Onnaday: Donna Bennett

The Loom by Shella Gillus

2011-12-04T08:51:00.004-05:00

I'm attracted to book covers. This book looks intriging just based on the book cover.

Fiction Debut Novelist, Shella Gillus has written a book about Lydia, a slave who is torn between the love she has and the life she doesn’t.

2011-09-13T13:11:00.002-04:00

Book Description

Publication Date: January 31, 2012

Gathering of Waters is a deeply engrossing tale narrated by the town of Money, Mississippi—a site both significant and infamous in our collective story as a nation. Money is personified in this haunting story, which chronicles its troubled history following the arrival of the Hilson and Bryant families.

Tass Hilson and Emmett Till were young and in love when Emmett was brutally murdered in 1955. Anxious to escape the town, Tass marries Maximillian May and relocates to Detroit.

Forty years later, after the death of her husband, Tass returns to Money and fantasy takes flesh when Emmett Till's spirit is finally released from the dank, dark waters of the Tallahatchie River. The two lovers are reunited, bringing the story to an enchanting and profound conclusion.

Gathering of Waters mines the truth about Money, Mississippi, as well as the Bryant and Hilson families, and threads their history over decades. The bare-bones realism—both disturbing and riveting—combined with a magical realm in which ghosts have the final say, is reminiscent of Toni Morrison's Beloved.

Bernice L. McFadden is the author of seven critically acclaimed novels including the classic Sugar and Glorious, which was featured in O, The Oprah Magazine; selected as the debut title for the One Book, One Harlem program; and was a finalist for the NAACP Image Award. Show More She is a two-time Hurston/Wright Legacy Award finalist, as well as the recipient of two fiction honor awards from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. Her sophomore novel The Warmest December was praised by Nobel Prize–winning author Toni Morrison as "searing and expertly imagined." McFadden lives in Brooklyn, New York.

2011-09-13T12:22:00.003-04:00

Book Description

Publication Date: December 6, 2011

A novel of self-discovery, family bonds and the healing of one small southern townTwelve Gates to the City is the much-anticipated sequel to Black’s acclaimed debut, They Tell Me of a Home.

In this novel, Sister assumes the voice of the narrator, speaking from the spirit realm, telling her brother TL things he could have never known about their family. She constructs the story as a series of spiritual revelations, exposing to readers both who she was in the years of TL’s absence and how every event in his life was an orchestration for his return. TL in the meantime is back in Swamp Creek, to stay this time, but he’s still haunted by his sister’s death. His decision to become the Schoolmaster is the only thing he’s sure about, and his impact upon the students becomes palpable. But he still doesn’t know what happened to Sister. As he searches for ultimate truth, he discovers the secrets and beauty of Swamp Creek.

Twelve Gates to the City is a novel about spiritual revelation, and communal healing, ushered in by one who finally realizes that his gifts were bestowed upon him, not for his own glory, but for the transformation of his people.

Author and Me

2011-06-24T09:57:00.005-04:00

Author Tayari Jones is on tour for her newest novel "Silver Sparrow". She made a stop at Nicola's Books in Ann Arbor, MI on June 20, 2011 @ 7pm. Ms. Jones read from the first chapter and intrigued the listeners.

The cover design is rich, bold and beautiful. Support a talented artist and buy a copy!

With the opening line of Silver Sparrow, “My father, James Witherspoon is a bigamist,” Tayari Jones unveils a breathtaking story about a man’s deception, a family’s complicity, and the teenage girls caught in the middle.

Set in a middle-class neighborhood in Atlanta in the 1980s, the novel revolves around James Witherspoon’s families– the public one and the secret one. When the daughters from each family meet and form a friendship, only one of them knows they are sisters. It is a relationship destined to explode when secrets are revealed and illusions shattered. As Jones explores the backstories of her rich and flawed characters, she also reveals the joy, and the destruction, they brought to each other’s lives.

At the heart of it all are the two girls whose lives are at stake, and like the best writers, Jones portrays the fragility of her characers with raw authenticity as they seek love, demand attention, and try to imagine themselves as women.

“Tayari Jones is fast defining middle-class black Atlanta the way Cheever did Westchester…”
—The Village Voice

Links: http://www.tayarijones.com/blog
http://www.tayarijones.com/books

Handling of Books

2011-05-17T05:06:00.000-04:00

This is another segment of a series of helpful hints and tips on collecting and caring for your books.

Handling of Books

The repeated incorrect handling of a book can quickly transform a new book into a worn or even an unusable one. Proper handling in a stable, cool, clean, non-humid environment, can prolong its life.

Many people shelve their books in closed glass cases away from brightly lit windows or damp exterior walls to minimize the amount of dust and grime that will accumulate.

How we handle and use a book contributes to its longevity. If a book will not lay flat, do not use force to open further. The covers should always be supported when the book is open.

Many books are damaged by the habit of pulling the books off the shelf with the head cap or the top of the spine. It is a much better practice to push the two adjoining books inward and remove the book by grasping the spine.

Place similar sized books, next to each other on the shelf vertically, packing them neither too loosely or tightly. This will help to prevent warping of a tall book next to a short book.

The use of paper clips and marking pens to make notations should be discouraged since clips will rust or crimp the pages and pens often bleed through the pages, obscuring text. The folding down of page corners is also damaging as it will often cause the page corner to break off over time.

The practice of using rubber bands or string to tie-up a book should be avoided because both will cut into brittle pages and damage fragile covers. A flat, soft ribbon (such as cotton twill tape), can be used to tie up the books as an immediate and temporary solution.

Books can be wrapped in paper or polyester jackets to keep the fragments and dirt from transferring to hands, adjoining books and the rest of the pages.

Reference THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Preservation

2011-04-06T12:59:00.000-04:00

Are you a book collector or thought about becoming one? I will provide a series of helpful hints and tips on collecting and caring for your books.

Storing your books

Properly storing books is an important part of their care. The ways in which you choose to store your books can largely effect how long they remain a part of your collection. Box your books upright in acid-free materials and store them in a cool, dark place to ensure their longevity.

Cardboard boxes are ideal for storing books. Plastic bins trap moisture, causing paper to wrinkle and glue to weaken. Set books in boxes side by side, alternating them so one spine faces down and the next spine faces up. Don't stack books on top of each other. The covers and pages can warp. Wrap valuable books, like leather-bound ones, in Mylar sheets. Then store the boxes in a closet free of temperature fluctuations.

Elevate the boxes. If possible, stack book boxes on shelves or wooden pallets and keep them at least 4 inches away from surfaces that may present a threat to your books like floors, walls and ceilings. Concrete floors can be especially detrimental to stored books.

Get Organized and Stay Organized written by Liz Welch in the Real Simple June 2009 issue (pg. 167), Joshua Mann/co-owner of B&b Rare Books, New York City.

New Children's Book Author

2011-02-20T08:22:00.006-05:00

Not only is this my cousin...but she is an excellent mother of twins, a school teacher of honors and a very kind person. She resides in New Jersey with her wonderful husband and two beautiful children.

Product Description:
Isreal (Izzy) and his sister Julia (JuJu) are 3 year old twins who live with their mommy and daddy in the Southward of the great city of Newark, New Jersey. They love going on various adventures around the house, throughout the city, surrounding states and countries. On one such adventure Izzy and JuJu discovered that they have special powers. They can talk to living things! JuJu can talk with animals, while Izzy talks to insects. This leads to a very interesting life for these two.

About the Author:

Dr. Andrea Blake-Garrett holds New Jersey Certification as a Teacher of Biological Sciences, Supervisor, Principal and School Administrator (CE). She has earned her Masters of Arts in Teaching and Masters of Arts in Administration and Supervision degrees, from Montclair State University and doctorate from Seton Hall University. Dr. Blake-Garrett's research interests include the affects of Urban School Reform on student performance, promoting effective science education in Urban School Districts, developing effective science teachers. She has worked as Urban science educator / administrator for the public schools in East Orange,Newark, and Jersey City. Serving in field of science education since for over 12 years, Dr. Blake-Garrett also serves as education consultant, providing professional development and curriculum development services. She is also a motivational speaker working with students nationally.

Honors:
*Featured in Jersey Journal March 2008
*Member Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
*Member American Council on Education GED Test Specifications Committee
*Guest Speaker at Liberty Science Center Groundbreaking Ceremony June 2005
* Liberty Science Center Learning & Teaching Advisory Board Member Since 2004
* Featured in the Jersey Journal Newspaper March 2004
* Member of Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education
* Liberty Science Center Communications Project Advisory Board Member
* Member of Hudson County Science Fair Advisory Board
* Member Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
* NSTA Member and Manuscript Reviewer for Science and Children Journal
* Featured in Newark Sunday Star Ledger October 1998

Dr. Garrett’s Educational Solutions, LLC (D.G.E.S.) was founded in 2009 for the purpose of providing effective science education to all students nation-wide by working with teachers, administrators and school districts. The nation is still in need of qualified science educators, materials and resources. One size does not fit all D.G.E.S. will work collaboratively to provide personalized services.

Available Now!!!! The Adventures of Izzy & JuJu: Twin Detective Investigators ( T.D.I.) Get your copy at amazon. com, barnesandnoble.com, authorhouse.com, and various book sellers in the UK and Hong Kong.

Teena Marie Dead at 54

2010-12-27T07:22:00.005-05:00

Motowns First White Female Act Dies at Age 54

Teena Marie, the "Ivory Queen of Soul" who developed a lasting legacy with her silky soul pipes and with hits like "Lovergirl," ''Square Biz," and "Fire and Desire" with mentor Rick James, has died. She was 54.

The singer continued performing in recent years after overcoming an addiction to prescription drugs. It was unclear late Sunday where and how she died.

Marie certainly wasn't the first white act to sing soul music, but she was arguably among the most gifted and respected, and was thoroughly embraced by the black audience.
Even before she started her musical career, she had a strong bond with the black community, which she credited to her godmother. She gravitated to soul music and in her youth decided to make it her career.

Marie made her debut on the legendary Motown label back in 1979, becoming one of the very few white acts to break the race barrier of the groundbreaking black-owned record label that had been a haven for black artists like Stevie Wonder, the Jackson Five, the Supremes and Marvin Gaye.

Marie was the protege of the masterful funk wizard James, with whom she would have long, turbulent but musically magical relationship.

The cover of her debut album, "Wild and Peaceful," did not feature her image, with Motown apparently fearing black audiences might not buy it if they found out the songstress with the dynamic, gospel-inflected voice was white.

But Marie notched her first hit, "I'm A Sucker for Your Love," and was on her way to becoming one of R&B's most revered queens. During her tenure with Motown, the singer-songwriter and musician produced passionate love songs and funk jam songs like "Need Your Lovin'," ''Behind the Groove" and "Ooh La La La."

Marie's voice was the main draw of her music: Pitch-perfect, piercing in its clarity and wrought with emotion, whether it was drawing from the highs of romance or the mournful moments of a love lost. But her songs, most of which she had a hand in writing, were the other major component of her success.

Tunes like "Cassanova Brown" ''Portuguese Love" and "Deja Vu (I've Been Here Before)" featured more than typical platitudes on love and life, but complex thoughts with rich lyricism.
And "Fire and Desire," a duet with Rick James that featured the former couple musing about their past love, was considered a musical masterpiece and a staple of the romance block on radio stations across the country.

