I've always been intrigued by the notion of a booth that offers kisses for only a quarter. Is this just a peck on the lips, a sweet and sincere kiss on the cheek, or a weird yet effective kiss in the air? Either way, I give props to the person behind and in front of the booth. It's love day! A special day set aside to celebrate the passion and beauty of love. The gift of its existence and the sexiness behind this man made national holiday that we all love so much. Flowers are ordered, gifts have been shipped, and special nights are brewing for that special someone. If it seems appropriate to raise both eyebrows in a rapid motion, now would be the time. What does love mean to you? It could be many things, but I do know it is different for everyone and that is what makes it so unique. The feelings you have when you spend time with your family. A racing heartbeat when a certain someone comes around, or the way you feel about your little 4 legged friends. The feeling of being connected to someone in ways that speak to the love language you two have created together. Just as good as this day can feel, there are some who can't wait for this celebration of sorts to end. Perhaps you have gone through a failed relationship, or maybe you are grieving over the loss of your loved one. It is safe to say most of us have experienced both at some point in our lives. There is also a strong possibility you simply don't get into the fluff and hoopla of it! I get into the festivities as much as I feel the need to. It's fun for me, however I am also a hopeless romantic. I'm a sucker for a sappy love story on screen and in real life. I believe in love at first sight and all things that are of this perfect gift from God. Love is expressed daily, not just when the world says we should show it the most. As fortune would have it, I found love within myself, for without it, I wouldn't know what true love should feel like, or more importantly, how to express it. Happy Valentine's Day! I hope your day and all days are amazing, full of love and happiness from the inside out. My curiosity has gotten the best of me, so I'm headed out in search of this kissing booth. I want to make sure I'm first in line! "Love thy neighbor- and if he happens to be tall, debonair and devastating, it will be that much easier." -Mae West~AJ 😘
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In all things great, one never seems to be enough. Aja Graydon and Fatin Danztler are the Philly-based dynamic duo you all know and love as Kindred the Family Soul. Their voices marry together in a way that has created a dynamic vibe you want to hear over and over again. As we listen to music we pay close attention to the lyrics, but we also want to feel the songs and have a true connection. The authenticity of the music they have created over the years allows the listener to relate and groove at the same time. Celebrating 20 years since the release of their debut album, Surrender To love, this married duo gives us an inside view to the start of their careers, the importance of maintaining the love, their latest and 7th album release, what they are working on next, and much more. This year marks 20 years since the release of your debut album, ‘Surrender to Love’ which received a Soul Train Award and BET Award nomination. What was it like to release your first album and were you nervous about how the world would receive your music?
AJA - It was very exciting because both of us had been in some facet of the business since we were teenagers, trying to find our identity and our place in the business. Finally, we'd reached the point where our art would be presented and so we naturally felt nervous and relieved. We had 2 small children by then and much was riding on the success of it. I also remember a great sense of accomplishment, it made us that much closer. FATIN - Surrender to love turning twenty makes me think back to a much simpler time in our lives but one that was full of a lot of great creative energy. We were overwhelmed with gratitude and joy to release a record that was literally born out of the live performances we put on weekly in a small club. So to try to translate that LIVE energy and bottle it up for sale was difficult and challenging but has been a true blessing to our lives. It stands as a time capsule to a milestone period in our lives. We certainly were nervous as to how it would be received, but also confident in the ways the material had resonated with the audience we had earned early on. Music is a soulful feeling that tells a story in the most unique ways. The way that your lyrics and voices come together is always a head-shaking, and vibe-induced moment. When you are writing the lyrics to your songs, how do you know once you have created something magical? AJA - We just listen for what clicks. No matter who takes the lead on an idea, it's about a vibe. When it connects authentically to us, we feel pretty confident it will resonate with someone else. FATIN - I wouldn’t say you know lyrics are magical but you do know when they speak to you and that’s the first step of being confident enough to record them. You hear it back many times before anyone else does so you begin to believe in it before it’s critiqued. Sometimes it’s golden and sometimes not so much, but it always comes from the heart. I remember with great certainty that history class was by far the subject I truly disliked studying the most. Reason being, I never felt a connection with any of the stories I read in the provided textbooks. What was deemed by the school board as standard for teaching guidelines, left the students lacking and void of their history which is rich in culture and holds centuries of legacy. James Baldwin stated, “I began to be bugged by the teaching of American history, because it seemed that history had been taught without cognizance of my presence.” The thoughts of Baldwin would be echoed by many before and after him. Half a century earlier, when Carter G. Woodson, a scholar whose dedication to celebrating the historic contributions of Black people led to the establishment of Black History Month, set the foundation in 1976 for what would become today’s national Black History Month, observed each February. History has said to have a bad habit of repeating itself. The good, the bad, and often times the ugly. Rewriting the past is impossible, however, helping shape the future is a task we are all faced with and should be concerned with. As times continue to pass me by, the importance of Black history is forever in my mind in hopes that it is never lost. Knowledge is one of the keys to life, and with it comes a treasure far more precious than any rare gem you could ever find. As we enter into this month long celebration of Black history we are in no way shape or form saying that the other 11 months of the year shouldn’t reflect on the history lessons that are forever there, it is just giving our culture a special moment in time to celebrate and add to the legacies before and long after us. There are many ways to celebrate Black History month and learn more about the culture, life and legacy of those past and present. A history lesson is not just taught in class, it extends far beyond into your home life, the work that is done in the community, and the ways you can help to continue adding to our rich history.
