AALBC.com eNewsletter - April 8th 2011 - Issue #185
Celebrating Our Literary Legacy Since 1997

AALBC.com Best Selling Books

AALBC.com's 25 Best Selling Books For January 1st through February 28th 2011
http://aalbc.com/books/bestsellers.htm

Fiction

#1 - For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf by Ntozake Shange
#2 - Farther Than I Meant to Go, Longer Than I Meant to Stay by Tiffany L. Warren
#3 - What a Sista Should Do by Tiffany L. Warren
#4 - Some Sing, Some Cry: A Novel by Ntozake Shange, Ifa Bayeza
#5 - The Choir Director by Carl Weber
#6 - Every Thug Needs A Lady by Wahida Clark
#7 - Getting to Happy by Terry McMillan

 

Non-fiction

#1 - Peace from Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You're Going Through by Iyanla Vanzant
#2 - True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself by Janet Jackson
#3 - Confessions of a Video Vixen by Karrine Steffans
#4 - Critical Affinities (Suny Series, Philosophy and Race) by Jacqueline Scott
#5 - The Mis-Education of the Negro by Carter G. Woodson
#6 - The Ditchdigger's Daughters: A Black Family's Astonishing Success Story by Yvonne S. Thornton
#7 - The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors by Dr. Frances Cress Welsing 

AALBC.com's 25 Bestselling Books for 2010
http://aalbc.com/books/2010_by_month.htm

AALBC.com's 25 Bestselling eBooks for 2010 (new list)
http://aalbc.com/books/best_selling_ebooks_2010.html

Authors You Should Know

Dr. Manning Marable
http://aalbc.com/authors/manning_marable.htm

Dr. Manning Marable received his A.B. degree from Earlham College in 1971, his M.A. degree in American History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1972 and his Ph.D. in American History from the University of Maryland in 1976.

Marable (May 13, 1950 - April 1, 2011) is one of America's most influential and widely read scholars. Since 1993, Dr. Marable has been Professor of Public Affairs, Political Science, History and African-American Studies at Columbia University in New York City. For ten years, Dr. Marable was founding director of the Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University, from 1993 to 2003. Under Dr. Marable's leadership, the Institute became one of the nation's most prestigious centers of scholarship on the black American experience.

Tragically Dr. Marable passed away days before the release of his definitive biography of the legendary black activist Malcolm X; Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention.



Iyanla Vanzant
http://aalbc.com/authors/iyanla.htm

Vanzant's book Peace from Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You're Going Through [SmileyBooks, November 15, 2010] is both a #1 AALBC.com & New York Times bestselling book!

In Peace from Broken Pieces, Vanzant recounts the last decade of her life and the spiritual lessons learned -- from the price of success during her meteoric rise as a TV celebrity on Oprah, the Iyanla TV show (produced by Barbara Walters), to the dissolution of her marriage and her daughter's 15 months of illness and death on Christmas day. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Iyanla shares why everything we need to learn is reflected in our relationships and the strength and wisdom she has gained by supporting others in their journeys to make sense out of the puzzle pieces of their lives.



Dashawn Taylor
http://aalbc.com/authors/dashawn_taylor.html

Taylor starred in the BET Reality TV Series ‘Ultimate Hustler Show” hosted by Hip-Hop CEO, Damon Dash. The show aired for up to ten weeks, with over 16 million viewers watching as Dashawn placed as one of the top two finalists in the competition. His appearance on the Ultimate Hustler Show garnered him instant success and provided another media outlet to utilize as he worked towards fulfilling his dream.

His latest novel, Kissed By The Devil II [Next Level Publishing, March 23, 2010] is the follow-up to the classic urban thriller, Kissed By The Devil.