Marie left Motown in 1982 and her split became historic: She sued the label and the legal battle led to a law preventing record labels from holding an artist without releasing any of their music.

She went to Epic in the 1980s and had hits like "Lovergirl" but her lasting musical legacy would be her Motown years.

Still, she continued to record music and perform. In 2004 and 2006 she put out two well-received albums on the traditional rap label Cash Money Records, "La Dona" and "Sapphire."

In 2008, she talked about her excitement of being honored by the R&B Foundation.

"All in all, it's been a wonderful, wonderful ride," she told The Associated Press at the time. "I don't plan on stopping anytime soon."

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press

Happy Kwanzaa!

2010-12-27T06:57:00.004-05:00

Origins
Kwanzaa, a relatively new observance in December, dates back just 34 years. The holiday's primary purpose is to link African traditions and American customs.

Each candle represents a principle the holiday honors.
Founded by Dr. Mualena Karenga, then chairman of black studies at California State University in Long Beach, Kwanzaa focuses on seven core principles, expressed in Swahili as Nguzo Saba (nn-Goo-zoh SAH-bah). Each principle is linked with one of the seven days of the celebration, which runs from December 26 through January 1 each year. Listed in order of observance, the principles are:

Umoja (oo-MOH-JAH) -- Unity
Kujichagulia (koo-ji-chah-goo-LEE-ah) -- Self-determination
Ujima (oo-JEE-mah) -- Collective work and responsibility
Ujamma (oo-jah-MAH) -- Cooperative economics
Nia (NEE-ah) -- Purpose
Kuumba (koo-OO-mbah) -- Creativity
Imani (ee-MAH-nee) -- Faith

The holiday's daily ritual begins with the lighting of one of the seven candles placed in the candleholder called the kinara (kee-NAH-rah), by a family member or friend. This candle-lighting is followed by a discussion of the day's principle, a folktale, or a shared recollection of how the principle has influenced the family or friend participating in the celebration.

The first candle lit and placed in the center of the kinara is the black candle, which is symbolic of unity. As the celebration continues in the following days, revelers light a red or green candle daily to commemorate each principle. The three green candles represent self-determination, collective work and responsibility, and cooperative economics. The three red candles are for purpose, creativity, and faith. Often the green candles are placed to the right of the black candle and the three red candles are placed on the left side.

The word Kwanzaa is derived from the Swahili word meaning "first" or "first fruits of the harvest." Kwanzaa reflects the traditions of harvest festivals celebrated in many African countries, acknowledging the first fruits of the harvest, and the reward of family and friends working together to produce the season's crop.

Practices
As with any holiday, Kwanzaa traditions vary and continue to evolve with each celebration.

Make your celebration unique and memorable.
Though the holiday is a celebration of African-American heritage and culture, it is important to remember that African-Americans are diverse, reflecting a broad spectrum of experiences and lifestyles. Kwanzaa traditions also reflect this diversity. These traditions include the following:

Making Kwanzaa Gifts
Families set aside time on the first day of Kwanzaa to make handmade gifts to exchange during the karamu (feast). Typically, gifts are handmade and educational, teaching something about the heritage of people of African descent.

Honoring Ancestors and Elders
In local communities or among church youth groups, young people visit nursing homes and senior centers to celebrate Kwanzaa with residents. Thoughtful visitors might bring small gifts for the residents, like bookmarks or socks with Kwanzaa-colored trim.

Wearing Traditional African Clothing
Though traditional African garb can be worn year round, many people wear it during the seven days of Kwanzaa or at the Kwanzaa feast or karamu. By wearing African garb, revelers reinforce cultural identity and the Kwanzaa principles of unity, creativity, and cooperative economics.

Planning Special Meals
Food is an integral part of the celebration. On each day of the Kwanzaa celebration, hosts include a dish from a different country in the African diaspora. By enjoying national dishes from Africa, the Caribbean, and South America, Americans can learn more about these foreign cultures and customs. Kwanzaa meals might include Jollof Rice, a traditional West African dish, jerk meats from the Caribbean, and black beans that are popular in Caribbean and South American dishes.

During Kwanzaa, some people abstain from eating meat or fast until the Kwanzaa feast or karamu. This decision is a personal choice, based on willingness to give up something that is enjoyed. The decision to omit meat can also be linked to Kwanzaa principles, such as self-determination and faith. Historically, the choice to omit meat from the diet harks back to the challenges of African slaves to survive in new lands, when meat was not included in their meals.

Enjoying a Kwanzaa Feast
The Kwanzaa karamu can be an intimate event with close family and friends, or a large community celebration. This menu can be a cooperative effort with each person bringing a dish. These dishes can be family favorites or foods of one particular country. In the spirit of Kwanzaa and learning about African heritage, some families and churches select one country, and the entire karamu menu includes dishes and foods from that specified land.

Abbey Lincoln Dies at 80

2010-08-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

Abbey Lincoln, a singer whose dramatic vocal command and tersely poetic songs made her a singular figure in jazz, died on Saturday, August 14, 2010 in Manhattan. She was 80 and lived on the Upper West Side.

Ms. Lincoln’s career encompassed outspoken civil rights advocacy in the 1960s and fearless introspection in more recent years, and for a time in the 1960s she acted in films, including one with Sidney Poitier.

Ms. Lincoln was born Anna Marie Wooldridge in Chicago on Aug. 6, 1930, the 10th of 12 children, and raised in rural Michigan. In the early 1950s, she headed west in search of a singing career, spending two years as a nightclub attraction in Honolulu, where she met Ms. Holiday and Louis Armstrong. She then moved to Los Angeles, where she encountered the accomplished lyricist Bob Russell. It was at the suggestion of Mr. Russell, who had become her manager, that she took the name Abbey Lincoln, a symbolic conjoining of Westminster Abbey and Abraham Lincoln.

Ms. Lincoln worked convincingly with a modern jazz ensemble that included the tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins and the drummer Max Roach. In short order she came under the influence of Mr. Roach, a bebop pioneer with an ardent interest in progressive causes and married Mr. Roach in 1962. Ms. Lincoln was for a while more active as an actress than a singer. In 1964 she starred with Ivan Dixon in “Nothing but a Man,” a tale of the Deep South in the 1960s, and in 1968 she was the title character opposite Mr. Poitier in the romantic comedy “For Love of Ivy,” playing a white family’s maid. She also acted on television in guest-starring roles in the ’60s and ’70s.

After her divorce from Mr. Roach in 1970, she took an apartment above a garage in Los Angeles and withdrew from the spotlight for a time. She never remarried. She began to consider her calling as a storyteller and focused on writing songs. Moving back to New York in the 1980s, Ms. Lincoln resumed performing, eventually attracting the attention of Jean-Philippe Allard, a producer and executive with PolyGram France. Eight more albums followed in a similar vein, each produced by Mr. Allard and enlisting top-shelf jazz musicians like the tenor saxophonist Stan Getz and the vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson.

When her album "Abbey Sings Abbey" was released in May 2007, Ms. Lincoln was recovering from open-heart surgery. In her Upper West Side apartment, surrounded by her own paintings and drawings, she reflected on her life, often quoting from her own song lyrics.

Authors & Me

2010-08-11T10:48:00.000-04:00

Elizabeth Nunez

Wes Moore

Karen Hunter

Gary Hardwick & Jean Winborn

As a lover of books and a collector...the NBCC was a truly remarkable and intimate literary experience. I met a dozen new people and talked about the publishing world, health and other issues. I spoke with authors in a sit down, face-to-face setting. I'm so joyed that I attended this event and look forward to doing it again.

While at the Conference, I attended a panel discussion: Share Ourselves...Healing Starts With Us. An intimate and unforgettable conversation about how we're really doing.. Featuring Terrie Williams (moderator), Ntozake Shange, Wes Moore, Sybil Wilkes, Bernice McFadden, and more. This was a very emotional, engaging and enlightening discussion.

How Black Books Keep Rising In Economic Downturn panel discussion featuring Linda Duggins (moderator), Pamela McBride, Paula Renfroe, Karen Hunter, Gregalan Williams was educating and captivating. I gained a new role model of Karen Hunter, as the journalist that she is, she was very to the point.

The Red Carpet Entrance was fun. The mock red carpet entrance of the authors while we book lovers served as the Paparazzi, taking pictures and cheering from the sidelines.

You have to see the video on NBCC's website of the rap that actress/author, Victoria Rowell did at the Walter Mosley Author of Distinction Awards Dinner. GREAT Entertainment.

New Author on the Rise

2010-08-05T10:50:00.006-04:00

I met this aspiring artist while attending the National Book Club Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. He made a positive impression on me and it seems he has a lot to say. I wish him much success.

Sebastian K. Young is a successful entrepreneur and author from Beaumont, Texas. At the early age of two his mother was tragically murdered and he was sent to live with his grandparents. Although his grandparents were older in age, they possessed a wealth of knowledge. Anecdotal stories about relationships and life choices coupled with tough punishments carved out a determined leader, mentor, and parent.

Growing up, the death of his mother haunted him. He would hear voices at night, see her murder in dreams, and relent the days that he was unable to hug her as a teenager. Then, after his grandparents passed, he determined to turn his pain into motivation. Every trial and experience became a springboard. Sebastian has kept his family first throughout his life and made tough sacrifices to ensure they received all that they have ever wanted or needed. Success is not found in his bank account but in the smiles on his three daughter’s faces, Christian, Asia, and Alaysia.

Sebastian is a partner with Al Colbert and Ja Ja Ball of Colbert/Ball Tax services and Colbert/Ball Entertainment. Together they have toured Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly, The O’Jays, Gerald Levert, and several stage plays from writers such as David Payton, Je'Caryous Johnson, and Michael Matthews. Sebastian has also hosted events with Charlie Wilson, Steve Harvey, DL Hughley, Mo' Nique, Cedric the Entertainer, and Mike Epps.

Sebastian believes that writing this book is only the beginning of what God has planned for him and eagerly anticipates the future. Visit his website and purchase his book at skybash.com.

Debut Novel

2010-02-16T07:43:00.002-05:00

An ambitious and startling debut novel that follows the lives of four women at a resort popular among slaveholders who bring their enslaved mistresses wench. Tawawa House in many respects is like any other American resort before the Civil War. Situated in Ohio, this idyllic retreat is particularly nice in the summer when the Southern humidity is too much to bear. The main building, with its luxurious finishes, is loftier than the white cottages that flank it, but then again, the smaller structures are better positioned to catch any breeze that may come off the pond. And they provide more privacy, which best suits the needs of the Southern white men who vacation there every summer with their black, enslaved mistresses. It's their open secret.

Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez is startling and original fiction that raises provocative questions of power and freedom, love and dependence. An enchanting and unforgettable novel based on little-known fact, Wench combines the narrative allure of Cane River by Lalita Tademy and the moral complexities of Edward P. Jones’s The Known World as it tells the story of four black enslaved women in the years preceding the Civil War. A stunning debut novel, Wench marks author Perkins-Valdez—previously a finalist for the 2009 Robert Olen Butler Short Fiction Prize—as a writer destined for greatness.

