Clutch, We Hear You! Inspiring Us to Release Our “Inner Issa Rae”!

A pic of Issa Rae, via Clutch magazine.

Imagine, in a time where teenage supernatural book series and love triangles are new authors’ tickets to the best selling charts and subsequent films, trying to describe that you’ve written a fairy tale?

A black one, at that?

Many are interested at the mention of this dream of ours, but I can’t blame them if they aren’t exactly sure about our vision. After all, the fairy tale genre has been pretty much antiquated, especially in book form.

When was the last time a fairy tale was listed as a New York Times bestseller? When has it ever been?

Well, dreams are funny things. They come alongside inspiration, and grab ahold of you, and whether you’re the most down-to-earth type or free spirit, you can’t quite shake them, no matter how hard you try. On top of that, life has a funny way of nudging you along with signs that make it impossible to forget your dreams for long. This very site, with it’s countless articles and discussions or representations, has been one of winks from the universe for me to never forget my dream. And while for twenty years my mother and I have dreamed to bring the fairy tale, The Prince and Timberance, to the world-it wasn’t until I found this site that the final puzzle piece would be added to push me over the edge into entrepreneurship and self-publishing. It was this article that finally did it.

My mother was inspired to write the fairy tale The Prince and Timberance in 1993, just as my sisters and I were in the midst of our Disney movie collection love affair. Popular titles like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast were in constant rotation at our home on VHS.

It would take one afternoon of my mother passing by the living room, with a familiar Disney classic playing on the screen in front of her youngest daughter, that would stop her in her tracks. She saw her daughter trying to get her very tightly curled hair to “flip” over her shoulder (something that it could do but only after receiving salon-style treatment first). That daughter happened to be me, and when she asked me about it, I would tell her I was trying to get my hair to move the way Belle’s hair had moved on the screen. While she and I both knew what it was like to be fully engrossed in a fairy tale, she also knew one thing that a child my age couldn’t have possibly articulated at the time; that there would be times when a child whose skin was not fair, or whose hair was not golden or straight, would feel the magical looking glass crack, so to speak.

A mother who’s had that same childhood experience could instantly connect with the layered meaning of that moment. It instantly took her back to the time when she had first started reading fairy tale classics herself as a young girl, and the little “pinch” she felt when she repeatedly read about the whiteness and fairness of the beautiful maiden’s skin in Snow White. While the fact that a mere physical trait was mentioned wasn’t the issue, the difference between who she was as a reader and who she loved in the story was starkly apparent. And that difference was even more pronounced when she found herself searching through book after book for an equally mere mention of a trait that represented something on her own body. It would be the same for every classic tale she searched through…no mention of hair texture, skin color or other discerning trait that ever reflected her own. Ever.

It was in that candid moment decades later of witnessing her own daughter’s awareness of what separated her from the characters in the magical world of fairy tales that one of the first signs of divine inspiration could seep into a busy, working mother’s world.

Imagine if there were a new fairy tale, she thought, true to the classic memes of the genre; that believed enchantment was gracefully sprinkled not only on people whose skin was as white as snow or fair, but also on people whose skin were as rich as the earth, who had hair as soft as cotton, or eyes that shone like the darkest of jewels…

It wouldn’t be soon after she had that idea, that such a story would be imagined by her. The excitement of such a story would shake up her entire world and take her from a busy mother of five who worked part-time into the very complex world of artistry, writing, and storytelling. Before she knew it, a fully fledged story that she was proud of was ready to be shared with her daughters. In fact, not only did she give me a special story but unknowingly, she gave me a lifelong dream-one that I am still working on to this day.

That story introduced me to the world of unsolicited manuscripts, and countless (countless!) rejections from publishers and literary agents. Helping my mother draft letters, I came to know the importance a story like The Prince and Timberance held-it would get people of the African diaspora a seat at the table of fairy tale classics-a seat it deserves. I’ve spent my life witnessing, and now taking the reigns, in one woman’s quest for publication and recognition. The Prince and Timberance, to me, is not just a story nor a dream-it is a project that I have given my life to and finally in 2012-after having graduated but failing to “get my foot in the door” at a major publishing house-decided to do whatever it took to get this story in the hands of readers.

