Why Be who You Wanna Be?

I'm in the habit of creating characters for my stories, that's what I do. With enough research - practically or through vicarious means - I can be whoever I can imagine and for my purpose as a writer that is great. For me I don't think there's anything that compares to creating my characters and then putting them in dire situations. Then becoming them, seeing the world through their eyes and experiencing some of what they experience.

Just because I'm a writer doesn't mean I should be having all the fun and don't let anyone tell you there is anything wrong with pretending to be someone we have always wanted to be.

Now Marksman Studios is offering you the opportunity, surrounded by like minded and fun people.

Who do you wanna be?

Your imagination may draw you towards a character from a book or movie. Then again you could have conjured up some quirky caricature that symbolizes all that's funny or sexy. Or with some you're dress rehearsing who you want to be for the future. Effectively test driving a career or goal you are reaching for, just to see how the real thing will feel when it eventually comes into your life after all that hard work.

I know when you turn up to a celebration like this, wearing whatever you have decided to wear - fancy dress, drag, traditional wear or masquerade masks with evening wear - it will be a personal choice that speaks volumes about you. But on the night as we all let go and have a blast being someone we are not or someone we hope to be, just be aware of others around the world whose aspirations are basically ones of survival.

And that s why I decided to help raise some money for www.Kiva.org and why it means so much to me. Having the means and the opportunity to help these entrepreneurs to gain self reliance and independence is a gift I want to share with all of the Marksman Studios family.

So on Friday 5th  December 2008, at the 142 Bar and Lounge, 142 The Broadway, West Ealing, London W13 0TL join me and the rest of the Marksman family. Let loose, enjoy, make friends, think big and reach for the skies. Be Who You Wanna Be and while you're at it, help another human being be someone too.

Peace, love and power

Waddup family!

You know sometimes on the daily grind you come across so many different kinds of people. Most times there not the most inspirational or positive of folks. And if your constantly meeting these people you starts thinking that everyone is generally the same. I tend to check myself when I start feeling I'm sliding into that pit because my writing is about people and their differences and how they can surprise you, for good or bad. So if I can't see how unique every individual is then my creative shit is going to suffer. So I'm always on the look out for interesting people – women especially - whether they are of the nasty or kind variety.
I'm always surprised.  Take Tuesday gone for example. I walk out for a breath of fresh air and to clear my head and decided to get some food at the same time. It's early so I order breakfast and you know these establishments who foster community by making sure you have to share your eating space with a stranger – don't get me wrong I'm all for it, you would just prefer not to be sitting beside some dude whose an eyesore or engaging you in some boring ass conversation – but if you got to, you give thanks that you're linking with a fellow human being. Anyway I'm safe so far  and it doesn't take them long to have my food in front of me and a much lesser time  for me to be tucking into a very unhealthy fry-up. Amidst the diners, the conversations, the laughter and my slowly rejuvenating senses – the food was hitting the spot – and if that wasn't enough my mood was jump started by a question and a beautiful smile.
     "Is their anybody sitting here?"
Women smile at me all the time but when you're bombarded by sights and sounds on a busy street you need to be certain you are the focus of her attention at least to preserve my delicate male ego. No need for that now though because I know she's dealing with me. She walks over with her tray and a plate with some vegetarian delight and sits opposite me. As natural as can be, as if we've known each other for a long while, we talk and eat. The princess in question was Somalian and beautiful. And my fertile imagination starts to wonder if her forefathers were royalty from the courts of the Northern Somali Sultanate.
She just had that poise about her, that graceful air.
The surprising thing is we both felt the need to talk and after a few moments conversation, I could understand why. For those twenty minutes we talked about religion, love, family and unforgettable experiences.I'm intrigued about how people can connect instantly on a deeper level, love at first sight and those niggling feelings that tell you someone is known to you but they just couldn't be. Call me a romantic or self deluded but I believe it to be all possible. I've been blessed with the gift or luck of coming casually into contact with people who I forge a life long relationships with. Starting off on my journey I was sceptical too but time and experience has taught me when circumstances arise for you to connect with someone and it feels right, even if it is the bro across the table from you with that boring ass look on his face don't squander the opportunity.
It could help to define your life.
Believe dat.
Peace

Anton

Did you miss me?

I missed you and its only when I inadvertently let life overtake me that I remember what my priorities are. So I'm back and hope I'm forgiven. For those of you who don't know me too well I'm Anton Marks a self published urban author based in the UK who wants to share portions of my life and my passion for writing and entertainment with you. It may not seem like it but this is supposed to be a memorable event because this is my second attempt at maintaining some meaningful dialogue with my readers.

This time though it feels right.

I'm on the road – metaphorically speaking - sitting in a restaurant in London posting this up for you guys to read and I'm thinking of where I'm coming from to get to here and now.