Dolen Perkins-Valdez's fiction and essays have appeared in Robert Olen Butler Prize Stories 2009, The Kenyon Review, PMS: PoemMemoirStory, North Carolina Literary Review, and the Richard Wright Newsletter. She is a former University of California postdoctoral fellow and graduate of Harvard. Dolen lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family.

http://www.dolenperkinsvaldez.com/

Historical Fiction

2010-02-15T04:27:00.004-05:00

Grease Town by Ann Towell

Category: Juvenile Fiction - Social Situations - Prejudice & Racism; Juvenile Fiction - Historical - Other
Imprint: Tundra Books
Format: Hardcover
Publication Date: February 2010
Age: 10-14
Pages: 240 pages
ISBN: 978-0-88776-983-2 (0-88776-983-7)
CDN Price: $19.99 /US Price: $17.95

Description:
A heartbreaking history of prejudice, family ties, and the loss of innocence.When twelve-year-old Titus Sullivan decides to run away to join his Uncle Amos and older brother, Lem, he finds an alien and exciting world in Oil Springs, the first Canadian oil boomtown of the 19th century. The Enniskillen swamp is slick with oil, and it takes enterprising folk to plumb its depths. The adventurers who work there are a tough lot of individuals. In this hard world, Titus becomes friends with a young black boy, the child of slaves who came to Canada on the Underground Railroad. When tragedy strikes in the form of a race riot, Titus's loyalties are tested as he struggles to deal with the terrible fallout. Though the characters are fictitious, the novel is based on a race riot that occurred in Oil Springs, Ontario, on March 20, 1863. Grease Town is historical fiction at its finest.

Author Biography:
ANN TOWELL was born in Chatham, Ontario, and grew up in Wallaceburg. She was co-finalist, with her husband, world-renowned photographer Larry Towell, for the Dorothea Lange/Paul Taylor Award for work on the Mennonites, a segment that appeared in the 1994 summer edition of Descant magazine. Her first children's novel The Hollow Locust Trees was published by Black Moss Press in 1998. She has four children: Moses, Naomi, Noah, and Isaac and a granddaughter, River Annabelle. She lives near Shetland, Ontario, on a 75-acre farm.

Shanti Das

2010-01-04T09:54:00.009-05:00

Here is another family member to whom we can applaude and has accepted a purpose in her lifetime. May God Bless my Cousin.

Former Motown Exec Helps Bury Detroit's Dead
Monday, January 4, 2010 6:55 AM
by Jenisha Watts

In Detroit, the tough economy has prevented some residents the privilege of burying their loved ones. Dead bodies are bagged and tagged individually in black plastic bags in the Wayne County Medical Examiner's refrigerated storage rooms. They are "stacked like shoe boxes," an image that haunts Shanti Das.

One night while working late, Das, a former Motown Records executive, remembered she had not read the daily financial news. She clicked on CNN Money and saw the headline, "Detroit: Too Broke To Bury Their Dead," followed with an image of the bodies.

"I was thinking there is something really wrong with this picture," says Das. "That's when I immediately wanted to help."

The same night: she came up with a nonprofit organization, "May WE Rest In Peace," that helps bury deceased residents in Detroit whose families can't afford a proper burial.

The same night: she wrote to friends and family, a four paragraph e-mail using all caps in some lines saying "I NEED YOUR HELP" signing off "Hear My Cry". The next morning: she went to her local UPS store and got a mailbox, so people could immediately send donations.

"May WE Rest In Peace" was launched in early October of 2009. Contributions poured in from Busta Rhymes, Kid Rock Foundation in the name of Detroit Clothing Company and Akon, as well as other charitable friends who helped Das raise $20,000, the cost of covering 20 burials. She raised another $1,500 in November and December to help six additional families.

About 3,700 corpses each year end up in the Wayne County Medical Examiner's office in Detroit. The cost to cover unclaimed bodies is $750. The state pays $585 toward each burial and the balance due can take weeks or even months, according to the Associated Press. "In the meantime, those bodies are piling up in a freezer at Wayne County's morgue," says the morgue's chief investigator, Albert Samuels to the Associated Press.

"I wanted to give some people the opportunity to visit their loved ones." says Das. "A body bagged in a freezer is not the best situation to visit and reflect, as opposed to going to someone's gravesite.

"Perhaps the urgency to help these poor Detroit families was because the subject struck a personal chord for Das. "I thought about [the story] my own mother told me about how she struggled to pay for the burial of my father," she says.

The number of unclaimed corpses at the Wayne County morgue is at a record high, having tripled since 2000, according to CNNMoney.com.

"I hope ESSENCE readers will open their hearts. No donation is too big or small," says Das.

Reference: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2009/11/16/n_detroit_dead_morgue_burial.cnnmoney/

Author & Me

2009-11-20T14:46:00.002-05:00

Me and author Sapphire for "Push" at Borders, Dearborn, Michigan

September 18, 2009

Book signing with Author Mary Monroe

9-02-2009

in picture: Me, Mary Monroe, Jean Winborn, Roberta Thornton

Size Does Matter - The Longest Novels

2009-08-03T10:17:00.001-04:00

Some books are a sprint, most involve a few laps of your imagination but others require marathon-like endurance. Leo Tolstoy’s "War and Peace" is legendary for its length but there are many other novels that require patience and stamina from the reader.

In the African American genre there is such heavyweights as "Mosquito" by Gayl Jones, "Roots" by Alex Haley or "Palace Council" by Stephen Carter and much more.

But there are heavyweight readers for heavyweight novels. Some people take long novels in their stride. They enjoy characters that are extremely well developed, relish the enduring plots that twist and turn, and savor those massive novels or non-fiction books that offer so much background.

I belong to a Book club and have been a member for 2 years now. Each person is recruited to select the book for the month and host the discussion on the book of their chosen. For the month of September, 2009 the biggest book I may ever read was selected....there goes my summer reading. "Ida: a sword among Lions" was the chosen book. A massive (800 pages) this book is a heavyweight contender for the title of longest novel. Although it's not a novel but an autobiography of Ida B. Wells, also known as Ida B. Wells-Barnett, who was an African American civil rights advocate and an early women's rights advocate active in the Woman Suffrage Movement. Fearless in her opposition to lynchings, Wells documented hundreds of these atrocities.

Make your next read a big one.

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell is 1,028 pages in paperback - if you give a damn

E. Lynn Harris Dead at 54

2009-07-24T19:06:00.007-04:00

E. Lynn Harris, the best-selling Arkansas author known for contemporary stories about African-Americans, died today during a West Coast book tour.

His personal assistant confirmed an unspecified health event for us this morning. He was stricken while staying at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. His death has been confirmed by the local coroner, but an autopsy will be necessary to determine the case of death.

Arkansas Sports 360 provided the first formal report that Harris had died. The item did not cite a source, but Harris was close to the UA Athletic Department and had worked as coach and sponsor of the cheerleaders. Black Voices later confirmed the report, citing a spokesman for his publisher.

Word of the health event began making the rounds on Twitter earlier in the morning.
Born in Michigan, Harris grew up in Little Rock. He attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where he was the school's first black cheerleader. He continued to be a diehard Razorback fan. He has taught adjunct courses in the English department, most recently last fall.

His latest book, "Basketball Jones," is about the gay lover of an NBA star. Says the publicity blurb: "In Basketball Jones, E. Lynn Harris explores the consequences of loving someone who is forced to conform to the rules society demands its public heroes follow. Filled with nonstop twists and turns, it will keep readers riveted from the first page to the last." According

to his website biography, Harris, 54, divided his time between Fayetteville and Atlanta.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Posted by Max Brantley on July 24, 2009 09:31 AM

I met E. Lynn Harris several times during the course of his writing career. I own every book he has published and attended book signings/readings. I love his writing style and watched him become more popular by men and women alike. He will definately be missed in the literary world and fans alike. May you rest in PEACE E. Lynn Harris.

Michael Jackson "The King of Pop"

2009-06-26T16:54:00.008-04:00

August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009

An Icon

Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 were a big part of my childhood. The album "Ben" was a gift from my parents in 1972 when I was 10 years old. I played this album on my personal pink turntable in my room until the grooves wore out.

May You Rest In Peace

Author, Daniel O. Black

2009-05-28T15:12:00.013-04:00

Members of the African American Authors Book Group attended the discussion of "The Sacred Place" on April 28, 2009 at the Ypsilanti Distric Library. It was a wonderful night of discussions, good food, and picture taking with the invited author, Daniel Black from Atlanta.

Mr. Black graciously accepted by request to attend our discussion on his second novel "The Sacred Place" We communicated by e-mail, text and as the days narrowed in, by phone. Upon Mr. Blacks' request to surprise the group, we were well into our discussion when he surprised the group and made his entrance into the room, where we all sat in a circle. What a wonderful surprise and a wonderfully written book.

My husband made an Italian soup and served old fashion Faygo sodas' with fruit and vegetable trays and cheesecakes for dessert. Yuuummmy.

The Motown Review Book Club was the invited guests to the discussion. All members had already read the book and stated in an interview with http://www.apooobooks.com/ that their favorite read author for 2008 was Daniel Black. Also, the author they would like to have dinner with was Daniel Black.

It was a wonderful time had by all. We are awaiting his third novel due to be released in November of 2009 titles "Perfect Peace".

If you have not read any of his books, you must pick it up, either from a bookstore, library or borrow from a friend, you must read it.

Phenominal People of Color

2009-04-29T11:48:00.000-04:00

Michelle Obama

Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is the wife of the forty-fourth President of the United States, Barack Obama, and the first African-American First Lady of the United States.

Michelle Robinson was born and grew up on the South Side of Chicago and graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. After completing her formal education, she returned to Chicago and accepted a position with the law firm Sidley Austin, where she met her future husband. Subsequently, she worked as part of the staff of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, and for the University of Chicago Medical Center. Throughout 2007 and 2008, she helped campaign for her husband's presidential bid and delivered a keynote address at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. She is the mother of two daughters, Sasha and Malia, and is the sister of Craig Robinson, men's basketball coach at Oregon State University.

Michelle Obama - Photo Timeline from Bid Announcement to Election Night
Michelle Obama on the Day Barack Obama Announced his Bid for President
Michelle Obama and Oprah Share a Moment in New Hampshire
Michelle Obama Introduces Barack Obama
Michelle Obama, Maria Shriver and Oprah
Michelle Obama in St. Paul, MN
Michelle Obama at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO
Michelle Obama at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO
Michelle Obama and Jill Biden in Denver, CO
Michelle Obama in Detroit, MI
The Obamas on Election Night

Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Obama

Strong Black Character's in a Novel

2009-04-14T11:15:00.011-04:00

An unprecedented number of black characters inhabit today's mainstream fiction best-seller lists, but few of them are created by black authors. Meanwhile, a few books by African American writers manage to attract a crossover audience among white readers. Race/culture play an important part in books. Race is (often) a major component of someone's personal and cultural identity. Individually a book should be a unique experience that reflects the author's attempt to explain the human experience through his or her own creativity.

Listed below are a few authors that are Non-African American in which the main character(s) in thier novels are African American.

