SCOUTABOUT

A NIGHT OF POETRY AND JAZZ

2012-01-19T20:17:00.000-08:00

FINALLY!

MY DEBUT CD A NIGHT OF POETRY AND JAZZ IS AVAILABLE AT AMAZON.COM.

I'm celebrating and I'm thankful, blessed to have such an attentive audience.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2012-01-02T18:28:00.000-08:00

We made it!

It is my prayer that 2012 will bring promise of prosperity, or at least take the bite out of surviving for many people.

My recent booksignings cleaned me out of books. I'm currently refreshing my supply so I can hit the road again soon. I'm on hiatus for the moment working on some ideas....

I have to always acknowledge the incredible support and encouragement from you. I do not take it for granted. As I encourage others, let it be understood you all encourage me as well.
Feel free to drop a line as always. I'll try to keep you updated on events and releases.
Take care everyone and thanks for the love!

Holiday Discount

2011-11-29T18:48:00.000-08:00

I have a coupon for you!
25% off on the following books;

Let Me Tell You What Mama Said
Mood Swings
Midnight Alley

and my latest book
I Shall Not Want

available at lulu.com
Go to Shop for Books-lulu.com
Coupon Code: BUYMYBOOK305
Coupon expires December 14, 2011$50 Max Savings

Holiday Schedule

2011-11-29T12:13:00.000-08:00

Sorry I'm late with keeping you updated with events for the holiday. It's been really busy lately. Here is a run down of where I'll be;

Thursday December 1
Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz
Broad and Fitzwater
starts 7 pm
I will be among a panel of artists.

Saturday December 10
4-6 pm
Private book Signing in Wynnefield.
If you're interested, call me for details 215-924-2959

Thursday December 15
Wired Beans Cafe
6:30-9 pm
6736 Germantown Avenue (at Pelham Road)
I'll be feature after open mic segment

Hope to see you around!

I Shall Not Want

2011-11-11T08:29:00.001-08:00

I SHALL NOT WANT
Through brutal storms and looming uncertainty, Terri walked a drk mile of caring for not one, but both parents plagued with dementia, blindness and congestive heart failure. While balancing her literary creer and enduring an increasingly insane work enviornment, she made hard deciions from strong convictions of love and loyalty. her despair strengthened her resolve to follow her conscience deeply rooted in her faith and ancestry. Walk a mile in the shoes of an only child who transcended through heatbreak and grief and who spoke truth to power. She is a living testament of grace and dignity and she defined her own success.

It's Done!!! I Shall Not Want is available at
Shop for Books-Lulu or follow this link,

http://www.lulu.com/browse/books/7

I will have some copies soon. I'm working on arranging a booksigning before the Christmas holiday.
In the mean time I hope you enjoy and keep the emails coming. I love talking with you.

Book Release Update

2011-10-21T18:11:00.001-07:00

Sorry Folks,
My latest book, 'I Shall Not Want' will NOT be available until around the Thanksgiving holiday.

My CD will be available. I have a wonderful graphic artist who created the cover for my book and CD. She's absolutely wonderful.

Stop by the Clef Club this Thurs Oct 27, 7 pm if you can. I'll be center stage for a minute and would love to see you.

Thanks for the emails and wonderful comments. Your support means everything to me.
Until next time....

2011-10-12T21:39:00.000-07:00

Well folks...I finally got it done.

My fifth book I Shall Not Want

It is currently under editing, but I hope to have a few copies ready by October 29, 2011, the day of my booksigning. it will be from4-6 pm at The Wired beans Cafe located 6736 Germantown Avenue (Pelham Road)

Like poetry? Like jazz? I combined the two in my debut CD;

A Night of Poetry and Jazz.

I haven't gotten to mass production yet, been so busy with other things, but I have some demos which will also be available at the book signing.

I hope to see you there.

Tweet Tweet

2011-09-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

A sweet tweeter reminded me I did Not mention my website...sorry for the oversight

www.nightowl5869.net

There are videos to enjoy and my books are available on Amazon.
Thank you for reminding me.

Book Signing at Wired Bean Cafe

2011-09-07T19:36:00.000-07:00

A Night of Poetry with Terri

Mark your calenders!!

