Tavis Smiley,
founder and publisher of SmileyBooks, hosted a reception October 2,
2007, in New York City to introduce his new company president, Cheryl
Woodruff, and to celebrate his company's newly acquired list of authors,
including
Iyanla Vanzant,
Dr. Cornel West, Tom
Burrell, and Eleanor Hinton Hoytt of the National Black Women's Health
Imperative.
In the past decade, Smiley's unique contributions have transformed
the American media landscape, placing his remarkable imprint on
television, radio, print, Internet, and digital media. This year, Smiley
moderated the historic All - American Presidential Forums broadcast live
on PBS. He has also been the driving force behind
The Covenant with Black America. President Bill Clinton, in his #1
New York Times bestseller Giving, waxes enthusiastically: "I can't begin
to do justice to The Covenant movement, to the power of its inspiration,
instruction, and examples ... I believe Smiley has given us a model for
how to organize other groups with common challenges for action in
America and across the world..." Smiley has also been a leader in
nationwide community outreach, sponsoring on-going community forums,
town hall meetings and symposiums, and a national college program called
the Talented Tenth HBCU Tour.
Smiley has written and edited a dozen books that reflect his life and
his vision for America. As Bob Herbert wrote in his New York Times
column, "[Tavis Smiley] is trying to do nothing less than generate a
movement among black Americans that will 'help make all of America
better.'"
A foray into book publishing was a natural extension of the Tavis
Smiley brand. In early 2004, SmileyBooks was formed in a partnership
with Hay House. Like each of Smiley's endeavors, his book company came
with a mission: "to empower our readers to achieve personal fulfillment
and to become agents of change through the principles of love and
service." Initially, the expectation was for SmileyBooks to publish
titles written and inspired solely by Tavis Smiley, but the company has
since expanded its vision, anchored in part by its 2007 New York Times
bestseller, The Covenant in Action. This companion volume to the #1 New
York Times bestseller The Covenant with Black America serves as a
springboard for the company's ambitious plan to publish and support
books by major authors on topics that will appeal to a broad spectrum of
readers. Offerings on the upcoming list range from works by perennial
New York Times bestsellers to first-time authors.
Smiley's established media acumen as a broadcaster, philanthropist,
and intergenerational leader has helped to raise the bar for a national
dialogue in America. The company will be enriched by Smiley's love for
books, his passion for service, and his unique ability to inspire
audiences to take a stand and get to work. In partnership with Hay
House, SmileyBooks will be aggressively promoted and marketed on the
Internet, through the airwaves, to book clubs, in blogs, by word of
mouth, and through digital outlets.
SmileyBooks is a co-publishing venture with Hay House, an
international leader in self-help and motivational publishing, based in
Carlsbad, California. Hay House is the publisher of New York Times
bestselling authors Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, Sylvia Browne, Suze Orman,
Tavis Smiley, and Immaculée Ilibagiza. SmileyBooks titles will be
published in hardcover, trade paperback, and digital media. SmileyBooks
is based in New York City.
Video Slideshow of Photographs taken
during reception hosted by Tavis Smiley in NYC. Photos include authors Iyanla Vanzant, Cornel West, Charlie Rose actress Ruby
Dee; dancer Carmen de Lavallade; author Walter Mosley; author Terry McMillan;
dancer Judith Jameson; chairman and founder of Essence Communications Inc.,
Edward Lewis