___________________________________________________________

Beulah Hill by William Heffernan - a strong black male character name Jehiel Flood, Heffernan placed him in a fabulously, complex murder mystery and examination of racial history which takes place in 1933 Vermont.

This book has received outstanding reviews from the African American community.

_______________________________________________________

Barbara Hambly - Benjamin January series. They're pre-Civil War mysteries set in New Orleans, and along with solving crimes, regretting that he can't be a surgeon, and playing the piano, January also navigates through the carefully constructed racial boundaries at the time.

The Benjamin January books are the copious dedications to the Historic New Orleans Collection.

A Free Man of Color
Fever Season
Graveyard Dust
Sold Down the River
Die Upon A Kiss
Wet Grave
Days of the Dead
Dead Water

_________________________________________________________

David Handler - Lieutenant Desiree 'Des' Mitry, one of only three women on the Connecticut State Police major crimes squad, the youngest of the three, and the only black. A dedicated high-ranking officer in the homicide department, She is, as well, a closet artist and a complicated and beautiful woman, and she intrigues Mitch from the start.

The Cold Blue Blood (2001)

The Hot Pink Farmhouse (2002)

The Bright Silver Star (2003)

The Burnt Orange Sunrise (2004)

The Sweet Golden Parachute (2006)

The Sour Cherry Surprise (2008)

________________________________________________________________

James Patterson - Patterson has written several mystery thrillers featuring Alex Cross, a black D.C. cop with a Ph.D. in psychology who also works with the FBI as a profiler. Cross is a widower who lives with two of his three children and his paternal grandmother in the nation's capital. He is a good father, a true Southern gentleman to the ladies in his life. He is the perfect role model for males--white or black. The Cross series is immensely popular and three of the novels have been made into movies starring Morgan Freeman as Cross.

Patterson has created another African American character as part of his Women's Murder Club series. Claire Washburn, the heavyset black female medical examiner from San Francisco, joins three white female professionals to solve crimes that have stumped the system. Patterson has published several novels featuring this team. Like Cross, Washburn has a stable family and a comfortable middle-class lifestyle to put white readers at ease.

Alex Cross Series:

Cross

Clair Washburn Series:

__________________________________________________________

Robert Parker - "Spenser” novels (the basis of a TV show starring Robert Urich and Avery Brooks), the character “Hawk” a heroic, mysterious black man who both embodies and serves as exception to myriad stereotypes. Hawk is Spenser's best friend a tall black man with a bald head and high cheekbones, a bodyguard and hit man. Hawk is introduced in The Promised Land (1976).

Promised Land
The Judas Goat
Looking for Rachel Wallace
Early Autumn
A Savage Place
Ceremony
The Widening Gyre
Valediction
A Catskill Eagle
Taming a Sea Horse
Pale Kings and Princes
Crimson Joy
Playmates
Stardust
Pastime
Double Deuce
Paper Doll
Walking Shadow
Thin Air
Chance
Small Vices
Sudden Mischief
Hush Money
Hugger Mugger
Potshot
Widow's Walk
Back Story
Bad Business
Cold Service
School Days
Hundred-Dollar Baby
Now and Then
Rough Weather
Chasing the Bear: A Young Spenser Novel

______________________________________________________

George Pelecanos - who writes many detective books about Black characters in DC. They're imperfect, but he does a good job of avoiding stereotyping his main characters and developing nuanced depictions of life in a very segregated city. Derek Strange a former cop and current private investigator loves funk and soul music from the sixties and seventies, but has a secret passion for the music of old westerns

_________________________________________________________

Alexander McCall Smith - The African-born author of "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" mystery series were the hero of the books, Precious Ramotswe (Botswana's one and only lady private detective) is an engaging character were people come to her with all sorts of problems that need solving. This series serves not only to entertain but to explore conditions in Botswana.

The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Tears of the Giraffe
Morality for Beautiful Girls
The Kalahari Typing School for Men
The Full Cupboard of Life
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (also known as The Night-Time Dancer)
Blue Shoes and Happiness
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive
The Miracle at Speedy Motors
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built

Jill Scott

2009-03-29T07:04:00.007-04:00

My Girl, Jill Scott is pregnant and made a HBO Series. This is one talented artist.I have yet to see her live in concert, but I love her music, and I have her book. She is going places. I'm just going to sit back and watch her make-way.

Love ya Jill!

Phenominal People of Color

2009-03-28T20:53:00.000-04:00

Eartha Kitt

Entertainer, Born Eartha Mae Keith, she was raised in South Carolina and New York City. She appeared on film and television throughout the 1950s and 1960s while also establishing herself as a recording artist and nightclub singer. In 1968 Kitt made statements critical of the Vietnam War at a White House luncheon, reportededly reducing First Lady Lady Bird Johnson to tears. The public reaction led to her professional exile from the US, but she continued to perform overseas.

Kitt also wrote three memoirs, 1956's "Thursday's Child", 1976's "Alone with Me, and 1989's "I'm Still Here: Confessions of a Sex Kitten." She died after being treated for colon cancer at New York's Columbia Presbyterian Hospital on December 25, 2008 in Weston Fairfield County Connecticut.

Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eartha_Kitt
http://www.earthakitt.com/

Book Covers & Graphic Artwork

2009-02-16T07:30:00.003-05:00

Off-the-Rack Stock Photos

Imagine all the energy and time invested into the creative writing, only to have it minimized by a duplicate image by another writer. Stock photography can be a useful tool, but knowing when to use it is beneficial. I've seen the same image on a book cover used in brochures, displays, CD covers, etc.

Stock images are cheap - as little as $1 per image from companies such as iStockphoto, Fotolia, Corbis and Getty Images. Many stock photo companies will let you pay extra for a licensing agreement or a copyright buyout that will give you exclusive use of a photo going forward. But anyone who has alread downloaded the image, can continue to use it fair and square. They also offer services that stamp each image with the number of times it has been downloaded, which can help you decide whether the exclusivity is worth the extra expense (Inc.com Magazine, April 2007).

Note: The images on the left were found on Gettyimages.com or corbis.com

Authors & Me

2008-12-02T08:25:00.003-05:00

Me and author Jewell Parker Rhodes at the

Detroit Public Library (Douglass Branch) on 2-25-2009.

E. Lynn Harris and I at Borders Books in Dearborn, Michigan on

8-12-2008 picture taken by fellow bibliophile Roberta Thornton

Me & Bernice McFadden aka Geneva Holliday at a book signing

at the Detroit Main Library on 3-1-2006

The following are other authors in which I took pictures of or with, but are unable to transfer from my phone camera.

Me & Mary Monroe on a Book tour for "Deliver Us from Evil" at a book signing. Picture taken 9-8-2007 with friend Roberta Thornton.
Pearl Cleage at Shrine of the Black MaDonna Bookstore in Detroit on 3-4-2006
Kimberla Lawson Roby Promoting "Changing Faces" at Borders in Dearborn on January 26, 2006

Others Authors I've Met include: Rosalyn McMillan, Terry McMillan, Eric Jerome Dickey, Van Whitfield, Tina McElroy Ansa, J. California Cooper, Bebe Moore Campbell, Virginia DeBerry & Donna Grant, Connie Briscoe, Evelyn Coleman, Benilde Little, Diane McKinney-Whetstone, Denise Nicholas, Omar Tyree, Rev Run aka Simmons & Family, Rita Coburn Whack

God Bless America!

2008-11-06T18:25:00.006-05:00

Congratulations to our New President!

Barack Obama

2008-08-12T07:32:00.000-04:00

Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr.

August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008

An American soul and funk singer-songwriter,
musician, record producer, arranger, composer, and actor.

_______________________________________________________

According to Hayes' official Web site,
the music icon was set to play himself in a musical comedy
starring comedian Bernie Mac, who died Saturday (August 9th)

http://www.isaachayes.com/

2008-08-10T12:39:00.008-04:00

Bernard Jeffrey McCullough

"Bernie Mac"
October 5, 1957 - August 9, 2008

You will be missed!

_____________________________________

Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes will appear in a movie together -- "Soul Men".

They play singers who reunite after 20 years to do a concert

at New York's Apollo Theatre.

Costarring Samuel L. Jackson,

it opens in November.

African American Black Hawk Test Pilot

2008-07-14T11:42:00.003-04:00

This is my cousin by marriage, but she was a regal person. I got to know a little bit about her from the family reunions we had in San Antonio, TX.

Jennifer Yevette Robinson
Born in Trinidad, West Indies on April 10, 1955, Died June 30, 2008 and resided in Boerne, TX.

Cemetery:
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery

Jennifer Yevette Robinson, age 53, passed away June 30, 2008.

She was born April 10, 1955, in Trinidad, West Indies, the youngest of three girls, to the late Vivian Arthur and Neutres Vena Wilson.

Jennifer came to the U.S. in 1969 to reside in New York with her sister, Maudrilla and graduated from George W. Wingate High School, Flatbush, NY. She went on to receive a business degree from Siena College, Albany, NY, where she also became an Army ROTC cadet member of the Mohawk Battalion.

After graduation, Jennifer entered active duty and her illustrious military career covered two overseas tours in Germany and Korea. Jennifer had the distinction of being the second black female test pilot for Black Hawks in the Army.

Jennifer received her commission through Siena College, Albany, New York, Army Reserved Officers Training Corps in 1980. She was commissioned as a second Lieutenant in the Transportation Corps. She attended the Transportation Officer's Basic Course in 1980.

In 1981, she qualified to attend the Army's Rotary-wing Aviator school, aircraft maintenance officer repairer technical course at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Upon graduating from the Flight school, she was selected to attend the Transportation Officer's Advance Course. Her next adventure was off to Fort Bragg, North Caroline assigned to 18th Airborne Corps.

After three years of flying numerous missions to include support of the Special Forces School and delivering and transporting recondition UH-1H Huey and OH-58 from Corpus Christi Army Depot back to Fort Bragg, the army assigned her to 2nd Infantry Division, Korea. After a one year tour in Korea, she requested and received an inter-theater transfer to Germany.

While in Germany, where she got her first taste of command, she commanded an Aviation Maintenance Company. Her company's mission was to repair and maintain rotary aircraft for Fifth Corps. In addition to commanding her company, she was the only African-American female test pilot to certify that the aircraft was fixed and ready to be returned to the assigned unit.

After a three year tour of duty in Germany, she returned to the Army's Transportation School, Fort Eustis, VA., where she successfully developed and taught a 200 hour aviation logistics mid-level management training course. Jennifer's awards and declarations include: Meritorious Service Metal, Army Commendation Metal with second award. Army Achievement Metal with second award, National Defense Service Metal, Armed Forces Reserve Metal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon two tours, Army Superior Unit Award and the Army Aviator Badge.

Jennifer left the active army as a captain in 1992 after 12 years and 2 months of Honorable service. The day she left active duty she was promoted to the rank of major in the Army Reserves. Jennifer moved with her husband to San Antonio, where she joined the ranks of USAA and worked until her illness in 2007.

This was posted in the MySA.com (San Antonio Express News):

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA070608.06B.ObitRobinson.3ac3fae.html

Author Feature

2008-06-15T10:48:00.008-04:00

Introducing Author and Playwright
Cheril N. Clarke

Cheril N. Clarke is a noted Author, Playwright and Producer. With 4 publications under her belt, a stage play and film version due out soon. Her fifth novel "Losing Control" (formerly titled
"Emergency Exit") is near completion.

