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Along The Journey of my Growth
To Woman, From Man is a heartfelt poetry collection that honors women across history, family, love, and spiritual life through accessible, uplifting verse rooted in praise, witness, and encouragement. Why was this an important collection for you to write and publish?
With Women’s History approaching in March, I wanted to put together my poetry and prose in a book that would be relevant to women, that would honor women (both famous and non-famous women), and that would acknowledge the discredit, noncredit, and abuse of women over centuries. Also, I wished to challenge women to rise up for themselves and against challenges of today’s world. It was also important for me to acknowledge and express gratitude to significant women to me over my lifetime, including three of my school teachers, a college instructor, my Sunday school teacher, and the mother of my first male, neighborhood, childhood friends. Moreover, I dedicated To Woman, From Man to my dear mother who was the most significant woman in my life—a mother who was always present and supportive, who didn’t drink alcohol, smoke, or go to nightclubs.
How did your experiences with admiration, memory, faith, and counseling influence the voice and structure of this collection?
Famous author, the late Alex Haley, once stated as speaker at a conference that I attended, “If you see a turtle on top of a fence post, you know that it had to have help to get there.” I have, especially in my latter years of life, appreciated and reflected back upon people who have helped me along the journey of my growth and achievements. Many of these people have been women of character who cared deeply about me as they did about others. Moreover, I taught college courses in psychology and counseling and psychotherapy, mainly graduate students, with classes of more than 80 percent women, many who worked jobs and/or cared for their children while pursuing their studies for a master’s or doctoral degree. I respected these women’s perseverance and courage in pursuit of a higher academic degree. In addition, I counseled and supervised counseling cases of women who had been physically or sexually abused. These experiences, among others, influenced my thinking and worldview.
Moreover, I taught public school for one year after my bachelor’s degree, two full-time teaching positions at day and evening or night. Many of the students in the night school were pregnant, because during that time girls who became pregnant had to drop out of day public school and enroll in a night school program. One very rewarding class that I recall was a class of all pregnant teenage girls who were highly motivated to learn and listen. It was a joy to see them each evening and teach them, because I believed that they were learning and completing their high school diploma in order to provide a good life for their unborn child.
Of all the themes in the book, motherhood, grief, love, friendship, healing, and leadership, which felt most urgent for you to speak to, and why?
I don’t usually choose comparatively or use superlatives, because, in the case of these themes, all of them have their importance depending on a woman’s situation and the period or stage of her development. Regarding these themes, all women deal with most of these circumstances, challenges, and emotions at some point in their lives, such as untimely death of a child, death of a spouse or parent, marital divorce, loss of or conflicts in friendships, marital or relationship problems, gender discrimination in the job market, challenges of leadership, joys and challenges of motherhood, health problems, and physical/sexual abuse.
What guided your choice to include both globally known women and everyday, non-famous women in the same collection of tributes?
To me, all women, especially those of character or importance to others, are worthy of recognition and appreciation. For example, To Woman, From Man pays tribute to a housekeeper who works two jobs to put two children through college, a woman on the front desk of my fitness club who always greets members with a smile and by name and is always voluntarily helpful; a mother of nine children that included my childhood, neighborhood male friends—a mother who worked tirelessly as a wife, mother, neighborhood worker, and church member. Moreover, I include famous women of exceptional achievement whom I like and respect due to their character and high achievement against the odds—women such as Helen Keller (who achieved highly regardless of being both deaf and blind), Marie Curie (who earned two Nobel Prizes in science), Tina Turner (who transcended spousal abuse to excel in entertainment and become a positive role model for women), Harriet Tubman (for her courage and leadership), Serena Williams and Misty Copeland who rose to the highest level of their profession against odds, as well as other women of character and achievement. I also acknowledge and express gratitude to my three female medical doctors, my woman barber of 19 years, my woman accountant of 14 years, the two mothers of my sons who remain my close friends, a constant woman friend of more than 55 years, and my two amazing granddaughters.
Author Links: Website | Facebook
Labor of Love
Surviving Cancer: Poetry and Prose is a blend of poems, short reflections, and spiritual notes that trace your journey through cancer, aging, gratitude, and faith. Your poetry shares a deeply personal experience and changes in your worldview. How hard was it to put this collection out in the world for people to read?
It was NOT difficult at all to write this book because it came from my heart, my experiences, and my mission or purpose to help others. Practically most or all of my writings are to create for good cause. Writing Surviving Cancer was really a “labor of love.” Upon publishing the book, many people were interested in reading it because they survived cancer, knew someone dear to them who had been diagnosed with cancer and either survived or died.
Do you have a favorite poem in the book, and if so, why does it hold special meaning for you?
