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Book
Expo America 2000 (BEA), held in Chicago May 31st to June 4th 2000 was a tremendous event.
Anything you wanted to know about books and publishing could be found there.
The event was highlighted by a schedule of events which catered to
African Americans. There were
scores of African America authors in attendance many signing free copies of
their books. Black Expressions Book
Club hosted an dinner evening event. It was more like a gala with food,
author signings. They even had, would you believe, male exotic
dancers. Authors in attendance included Pearl Cleage, Tananarive
Due, Yolanda Joe, Camika Spencer, Vincent
Alexandria, E. Lynn Harris and many more!. Blackboard
gave out a series of awards including one for bookseller of the year which was
given to Carl Webber of book store in Queens New York.
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Tananarive Due & Patricia Stephens Due
Tananarive is the author of one my favorite novels, My Soul to Keep. Her newest novel is about fictionalized account of Madame C. J. Walker. Tananarive's Mother, Patricia Stephens Due was instrumental in our civil rights struggle. In fact, to this day, Patricia Stephens Due wears shades because her eyes were hurt by mace during a protest.
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Pearl Cleage
Cleage's book, What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary
Day, was selected by the Oprah book club and was also an AALBC bestseller.
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Eric Jerome Dickey & Robin Green-Cary.
Eric Jerome Dickey (signing) is the author of several very popular novels including, his most recent, Liar's Game - which I hear will be on the New York Times bestsellers list. Robin Green-Cary (standing in the background in the African headdress) is the owner of Sibanye a popular book store in Baltimore Maryland - visit next time you are in the area.
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Sharon Ewell & Troy Johnson
Sharon Ewell is the author of Passing by Samaria. Troy Johnson is founder and webmaster of the African American Literature Book Club (this website).
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Carl Weber
Author
Carl Weber is also the recipient of the Blackboard Bookseller of the year award. The award was given at Book Expo America 2000 in Chicago
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Mannie Barron, Leticia Barnes & Earl Cox
All friends of AALBC.com; Mannie Barron is the Publisher of Amistad Press an imprint of Harper Collins; Leticia Barnes works with Dana Press and Earl Cox is a Regional Sales Manager for John Wiley and Sons.
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I had to include some
technology. This machine can spit out a book faster than you can
read this sentence (well almost). Technology vendors were in
abundance at BEA 2000. There were vendors who, at no cost to the
author, would publish your book for free! One will even print a
single copy of you at no additional cost. Your book can be made
available when ordered either in print or eBook format. The
technology makes this possible. Visit http://aalbc.com/ebooks/Allaboutebooks.htm
for more information.
~ Troy Johnson
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Photo Credits: Troy Johnson, AALBC.com
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