Author, Anthony McDonald was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He grew up in a crime ridden-section of the North Side. He describes his childhood with adjectives that allude to sadness, embarrassment, and elements of darkness. As an A student who enjoyed learning and school, McDonald often felt ostracized in his community. He was unaccepted in a harsh environment solely based on the instinct of survival and the perception that apathy is the primal attribute of being cool and popular. The constant need to feel accepted led McDonald to a street life filled with every element of wrong. Many years later, an intervention of faith and purpose instilled a desire to change for the better. Reading books and learning about African-American history electrified a new confidence and pride that allowed McDonald to feel good about being a young black man. Understanding his history was the tool of diversion that McDonald needed. After learning from his mistakes and being inspired by his roots, McDonald was driven to share the stories he had learned about African-American historical figures. His eight year old son, Anthony JR’s desire to know about different African-Americans who shaped society was the added spark that ignited McDonald to write the book, Risen. McDonald hopes that Risen will impact others to learn more about African-American history and evoke an irrevocable mindset of greatness within its readers. He believes that understanding the accomplishments and true history of African-Americans that is at times omitted in history books will encourage others to be confident about whom they are. McDonald would like to empower others with the knowledge that empowered him to change. In doing so he believes that readers will realize their own valuable potential and importance in society. The importance of feeling unimportant is what propels individuals to not care about themselves and others. McDonald feels that this is the foundation of the problems that plague urban –America and in many instances it is what triggers crime and the reality of a prison system overcrowded with young black males. Anthony McDonald’s own life could have been spent behind prison walls for a lifetime. He could also have been dead but books changed his destiny and now he hopes to change others’ lives for the better through the power of literacy. McDonald believes in the theory that it is vital to educate the youth about their factual history because in order for children to know where they are going they have to know where they came from. It is at that point that they can rise to be better.
I would like to secure a literary agent, a publishing deal and/or speaking engagements.