The following poem from my book is my favorite and is meaningful for me because it explains my sweet-and-sour experience of cancer treatment in order that readers may understand and appreciate the cancer experience:
CANCER: A SWEET-AND-SOUR EXPERIENCE
In July 2020, I was diagnosed with cancer as a doctor said;
Without my earthly and heavenly guardian angels and good healthcare,
I certainly could be dead;
I suspected such diagnosis and thus had no fear;
Neither did I breathe deeply or shed a tear;
I told a few among family and friends soon after one day,
Because cancer is not something that I’m ashamed to say;
Yes, through the pain from surgery and chemo, I never lost sight—
Of the joy and appreciation of my kind and competent healthcare
workers both day and night;
Loving family and friends were there by my side,
While impostors found a way to dodge and hide;
And, of course, I prayed for God to allow me to live to do His will—
And not let microscopic cancer cells find a way to kill;
And now I’m cured and cancer-free;
I’m ready to continue God’s work as usual and as you can now see.
Note. This poem was written during December, 2020 soon after my chemo treatment and cancer-free diagnosis.
How has this poetry book changed you as a writer, or what did you learn about yourself through writing it?
I never thought that I would die from cancer; however, I learned to be even more appreciative of my life and purpose after surviving and still remaining here among the living on Earth. Even more, I learned who among my friends and family, whom I told, were supportive and there for me during my treatment. My diagnosis and successful treatment of cancer convinced me more than ever that my life has been guided and protected by God and my ancestors. The writing of this book changed me by enhancing my humility and increasing my mission of helping others.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from Surviving Cancer: Poetry and Prose?
I contracted cancer of the colon because I refused to submit to a colonoscopy until symptoms suggested that I needed to see a gastroenterologist—symptoms that included significant loss of weight, loss of appetite, and iron-deficient anemia. I was blessed to survive cancer; therefore, I urge readers of my book to get a colonoscopy or screening for other types of cancers before it is possibly too late. Many cancers are preventable if diagnosed and treated in their early stages.
Author Website
Surviving Cancer: Poetry and Prose
Surviving Cancer is a blend of poems, short reflections, and spiritual notes that trace Frederick Douglas Harper’s journey through cancer, aging, gratitude, and faith. It moves from personal stories about illness and recovery to broader meditations on history, injustice, friendship, love, and the fragile beauty of life. Many pieces are short and direct. Others feel like private conversations caught on the page. Across the book, Harper circles back to survival, divine protection, and a deep belief that life still has purpose for him after cancer, a theme he states openly in his introduction and early poems such as “Cancer: A Sweet-and-Sour Experience” and “God Had My Back.”
Reading this book felt a little like sitting with someone who has lived many lives and refuses to hide what any of them meant. I found myself pulled in by the plainness of the writing. It surprised me how steady and open his voice stayed, even when he talked about pain or fear. I felt that steadiness most in the pieces about his surgery and chemo, where he shares his relief, his gratitude, and even his frustration in simple, almost conversational lines. There was something honest in how he chose clarity over polish. It made me slow down and listen.
What moved me most was how wide he cast his net of concern. On one page, he reflects on his own scars. Next, he is calling America to stand up to injustice, to mourn the Trail of Tears, or to speak softly to someone who feels broken. I felt warmth rising off these pages. I also felt a kind of stubborn hope. There were moments when I wanted the book to push deeper into the contradictions of survival, but even when it didn’t, I could feel Harper’s heart working hard to stay open. That sincerity hit me harder than I expected. It reminded me that writing can be a kind of prayer or maybe a hand held out to strangers.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy reflective writing, people who are healing from illness, anyone who leans toward spiritual or faith-colored poetry, and anyone who wants a book that speaks plainly about gratitude and survival without pretending life is perfect. It drifts and circles back, yet that wandering shape fits a man who has lived through fear and come out wanting to share whatever wisdom he has gathered. I felt comforted, and I felt nudged to think more tenderly about my own life.
Pages: 175 | ASIN : B09RSVZ32H
My Lifetime Journey
The Stories is a collection of deeply personal reflections with each story representing an encounter with faith, destiny, or divine intervention. Why was this an important book for you to write?
For posterity, it was important for me to record amazing stories from my lifetime journey in various roles and over times and places. I had shared many of these stories with family members, my university students (as examples for learning), and colleagues at professional conferences, especially during the years when I presented conference papers on the topic of psychospirituality. It was important for me to share stories within the context of readers understanding human vulnerabilities and human possibilities. It was important for me to share these amazing, if not incredible, stories from my experiences as a civil rights pioneer and leader, as a child growing up in the Jim-Crow South, as a counselor-psychotherapist, as a consultant, as a family member and friend, and as a channel of messages from a spirit existence as well as my experiences in meeting people who voluntarily shared their stories of spiritual channeling, clairvoyance, and telepathy.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Much of my writings tend to teach and enlighten. Through my stories, I trust that I have communicated to readers to do what is right, continue to grow and learn, share your gifts and blessings with others, value family and your children, and listen to spiritual messages from God and your ancestors.