Saturday October 29, 2011 I will have a session of storytelling and poetry. All of my books will be available.

If all goes well my newest book, I Shall Not Want will be released.

Booksigning will take place at;

Wired Beans Cafe

6736 Germantown Avenue (at Pelham Road)

4-6 pm

I hope to see you there. I'll have some old relics for a taste of tangible history.

Wired Beans Cafe is a wonderful place to eat, meet and greet. I hope you'll stop by to check it out and enjoy the best pasteries this side of town. Until we meet...be peaceful.

Queenan Family Reunion

2011-08-21T17:08:00.000-07:00

Greetings Queenan Family!
I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful reception at your family reunion Friday in West Chester! I was pleased to share your heritage with you and I'm still recovering from the overwhelming response. I apologize again for running out of Mama Said books, but as I said I will get them to you ASAP. I'll wait a little until everyone returns home and has a chance to rest.
Also, Let Me Tell You What Mama Said is now an eBook at lulu.com
So what the storm blew the lights out! We had us a good time!!!
Safe trip for everyone hitting the road soon.

I have the master of my CD. Still working on the cover etc. Anyone interested in Demos, let me know. I have a limited supply.

My fifth book, I Shall Not Want willl be out in the fall. Stay tuned...

People have been asking me about having a book signing soon. I'm looking at sometime in October at the Wired Bean Cafe GTown Ave at Pelham Road, Philadelphia. The date will be determined soon.
So much love success and support has really taken me away. I praise you all and thank you for your encouragement. I wouldn't have made it without you. Keep the phone calls coming. I'm done for August, but I have some opening from September through the holidays if you care to have me for an event. Until next time, stay strong and keep peace in your heart.

Completed my First CD

2011-08-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

Yes, Finally!

I just completed my first CD; A Night of Poetry and Jazz with Terri

I have spent countless nights creating the track to match the poems, but I finally did it. It wouldn't have been possible without my sound engineer and musician, neighbor and friend Georgie 'Blacksmith' Bonds.

I only have the master and cover template. I still have the process of mass production. It should be ready for you all by the end of August for about ten dollars each (hopefully).

I already have a backlog of one hundred orders! Can't thank you all enough for your support and encouragement.

Peace and love

2011-07-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

Take it from the Top is now an eBook. Available at Xlibris Online Bookstore!

Hey People!

Yeah, I know it's HOT!! We're all grease spots!!

I want to thank the congregation at Zion Hill Church of God in Christ for the privledge of speaking on Youth Night. If I can touch one child, I'm satisfied.

Still working on getting my first CD done. Some of you want to know when it will be ready for sale. I'm in the middle of completing copyright permission for using the music set to verse. I hope that the CD will be done in August and ready for sale in September.

In the meantime I've completed my first draft of Let Me Tell You What Mama Said. That means it'll be rewritten at least two or three times before it's ready to launch. Another five years should do it!

I have a few dates still available for bookings. Family reunions, birthday, clubs and organization or any other event. I'm just an email away.
Take care and keep cool

Let Me Tell You What Mama Said in iBookstore

2011-06-14T21:12:00.000-07:00

That's right folks!
My first book, Let Me Tell You What Mama Said is now available to every iPad,iPod, Podtouch and phone through Apple and iBookstore.

Take it from the Top, Mama Said sequel will be released on eBook soon as well. Meanwhile I'm busy finishing up my first draft of Mama Said as a screenplay, but I will stop by the Wired Beans cafe located Gtown Ave and Pelham Road Weds 7-9 pm. I will make a brief appearance at the Crossroads Cafe on Ridge Avenue in Roxborough Saturday June 18 (after a tour of the West Oak Lane Jazz Fest) about 8 pm. Hope to see you someplace at sometime. I thank all of those who have sent such encouraging notes. I hope that my work will continue to entertain and enlighten!
Until next time....

BWEA

2011-06-06T19:40:00.001-07:00

I had a wonderful time with the Black Women's Educational Alliance fashion show/ scholarship event which took place at the North Hills Country Club Sunday, June 5.