We’ve printed it ourselves. We’re selling it ourselves. And I’m blogging about it at enchantedroots.wordpress.com. We thank Clutch, it’s readers, and it’s thoughtful commentors for inspiring us to release our Inner Issa Rae. It’s been a long time coming.

The Prince and Timberance is a chapter book recommended for ages 8-12, but can be read aloud to children of all ages. Read excerpts, find out where to purchase the book, learn more about the story here.

Thank you for dreaming with us!

“The Prince and Timberance” reading at the 2nd annual MBAZ Mother-Daughter Tea

Hello, Timberance fans!!! This past Saturday, February 9th, was another successful event for us here at Enchanted Roots!

We got to read excerpts and discuss our book in front of an audience nearing 200 at the second annual Miss Black Arizona Mother-Daughter Tea! Here’s a photo of me at the event (I was super excited about the backdrop).

*Michelle Obama-inspired kitten heels*

This was the first time I spoke in front of a live audience about our book, and our dream of sharing “The Prince and Timberance” with the world. I spoke about how this was a hallmark in our culture, and how for once it featured characters of color in their own original tale-”The Prince and Timberance” is not a remake or a rendition. It is an original work.

Many women came up to me after the talk to wish us well and tell me that what I said spoke to them. That truly made my day.

Aside from speaking at the event, we also set up a table where guests could purchase our book. We loved decorating the table especially for the tea, and my mother had the brilliant idea to add my porcelain doll to the display. The doll’s dress reminds us of the sort of clothes from Timberance’s era. She truly lit up our table (next to the books, of course

*It was a day when the Arizona sun played peek-a-boo, and during this time, while we were set up by the large windows, it was a little shady*

We sold many copies of the book, making it our highest selling event so far-and it was only our second one!

The Miss Black Arizona Scholarship Foundation has done many wonderful things for the community. I once was a contestant in the 2010 Miss pageant, and ever since I have closely followed the organization because it truly touches my heart. It has given back to the community not only through it’s many scholarships (of which I have benefited)  but by the events it holds to bring us all together, like the Mother-Daughter tea.

A special thank you to the director, Jasmine Crowe, and to the assistant directors as well for having me.

We are hoping to book many more events in 2013. Please leave any suggestions of events that you think “The Prince and Timberance” would be welcomed at below!

Purchase your own copy of “The Prince and Timberance” and read more about us at http://www.enchantedroots.com

Thank you for dreaming with us!

-Najat

Sneak Peek #2

Hello,  Timberance fans!! Hopefully by now you’ve placed your order for your own copy of The Prince and Timberance, especially after reading the beginning excerpt here.

As promised, here’s the next sneak peek. When the time comes for the old man to pass the ring on, he remembers the kind prince and decides to leave it to him. His youngest daughter, Eena, is angered that the powerful ring has slipped from her grasp, and here is where the pace of the story picks up….

EXCERPT #2:

Eena had what can only be described as a fit. “It should have been mine!” She screamed. She ranted and raved and smashed or threw nearly everything in her hut. She expected her father to leave the ring with her sister, Aaja. It would have been easy to take the ring from her. Taking it from the prince was another matter entirely. Now, Eena needed a plan–a very good plan.

Eena is one of the many standout characters our story, a villain whose raging temper and evil plans make for an exciting read. In getting to know Eena, we also meet her polar opposite sister, Aaja and we can see the special bond between sisters. There’s none like it on earth, and Aaja and Eena have quite a special relationship. Aaja and Eena are both daughters to a powerful sorcerers, and both are key players in this tale- but that’s where their similarities end.

While Aaja is a much kinder and gentler being, whose heart delights in the magic of everyday nature, Eena is driven by ambition that knows no bounds. She won’t let anyone in her way-not even the prince, who had no idea that owning the ring would change his life forever. Even Aaja’s pure heart won’t save him from the wrath of her sister.

