Independent Bookstore Day 2022

is you know a few days? So my episode is gonna be on Independent book Store Day. We had over twenty independent authors and we had Terry Crews headlining our Independent book Store Day. We took pictures with Terry Crews and the independent authors. He spoke about his book Tough My Journey to True Power. He did a great shout out about Malik Books and me personally. Um, we just had a wonderful time. Each author came up and spoke about their book. So we had storytelling, poetry, author discussion,

and music and our DJ, DJ Holloway. She turned it up all day from twelve to six and it was just a fun, festive and fun day for the whole family. We also did a big blowout sale two for twenty dollars. UH. We had best selling book hundreds of titles of best selling books two for twenty dollars at the event UM. And we also hosted Oscar winner and author Matthew Cherry at Malik Books at Balwin Hills Crenshaw Marci. It was

like two locations, one party. So at when I was talking about Terry Cruise in the Tuning, I'm talking about Westfield Covis at Malik Books at Westfield Cover City Mall. When I'm talking about Matthew Cherry, I'm talking about Malik Books in the Balling Hills Cresham Mall. So it was two locations, one party, and that's how we did it. And we gave away one hundred free books of hair Love signed autograph copies with Matthew Cherry at Malik Books

and Balling Hills Crenshaw Mall. And it was just a wonderful, wonderful day UM to have Matthew Cherry at bale Hills taking photos with the kids, UM demonstrating a new product that he has coming out in partnership with UH with Dove, and so he got a hair product, a hairline since his book was on hair love. Hey the Dove the Corporation partner up with Matthew Cherry. Now he has a hairline and in association with what his brand and UM

it it's a fun festive day, many pictures. People came out by the Huntings and supported our event and Matthew Cherry, Uh took a lot of pictures with the community. UM gave out a hundred free books signed and you know we had extra books and he you know, saying how many books you had at the store. And he brought the two cases that we had brought for the story and signed them and brought him and told us to

give him out. So, hey, how blessed we was. And you know his event started at noon and what happened was we told uh it was enough time because the event at Wasstfield Coast City Mall was twelve six, so you had every you can do both. You can start at that ball held then jump right on over to Westfield Coast. But when we had the big shift thing, so two parties, one location, Independent Books or Day hosted by Malik Books, headlined by Terry Crews, Matthew Cherry and

twenty independent authors. It was just so a wonderful day and every fun fund people loved it. The authors loved it, Terry loved it, Matthew loved it. The mall both Baldwin Hills and Westfield loved it. So it was a wonderful day. Kudos to my team, particularly secret webbing, my wife. Kudos to everybody that helped us make this possible. Chinese as a vendor coordinator, who Um was just so wonderful and we just thankful. You know, we had all hands on

debt and everything went smooth. I want to mention one more thing, and the reason why independent authors uh very important to Malie is because when I first started Malik Books, independent books had a lot to do with my awakening and my spiritual quickening, and as a result, I really lead have a love for independent books. Many of these books that I stocked in my store hard to find

and rare books. It was simply published by independent authors about our culture, about our history, and these books woke me up. Like I said, when I first started my podcast, I had a degree, but I didn't have a knowledge itself. You need to know who you are and you need to know your path so you can know your president and your future. You can't just cut your roots away and then tart out a path in this world without

knowing yourself and your ancestors. So independent books and these books made up impact in me or quickening in me, And so I loved independent books. A lot of these books is out the day wasn't even available, they wasn't published by mainstream publishers. The industry began to publish a lot of materials written by black authors simply because you know, black people read black people by books, and that's a market. And so if it wasn't, hey, you wouldn't see a

lot of these materials out here. And so representation matters. And as a result, you know, we want this inclusivity, we want equity, we want to be represented. So a lot of these books that are out here today is simply the level the plan field where everyone has a voice, everyone is as representation, and that's important. Everyone needs to feel important, everyone needs to know their important, and everyone has a story, everyone has made a contribution in this world.