In the company of intelligence and class, I truly felt inspired and encouraged.
I just want to thank the alliance for allowing me to be a part of their extravaganza and look foward to participating in future events. Much love ladies.
Still working on my first stab at turning Mama Said into a screenplay. I have a little more than one month to get my first draft complete. I'm almost done, but still have to do rewrite and edit.
In the mean time, I'll stroll down to Ogontz Avenue for the Jazz Festival. I hope to see you all there. Maybe we'll bump into one another inspite of the crowd and share a moment. Much thanks to everyone who have made my journey nothing less than fulfilling. Please keep the feedback coming. I enjoy reading it!
Until next time.....

Take it from the Top

2011-05-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

Greetings people!

My book, Take it from the Top is featured in the National Association of Professional Women. Just go to napw.com and look under authors to take a view.

I make casual strolls through the Wired Beans Cafe, located Gtown Avenue and pelham Road on Weds. nights. There is always a lively crowd filled with excitement and talent.
I'm taking dips of hibernation to complete my first attempt at writing a screen play! Yea, under the guidance of Art Sanctuary, I'm writing Let Me Tell You What Mama Said a a screen play! In addition there are two other manuscripts percolating.
Much love and thanks to you all who have supported me through the good and bad times. I wouldn't have made it without you. Until next time....

Books Now Available at Temple U

2011-03-04T23:28:00.000-08:00

That's right folks!!
My books have been cataloged in the library of Charles Blockson Collection of African History in Sullivan Hall at Temple U.
They are also available at the Big Blue Marble Book Store located in West Mount Airy, 551 W Carpenter Lane. 215-884-1870.

Reading at Big Blue Marble Bookstore

2011-02-22T20:23:00.000-08:00

Greetings everyone,
I want to first thank those of you who supported me during my time of profound grief. I did everything I could to ake care of my parents. It leaves me with peace and it is well with my soul.
I'm getting out into the world again.
I will be appearing at the
Big Blue Marble Bookstore
551 W Carpenter Lane on March 5, 2011 at 3pm.
I do hope that you will be able to join me and have a few laughs and hopefully some serious thought to our world around us.
I'd love to see my old fans and meet my new ones. This has been a blessed journey.

With Profound Sorrow

2010-10-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

I didn't make it to the Platinum Grille as I had hoped. I lost my mother Tuesday October 19 almost 7 months to the day of my father's passing. Her Going Home Celebration was yesterday. I'm in profound grief as you can imagine.
I'll reconnect as soon as I'm able.

2010-10-17T22:13:00.000-07:00

Hey people!
I returned from Indiana a few days ago for the Black Essence Awards. I didn't win, but I am in the BEA nomination Hall of Fame.
My husband drove and my mother came along too. I was our first midwest trip. Such beauty. It was a wonderful experience, but I gotta say, it made me realize that I am an East Coast city girl!

To those of you I met at the Black Writer's Guild in Bmore..Love ya!
Baltimore is hot!
I really enjoyed talking with every one of you. Thanks for the support and glorious energy that surrounded me.

Sunday October 24 I'll be at the Platinum Grille in Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia. It's a birthday celebration for a fantastic musician Tony Day. I'll be there for some Spoken Word. I sure hope to see you there!

Fall is Coming!

2010-08-07T22:14:00.001-07:00

Black Writers' Guild

2010-08-07T22:11:00.000-07:00

I'll be at the Black Writers' Guild in Baltimore, Maryland
Saturday September 25 from 4-8 pm.

It is a wonderful place filled with lots of literary activites and and Bmore excitement. Make a day of it; view the harbor and have good seafood.
hope to see you there!

2010-08-07T22:04:00.000-07:00

Hey people!
I've been nominated for the Seventh Annual Black Essence Award!
I'll be in South Bend, Indiana Saturday October 9, 2010.

I'll be at the Platinum Grille in Chestnut Hill Villiage in Philadelphia
Saturday October 24 from 5-9 pm.

Come on out! I'd love to see you

Midnight Alley Released

2010-07-06T13:16:00.000-07:00

TOO HOT!!!!!
But I still managed to get my book out. Yea Midnight Alley is OUT!!
It takes a few weeks for it to get to Amazon, but it is available on lulu.com

You can also get it directly from me.
My new video, Anthology has great reviews so far. I think it's because I'm featuring myself for the first time.
Wanna see?
go to You Tube and under channels enter nightowl5869. There it will be with my other videos.
I'll be a vendor at the
African American Museum on
Sunday July 25 from 7- midnight.
I'd love to see you!
Stay cool everybody and please, check on the ones you love.