Jewell Parker Rhodes
http://aalbc.com/authors/jewellparkerrhodes.htm

Rhodes, has been awarded the California State University Distinguished Teaching Award, ASU's Dean's Quality Teaching Award, Outstanding Thesis Director from the Barrett Honors College, and the Outstanding Faculty Award from the College of Extended Education. She is a member of the Arizona/International Women's Forum and a Renaissance Weekend invitee.  Dr. Rhodes received a Bachelor of Arts in Drama Criticism (Honors) a Master of Arts in English, and a Doctor of Arts in English (Creative Writing) from Carnegie-Mellon University.

Her next novel, Hurricane [Washington Square Press, April 12, 2011], Rhodes give us the conclusion mystery trilogy begun in Voodoo Dreams and Moon, Dr. Marie Lavant, descendent of Voodoo queen Marie Laveau, must confront a murderous evil in New Orleans.



Lorene Cary
http://aalbc.com/authors/lorene_cary.html

In 2003, Cary received the Philadelphia Award, a Philadelphia Historical Society Founder’s Medal for History in Culture; in 1999. She’s received writing fellowships from Pew Fellowship in the Arts Fellowship and the Leeway Foundation and residencies at Yaddo and Civitella Ranieri Foundation in Italy. She serves on the usage Panel for The American Heritage Dictionary and the Union Benevolent Association board. Cary is a member of PEN and the Author’s Guild.

In her new novel, If Sons Then Heirs [Atria, April 19, 2011], the critically acclaimed author of Black Ice, Pride, and The Price of a Child offers this deeply moving story of a family’s challenge to reunite, understand the truth about its past, and secure its legacy.



Sapphire
http://aalbc.com/authors/sapphire.htm

Sapphire lives and works in New York City. She graduated from City College in Harlem with a degree in Dance, and an M.F.A. from the writing program at Brooklyn College, where she was the 1994 recipient of the MacArthur Foundation Scholarship in Poetry. She was the first place winner in Downtown Magazine's Year of the Poet III Award for 1994.

Her next novel, The Kid [Penguin Press, July 5, 2011] comes fifteen years after the publication of Push, one year after the Academy-Award winning film adaptation. In The Kid Sapphire gives voice to Precious's son Abdul.



Maaza Mengiste
http://aalbc.com/authors/maaza.html

Maaza Mengiste was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University. A recent Pushcart Prize nominee, she was named "New Literary Idol" by New York Magazine.

Her novel Beneath the Lion's Gaze [W. W. Norton & Company - January 11, 2010] is an epic tale of a father and two sons, of betrayals and loyalties, of a family unraveling in the wake of Ethiopia’s revolution. This memorable, heartbreaking story opens in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 1974, on the eve of a revolution.



Sheree Renee Thomas
http://aalbc.com/authors/sheree.htm

Thomas' first anthology, Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora, was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and a Washington Post Book World Editor's "Rave," won the World Fantasy Award and the Gold Pen Award. Her second book, Dark Matter: Reading the Bones, was released on January 2, 2004 by Warner Aspect. She is currently editing a third volume in her groundbreaking black science fiction series, tentatively titled Dark Matter: Africa Rising.

Shotgun Lullabies: Stories & Poems [Aqueduct Press; January 31, 2011] is her first collection of the stories and poetry

AALBC.com Book Reviews (Fiction)

The Savion Sequence by D. Amari Jackson
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/savion_sequence.html

Last year I posted a review of The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, and upon completing The Savion Sequence, I found myself suspended in the realm of de ja vu as once again I had completed a book that delves into the esoteric and deals with the interpretation of cryptic paradoxes. What was different this time is that The Savion Sequence involves the mysteries of the Sahara desert and the meandering of the Nile river, and is told from the Afro-centric perspective, a slant that advances a revisionist version of who the ancient Egyptians really were. Who, indeed. Certainly not the Arabs just recently seen rioting in the streets of Cairo since, according to D. Amari Jackson, proof exists that these Semites usurped the Kemets, - the true Egyptians who were actually black by virtue of the fact that Egypt is in Africa.

