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Kola

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Posted on Friday, May 09, 2003 - 08:01 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Troy...you asked me to give tips about this and I've come up with a twist.

First of all, I honestly DO NOT KNOW how I manage to get so much constant and free publicity. Professor Derrick Bell, who I've adopted as my grandfather, has said to my astonishment..."Kola, even the biggest authors in the business would kill for the kind of publicity you get."

A very high profile WHITE male author actually spent two weeks trying to track me down just to ask me, "Kola--who in the hell is your press agent?"

I don't have one.

What I think we should do, Troy...is let others tell why THEY THINK I have gotten so much publicity. I believe in their brutal frankness, the truth might start to add up. Which I am not against.

Obviously, I am an outspoken woman with very large natural bare breasts and an "exotic" quality that I milk for everything it's worth...but still...one doesn't get named by world leaders (such as Isreal's Netanyahu) as "One of the ten women he most admires on the planet" for nothing. The Dinka people of South Sudan have nicknamed me "Queen Kola". I am not a Dinka. I am a Northerner and a former Muslim. So this is MAJOR love being shown.

That comes from having very passionate investments in very important and serious issues.

As Thumper pointed out--I have no product in the stores. I'm out of print due to terrorist firebombings...and yet I have been featured in N.Y. Times, Post, N.Y. Observer, London Guardian and now NEWSWEEK.

I'm on the cover of two major Belgian magazines this week and if you search "Kola Boof and Osama Bin Laden" on the internet...you will find hundreds more gossipy newspaper articles from around the world.

Imagine how much press I would get if I actually PARTICIPATED in the articles? Which I will...once I have a book to promote.

American publishers and I are not seeing eye to eye YET...because they're afraid to touch such a controversial, "colorful" figure...and because my Pro-Black stance is not popular in American media right now. BUT...they can't keep a good woman down.

There is also a fear of the passion I incite in the hearts of "blacker", working class blacks who still feel "emotional" about Africa. This frightens whites and annoys the new black upper class and SOME of the college folks.

As I said...others could probably best answer the question you posed on the other thread.

And Time Guy was right. White men in corporate offices really do like me. I really can't explain that either, considering the things that come out of my mouth. But POWERFUL black men are also helping me. My son's home tutoring, in fact, is being paid for by a very famous Black American movie actor--because he read the New York Post article following the firebombing.

So I am mostly despised only at aalbc.com LOL




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Chris Hayden

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Posted on Saturday, May 10, 2003 - 10:21 am:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Kola:

Well, if you don't toot your own horn, who will? And again, your emails to me come in loud and clear. I will try from another address.
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Time Guy

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Posted on Saturday, May 10, 2003 - 01:38 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Kola--

you get publicity because the media loves to focus on black circus acts to embarrass us other black folks.

Get over yourself.

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Troy

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Posted on Sunday, May 11, 2003 - 12:39 am:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Time Guy:

Taking your comments seriously:

Do you really believe the media is trying to embarrass other black folks by brining attention to authors like Kola Boof?

Is this a consipracy? Is that why authors like Walter Mosely, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker and other get so much press to the point of over exposure.

Seems to me most of the writers who get a lot of press would make anyone proud. Perhaps the press is interested in Kola because she has had some amazing experiences.

Her book got a favorable review (http://reviews.aalbc.com/longtrain.htm). I found the book quite interesting, Kola's posts and interviews are actually good supplements to the book. I've not found anyone who disliked the book.

I've sold every book she sent me and sold even more via B&N and Amazon. Given the numbers of movies she has been in, seems to me Kola has already had more than 15 minutes of fame.

I'm not oblivious to the fact that many people don't believe half of what Kola says. Shoot the author of a very prominent article on Kola Boof called me after the article was published to confirm that she even had a book! Indeed, nothing in your posts regarding Kola is new.

What I don't understand, is why the Kola bashing on your part. What do you get out of it?
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Susan

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Posted on Sunday, May 11, 2003 - 09:07 am:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Troy, you didn't ask me but think it depends upon the kind of press an author receives. If it's for their books then that one thing but when it for other things, then it becomes a turn off. For example, some music artists today are in the news for everything but for their music. It makes me wonder if it's a distraction because the talent is weak or lacking. I've discovered, more often than not, talent is inversely proportional to the hype. :-)

Susan
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Troy

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Posted on Sunday, May 11, 2003 - 08:15 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi Susan the very mature of this medium (open discussion board) implies that you may put your two cents in any time you like.

Someone said any publicity, even negative publicity, is good.

If the author writes a good book, negative press about the person will help sales. If the author writes a bad book, negative press will help sales. However no press at all hurts the author good book or bad.

We all know if helps if an author, musician, or actor, has something to feed the masses desire for dirt. Trying to make oneself look white (when they are Black), perhaps engaging in a sordid affair and producing illegitmate children, or even acquiring a substance abuse problem, anything that make you like a "circus act" will help make you more "newsworthy".

Now it sounds like I agree with Time Guy. However where I differ is that I don't think it this is done to embarass Black folks. It is done because this is what the masses (Black and White) want.

Susan while you or I may look askance at this negative publicity. The vast majority of the people in this country would go into withdrawal without it.

We live in a society where the woman who was busted blowing the president in the oval office, is now on her second TV show. Of course there are thousands and thousands of more talented journalists and actresses who could pull off the job -- but they will never get the chance.

I say there is no relationship between talent and hype.

Peace


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Sandra

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Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 08:28 am:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Kola wrote: "Obviously, I am an outspoken woman with very large natural bare breasts..."

OK I'm with you on one out of two of the above--but for some reason I'm not getting the publicity that I should...hmmmmmm?


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ABM

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Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 09:42 am:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Sandy,

Kola's quip kinda reminds me of a line that has been credited to actress Sharon Stone: "If you have a vagina and an attitude in this town [Hollywood], then that’s a lethal combination."
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ABM

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Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 09:48 am:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I can dig a woman loving herself and all. But Kola appears to be a bit pastdue on some counseling for an acute case of narcissism.
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Tee C. Royal

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Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 01:29 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I've read through these messages and I'll just add my few pennies to the table. I like publicity about an author more when it deals with the actual book, I could care less what the author looks like or any of that. On the other hand, if I have a personal experience with an author that I look at as negative, normally, I don't read their books, but that's just me and I'll even wait until the price on them drop down to a fraction of the cost to buy it (sometimes years later). ROFL. I've gotta have it because it's a book, but there are a few authors that I know I will NEVER read... I simply don't like funky attitudes.

-Tee
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Susan

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Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 06:57 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Troy, I agree, to an extent. But I think those artists who rely on hype to sell their art will eventually fall out of favor with the public.

And, I doubt any serious journalist or actor would want to be more popular as the host of a cheesy reality television show. :-)

Susan
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Susan

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Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 07:20 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Tee, there is no way I am going to buy a book that I know I have no intentions of ever reading. There are too many books that I want to read or plan to read to waste my funds on books that I know I won't read. :-)

Susan
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Tee C. Royal

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Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 10:18 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I hear ya Susan...but didn't you read the other thread? I have it BAD!

-Tee

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