Associated Content Producer Valerie Michele Oliver Wins "Best Music Scribing Award"

Talented Content Producers who persist in sharing quality work on Associated Content rarely go unnoticed. Never has this been more evident than Valerie Michele Oliver's receipt of the 2007 "Superior Scriber Silver Medal" - an honor that was bestowed upon her for her article, CD Sales Based on Album Artwork, Cover Design. The distinction is part of the "Best Music Scribing Awards", which has become an annual tradition of the international magazine, Pop Matters.

I had the good fortune of interviewing Val about this noteworthy achievement and learned a great deal more about her as we engaged in a wonderful exchange.

Dr. M: First of all, I'd like to congratulate you on earning distinction as a "Best Music Scribing Awards of 2007" recipient! What does that award mean to you as a writer?

Val: Thank you so much, Jamie. It was a surprise to me. I was performing a search on Google using the names I've used professionally in my career life, Valerie Michele Hoskins and Valerie Michele Oliver, to see if anything new pops up in the search. I do this periodically. Sure enough, I see a new citation under Hoskins listing me as a Superior Scriber Silver Medal Winner.

It means a couple of things to me as a writer. I see it as a sign that I'm on the right track putting time and energy into my writing passion and plans. It validates my writing as marketable from an industry insider's perspective since Jason Gross, who selected the winners, is someone who has credibility in the music industry, sees quality in what I wrote and wants others to know about me.

It's an honor to be included in the company of writers who are music artists like David Byrne of Talking Heads and the legendary Patti Smith, and writers published in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The Guardian, The Observer, Harpers, Huffington Post, and Wired. Also, I'm happy for people to discover Associated Content and the works of many other talented Content Producers here when they link to the article.

Dr. M: What words of wisdom would you share with Content Producers who may feel that their work here on AC might never gain the recognition yours has outside of the AC community?

Val: I don't write to win awards. I write to express and help myself creatively, financially, and to serve others. I love music. I'm a songwriter, and at one time was seriously considering representing artists whose music I think is incredible: Neil Alexander and Paul Meyers. I wrote "CD Sales Based on Album Artwork, Cover Design," the article for which I won the award; to inform independent artists and producers about what contributes to CD sales from a visual communications perspective. I wanted to give them resources on how to do so on a low or no budget.

I pray to my Higher Power prior to beginning writing projects. I pray for the Creator's will for me and the power to carry it out. I detach from my ego, outcomes, and go to the next project. I'm not saying this to push God on anyone. That's not my thing. I'm sharing, honestly, what works for me. I know what works for me may not necessarily work for everyone.

My advice is to write from your heart, interests, and what will benefit people in some way. Write from an entirely or fairly fresh or original angle. Consider search engines when writing your title, descriptions, and copy. To tell you the truth, I suck at it! AC editors changed the title. I'm open to others who have expertise in the areas in which I need help.

I must focus on quality versus quantity as a CP since my time is devoted to more than AC, and get the word out when I publish something. I let people know my articles are available many ways: my private mailing list and blog; arts-related lists and groups to which I belong; forums and discussion groups on the topics; social media and open content networks; and any other ways I can think of for people to find the articles and creative works.

My final words of wisdom are: believe in your self, your talent, and continue writing.

Dr. M: What award or other form of recognition would mean the most to you?

Val: My mom died in 1979 at age 46 from the same disease that killed Bernie Mac: Sarcoidosis. Sarah Oliver Hoskins was a tremendously loving person who placed great value in being of service to her community. She was a pioneer in race relations in New Jersey after the race riots in the 1960s through a program she co-founded with a Catholic priest called Operation Understanding.

Their idea was to have children from the inner cities live with families in the suburbs and vice versa. When you live in your home with "the other" it's hard to remain fearful of strangers. Many enduring relationships developed as a result. She won an award for her work in this capacity.

It would be such an honor for me to receive recognition from any community of which I am a part, like my mom. Yes, I'd like to follow in her footsteps and know I'm my mother's daughter.

Dr. M: You appear to have a number of creative interests and activities, including songwriting, conducting audio interview podcasts and video podcasts, ghostwriting, and of course, writing for AC. Which of these activities are you more heavily involved in at the present time?