2010-06-17T22:45:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks
I've been hibernating for a time taking care of mom and burning the midnight oil getting my book done. Midnight Alley will be here soon and it is sure to be my hottest work yet.

I can't help it; got to share this
I'm am indulging in a subversive joy as Dr. Cornel West puts it, to see CEO's catching hell. Their years of power and 'make it faster, make it cheaper' has finally caught up. the blood behind mega profits on the backs of workers living with stagnant wages that afforded them six and seven figure salaries and bonuses have come home to roost! The spin doctors won't work this time!
I'm saddened and pissed when I see helpless wild life suffer, but maybe this is what it takes to turn justice into power that is long overdue. If we can just ban CEO's! Imagine the possibilites!
Stay cool everyone.

2010-05-08T21:43:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to the Sewells of Serenity in Glenside! I appreciate your support and enthusiasm. I look foward to future events and progressive communion.

To my chemical commrades:
Thank you for your comments and good wishes. I'm in the middle of several projects and so far everything is working well. I will do my best to keep you up with events within the next few months and hopefully I'll get to see you.

To my Literary Lovers,
I'll see you at the Black Writers' Conference at Temple U.
I want to throw back every ounce of love and inspiration I have received.
It really makes life worth living!
Best to all

2010-04-28T18:07:00.000-07:00

A few people have asked me about my videos because they couldn't get to them on my website.
Perhaps technical difficulties. I'll check it out
In the mean time, go to YouTube and enter nightowl5869 under channel search.
There should be three videos (The fourth one in a few months)
I hope you'll be able to enjoy them.
Peace and love

2010-04-07T21:11:00.000-07:00

Greetings everyone,
So sorry I haven't kept you up to date. Both of my parents have been ill and on March 21 I lost my father.

Through my dark valley I found peace of mind knowing I did all I could and now the suffering has ended. My mother is recovering and I'm so glad I'm by her side to care for her.

On a brighter note, my fourth coming book Midnight Alley will be under editing very shortly and hopefully be ready for release by summer.

Thank you for those who have been enjoying Take it From the Top. It is available on Amazon.com and terrilyonsbooks.com
Go to my You Tube channel, nightowl5869 to enjoy the video.

I will be at Serenity on Easton Road in Glenside PA. on Saturday May 8 as a part of Mothers' Day celebration. I hope to see you there.
Until next time.....

2009-12-30T18:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays everyone!!
I hope you're full of love food and other treats on the side.
I didn't have time to post my radio interview. I was running my mouth on
http://blogtalkradio.com/authorspeak
Sunday December 27. You can go there and check the archive.

Saturday January 9, 2010, from 1-3 pm I'll be at Serenity located 140 S. Easton Road in Glenside PA. Their phone is 215.884.4342
Come and join me for a few.

Martin Luther King High School Class of 1979

2009-12-03T19:29:00.000-08:00

My 30 year reunion was off the chain! So many memories and good times. I had the honor to address the class. The respone was a little overwhelming and upon numerous requests, I posted the speech. I want all to enjoy and inspire, really inspire yourself and others to make the future the best ever.
Thank you class, I love you back

To the Class of 1979 Martin Luther King High School Philadelphia PA

The 6100 block of Stenton Avenue was a row of homes with an Irish pub on the corner until about 1969. The homes were demolished and the ground was broken for the creation of a new high school and was to be named after the recently assassinated civil rights leader. Originally it was to help with the overcrowding of nearby Germantown high school. When it opened, about 1971, it only had 9th and 10th grades.

By 1975 Gerald Ford was President and it was the end of the Vietnam War at the dawn of our high school years. Graham Central Station’s The Jam hit the charts and Cooley High was the favorite movie. We thought K.C. and the Sunshine Band were black and basement parties weren’t complete without black lights.

