Spotlight on Shirley Harris-Slaughter

Today is the first day of Shirley Harris-Slaughter's book tour! And I'm absolutely delighted to be her first stop. So without further ado, let's meet this lovely lady!

Hello My Friends!
I’d like to introduce myself to all of you and tell you what motivated me to write.
My name is Shirley Harris-Slaughter. I was born in the great state of Michigan and raised in the Charter Township of Royal Oak. I spent most of my time dreaming of the day when I could get out and start my life. Then I discovered we were a historical community founded by a runaway slave on the “underground railroad.” I began to appreciate my roots. I discovered all this history way before ever thinking about writing.
My mother was a gifted poet and writer of children’s stories. She also was a great speaker. So what in the world could I contribute to this family? My parents were activists in the community and I watched them not realizing they were shaping me. I became a community activist before I started to write and I developed an appreciation for historical places and buildings which led me to try and save our local train station. I wrote a thesis on The Implementation of the Most Comprehensive Approach to Restoring the Michigan Central Depot. This project brought lots of attention and publicity to this neglected historical site. I have in my possession a CD, allowing me to re-visit that moment in history. I would love to share it with a group if there is an interest.
All of this led me to try and capture the history of our Catholic Community which is gone now. So I wrote about my experience growing up in this environment. I titled the book, Our Lady of Victory, the Saga of an African-American Catholic Community. The title kind of stuck although my intention was to change it. This book had been gathering momentum in my head for a long time before I actually set down to write. I felt that our history was gone because the church had merged and the school was razed after sitting empty for years and becoming an eyesore.
I was invited to speak about this to the Fred Hart Williams Geneological Society affiliated with the Detroit Public Library’s Burton Historical Collections. Mark Bowden coined the book a Narrative History. They asked me to speak because they never had history told in narrative form before. Genealogy is normally written in a chronological timeline format. They were very excited to hear what I had to say and I was more than happy to accommodate them.
After all, this history is who I am.

ABOUT THE BOOK
I wrote about local history and growing up in a Catholic Community. My love of history and tradition propelled me into this forum.
Writing this book was a natural outgrowth of my community activism. Thus, Our Lady of Victory, the Saga of an African American Catholic Community was born. Besides, no one else was going to do it. I didn’t understand initially that I was the chosen one.
Little did I know the “can of worms” I was about to unleash. But I needn’t have worried…no one was ready to challenge my findings. They just pretended like there was nothing to be concerned about. And so I was ignored for the most part with the exception of a few close friends. And then Nonnie Jules crossed my path and I joined Rave Reviews Book Club and excitement for the book was re-ignited.
I am a proud member of Rave Reviews Book Club—the place for Indie Authors!
I tried to fight the e-book craze but gave in finally. I don’t think that is good for history and all that implies because you want to hold that kind of book in your hands. I feel the same way about Sci-Fi Fantasy thriller books now that I am a fan. Fortunately I still have a remedy for you book lovers who cherish putting this kind of book on a shelf.
You can click here for a limited edition hardcover autographed copy of this precious book: http://olvremembered.wordpress.com/about-the-book/ Once these gems are gone that’s it!
Thank you so much.
Shirley Harris-Slaughter, Author

Book Trailer

Five Star Review of Our Lady of Victory by Nonnie Jules “Seal of Approval”

CONNECT HERE…
Author Page
Email
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Purchase Links…
Amazon Kindle
Createspace
Barnes & Noble

SHIRLEY’S BLOGS…
http://shirleyslaughterblog.wordpress.com/
http://olvremembered.wordpress.com/