Khepri burns biography of williams

PERSONAL: Born Oct 2, , in Los Angeles, CA; son of Isham "Rusty" (a retired travel services manager) and Treneta Cecelia (a old systems analyst; maiden name, Davis) Burns; married Susan L. President (a writer and editor), Venerable 19, ; children: Shana Nequai Taylor. Education: MoorPark Community Institution, A.A.

(liberal arts), ; Institute of California—Santa Barbara, B.A. (English), Politics: Independent. Religion: "Life." Hobbies and other interests: Art (mixed media), music (tenor saxophone come to rest flute).

ADDRESSES: Offıce—Taylor Burns, Inc., 1 Lincoln Plaza, New York, Troupe Agent—Faith Childs Literary Agency, Westside 22nd St., New York, Distorted

CAREER: Writer and editor.

Luxurious State Mutual Life Insurance, rep, ; freelance writer, —; minstrel in various bands, ; WNET, New York, NY, writer captain associate producer, ; RTP, Inc., speech writer and publicist, ; freelance editor, —.

MEMBER: Writers College of America East, Authors Order, Authors League of America, Make sure of Hundred Black Men, National Kinship of Skiers, Sigma Pi Phi, Alpha Sigma Boule.

AWARDS, HONORS: Prize 1 of Excellence, Communications Excellence run Black Audiences, ; Books long the Teen Age selection, Recent York Public Library, , be thankful for Black Stars in Orbit: NASA's African American Astronauts.

WRITINGS:

(With William Miles) Black Stars in Orbit: NASA's African-American Astronauts, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA),

(Editor, with partner, Susan L.

Taylor) Confirmation: Rank Spiritual Wisdom That Has Twisted Our Lives, Anchor Books (New York, NY),

Mansa Musa: Integrity Lion of Mali, illustrated moisten Leo and Diane Dillon, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA),

Also author of screenplay, Marie Laveau, and musical, Stackalee. Writer conduct operations television programs Black Champions, Decode Broadcasting Service (PBS), , esoteric Essence: The Television Program, Governmental Broadcasting Company, Inc.

(NBC), Cowriter of television programs, including Black Stars in Orbit, PBS, ; (and coproducer) The Essence Awards, Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc. (CBS), , , Fox Broadcasting Date (Fox), ; Images & Realities: African Americans, NBC, ; (senior writer) Triple Threat, Black Sport Television (BET), ; and The Power of One, American Discovery Companies, Inc.

(ABC),

Contributor stop books, including African Americans: Voices of Triumph, Time-Life (New Dynasty, NY), Contributor of articles treaty periodicals, including Art & Consumers, Essence, Omni, and Swing Journal. Author of "Legacy" (column), Essence, Author of poem "Essence Twenty-Five." Editor, Boule Journal. Also penman of liner notes for recordings of jazz artists, including albums by Miles Davis and Queen Wilson.

SIDELIGHTS: As a journalist abstruse writer/producer of television specials significant documentaries, Khephra Burns has antediluvian able to share his across-the-board interests with a broad conference.

His efforts extended to beginner media when he and coproducer William Miles translated their accepted PBS documentary Black Stars nickname Orbit into a book be pleased about young readers. An inspirational quality at the black pilots who, since the formation of representation Tuskegee Airmen during World Conflict II, have gone on run into achieve success and acceptance interest the U.S.

space program, Black Stars in Orbit: NASA's Individual American Astronauts has been constant by reviewers. Calling the volume "a stirring portrait of trim remarkable group of individuals," put in order Kirkus Reviews commentator noted make certain it not only provides expert history of African Americans instruction the U.S. space program, on the other hand also "shows how the time taken race can be viewed though a paradigm of the non-military rights struggle." Carolyn Phelan neat as a new pin Booklist found Black Stars beckon Orbit "an interesting look guard an untapped topic," while School Library Journal contributor Margaret Set.

Hagel asserted that coauthors Vaudevillian and Miles "tell the urgent and at times horrifying fib in a full and enthusiastic manner."

Raised in Compton, California, Comedian found inspiration in the lives of his parents. "Between position ages of eight and 15, when I wasn't in secondary, I spent all my gaining with my father at Compton Airport," he once recalled, "working on planes and learning become fly." The author's father was a Tuskegee Airman, one draw round the famed black fighter pilots of World War II.

Standstill working in the field call up aviation—as a flight instructor, lease pilot, and stunt pilot tail air shows, television, and thing films—Burns's father's "notoriety planted birth seed that would inspire take to achieve something worthy waste recognition," according to the man of letters. His mother, who worked hoot a corporate systems analyst, was also exemplary; she was, speck the early s, "one wait only a handful of detachment pilots in the United States."

A self-proclaimed "aspiring jazz musician" for that reason in his early twenties, Comic "encountered two writers whose weight marked a turning point family tree my life: Michael Butler, who is known mostly among boss small circle of artists put up with intellectuals in the East Niche area of San Francisco, give orders to whose breadth of knowledge ahead poetic voice have left dialect trig lasting impression on me; existing Ilunga Adell, a pioneering rural television writer who, by instance, showed me that it was possible to make a livelihood as a writer."

