Wednesday, December 8, 2010

What to do Next...??

So I just got out of the hospital. My heart again. How many times is this now since 2005? Too many to count. All I know is that it's viral, whatever this thing is that keeps fluid building up around my heart and in my lungs. And something about a leaky valve. I'm on a cocktail of meds for the rest of my life, that's the deal. So hard to function during the day when I feel so comatose.

And now I have even more medical bills, since I no longer have health insurance, and I now more than ever could use Nick Cannon's help. If I can just get his attention so that he can see how talented I am. Oh, to have a job writing and creating. To be able to work without stress...

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Excerpt: K My Name Is Kendra

I've been meaning to post excerpts of my work. This one comes from my new young adult novel K My Name Is Kendra, which is being published by Lightning Source later this year:

Meisha gets quiet again, and then she finally asks about Uncle C.J., which I figured she would get around to doing sooner or later.“Has he been by lately?” she asks as she digs around in her purse. I get the feeling she doesn’t really need anything in there. That she just really wants to hear about him, but she’s playing it off like it’s a casual question.

“We don’t see him too much,” I say, trying to think of a way to change the subject because I don’t want to talk about my uncle right now. And I definitely don’t want to think about what happened the last time I saw him a few months ago.

He had come into town to do some pre-game interviews one Saturday and had stopped by the house early that morning to invite my father to go with him. Daddy was so excited that he didn’t even answer his brother, but he was upstairs and in the shower within seconds. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him move so fast in my life.

Mama was out grocery shopping that morning, Jada had gone to a slumber party the night before, and Philip had gone to watch Aris scrimmage with the All-City high school football team, so it was just me and Uncle C.J. in the living room once Daddy went upstairs. He sat down on the couch beside me and started asking me how school was and what my favorite subjects were. He wanted to know if I had any hobbies and what I liked to do for fun. After I answered all his questions, he told me how much of a young lady I had become since he last saw me, which had to have been about three years ago, I think, because Mama always seemed to have something to do outside the house whenever he called to say he was in town and wanted to visit with us, and she always took me and Jada with her. Then he asked me if I had a boyfriend and I told him I didn’t—that Mama was not having that. He laughed and said that with a body like mine, Mama was right to keep boys from around me. Something about the way his eyes dropped to my chest and then down to my hips made me really uncomfortable. I was glad I could use the excuse that I had to get dressed to meet up with Nita. I got out of there quick and fast.

“But he does come around sometimes?” Meisha presses.“Every now and then,” I say. I figure she must really miss him, so I promise to call her the next time he stops by.

She nods and then stares off into the distance like she’s lost in a memory, probably thinking about all the fun she used to have with Uncle C.J. I promise myself right then and there that I’ll never tell her about that day three months ago. Especially the part about him popping into my room a few minutes after I had left him sitting downstairs on the couch. He had claimed that he’d come up to see what was taking my father so long, and that it’d been so long since he’d been in the house he grew up in that he’d made a wrong turn at the top of the stairs. But the way he looked me up and down as I stood in the middle of my room in my bra and panties told me he was no different than the boys Mama was trying to keep from coming around me. Then he had called me babygirl and asked me if I wanted to hang out with him some time. Stupid me said okay, because I just wanted him to leave.

He had stepped into the room instead, though, closing the door behind him softly as he mumbled something about giving me a hug because it would probably be a while before we would actually see each other again. I remember trembling as he held me because it just didn’t feel right. He didn’t do anything nasty to me. But he did hold me too close for too long, and his hands moved over my bare skin in too many different directions for an uncle hugging his not-even-sixteen-year-old niece, especially when she’s not dressed in anything more than a bra and panties.

We both heard the shower in Daddy’s bathroom shut off down the hall, and that’s when Uncle C.J. pulled away. He gave me a soft kiss on the cheek, put his finger to his lips as if to tell me we had some secret to keep, and then he was gone.

I’m not sure why, but I cried for half an hour behind that. I never told anyone about it.


end excerpt

Thursday, August 19, 2010

How I Love (and Miss) the Mic

Big Rawle asked me to come into the studio this past weekend. I sang a hook on one of his debut joints. Talented guy.

Made me reminisce on how much I love to sing, especially in the studio where I can be edited. Singing a capella is a beautiful thing, but most of us vocalists need to be smoothed out here and there, which is why I love the studio so much. If I had my way, I'd spend my days writing and singing...writing and singing...writing and singing...

