Black History Month Reading-FREE Ebooks

Today begins Black History Month in which we celebrate the achievements of Black Americans and take a sobering look at how far we have to go to achieve equality for people of color.

As a Floridian, I watch with horror as our governor tries to erase black history in Florida and marginalize people of color, banning books from classrooms so students can't learn about Rosa Parks Frederick Douglass, or Martin Luther King Jr., or read books by Toni Morrison. It's gut-wrenching and, together, we need to raise our voices in opposition.

Ironically, the only thing Governor DeSantis ever did for the black community was posthumously pardon the Groveland Four and he wouldn't have if it weren't politically advantageous at the time.

The Groveland Four were four young black men falsely convicted of a heinous crime in Jim Crow Florida in 1949. Their story is all too familiar but stands out because Thurgood Marshall chose to represent them in their appeal. Gilbert King told the story of this shameful chapter in Florida history in his Pulitzer Prize winning book: Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America.

After reading this book in college for an assignment, my son Josh decided to help the families pursue posthumous pardons for the men and, after four years and many setbacks, he was successful.

If you would like to read about his quest for justice and become inspired to start your own, I'm giving away FREE EBOOKS of our book: "Accidental Activist: Justice for the Groveland Four" for the entire month of February. 

Blurb:

Discover the incredible four-year quest for justice for The Groveland Four, and learn how to pursue your own causes, whatever they may be.

Accidental Activist is a primer for positive action, and a journey through Florida's past as well as its future. Some of the things you will learn by reading this book:

    Everything takes more time than you think 

    Nothing ever goes according to plan

    Help can come from unexpected places

    Time is on your side

    Everyone is connected

    You can reach your tipping point for success and not even realize it

    Your goals can change along the way

    Flexibility is key

Let's get started, shall we?

Book link: https://www.amazon.com/Accidental-Activist-Justice-Groveland-Four-ebook/dp/B07Z5TYNT7/ref=sr_1_15?crid=1ZL1Y6Z6J91R0&keywords=barbara+venkataraman&qid=1675270554&sprefix=%2Caps%2C221&sr=8-15

 

 

 

Accidental Activist--Only 99¢ from 1/12-1/16

Want to be a positive force in the world? Here's your inspiration and it's only 99¢ from 1/12-1/16.

Discover the incredible four-year quest for justice for The Groveland Four, and learn how to pursue your own causes, whatever they may be.

Accidental Activist is a primer for positive action, and a journey through Florida's past as well as its future. Some of the things you will learn by reading this book:

Everything takes more time than you think

Nothing ever goes according to plan

Help can come from unexpected places

Time is on your side

Everyone is connected

You can reach your tipping point for success and not even realize it

Your goals can change along the way

Flexibility is key

Let's get started, shall we?

https://www.amazon.com/Accidental-Activist-Justice-Groveland-Four-ebook/dp/B07Z5TYNT7/ref=pd_ybh_a_1/136-4513955-5902623?pd_rd_w=nfgmf&pf_rd_p=5b50fa67-c855-4853-bcaf-579230bfb9aa&pf_rd_r=K2KJ0E4QJY8S696NGH0W&pd_rd_r=fb460127-7fc8-4071-9a46-6fc7f9c2842e&pd_rd_wg=3xwmj&pd_rd_i=B07Z5TYNT7&psc=1

Accidental Accident: Justice for the Groveland Four only 99¢ 10/12-10/16

Our award-winning book, Accidental Activist: Justice for the Groveland Four, is on sale for 99¢ 10/12-10/16 

Check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z5TYNT7/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p2_i9

Description:

Discover the incredible four-year quest for justice for The Groveland Four, and learn how to pursue your own causes, whatever they may be.

Accidental Activist is a primer for positive action, and a journey through Florida's past as well as its future. Some of the things you will learn by reading this book:

Everything takes more time than you think

Nothing ever goes according to plan

Help can come from unexpected places

Time is on your side

Everyone is connected

You can reach your tipping point for success and not even realize it

Your goals can change along the way

Flexibility is key

Let's get started, shall we?