Needs that voice need to be magnified. And so I, you know, love independent authors and they mean a lot to me. And I writed twenty of them. Twenty of them came and heard the call and I wanted to make sure when we marketed this event that they was included in the marketing. When we did already promote the buried the twenty independent authors like thirty seconds into a minute commercial, I said, no, this is not gonna work. They are part of the headline. There is no show

without the independent authors. There is no event without the independent Yes, Malik Books an independent bookstore and I'm representing you know, they represent what I represent, So therefore I need them to be right there teg headline along with Terry Crews. They're a major part of the events. So we had to revamp the script so that it would include the twenty independent authors with Terry Crews. So stay tuned for episode twenty three Independent Bookstore Day. Malik's Bookshow

is hosting an independent book store Day. I have some publishers that came and visit Melik Books and is at the independent bookstore celebration, and they have a publishing company as well as they have published their own books, and I just want to get some few words from them about what is it called againishing the infinite publishing? So talk to us about the books that you published and what's your upcoming projects. Thank you so much that I'm Kai,

I'm one of the co founders. We've published a new book, Cause You to Splendor, a journal copy, the Be Grateful Journal about the Seasons, and now we're gonna Our next big project is the Book of d h which really stands where the Book of Dreams and Hopes follows. The pretty big mover and shaker in the Nike game. He came and changed things around and got it, got it to the Jordan brand, to the Lebron, all these key players. He helped to bring those stories together and make it

yeah moving. Well that's an amazing because what I found is that you know, and most of these industries, you find that someone is African American has made a significant part, played a significant part. So this is news to me. So you know, I'm very intrigued by that. Tell me about your your projects and the books you self polished. Thank you so much. So we are a black owned, women owned publishing company based in l a And so we started in and we're getting our feet and in

the publishing game. We have a journal out and we have the Future Splinter, which is an afro futurist books collection of short stories and poems. And our next one is a business memoir style where he really teached Damon Haley really details the trajectory of his life, his career and how he's helped and mood and pivoted and changed. And we're the really winner's mindset, what that really does for him and how it helps other people to This is great, This is great, This is great. Kai here

is very great. Shoy. She's the illustrator of a lot of our books. She's also an author. I have an upcoming children's book coming out next year. Uh Kai has written a book of poetry called them The Depths of an Nema. So we're movers and shakers ourselves. We love books O. Our family has grown up around books and it's just been a pleasure working with different creatives and

so we're just excited to be doing this in our community. Well, we appreciate you coming to the independent bookstore day and visiting Malik Books and sharing some tipbits from my podcast called Malik's Malik's Bookshop bringing the world together with books, culture and community. Thank you a lot. I got another this brother didn't got comedy, both merchandise, T shirts, everything, Brother tell us about all of your your industry here,

because that's what I'd say. I empire here, Empire merchandise. Yeah. I started a cent of media group in as an alternative to comic books that were not offered at that

time in comic box shops or bookshops. So I started the l A New Being Warrior, which is uh a cosmology based in Zulu cosmology, and it's it's storyline is such a fantasy world of Nubia created by the Twin Guards, and they decided to separate their world that they are power into colors and deserve it in certain tribes within the movie here, and what you're seeing is color developed in Nubia storyline down to my second issue, going supposed to be six issues altogether. Hopefully you come in enjoy

the ride. Well, brother. I love how you branded your whole comic book industry. Brother, your representation matters. Brother. I love the shirt, love the bat, I love the comic book. I love the story. Thank you, brother, independent books that we celebrate. I'm moving on to another author. I'm moving on. I'm moving on. I'm right here at the table braiding

crowns of friendship. Hey, hey, hey, Christine. Okay, Brandon Crowd of Friendship is a book about a young Christine who moves to a new state goes to a new school. When she gets to the school, she meets a little friend and she's really happy. And then by the time she gets to the last class, she needs a little blond girl who makes fun of her braids and really makes her feel insecure about who she is. Um she runs out of the class. A little friend runs after her.

