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Levert Brookshire III AZ Cellblock Society Publishing Initiative Publishing Plan At the time of this writing, having spent the past 13 calendars confined to these Arizona state prison's languishing inside small, cramped graffiti marked cells. Focused and spending hundreds of hours during over thousands of pages, sifting through my journal entries, personal essays and just general writing. I meticulously searched through each one, time and time again, looking for obvious error's that I've missed along my writing. Investing hours and hours proofreading, rewriting and making corrections, as I've struggled and fought my way through these years trying to develop my writing voice and style, finding a writing identity unique to myself, as I hone my writing skills. Trying to improve my craft each and everyday. Learning to use my ink pen to articulate my ideas, convey my perspectives about life, and provoke thought in reading audiences. I would like to turn pages into something worth remembering, compelling honest and concise, meaningful pieces of paper that people want to keep, save and preserve, for years to come. As it turns out though, finding my writing's own unique writing voice and crafting my own style developing my writing identity has proved to be much more difficult that expected. Still, I never gave up. First starting out writing was an entirely new area of communicating for me. Acknowledging that, I've never had any recognized formal education regarding communication, journalism, or even english literature. Ive only depended on myself determination to become a published, distinguished writer, who has had a crash course lesson in the writing game. Having to work with the very least amount of, bare minimum resources. Gathering whatever 'scarce', 'limited' tools that I could 'scrape up' and 'collect,' littering these cellblocks, and 'stripped down' environments. Demanding that I tap my creativity, engage my mind in order to make the best of it. What I happened to lack in formal education, resources, and tools. I make up for in my passion and conviction. As, I ventured out with my 'ink pen' or sometimes my 'broken pencil' if that's all I've had to write with. I still spend whatever amount of time that, I had available. Using my writing tools to produce something of actual relevance, truth, substance, and authority. Of course not expecting to appeal to all reader's taste's. I'll be satisfied if I could offer something informative to those who consider themselves politically and socially conscious, aware. In this particular writing project here, I set out to articulate my efforts, plans once I'm re-entering civilized society again. The work that will need to be done, taking into account all of the new changes that have happened in society during my time away in prison. Applying everything that I've learned along my self-education journey, using what I've learned to change my upcoming role in society, and how I've come to see the world today. My writing's here are intended for me, being used as motivational tools and charts for me, to reference along the way, once I'm released. Guidance whenever, I run into difficulties, directions when I'm lost. Answering questions that I expect to arise. These writings here are written with my closest supporters in mind, my loved ones, and more specifically my children. Even that special woman whom, I haven't met yet. In this writing, I attempt to articulate for them, my past failed ways of thinking, how it became that way, showing them how my past failed ways of thinking turned me towards irresponsible decision making, a failed parent who took fatherhood for granted, satisfying my own immediate needs. When, now I know that I should've been sacrificing for theirs. A reality that's heart wrenching but I must now face today, as I have to look myself in the mirror. Seeing guilt, regret, and heartache looking back at me, as all of it has taken its toll. Having realized all of the precious years wasted, being absent and unavailable to my children and family, when they needed me the most. Failing to make sacrifices expected of a father a son, brother, and uncle. I can't turn back the calendar or fix yesterday's mistakes. But, through writing, I've found a way to ask them for their forgiveness. How does a flawed father, who's come to correct his flaws, ask his children for their forgiveness, mercy and a second chance. After abandoning them, leaving them alone to fend for themselves. Just so, I could pursue the selfish instant gratification and enticement of the streets. I honestly don't know of any way I can possibly make up for that. This here master plan that I've spend years working on, has become my one and only way to ask them for a second chance. If granted their blessing, I would make whatever sacrifices asked of me, in order to earn their confidence, trust and forgiveness. The very first half of my life was used selfishly to satisfy my own wants and desires. Today it's different, with my own mental maturity and my eye's wide open, I'm prepared now to devote this complete second half of my lifetime to responsible fatherhood, sacrifices and everything else expected of any parent or father. Writing has now become the most productive and effective way for me to send my pleas out to them. A way for me to display the amount of time and effort I've put into transforming myself, chaining my old dysfunctional thinking patterns. Helping me to create something that they can hold in their hand, touch and feel, perhaps someday use as their handbook, written for them to find answers about who their father strived to become. How I worked to overcome my flaws in the end. Using what was suppose to be a failure in my life (prison) and turning it around to become an asset. Looking around for whatever was available to me, trying to produce something of use, value, and worth. Doing this from a stripped down cramped prison cell, literature and writing material's. Learning about myself, making changes developing, shaping, and