On Hold..Again

So Nikki Hesse (of 92.3NOW) tells me that Nick's pitchline segment might come up again in a week or two. Maybe, when it does, they'll remember that I went that extra mile to get my pitch to them even when their voicemail box was full. I might have to step up my game even further. Gotta be careful, though. There's that fine line between getting someone's attention and being stalkerish, and I'm not trying to be branded as the latter.

Meanwhile, I'm still preparing for the oh-so-official release of my young adult novel K My Name Is Kendra. It was released with very limited distribution earlier this year, but the cover is soon to be re-done and the distribution will be global, so I'm looking forward to modest success with it. Planning the release party and a school tour even as we speak. Should be fun!

Random thought: wonder if Nick would be interested in Kendra for TeenNick? Hm...if I ever get his ear, you know I'll pitch it!

Monday, August 2, 2010

Dear Nick, Here's My Pitch

And it really is 30 seconds if you read it kinda fast and don't pause too long between sentences. I timed it.

Seriously.

So here goes:

This is Kamichi Jackson, I'm an author, and I'd like to pitch a live-action movie idea and book series called HyperLinc. It's the story of a 13-year-old African American boy named Lincoln J. Battle who suddenly develops the ability to leap through cyberspace and time after he is struck by lightning one day. In each installment of the story, he must use his streetsmarts and the things he's learned in the classroom to determine where he is in history/time, and solve mysteries that could threaten the course of history. It's a sort of Quantum Leap meets National Treasure meets The Famous Jett Jackson in that it's both fun and educational (read: kids will be learning without even realizing it).

P.S. And don't even get me started on the gaming possibilities for a character like this!

Not Giving Up on the 30-Second Pitch

So I called Nick's pitch line Friday only to find that his voicemail box was full. The funny thing is that I was actually surprised at this! As if a bunch of other people aren't dying to get Nick's attention as much as I am.

For a hot milli-second(sp?), I thought about giving up. And then I decided against it. Nikki (Nick's on-air partner) told me to try and stand out with my pitch. So I ordered a half dozen balloons and am having them delivered to the show Monday morning. I tweeted Nikki about this. Looks like she's got my back:



Cool chick.

Friday, July 30, 2010

The 30-Second Pitch

It's been a long time since I posted anything here. In fact, I'd given up on reaching Nick with my ideas for Nickelodeon and Ncredible Entertainment.

And then I found out about the 30-second pitch line he set up.

So now I'm putting my little elevator speech together. Thirty seconds to try and hook him on the idea of HyperLinc, the movie idea I have for Nickelodeon. The pressure is on. This is my shot.

Post to you later after it's done.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Vote Yes or No: Should Nick Cannon Hire KJ On-Air Friday?

That's the poll I wish Nick would run all day tomorrow and Friday morning at nickcannon.com, 923now.com, on Twitter, and on-air. Let the people vote. Should Nick Cannon hire me on-air by the end of his show to do some writing for TeenNick and Ncredible Entertainment. I know that if people saw my work, they'd vote yes.

But I can't get his attention no matter what I do. And that sucks because I have mad talent and could be such an asset to his company. And we could make some history on-air. Has any radio show host ever given someone a job live on the air before? I don't know.

So after Friday I give up. I admit, I'm defeated. This apparently wasn't meant to be. The whole Creative Minds of Nick and Kamichi just ain't gon happen...

Sunday, March 21, 2010

My Nick Cannon Fantasy

That last post got a little heavy, but I don't want to delete it because I want Nick to appreciate everything his hiring would change in my life. It's important that he knows those things. I didn't mean to let it overtake my post, though. So let me lighten it up a bit and make my point:

I have a Nick Cannon fantasy. Get your mind out of the gutter, it's G-rated. I fantasize that I'll be woken up Friday morning, March 26th, (the day I turn 41, ugh) by a call from Nick himself, ON-AIR. He'll tell me that he's spent the week checking out my work, specifically HyperLinc, and he thinks I have Ncredible potential (see how I worked that in there? LOL). He'll make me a job offer over the phone and on-air, something that will allow me to use my literary talent for Ncredible and/or TeenNick. And it won't be one of those bogus offers like on I Want to Work For Diddy where the winner never actually gets hired to work at Bad Boy. He'll make me a real offer, with a contract, compensation, et cetera. My start date would be immediate, he'd ask me to come to NYC for a few days, but he would allow me to return to and work from Virginia, because he knows that with my heart condition, I need to be close to fam. In my fantasy, the media goes crazy over what he's done. They're reporting it everywhere. They've already labeled him a savvy businessman, but now they're also calling him "compassionate" for hiring someone so obviously in need of assistance and "forward-thinking" for hiring someone based on their blog campaign (imagine all the copycat blogs that will follow, and all the mention that would be made of Nick, Rollin' with Nick Cannon, and 92.3Now each time someone is successfully hired from a blog campaign like mine). Plus, he'd be making history hiring one of THE most brilliant, creative minds, and he gets further props for that. His star rises even hire, Ncredible blows up even more, and I finally have enough money to buy health insurance, a flyer/more fashionable cane, and a new car (I'm a woman of few needs).

The end. Ahhh...

Will Nick Cannon Hire Me on Friday, March 26th?

So this coming Friday, March 26th, is my birthday. Just another day to me, really. However, there will definitely be those inevitable moments of quiet reflection in which I think about how my life has been since 2005, when I was diagnosed with Diabetes and my heart failed for the first time (second time in 2008). How I've survived, avoided a heart transplant, got my swagger back, et cetera. How I still hold it down as a Diva, even if my steps are sometimes a bit unsteady, or I'm rockin' a cane some days because I have nerve damage in my legs and I'm in pain. Not to mention all the prescription pills I swallow each day just to keep things pumping and moving like they should. Still then, I am THE DIVA, even though I've been denied health insurance because of my pre-existing conditions and can't afford all the necessary medical care (note to self: Google health care bill to see what's up currently) and wonder sometimes if I'll make it to the NEXT birthday?

But Friday, March 26th is just a few days away, and it looks like I have made it to that next one. Woo hoo! And phew!

Even still it's just another day. Unless, of course, Nick Cannon finally takes notice of my little "hire-me" campaign and actually does call me during the show and offers me a job on-air the way I want him to. Then March 26th might actually be about something!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Let Me Try the Rapper-Braggadocio-Approach to Being Heard

Haven't blogged in sooooo long. Busy doing many other exciting things now that I'm getting my hustle back on. But I haven't given up on my quest to work for Nick Cannon in some literary way.

That being said, Nick, signing Cory Gunz might be a wise move for you, sure. But it won't be 'the wisest investment you'll make this year' as you recently tweeted. That's reserved for the day you finally discover my work (particularly HyperLinc with all its educational, literary and commercial appeal, not to mention the licensing potential for this amazing character I've created) and call me in for a meeting to knock out a deal we can both live with. Now THAT is the day you'll truly be able to tweet about the wisest investment you'll make this year.

Believe that...

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Nick Cannon Archives

I sent a message to nickcannonarchives.com this morning. Asked them to stop by and check out this blog. I don't know who runs that site, but I figure it couldn't hurt to make them aware of my blog.

Let you know if anything happens!

My Resume of Work (Published AND Published)

Okay, so when you're applying for a job, you need to submit a resume. For the purpose of this blog, I will submit links to my work, some of which resides on docstoc.com. In my posts, I may type a line or two about the inspiration for the work, as well as how I hope that work will ultimately be produced (whether as a book, a stage play, a short film, a feature movie or a TV project). Maybe Nick will see something there that he feels would be appropriate for TeenNick or Ncredible Entertainment!

First post coming later today...

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Nick's Book Deal

I have two published books. Okay, I'll even admit it: they are self-published. Back in the day (and sometimes even now to dense people who don't get it), having to self-publish suggested that a writer didn't possess enough talent to get a book deal. In some cases that's true, sure. These days, however, it often simply means that that particular writer hasn't been able to get their work in front of decision-makers at a given publishing house. And even if they did manage to get their work on an editor's desk and the general consensus is that the work is good, that still does not always translate into a book contract. After all, there are only so many available book deals being signed each year, especially in the YA market, and many of those coveted contracts are being snatched up by the Nick Cannons of the world.

Ewww, was that snarky? Didn't mean it to be! I only meant that publishing companies believe that celebrity automatically sells books. So if they have to choose between my work and that of, say, Nick Cannon, they are going to choose celebrity over me. No matter how talented I am. Not that Nick isn't a talented author. I don't know yet. Haven't read his work. I'm sure it's really really good though! (Note to Self: stop.typing.now. you're ruining everything.)

