#1 -
Getting Buck Wild: Sex Chronicles 2,
Vol. 2 by Zane
#2 - The Collected Poetry of Nikki
Giovanni by Nikki Giovanni
#3 - Addicted by Zane
#4 - The Sex Chronicles: Shattering the
Myth by Zane
#5 - Public Enemy #2: An All-New
Boondocks Collection by Aaron McGruder
Nonfiction
#1 -
Confessions of a Video Vixen by Karrine
Steffans
#2 - The Ditchdigger's Daughters: A
Black Family's Astonishing Success Story
by
Yvonne S. Thornton, M. D. as told to Jo
Coudert,
#3 - The Covenant with Black America by
Tavis Smiley (Editor)
#4 - Diary of a Lost Girl by Kola Boof
#5 - We Speak Your Names: A Celebration
by Pearl Cleage
Audiobooks are big business. No
longer thought of as tools for the visually
impaired or "reading for dummies," the
Audio
Publishers Association (APA) reports
that one in four Americans listen to audiobooks
� usually while traveling or exercising. The
growth of the audiobook industry can only mean
good things for African-American authors,
narrators and audiophiles. Here are some
industry highlights for 2006.
2006 turned out to be an explosive,
coming-of-age year for African-American writers
of non-fiction. Proof for me was that there were
so many phenomenal texts to choose from when
compiling this list that I found it quite a
challenge to settle on the final 10. What's
probably most interesting about the authors who
did win is that half of them are relative
unknowns, either self-published or associated
with modest-sized book companies.
Displaying a variety of unique voices and
covering a wide spectrum of subject-matter, the
only thing that these gifted craftsmen have in
common is an unbridled passion and a soul still
intact. For they are able to express themselves
on paper in a recognizably black, and
larger-than-life fashion, doing with words what
Aretha can do with her voice, and what Coltrane
could do with his horn.
Since nothing I say in this limited space
could possibly do justice to these welcome
additions to the field of black literature, I
strongly suggest that you consider reading any
whose descriptions pique your curiosity.
"...I'm an author of 32 novels, all of them
written over the past ten years, and I've made
some headway in the local, regional, and
mainstream press. I've sold over 200,000 copies
since November 2003 (when I came home from that
7-pack they put on me), Been on the cover of the
A&L section on the New York Times, TIME
magazine, as well as the The New York Daily
News, The Hollywood Reporter, Publisher's
Weekly, The Library Journal, NPR and ABC World
News.
There are more relevant and positive remarks
about my books on the web than negative and
sensational. And, overall, the critics who are
substantial, with substantial backgrounds and
real jobs have accepted and praised my work. I
did all of this (mostly) myself by being out
there in the streets, selling these novels like
my life depended on it. I've even hired an army
of young women to go out there with and without
me to do the same. I've wrapped trucks, hoisted
moving billboards, hired street teams, and
marched outside of sold out concerts. However,
nothing makes reading popular like this, and
nothing will quite match the mob of followers
that 50 Cent can call upon at any time or place.
Regardless of all the work I've done to create
and grow a brand, NEVER have I enjoyed the
fanfare, book sales and press that 50 Cent
received in ONE DAY, on January 4th at Borders.
It sort of makes my climb feel like a waste of
time! But, there's a catch 22; because I don't
think I would have been recognized by this
partnership if I didn't do all I've done."
The
Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150
Teens Used Writing To Change Themselves and the
World around Them by the Freedom Writers with
Erin Gruwell Reviewed by Kam Williams
http://reviews.aalbc.com/the_freedom_writers_diary.htm
First published in 1999,
the recently re-released The Freedom Writers
Diary was the result of high school teacher Erin
Gruwell's efforts to inspire her special-ed
students to overcome any obstacles standing
between them and their dreams. During the very
first year of her tenure at Wilson High in Long
Beach, California, Erin abandoned the orthodox
approach suggested for her at-risk freshmen, and
instead raised the bar by establishing high
expectations for each and every one of them.
When you think about the
caste system you think of the poor in countries
like India where there is a division of society
based on differences of wealth, inherited rank
or privilege, profession, occupation, or race.
But unfortunately; back in the fifties there was
a definite division between the Negro working
class communities and the more achieved and
affluent Black Bourgeoisie in America. The 400
refers to the upper class Black community or the
social elite. Many formed groups you may be
familiar with such as Jack and Jill; The Links;
and the fraternities and sororities at Black
colleges and universities.
Deatri King-Bey has stepped out of the box
and given her readers a Black fairy tale in
Beauty And The Beast that I really enjoyed. Set
in modern day Chicago; the story centers around
millionaire business mogul, Bruce Maxwell, the
beast and his beauty, Nefertiti Townes.
Bruce and Nefertiti grew up together as
playmates, she being the god daughter of his
beloved Aunt Victoria who took him in as a young
boy when he was abandoned by her wayward sister.
They shared a childhood of good times and as
they approached adulthood; they both realized
that there was a connection between them that
was more than platonic.