A native of Toronto raised in Miami and now living in southern New Jersey, Cheril N. Clarke is the author of four novels,

Visit her website at: http://www.cherilnclarke.com/

Novels:
Foundations: A Novel of New Beginnings (2001)
Different Trees from the Same Root (2003)
Intimate Chaos (2005)
Tainted Destiny (2006)

Play:
Intimate Chaos

She has been featured in:

Curve Magazine, the nation's best selling lesbian magazine

The Princeton Packet

Philadelphia Gay News (PGN)

About.com, Out IN Jersey

EURweb

Burlington County Times

Phillyburbs.com

247gay.com

Femmenoinre.net

Clik Magazine as well as

Crain's New York Business newspaper, among others.

Her opinion columns have been featured by the National Black Justice Coalition. Clarke has also published poems, short stories and reviews of hip-hop spoken word theater in various literary magazines. Her editorial work has appeared in About Magazine, Sistah2Sistah (ULOAH) online magazine, GayWired.com and on 247gay.com. Clarke was a keynote speaker at an African Asian Latina Lesbians United conference and has performed at events organized by African American Lesbians United for Societal Change. She is currently working on her fifth novel, Losing Control and the screenplay for "Intimate Chaos."

Coming Soon.....

Featured Rutgers Univ. Graduate - Robin

2008-05-23T22:11:00.009-04:00

I just returned from New York/Jersey City to attend my sister's graduation. It was a wonderful occasion and very proud to say the least. My sister from Colorado, mom, sister and niece from Texas, and myself from Michigan. Our father was there in spirit from heaven. We met a swell of interesting and kind people. Despite what is said about New Yorkers, we met some very kind and friendly people in the neighborhoods, in the subways and in restaurants.

My sisters is featured in the Rutgers University website - graduating with honors (magna cum laude) 3.7 GPA. Look out for her debut. She received a PA (Production Assistance) job just one day after graduation and unsure of a job. WOW!

AN ABUNDANCE OF OPPORTUNITIES AND CHOICES
Robin Laverne Wilson, Newark College of Arts and Sciences (Honors College), BA, Jersey City, N.J. and Converse, TX.
Ceremony: May 20, 2 p.m., New Jersey Performing Arts Center, One Center St., Newark

Robin Laverne Wilson still hasn’t decided what she wants to be when she grows up, but at least she’s narrowed down her choices. “I want to be an artist who handles business, vs. a business woman who is artistic. I want to produce media.” Robin, who describes herself as a “Texan by geography, a New Yorker by heart,” started college in 1991 back in Texas, trying her hand at a broad swath of majors and courses, including writing, photography, acting, film, journalism, and fine arts. She worked in a peace and justice center, marrying art and social justice, and also acted in commercials and training films.

Lured by the bright lights of the big city, she came to New York and at the recommendation of a relative, looked into Rutgers-Newark and liked what she saw. As an interdisciplinary major, she mixed media studies and management courses, interned at VH1, the New York Pops Symphony Orchestra, and New Line Cinema, and during a break from classes was an artist in residence at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center. Ever the activist, Robin has assisted on filming a documentary about homeless war veterans with Robert Greenwald of Brave New Films, director/producer of “Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price” and “Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism.” For her Honors College thesis project, Robin started a production company to create several film projects.

Why is Robin so attracted to such a broad range of highly creative fields? She likens herself to a dragonfly, the creature she considers her spirit guide, noting the dragonfly is “non-linear – it darts all over. And it is very assertive at going after what it wants.”

Double Take: Copy Kat Book Cover Designs

2008-03-10T22:58:00.007-04:00

I discovered a strange coincedence, book covers that are similar or using the same artwork. Is it that there are just so many books and not enough unique ideas? Like the old school music remixed with the new music today. Is it better to have one attention getting cover idea recycled continuously than have a hideous cover? I tend to think that similar book covers will lead me to believe that i've already read or brought the book. In my quest for answers to these questions, I discovered that recycled covers may not be an author's issue, but a publishers issue. The art is stock and publishers have no idea that another publishing company may have used the same artwork. Is it innocent coincedence or great minds thinking alike? Simon & Schuster seems to be the biggest abuser according to these few books.

Omar Tyree's What They Want (Simon & Schuster, 2006). Loving his life of carefree travel and insecure women, male model Terrance Mitchell experiences profound guilt when his insensitivity induces a young woman's instability, an event that prompts him to rethink his priorities. Tyree is a 2001 NAACP Image Award-winning author of Boss Lady.

The Apostles (One World/Strivers Row, 2004) run Chicago’s streets. Their leader, “Solemn Shawn” Terson, is the most revered–and feared–man in town. Because of his past exploits, the Apostles have a loyalty among its members that has reached mythic proportions. Y. Blak Moore is a poet, social worker, and former gang member who grew up in the Chicago housing projects. He is also the author of Triple Take. Moore has three children and lives in Chicago.

This is the cover to a blues album (2001). "The Love Doctor" is former radio personality Lewis Clark moved to Illinois and became involved in the music industry through radio as a disc jockey in Illinois. With his DJ name being the Blues Doctor for some two decades, Lewis would often perform at various gospel events, playing tunes but also occasionally performing them as well. In 1997, the Blues Doctor changed his name to the Love Doctor. Surprising hit album reached #47 on Billboard's R & B Albums chart on the strength of his runaway smash "Slow Roll It", which immortalized another way to do the horizontal bop.

Chocolate Sangria by Tracy Price-Thompson (Villard, 2003) is a fast-paced, suspenseful, and unpredictable, it explores the hearts of two lovers who get caught in a great cultural divide, and the trials they face when black love and Hispanic love spill across racial boundaries. A Brooklyn, New York native and retired Army Engineer Officer, Tracy is an Alpha Delta Mu honor society graduate from Rutgers University, as well as a Ralph Bunche graduate fellow who holds degrees in Business Administration and Social Work. Tracy lives in Hawaii with her husband and several of their six children.

In The Other Man (Blue Note Press, 2006) worlds collide when Freedom must choose between her conservative lifestyle with Vance, and her dangerously illicit, bad-girl sexcapades with Boney—before someone chooses for her—all set in the backdrop of Memphis, Tennessee, a southern city rich with Blues, Black History, and relevance to African-Americans. The Other Man was inspired by The Jennifer Wilbanks Story, the runaway bride who duped authorities into thinking she was kidnapped in order to escape the pressures of a wedding only two days away. Aside from writing novels and the start-up of Blue Note Press, Marlon is currently studying screenwriting and independent filmmaking. He resides as a bachelor in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

Satisfied With Nothin' (Simon & Schuster, 1996) the novel is about a young African American male, Jamie Ray Griffin's experience is set in rural 1970s Louisiana who excels at football in high school and college and dreams of playing the sport professionally. His dreams are cut short, however, after he suffers a knee injury. Ernest Hill is a native of Oak Grove, Louisiana. He wrote Satisfied with Nothin’ in 1992, while studying history at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

Twisted (K Mass Paper, 2006) is a chilling collection of stories certain to send them spiraling into a dark realm of imagination where the once-familiar becomes menacingly twisted: A man driving home from a Halloween costume party suddenly comes face to face with an evil that's all too real. An elderly woman, obsessed with obituaries, finds herself intimately connected with the dead in the most unlikely of ways. A lifelong racist is plunged into his ultimate nightmare. An unfaithful husband discovers to his horror that his attractive new neighbor has the wickedest kind od seduction in mind for him. From a Gold Pen Award-winner and a master storyteller. Massey was born in Waukegan, Illinois, but grew up in Zion, a suburb north of Chicago. He currently resides with his wife near Atlanta, GA and is working on new novels and other projects.

In Crabs in a Barrel (Agate, 2006) author Byron Harmon uses this Gilligan's Island meets Survivor set-up to create a story that airs out the truth about how black people feel about themselves, each other, and most everyone else in this breakout novel sure to bring him even greater commercial and critical success. Byron Harmon is the author of two earlier novels, All The Women I've Loved (Pocket, 2002) and Mistakes Men Make (Pocket, 2005). He is the executive producer for the WCBS TV Early Morning News in New York City.

Tastes Like Chicken (Simon & Schuster, 2004) is Lolita Files's much anticipated continuing story of the lives of Misty Fine and Reesy Snowden, the dynamic heroines of the bestselling novels Scenes from a Sistah and Getting to the Good Part. With steamy thrills and disastrous infidelities, Lolita's latest is a tale of two women who find themselves poised at life's crossroads with everything to lose but their friendship. Misty and Reesy share outrageous misadventures in Hollywood and Los Angeles when Reesy elects to pursue her dreams of stardom, a quest that is complicated by her would-be devoted boyfriend, Dandre. Files is the former National Communications Director for KinderCare Learning Centers. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and is the author of five bestselling novels.

In Unburnable (Amistad, 2006) a riveting narrative of family, betrayal, vengeance, and murder, Lillian Baptiste is willed back to her island home of Dominica to finally settle her past. Haunted by scandal and secrets, and with the help of Teddy, the man she refused to love, she will find a way to heal. Marie-Elena John is a former Africa development specialist. She and her husband and two children divide their time between Washington, D.C., and Antigua. This is her first novel.

The suspense novel Fatal Justice (Kensington, 2005) by Faye Snowden is a sequel to The Savior (Kensington, 2004) and more Richard T. Marvel mysteries will follow. After Dr. Kendra Hamilton watches her mother's murder go without a conviction, Kendra takes the law into her own hands and returns to the mean streets of Dunhill County to bring the killer to justice. Faye Snowden lives in Modesto, California with her family. Fatal Justice is her third novel.

Subtle Secrets by Wanda Thomas (Genesis Press, 2007)

A Love Story by Denene Millner and Nick Chiles (E P Dutton, 2004)

Topaz by Beverly Jenkins (Avon Books, Reprint 2007)

Soulmates: An Illustrated Guide to Black Love, Sex, and Romance by Eric V. Copage (Plume, 2001)

My Library

2008-02-24T11:25:00.000-05:00

Book Trailers

2008-02-01T06:18:00.001-05:00

On a screen near you ...

A book trailer is a video advertisement for a book which employs techniques similar to those of movie trailers. Complete with actors, cinematography and voice-overs, it's the closest the book industry has come to a movie-style preview of a new title. They are circulated on television and online in most common digital video formats.

The first Book Trailer played publicly was at a book convention in Shreveport, LA in 2003. Though Book Trailers were being made as early as 2002, the term caught on in 2005 when user-generated online video upload sites became more popular. Sites such as MySpace, YouTube and iFilm allowed for the videos to be viewed by the public, creating a market for this promotional tool.

Reaching out to the Internet's more than one billion users is one of the best ways to easily and inexpensively promote your book to your target audience instead of the usual press release or book tours. Creating a book video, also known as a book trailer, book teaser, book short, or book presenter to attract a broader, Internet-savvy reading audience.

There are numerous sites devoted to authors and books, which offer great opportunities for author promotion, such as: Book Marketing Network, MyShelf, and AuthorsDen.

Submitting a Book Trailer to the right site can attract potential readers.

