of the night is dating which goes very well with my current poetry book as you can imagine so I'm very much looking forward to bringing my tour to their audience. Come down it's open to everyone and I'll be selling books!

SELAR SPEAKEASY
Sat 23rd July, 7:30pm
@ South East London Art Rooms
17b Dartmouth Rd
Forest Hill
London
SE23 3HN

ENTRY £3
www.selar.co.uk


RANDOM UPDATE: The last performance that appears on my tour for 29th July has been rescheduled to August! I will keep you updated

Updated Tour Dates

Plenty has gone on since my last post, some good things and some bad things (personally). Thankfully, many good things came out of the bad so I'll shut up in regard to that- for now. What I will say is; one of those bad things was me not being able to attend my scheduled performance at BAC a couple weeks ago which saddened me a great deal. This was because I had a sudden emergency that threw me off everything that I had lined up over the days that followed. Sh*t happens. The situation could have been much worse, I am beyond thankful for that not being the case and extremely thankful for all the assistance and concern from others at the time. I had a revelation that day of 'everything happens for a reason.'

Moving on, things are much better now and are returning to a calmer state where I can refocus my energy back into my work, while being smarter with it as oppose to just relentlessly working harder. I am continuing on with my book tour as it comes to an end (I don't really want it to end as I'm having too much fun!), finishing off the special edition of I'm All In and doing preparations for my next book. See the July listing in the updated book tour poster below, these include more performances and a radio interview. Please note that more dates will follow regarding August.

What is also great, is the new cards that I made recently which made the recipients VERY happy. Naturally it makes me VERY HAPPY in return. Images will be seen from those cards in my soon to be released newsletters, sign-up to mailing list to receive it. To find out more about my Custom Poetry Greetings Cards click here,

Follow me on Twitter @LK_ReelDeevah and connect with me on Facebook.