Eena’s striking beauty and magical cunning are almost no match for the prince when she decides that he is the only obstacle in her way. And in true fairy tale fashion, an unforgettable villain is born.

The Prince and Timberance is a chapter book recommended for ages 8-12, but can be read aloud to children of all ages. Read more excerpts like this and order your copy of the book at www.enchantedroots.com.

Thank you for dreaming with us!

-Najat

#TeamTimberance

PHX Urban Expo 2012-Our First Event!

The PHX Ubran Expo, held on December 1st, 2012 was one of our first successes on this venture where we sold our first copy (and a number of copies thereafter) of The Prince and Timberance! We even had a customer ask for my mother to personally sign it! Welcome to authorhood, Mom!

Yep, that’s my mother, Ramona Omer, author, holding a copy of The Prince and Timberance.

It was an amazing experience. This was the first time I witnessed my mother speaking to everyday people about the book, face-to-face. It is one thing to have a dream, and it is another thing entirely to be putting in the efforts to making the dream come true!

That’s my sister, Malika, and I, excited to be doing business at one of our first expos.

Together, the three of us made an excellent team!

The table was a beauty, although the photo quality isn’t too sharp. We were so excited about the decorative book ends of African Royalty to display copies of our book.

We had our business cards ready to give out to patrons of the expo that told them of our website, www.enchantedroots.com, where they could buy copies of the book or read more about it.

The 2012 PHX Urban Expo was a wonderful opportunity for us; my mom as a new author, and our team to get the word out about our book! Local authors, businesses, and entrepreneurs came to this annual event to showcase what we do best-start from the ground up and connect with our community. I loved meeting with other movers and shakers in the Phoenix area.

We look forward to traveling to different states for opportunities similar to this, where we can interact with customers and believers in our vision. Hopefully one day we can come to your town!

If anyone out there knows of any expos or conventions where we would likely make an impact, please feel free to pass the info on.

Please feel free to visit enchantedroots.com where you can read more excerpts from The Prince and Timberance and purchase your very own copy of the African-American fairy tale. 

Thank you for dreaming with us!

-Najat

#TeamTimberance

 

Sneak Peak #1 The Beginning…

Once upon a time when kings and queens ruled magnificent African kingdoms of long, long ago, there was a handsome prince. This was not an ordinary prince who stayed close to the throne where life was comfortable and safe. This was a young prince who loved adventure and excitement. When he was not traveling to faraway lands with the queen’s merchants, he could most often be found training with the king’s warriors.

One evening when the prince and warriors were returning to the kingdom, they came upon an old man who lay on the ground hurt. The prince helped the stranger up but found that the old man was too weak to walk. The prince ordered warriors to carry the man back to the kingdom.

When he was well enough, the old man thanked the prince for saving his life and explained that he was a sorcerer of sorts. At one time, he was even considered to be a very great sorcerer. But, he had long since lost interest in magical things. “Nothing can compare to what is natural and beautiful. No magic can create a star-filled sky or a sunset rich with color. The only thing I have kept from my days as a great sorcerer,” he said, “is a magic ring.”

He  went on to explain that he had been attacked by someone who tried to steal the powerful ring from him, “You see anyone who knows how to bring forth the great magic of the ring can have almost anything  their heart desires. The only things it cannot offer are health and eternal youth. It is said that fairies who dwell high in the mountains guard magical waters that spring forth with those gifts.”

The old man was pampered. He was fussed over and carried to and fro so that his feet barely touched the ground. But he left the kingdom as soon as he was strong enough. He returned home to his two daughters.

On the very first page of the story, we are transported to a wondrous African kingdom of long, long ago. We thought it was integral to invite readers to share in the very important opening of the story where they meet the prince in his natural habitat.

Many times, when Africa is referenced in popular work, it has a certain reputation for wildlife and the Sahara, and not much else. While this is not inaccurate, it certainly is one tried-and-true (and tired) way to showcase what “Africa”-a continent with very many different countries, regions, and histories- has to offer. Though we lack a true artist’s hand to display this prince’s specific kingdom for our book, we hope readers imagine with us a thriving and diverse, lush scenery during an enchanting time where noble princes lived against such a backdrop.