Ugh. The whole point of this post--before I got lost in my own words--is that Nick has the deal, and I want a piece of it. I want to ride his coattails on this. I mean, he's already written the first book of his new YA series (based on his Nickelodeon move School Gyrls), but from what I understand, he'll only have a hand in writing the other installments. Which means he'll be looking to hire someone to write those. Why not me? I might just have that literary voice he's looking for.

So Nick...give me a call!

Text No. 2

I sent another text to Nick at his radio show. One line, a link to the blog. Nothing more. I want to come off as persistent, not aggressive.

Time to plan today's approach. Get back to you later on this.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Creating a Job Opportunity Where There Isn't One

I know nothing about whether Nick Cannon has a position in his company--Ncredible Entertainment--that calls for a creative soul capable of penning whatever he needs. I know even less about how much of an input he has in hiring writers for TeenNick. Nevertheless, I do believe that, given the opportunity, I can fully convince him that he needs to hire me to work along with him. He can introduce me as a Creative Consultant. Or a Literary Assistant. Shoot, he can call me that-chick-that-sits-at-her-computer-all-day-and-writes-stories-for-us for all I care.

I just want to work with him.

These days, with the economy such as it is, I think jobseekers have to create opportunities where there aren't necessarily any. Or use talents that they or their friends or their family are not readily convinced will actually allow them to make enough of a living to support themselves.

Well, I'm a Believer. I know for a fact that, with the right situation, I can make a living with the talents given me. Now I just need Nick to give me that chance...

92.3NOW Is Now Following Me On Twitter!

So 92.3NOW--the station where Nick Cannon's morning show broadcasts--is now following me on Twitter. I initiated it by following them first, but the fact that they're following me back is cool, considering they don't follow everyone who's following them. [That sentence could use some major editing, no?]

So back to the whole following me thing. Do you think maybe Nick is secretly watching to see what I tweet regarding my desire to work with him? I'd like to think so. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's exactly what's happening. Yup.

And now I'm just a little bit closer...

Going to Send a Little Tweet Now

Okay, so now I'm going to tweet a quick line to him during his show, and then that's it for the day. I'm no stalker!

Just Texted Nick at 699-23

Well, just texted Nick at his radio show on 92.3 to tell him about this blog. We'll see if he gets the text and makes his way over here to check it out!

Why am I so nervous all of a sudden? LOL!

Vibegrrl Is Following Me On Twitter!

I followed her and now she's following me back. I'm excited. Of course, that means I'll actually have to tweet. Haven't done that much these past few months. Gotta get back into it.

Oh, and she texted me that she'll mention my blog to Nick next time she sees him. I'm getting closer!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Update to the Darren Sherrill Post

Okay, I have to be real about that last post, which was politically correct and professional and all that, but which really didn't express what I meant to say.

Here's what was supposed to have happened when I sent you that email (dream sequence begins...now): you were supposed to drop by my official website, read a little of my work, sit back in your chair in awe, dial Nick on his cell phone, tell him about this writer he should get to know, and set up a meeting. [End dream sequence.]

But you were real. You pointed me in the right direction and wished me success without doing or saying anything that would get my hopes up unnecessarily. Secretly, though, I'm hoping you'll someday become a fan. And that you'll give Nick a nudge in my direction.

There, I said it.

Note to Darren Sherrill: Thank You!

A few weeks ago, I asked for your help in getting close to Nick Cannon. You pointed me in the right direction, advising me to reach out to either Nick's manager Michael Goldman, or Nick himself through TeenNick. I did both, sending them letters through the mail with a quick proposal.

But I decided to try a little harder. Be a little more creative. So I thought long and hard and eventually came up with this blog campaign to get to Nick. I plan to do a couple out-of-character things through this thing. Nothing stalkish. Nothing that will turn Nick off. Just enough to get him to turn his attention to my work.

So thank you. I appreciate that you responded to me and wished me success. I plan to be just that: successful.

Thank You, Vibegrrl!

I'm so stupid. I just texted 92.3NOW (where Nick's morning radio show broadcasts) at 69923...only Nick Cannon is not there on the weekends. Vibegrrl is! Duh @me.

