BiGDUG’s Post

Friends, today Little Brown publishes THE INCORRUPTIBLES, my book about the Lower East Side underworld of the early 1900s, and the efforts of vice crusaders to eradicate it. The book, which is also about where we come from, is dedicated to my sons, whose love helped bring it to completion. Early reviews have been amazing, and today's WSJ piece is a great intro to the story. If you read The Incorruptibles, please let me know what you think. 🙏 https://lnkd.in/e4nzG6ze

Have you checked out Blue Stoop's class offerings lately? We've added several new options, including "Unearthing your Digital Past," "Disability as Craft," and "Rice, Salt & Water" — an in-person class on poetry as a tool for resistance movements. Most classes are virtual and everything is $25-75, with financial aid available for those $75 classes. You can also save 10% on your entire purchase with the promo code COLLECTIVELIT https://lnkd.in/e2SNn5_N

Brené Brown speaks of the expectation to shun vulnerability, a false narrative that both women and men can perpetuate. As she says, ‘Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.’ As someone fully in tune and in love with his emotions, it often feels rather lonely. There I go again, talking about feelings—those things I’m supposed to pretend don’t exist. But what if we embraced vulnerability and connection instead of turning our backs on them? How might our relationships, leadership, and lives be different? Internal Family Systems (IFS) also highlights the healing power of embracing our vulnerabilities. By connecting with and understanding our inner parts, we can heal and lead more authentic lives. In my Fulfillment Coaching service, I help clients access and integrate these parts of themselves, fostering self-awareness and emotional resilience. If you’re ready to embrace your whole self and live more authentically, let’s connect and start this transformative journey together. #Vulnerability #Connection #EmotionalIntelligence #SelfAwareness #IFSInstitute #BreneBrown #Healing #Coaching

A great honor to get to know and work with DJ. Shared wisdom and potent collaborations with #credithuman on literacy and, social and financial justice projects. His clarity and purpose is a master class in beautiful humanity and flourishing, manifested in dedication/commitment to community and trust. Meaningful, necessary, change happens at the #SpeedofTrust https://lnkd.in/gBbZ4Fq5

This is a story straight out of #PrinceGeorgesCounty Reya Samuels is rich and she’s not afraid to show it—she wears designer clothes, drives a custom pink Audi, and lives in a well-to-do Bowie neighborhood tucked behind a fancy cast iron gate. She works hard, but she can get anything she wants with a snap. Sommer Watkins is from Seat Pleasant, where the cast iron gates are significantly smaller—and attached to the windows, where most folks are still trying to make ends meet. Every day for Sommer is a hustle, working at her dad’s bookstore, and using her art skills to scrounge up enough scholarship money for her dream school, Spelman. Reya and Sommer used to be BFFs—back when Reya lived in Seat Pleasant, too. Now the girls are from different stratospheres—but when Reya desperately needs help to prove to FIT admissions officers that she has what it takes to make it in fashion, the only person who can help is Sommer. Reya promises to help Sommer in return—she’ll pay her for her services, helping Sommer afford the school her parents can’t. As the girls work together, slowly they begin to trust each other again. But when new relationships test them both, and Sommer’s dad’s bookstore is suddenly in danger of closing, old wounds bubble up. Can the girls find a way to repair their friendship and stay true to themselves along the way? Preorders matter. They flag the publisher and booksellers, letting them know readers want this book. These are ways you can help PRETTY GIRL COUNTY gain visibility. LIKE, SHARE, REPOST. Call libraries and bookstores and request a copy. Add to Goodreads. and Pre order using the link below. On shelves July 1, 2025. #PrettyGirlCounty #prettygirlcountybook Pre Order Link here: https://amzn.to/3XRmWnV

Can you believe it's already that time of the year again!?⏰ - The #firstdayofschool will be here before you know it, and we're here to help you stay on budget with school shopping this year! 🫡✏️ - Don't forget about free resources like libraries, where you can borrow books, films, and many other educational resources essential for school as well! 📚📽️ #backtoschool #backtoschoolshopping #shoolsupplyshopping #backtoschool2024 #backtoschoolchecklist #shopsmart #backtoschoolshoppingtips #backtoschoolbudget #ffbkc

from knights to superheroes, the importance of comic books, and the necessity of a superhero in a child's life, I tried to talk about these things in my blog it would be a pleasure if you left me your opinion on the matter. https://lnkd.in/gj7dvXKY

I have made the decision to give up the profits and sell my children's books for $9.99. It's more important that children have the skills they need to prevent abuse. All I ask is that you please leave a review. The Touching Tale of Finn (S.T.O.P. Series: Safeguarding Tales of Protection #abuseprevention #childrensbooks #mentalhealthawareness #ai https://a.co/d/9GyO5M3

The start of Banned Books Week in the US is today going from Sept. 22 to 28. I thought I'd share an awesome map made by Little Free Library, PEN America, and the American Library Association, which shows areas hit hardest by book bans. As a born and raised Texan, it's disheartening to see that, as of Fall 2022, my state led the nation with 438 book bans—22.69% more than Florida, the second-highest, with 357 (PEN America, 2023). Many of these bans target books that explore critical themes like race, history, sexual orientation, and gender. This kind of censorship is undemocratic and a direct threat to free expression, aiming to restrict access to diverse stories and perspectives. This week, I encourage everyone to explore the map, find a Little Free Library near you, and consider purchasing a banned book to place inside. Together, we can foster inclusivity, support free access to information, and ensure that these important stories continue to reach readers. https://lnkd.in/ejcUXaM8?

RUINS OF ELFRY Book 1 THE MISSING TOMB Story: John Bradford Ch. 2 Hero Cent Harth only found two clues in the story. Once was a brief mention of scrolls, and another about wands. Harth proceeded to find books on those and there was no shortage. Scrolls were simple one time use spells, and wands were for repetition. Harth was getting excited and read further. Parchments mattered, and ink mattered. Dragon ink was emphasized as a huge catalyst. Different materials changed magic affinity. For now Harth wanted to melt the ice keeping him prisoner. Harth first attempted to melt the door by making a fire scroll. He seemed impressed with it when it both ignited and produced a fireball as taught in one of the books. The only problem was that whenever the fireball hit the ice wall it didn’t melt a single fleck of ice and proceeded to fly back into the scroll. Upon further reading Harth learned that a higher tiered spell could give the illusion of no effect. The ice wall was simply more advanced. And in order to melt it Harth must cast a spell of equal or greater power.