This page is dedicated to the publication and distribution of works of literature written and published by Eddie S. Pierce Jr.
Eddie S. Pierce is a Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative Writing degree recipient from Chicago State University, home of the world renowned Gwendolyn Brooks Writing Center and host of the annual Gwendolyn Brooks Writer’s Conference. Mr. Pierce considers himself to be primarily a fiction and prose writer but was afforded the opportunity to be published in 95Notes Literary Magazine for poetry and Sage Publishing’s Encyclopedia of Identity for an article on the phenomena of “Passing.” On Saturday, November 12, 2011 Pierce released his first self-published work, Love: Something Infinite and simultaneously launched Rainbow Room Publishing. His second self-published novel, Love: From Behind, followed on Sunday June 30, 2013. Additionally he is currently producing more titles and pursuing numerous other literary and artistic ventures.
Overview
Love: Something Infinite began as a cathartic
exercise for me, a young urban African American male, raised with traditional
Christian values, diagnosed with clinical depression that also happens to be
gay. In time, being HIV positive was added to that list. It, like most everything
I have ever written without the motivation of my academic or professional
careers, is pretty much house cleaning for my mind, emptying the mind of an
excess of thought, and imagination. Every now and again this mostly emotional,
un-targeted action seemingly takes on a life of its own, developing
consciousness and the need for a function, continuously evolving to serve
numerous purposes in my life and those around me. The process yields an
intelligent message with a variety of purposes: entertainment, inspiration,
motivation and so on.
My life was severely conflicted, similar to many others of
the same demographic. I was psychologically and emotionally unbalanced and a
walking contradiction. Perhaps the most constant and sustaining elements of my
life have been writing and literature. This fact was evident in writing the
first few pages of this work which initially provided a safe place to explore
my feelings, past, aspirations and my future. Since that time I understand the importance
of adding my literary voice to the conversations about my immediate community
as well as the global discussion on the human condition.
As previously stated, LOVE: Something
Infinite's initial purpose was an attempt at personal release and
introspection. The 40-page story served as my fiction portfolio in the pursuit
of a Master's of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, and ultimately the 120 plus
page novella became my thesis. It graduated to an academic function, but
neither it nor my purposes were completely fulfilled. I began to think about my
pains and narrow escapes in light of two suicide attempts and a new function
for the work was conceptualized. I was reminded of the countless others
wrestling with similar struggles. LOVE: Something Infinite is a novel inspired
by actual events and the characters depicted within are a mixture of composites
and archetypes I have been blessed to encounter. While the situations and
personalities have been fictionalized, it is my hope that Something Infinite
still retains the true to life emotions I and many others have experienced,
connecting us all on some level. This leads me to the three primary objectives
I intend for Rainbow Room Publishing, LLC to meet:
Objective 1 - Promoting Healing and Encouraging Discourse
Objective 2 - Long-Term Investment of Resources
I have decided to devote my writing talents, newly acquired
professional associations, my position as a self-published author and all
related resources to continue facilitating the crucial conversations detailed
above. I was recently divinely inspired to move to the next stage, leaving the
9-5 world.
This financial backing provided through purchases and
donations in the form of financial contributions and services would allow me to
complete new projects with similar, ultimate aims including; interjecting my
voice to promote LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS awareness and advocacy, to connect with the
emotionally and mentally compromised, to combat stereotypes and misconceptions,
to project positive images and to help others define their own lives and
establish their own sense of self-acceptance. I have been fortunate to make
numerous connections with individuals and organizations across the country with
similar aims and mission statements. I have a number of tentative travel plans
to attend various LGBTQ Pride events, literary and art showcases, writing and
publishing conferences, and to support the initiatives of organizations
promoting literacy, LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS awareness and advocacy all of which I am
actively pursuing in the city of Chicago, IL and the global community through
the usage of social media and the world wide web.