Check Me Out!

2007-08-21T07:41:00.003-04:00

A comment on my blog informed me that I was a link on the "Urban Review" website.

MsJa yy said...
Hi Donna, I just found your blog via Urban Reviews. I didn't realize there were this many books on the market with similar covers (the one I did take note of was Crabs in a Barrel/Tastes Like Chicken). As a self-published author, I wonder if it's harder to find that someone else is using the same stock photo. I know that as I looked for a cover for my upcoming novel, I found that several images that I liked had already been used so I passed them over. I do know that there are several versions of the photo that I used on my poetry collection although I've not found anyone else using it - yet. LOL Interesting topic.

Check it out: http://www.urban-reviews.com/ac-feb07.html

F.Y.I.: MsJavy is a self published author/poet...check her out.

http://soulfullsoliloquies.blogspot.com/

I found book covers that used the same model for other book covers

My Home Library

2007-08-07T07:45:00.000-04:00

I moved from the city of Detroit to the suburb of Ypsilanti Township. Our closing and moving day was Valentine's day. What a gift. My husband and I are enjoying the wildlife surrounding our home. Our new deck is the perfect zone for reading a book and drinking crystal light tea (peach is my favorite).

We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary by buying me bookshelves from IKEA to hold my 700+ books. Because the house is still under warranty and brand spanking new (new house smell), we cannot remodel for the next 2 years.

My Home Library is slowly coming along. When the shelves are all put together and all the books are in their proper place, to make my library a more useful and comfortable space, such items as a reading chair or small couch and floor lamp will go in front of the library. This will provide a comfortable spot to sit and read. A plush rug will also increase the posh elegance of the space.

I wanted my library to give the room a sense of intelligence and sophistication. This was achieved by picking white free standing shelves with glass doors in uniform material, style and size. They fit into a pre-existing nook. I have room for 2 1/2 more to complete the library.

I welcome suggestions and pictures of decorating ideas. Share your home library transformations. I'll be making revisions to this blog from time to time.

2007-05-08T12:25:00.001-04:00

Facts Based Novels or Historical Fiction

Historical fiction may center on historical or on fictional characters but usually represents an honest attempt based on considerable research (or at least serious reading) to tell a story set in the historical past as understood by the author's contemporaries. Historical fiction, unlike history is not constrained to cite its sources with footnotes in the text.

* Fictionalized account of real events
* Stories take place in a definite place in history
* Something similar to the story could have happened. Often based on real people & events
* Can include real facts and places
* Very much like the real world - just at a different time in history
* Teaches us about the past, how people lived
* Much time spent on setting, plot and characters

Red River by Lalita Tademy is based on the Colfax Massac re of 1873

Like Trees, Walking by Ravi Howard is based on the lynching of Michael Don ald in 1981

Beloved by Toni Morrison is based on the life and legal case of Margaret Garner in 1856

Washington and Caesar by Christian Cameron is based on the legendary Black Loyalist in 1775

Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala is based on the phenomena of young boys and girls forced into battle and bloodshed, "Child Soldiers" in the embattled villages and hamlets of Africa.

Pride of Carthage by David Anthony Durham focussed on Hannibal Barca of Ancient Carthage and his war with the Roman Republic.

Angel Of Harlem by Kuwana Haulsey is a novel

based on the life of Dr. May Chinn the first black

female physician in New York City

Links:

NPR "Arts & Culture " Opera Tells Saga of 'Margaret Garn er' by Celeste Headlee

Margaret Garner from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photographs & Postcards of Lynchings in America

War Child International Network

The Schomburg Collection

2007-05-01T10:09:00.000-04:00

Because i'm an avid first edition book collector, I thought a nice framed poster about books (and african american themed at that!) would compliment my library. So...I bid on a poster on eBay.com and won it. As I examined the poster...I see a reference to The Schomburg Collection of the New York Public Library. I've heard this referenced before, but I never knew anything about the Schomburg Collection.

So...I go to my favorite website...Wikipedia and viola!

Arturo Alfonso Schomburg also known as Arthur Schomburg (January 24, 1874-June 8, 1938) born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was a historian, writer and activist, known as "The Father of Black History." Schomburg had amassed a world renowned collection which consisted of artworks, manuscripts, rare books, slave narratives and other remnants of Black history. So impressed was the New York Public Library with Schomburg's collection that the Carnegie Corporation purchased it from him for $10,000 to form the cornerstone of the Library's Division of Negro History at the 135th Street Branch in Harlem. The proceeds from the sale were used to fund travel to Spain, France, Germany and England, to seek out other pieces of black history to further add to the collection. (Wikipedia.com)

On my next visit to New York...I will be visiting the New York Public Library.

Book Recommendation

2007-04-23T17:28:00.000-04:00

This is a very detailed account of a runaway slave couple and their journey to freedom, while creating historical movements along-the-way. I will be purchasing this one!

It was the day before Independence Day, 1831. As his bride, Lucie, was about to be “sold down the river” to the slave markets of New Orleans, young Thornton Blackburn planned a daring—and successful—daylight escape from Louisville. But they were discovered by slave catchers in Michigan and slated to return to Kentucky in chains, until the black community rallied to their cause. The Blackburn Riot of 1833 was the first racial uprising in Detroit history. The couple was spirited across the river to Canada, but their safety proved illusory. In June 1833, Michigan’s governor demanded their extradition. The Blackburn case was the first serious legal dispute between Canada and the United States regarding the Underground Railroad. The impassioned defense of the Blackburns by Canada’s lieutenant governor set precedents for all future fugitive-slave cases. The Blackburns settled in Toronto and founded the city’s first taxi business. But they never forgot the millions who still suffered in slavery. Working with prominent abolitionists, Thornton and Lucie made their home a haven for runaways. The Blackburns died in the 1890s, and their fascinating tale was lost to history. Lost, that is, until a chance archaeological discovery in a downtown Toronto school yard brought the story of Thornton and Lucie Blackburn again to light.

Title: I've Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad
Author: Karolyn Smardz Frost is an internationally recognized archaeologist and historian. She lives in Collingwood, Ontario.
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pages: 480 (8 Pages of Black-and-White Illustrations/Notes/Bibliography/Index)
Publication Date: 02/2007
ISBN: 0-374-16481-9
List Price: $30.00
Genre: Non-Fiction/History

Links: http://www.homeingloryland.com/

National Public Radio - Meet the author 3/19/07

The Virginia Polytech Massacre

2007-04-17T13:45:00.000-04:00

Authorities ID gunman in Va. Tech rampage
Student’s writings raised red flags; 33 killed, 12 stable in hospitals

‘He was a loner’ Professor Carolyn Rude, chairwoman of the university’s English department, said she did not personally know the gunman. But she said she spoke with Lucinda Roy, the department’s director of creative writing, who had Cho in one of her classes and described him as “troubled.”

“There was some concern about him,” Rude told The Associated Press. “Sometimes, in creative writing, people reveal things and you never know if it’s creative or if they’re describing things, if they’re imagining things or just how real it might be. But we’re all alert to not ignore things ike this.”

She said Cho was referred to the counseling service, but she said she did not know when or what the outcome was. Rude refused to release any of his writings or his grades, citing privacy laws.

This is a clip from the MSNBC online news. My heart goes out to the tragic lose of lives in the senseless killing on the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University campus. But as I was reading this, I wondered if the department's director of creative writing was no one other than the noted author Lucinda Roy of "Lady Moses," "Hotel Alleluia," "The Humming Birds" and "Wailing the Dead to Sleep"?

Yes, it is.... Virginia Tech's Creative Writing Program Co-Directors Lucinda Roy and Fred D'Aguiar] features internationally known and widely-published poets and fiction writers, such as...

Nikki Giovanni, University Distinguished Professor of Black Studies

Fred D’Aguiar, Professor Co-Director of Creative Writing

Lucinda Roy, Professor of English and Alumni Distinguished Professor Co-Director,

Creative Writing

The Vampire Huntress Legend Series

2007-04-17T08:40:00.000-04:00

I have most of the books in L.A. Banks' paranormal Vampire Huntress series. I normally don't read this genre of fiction, but I was so taken in by the artwork on the book cover(s). It 's fine illustration of a very modern day, sexy vampire. Banks' marketing of the book series is genius - see her website. The cover art is by Vince Natale. As a graduate of the DuCret school of art in New Jersey, he has received numerous honors for his comercial and fine art work that ranges from magazine editorials to book covers to advertising. I personally have not read any of L.A. Banks' books, but I think the covers are a story within themselves and look intriguing on my bookshelves. One day I will crack one open and read what's inside.

The Vampire Huntress Legend™ Series

“Minion” January 2005 - Book 1 of 9

“The Awakening” January 2004 - Book 2 of 9

“The Hunted” June 2004 - Book 3 of 9

“The Bitten” January 2005 - Book 4 of 9

“The Forbidden” July 2005 - Book 5 of 9

“The Damned” January 2006 - Book 6 of 9

“The Forsaken” July, 2006 - Book 7 of 9

"The Wicked" February 2007 - Book 8 of 9

"The Cursed" July 2007 - Book Nine

A new book series from L. A. Banks!

BAD BLOOD The first in a major new book series from L.A. Banks is coming in 2008!

Debut Novel

2007-02-04T07:21:00.000-05:00

A new novel will debut February 20, 2007 by author Ravi Howard titled "Like Trees, Walking." The books subject matter revolves around the last American lynching of a black man, Michael Donald, in Mobile, Alabama, in 1981. Howard an Alabama native himself, won the 2001 Nora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Award for a short story on this very subject. Although this is a fictionalized account, Howard uses the facts of the case to write an extended version of it's short story.

The body of an African American high school student in Mobile, Alabama, in 1981 is discovered by Paul Deacon, son of a prominent black funeral home director. Initially, three drug addicts are accused of the crime, but the case against them quickly falls apart, and no progress is made for several years, even though it is obvious that local Klansmen are the murderers. Paul's brother Roy recalls these events 20 years later as a grown man with a family of his own. Howard's novel is not primarily a whodunit or a police procedural, although it does have a strong CSI slant. The subject is really the city of Mobile and the rapidly changing Gulf Coast community two decades after the major struggles of the Civil Rights era (Library Journal).

Here is a link to Wikipedia Encyclopedia of the actual case of the lynching of Michael Donald in Alabama. Warning! there are some graphic photos http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Michael+Donald+

This sounds like a great read and was recommended by noted award winning author, David Anthony Durham of "Gabriel's Story," "Walking Through Darkness," "Pride of Carthage" and soon to be released (June 2007) fourth novel "Acacia" a speculative novel set in an alternative world.

Links:

http://www.ravihoward.com/Ravi.html

Interviews:

Video Vixen vs. Mob Queen

2007-01-28T07:02:00.000-05:00

I was surfing one of my favorite sites - Wikipedia via http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Virginia+Hill and discovered that there was a video vixen before there were video's. Virginia Hill, the steady girlfriend of Hollywood gangster Bugsy Siegel. Siegel's nickname for Hill was "the Flamingo," for her skill at fellatio. Hill entertained Hollywood celebrities in her Beverly Hills mansion and reputedly blackmailed them to keep their private vices secret. Because Hill maintained a lavish lifestyle and believed to have mafia connections, In 1951 she was summoned to testfy in a hearing on organized crime. She told investigators that her income came from gifts her boyfriends gave her due to her prowess in oral sex.