And what about our prince? Well, firstly, as the story reads, “This was not an ordinary prince who stayed close to the throne where life was comfortable and safe.” While he could choose to live in the lavish lifestyle afforded to the royalty in his nation, he had a spirit that called for much more than lazing in the lap of luxury. He wanted adventure, travel, and excitement—and he wanted to be in the thick of it all. This trait makes the prince even more princely in our eyes.

But along with a thirst for wanting more than what the throne has to offer, the reader sees that our prince is not only endowed with a pure spirit, but a big heart. He does not hesitate to help a fallen stranger in his path and have even his own personal warriors carry him back to the kingdom for help. It would be this instinctual desire to help a completely downtrodden stranger that would set on him on a course that would change his life…..

With images of noble black male characters in children’s literature few and far between, the prince in our story will instantly stand as a hallmark for recognition of positive and multifaceted images of black characters.

The Prince and Timberance is a chapter book recommended for ages 8-12, but can be read aloud to children of all ages. Read excerpts like this, and others,  where you can order your copy at www.enchantedroots.com.

Thank you for dreaming with us!

-Najat

#TeamTimberance

Clutch, We Hear You! New Study Links Healthy Racial Pride to Academic Achievement

Via Clutch:

New Study: Black Students Who Are Taught Racial Pride Do Better In School

Perusing the web today, I found a very relevant article on Clutch that highlighted a study that we here at Enchanted Roots’ blog find integral to our work. A study by Ming-Te Want (University of Pittsburg) and James P. Huguley (Harvard University) claims that healthy racial pride lends itself to academic achivement.

Britni Danile of Clutch points out:

The study, conducted by Ming-Te Wang and James P. Huguley of the University of Pittsburg and Harvard University respectively, found that “racial socialization”—teaching kids about their culture and involving them in activities that promote racial pride and connection—helps to offset the discrimination and racial prejudices children face by the outside world.

Wang explains:

“Our findings challenge the notion that ‘race blindness’ is a universally ideal parenting approach, especially since previous research has shown that racially conscious parenting strategies at either extreme—either ‘race blindness’ or promoting mistrust of other races—are associated with negative outcomes for African American youth.

“When African American parents instill a proud, informed, and sober perspective of race in their sons and daughters, these children are more likely to experience increased academic success.”

Wang’s study surveyed 630 adolescents from middle class backgrounds to explore how racial discrimination and prejudice in school affects their G.P.A., educational goals, and future aspirations. They found racial pride to be the single most important factor in guarding against racial discrimination, and discovered it had a direct impact on the students’ grades, future goals, and cognitive engagement.

Despite fewer instances of multicultural and inclusive learning in school and the increased frequency in which black students are treated more harshly than their peers, Wang’s study shows that teaching kids, especially black children, to take pride in their culture is an integral part of their success.

Wang sums it up:

“Our study provides empirical evidence that the longstanding practice in the African American community of cultivating racial pride and preparing children to face racial bias in society should be considered among appropriate and beneficial practices in parenting Black children.”

—

The Prince and Timberance is an inspired tale that enchants readers. But we’d be selling the story short if we weren’t particularly attuned to the cultural significance a story of it’s caliber reaches beyond inspired artistry.

For many children, The Prince and Timberance will be the first time they read that dark skin, too, can be referenced as a thing of beauty. The Prince and Timberance may be the first time a handsome and noble prince and a humble, sweet maiden -who are both of African descent-are united in front of their very eyes in an original tale of true love. It will be the first time, for many, where more than one person of color is a protagonist worthy of admiration and relatability. Media is a powerful tool in establishing self-esteem, and no one has passionately held onto this concept more than my mother (author of the book) and I do.

Any lover of literature knows the power a good written work has of transcending cultural or racial barriers. A truly good story effortlessly ties in the reader no matter what their personal affiliation to the people or events, fictional or not, that are represented in its pages. Like any good fairy tale, The Prince and Timberance also connects universally with readers.