Val: There are two: ghostwriting a book and planning Creator's Parrot Channel. The book project began in 2006. I've conducted intensive interviews with Eleanora Amendolara, my client. Also, I've conducted interviews with numerous people she selected, taken a life-transforming, death-without-dying trip to Peru, and am currently in the final stretch of writing the first draft.

Creator's Parrot Channel is a dream of mine. You can take a sneak peak at the vision for it. It's one way I hope to support my local, national, and global communities. One plan is to finance it through sponsorship - either one major sponsor or a small group of sponsors spread out across specific shows. Potential sponsors are welcome to contact me for more information.

Also, I work full time for the Automobile Association of America (AAA). It provides a regular, stable income for me and supports the creative activities I hope will provide economic fruits in the future. One of my articles here on AC came about as a result of my working there: "Automobile Roadside Assistance Tips for Fast Service."

Dr. M: What is one of the most memorable interviews you have done with a fellow artist and what about that interview stands out in your mind?

Val: That's such a difficult question! How can I pick one? There are some great interviews (and teleconferences) I did back during the early years of the HIV/AIDS crisis for Body Positive magazine in New York when I was the editor there. Then there are more recent arts-related interviews. I'm going to mention a few of my favorites but choose one upon which to elaborate.

The ones that first come to mind in print format are: "We Are Family: Living with Hemophilia and HIV, (An Interview with Father and Daughter, Terry and Desiree Stogdell)"; "*What's Spirit Got to Do with It?*(A Teleconference with Spiritual Leaders in New York City About HIV)"; and, "Jairo Pedraza on HIV in Latin America* (An Interview with the North American Regional Delegate to the Board of UNAIDS)."

My favorite audio arts interviews are: "Far and Near Horizons" (Visual Arts, Landscape and Plein Air Painting); "Gerardo Castro" (Visual Arts, Painting -- View "Romancing the Gods" video clip); "Judi Silvano" (Music); and "Mary Ann G. Neuman" (Visual Arts: Photography).

My most memorable one is Mary Ann. What stands out most to me about the interview is the honesty she shared about the various responses she gets to her photos, and the respect she has for her subjects and their plight. Her humanity inspires me, as does how her spirituality contributes as the source for her choices as an artist. Her approach confirms mine.

The interviews I conducted with Eleanora for her book are in a class all by themselves. They have changed my life. That's all I can say about them for confidentiality reasons.

Dr. M: On your AC profile, you have noted that you are an "Art Director, Editor, Educator." Please elaborate on these activities.

Val: There are three big hats I've worn in my career; particularly through the business I called The Pursuit Studio. It began in 1988 as Pursuit Enterprises after I graduated from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University with a master's degree in Interactive Telecommunications. My undergraduate degree is in English-Communications.

My specialty after graduation was applications of interactive telecommunications: using technology as a tool, a resource for solutions in a variety of areas. This led to career opportunities in print (desktop publishing and design) and digital media. I worked on staff for business and nonprofits while trying to build my business part-time.

Here are some career achievements that stand out for me:

1. Creator, producer, and host of a weekly public affairs radio show designed as a motivational tool for Upward Bound students to engage them in writing and national affairs by debating their best compositions on the air.

2. Multicultural board member recruited to strategically plan and implement training for a nonprofit organization that had over 300 staff members with conflicts across multiple cultures (gender, race, sexual identity, differently-abled, and HIV/AIDS status).

3. Information specialist contract with Prevention First, Inc. in Springfield/Chicago, IL to provide information, research, and training support to the entire alcohol, tobacco, HIV/AIDS, and foster care prevention network of workers in the state via Prevention Online, a system I designed, operated, and for which I secured information providers.

4. Editor and art director contract with Body Positive, Inc. in New York for Body Positive, their organization's HIV/AIDS education and prevention monthly magazine serving men, women, and children. I led the magazine to receive the Heritage of Pride Outstanding Media Coverage Award: its first and only award (click here to view the issue).