The author of "Bugsy’s Baby: The Secret Life of Mob Queen Virginia Hill," author Andy Edmonds recreates the story of Virginia Hill using mostly old journal entries and interviews with people who ran with her. Famous in organized crime circles for her feisty attitude and her sexual tendencies, Virginia Hill managed to play men off one another and whose lovers included Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel and the actor George Raft.

Hill, the daughter of an abusive alcoholic, Virginia was basically a poor farm girl from Alabama who married young and then ran off to Chicago to be a part of bigger and better things. She quickly learned that sleeping with men could get her what she wanted and by the time she met Chicago crime boss Joe Epstein she was already known in the inner world of the mob.

Edmonds claim in the book that Hill made numerous suicide attempts after Siegel’s death. She also claim that in the 1960’s Hill was murdered by mob collaborators when she threatened to have her diary published. However, Wikipedia states that she died of an overdose of sleeping pills in March 1966.
________________________________________________________

Karrine Steffens (http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Karrine+Steffa n s) a former hip hop music video performer and actress wrote a very descriptive memoir in 2005 about her sexual liaisons with numerous major stars. She also mentions several encounters in which she traded oral sex for access to prominent roles in rap music videos.

Steffens was born in St. Thomas (Virgin Islands) to an abusive mother, she was sent to live with a father she didn't like in Florida, then Arizona.

She became so famous in the Hollywood circle earning the nickname Superhead by starring in a porn film, credited as "Honey" where she is shown performing a very rapid form of oral sex. She has also starred in the movie "A Man Apart" opposite Vin Diesel and Lorenz Tate.

Since publishing her memoir, Steffens has reportedly been involved with comedian and talk show host Bill Maher and more recently Bobby Brown in which she is rumored to be pregnant with his fifth child. She is completing the follow-up to her memoirs with "The Vixen Diaries" for publication in September 2007. With more revelations including the real deal about Black Hollywood, her upcoming Playboy shoot, and which Hollywood wives call her daily when their husbands 'are out of town'―just to make sure their spouse isn't with her. Plus a fictionalized account of her life story, for publication in Fall 2008.

What do these two woman have in common?

Abusive mothers
Secrets with Hollywood celebrities
Slept there way into inner circles
Oral sex abilities

These books sound like a good read....If anyone has read them, please give me some feedback.

Veteran Black Journalist-Novelist Bebe Moore Campbell Dies of Brain Cancer at Her Home

2006-11-28T09:50:00.000-05:00

Campbell started her career as a journalist, writing for the New York Times Magazine, Black Enterprise, Essence, Ebony, The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times.

Campbell's last book, Stompin' at the Savoy, was published in September. It's a children's book about a young girl who is magically transported to the famous ballroom where the jazz greats performed. “72 Hour Hold,” is the story of a woman in a love triangle whose life is shattered when her child develops a mental illness. Also among her works were novels, “Your Blues Ain’t Like Mine,” “Singing in the Comeback Choir,” and a memoir, “Sweet Summer, Growing Up With and Without My Dad.”

She received numerous awards throughout her career, including a National Association of Negro Business and Professional Literature Award in 1978, a 1994 NAACP Image Award for literature, a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Grant in 1980 and the University of Pittsburgh’s Distinguished Alumni Award. She was also named an Alumni Trustee of the University in June 2005

After her diagnosis became public, Campbell posted letters on her Web site thanking friends and supporters for their cards, gifts and words of inspiration. Campbell was 56.

Campbell's viewing will be held Saturday, December 2, 2006 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., followed by the funeral service at First A.M.E. Church, 2270 South Harvard Boulevard, in Los Angeles. In lieu of flowers, her family asked that donations be sent to her favorite charities: National Alliance for the Mentally Ill - Urban Los Angeles and the United Negro College Fund.

Bebe Moore Campbell is a gifted writer and will be missed by her reading fans.

Book Covers

2006-11-25T20:47:00.000-05:00

What Sells a Book?
People pick up a book for a variety of reasons: they’ve heard about it from a friend or the media, they are familiar with the author and many people believe because the cover entices them to do so.

What Catches Your Eye?
But do people buy books based on the cover design? What pulls you in to make the purchase? Cover art, author’s name, a quick read of the first chapter?

Book Cover Designs
Book cover designs are an essential part of the publishing process. Professional book cover design is essential because readers, retailers and reviewers glance at a book for only a few seconds before they make a choice.

First Impression
A book cover yields most of its power at its introduction to the public eye, after that, the book’s success is riding on the quality of it’s contents (how well or poorly written it is). For most books, the cover is its handshake that greets the world. An attractive cover may also find premium display space in an independent bookstore.

Good vs. Bad Cover Designs
Consumers will purchase a book simply because the cover is beautiful. Some people prefer covers without people on them. Some say a book title taken from a poem or a quote is intriguing. The dust jacket should have a little blurb that gives a good feel for the book. It should be striking and catch the eye and induce a browser to pick up the book.

Some prefer books that weave actual text from the book. Artwork and photographs can take away from the creative effect of a book. A book cover should have something that connects with the story and makes you wonder. Superfluous propaganda about the writer can distract you from purchasing a book.

A Good Marketing Plan
The cover artists themselves become as well-known as the authors and often, the two are tied-in to the reader or collector’s mind. Both large, traditional publishing houses and self-publishers alike are dependent on the cover, initially. But after the initial ”hello” is over, a cover design cannot work alone to sell a book. Write a good book, package it well.

Survey Says...
A Survey published March 3, 2005 by World Book Day, was that 25% of readers claimed to buy books based on friends’ recommendations; 26% bought books based on author familiarity; 6% bought a book because they saw it advertised and only 7% cited cover design.

*the cover design statistic has not changed much since a 1998 Penguin survey.

Free Marketing
Good covers and great titles aside, the fact is that far more people are influenced by good old-fashioned personal recommendations and an author’s reputation. Low first print-runs (less investment from the publisher) have gone on to become huge commercial successes, simply by word-of-mouth.

A Confessed Book Addict

2006-08-31T20:05:00.000-04:00

Reading is my love. I simply could not imagine a world where I couldn’t read, buy or not collect books. Reading allows me to go to new places, meet new people, experience things I haven’t learned or things I didn’t know. Simply owning books is not enough, I want what’s inside. I read to be entertained and enlightened. My desire to learn and read about the subject is what propels me along. I keep a dictionary close by while reading to look up words that challenge my vocabulary.

First off, a good novel is like going on a journey to a far away place. It’s a mental trip that takes you to places and sometimes an era that I’ve never been to or had the opportunity to experience. For example, in "George and Rue" by George Elliott Clarke exploits the social conditions of poor black men living in a poor black community on Canada’s east coast. Clarke refers to as "a displaced Mississippi" and gives readers a historical view of Africadian (Africadian is a term that refers to African and Acadian, and denotes black culture in the maritime region, particularly communities in Nova Scotia) life during the early to mid-20th century.

I read mostly fiction, preferably historical fiction, or a fictional account based around a true event. I like to see how the writer(s) make the book work and see how they dealt with a problem or getting a reader to turn those pages. A book provides a good sense of clarity when you read about an experience that you may have gone through and at times it’s very therapeutic to read how others may have handled the same situation. Sometimes I am the CHARACTER.

I try to get some reading in at least every other day. It’s something I do in my leisure hours, and something I take my time doing. I have vowed to read at least one of my unread books per month. I’m doing good to read 2 books a month! I read a few chapters per day, and I read myself to sleep at night and when I finish a book, I spend another few days reviewing it in my mind and on paper, absorbing any lessons learned or morals to the story. This is probably what distinguishes me from avid readers. I must still be in my infancy stages of becoming an avid reader who reads continuously and maybe several books at a time.

I find it fascinating that people can become addicted to books. But this is indeed a "magnificent obsession". I’m a book addict, but at least I know it. I probably could head up the National chapter of Book Addicts Anonymous. There are worst things to be addicted to. There’s nothing like the rush I get walking into a bookstore, library or used book sale. It makes me shiver thinking about it. I could never think of reading all of my books before I buy new ones. I own 560 books and I’ve read only ¼ of them, so far. I don’t care how many books I have, I will always buy new ones. It’s just something about having my OWN books that makes me an addict. I don’t want to be cured of my addiction, but I must learn techniques for managing it.

Ways to manage my addiction:

The library – cheap. This doesn’t work for me because my reading methods are leisurely and I end up owing late fees. I prefer checking out audiobooks, it’s a quick fix to reading a book and it keeps me calm while driving.

Used books sales – http://www.booksalefinder.com/ is the most genius source of information that can garner a fine copy for as little as $1.00.

Used bookstores inside library’s – this is a wonderful treasure I recently discovered.

I’m not going to do anything crazy like pledge not to buy more books, but I vow to read the ones I have. I’m a book addict and I don’t care who knows it!

LibraryThing.com

2006-06-02T11:34:00.000-04:00

If you haven't heard about it yet, then here is something fantastic for bibliophiles. Do you have a catalog of books that sit on your shelf for you to admire? Would you like to share your library with others, but without loaning them out? http://www.librarything.com

You can arrange your books on a virtual shelf and connect with people who read the same things as you or you can keep it private. You can get recommendations based on your interest. The first 200 books are free! It's great.

The Addiction of Book Collecting

2006-04-28T19:28:00.000-04:00

The Addiction of Book Collecting

"She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain."

- Louisa May Alcott

I was browsing in Barnes & Noble Bookseller the other day. I already own 450 books and my husband would kill me (not literally) if I purchased another book. I try to justify my purchase by saying "But, it was on sale" - so I stuck strickly with the Bargain Books section. My favorite digs have all closed - Borders Outlets have all shut down leaving me with fewer choices for a quick fix for a cheap book buy.

In 1975, the Barnes & Noble took a bold and audacious step by becoming the first bookseller in America to discount books by offering New York Times bestsellers at 40% off publisher's list prices. Barnes & Noble expanded on that idea by opening a 40,000-square-foot Sale Annex directly across from its flagship store.

The company began to expand in the New York/Boston markets by opening smaller discount bookstores. In addition, it acquired two local chains, BookMasters and Marboro Books, which were converted to Barnes & Noble discount stores. Initially, these stores were very successful and expanded to 50 locations. They were eventually phased out in favor of the company's larger-format book superstores.

So, I'm looking in Barnes & Nobles and come across a gold mine of books under $6. My eyes become enlarged and my heart cames alive with excitement of bargain books...and by African American authors.

Let me stop and describe to you the feeling a book lover (bibliophile) like myself feels about books and book collecting. We see books as physical objects of beauty and romance, we love the look and feel of our books. Even if some of us do not understand first edition collecting, we have a shelf of treasured books, or even a library full of them. We tend to take care of our books in the same way we care for other valuable objects we own, like paintings or fine china. We see our collections as extensions of our interests, perhaps as a record of our intellectual and artistic experiences. Something about having a book on the shelf gives pleasure; owning books enriches our lives. Since collectors value books as beautiful objects, the books' condition is important. A lovely copy is more appealing than one that has been used and abused. I can read a book from cover to cover without leaving any evidence of having done so. Collectors take care with their books. I use clear vinyl book covers to protect my collection. The underlying reason to collect books lies in the duality of the experience. Not only do collectors take pleasure from the intellectual content of their books, but they also enjoy the process of assembling their collections. Finding a beautiful copy of a treasured first edition is a rewarding experience. Owning one gives continuing delight. Many first edition books appreciate in value over time.