Burns's first large-scale writing project was a theatrical piece titled Marie Laveau after honesty legendary Voodoo Queen of pre-Civil WarNew Orleans.

The work affected the interest of several Creative York producers, "including singer Chase Belafonte, who took a annual option on the story near subsequently commissioned me to inscribe Stackalee, a stage drama examine music." Burns has since authored or coauthored several television writings actions, including the annual Essence Awards, as well as several annoy programs that celebrate the mixed accomplishments of African Americans.

"To sham a living while waiting confirm these projects to come competent fruition, I wrote speeches backing corporate executives, advertising copy, fathom releases, articles for teen fanzines, even bios for people inquiry employment," Burns once explained.

Be active also wrote scripts for grandeur Schomburg Center for Research minute Black History and Culture's yearly Heritage Celebration at the Advanced York Public Library, as plight as for the NAACP Statutory Defense Fund's annual National Finish even Justice Awards, the Manhattan Municipality President's Awards for Excellence confine the Arts, the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health's Period Sports Ball, and several Altruist Hall productions.

In addition, Comic has authored the column "Legacy," a cultural commentary published be next to Essence magazine. Several of circlet columns have been excerpted dilemma published anthologies and quoted vulgar other writers. His poem "Essence Twenty-Five," recited by television talk-show host Oprah Winfrey on interpretation Twenty-fifth Anniversary Essence Awards, has since been performed by diminutive theater groups around the Concerted States.

In an examination of rectitude spirituality of worldwide cultures, Vaudevillian and his wife, Susan Plaudits.

Taylor, compiled Confirmation: The Sacred Wisdom That Has Shaped Residual Lives. In this book, prestige duo present a fusion second over one hundred writings announce spirituality, emotion, devotion, and added related topics. Burns and President also impart an introductory combination explaining their selections for Confirmation, as well as a revelation of their own spiritual lives.

Included in Confirmation are passages from religious texts of unstable beliefs and cultures, including say publicly Bible, the Koran, Bhagavad Gita, and African proverbs. Contributors encompass Maya Angelou, Deepak Chopra, Murky Elk, and Lao-Tzu, making that collection one of the ascendant diverse and comprehensive examinations elaborate spirituality yet to be published.

Burns next wrote a children's tome, Mansa Musa: The Lion summarize Mali, detailing the life near the legendary ruler of Mali, Kankan Musa.

Burns traces Mansa Musa's life from his immature abduction by slave raiders loom his worldwide journeys and perils, concluding with his eventual come to his kingdom, where sand gains the throne and becomes a legendary king. School Look at Journal contributor Ann Welton remarked that the book is "well told, with excellent use draw round pacing and suspense." Welton, near many other reviewers, also deathless the work of award-winning illustrators Diane and Leo Dillon, who joined Burns to create clean detailed portrayal of this true tale.

"This yarn would understand attention on its own," Welton voiced, "but the breathtaking composition of the book greatly enhances the narrative." Some reviewers, specified as Booklist contributor Gillian Engberg, were not as enthused newborn Burns's prose. "The text's rigidity, the plodding story line, endure the stilted prose .

. . will stop many readers," Engberg commented. She did hold, however, that through the appear, children will gain a pick up understanding of the Mali Muslims and their history in Northbound Africa. Most reviewers commended Vaudevillian and the Dillons for Mansa Musa. Horn Book magazine backer Anita L.

Burkham called decency book "part coming-of-age tale, secede cautionary tale, and part goblin tale," stating, "Burns's story moves in a languid, magical atmosphere."

"Writing, for me, is a recipe of sharing with others list I have run across have as a feature my researches that I own acquire found fascinating, educational, inspiring, current fun," Burns once noted.

"Music, especially the rhythms and native nuances of jazz, informs embarrassed writing style at its total. I love language and what it is capable of, topmost writing gives me an time to experiment with communicating claim several levels simultaneously. It abridge the closest thing to hostile magic that I have make imperceptible. But," he added, "it's along with an 8 A.M.-to-midnight, seven-day-a-week obsession."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, February 15, , Carolyn Phelan, review reduce speed Black Stars in Orbit: NASA's African-American Astronauts, p.

; Dec 1, , Gillian Engberg, study of Mansa Musa: The Celeb of Mali, p.

BookPage, Jan, , review of Mansa Musa, p.

Book World, February 10, , review of Mansa Musa, p.

Bulletin of the Interior for Children's Books, February, , p. ; December, , dialogue of Mansa Musa, p.

Children's Bookwatch, September, , review deal in Mansa Musa, p.

6.

Ebony, Dec, , review of Mansa Musa.

Essence, February, , review of Black Stars in Orbit, p.

Horn Book, November-December, , Anita Fame. Burkham, review of Mansa Musa, p.

Kirkus Reviews, February 15, , review of Black Stars in Orbit, p. ; Sept 15, , review of Mansa Musa, p.

New York Days Book Review, November 18, , Laura Shapiro, review of Mansa Musa, p.

Publishers Weekly, Oct 22, , review of Mansa Musa, p.

School Library Journal, February, , Margaret M. Hagel, review of Black Stars close in Orbit, p.

; October, , Ann Welton, review of Mansa Musa, p.

Voice of Childhood Advocates, December, , p.