AALBC.com Book Reviews (Non-Fiction)

D.C. Unmasked & Undressed: A Memoir by Lillian McEwen
http://aalbc.com/reviews/dc_unmasked.html

When Clarence Thomas’ wife, Ginni, placed a phone call to Anita Hill last fall asking for an apology for the tawdry testimony during the Supreme Court confirmation hearings which had almost torpedoed her husband’s candidacy, little did she know the extent to which the ill-advised request would only open up a can of worms. For, not only did Dr. Hill reaffirm her allegations of sexual harassment, but the rekindled controversy inspired another credible witness to step forward finally in defense of the sister.

That would be Lillian McEwen, a retired federal judge who broke a 20-year silence to announce that she’d dated Justice Thomas for many years and that her esteemed colleague and boyfriend had indeed been addicted to pornography as alleged by Anita under oath. In fact, Lillian even went further, confessing that she and Clarence had both been sex freaks back in the day, indulging in threesomes together, and even copulating in front of strangers at swingers’ clubs like the legendary Plato’s Retreat.



High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America by Jessica B. Harris
http://aalbc.com/reviews/high_on_the_hog.html

This seminal contribution to the field’s literature is designed to feed your mind as much as your tummy, for it brilliantly combines an array of fascinating history lessons with some easy-to-follow, mouth-watering recipes. Among the delectable dishes the opus shows how to prepare are Possum, Porgies, Grits, Gumbo and Summer Southern Succotash.

A dessert called Snow Eggs is attributed to James Hemings, Thomas Jefferson’s chef at Monticello and an elder brother of Sally Hemings, the President’s longtime mistress and mother of six of his offspring. I’m inspired by nostalgia to try Bean Pie, a childhood favorite from the Nation of Islam I had completely forgotten about.




The Hood Health Handbook: Volume One Edited by C’BS Alife Allah and Supreme Understanding
http://aalbc.com/reviews/hood_health.html

Edited by C’BS Alife Allah and Supreme Understanding, “The Hood Health Handbook” features contributions from over 20 experts in fields ranging from diet to hygiene to exercise to psychology to massage to reproduction to money management to pollution and beyond.

Weighing in at a hefty 480 pages, pound-for-pound, this encyclopedic manual for urban survival in the 21st Century just might be the best investment you could make this year in your mental and physical health.




The Strawberry Letter: Real Talk, Real Advice, Because Bitterness Isn't Sexy by Shirley Strawberry & Lyah Beth LeFlore
http://aalbc.com/reviews/strawberry_letter.html

Comedian/actor/deejay/author Steve Harvey spawned a veritable cottage industry of black love advice books when he published “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man” back in 2009. But none of those imitators which have come along since has matched the success of that runaway #1 best-seller. However, he now has serious competition in “The Strawberry Letter“ which was coincidentally written by Shirley Strawberry, co-host of Steve’s nationally-syndicated radio program.

Highlights range from a promiscuous 21 year-old who admits that “I always jump into bed too soon with men,” to a kissin’ cousin wondering whether it’s wrong that she’s sleeping with a relative she’s had a crush on “since I was a young girl,” to a guilt-ridden cougar who is pregnant by a nephew of her husband about half her age. Even if you can’t exactly imagine yourself in such kinky predicaments this well-reasoned how-to is nonetheless worth its while for the entertainment factor alone.



Black Gotham: A Family History of African-Americans in 19th Century New York City by Carla L. Peterson
http://aalbc.com/reviews/black_gotham.html

Among the surprising data unearthed by the author in the course of her study was that she had descended from New York City’s black upper class, a cosmopolitan community comprised not only of doctors, businessmen and other professionals but of writers, artists and musicians, too. This information flies in the face of the conventional wisdom which would suggest that the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s represented the first flowering of black culture in the city.

While Professor’s Peterson’s family tree certainly proves fascinating, what makes her seminal opus so significant is how she painstakingly reconstructs her forefathers’ past in light of the overall African-American struggle for emancipation and equality in the 1800s. Thus, we learn here about the collective, New York City black lobby for everything from abolition to quality education to the right to vote to the protection of fugitive slaves.

