Launch video of BlAsian Exchanges, a novel . . .

Well, it is December 30, 2007 and it is time to launch
BlAsian Exchanges, a novel. So please watch then comment
on this video I just filmed less than an hour ago. And if
you are so moved, please buy an autographed copy by
sending a check or money order for $21.95 (includes
postage & handling) to:
Sam Cacas,
Nobhillwriter Associates
1355 Leavenworth Street #12,
San Francisco, CA 94109

and please be sure to make the check out to
Nobhillwriter Associates

Thanks for your viewing time and your comments.

Sam

Trying to get nervous for tomorrow's launch . . .

Hello World:

It is a rainy Saturday in San Francisco. Makes me not want to go to
Borders. Probably just grocery shop then drop into a cafe for my regular
Americano de caf whilst I write more like I did yesterday and every
other day. The rain won't stop that.

I'm still trying to get ready for tomorrow's launch of BlAsian Exchanges,
a novel. The rumors are true: I AM GOING TO LAUNCH VIA PODCAST
FROM MY HOME HERE IN SAN FRANCISCO!

Who of you will be tuning in?

Best,

Sam

How to buy BlAsian Exchanges, a novel

You can pick up a copy of "BlAsian Exchanges, a novel" at the following places: (1) EastWind Books of Berkeley, 2066 University Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704, phone: 510-548-2350; (2) City Lights Bookstore, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Franicsco, CA phone: 415-362-8193. If you want to buy an autographed copy from me the author, send a check or money order for $21.95 (18.95 for the purchase price plus 3.00) for postage and handling to: Sam Cacas, 1355 Leavenworth Street #12, San Francisco, CA 94109. Make the check out to Nobhillwriter Associates.

Sam Cacas
Author of BlAsian Exchanges, a novelhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/BlAsianExchanges

BlAsian Exchanges on front page of Asian Week

Believe it 'cause it's true. My new book "BlAsian Exchanges, a novel" received front page coverage in the December 7, 2007 issue of Asian Week which you can access at:http://www.asianweek.com/2007/12/13/talking-shop-%e2%80%98blasian-exchanges%e2%80%99/#more-2353A picture of a BlAsian couple appears on page one below a headline which reads "Black-Asian Love: New Novel Takes on Interracial Attraction"Many thanks to Annabelle Udo for writing the article and to Asian Week editor & publisher Ted Fang for supporting my work enough to put it on the front page of "The Voice of Asian America"Page 10 shows the story about my book (accessible at the URL listed above), a Question & Answer piece titled "Talking Shop: 'BlAsian Exchanges'" by Annabelle UdoBelow is a word-for-word copy of the article:Talking Shop: ‘BlAsian Exchanges’By: Annabelle Udo, Dec 13, 2007 Print Email Share Tags: Bay Area BlAsian Exchanges is first-time author Sam Cacas’ recently released novel, which explores interracial relationships between black women and Asian men (termed by the portmanteau “BlAsian”). Cacas, 52, a former AsianWeek writer who moderates a discussion group focusing on black women and Asian men, tells the story of Earvin Ilokano, a Filipino American who deals with his frustrations as a journalist by penning a novel that recollects his attraction for black women and culture.Why did you decide to write about the BlAsian relationship? Sam Cacas: I wanted to write about interracial attraction/dating/marriage for about 10 years, because I felt that the Asian man’s perspective on attraction to black women has not been covered by either the mainstream media or the black media. Given my intimate involvement with black women for the last 33 years of my life (I have been married to a black woman for seven years and previously to another black woman for nine years). I felt I had a perspective that the public needed to hear, and I had to just write my own story.What makes BlAsian relationships different than other interracial relationships?BlAsian relationships involve two people of color together, which is significant to me because being intimate and social with my partner means a lot of not having to explain what it means to be discriminated against regularly because of the color of my skin and standing up to it when I want to.Why do you think the issue of BlAsian relationships is so important to get out there?Society is still ambivalent about accepting the Asian guy who is politically conscious, affectionate, and polyculturally bold enough to pursue their attraction for black women like I have — not the stereotypical Asian male nerd who is not masculine enough to even have sexual or romantic feelings for women. BlAsian relationships only started happening in the late ’90s and are regularly verified on the Internet in Yahoo discussion groups like PowerCouples_AMBW with 300-plus members — mostly black women—which I co-moderate, and YouTube videos like the one showing the BlAsian couple in an IKEA commercial. The image of black women and Asian men needs to be broadened beyond their archetypal racial uniforms of accepting notions of white beauty.What sort of myths are associated with BlAsian relationships? That they won’t last a long time, that Asians and blacks are not compatible, that such relationships are merely political statements.Why did you choose Greek mythology to complement your interest in black women?Greek mythology taught me a lot about developing the so-called “third eye” — the sense of intuition based on the wisdom that others have imparted, such as wise sayings, mythological stories such as those from ancient Greek literature, etc. For me, it has also included proverbs and family stories from my parents’ Ilokano background.Are there any links that you recommend for people who want to know more about this subject matter? » groups.yahoo.com/group/ BlAsianExchanges/» groups.yahoo.com/PowerCouples_AMBW» www.interracialchats.com» www.asian-nation.org/interracial.shtml» www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIbxxH3ZcCg�

Latest news on "BlAsian Exchanges, a novel"

Last weekend City Lights Books in S.F.'s North Beach section contacted me to let me know they had sold out copies on myinitial consignment with them and wantedto take out a second consignment which Ijumped on right away. In case you've neverheard of City Lights (261 Columbus Avenue,near Broadway, 415-362-8193) is the placewhere the Beat Writers first congregatedand also where the first paperback booksin America were sold) BlAsian Exchanges,a novel is also selling well at EastWindBooks of Berkeley.
Also last week, Annabelle Udo contacted me to request a review copy. She writes for Asian Week and also wants to inter-view me.
I have also been working on an articleabout interracial dating focusing onBlAsian Relationships which I plan tosubmit to Amerasia Journal soon. . .More on this later.
Take Care,
sAm

Rept. on Love Without Boundary Nov 3 '07 NYC: BW dating outside the box

I am now pretty much unwound from my flight back from myEast Coast trip which ended with a two-night stay in NYCto participate as a panelist at "Love without boundary:Black women & dating outside the box". So here is my initial report on the event.
First of all, I wanted to thank my fellow co-ModeratorRedchild and Evergreen for attending then taking me outto dinner, showing me their home in Flushing (right inthe middle of the Chinatown in that city which is justoutside of NYC) and buying a copy of my book! Many hugs andkisses to both of you! I feel I really owe you
As I noted in my introductory address to the crowd of about 40 or more attendees, "I feel liberated and exhilaratedby this opportunity to talk about an issue that has beenso near & dear to my heart most of my life." At least thatis how I had it scripted but I may have deviated a littlein what I actually said; I think I left the word exhilaratedout. I then went into my background: a co-moderator of the Yahoo! discussion group PowerCouples_AMBW (Asian MenBlack Women); the author of "BlAsian Exchanges, a novel"and two articles on BlAsian relationships published in Today's Black Woman and Interrace;and an Asian man who has been attracted to and intimatelyinvolved with Black woman most of my life (33 years is whatI said near the end of the event). I also noted that I waspoliticized as well as socialized by Black culture and Blackstudents during undergrad at the University of Maryland - College during the mid 1970s as well as the D.C. area; I was a member of the campus Black Student Union and evenwrote articles for their newspaper, the Black Explosionand I also participated in many protests that involvedBlack issues such as the retention of the Black Studiesprogram, Free the Wilmington 10, the Bakke court decision,etc. I noted at the end of my introduction that such politi-cization and socialization with Blacks set the basis formy being attracted to Black women throughout my life but that the type of Black women I've usually been attracted to were woman whom I could have a good conversation with, particularly a good political conversation.
More about what was said during the event's major topicdiscussions will be covered in a later post.
Some afterthoughts that have entered my mind since thisevent: I feel I should have mentioned that in additionto my involvement with Black issues, I was also involvedwith Asian American issues including being the founderof the campus Univ. of Md. Asian American Coalitionwhich pushed issues such as the Asians in America classoffered by the American Studies Department in 1975 andwhich also worked in coalition with other Third Worldgroups such as the BSU and other people of color organi-zations on campus. Off campus, I wrote for a newsletterin D.C.'s Chinatown which covered Asian American issuesin the D.C. area and was a founding member of the AsianPacific American Federal Employee Council and the D.C. chapter of the Union of Democratic Filipinos. Yes,I was a busy dude. Another key afterthought concernswhy I've been attracted to BW most of my life: it hadto do with a mix of personal [including my mindset thatBlack women are beautiful as influenced by my admirationfor entertainers such as Roberta Flack and Freday Payne) and political considerations [i.e., Black feminism whichI was moved by in my readings of authors such as Zora Neale Hurston and Sojourner Truth) -not just political as I had said in my introductory speech.Reflecting on this issue during the discussion and think-ing about it afterward, I think that is a more accurate perspective I've taken for my attraction to Black women.And I should also have added that as a regular guy who has strayed periodically from my politically progressiveleanings had his own personal needs to fulfill, I often went forBlack women at least two times in my life who wanted nothingmore than a sexual relationship which is what I wanted aswell - and got.
What do you think of all this? Please, I'd like to hear your comments.
More to be reported in the next few days.
Very Warm Regards,
Sam Cacas

Welcome to my blog: an initial greeting from Sam

Hello everyone:

My name is Sam Cacas, author of "BlAsian Exchanges, a novel". I created this blog to encourage discussion of my first novel which is my first published book. In short, "BlAsian Exchanges" is about a Filipino-American journalist in San Francisco who decides to become a novelist in the midst of career and work frustrations. The tale he writes is a recollection of his attraction for Black women and Black culture in relation to his racial (Asian American) and ethnic (Filipino American) heritage. To stoke his poison pen, journalist Earvin Ilokano - who is married to a Black woman - recruits Black women on the Internet to serve as his muses and consequently make the story more "interactive" and the writing experience a little spicier for the reader not to mention the writer.

What do you think of the above plot?

Also, what or who encouraged you to check out this blog?

Thank you for visting and please return for more interaction and enlightenment.

And have a nice last few days of spring and a great summer.

Take Care,

Sam Cacas
18 June 2007
San Francisco, California, U.S.A.