What was the most challenging part of writing your memoir and what was the most rewarding?
The writing of the manuscript for THE STORIES was more joy than a challenge. It afforded me the opportunity to recall and reflect upon significant experiences and encounters during my lifetime. I guess that a minor challenge was writing down my stories in detail from memory and personal records while I was still cognitively competent in my 70s. Some stories go back to age three and to times when I was in elementary school.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
I hope and trust that readers of THE STORIES will follow their heart and mind, and discover and pursue the light of talent from within them. After years of doing so, I realized that I was gifted as a thinker, writer, helper, leader, and organizer. Therefore, my purpose during my adult like has been to “CREATE [such as writings] and SERVE [e.g., as counselor and professor of counseling] for good cause.”
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
The Stories
Frederick Douglas Harper’s The Stories is a collection of deeply personal reflections that straddle the line between memoir and spiritual testimony. The book unfolds like a tapestry of moments rather than a straight narrative, each thread representing an encounter with faith, destiny, or divine intervention. Harper shares tales of near-death experiences, prophetic dreams, and ancestral guidance, interwoven with memories of growing up Black in the Jim Crow South and his long academic career. More than a life story, it’s a meditation on meaning, a spiritual ledger of lessons learned and messages received. The book moves through themes of faith, purpose, race, family, and love with honesty and heart, creating a body of work that feels both confessional and universal.
Harper writes with conviction and humility, his voice both scholarly and soulful. At times, his stories surprised me with their sincerity. His recounting of prophecies and clairvoyant encounters might sound far-fetched to a skeptic, but he presents them with such clarity and calm faith that I couldn’t help but lean in. I found myself feeling comforted by his certainty that life’s events, however strange, connect in divine order. His storytelling rhythm is slow and deliberate, full of pauses for reflection. He often circles back to the same questions: Are our lives predestined? Do spirits guide us? I liked that he didn’t try to convince me. He just invited me to listen.
What moved me most wasn’t the supernatural stories but the raw humanness underneath them. The moments where Harper described loss, or his mother’s death, or his early brushes with racism, those hit hard. There’s pain in these pages, but it’s wrapped in grace. His prose is plainspoken, but it carries warmth and wisdom. I could feel his gratitude in every story, even the hard ones. What I admired most was his lack of bitterness. Harper has lived through injustice, through grief, through brushes with death, yet what he chooses to write about is redemption and light.
The Stories is for readers who like to think, to feel, to question what they believe about life and what might lie beyond it. It’s for those who’ve wondered about coincidences that feel too perfect or dreams that feel like messages. Harper’s book feels like a long, heartfelt conversation with an old soul, and by the time it’s over, you can’t help but feel a little changed. I’d recommend it to anyone who finds comfort in faith, mystery, and the quiet beauty of lived experience.
Pages: 446 | ASIN : B085DYRJT7
Toward a Theory of Everything
When I opened this book, I didn’t expect it to be such a sweeping mix of science, spirituality, and poetry, yet that’s exactly what I found. Harper begins with his lifelong quest to make sense of existence. He sketches a vision of two interwoven realms, the physical and the spiritual, and then spends the first part of the book expanding on what that means for everything from the birth of the universe to the mystery of human consciousness. After that, he shifts into poetry, both intimate and universal, before closing with collected quotations that highlight the themes he has lived and breathed. The book is less a tight academic theory and more a tapestry of reflections, stories, and insights born from decades of learning and personal searching.
I found myself caught off guard by the way Harper writes. At times, his prose felt deeply personal, like he was letting me peek into the inner conversations he’s been having his whole life. He weaves science with faith, mixing astrophysics and ancestral spirits in the same breath, and though the connections are unconventional, they carry a kind of honesty that’s hard to dismiss. I didn’t always agree with his conclusions, but I respected the curiosity that drove him there. His ideas about memory, reincarnation, and the merging of science with spirituality made me pause more than once and reread passages.
What struck me most emotionally was the poetry. It wasn’t just filler after the theory section; it was the heart of the book. The poems softened the heaviness of the philosophical ideas and grounded them in human experience, like grief, joy, friendship, faith, and love. Reading them felt like sitting across from Harper and hearing his voice shift from lecture to prayer to conversation. There’s a warmth in his writing, even when the subject matter is heavy. I felt his sincerity and his longing for people to live with more awareness and compassion.
I’d recommend Toward a Theory of Everything to readers who aren’t looking for airtight arguments but who enjoy being nudged into reflection. It’s for people who don’t mind wandering between science and spirituality, who enjoy a mix of heady ideas and heartfelt poetry. If you’re open to curiosity, to a voice that blends scholarship with faith, this book will give you plenty to chew on and maybe even leave you feeling a little more connected to the mysteries of life.
Pages: 264 | ASIN : B07KZPY5YP