AALBC.com Videos

Johnny Temple, Publisher Akashic Books
http://aalbc.it/johnnyt

Johnny Temple is the publisher of Akashic Books. Here he talks about two of his authors Kola Boof and Persia Walker.

Akashic Books is a Brooklyn-based independent company dedicated to publishing urban literary fiction and political nonfiction by authors who are either ignored by the mainstream, or who have no interest in working within the ever-consolidating ranks of the major corporate publishers.



Shirley Strawberry - Book Launch Party for The Strawberry Letter
http://aalbc.it/strawberryletter

"[Shirley is] one of the kindest, most spiritual people that I know. She will admit when she has a fault, and that makes it okay for me to show her mine. She laughs at me. She laughs with me. She has cried with me, all of it, but it's truly because she cares as a person. And that caring, sharing, good-hearted perspective is exactly what you will find in her book The Strawberry Letter. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I've enjoyed sitting next to Shirley over the years." --Steve Harvey, from the foreword



Freedom Riders: Q&A with Director Stanley Nelson & Stacey L. Holman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BI1ZZQyxr8

Parents of C.A.F.E. of the Nightingale-Bamford School Hosted a special screening of American Experience: Freedom Riders, "A riveting new documentary" from director Stanley Nelson which premiers on PBS on May 16, 2011. This video is a portion of the Q&A with Director Stanley Nelson and Associate Producer Stacey L. Holman Recorded April 5, 2011.

AALBC.com Articles

Two writers with two very different perspectives on President Barack Obama; read what they have to say and vote on which opinion most closely matches yours.
http://aalbc.it/obamaprocon

I suppose we, the nation, will get a clearer sense of Mr. Obama between now and November 2012. Much more so than what we thought we knew and understood before November 2008. Or at least what we refused to acknowledge, that is, excessive racial pride can blind one to the truth of things. The Greeks warned us so long ago that hubris was a fault. They passed down to us kindly through the ages the character Oedipus as a poetic reminder. Here I do not propose to be Mr. Obama's analyst. I possess no talent and training for what is Oedipal and what is not Oedipal.  Read the rest of this article by Rudolph Lewis

Before Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, our country faced major challenges, domestically and abroad.  Economists said we were on the brink of a second Great Depression. Abroad, the United States was viewed mostly unfavorably. Even before taking office, President Obama began working to stop the excessive bleeding of jobs, collapse of companies and financial institutions, and afterward, attempted to repair the distrust and to reset relations with people around the world.  Read the rest of this article by Vanessa Davis Griggs



Random Thoughts About Facebook
http://aalbc.com/blog/?p=539

Facebook became available to the general public on September 26, 2006. Other than Google I would argue Facebook has had the most significant impact on how we use the Internet than any other website.

I created my Facebook account on October 21st 2007. The 4th post on my wall came almost a year later, in September of 2008. The message was my from my friend Ron Kavanaugh who wrote: “post something!” It took another 6 months before I began to actively use Facebook. That was two years ago and I’ve been an active user ever since. Today I spend about an hour a day on Facebook; it is part of my daily routine and an integral part of my business.



Iyanla’s Vanzant’s Book An AALBC.com Bestseller, Now a #1 New York Times Best Seller
http://aalbc.com/blog/?p=498

In 1998, Iyanla Vanzant was AALBC.com’s first #1 best selling author. Vanzant had three titles on our 1998 Best Sellers list including our #1 best selling book for the year, One Day My Soul Just Opened Up: 40 Days and 40 Nights Towards Spiritual Strength and Personal Growth.

Iyanla also holds another distinction: she, along with Terry McMillan, and Maya Angelou are the only authors to appear on both our 1998 and 2010 Best Sellers lists. Vanzant’s latest title, Peace from Broken Pieces, came in as the 10th best selling book on AALBC.com for 2010 — even though it was not released until the middle of November 2010. Iyanla’s personal stories of triumph over tragedy resonate with many AALBC.com visitors.



