What's the situation with Author Treasure E. Blue

Here’s the situation… You’re a new author and you’re not signed to a major publishing house that can mass market your book to millions. You either self-published or are with a vanity publisher with limited resources. You’ve done the research, and the type of marketing campaign you would like to launch is not within your budget. You need an outlet that will promote to thousands in your target market, but at a price you can afford.

What if I told you you can have all that and more, and it’s absolutely FREE?! You don’t believe me? Well, it’s true. There’s a pioneering co-op program on Facebook that is strictly dedicated to new and upcoming authors.

If you need to learn more about addiction, there are a lot of resources both online and otherwise that you can use to help you along.

AAMBC’s The Situation Room (TSR) has the exclusive from the renowned author, Treasure E. Blue, who discussed with us his reign, his message and his mission.

TSR: First off, CONGRATULATIONS on your signing with Cash Money Content. We’re so excited for and proud of you! Tell us how that came about.

Treasure Blue: Thank you. Well, to be honest, in the literary world, everyone knows who you are, but you will never know they are watching you. I’ve been on both sides of the fence, self-published and with the majors, so I have a clear and proven track record, in regards to sales. At the end of the day, when you are launching such a new venture, as the case with Cash Money, it’s all about business and who or what will make it successful. I guess it was a no-brainer to get at me since all my novels have produced so well and I happened to be available at that time.

TSR: What are you working on with Cash Money Content? What will your debut title(s) be?

Treasure Blue: My Debut novel I have with Cash Money will be entitled, “Get It Girls. A Harlem Girl Lost Story” We will be doing a Harlem Girl Lost series, the rest has yet to be titled.

TSR: You have such an amazing rags-to-riches story per se, how did you rise above so many obstacles to become the man you are today?

Treasure Blue: Yes, I had many ups and downs, both as a child and as an adult, but my key through it all was no matter hard many times I’m knocked down, I refused to stay there. I leaned at such an early age, that with hard work, you can obtain anything, and I did just that virtually my entire life. My dad was a street vendor his entire life in Harlem, and he taught his children at an early age, the greatest asset you can have in life is hard work and human skills. He had us out in the streets selling hats, socks, pantie hose, leg warmers, anything. He taught us that if you believe in your product so will the public. I remember, my father allowing me to take two shopping bags filled with various items and I went directly to Harlem Hospital, took the elevator up to the top floor and sold my goods to everyone from nurses, doctors and even the patients. By the age of ten, I started buying and selling my own products, because I saw the profit margin was much better, and ventured out to bars, beauty salons or barber shops to sell my goods. I was so little, I guess I was a commodity to them me being so young with such determination and verbal skills. It wasn’t long after did I pretty much master the art of salesmanship. In relations to publishing, once I made up my mind to be an author, I pretty much gave up everything, to be the best in the industry. I left my $60.000 a year city job with the Fire Department, gave up all my vises such as drugs and alcohol and left women alone. It was sink or swim from that point on. Long story short, I eventually, went on to sell 65.000 copies of my debut novel, “Harlem Girl Lost” which lead me to securing a major six-figure publishing deal with Random House Publishing. *Note – I do not suggest anyone leaving their jobs.*

TSR: Public speaking engagements catered to our youth about drug addiction and literacy is something you’re well known for. Why these two topics and what is your message?

Treasure Blue: Because I’ve been around addiction my entire life. I was consumed with a horror fill childhood because of my mother erratic alcoholism. I’ve experienced just about more shame, more guilt than any child should have to bear, from coming home seeing a gang of boys, having sex with your mother because she is passed out drunk, forcing the men that my mother would bring home out my house, them pulling guns or knives out on us, pulling her out of the gutter, or her coming home bloodied, rob, or even raped. But, what was worst then everything was to watch, wonder, and wait for the day she would die. That really does some damage to your mind as a kid, you can try to block it, but it will always be there and damage your whole outlook on society, as done to me and my other siblings. It all would catch up with me, as, I, too, acquired those same hideous traits of addiction years later, doing myself the same damage to myself and others, as my mother done to herself and us. Then, and only then, did I truly begin to understand during the mist of my own addiction, my own hell, come to understand why my mother could not stop even though she was killing herself, she had a disease, the disease of addiction, and so did I, but thanks God, he spared me, a day at a time, which is why I’m so vocal on educating the youth. It was no one there to tell me, or talk to me about what I was going through at that time, which in essence, would only turn me into a human time bomb. I know, if it happened to me, how many other children is it happening too? So, when I speak to them, whether it is High Schools or Juvenile Detention Prisons, I give them the chilling truth, and the one thing I WISH, someone had told my at that age, and that one thing is, “That it is not my fault!”

TSR: You are currently trying to form a group dedicated to new and upcoming authors. What is the name of the group and what is its mission?