The more you get involved, the more you know. The more you understand, the more you are able to teach and share. Nothing worthwhile comes easy, it takes time and patience to truly educate yourself on the important facts of our culture. The beautiful thing about history is, once you know more about the past your eyes are now opened to the possibilities of the future. Keeping the stories alive, sharing our life experiences, learning more of our heritage, are all reasons this month is so important and will always be. “With our future ahead of us and the ancestors beside us, THERE’S NOTHING WE CAN’T DO!” ~AJ
I’ve spent the better part of my life wondering what the plan was for New Year’s Eve. Where is the party and most importantly, am I invited? Over the past few years, I have been asleep by 9 p.m. so there goes that notion of partying well into the new year. Don’t get me wrong, it’s so much fun, but I feel as though those days are well behind me. As much as I would like to say I don’t believe in resolutions because everyone makes them seem so cliche and corny, I believe in them with every fiber in my being! There, I said it! And let’s be honest, there is nothing better than writing down a list of goals and dreams that you would like to see happen in the new year and actually making them come to life. The idea of speaking things into existence is so very real. Health fanatics say you are what you eat right? Well, you most certainly are what you think! So, think big of yourself and all that you hope for, the sky is the limit in your own imagination. But, before you can start on something new, you must say goodbye to what once was. Closure is just that. Sealing the chapters of what at times seemed like a never-ending story, it is now time to start the next chapter, and the best part of all, you get to determine how your story will go. I can easily reflect on the previous year. All that I accomplished. The people I have met who have changed how I view certain aspects in life and the goals I was able to accomplish and some that I barely touched if at all. It’s ok though and it has led me to this bit of enlightenment. As you continue to step and grow through life, with grace you will continue to evolve into who you were always meant to be. How amazing is that?! And as you grow through this evolution, your entire vision changes, which in turn allows you to finally see the bigger picture. Have you written out all that you have done in the year prior? Try it and I promise you will be amazed at everything you were able to accomplish in just 12 months. List or no list, make it a mission to succeed at the things that make YOU happy. Not your family, your friends, your dog, or the energized cat running in circles at 2 in the morning, but you! It’s perfectly fine to do for others, however, it’s easy to get caught up and forget about what’s important to yourself. As for me, I was not invited to the party and I was perfectly fine with that. I no longer feel as though I am missing out or forgotten because I can see the big picture. I can’t share what it looks like, just trust you will know once you see it. Be well, be amazing, and take this new year by the horns and own it! Hello 2023, I’ve got plans for you!
