I only have one book published “You Don’t Know Me” but I am still trying

Two years ago my first book “You Don’t Know Me” was published with errors. I have mixed emotions about “You Don’t Know Me”. I should clarify that TSAR is indeed a professional publishing house its a small press based in Toronto. I did not have to pay for anything thank god. TSAR actually receives funding from the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Arts Council. Although “You Don’t Know Me” was published with errors the book was available in Canada, United Kingdom, United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

Yes after my first book “You Don’t Know Me” was published with errors two years ago I did indeed write letters to both the Ontario and Canada Arts Councils to let them know my concerns.  In May 2005, Nurjehan Aziz told me “so what its just a couple of errors.” I was so disgusted with her unprofessional attitude. Why would a book publisher publish a book with mistakes? It doesn’t  make any sense? I feel like TSAR had absolutely no respect for me as a writer and as a person.

The attitude of Nurjehan Aziz the co publisher of TSAR was disgraceful. All Aziz cared about was acquiring free grant money from the provincial and federal arts programs. I was very depressed and distraught that my first book was published with mistakes. I can never have a “first book” ever again. You only gain “one experience” with having your very first book published and Nurjehan Aziz and M.G. Vassanji robbed me of that first experience. It is so humiliating to see my book published with mistakes I want to scream at the top of my lungs!

If you own a business wouldn’t you want the product to be as professional as possible? Nurjehan Aziz didn’t care when my book was published with errors she told me in May 2005 “so what its just a couple of errors.” I was so offended and disgusted. Why wasn’t TSAR professional enough to hire a copy editor? On July 13th 2005 the rights of “You Don’t Know Me” reverted back to me. I am trying to get another book published now but I still want “You Don’t Know Me” republished.

Of course, I am glad I finally crossed the barrier of having my first book published. However, I didn’t appreciate the apathetic attitude of TSAR. Currently, “You Don’t Know Me” is out of print as the saying goes in the book industry and is not listed in TSAR’s catalogue. I still have the publishing credit however and that’s what matters most. TSAR cannot take that away from me. My book is listed in the Library of Archives of Canada, the Library of Congress in the United States, and the British Library in London England.

The book is also available at various libraries in the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. I wonder why people like reading it so much? I mean “You Don’t Know Me” is just a collection of poetry. I just don’t appreciate that my first book was a nightmare. I wanted my first book to be perfect I wanted it to succeed. “You Don’t Know Me” could of been so much more successful if TSAR actually gave a damn about the book.

The owner of TSAR is the famous Canadian Giller Prize winning writer M.G. Vassanji but the company is run by his wife Nurjehan Aziz. My first volume of poetry “You Don’t Know Me” was published with typographical and grammatical errors. The book is only 71 pages long! Aziz refused to hire a copy editor and put the blame all on me. Now I am not with TSAR anymore. Would M.G. Vassanji accept errors in his work? I am sure M.G. Vassanji wouldn’t be thrilled if his books were published with mistakes so why should I?

I find it strange that after two years people are still reading “You Don’t Know Me.” I get messages from old friends and acquaintances all the time telling me they heard about my book. I wonder how is this possible? I mean people in New Zealand, Australia, the UK, United States and even Canada are still reading this book? How the hell did they find out about “You Don’t Know Me”? I mean the book did receive a few book reviews two years ago but that’s it. Yet its two long years later and people are still reading it. I wonder how? How is this possible?

I haven’t had a book published in two years. Yes I have been reading the writer’s market, doing research trying to find suitable publishers. Earlier this year I sent a poetry manuscript to an American book publisher that publishes gay writers. The editors liked the volume but the specific poetry editor rejected my manuscript. I don’t even bother with Canadian book publishers anymore because there is a catch 22 in Canada. A Canadian literary agent told me that the Canadian book industry is actually pretty racist against black writers. I already knew that but she spelled it out for me. Go to any bookstore in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and you will notice the paucity of books dealing with the black Canadian experience. Sure, I’ve been to the book stores in Toronto and seen numerous books by African Americans but I am not African American. In Canada the attitude of the book industry is this they publish books by and about Canadians except really black Canadians. And the black Canadians that go get published sure are old. I mean I have nothing in common with Dionne Brand, or Austin Clarke, or Nalo Hopkinson. Its great there are stories being told by black Canadian writers but where are the younger voices? You know people below the age of 35 or 30?

All I know is I am NEVER going through that shit again. If or when I do get another book published I will make sure IN the CONTRACT there is specific information in relation to copy editing.