But she was really cool about it. She even sent me this text back:

Hey, good luck Kamichi!!! I like your clever blog! Make sure you text it to this number when Nick is on air, ok? xoxo-vibegrrl

I like the word clever, especially when it's directed my way. So of course I had to check out Vibegrrl's DJ page to see what she's all about. She's cool people. And we have a couple major things in common: I too love free Mimosas with brunch. And before moving back to the Bronx, she also spent about ten years "hanging out" in the DC area! I've been here just outside DC for about the same length of time. But if I can get a gig with Nick, I'm headed back home to Connecticut (twenty minutes outside the Bronx, my old stomping ground). Part-time, at least.

And though my list of Ten Things I Love About New York is different than hers, I'm going to check out Dinosaur BBQ and the Buttercup Bake Shop because she said they were worth visiting, and I trust her now. After all, she said my blog is clever, which means she's a chick who knows what she's talking about and has good taste. I also want to go to the Paris Theatre too because of her. And yes, I'll definitely be there in the balcony on a date with myself because all my guy friends from NYC are now married and I killed all hopes of that happening for me when I moved down here to Virginia. Never seen so many couples with a marriage license, 2.4 children, and a dog in all my life. Who can a girl date when there's no one unattached?

So thanks for calling me clever, Vibegrrl. (Oh wait, you called my blog clever, not me, right? No matter, I'll take it.) I have a confession, though: I almost did mock you about the whole knitting and sewing thing you do, but then I thought about it, and I came to the conclusion that if I had enough of those free Mimosas in my system, I probably would be begging you to make me something in knitwear, you're right!

Have a great weekend, grrl!

Now In Production: The I WANT TO WORK FOR NICK CANNON Theme Song

It occurred to me in the wee hours of this morning that I need a theme song for this project of mine. Something that truly expresses how I feel about wanting to work for Nick Cannon and Ncredible Entertainment. Something original and catchy. Something as inspiring and lyrically-meaningful as "Pants on the Ground". Maybe a capella, maybe with a little piano (I don't play... but we do have a Baby Grand downstairs in the livingroom and surely I can pluck out a tune), I don't know yet. But definitely something I can add a little dance move to. A move, not a split. Because Lord knows my big behind could never come back from a split.

Hm, gotta give this some thought...

My Pitch to Nick

It's 1:45am Sunday morning. Just got in a minute ago and I can already see it's going to be one of those nights of tossing and turning. So I figured I'd get up and make some notes here about The Big Pitch I would give to Nick if ever I get the chance.

So here goes:

Mr. Cannon, I would say (sure, I'm several years older than him, but I completely respect his ability to hire so I would call him "Mister" and really really mean it), you don't know this about me because you haven't yet come to know my work, but I'm an amazing talent that could bring so much to Ncredible Entertainment and TeenNick. I can help you brainstorm and conceptualize fresh and original storylines. You give me raw, half-ideas of little substance, and I can help you flesh them out into whole new fictional worlds. I can create and develop content, co-author your School Gyrls book series (I want a piece of that Simon & Schuster publishing deal, dagnabbit!), proofread, street team, et cetera. I believe I can be the asset to your company that you didn’t even know you wanted. Your creative secret weapon. I.am.just.that.talented.

And then, to prove that I have a way with words, I'd pull out my new book, a young adult novel entitled K My Name Is Kendra, and I'd read a scene to him aloud. I have lots of other ideas too, I'd say after that. If you'll just allow me a few more minutes of your time, I'd like to toss a few your way. Maybe you'll hear something you like?

Then I'd wow him with things I've pulled from my own files. Stuff I've written but never done anything with. Stuff that can be developed into the type of entertainment for which Ncredible wants to be known. He'd be so impressed that he'd hire me on the spot. I'd sign a multi-year contract worth six-figures (because, as I said earlier: i.am.just.that.talented. And so worth every penny). And we'd all live and work happily ever after. The end.

LOL. Well, at least maybe I can drop off to sleep now with these pleasant dreams on my mind...

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Forget Diddy! I Want to Work for NICK CANNON.

In a nutshell, that's the reason for this blog. This is my attempt to get Nick's attention. To get him to become familiar with my work and someday hire me on as a Creative Consultant of some sort for his company Ncredible Entertainment. And since he's also doing the doggone thing over there at TeenNick as CEO, I hope that something I write complements some of the ideas he has for the popular channel and he brings me on for some work there as well.

So I plan to jot down a little something here every single day (probably in the mornings during his radio show) until the day comes when he checks out my work, realizes I am mad talented, and reaches out to me to bring me on board with his projects.

I know, I know. It's a long shot. But a girl's gotta have her dreams...