She tells her what's wrong. She goes, tells her what happens, and then she tells her I'm gonna wear my hair braids like yours. And basically when she gets hold she tells her mom what happens, and she tells her mom tells her she's beautiful just the way she is. And the book is just really amazing because at the end, the little blond girl says she's sorry, she's just never

seen hair like hers before. And really, the moral here is she just didn't understand her hair texture and it's so important for black girls to love their beautiful crown and love the hair that they have. Well, I thank you, thank you for sharing. That's a beautiful book. We gotta have Moleague books and we thankful to you here at the independent book store day right here at the Westfield, MO thank you very strong read books brother for a long time so well all the work to help me read.

Because right, that's right then My book is My Garden, my journey to get my garden back into my life when she was up only taking and I wrote this book I'm two or three years after the journey because there was a lot of emotion that I was boring through and for me it was cocarded and released and it helped me to realize just how important what I did was because I helped excuse, they helped me to understand how I coortant. What I did was because I

connected to so many fathers. We we're going through the situation and a lot of fathers have given them home and this book once they got their hands on it, or some fathers the day they told me that this book really helped them to me filled with one of the most difficult emotional situations and they were born. So it's a it's a book that I encouraged to know someone boring through the situation where they're trying to get their child like in their life, make sure that they

get this in there in their hands. I wrote it from the very honest perspective. I didn't trash and mother. I talked about the things that I then in the relationship that helps sever the relationship and to put us in there in the position that we were in. And if you are a woman going through the situation, we have inherited a man going through the situation. Then we have to see the hide our emotions. So this fool will really explain what they're going through in very civil terms.

So if anyways hide our escape us, that's my wife being more name so it's pronounced blood and about hot okay. And if eas of me to show you what the book doesn't to tell you. So as we laying green pastures and rest beside, you still want us means they haven't see that this cup is running over. Don't see the want of wife and half hankings and easier to be at the continent, slings of the county and it's

horrible company. Have to think that they are all high profood slightly respond to their rides to create sistems being post of the educational her prison covering this guy coming hands with she out to money or the populations won't bringing out the she want all the wall refusing to get dirty, flirting for the unloosing a funity about this, adding that avoid get your thinking left income community and thee I see that is bary what hump aboule throw

from infancy to tige, change them and in a training in their lives for one shop suit so ming greed and see the people who have the misnad to believe that they didn't intence have placed here. But I'm a beneffen consider republic. Do not questionist multiple needs it used to be voices because they choose to suffer in silence. I'll just don't act out in violence while still there would be the people who choose you depend before you

can't rebound hid. I'm wanna bring the epacity to find a pre depressantos before I'm shook the empty Profolms said, trickles down here, Saint Prejo mean dat you know? They all force to be recognized, a power to be recognized.

As long as I'm disturbside and in valuable as under started before your beneath the her surface all free have nument of her has been placed enter the right hands before too old as they are not first as did he wants to be educated in that school of Monno, but not all our children befall pickuns in the system beca so still pay you important your whole thing that since it's great cand writing and potlets and languages, can't understand that they can still feel color in their faces.

It's a shape both of us who prone, who appreciate you stove to see the bordering you're having to think. You all have set hip hop lyrics, star breaking back over hip more than fe of metaphors, until which its mistake him for a little, I think you've offriended. It's something next tap it's the only thing that put is.

