By Clint Confehr
NASHVILLE, TN — A spiritual intuition motivated a young man in Mississippi to seek and find his destiny. Following that nudge, he’s now an author and wide awake.
“Finding a better relationship with God is what ‘The Awakening’ is all about,” author Terrance Dye says of the book he’s signing 1-4 p.m. Sunday at ALKEBU-LAN Images Bookstore, 2721 Jefferson St.
“The Awakening” is self-published and a sell-out at every signing. “It seems like the right people come to the book signings,” Dye says. A practical man, Dye has only 50 books printed per signing.
“‘The Awakening’ came from my research on references to Blacks in the Bible,” said Dye, explaining his conclusion that history in the Bible is today’s story. Similarities between now and then emerged from his three years of research that led to the book written with his friend, Calvin Patton. Dye did the research and found stories to be rewritten into poems. Patton “has more spirituality” and with that the two collaborated on “The Awakening.”
Asked for an example from the book, Dye provided “Ultimate Destiny.” Its conclusion ends with the title.
“God, The Universal Infinite Source has so much more for us to realize, actualize and experience through our Oneness with The Devine. Make peace with The Source of all Life, and we know wholeness is in the plan of our..‘Ultimate Destiny.’”
Born in New Albany, Miss., Dye moved to Booneville, Miss., at age 10. A decade later, he’d been writing poetry for fun and to entertain people. Then, a close friend was leaving to attend a seminary in Jackson, Tenn. The departure weighed heavily on them.
Before leaving, Dye’s friend reported God told him something. “He has something special for you.” What? “He didn’t say. Go seek and find.”
“A spiritual intuition” prompted him to show his poems to his hometown newspaper. A reporter gave him “a list of poetry sites on the Internet.” So, Dye entered poetry contests and won accolades. “I could not stop because I saw what happens when you seek and find,” he said. “You never know what God has for you.”
Now, after 17 years as an author, Dye, 37, works at Alton Lane, a custom clothing show room in West Nashville. He’s a personal wardrobe stylist and model. And he’s something of a groundbreaker. He’s described as the first black author on WSM 650 AM radio, and he was a guest on Dr. Bobby Jones’ TV show, appearing on both broadcasts because of books. “‘You know this is a music show,’” Dye says, quoting someone at Jones’ program. And, of course, WSM plays country music.
Dye’s signed books at Barnes & Nobel and Books-A-Million.
Yusef Harris owns ALKEBU-LAN Images Bookstore. Established in 1986, it’s a Jefferson Street landmark in orange and deep red. “I have a lot of my authors to come into the store on Sundays for signings,” manager Devorah Stewart says. Dye says, “She has a great aura.”