~AJ
I believe that the energy you put out into the universe will come back to you in many ways. How has music changed your life? Music has changed my life in every imaginable way. One of my favorite mystics said “music is the dream of silence”. I mean, what a thought. I believe music is our greatest contribution to the planet as human beings. Throughout the ages, music has been that invisible expression that speaks to our souls in a universal language. We are all connected through song. Music has provided me with a tool to share my story and connect with the stories of others. It reminds me of the power of the unseen. The power of beauty. It’s a tool I can use to influence my mood and that of others. Music is my love language in every sense. As a writer, I love the freedom to create from scratch, however, it doesn’t flow unless I’m in a certain head space. When you write a song, where do you go mentally? When I write, I don’t go anywhere mentally. In fact I need to get out of my head and into another zone completely. It can’t be intellectual in the beginning. It’s best to tap into a trance like state and to grab whatever floats to the edge of my subconscious and conscious mind. My mood is more important than my mind when it comes to writing and creating. After I get the gist of the story I want to tell, I can then bring in my more analytical mind. That’s when I can start to think about things like structure and form. That’s when I can embellish. The world of music is always changing, however, good music will always resonate in the souls of those who truly love the craft and creativity behind the magic. What do you feel is most important in keeping music honest, real, and from the heart? I think the most important way to create truthfully as an artist is to live one’s life. When you are immersed in your own life, you have real material to draw from. When you live authentically, you can create authentic music that’s an embodiment of your soul. Lalah Hathaway posted an all-star lineup on November 28th and fans went crazy trying to determine how to purchase tickets until we all realized it was a fantasy. If this was to come to fruition, how amazing would that be? That was so cool to me. After all, she is one of the greatest vocalists ever. I had no idea Lalah even knew who I was, much less enjoyed my music. I love affirmations like that from the universe. Hey Lalah, I’m ready to open for you or collab whenever you have time. The readers would love to know more about you and your musical journey. Where are you from and when did music become an integral part of your life? I was born in Louisiana to a southern mom and a Senegalese father. I moved around a lot as a kid, so I don’t think of myself as being from any one particular place. Music has quite literally been a part of my life since I can remember speaking. I was in my first talent show at 5. Started recording demos professionally for writers at 11 and recorded my first original song at 12. Music has always been a part of me. You have a beautiful voice. I love your single, Ready Enough. What is the meaning behind this song? I’m happy you love that one. “Ready Enough” is about embracing the beauty and potential inherent in all of us. We come to this earth with all that we need to live out our destiny. Things may happen that throw us off of our path, but that doesn’t mean we are lost. We always have the ability to make contact with our soul. We have enough at all times. We just need to reach for it. What inspires you the most when it comes to creating and exploring new music? I’m inspired by so many things, but I would have to say my environment is a deep well of inspiration for me right now. I’m very affected by the natural landscape and beauty of the place where I live. Being close to nature humbles me. It gets me out of my own way and out of my head. As I mentioned, it’s important for me to not overthink. When I overthink, I cannot be creative. So my surroundings are important. You are taking a cross-country road trip. Who’s on your playlist for this long ride? Oooh, that’s a hard one to answer, but I would say at this point in my life my road trip playlist would include Joni Mitchell, Sade, Cocteau Twins, Stevie Wonder, Harold Budd, Laraaji, Alice Coltrane, Bob Marley, Antonio Carlos Jobim … demos that I’m working on. There are so many other artists I love that I didn’t include, but I think their music best fits other situations in my life right now. Music is an important part of so many lives. Without it, I most certainly would be lost. What do you want your fans to feel when they listen to your music? I want them to feel that life is absolutely worth living. I’ve called it “life affirmative” music in the past and that still feels very true. Life is worth loving and opening your heart to. Even in the midst of challenges. As long as we are feeling people, we have hope. When you are not writing and creating new music, what do you like to do to unwind? I love to hike to unwind. Moving my body outside is so good for me. There’s that getting out of my head again. Communing with nature heals me every single time. I also love to read a good book. I know I’m in a good place when I’m reading a lot. Is there anyone in the industry you would love to collaborate with? Oh yes. I’d love to collaborate with John Mayer, Kevin Parker, Frank Ocean, and Esperanza Spalding. Can you give us a glimpse into what’s next for Sidibe? New music and live performances. Hopefully some sweet collaborations too. How can your fans connect, follow, and most importantly support you? Fans can find me on all of the socials. I’m most active on IG. They can support me by playing and sharing the music! If you’re feeling extra generous, you can go to my Bandcamp page and buy the music there. In closing, leave us with a bit of positive inspiration. Don’t get too caught up in the visible. Remember that the most important things are invisible to the human eye. Use your imagination and prayer to make contact with the divine spirit that is always present. Trust in the mystery and allow it to be. I am a firm believer in surrounding myself with those who inspire, motivate, and uplift me. Without those three things, honestly, what is the point? I was drawn to Anthony 'AJ' Joiner from his daily 'make you go hmmm' kind of questions. He is an author, entrepreneur, radio personality, and founder and CEO of BLOOKSY.COM - the SaaS platform that uses artificial intelligence to help authors and academics write and publish faster. Wow! It's the perfect beat I needed to accompany the melody that has been playing in my head for so many years! Awarded as Entrepreneur of the Year by the Future Successors. AJ also hosts Tips & Tool every Tuesday on the #1 drive-time radio show! I could go on and on, but that would take the joy out of reading for yourself. So, sit back, relax, and get to know AJ. You will be so very happy that you did! ◆ How are you doing on this cold, yet amazing day?
