Speaking Me
Compiled By Pam Osbey
ISBN: 0975266241
Osbey Books, Inc.
Reviewed By Gloria Ferris
Official Apex Reviews Rating: 
Speaking Me
is an interesting collection of poetry and short fiction by young
writers between the ages of 12 and 18. Compiled by Pam Osbey, Founder
of Osbey Books, Inc., the opus serves as a metaphorical microphone to
amplify the concerns that typically accompany teen angst. Touching on
such issues as domestic violence, child abuse, and – naturally – love,
the tone of Speaking Me alternates between wistful innocence and fervent passion, leaving little room for tepid middle ground.
Most
impressive about the tome is the surprising power of the
politically-charged pieces peppered throughout. Defying the ages-old
stereotype of disaffected youth, Speaking Me packs quite a few polemic
punches regarding the "The System" and all its various flaws. Consider
this passage from "Dear Mr. President", written by Zakiya Zemmott:
"textbooks teach you and [sic] youth
that the enemy is at the bodega
as dominicans and colombians
when in all actuality the drugdealers [sic] hide behind suits
as democrats and republicans
dear mr president my truth cant be silenced or blinded
I'll carry my voice on high and seek the revolution"
And this passage from "Red Black Green" by Gabriel Tyler:
"We reppin that red Black green
That Black history
That African ancestry
The skin trapped in ebony
The rigid chains that bond us to past tense slavery
To our ancestors who tussled endlessly sacrificing their lives…
They created, defined, and illustrated, greatness
So we cannot comply with anything less than great
So we refuse to be labeled by stereotypes"
To ignore the heartfelt passion of pieces such as these would be remiss.
One
drawback to the anthology is the sporadic lack of comprehensive
editing. The use of creative dialect notwithstanding, more editorial
attention could have been paid to numerous pieces with obvious
grammatical errors. Such errors often interrupt the flow of the pieces,
dampening the forcefulness of their delivery.
Nonetheless, Speaking Me
is a compelling read with insightful jewels of unfiltered wisdom. For a
raw, unleavened slice of Young America, pick up a copy and read at your
own discretion.
Official Apex Reviews Interview: Pam Osbey (Speaking Me)
Apex Reviews: Pam, thanks for joining us for this interview. We're looking forward to learning more about your book.
Where did you get the inspiration to create Speaking Me?
Pam Osbey: Working with youth in the Chicago Public Schools as an Literary Educator who teaches ages K-12 pretty much laid the foundation for this work. I wanted to provide a platform where teens could speak their mind without getting any repercussions for their voices or their individuality. I have been working with youth in the schools as an Educator since 2001 and have heard a lot of young writers complain that there is no platform for them to publish their work. I wanted to give them a chance to put their voices out there in a way that would be very diverse, yet compelling.
AR: What was your experience like in bringing the anthology to the light of day?
PO: Bringing this project to the light of day in a time period where some teens are getting hurt or hurt others really reminded me of how a project like this needs to be there for the youth. My work with youth and discussions with youth remind me how there is a lot of young people concerned about issues but because they are young, they do not get the opportunity to speak about the issues. They always complain that adults focus on the music they listen to, or the clothes they wear as the only focus, when in reality, a lot of young people are concerned about their world beyond material or popular focuses. Many of the young people tell me there thoughts normally get dismissed by adults who treat them like 'little kids' who have no deep thoughts of the world around them, and that isn't the truth. As you can tell with this collection, they really have a lot going underneath the surface. In terms of the production of this book, it was challenging to pull together the youth, get funding for the project, gather up volunteers to read and review the work, and juggle my other responsibilities with Osbey Books, Inc.
AR: Was it difficult to assemble contributing writers from such varied locations as New York, California, and Chicago?
PO: It was quite simple. When I started the process, I used online venues such as Myspace, e-mail listservs, and networking with social service organizations and community centers to get the word out. This was a grass roots effort that required a lot of internet based work to promote the submission process. I was very happy with the response from the organizations and schools. The surprising part of the process was having young readers rate the submissions along with adult volunteers. I wanted inclusion from the youth from the start. I purposely targeted different cities to make sure I could include many voices, not just in Chicago, but nationally. This would make for a more balanced view of the world through their eyes.
AR: Were the writers given specific guidelines to follow, or did they have carte blanche in the topics they tackled?
PO: There was no specific guideline. My approach with the topics was to have young writers focus on their world. I didn't want cookie cutter poetry or short stories. I wanted reality to be a huge part of the submission process. I wanted them to be real, raw, and I selected work that had an edge to it. I wanted unique approaches to their teen angst or lives, so that they could be in control of what they wanted to speak to. The project is called Speaking Me for a reason. I really didn't want to make them write on a specific topic. I wanted them to have as much creative freedom as I've received as a writer in my own books and projects. I think the approach allowed them to really open up and be real as possible.
AR: How long did it take to finally publish the book?
PO: The book process took over a year from start to finish. The submission process took about 4 months, with 3 months of trying to get paperwork completed by parents, and gathering copyrights, along with production of the book. In the middle of the process, the project received funding from the CAAP grant, sponsored by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.
AR: What have been some of the reactions to it?
PO: One of my adult volunteers received her book and let her nephew read it. He has not given her back the book. He has a great reaction to the poem, "Red Black Green" by Gabriel C. Tyler. A lot of young readers (girls specifically) love the short story by Erika Dickerson, and several teens have different reactions to all of the poems. I have received book reviews 4 out of 5, and 5 out of 5 by different book clubs, and teen readers. The content of the book has been the strong point, and the improvement of the book will be for the re-editing of the book which is in progress currently. Mainly a lot of adults and young readers really love the book. I've been extremely happy with the responses thus far.
AR: Have you had success getting the book into bookstores & libraries for greater exposure?
PO: Currently, Osbey Books, Inc. is in the process of utilizing distribution by Baker and Taylor. A marketing plan that includes book signings, and marketing specifically through libraries and schools is our primary focus. The book will be highlighted at Barnes and Nobles, Waldenbooks, and other stores this year. We will be exhibiting the title at several book fairs including the Chicago Printers Row Book Fair and the Harlem Book Fair. Currently in Chicago the title will be in the DA Book Joint, Azizi Books, and other stores.
AR: Please share more about Osbey Books for our readers.
PO: Osbey Books, Inc., is a small publishing press from Chicago. We work primarily with aspiring writers, providing mentoring, book coaching and publishing of niche titles such as poetry books, non fiction and fiction titles.
AR: What's next on your agenda?
PO: Osbey Books, Inc. will be focusing on upcoming anthologies submissions for Speaking Me, Volumes 2, 3 and 4. Volume 2 will reach young writers ages 5 - 10 years old. Volume 2 is a Christian Teen Anthology and Volume 4, will highlight the work of incarcerated young people between the ages of 20 and 45. Our next published title for O.B.I, is called "Collections of a See Through Soul Portraits" by poet, Onika Pascale which will be released in April 2008. Other upcoming titles include "Eroticies" by Mocha Sistah and a Non fiction title called "A Teacher's Guide to Poetry Writing" will be released in Fall 2008.
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share?
PO: Osbey Books, Inc. would like to thank the reviewer of the book, Gloria Ferris, and Apex for reviewing the book. I think the bulk of the success of this project is the wonderful voices that cannot be denied. I thank you for the opportunity for our niche title to be shared to your reading audience.
AR: Thanks again, Pam, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!