Our state of the art school was divided into houses; had six lunchroom and 4 gyms, a balcony in the auditorium had yet to have a senior class.
And by 1976 a phenomenal talent, Pieces of a Dream was born in the music suite of our school. We survived Somerville and Haines Street gangs. We enjoyed block parties with the living talents of Fillmore West, Composite Truth, Brutus and Breakwater.

In the fall 1978 U.S. postage stamps were fifteen cents each, Bobby Caldwell What you won’t do for Love captured the airwaves.
The intellectually affluent were members of AFTNA, preparing for the SAT’s and proudly took their seat in the star class while the rest of us looked forward to getting out of school.

We were proud when Gov Schapp came to our school to make Dr King’s birthday a STATE holiday.
What pride we had when the mural in the main hallway was complete.
We came of age during the end of the Revolutionary Movement. We wore a proud Natural; Jordache jeans; brushed denim with nail heads black leather boots.
We threw our caps in joy and relief at the Convention Center and so glad to be grown, we took on The Impulse and Kim Graves
Shaking our behind at Whispers, and Salsa
We may have taken a step up to the stratum of Club Élan at the Warwick or Senilation in Valley Forge.

The 80s was the first decade our early adulthood included the last days of the Marriott on City Ave and the liberal era. But the decade of firsts may have included;
Maybe it was your first time away from home or perhaps you joined the military.
It was our first VCR; the VHS Beta Max war and maybe our first peek at Home Box Office and Prism.

Our first real job
Our first child
Our first car
Our first walk down the nuptial isle
Our first home

And learning what it took to keep it all together may have made us look at those who cared for us with different eyes.
Our worlds took a heavy blow with the onset of epidemics; Crack and AIDS
It took some time to figure what out it was.
The world told us it belonged only to people of color.
It set the tone to socialize in a disconnected manner.

Thanks to the Civil Rights Movement and The Revolution that followed, what were overt acts of discriminatory behavior became modulated in modern eighties.
What used to be collective issues of the 60s and 70s collapsed into individual problems that were banned from public discourse. A heavy silence of disapproval clouded honest interaction. Profound ignorance was made acceptable because it was politically correct.

Subliminal realities of the adult world became familiar causing people of color to understand the dominant force sometime better than they understood themselves.

We were told to assimilate into a sometimes hostile mainstream and ignore the insult of being tolerated which allowed other people’s preferences, priorities and perspectives override our own and we were gradually becoming an extension of a life that was assigned to us by others.
Our personal decisions became an act of congress and vulnerable to public opinion.

It seemed that by the time the 90s rolled around there was a severe conservative shift that took away almost everything we had;
Childhood is commercialized and our values became institutionalized.
The concept of entertainment changed.
Our social concerns were depoliticized and reduced to mockery.
The art of conversation repressed
Critical thought discouraged
Dissonance not tolerated

Learned ignorance acquired mandatory consent lending us to the intrusion of medicine and experts to help us.
These Helpful entities are sometimes dangerous evils with beautiful smiles and colorful pamphlets with suggestions and ideas on
What to like; what to do, what to cook, how to cook it, when to eat it and how much
That almost totally wiped out what we used to know—what used to belong in our familial domain.

This new age of technology has created a boring populace filled with isolation, despair virtual realities, and frivolous pastime leaving a feeling of having no control over one’s lives much less the ability to make a significant change.

I have felt the effects of the center of power, political and corporate, and the decision they made on my life. It is an oppressive cloud that’s indirect, subtle and elusive;
It’s retractable, that makes it easier to shift blame and deficiencies to the targets rather than the purveyors.

But…

There is something about the mid thirties that changes life.
My mother used to say you’re not a good woman until you’re 35 and not a good man until you’re 40.
It was just about that time that I looked at the world as I saw it, from the outside in and thought to myself
NO.
A strong reflective spirit grew inside of me, a renaissance if you will, and gave me an insatiable appetite for the past. Not to live in the past, but reaffirm the wisdom of the past and to learn the stories as they occurred not as they are reported.
I turned the television off and talked to my elders. I opened books penned by the greats;
James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison, Langston Hughes
I changed the company I kept by surrounding my self with thinkers and doers or just embraced my solitude to think and develop.

I resisted the powers that insist on keeping me locked into a world of people who lack exposure. I’m not talking about education, I’m talking exposure.