Black Book Websites Need Love Too
http://aalbc.com/blog/?p=476

Over the last decade there has been a great deal of lamenting over the closing of Black owned, independent brick and mortar book stores. Recently this anguish has even extended to the large chain retailer, Borders Books and Music, which many Black authors say are responsible for a large percentage of their sales nationwide.

Throughout this turmoil Black owned book websites go largely ignored. When we do get attention it is often in the context of contributing to the demise of the physical book store.

As the owner and sole operator of the largest website dedicated to Black books I feel it is time to emphasize why websites dedicated to Black books are just as important as physical stores. If these websites are taken for granted they too will disappear, and we will have lost another important platform for celebrating and showcasing books by and about people of African descent.



Research & Share Your Family History - Parts 2 & 3

Today’s blog post is by guest Cheryl Wills. Cheryl, a television news anchor and reporter, has extensively researched her family’s history. She has generously agreed to share a story about her grandmother’s perspective on skin color.  Opal’s Jim Crow Blues – Research & Share Your Family History (Part 2)

The author of the next installment of “Research & Share Your History” is my virtual friend Connie Bradley. I’ve known Connie for the better part of a decade and have enjoyed reading her opinions, musings and observations of our culture the entire time. She writes on many subjects, but I enjoy her perspective on historical events the most. Here she shares a little about her parents
Visitor’s day at Camp Grant – Research & Share Your Family History (Part 3)

AAALBC.com Film Reviews

I Will Follow
http://aalbc.com/reviews/i_will_follow.html

For some reason, most movies aimed at African-American audiences tend to be either over-the-top comedies or morality plays too melodramatic in tone to be taken very seriously. Flying in the face of that trend is I Will Follow, one of those refreshingly rare treats which simply presents black folks in a recognizably realistic fashion, ala such similarly understated classics as Eve’s Bayou (1997), Nothing But a Man (1964) and The Visit (2000).

Written and directed by Ava DuVernay (This Is the Life), the picture stars Salli Richardson-Whitfield as Maye Fisher, a successful makeup artist who put her career and her man (Blair Underwood) on hold to attend to a beloved Aunt (Beverly Todd) battling cancer. Amanda had served as an inspirational role model for Maye during childhood, which made it easy for the grateful niece to resolve to return the favor at her hour of need.

AALBC.com Interviews

Salli Richardson-Whitfield - The “I Will Follow” Interview
http://aalbc.com/reviews/salli_richardsonwhitfield.html

Born in Chicago on November 23, 1967, Salli Richardson-Whitfield burst onto the silver screen in 1993 in 'Posse, an African-American Western directed by and co-starring Mario Van Peebles. Her resume’ reveals extensive work since then in television, film and theater. Salli starred opposite both Denzel Washington and Will Smith, playing their wives in the films "Antwone Fisher" and “I Am Legend," respectively. And she happily juggles such big studio assignments with interesting independent features like “Black Dynamite," "Pastor Brown" and "We the Party."

Salli resides in Los Angeles with her husband, actor Dondre Whitfield, and their two children, Parker and Dre. Here, she talks about her new film, “I Will Follow,” an ensemble drama directed by Ava DuVernay.



Lou Gossett, Jr. “The Grace Card” Interview
http://aalbc.com/reviews/lou_gossett_jr.html

Louis Cameron Gossett, Jr. was born in Coney Island, Brooklyn on May 27, 1936 to Helen Rebecca Wray, a nurse, and Lou, Sr. a Pullman porter. Lou’s stellar career started in 1953 while he was still in high school, when he landed a role in the Broadway production of Take a Giant Step.

One of a select group of actors to win both an Academy and Emmy Award, he is best known for his Oscar-winning performance as a gunnery sergeant in the film classic, An Officer and a Gentleman and for his Emmy-winning portrayal of the character Fiddler in the historic TV-miniseries "Roots." Last year, Lou published his aptly entitled autobiography, “An Actor and a Gentleman.” Here, he talks about his new movie, “The Grace Card,” a faith-based tale of reconciliation and redemption.

