Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the ‘A’ w/Souleo
When it comes to paying homage to the life of a legend like Whitney Houston, one certainly faces a challenge. Yet for photographer, Randee St. Nicholas it’s all part of the job. St. Nicholas curates the new book, Whitney: Tribute to an Icon that contains 130 images of Houston, some never before seen, taken by some of the leading photographers in the business. It also includes essays by Clive Davis and Pat Houston, in addition to one from St. Nicholas. After having photographed Houston for the past 20 years, St. Nicholas was able to witness the sensitive side of Houston.
“She was definitely vulnerable because she was childlike. She was incredibly human,” St. Nicholas says. “No matter the struggles of her life there is something special about her in all those ways that come from just being human and having her own insecurities.”
Being vulnerable is but one of many factors needed to write a successful memoir. According to Regina Brooks, founder and president of Serendipity Literary Agency LLC, non-celebrities are hot commodities for life stories so long as they follow a few key simple rules: research, be truthful and have a hook. In her book, You Should Really Write a Book: How to Write, Sell, and Market Your Memoir, Brooks offers tips for future memoirists. “Think of your hook as an elevator pitch. You need it to sell it to the agent, editor and ultimately to get media attracted,” she advises. “Your hook should be able to make an agent S.M.I.L.E. by being shocking, memorable, inspiring, loving and entertaining.”
Brooks also recommends that in order to demonstrate market value aspiring writers should increase their social media reach. “Publishers are typically looking for authors who have twitter followers of at least 10,000 and 5,000 Facebook followers.” For the rest of the tips you’ll have to check out the book for yourself.
When musical talent such as Mos Def, Wyclef Jean and Yo-Yo Ma want to tell their story they opt for wax instead of print. One of the places where they record is Stadiumred, Harlem’s premier studio in the historic Lee Building at 125th Street and Park Avenue. The studio once housed the iconic jazz saxophonist and musician Ornette Coleman’s Harmolodic Studios and has since been transferred into a state-of-the-art facility. Claude Zdanow, founder and CEO of Stadiumred is hoping that the company can continue to re-energize the local music scene.
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