molding something for myself to use in life and other's also, can potentially benefit from. As, I walk through the step by step process it's going to take in order to reach my goals, all of the learning curves I've had along the way, of my journey and personal awakening, self-reform process. As I've crawled around in the dark caves feeling my way around the ground and walls of sociopathic thinking- discovering literature scattered around the caves, that helped to provide me a source of light for my pathway ahead, and a way to help me find a way to come out the other side, into the open air. Transformed, ready and disciplined enough to approach this second half of my lifetime, as a better person and improved man, than I've ever been during the first half of my life. This time, with a whole new set of values, and priorities. One's that offer a different set of choices, options, and opportunities. My alone time inside these cells have given way to a deep personal spiritual awakening. Gradually and diligently nurtured into a healthier, mature, set of personal principals, and laws within. Those I will depend on to govern my life with from now on, something I never knew about in the first half of my life. The secret was, I had to get acquainted with myself first. So that I could learn how to navigate the challenges of life as, the best person I could be. A problem solver, and solution based thinking son, brother, uncle, and more importantly a better father. Using this alone time I've tried to unravel the complex, scrambled up mysteries of who I really am, without the make believe 'facade' and made up 'alter-ego,' created to fool the masses. Literature and writing saved my life from that. Becoming excited about everything I was discovering about myself, learning about myself, compelled me into making a person record of accounts, cataloguing each step of personal transformation. A documentation that can later be shared with others. To inform other's who may be going through the same kinds of 'personal' struggles. Being isolated, alienated and confined 23 hours a day to this solitary confinement cell, having very limited, scarce resources available. A good friend of mine outside and political activist's, writer introduced me to a very proactive and objective, unique group of extraordinary people, who are now in the midst of a groundbreaking grassroots movement. Special people that have an appreciation for the writer's voice, and the writing community as a whole. They offer their own personal time and put in long hours, organizing and volunteering to assemble people and resources together around a writing endeavor that includes the writers, who are generally forgotten, ignored or just plain overlooked. I was allowed the opportunity to team up with these special people at American Prison Writing Archives or (APWA) who allowed me to join their grassroots movement and become a part of something unique and groundbreaking. Helping me to transcend the thick confining, restrictive walls. With their help, their resources and network to propel my writing's into a worldwide audience. Providing each and every tool that's needed in order to pitch my ideas, opinions, personal experiences, perspectives to the world. Now there is no better test for any aspiring writer to measure their true writing talents. Except for the test of "hard knocks." Having our own writing's put out there in the world the way that APWA does it. Exposing our writings to a world audience in order to measure how we are received, rejected, ignored, dismissed, criticized or welcomed, by the general public, either way this is the ultimate test for all writers. Not even 'flashy', 'elaborate', 'extravagant' and 'eye catching', book signing parties is still no guarantee that an innately gifted writer will thrive or flourish as a successful writer, down the road. The collection of written essays I've submitted to APWA over the past 3 years, plus this most recent installment titled: titles: CellBlockSociety post-release master plan. Intended to act as my personal blueprint and guidebook once released from prison. It is through, these meticulously measured, and calculated charts I've drafted up to help me navigate my way through civilized society as an ex-felon. All of it carefully done by using what writing skills and voice I've developed while in here, to determine and plan my future. I've decided to use these writings as my first real tests, selected for (APWA) to publish worldwide. Because of the fact, these "CellBlockSociety" titled essays, and master plans state my core beliefs, perspectives and position's that underline where I stand on some of the worlds most complex of humanity's social, political and economic issues. Which effect each and everyone of us differently. I also elaborate about the many different corrosive effects that all of them have on the middle and underclass social structure's, where I came from. How the disparities have led many of us to survive off of, crime, for a means to provide basic sustenance for ourselves and our family. Causing us to fill up the American criminal justice system. I write at length about the desperation of the criminal survival underclass, I've come to know so well first-hand, how it breeds a criminal mentality subculture, and 'prison' feeder-system for the prison profiteers. Where, once we are disposed of here, we further deepen our own 'criminal-socialization'. Having no 'decriminalization' process at all, or any criminal-desocialization in place to help us reverse the deepened criminal sociopathic ways of thinking, we are thrown out of these prisons come release date. Back onto the same old street's of America, into civil society to prey upon the general public once again. Pilage, poaching and violating everyone around us as a means of survival. I elaborate how we should be deprogrammed from the whole criminal mentality and then reprogrammed for civil society, before we return. Only we ourselves can do any of this. I've learned how to use writing as my means to explain 'solutions' and offer other's