AALBC.com Recommends

I Can Finish College by Marcia Y. Cantarella, PhD
http://aalbc.it/icanfinish

Marcia Y. Cantarella, PhD, has held positions at Hunter College, Princeton University, New York University, and Metropolitan College of New York during her distinguished career as a dean and vice president of student affairs. Through her expertise in delivering student services and strategies, she has enhanced the academic experiences of and outcomes for generations of students. She is now president of Cantarella Consulting in New York City, where she works with colleges and organizations on issues of higher education pipelines, access, diversity, and student success.



Free Black Space
http://freeblackspace.blogspot.com/

"I launched the Free Black Space Blog a few years ago as a clearing house for Black Thought. For in essence, African American Consciousness is Black Thought. As a community African Americans experience the world from a particular perspective. This perspective of course informs our actions.

Although Free Black Space refers to Black Thought, the concept also refers to space or location. The spots which are most easily identified are the barber shop, the salon, the club, the Church, the corner and the bookstore. For those of you who know me(and my history with Karibu Books) the last location comes from my experience as a bookseller for over 15 years. These locations are important because within them African Americans can "speak freely" and the diversity of the members of our community is often represented. Most importantly, the language used to articulate our experience and exchange ideas is not dominated or controlled by the commercial, the academic or the street. Within Free Black Space the exchange of opinions is as important as the particulars of the ideas."
--Bro. Yao



The Harlem Travel Guide by Carolyn D. Johnson and Valerie Jo Bradley
http://aalbc.it/harlemtravel

Presenting the definitive guide to one of New York City's most fascinating and unsung places-the new Harlem. From West Harlem to Central Harlem to East Harlem, the Harlem Travel Guide is your ticket to all things cultural, historical, entertaining, and delicious. With a rich 350-year history, Harlem has been host to some of the most creative, influential, and captivating people of our times, and its ethnic diversity and wealth of talent make Harlem an experience not to be missed. In the Harlem Travel Guide, you'll discover where to find:



My Bible History
http://www.mybiblehistory.com/

Studies show that a child’s perceived image of himself or herself will guide that child’s academic achievement. Although there are other external factors, children with negative self-images believe academic achievement is unlikely, and give up quickly when faced with a difficult task.  Needless to say the media has portrayed many negative images of blacks in today’s society and inadequate historical representations. The images portrayed develop their understanding of the world around them and where they fit in. It is also noted that the illustrations in children’s books capture their attention and have life long impressions.

The most important part of our lives is our spirituality. Knowing this, it is important to show the relationship between our children and the historical figures of the bible that are so prevalent today and in world history. Since the days of the Roman Empire, biblical figures were visually depicted in a euro-centric way in order to effectively convert the Empire’s religion. Today, it has now become of greater importance to accurately portray these historical figures to help rebuild the state of a people.



A Chapter A Month
http://www.achapteramonth.com/

"You asked for us, you got us! Authors...all...the...time. No more waiting for a year to hear from your favorite author. Now you have us inside this amazing new experience where reading meets the brave new digital world. As a reader, you will enjoy fresh, exciting chapters every month as we reveal our stories to you one chapter at a time. You will travel with us on our writing journeys and watch our novels come to life on paper...and beyond. Each month the authors will offer you something behind the pages - whether it's a live interview with your favorite character or an ask-the-author-anything session, on this website it's more than just the story."



American Experience: Freedom Riders
http://aalbc.com/reviews/freedom_riders.html

Freedom Riders is the powerful harrowing and ultimately inspirational story of six months in 1961 that changed America forever. From May until November 1961, more than 400 black and white Americans risked their lives—and many endured savage beatings and imprisonment—for simply traveling together on buses and trains as they journeyed through the Deep South. Deliberately violating Jim Crow laws, the Freedom Riders met with bitter racism and mob violence along the way, sorely testing their belief in nonviolent activism.