Thanks for asking! I know it's cold outside, but I promised myself that I would be healthy so that I could walk my daughter down the aisle. So yes, it was cold this morning but I got my butt out and I ran. And I didn't even record it and put it on Instagram because it was too cold to take my hands out of my pockets and the little gloves were too fiery for me to tap on the screen so I just handled my business and came on back to the house. ◆ I am anxiously awaiting the moment when I finally start writing my first book. There has been a bit of procrastination due to an overwhelming feeling that I have absolutely no idea how to get started. Blooksy gives me hope that the process doesn’t have to be so difficult after all. Not only is it a modern approach to the art and fashion of writing, but it offers features such as live transcription as well as a virtual ghost writing assistant. As the founder and CEO of Blooksy, tell us why you felt this amazing platform needed to be a part of writer’s lives. The top reason I had in mind while developing Blooksy was to really help speed the process up for writers. Aside from that, most writers have a hard time organizing their thoughts because they have so much that they want to share, that sometimes it can just come like drinking water from a firehose. Blooksy helps you to instantly organize your thoughts into chapters and structure them in a way that you can hierarchically view them. Another reason is the process of getting your idea written out which is a challenge for most writers. But because you already know your stories, it would be so much easier if you could just speak your stories and directly have them typed out into the platform, which is why we added an Artificial Intelligence-powered voice-to-text tool, so that you can talk right into the software. One more reason is the ability to collaborate. When writers are working on their books, they want their friends and colleagues to keep them accountable. They want to invite other people to do their work and maybe have the ability to edit it. We have a built-in collaboration in Blooksy which makes it super simple. And the biggest, biggest innovation is artificial intelligence. When you run out of ideas, you can just open the artificial intelligence and it will automatically create content based on the ideas that you want to talk about. And this works really well for nonfiction writers or experts who just got stuck and needed a kickstart for their content. Our artificial intelligence tool is named Aven – after my grandmother, Neva – who is an amazing storyteller. So, you can open up Aven and type in your idea and she will go out and write original content for you up to 12 paragraphs at a time. And this is why Blooksy was needed for all those reasons. To the most beautiful girl in my world... Here's to you! Here we are once again. That special day, significant, and absolutely blessed day. Your day! Life couldn't get any better if I planted this story into a fairytale with the perfect happy ending. There are material things that a person might receive for their day of birth. Cards, flowers, jewelry, clothes, etc., but there is no gift more treasured than the gift of life. You are 81 years young on this day. Wow! I can only pray as time goes on that I am graceful, elegant, and beautiful as you are. A true gem in full living color. I have always loved celebrating birthdays. So very important and so worthy of the praise given to the special person on their truly special day. On this day may you smile a bit longer and harder than you did the day before. May the well wishes from those near and far fill your heart and flow through your soul, and may God continue to bless you, keep you and protect you for years to come. Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you so much! From the moon and back and then all over again for as long as I live. 🎁 ~AJ 🫶🏾
I noticed on the day of Thanksgiving that my refrigerator was acting weird. The things that were supposed to remain frozen were melting, and what was supposed to remain cool was now at a nice room temperature. Of all days for this to happen! I must admit I cooked absolutely nothing so there was no worry, however, I knew I needed to fix the problem before it escalated into an even larger mess! As I began to empty my freezer of the frozen blueberries, perfectly pink raspberries and a grocery store supply worth of frozen veggies, I was thankful that my meat was still frozen. To the chest freezer we go! I digress, per usual, because I am not here to talk about my silly appliance! However, in hindsight, the broken appliance is the reason that brought me to the conclusion that I needed to write this post, so in short the non-working appliance is to thank for this enlightenment you are about to experience. Don't mind this run on sentence, I tend to do that when I have had more than the suggested dose of caffeine for the day. This past Sunday I awoke hungry. It was early, around 7:30 a.m. and I decided I was going to take myself to breakfast. There is a very nice and friendly breakfast/lunch cafe a short distance from my home, so I showered, got dressed and a bit reluctantly I might add, I walked in. Hostess: How many? Me: One Hostess: Would you like to sit at the bar? Me: No. In the back of my mind I am thinking 'do I look like I need a drink? Or is this the place where all singles are seated for breakfast?!' Hostess: Follow me As I am seated at a table that is clearly designed for four I smile and remember the times when this used to be my norm. Venturing out and eating alone that is. There is a certain peace that comes along with the delicious meal I was preparing to have. I'm a people watcher, and I enjoyed every bit of it. I enjoyed the noisy silence. The conversations from the tables before and behind me which were somehow muted out to the point where it seemed as if I was in a world all by my lonesome. That's just it. I was far from lonely. The reluctance I initially felt when walking into the cafe was the thought that someone would wonder why it was a table for one. Where were my friends or loved ones? That feeling soon left as I cozied into my chair and enjoyed the creme brûlée latee that I knew I would have to exercise off later. Not to mention the steak, potatoes, eggs and fluffy pancakes! But hey, no one is counting calories here! The food, the energy, the service, all amazing! Life doesn't always allow you the comfort of company or a companion, however, that doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy the simple things. This is by far my last solo adventure. Stay tuned! I'm kinda in the mood for something spicy and delicious! If you are in the area check out Toast and Jam Cafe! I have always had a truly exceptional experience.