Book collecting does not have to be expensive. You can spend as little or as much as you are able and willing to spend on your collection. Some collectors purchase only new in-print books, others buy only at yard sales and library book sales, others visit their neighborhood used book shop. others order only from mail order catalogs, and many are now buying books on the world wide web, such as Amazon.com. Many collectors purchase their books from a wide variety of sources and limit their purchases to expenditures they can afford.

Why do I collect books? I collect them because they are beautiful, valuable, it's an expanding field that is likely to remain so, and most important of all, I collect them because I love them. Although we are in the minority as regards to the general population, there are still a great many of us. You might not think of yourselves as collectors, but you carry the virus. It's chronic and there is no cure. Book collecting, gives pleasure and adds dimension to our lives.

You can read more on "The Fundamentals of Book Collecting" by visiting www.firsts.com.

Back to my story...So as I make my final selections, because I had to leave some behind, I proceed to the cashier. She asked "Did you find everything ok?" I reply "Yes! and I was so excited when I saw your selection...I love books" I'm pratically jumping up and down as I say this - like a child getting a new toy and can't wait to play with it. The cashiers then says "I see you got all bargain book purchases, did you look beyong the bargain book area to the back of the store where our Sales Annex is?" my smile slightly diminishes as she's pointing in the direction I just left. I say "No, what's that?" she explains "That's where we sell used books. You know where customers trade in or donate used books for resale, and some are brand new releases for as little as $12 dollars" I don't hear anything else she's saying...I practically run to the Sales Annex in the middle of the ladies sentence. But, I gather my manners and ask her to do me a favor and hold my bag with the 4 books I just purchased behind the counter while I explore this new gold mine. She obliged with an approving nod of her head and a unhesitating reach for my bag.

I look at every single book on the shelf with a methodical eye. I'm back there so long that when I return to the cashier, she doesn't recognize me as the lady to whom she is babysitting the bag full of books.

That evening, I gently confess my purchases to my husband when he ask me "How was your day? and what did you do?" He believes I need to join BA "Bookaholic Anonymous" if there is such a thing. I'll go to a few meeting, but it probably wouldn't do any good.

Gotta go, my husband just left for work and I'm on my way to a used book sale.

Diabetes Knowledge

2006-04-04T18:46:00.000-04:00

Managing Diabetes

I was diagnosed with Gestational diabetes (gestational diabetes is temporary) at the age of 21, when I was pregnant with my first child. Then again three years later with my second child. I developed type 2 diabetes approximately 8-9 years ago. I'm now at the middle age of 43. During pregnancy and until the fall of 2005, I was not managing my diabetes. I suffered high glucose levels averaging in the 300's and higher. My general medicine doctor finally referred me to a specialist or an Endocrinologist. For the first time in my diabetic life I am managing my blood sugars with oral antidiabetic drugs (Metformin) and insulin therapy (Lantus) to maintain normal glucose levels.

I would like to give you words of knowledge and share my steps to achieve this wonderful feeling of being in control. I hope this can help those out there suffering with significantly elevated glucose levels (hyperglycemia).

What is Type 2 Diabetes? When you have type 2 diabetes, your body is unable to properly use the sugar called glucose. Glucose is created when your body breaks down food to use for energy. Your body uses glucose as its main source of fuel with the help of a hormone called insulin. Insulin acts like a key to unlock the body's cells, so glucose can enter and serve as fuel for the cells. This is how most people's bodies maintain a fairly normal amount of sugar in the bloodstream.

That's not the case with type 2 diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes can't maintain normal sugar levels. This happens either because the body doesn't make enough insulin, or because the body can't use its own natural insulin properly - a process called insulin resistance. High blood sugar sets off processes that can lead to complications, like heart, kidney, and eye disease, or other serious problems. The good news is that healthy eating, exercise, and possibly, medications can help.

Visit this site for more information: http://www.diabetes.com/

Who's on Your Health Care Team? No matter what type of diabetes you have, it affects many parts of your life. You can get help from health professionals trained to focus on different areas, from head to toe. A health care team helps you use the health care system to its fullest.

You. You are the most important member of your health care team. Your health care team depends on you to talk to them honestly and to tell them how you feel. You may need to work with your doctor to build a health care team, adding members as the need arises. Self-monitoring via self-adminitered glucose testing using a glucose monitor is an essential element of any diabetes management program.

The PrimaryCare Doctor. A primary care or family practice doctor is who you see for general checkups and when you get sick. A doctor with special training in diseases such as diabetes is called an endocrinologist. Endocrinologist also requires caring for the person as well as the disease. Your primary care doctor may also be the one who refers you to specialists or other team members. Make sure you feel comfortable talking about the details of your health and lifestyle with this doctor. Your doctor's support is important. After the visit, ask yourself:

Did the doctor really listen to my concerns?
Was the doctor concerned about my diabetes control?
Did the doctor answer my questions?

Registered Dietician. A registered dietician (RD) or Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) is trained in nutrician. If your doctor does not work with a dietician, ask him to refer you to one. Your dietician helps you figure out your food needs based on your desired weight, lifestyle, medication, and other health goals (such as lowering blood fat levels or blood pressure). Even if you've had diabetes for many years, a visit to the dietician can help. Dietitians can also help you learn how:

the foods you eat affect your blood sugar and blood fat levels
to balance food with medications and activity
to read food labels
to make a sick day meal plan
to plan meals
to plan for eating out and special events
to include ethnic or foreign foods into your meals
to find good cookbooks
to make food substitutions

Eye Doctor. This doctor is another key member of your health care team, because diabetes can affect the blood vessels in the eyes. The eye doctor will be either an ophthalmologist or an optometrist. You should see your eye doctor at least once a year. These checkups are the best way to detect diabetic eye disease. Your eye doctor will check for any changes in your eyes.

Podiatrist. This health professional is trained to treat feet and problems of the lower legs. Diabetes makes you prone to poor blood flow and nerve damage in the lower legs. You may get infections more often. Sores, even small ones, can quickly turn into serious problems. Any foot sore or callus needs to be checked by your primary care doctor or a podiatrist. Inspect your feet daily for signs of trouble.

Dentist. People with diabetes are at greater risk for gum disease. The excess blood sugar in your mouth makes it a good home for bacteria, which leads to infection. See your dentist every six months. Be sure to tell your dentist that you have diabetes.

Exercise Physiologist or Trainer. Exercise plays a major role in your diabetes care, no matter which type of diabetes you have. Exercise can help lower blood sugar, help your body better use insulin, and help control your weight. It can also improve your blood fat levels, reduce stress, and improve your overall fitness level. The best person to help you and your doctor plan your fitness program is someone trained in the scientific basis of exercise. Always get your doctor's approval for any exercise program.

join Curves or a local health gym
get a personal trainer
join local walk groups
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Readers Cafe

2006-03-31T14:51:00.000-05:00

Race continues to be a factor in America that effect just about everything, and the publishing industry is no exception. It has become a controversial issue about African American authors' book(s) being placed in segregated sections of bookstores and titled African American Literature.

According to thefreedictionary.com, African American literature is literature written by, about, and sometimes specifically for African Americans. As African Americans place in American society has changed over the centuries, so too has the focus of African American literature.

African American writers want the same thing almost every writer wants: to become a bestselling author with legions of fans. These authors want to be mainstream and believe that their ethnic is hurting their chances at success.

Most publishing companies argue that African American authors have a unique opportunity to become successful authors because they do in fact, belong to a niche market. Also, what African American authors need to understand is that they are a part of an emerging market. Publishers are now beginning to make attempts to understand the African American market and are developing marketing plans that are different from the mainstream market. So the key is marketing and promoting an innovative plan that will boost sales and name recognition. The author must have confidence in their work and security with who they are, white or black. If there work is quality material people will support it and not be concerned with the race of the writer.

Authors argue that a resounding majority of African Americans want to be considered a writer period, before their considered an African American writer, and want their books to be found beside white author's work. Some authors feel that advertising their blackness dampers their efforts toward appealing to a wider audience. It's the words on the pages of their books that should matter. On the other hand, authors Toni Morrison and Alice Walker always insisted during interviews that they are "black women writers" who write for "black people" and yet at least 40 - 50% of their books are purchased by whites. since many authors are challenged with breaking into mainstream, they have become proactive by turning to self publishing, self marketing, promoting and some have opened their own store(s).

Readers argue that many African American customers appreciate having an exclusively black section in franchise book stores. Before Terry McMillan, Kimberla Lawson Roby and Bernice L. McFadden, blacks were reading books by white authors. But when more black authors came onto the literary scene, blacks are choosing to read books by Bebe Moore Campbell, J. California Cooper and Diane McKinney-Whetstone and many others, because they speak more to our experience. I'm not exclusive to African American authors, I simply enjoy a good book, but the choices that have become available are overwhelming. My personal collection of books by African American authors has reached 431.

Critiques say African American literature exists both within and outside American literature and is helping to revitalize the country's writing. There are some within the African American community who do not like how their own literature sometimes showcases black people. African American literature can exists as its own entity. This artistic pattern has held true with many aspects of African American culture over the last century, with jazz and hip hop being just two artistic examples that developed in isolation within the black community before reaching a larger audience and eventually revitalizing American culture. The same can be said for African American literature. Imprints inside major publishers are creating a phenomenal rise in titles and genres in fiction and nonfiction. Whether African American literature will keep to this pattern in the coming years remains to be seen.

Some of the criticism of African American literature over the years has come, surprisingly enough, from within the African American community. The general consensus view appears to be that African American literature is simply reflecting the increasing diversity of the united states and showing more signs of diversity than ever before in its history. This view is supported by the fact that many African American authors and writers representing other minority groups - consistently reach the tops of the best-seller lists. If their literature only appealed to their individual ethnic groups, this would not be possible.

According to Market News blacks spent $326 million on books in 2003. Authors are writing for black readers, and according to the numbers, black and whites are buying their books, that are making publishers and booksellers take notice.

Praises to Amistad Publishing & Harper Collins for breaking the mold with creative thinking.

I listened to CrossTalk hosted by authors Donna Hill and Anna Dennis on Thursday (March 30, 2006) night with guest author Lolita Files gave thanks to her publishing company and her agent(s) for placing her latest novel "Sex. Lies. Murder. Fame." in the front of the bookstores.

Authors of color are generally placed in a section segregated from the mainstream of authors giving them limited exposure.

Unfortunately, We live in a world where race matters!

Welcome to Onnaday

2006-03-30T14:25:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Onnaday - which means "Donna" in Pig Latin. This is my online journal of thoughts and information on the Literary world and other points of interest.

Spring is approaching and there are so many beautiful things to adorn the world. I will post beautiful artwork and illustrations with my thoughts and comments to bring a thousand unspoken words.

I hope you find my journal of help and a joy to visit!