From award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson (Wounded Knee, Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple, The Murder of Emmett Till) Freedom Riders features testimony from a fascinating cast of central characters: the Riders themselves, state and federal government officials, and journalists who witnessed the Rides firsthand. The two-hour documentary is based on Raymond Arsenault's book Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice.

Book Events & Related Events

Cultural Circle Conference - April 16, 2011 - New York, NY
http://www.africanvoices.com/2011_ccc.html

We're very excited to have Karen Hunter, the president of the new digital publishing company First One Publishing, and Yvonne Bynoe, the founder of SoulAffluence (Yvonne has a wonderful free e-book called Get Published and Get Well Paid!  Download the book and come to the conference prepared with questions!), join our Cultural Circle Conference. This year's writers conference will focus on the limitless opportunities available for writers in digital publishing.

The Circle Conference connects writers and visual artists with the resources they need to pursue careers in publishing and the arts. The annual conference offers workshops that provide information on exploring opportunities for writers and artists interested in independent and mainstream publishers and using new technology to promote their work. The conference will be held at African Voices, 270 W. 96th Street (bet. Bway & West End Ave.). Registration Fee: $25. Date: April 16, 2011. Time: 12:30 pm-6:30 pm. Seating is limited so register now! For info call: 212 865-2982.



The 5th Annual Black Pack Party 2011! - Harlem, New York - May 25th, 2011
http://aalbc.com/events/black_pack_party_v.html
The Black Pack Party is an annual celebration of publishing industry professionals held annually during Book Expo America (BEA).  Party, Mix and Mingle uptown in Harlem as we celebrate book industry professionals, authors, and friends.



National Black Book Festival - June 10-12, 2011 - Houston, Texas
http://www.nationalblackbookfestival.com

The National Black Book Festival (NBBF) is an annual event, sponsored by Cushcity.com, the world's largest African-American retailer online. The event attracts a wide array of authors, publishers, book clubs, libraries and individual readers from the Southwest U.S. and nationwide. NBBF 2011 will be held at the Doubletree Hotel in Downtown Houston.

The event features a pavilion of authors, including those who are notable and new. Book signing and discussion sessions with featured authors, workshops and seminars, a spoken word poetry slam and door prizes are just a few of the exciting featured activities at NBBF. Authors will be grouped according to genre and there are 19 genres that will be represented.  The Festival is open to the public and admission is $5.00 per day for adults and teens. Admission is FREE for children under the age of 12.



Bayou Soul - June 30 - July 1, 2011 - New Orleans, LA
http://www.bswconference.com/

Over the years, arts and cultural festivals have precipitated an explosion of cultural awareness and artistic talent in the Crescent City. Most of the festivals are music-centered which we all enjoy and take part in. As a writer of several novels; I have been a featured author at such festivals.

As great of an experience it was for me, I long for a more intimate setting where I could meet with readers and experience a more personal contact with them. So, I thought it would be nice to create a conference that coincides with other cultural events in New Orleans where those interested in reading books and writing novels and screenplays can come together and experience the literary arts in a relaxed atmosphere. In conjunction with the New Orleans Public Library, BSWRC will bring together some of the biggest and notable names in publishing and film for an unforgettable two day event that will surely be the talk of the town!



Editor's Note:
http://aalbc.it/BookEvents

AALBC.com's events calendar is an ideal resource for authors who wish to post their entire tour schedules, or folks who only want to promote a single event.

Because of AALBC.com's popularity, all posted events are quickly indexed by Google and other search engines; making your event easy to find by web surfers and the 100's of thousands of AALBC.com visitors.

AALBC.com also selects events from our calendar to include in this which goes out to over 17 thousand subscribers about once a month.

AALBC.com Information & Housekeeping

Book Promotion Tip: Share your book related information, quickly and for free, with thousands of readers who enjoy African-American literature: Post your information on AALBC.com's Facebook page and on AALBC.com's discussion board. 

Readers be sure to stop by too, you are sure to discover a new author or good book.


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Peace,
Troy Johnson
President, AALBC.com, LLC
Toll Free: 866-603-8394
Email: troy@aalbc.com

               

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