Not sure why but I can almost feel the sting of the rejections and put downs all over again –they never stop when you're still climbing to the top. But I'm also feeling the excitement and sense of wonder when I finished my first novel Dancehall years ago. Then there's the sorrow of seeing the small community of writers I was familiar with in the early days succumb to the challenges of day to day living and give up on their dreams. I would as soon give up breathing than writing – melodramatic mode switched on – but that's the way I feel.

I'm a hustler and a juggler. Not as good at it as some but I get by and of course I'm not able to immerse myself into my true passion of writing and entertainment 24/7 because of that – not yet. So I'm an average man with one difference that sets me apart from the crowd  and that is, I know were I'm going and I've got a good idea of how to get there.

But it can be tough, like now.

I'm tired, finding it hard to focus but I will because I want to reach out and touch you, with no more excuses. So this is about me, taking responsibility, right?

About the writing world of Anton Marks, my light hearted opinions, observations and my motivations. All that it takes to write the stuff I do and what keeps me committed to bring my projects to the page and have some fun doing it. You'll have a front seat to where I socialize when I can and I'll bring you along with me on occasion if you're up to it.  And let's not forget my love affair with film and my long term plans of conquering the movie world with my unique take on literary entertainment.

Lets wait and see.

Expect to hear from me at least once a fortnight but if shit pop-off then maybe before that. Swing by www.anton-marks.com and www.myspace.com/marksmanstudios  to keep updated with Wha gwane and immerse yourself in the Marksman Studio vibes of books and merchandise.

Until next time.

On the 27^th of April 2007 I officially launched my website – www.anton-marks.com and released my new crime thriller Bushman at the Precinct Bar, Gloucester Road, London and what a night it was. I shared a great evening with a group of about sixty plus readers, well wishers and friends dancing the night away with tunes from my cohort in music, hype man and Dj extraordinaire JA Katana. Drinks flowed and so did the sense of merriment. And it was all captured digitally by my sparing P veteran Journalist and Program maker Norman Gentles.

It was all smiles and a great vibe you can only experience from people who care. I was empowered and humbled at the same time by the diversity of my extended family who were partying with me. Seeing the folks who read your work in the flesh and not some uninspiring statistics from the publisher's reports is a breath of fresh air. And yes my female readers were as beautiful as always unfortunately I had to share them with some equally smooth cats that figured shit out and turned up on the night under the pretence of support for me.

Yuh win some and you lose some.

What was good was the burgeoning understanding that Marksman Studios was more than just the equal of its parts – novels, art, film and stuff – but that it is a social animal too. The music - R & B, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Soca and Dancehall – was like the soundtrack I write my stories to and was a fantastic thing to share it.

I'm sure friends and acquaintances were made - a few lovers came into being too – and that also is what Marksman Studios is about.

So I'll keep on fulfilling my part of the bargain and making sure the Marksman experience is never a one dimensional thing and you keep on participating and reading my books.

Thanks again for showing the love.

Peace, love and power.

Talk soon

Anton

Marksman Studios: Inspiration like a bullet to the head.

My first official website is nearly complete and I'm broke, tired and slightly elated - www.anton-marks.com.

This is some memorable shit right here. You know the kind of event in your existance that signals a milestone in your life but as with most things in the real world its heralded with no fanfare or celebration. No mood music to signal to the audience a change in emotion. I'm at home posting this up for you guys to read and I'm thinking of where I'm coming from to get to here and now. A black author having the balls to write thrillers featuring characters like himself handling extraordinary circumstances as any human being would under a similar set of challenges.

All the rejections and putdowns – that never stop when you're still climbing to the top – the uncertainty and the pain of learning my craft the hard way and the sorrow of seeing the small community of writers I was familiar with succumb to the challenges of day to day living and give up on their dreams. I would as soon give up breathing than writing – melodramatic mode switched on – but that's the way I feel.

So I'm a 9 to 5 hustler and novelist – and as Biggie Smalls used to say: if you don't know, now you know nigga - but never question my commitment because I'm not able to immerse myself fully into my true passion of writing becah when it come to my writing mi nuh play, king.

So I'm an average man with one difference that sets me out of the herd and that is, I know were I'm going and I've got a good idea of how to get their.

But it can be tough, like now.

I've come home and I'm tired, finding it hard to focus but I will. So much has gone on for me to reach to this stage that it kind of feels like an anti-climax. But this blog stuff is supposed to be about me, right. About Anton Marks writing world, my opinions, observations and my motivations. All that it takes to write the stuff I do and with the commitment I have to bring my projects to the page. You'll have a front seat to where I socialize and with who - if they don't mind being featured - and my long term plans of conquering the movie world with my shit.

Yeah right.

We will see.

I'm determined, my style eclectic and by no means am I a run of the mill author. I stand out because my background makes me approach my novels - hell my life - through the filter of my Caribbean experiences.

So I have one thing left to ask of you, just enjoy deh ride.

Peace, love and Power

Anton