Treasure Blue: It’s called ALL4One Authors Promoting Authors. Its a little brain-child put together by me and Kisha Green. I’m recently doing something similar in a campaign to assist my friend, mentor and the greatest writer in our genre, Kwan, reach something that he should have been on years ago, The New York Times Bestsellers List, for his newest and latest novel, “Eviction Notice.” It is proving to be quite successful thus far, so that’s when it hit, why not do the same thing for new and upcoming authors to help them in this sometimes tough industry. So, I put it out there and received a positive response, and Kisha Green immediately was ready, willing and able to be part of this, so much, so, she not only named the group, she structuralized it, and started it up as well. This woman is incredible.

TSR: When will the group be completely formed and ready to go public?

Treasure Blue: Hell, it up and running now, but will actually be ready for the first author to be push, I believe October 2, because we are still doing a drive for Kwan and his quest.

TSR: Do you already have established members who are willing to sign on and give of their time and experience? Mind letting TSR in on a few of them?

Treasure Blue: Actually, it’s too many to be named. We are still brand new, and don’t have it all fine-tuned yet, so, we learning as we go. But, I believe strongly, that it will only help, because it’s nothing anyone has to lose.

TSR: As a published and established author, or a person providing services to the industry, how would one become a member?

Treasure Blue: In-box me or Kisha Green and we will add you. We are strictly dedicated to new authors however, to give them a leg up and create a buzz for them. It is some many talented new authors, that have stories you would not believe, but not being noticed because no one know about them. Well, we want to do as much as we could in a collective effort. Each One, Reach One, as Kisha Green says.

TSR: What are the requirements to join for unpublished, new and up-and-coming authors?

Treasure Blue: Only requirement is participation. The platform is as follows, each week; we support one new author to push. We do that by all members changing their profile pic to that authors book cover, and sort of go for broke and basically notifying anyone who will listen to check out or recommend them reading that book, in groups or on our page. Simple. To see its effectiveness, at the end of that campaign week for that author, they will reveal to the group, the actual gains that it enabled them whether, a 5 book increase or a 500 book increase. Either way, this is a tool to motivate.

TSR: Is there a fee for sign up or membership?

Treasure Blue: No fee, no membership. We feel that it must be for the unconditional love and passion to help your fellow author for this to work.

TSR: Why did you feel the need to form this type of group? What was your inspiration?

Treasure Blue: To give back for what was so freely given to me. I’ve achieved so many accolades in this business, more than I can even count, and to still be here, and accepted; I’m overjoyed. It’s never been about money for a wretch, hell; I had it, lost it, and obtain it again. What really gets me off is helping other and seeing that smiling. That, is worth more than all the money I could ever receive in a lifetime. To be honest with, no matter how much I help or give somebody, I always get more out of it than they will ever know. They have a saying if you can find one true friend in your lifetime, you are truly blessed. Well, not only did I not find one true friend, I found four, Ms. Nakea Murray, Kwan and the DC Bookman and Deborah Cordona aka Sexy. These four people I mentioned stood behind me when everyone talked about me, turned their backs on me and wrote me off for finished, when my vile transgressions of my past reared its ugly head once again when I slipped and fell because of my addiction. I was broken, but these four loving people were still by my side to pick me up and not only told me, they showed me that all will be ok. Well, that was over 4 years ago, and life for me has been all well since. Now, I’m back with a fury, but not with any revenge or exploits of grandiosity, but with a humble heart, and show them perseverance through adversity. I am only human.

TSR: What is your vision for ALL4One Authors Promoting Authors and what do you hope to achieve?

Treasure Blue: To be heard, simple and plain.

TSR: Finally, you seem to be a Jack Of All Trades, as a very successful author and now with ALL4One Authors Promoting Authors, what else can we expect from the unstoppable Treasure E. Blue?

Treasure Blue: That’s the secret to my success my dear, I keep em guessing~! But for now, it’s a Cash Money thing. Shout out to my label mates, The great Wahida Clark, The Dynamic Duo Geniuses, Ashley & Jaquavis and lastly, my brother till the end of time, Killer Kwan Foye. #JFK

About The Author:

Many have called Treasure E. Blue the reincarnated Donald Goines. This prolific author without doubt is one of the most shocking and controversial writers that we have seen in decades. Blue’s background is as almost as compelling as his mouth-dropping debut novel entitled “Harlem Girl Lost”. Using the streets as a means of survival, he soon found himself involved with some of Harlem’s most notorious elements. Retiring from the game at the tender age of sixteen, Blue, who dropped out of High School after being banned from the entire Board of Education system, in New York City, managed to become one of the youngest people to receive his G.E.D. in New York State. Joining the military at seventeen, he developed a voracious appetite for books going on to read well over 2000 novels. After serving his country honorably, he joined the New York City Fire Department and worked as a Supervising Fire Inspector in the Bronx. Blue is a father of 4 and won praise for his screenwriting skills. He is also an active member of the American Studies Association. Blue has an uncanny way of not only telling a story, he makes you feel it emotionally as well.