~AJ ☕️ The year was 1997, I was 24 years old and had recently moved to Atlanta Georgia. A friend asked about my dating life. Single at the time, I said well I prefer to date someone really old, like around 35. We are still laughing about that conversation to this day. Throughout the years as I have grown, learned lifes lessons, aged a bit, a few aches and pains here and there, I have a new level of appreciation for aging gracefully. It's not someting that you ever wonder about until you actually have to. Birthdays have always been very special to me. The planning of the birthday dinners, the gathering of close friends and family, the laughter and good cheer. It simply makes me happier and happier as the years continue to go by. I am officially a member of the 50 club! A half a century old. Wow! Does it feel different? No, it feels just the same as it did when I said the final goodbye to my 40's. I feel as young as I did all of those years ago when I proclaimed that anyone past the age of 35 was archaeic and old enough for me to date. Thankful for my evolution. This birthday was special. A milestone if you will. A coming of age and a firm grasp on what life is all about and what matters to me. Finally, I feel as though I have arrived into that magical space. And this arrival didn't magically happen when the clock struck midnight, this has been in the making for some time. There is no turning back. Full steam ahead and open to whatever this next chapter has in store for me. I wanted an intimate gathering with those I hold close to my heart and that's exactly what I got. The cake planning took on a life of it's own and it's safe to say I completely fell in love with it. It was as important as my outfit choice for the evening. Simply beautiful. Thankful to God for another year of blessings. His grace and mercy that continues to keep me and cover me is never taken for granted. This... is 50! ~AJ 🎂
He's your favorite new author and I can certainly see why. Writer of Urban Fiction and Urban Fantasy with a sprinkle of erotica for your reading pleasure. What I love most about authors who aren't afraid to write Erotica is the ability to release boundaries and allow the fantasies to take flight. When Synx is not writing, he is hosting his new podcast show, 'You're on The Mic W/Synx'. Show some love for this talented and amazing author and find out what makes him tick! ◆ How are you doing on this amazing day?
Just thankful, it has been rough the last few weeks. ◆ You are an author, writer, & the host of ‘You’re on the Mic w/Synx’ Podcast. Tell me more about your writing journey, your podcast, and how you got started. I started out writing back in elementary school. I even won a young authors contest one year. But of course, like most, by middle school I discovered reading books and writing wasn’t the coolest thing if you wanted to be in the in crowd. Like so many, I gave into peer pressure, and like that the nerd in me was dead. In 2019 one of my friends posted that they had just written a poetry book and was selling it on Amazon. I was astonished and if we weren’t really friends the conversation could have come off as condescending in how I was asking how he was able to do it. He explained the self-publishing process to me with Amazon and just like that the fire was reignited. Prior to that moment, I wrote small things here and there as a stress reliever or something to spark the mood with my wife, but nothing serious. After that conversation, I started writing my first book, which was a collection of erotic short stories, till this day I hate the book because it lacked everything a good book needed to have, from the structure of it to the format. But after that, things got better especially after I discovered the importance of having an editor. ◆ As a writer I have found that my creativity comes from everything around me. What inspires you to create the characters in your books? Music and life are my biggest muses. My book Power Circle: Family, Friends & Killas was based on the song Power Circle by Rick Ross and MMG. If I'm writing something that is more on the erotic side, I'm listening to R&B. Listening to music causes my mind to create a movie in my head then I try my best to translate that movie to paper. ◆ Black fantasy and urban fiction with a sprinkle of erotica. The world of erotica is often looked at with shrugged shoulders, however, it is one of the biggest sellers in books today. What do you like most about writing fantasy and erotica? I love fantasy because it literally has no limits to what you can do. If you want to write about a stripper who was murdered and came back to life with the powers of a phoenix, you can do it, and no one can say anything about it. Lol, as for erotica who doesn’t love sex? I try not to overdo it in my books, but sex is such a real part of life that if you try and omit it, you take a part of realism away from the story in my opinion. I could be wrong though lol. |
AuthorAJ is a creative writer and storyteller writing from her home in Indiana. Archives
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"This is how you do it; you sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it's done. It's that easy, and that hard." -Neil Gaiman
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