THE SOUL OF A MAN: A TRIUMPH OF MY SOUL ANTHOLOGY
ISBN: 978-0-9819631-3-6
GENRES: Anthologies, Inspirational
BLURB
What lies in the souls of men? Elissa Gabrielle posed the question and these
powerful men stepped up to the plate to reveal their hearts, souls and minds.
Bold, inspiring and fiery stories by some of the most prolific, strong and sensational
male voices today!
In continuation of the Triumph series, the second book, The Soul of a Man: A
Triumph of My Soul Anthology, features these brilliant men;
Joe Thomas, Jihad, William Fredrick Cooper, Alvin C. Romer, Marc Lacy, Maurice
M. Gray, Jr., Brian Ganges, Jarold Imes, K.L. Belvin, Joey Pinkney, Thomas Ashburn,
Jr., Baba Simba Mollock
Tyrell Floyd and Eddrick Dejaun.
“An electrical surge into the elicit minds of some of
the most powerful male voices in literature... The SOUL OF A MAN from Elissa
Gabrielle's Triumph of My Soul Series lures readers into the eye of HIS storm
with THOUGHT PROVOKING and COMPELLING RAW ENERGY that embodies the essence of
today's black man, his INNER CONVICTIONS, SELF-IMAGE & MORALITY! A MUST
READ on its way to NUMBER ONE!”
~Heather Covington
CEO/ Founder of DisilgoldSOUL Literary Review Magazine
and President of YGA AWARDS
EXCERPT
No Regrets by William Fredrick Cooper
When asked to contribute a story to The Soul Of A Man Anthology,
I thought of a defining period of my life that forged resiliency, resolve and
character-building fortitude. In spite of all the drama, emotional catastrophes
and tragic events transpiring throughout the world; despite joyful and wondrous
events like watching my daughter grow and where my present endeavors reside,
my mind kept wandering back to you.
Why, you ask? It’s because your entrance into my world
on February 6, 1987 had a profound impact on me that continue to affect, to
the very day. Don’t worry though, I bear no ill feelings, have no regrets,
harbor no resentment, nor do I still feel pangs of unrequited love. My friend
and first love, you assisted greatly in transforming me into the man I am today,
a man I’m very proud to be.
My evolution started with a chance meeting that mid-winter
Friday evening. When our eyes first connected at the Copacobana nightclub, my
soul - down to the marrow of my bones- thought you were the one for me, my eternal
soul mate. Upon closer inspection, however, I found that you had a different
agenda, one contrary to mine.
You see, your heart belonged to another.
So why didn’t I take off running in the opposite direction?
Often times when low self-esteem works in union with falling in love, the intelligence
and reasoning of a young man can be non-existent. My heart, tender, foolish
and desperate to escape a world of weird dating practices and painful outcomes,
nevertheless urged me to follow it. A curious look in your eyes encouraged the
same.
Venturing into murky waters of emotional vulnerability and
insecurity, where was I going with this? Secret rendezvous, long talks on the
phone, passionate love letters sealed with heartfelt kisses. Where would it
all end? Would it end?
Once all lessons of self-worth were understood and embraced,
only then would the process be complete. That revelation came years later. How,
then, could I see the finish line when my heart was shattering every time you
appeared late for dates, or sometimes not at all? How could I recognize the
value of that message while battling insomnia whenever thoughts of another inside
a secret garden I fantasized about tormented my nights? How could I see through
the pain while enduring accusations of crack addiction by my mother because
of sudden weight loss; while being called a homosexual by co-workers because
of my loyalty to you; while warring with feelings of despondency when attempting
to remove myself from this increasingly unhealthy situation? Frustration found
a brewing place in my soul as I drowned in nocturnal sorrows, pining, craving
for something just beyond my reach -YOU.