Most importantly, objective number two includes efficiently
investing resources in a manner that will have long-term benefits for my
business and the public it will positively impact. The vast majority of any
funding would serve as capital to continuously create new revenue streams for
my company. This would include publishing more of my literary titles as well as
those of other authors and artists, making sound investments in mutual funds,
stocks, and bonds with the hope of generating more revenue. As a financially
solvent business, Rainbow Room Publishing, LLC will serve to encourage the
growth of many other small businesses and the education of many individuals
within underserved populations and depressed communities.
Objective 3 - Promoting Professional and Economic
Growth
While writing has been a constant in my life, the idea of
pursuing it as a career has often been abandoned due to the rigorous
competition we new authors face in a publishing industry which is continuously
shrinking. Fortunately, I have many sources of emotional support as well as the
professional mentoring and the opportunity at an educational career which all
enabled me to pursue my dream. Still, a number of obstacles have to be
surmounted; securing agreements with retailers, media outlets and making significant
working relationships with notable and affluent professionals in my field.
Despite these difficulties, I have been fortunate to achieve more than most who
share my aspirations in a very short period. I have determined that my success
must and will breed success for others.
I am in the process of developing an internship program
based on a requirement for my MFA in Creative Writing which would provide
practical experience to the next generation of writers and publishers and offer
a stipend for the participants. This would assist the students with their
educational expenses as well as provide a notable experience for their resume
and future employment opportunities within the profession.
There have been numerous inquiries regarding Rainbow Room
Publishing, LLC producing and representing the work of other lesser known
authors such as myself. Rather than see some many more talented individuals
approach traditional publishing houses in vain and, possibly deterred from
producing a novel that many may need to read only because of a lack of
notoriety on the part of the new author I would hope to help them establish
themselves in this rigorous and highly competitive field. A significant
component of this objective includes revising a long-standing dream of
producing a literary magazine to showcase previously unpublished literary,
poetic and visual talents for the ultimate purpose of helping to acquire that
first critical publishing credit, an opportunity granted in 2009 with 95Notes
Literary Magazine. That first small accomplishment to this day continues to
motivate me, and I want to cultivate that drive in as many others as possible.
As stated before literacy has proven invaluable in my
life. That coupled with my belief in the need for equal opportunities in
education are the primary reasons I have been employed as an academic advisor
with the federally funded TRiO programs for fourteen years and teaching online
with Rasmussen College for seven years. My immediate community and many similar
collectives across the globe suffer due to an imbalance (intentional or
otherwise) of opportunities to adequately educate oneself. Countless
individuals seeking to improve their station in life don't have the resources
or proper advisement. Mentally my passion for education and love of writing,
and literature are inseparable and one day that marriage will manifest in the
establishment of a book retail shop which would also provide services to the
community. In the case of the former, it would offer an initial retail
opportunity for new authors and supplement educational resources for the
latter.
Finally, for the purposes of the third objective Rainbow
Room Publishing, LLC will to continue to employ new and small business owners
similar to the editors, writers, photographers, digital artists, caterers,
printers, accountants, lawyers, models, actors and cinematographers who have
lent their services, products and expertise in the productivity, marketing, the
promotion and the establishment of Rainbow Room Publishing, LLC as a thriving,
legal and financial entity.
Conclusion
As detailed above my plans, in general, are extensive, and
the resources your purchases and investments provide would be beyond beneficial
to these philanthropic, entrepreneurial and, altruistic aims. I would most
desire to impress upon you my earnest intentions to be the best possible stewart
of any investment (be it short term in the form of a purchase or long-term in
the sense of contributing in the soon to come investment opportunities). You
are investing in an organization which in turn plans to add to the general
welfare of as many individuals as Rainbow Room Publishing, LLC can positively
and reasonably impact. Maximizing the gift your contribution and perpetuating
an ideal expressed by Senator and Mrs. Simon Guggenheim. "to add to the
educational, literary, artistic, and scientific power of this country, and also
to provide for the cause of better international understanding"
(Guggenheim, Letter of Gift, 1925). Thank you for your interest in
Rainbow Room Publishing, LLC.