who, like myself are interested in deprograming their 'criminal-thinking,' in order to reprogram themselves for a new life. My writing's go in-depth into the many ways that the 'elite' status-ruling 'social-class' have engineered these social, political and economic disparities intentionally and deliberately to their own benefit. In order to exploit the working-class and poverty class citizenship. Taking full advantage of these social classes for 'wealth' building and 'social-control'. Using the 'criminal' threats as their tool for arousing fear in the law abiding remaining citizens also the news fear and threat of terrorism. All of which is now used by the elite social class status quo, as their tools of choice to tighten up more 'social-controls', by stirring up 'panic' and more fears, amongst the general public. This is being done so that they have justification to slowly strip away our daily freedoms. As they promise to replace our freedom's with more and more security. When the truth is, there's a new era that's being ushered in, and a new set of social limitations and social rules for all. "The project for the new Amerikan century" should be a title that all must be on the look out for, or 'The New World Order,' as most have come to know if it. If you're a reader of my writings, who could have an appreciation for what I've written in these APWA submissions. If you believe that I've effectively proved to you my writing potential and talent, I humbly ask that you please reach out to apwadhinitiave.org on my behalf, leave your feedback and comments, criticism, or insight. I can use any of it to improve upon my writing craft. All of your comments are greatly appreciated. They will be taken into account and help me in shaping my writing voice and identity amongst those who make up the small distinguished circle of distinct prison writers. I'm trying to use words to build a relationship with my readers. Establishing my credibility as a prison writer, becoming a trusted information source who's a qualified authority on dysfunctional thinking and predatorial behavior patterns. Criminal-socialization, and desocialization. Self-rehabilitation, through self-education, self-reform and self-determinationism, as the main driving forces, no matter our whereabouts, our circumstances, or whatever limited resources we may face. Utilizing this medium of writing I seek to make a real connection with the outside world. With the assistance of APWA's editorial staff so far I've been able to overcome these walls and fences that contain me, to gain access to the world's population. Allowing for other's around the world to see my materials who would'nt otherwise have had an opportunity to do so. Not, as I sat inside this small, cramped, dried 'blood stained' walls. Without, any other platform or vehicle available to me, that could carry my voice beyond here, American Prison Writing Archive has been empowering for me. Seeing how prisons 'stifle' us and 'suffocate' our voices to the outside world, after we are grinded-up and recycled through the criminal injustice system, we then are disposed here and forgotten. Writing has helped me to feel alive and self-motivated again, free all over again and my voice heard. APWA's editors have given me a platform to cast my ideas, and perspectives to influence and inform, the thinking of other's. As of today, I'm finally approaching my final years of imprisonment, in these final day's I've ben preparing myself for re-entry into civil-society by applying some of the methods I've learned from literature. After spending these past 13 year's reading, studying and discovering myself, dedicating this entire time to the painstaking challenge of tackling important areas of my own personal psychological, emotional and behavioral tendencies, head-on. While studying psychology textbooks, reading in-depth about unhealthy, dysfunctional and criminal-sociopathologies, had helped me with identifying my own 'corrosive' thinking patterns. What I've learned in literature, has helped me explore my own unhealthy, dysfunctional tendencies. Discovering my own flawed value-system, which was the 'root' of the problem, in the first place. Leading to my past predatory criminal aggression, which, I had come to depend upon for my survival. Basically, by reading, studying and exploring these complex psychological areas, eventually it has helped me learn about myself. Writing about it, has helped me to make sense out of it. Documenting, what I've learned along the way, during my discoveries. At some point, during the documentation process, there was a 'deep' need to share what I've learned with other's. Over time, it became apparent to me that my documentations were the makings and building-blocks for a viable book manuscript. Armed, with this realization I've set out to look for ways that I can put my writings and documentation to the test's. To find out, if my writing voice has the potential or not to become actually useful, a helpful motivational tool. One that other's can relate to, identify with and embrace, to become their 'cutting' tool, helping them to rip through all of the multiple-layers and deep tissues covering up their own past, even their present dysfunctional thinking patterns. Using my writings to help other's explore and reach the very heart of their own deepened personal 'psychological' struggles and corrosive 'criminal' thinking. It's taken me more than a decade of studying, researching, and cataloguing and accounting for my personal discoveries to bring them all into fruition. Experimenting with many different iterations before finally settling on one, which I've come to name "CellBlockSociety" essays, my best attempt at 'writing' yet, my goal is to see them all published at some point, getting feedback from the reading audiences. I can imagine other prisoners confined to their cellblock's, reading my writings, social workers, corrections counselor's, parole agents, police officers, ex-felon's and their family members too. This bring's me back to the subject of publishing. The extremely