But unlike any other fairy tale before it’s time, The Prince and Timberance does not stop by featuring a person of African descent that is cast in a story originally portrayed by characters of another culture, place, or time.

The Prince and Timberance is unique in that it is an original story where the characters from the servant, to the king, to the maiden are all unified for once simply be all being African or African descendants. This is a simplistic but innovative portrayal for characters in a fairy tale. The Prince and Timberance serves many audiences and invites all to share in the wonderful tale. It also certainly seeks to address the very real issue of building self-esteem in the African-American child whose representation is scarce in the world of make-believe.

Purchase the original work The Prince and Timberance, read excerpts, and learn about the author at http://www.enchantedroots.com.

Thank you for dreaming with us!

-Najat

#TeamTimberance

2013: Introducing “The Prince and Timberance” an African-American Fairy Tale

This is not a fable or folktale. It is not a book of poems or a legend of lore. “The Prince and Timberance” is an enchanting fairy tale set in a magnificent African kingdom of long, long ago.

The tale begins with a handsome prince whose life is tragically interrupted by a sorcerer’s evil daughter. Forced to leave his beloved kingdom, the prince’s life will be changed forever. As the story unfolds you will meet Timberance–a kind and beautiful African-American maiden. Fate will bring them together and turn tragedy into triumph.

Whether you read by candle light, or starlight, or a lamp on a nightstand turned low, it matters not. You are about to go on an unforgettable and wondrous journey.

“The Prince and Timberance” can be purchased here.

Many years, and dreams, have brought us to this moment…

A moment where mother and daughter team up to bring a story written long ago, now in published form, to the public.

Many people still believe in the power of imagination,  the gift of storytelling, and the hallmarks of children’s literature-which, yes, includes fairy tales. Many who believe in the magic of fairy tales also believe that the only way to enjoy them is to cling to the epic stories of the past, as that is the time when all great fairy tales were written…

Snow White.

Sleeping Beauty.

Cinderella.

Beauty and the Beast.

There stands a long list of inspiring, magical stories that has gripped the hearts of millions. Universal stories that transcend culture, time, and distance. And now, 2013′s newest addition to the genre…

The Prince and Timberance.

An African-American fairy tale. Written in 1993 by Ramona Omer, and printed in book form in 2012. The story has had a long journey to reach where it is today, a story that can be easily accessible and enjoyed by readers young and old. You can read excerpts and purchase the actual book, at it’s main home of www.enchantedroots.com. I also will feature excerpts on this blog in the near future.

This blog will be a welcoming room for readers who know, come to know, and love The Prince and Timberance.  This will be a place where supporters can follow my mother and I on our journey to make our dreams come true-dreams of giving the world a wonderfully epic tale, which will fill a very real void in the world of representation and make believe. A fairy tale with a noble and handsome African prince and a beautiful maiden also of African descent;  spanning from an enchanted and thriving kingdom to  a quaint village; as well as a world where the strongest of magic is conjured, and the most mischievous of fairies reside. And of course, where only the magic of the truest love can undo the works of a powerful villain and set the world right again.

This blog is a platform to introduce you to the book, it’s author (my mother), and the many, many (almost infinite) dreams two women harbor for taking an inspired story and making their dreams come true. Dreams that don’t end simply with translating it to book form, but also sharing it with the world and seeing what the world makes of it!

While www.enchantedroots.com is mostly the creation of my crafty (and new to technology) mother, this blog will be written by me-Najat, her youngest daughter. It is my greatest pleasure to welcome you to a place that connects you to the story The Prince and Timberance, where you can share in our dreams, and follow the enchanted journey of a story from conception to distribution.

Learn more about the book The Prince and Timberance, read excerpts, and purchase at www.enchantedroots.com.

Thank you for reading my first ever blog post, and please come back to get to know more about  me, my mother, and the enchanted journey of getting The Prince and Timberance into the hands of every fairy tale lover.  :)

Thank you for dreaming with us!

-Najat

#TeamTimberance