5. Project manager, art director, marketing director, and editor for numerous print and Web projects. My favorites are for Hooligan Picture's movie "Zombie Honeymoon," available on DVD at video outlets (Art Director for poster to help secure financing for the film); Saucon Films' movie "Black Wine," selected for multiple major film festivals and available on DVD (Art Director for poster to market the film to festivals and distributors. *View trailer*.); and Sacred Center(Editor, Art Director, and Project Manager for Web sites).

6. Interviewer, host, and podcaster (audio and video) to publicize the arts community in the Lower Hudson Valley in New York State, and to expose artists, organizations, businesses, and audiences to the applications and benefits of podcasting.

7. Educator on the college level teaching visual communications courses (view the Visual Communications Education Portfolio), and educator at Newburgh School of the Performing Arts teaching children digital photography and the power of images, focusing heavily on portraits and self-portraits.

I closed The Pursuit Studio in October 2007. I was putting significant energy into it but the financial return was not suitable to meet my needs and vision. Change was calling me.

Dr. M: Some people are under the assumption that education and creativity do not go hand in hand. In your view, how important is education to cultivating a creative mind?

Val: This is a great question. In my experience (personally and as an educator), education can be quite important. Education is a powerful resource to feed creative thinking, concepts, and ideas through exposure to a variety of subject matter we can pull out anytime to build upon, expand on, or use as a springboard for an entirely new creation.

Education teaches us what's been thought of or accomplished before so we'll know if we're original or not. Education helps serve as a mirror to distinguish and identify who we are and what we value as opposed to other creators. Education gives us a playground, a safe place and structure to test our creative ideas before we have to perform and make a living in the "real world."

Education gives us an opportunity to work creatively with others who may end up being our partner or provide creative support in the future. Life itself can be an excellent education with active awareness, and relationships that cultivate creativity. All of us create everyday: drama, peace, trust, anger, fear, etc. I could go on and on.

Dr. M: What long-term creative projects do you have on your agenda?

Val: I have writing projects and building community via radio on my agenda. Eleanora and I have another book project planned that will introduce a new resource to people in 12-Step recovery programs, or anyone who needs a tool to address alcoholism/addiction disease based on both our strengths and experiences.

I plan to write a book about my life to honor it and my mother in a unique - and what I expect will be a controversial - approach to storytelling; to write a collection of short stories with erotic and magic realism overtones, and write a musical play or screenplay I began collaborating on with a friend who died some years ago. Eric Nutter was a talented songwriter, arranger, and singer. I stopped working on the project after his death. I believe he would want me to move forward with new collaborators.

I want to inspire, motivate and support others through radio or some other broadcasting facility.

Dr. M: Aside from AC, where can readers go to learn more about Valerie Michele Oliver and her work?

Val: Visit Creator's Parrot Channel on Blog Talk Radio. Subscribe to it for updates and program notifications, or use the RSS feed. Visit Creator's Parrot YouTube Channel. Click on the links in this article to access the projects and people who have interested me and contributed to my career and development. Google my names: Valerie Michele Hoskins and Valerie Michele Oliver. Send me an email to join my mailing list and stay in touch.

Dr. M: Is there anything else that you would like for readers to know about you?

Val: I'm a miracle. I've experienced death without dying. I've been in the crossing over tunnel, was met by my mother, maternal grandmother, and a beautiful, luminous being who filled me with light. Here I am. I see life differently from before that experience.

The Creator (God) is my creative partner. I'm so grateful. I'm amazed at what happens often during interviews. Off-the-cuff questions will come out of my mouth: ones that elicit deep thoughts and feelings from my subjects, and connections happen that I didn't plan at all. I don't believe in coincidences anymore.

Sometimes I pick up the goose quill pen I made, dip it in an ink made from a special plant, think about all that light put into my body, and believe I am a Light Writer (one who writes with light).

I'd like to express gratitude to the owners, board, and staff at AC, plus all the Content Providers whose work inspires me and who support me. I must mention a few: Gary "G-Man" Toms, Gary Davis, Julia Bodeeb White, Annmarie, SummerPiaza, Angela Coleman, Bridgette Williams, Charlotte Kuchinsky, and you, Jamie.

Thank you for giving me an opportunity to share with Content Providers, readers, and you, some of the light I hope came through in this interview.