competitive business it is, I've only scratched the surface learning about it. The moment I start thinking, 'I know it all'. At that moment, I'll lose any competitive advantage I might've had, in this area of business. Like, any other elite highly decorated, awarded athlete who continues their training, practicing and improving their skills to become better. Any smart writer, aspiring painter/artist, struggling actor, sculptor or even a rising entrepreneur must constantly do the same. I'm looking to use everything that I've discovered along the way, to help me attract partnerships, collaborators, and publishing experts who work closely inside the publishing industry. Those who can connect me to mentorships apprenticeships, guidence-tips, insider contacts, and resources. Cornerstones for all aspiring writers. Maybe just one, publishing expert, who see's my writing's, posted online at APWA's website. Will, be able to recognize my writing's potential, that other's may not have been able to. There's a story I've read about a man who walked into Michael Angelo's studio off the streets. Looking around he see's a huge 'block' of marble, 'what's that'? 'He asks'? Michael Angelo tells him "the most beautiful, breathtaking sculpture you have ever seen in your lifetime." The man says "but, it's just a block of stone." Michael Angelo responds "come back in three years." He did return and once he did, he found Michael Angelo's now famous 'Prieta.' "How'd you do that"? Michael Angelo's reply "It was already there," "I just had to remove all the marble around it." This is the story of most aspiring writer's like myself, artists, painters, sculptors, innovators, even inventors. Potential is already inside us when it comes to potential, discovering it and developing it. It only take someone who is motivated and committed enough to invest the time and effort necessary, in order to slowly and patiently remove all of the 'proverbial' stone around it. No doubt, writing is a passion driven discipline, much like art. Like art, it too is a long arduous, often frustrating journey. Alot of the time spent writing, we're broke. All of our writing submissions getting rejected over and over again. Not just any normal person, would continuously put themselves through this kind of torment. It's the exact same reasons why artist's, painter's, keep on painting, and sculptors keep sculpting for years and years. Always trying to improve their craft, and find a way to sell their works, or attract buyers. The same reason's I'll keep writing. We are all fueled by out deep inner-passions. Despite, whatever the business market maybe telling us, we always will stay at it, persistence is a key factor in reaching success. Whenever, I look around, I see all of today's emerging technologies. Digital technologies, social media, and everything else. Writing as we all know it, is quickly becoming a thing of the past, obsolete. Replaced by the digital age, bio-technology and interactive sensitive touch-screens, tapping them, clicking, snapping, digital screens. Replacing the ink pen and pencil, as well as the paper. Making it seem wasteful for me to even put so much focus on writing, while being in prison. When, there wo'nt be any use for it outside of these wall's, in 'civilized' society. Or, will there be? Language, words, ideas will always be something we need and depend on, no matter how we communicate them back and forth, to one another. Either through writing with a pen an paper or by 'tapping-out' our word on a digitalized smart phone screen. Our ideas, words, and thoughts will always be transmitted and communicated somehow, to in spire others into action, create, shape, and influence other's around us, impacting pop-culture. Fortunately for me, even though my predicament strongly forbids having any possession or even accessibility to them whatsoever, I've still been in positions that have allowed me the brief opportunity to become familiarized with some of these latest, and newest technologies. Using corrupt female 'prison-staff', with elaborate smuggling routes. I've had the chance to get acquainted with the latest smart phones, allowing me a glimpse into the thing's, I'll be dealing with, upon my return back into civil society. Online blog's, websites, social media or everything else digital to add value, diminish value, promote, market, and leveraging technology in ways that drive content, and stimulate business. From what I've seen so far, I'm confident that upon my release, I will easily adapt to whatever technological changes that I will face. My plans are to utilize the technology of the day, to continue with my writing passion. Using either ink pen and paper, or a digital touchscreen. Words will remain my emissaries- telling my own story, letting my audience know who I am. These "cellblocksociety" titled essay's, which I've submitted to the APWA editors, should they prove to be unsuccessful reaching and attracting the attention of experts, mentor's and insider's that work inside the commercial publishing community. I've made plans. To utilize and leverage some of this newest technology as a resourceful tool, that can help to fund my publishing plans, and aspirations. Using crowdfunding social media sites, with well organized campaigns to raise seed money for my own self publishing goals. Seeking out guidance tips first, in order to determine which one of the crowdfunding sites will be best suited for my specific type of projects. The crowdfunding campaign will be used to fund self publishing services such as editing, transcribing, formatting, typing, binding, graphic designing, copyright fees, barcodes, marketing promotion, ISBN's etc. If you can appreciate what you've read here in these "cellblocksociety" titled essays. And you can see potential in my writing's, worth your investment of time and resources, if you can see us collaborating together? Please, do not hesitate to reach out and initiate contact with me, via APWAdhinitiative.org or contact me at AZ.doc.gov/levertbrookshiredoc#180035 Thank you Transcribed in 2017.