I began to think teach and learn only this time it was on my terms. It brought back the substance and stimulation that I took for granted in my high school years. That light and energy bring hope and inspiration to others.

Being an alumni of King high school, I must conclude in the spirit of Dr King;
What was his dream?
Meaningful Civil Rights Laws
Massive federal works program
Full and fair employment
Decent Housing
Right to vote
Adequate integrated education

Because he wanted these things for ALL people;
He was a hated man. He was hated by so many whites and shunned by so many blacks. He was expelled from the national Baptist Convention. He was a man who went against the grain. He irritated Status quo. He was not well adjusted to maladjustment; that maladjusted consciousness that challenged state laws and unjust beliefs.
When we reduce Dr. King to a non-violent man with a dream, we take away the edge of his struggle.
Where is our maladjusted consciousness? Can we answer the question what does it mean to be human in a democratic republic? Not as a worker, not as a consumer, not even as a citizen.

I’m suggesting that beginning the second half of our lives, we can all be some kind of inspiration to others. Many of our classmates are no longer with us. Be we are still here. Our work is not done. There is something in every one of us that has yet to be born that can touch another soul and rejuvenate our own. We have the power to renew
We’ve been knocked down before, we’ve had to overcome obstacles before and we can do it again if we do not allow our confidence to be taken away.

To the Class of 79, keep on climbing, keep on shining and remember;

The last word has not been spoken.

2009-11-02T18:22:00.000-08:00

Finally!!

I will be back at Cafe Tea on Friday, November 20,2009. It's located

9 N. Main Street. in Ambler PA.

I heard you;

309 north to Ambler Highland Ave exit.

Make a left turn onto Highland Avenue

make a right turn onto Bethlehem Pike.

About a mile or so turn left onto Butler Avenue. (Narrow small town street)

Continue on Butler turn right at Main Street.

Cafe Tea is on the right.

You can always contact me to make sure.

I really hope you can come. It'll be a great night.

2009-10-24T21:40:00.000-07:00

Hey people!
I hope all is well with everyone. I want to thank those I may not have met for their support of my third release Take It From the Top.
It is now available on Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com

I'll be at Cafe Tea in Ambler soon, but my direction has changed a little to internet radio. Yea, I'm trying something new again!

I've been on blogtalkradio for black business builders. It is a network radio where everyone can speak up about their business or listen in if seeking business service of just about any kind.
Okay, I'll be hosting a show, don't know when yet, but I'll for sure let you know when details are complete.
My fourth book In the Alley After Midnight may be due for release after the New Year. It's poetry for night people. Day folks must be tucked in their beds unless ears and minds are free enough to handle it!
Until next time
stay cool,
Terri

2009-09-20T17:45:00.001-07:00

Hey people,
It's been a long time. I've been trying to get some bookings for book signings, but it hasn't been easy. Some of my old haunts, thanks to economics, are gone.
I'll be at Art Noir for sure soon. I have to get a final on the date. In the mean time I've been enjoying my 30 year high school reunion with classmates. I'm the proud alumni of Martin Luther King High School,79. We were the last of the old school and the third graduating class.

My new book Take it From the Top can be viewed on www.terrilyonsbooks.com if you care to take a peek. If you would like me to join you with a book reading or signing, feel free to let me know at terrilyons66@yahoo.com
I'm plugging away on new projects and I hope to see all of my supporters really soon.
Stay cool,
Terri

2009-08-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

My sweet cousin Valerie at our Aunt Suzanne's Wedding August 9, 2009.

We turned it out together at the West Oak lane Jazz Fest back in June. WAR and AWB!!

Love yuh baby!!

2009-08-09T12:26:00.000-07:00

Thanks everybody for the love!!
You have been so encouraging to me.
It is so refreshing to teach and learn; to love and reap strength from one another.
One person at a time we can reach out to one another and enlighten each one that crosses our path.

terrilyonsbooks.com is up and running for Take it from the Top.
You will hear a lot more about it this coming fall.
I'll be more than happy to personally sign your book.
We can meet at Art Noir on Ogontz Avenue, The Black Olive at Gtown and Mt Airy Ave.

To my cousin Valerie,
I'll get your picture up really soon, I promise!!!