And this exclusion to them all be shattered that the auto fact of the on impact of the morning lines I as that is with their passions, turn dreams and your actions which you start the wish of one only the prayer and some still exists beyond the store and the guns school and from often learning their craft and the more distracting of environment, the fo' gonna hamwork and

their moms only retirement. But we would getting to the mind of their values, lose their compliments, amiss our just taking their here you ain't still they raised them down on years. God left the child away his own head. Who talk to the only his end of here? Blue? Yeah? Whose trying for the black people? When nobody shows up? The chair hitting you? You those chicken berry, the d and Jamiel type blue colors that you we never have to wear. I swear our children are not lost. Our

baby are right here. Independent book Store Day had two locations, one party, and this young lady came to both. So I got to hear from her because she came to both of them, and it was this two locations, one party, So let me talk to us about your expater said, hello, my name is Billy Sarafina. I am the mother of Sunset, and we came to both locations in the league bookstores today. My daughter has an instagram called Storytime with Sunset, where

I encourage her to read. She's only eight months, but I want to instill it in her early because I was taught that reading, you know, was something boring. It was a punishment, and I wanna change that narrative for my daughter and show her that reading is a fundamental Yes yes, yes, yes, yes yes hey. We took famous pictures with her child sunset Um with Spike Lee and now with Derry Cruise the independent bookstores day. So as a customer, um, I see the books are important to you.

But as a customer for why do you continue to come and support my league books? Because of you? Ma Leak? You may get seem like it's the best thing ever and you are the best owner of a black owned business that I've ever encountered. So you just make me want to read. Hello, Yeah, I got you like my passion, my energy, your passionate your energy, just like see reading. It's fine. Yah see my leak sat South. So I'm gonna do it. Yeah, I appreciate that you just don't know.

Those words mean a lot to me to hear that you know. And I appreciate you. I could precreciate your continued support, and we thank you for coming to two locations one party independent bookstore day whoop wood Yes, anytime, can't wait till next events. Yeah, thank you, thank you. I'm a young man from barn came up in the middle of the fine of the auto auto industry and the rise of the back epidemic, and I easily could have been a statistic I have picked four years old

and I have sold so honored. My wife is not here in to day, but I'm going three years Mary Bows and I couldn't have made it about her, but we this everything who moved to Los Angeles and everything to make it in this industry and to make it in this business. And I just want to say that you can do it too, when this book is really all the power how I found true toughness because when I the way I came up, it was really about the ability to grow punchius and it was about the

ability to rule to fear rather than love. I found true toughness was brilliant about the ability to take punchous and the ability to persevere and the ability to endure. And that is what I am trying to sell every person out there, especially as a young man who's living books. This is the fair that I wrote to my well world self, that all the stuff that I really wanted to know, because when I was a young kid, I used to ask all you mean, man, what it was? What was it to be a man? And a lot

of men didn't tell me. They told me that you won't find out. And the thing was what was so scary to me is that I had a best friend and me and my best friend, I said, hey, man, if you find out something I don't know, promise me you tell me. And if you find that, if I find out something you don't know, I promise you tell me. We wouldn't conparently ourselves and we will come to you, and so I may ever tell you My father was then my father. My famous memory was knocking my mother eye.

And I grew up in a house where I listen, knew. I was scared. But this man and the thing is he was supposed to be there to protect Niague. The whole year was all And that's what reason why I decided I need to little breaks and I wanted to get in because one day I thought I might have to do it. And this is real. And I know a lot of people who come from this background and from domestic silence, and I've seen it themselves. And you made it anyway, And I'm here to tell you that

that this is not the end of your story. Your story just not to find by what I have a chill that you can change your story. This is why I can wrote the book, because I had to change my story, not easily could have been a statistic and I want to thank you all so so much for being here today and be here to support and the independent all the other independent pootsellers out here, and they got their own stories to tell. Please go out and

support every every person out here. This wrote a book that that's hard, that has to us fill the way to make their way in this world right here. Thank everyone here as please support because I do. This is one reason why I'm here at Belith Books, because this is pretty all about left to take your broadery and make it happens. Start small, and he's just leading red And I thank you all for me here. I thank you so much for having me and I I'll expect

and love each and every one of them. Thank you all, but thanks for listening to Melik's bookshow with topics on the shlf, our books, culture and community. Be sure to subscribe and leave me a review. Check out my instagram at Milik Books. See you next time