A Local Author Capitalizes On A Photo Being Worth A Thousand Words

Ahmand Smith, author of “Kodi Blackman The Eclipse.” PHOTO BY TITO GARCIA
Ahmand Smith, author of “Kodi Blackman The Eclipse.” PHOTO BY TITO GARCIA

 A Local Author Capitalizes On A Photo Being Worth A Thousand Words

It all started with a photo of Ahmand Smith dressed as a  character that would lead to him creating Kodi Blackman and, writing the book, “Kodi Blackman The Eclipse.”

Smith co-owns and operates R&B Pest Solutions, with his wife Robiar Smith. The business is  located at 8243 S. Cottage Grove. Young people would come in and ask to do odd jobs in order to make money. He realized that a lot of the youth didn’t have hope and oftentimes give up on dreaming big before they ever get started. He wanted to do something to change the trajectory of even one young child.

“If I can let that child know that it’s OK and it’s cool to dream and think outside of the box. And yeah, you can look up to this guy, this character, and you can explore any and everything. The sky is not the limit, there’s things beyond that, I think that I’ve won,” he said.

Kodi Blackman is a young superhero, who doesn’t know he is a superhero, and works for R&B Pest Solutions. In the book Kodi exterminates different pests, but, at the same time, he is exterminating roadblocks that keep people from dreaming big or thinking outside the box – being bullied or the neighborhood a person grew up in.

Smith wanted to give children a positive superhero.  He also wanted to add another positive Black superhero character to the likes of Black Panther.

“This book is for our children. The ones that are in the inner city, the ones that are in these areas of the city that are highly crime infested and maybe don’t have the best educational opportunities. The book is for the inner-city kid who has a lot on their plate,” he said.

Smith has seen the young people who pass the business and he can see the stress on their faces, because of burdens they might have to face at home. The book is specifically for them. Smith hopes the book, which is the first part of a series, reaches all children.

It was the first time Smith had ever written a book. He credits She Publishing and his illustrator with helping guide him through the whole process of writing the book. It took a year and a half for him to finish the book. He wanted to make the character cool, while still sending a message the children would be able to understand. The book is geared to fourth and fifth graders.

“I want them to be able to look at themselves in the mirror and say, ‘I can do that,’ whatever that is,” he said, adding that it was his dream to be the first Black President. “I want Kodi to be able to instill hope and confidence into the lives of these children.”

Smith has received phenomenal feedback from those who have already read the book. It has exceeded his expectations. He is grateful for everyone who has read the book to their children or their classes. He is excited to know that he has written the book and is ready to write the second book in the series.

Smith said readers will find out what happened to Gym Shoe in the next book. He has started writing the book. He anticipates it will be coming out later this year.

“What the support for the book has shown me is there are people who believe in the book and the vision of it and the direction it is going in,” he said.

There is already a coloring book with the book and Smith is looking to make action figures, TV shows and movies for Kodi Blackman.

The book is available at Amazon, She Publishing, or by going to R&B Pest Solutions.

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