Free Book on Kindle 10/14-10/18 :-D

Great news! Our award-winning book "Accidental Activist: Justice for The Groveland Four" is free on Kindle 10/14-18. Check it out!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z5TYNT7/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i6

This book shines a light on a small, important piece of history illuminating both the wrongs that happened and what it took to finally arrive at justice for those falsely charged and convicted seventy years ago. Never doubt that one person can't make a difference.

Description:

This book will take you through my incredible four year quest for justice for The Groveland Four and teach you how to pursue your own causes, whatever they may be. It is a primer for positive action, a journey through Florida's past as well as its future. Some of the things you will learn: everything takes more time than you think, nothing ever goes according to plan, help can come from unexpected places, time is on your side, everyone is connected to everyone else, you can reach your tipping point for success and not even realize it, your goals can change along the way, and flexibility is key. Let's get started, shall we?

***Proceeds from the sale of this book will be used to establish "The Charles Greenlee Memorial Scholarship" to benefit a child with an incarcerated parent.

 

A Virtual Trip to Canada with Gingersnaps! :-)

Check out our interview on "Fika with Vicky"! Josh and I were on Canadian radio, we made a trip to Niagara Falls without having to get on a plane. We had so much fun with Vicky and she put together a wonderful YouTube of the interview with a slideshow. We even shared our recipe for Gingersnaps!

Here's the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjxAmBD1FrA&t=9s&fbclid=IwAR1gMN0Cu8pRsPn8krW9acs0H0t6kopP54F5AaWs2FzX29P1eysMQ_m6w_Y

GINGERSNAPS 

2 1/4 cups of flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, Mix all ingredients with electric mixer except the 1/4 cup sugar. Roll dough into 1" balls and roll in sugar. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 2" apart and bake 8 - 10 minutes until tops are cracked.

Indie Authors' Panel on June 25th :-)

Check it out! I'm speaking on an Indie Author's panel on June 25th through the Broward County Library. :-D Any one can sign up to listen and it's free. 

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3214091698128809486?source=authornewsletter

And if you are interested in learning more about Black history and social justice issues, check out my new book--Accidental Activist: Justice for the Groveland Four. This memoir was co-written with my son Josh and recounts his successful 4-year quest to obtain posthumous pardons for four Black men wrongfully convicted of a heinous crime in the Jim Crow South. It is a primer for activism and an uplifting story of the power of perseverance and love. It is also still extremely relevant today. I have free audio-book download codes to give away. Excellent narrator! 

Here's the link on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z5TYNT7/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4

New Book Free on Kindle thru 10/21 :-D

I'm excited to announce the arrival of a new book I co-authored with my son Josh about his quest for social justice: Accident Activist: Justice for the Groveland Four.

It is free on Kindle today through 10/21, so please check it out. Thanks!

Blurb:  This book will take you through my incredible four year quest for justice for The Groveland Four and teach you how to pursue your own causes, whatever they may be. It is a primer for positive action, a journey through Florida's past as well as its future. Some of the things you will learn: everything takes more time than you think, nothing ever goes according to plan, help can come from unexpected places, time is on your side, everyone is connected to everyone else, you can reach your tipping point for success and not even realize it, your goals can change along the way, and flexibility is key. Let's get started, shall we?

LINK:

https://www.amazon.com/Accidental-Activist-Justice-Groveland-Four-ebook/dp/B07Z5TYNT7/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=josh+venkataraman&qid=1571316927&sr=8-1

Help correct a terrible injustice by signing a petition...

Check out this article by Pulitzer Prize winner Leonard Pitts and help correct this terrible injustice by signing the petition. Thank-you!!

http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/leonard-pitts-jr/article36702204.html

Here's the petition link: https://www.change.org/p/exonerate-the-groveland-four

A Social Justice issue and a minute of your time...

WITH JUST YOUR SIGNATURE AND A MINUTE OF YOUR TIME,

YOU CAN REWRITE HISTORY, FIGHT FOR JUSTICE,

AND RIGHT A TERRIBLE WRONG...

If you want to help, please sign this petition and spread the word through social media

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

IT'S TIME FOR JUSTICE FOR THE GROVELAND BOYS

https://www.change.org/p/richard-scott-exonerate-the-groveland-four?recruiter=244799536&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive

Thank-you!