With his screen adaptation of
Henry Krieger and Tom Eyen's celebrated stage
musical Dreamgirls, writer-director Bill
Condon has achieved that rare, delicate balance,
in so doing crafting a film that is sure to have
as enduring a legacy as its source material.
In the film's opening moments, though, Condon
seems intent on simply overwhelming the viewer
with sheer sensory assault. Without so much as
even a title card, he immerses--or, rather,
submerges--the audience into the world of '60s
Detroit and the lives of a trio of young,
ambitious female friends and singers calling
themselves the Dreamettes. They are barely
introduced by name--Deena Jones (Beyonc�
Knowles), Lorrell Robinson (Anika
Noni Rose), and lead singer Effie White (Jennifer
Hudson)--before ambitious car saleman-cum-talent
manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx) plucks
them from being talent contest also-rans to new
backing act to flamboyant R&B star James
"Thunder" Early (Eddie
Murphy).
Registering a domain name is your first step
to establishing your on-line presence. Authors
benefit by giving their readers an easy to
remember URL like www.authorsname.com. Many
authors even register a domain that is the title
of their book.
Today, domain name registration is easy and
very inexpensive. You don't even need a web site
to register a domain name. The hardest part is
finding a domain name that is not already in
use. Unfortunately, many single words and common
names are already taken. However, with a little
creatively you will come up with domain name
that you like � So register it right away!
How do you explain a movie
getting the most Oscar nominations yet being
overlooked when it comes to Best Picture, Best
Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best
Actress? That's precisely the quandary the
Academy finds itself in after announcing that
Dreamgirls
landed eight nominations but none in any major
categories.
Yes,
Jennifer
Hudson was nominated for Best
Supporting Actress, but anybody who saw the film
knows that hers was really a lead role.
This first time author and 12 year breast
cancer survivor felt compelled to write her
memoir/resource manual because initially, she
wanted to give her daughter and granddaughters a
gift of hope. As time passed, she was driven by
a sense of obligation and responsibility to all
women, particularly women of color.
African American women are more likely to die
from breast cancer than all other women. Yet,
it's been over a decade since one has written a
book about it. A decade is a long time to wait
for anything, but it's especially long for an
African American woman not to write about the
disease that takes the lives of so many of us,
and leaves so many others devastated and without
hope. The good news is that the wait is over.
Bryant' book Breastlessness � What To Do When
You Don�t Know What To Do breaks down the
wall of silence that has stood for far too long.
Rawlings is author of A
Black Cop in the South; a fascinating true
story involving a young black man who was raised
in a large single parent, southern family home
in North Carolina. Ronald Kaye Rawlings is the
author and his dream as a young child was to be
a North Carolina State Trooper. He was able to
achieve that goal and even more, but the road
was filled with pitfalls, disappointments,
racism, and tragedy.
Obama is the author of two of the top selling
books on Amazon.com.
Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on August
4th, 1961. His father, Barack Obama Sr., was
born and raised in a small village in Kenya,
where he grew up herding goats with his own
father, who was a domestic servant to the
British.
Barack's mother, Ann Dunham, grew up in
small-town Kansas. Her father worked on oil rigs
during the Depression, and then signed up for
World War II after Pearl Harbor, where he
marched across Europe in Patton's army. Her
mother went to work on a bomber assembly line,
and after the war, they studied on the G.I.
Bill, bought a house through the Federal Housing
Program, and moved west to Hawaii. Learn
more about the man who may become the 1st Black
President of the United States.
HoeZee was born and
raised in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in the
Brooklyn neighborhoods of Flatbush & Bedstuy
[Bedford Stuyvesant]. He has become a firm
believer in the kid on the corner fighting to
beat the odds. The situations in which he
has encountered has made him the intense
writer/novelist that will bring the tales of
which he speaks of to life. A
self-published author with several novels to his
name including
A Kid from the City, Inner-City
Interludes and That 4ever Thing
������������
Would you like your
information on AALBC.com?
Visit
http://aalbc.com/authorprofiles.htm
for more information. You also get
homepage placement, newsletter mention, a high
Google ranking and more!
After a brief hiatus and stint as a digital
publication � the magazine's fans demanded print
� we are back. Mosaic continues to offer the
same quality writing and unique editorial
readers are accustomed to. We have established a
concentrated group of followers across the
nation who anticipate every issue. Join them by
subscribing today.
In the latest issue; (1) The Healing
World of Lucille Clifton - With Hurricane
Katrina still heavy on her heart, poet Lucille
Clifton sat down with Jacqueline Jones LaMon to
discuss life, death, and poetry, (2) Marlon
James - First-time novelist Marlon James chats
with Felicia Pride about his novel, John Crow's
Devil, and the influence Jamaica has had on his
work, (3) Let There Be Peace, Let There Be Life
- Nigerian-writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
reflects on her award-winning novel Purple
Hibiscus and discusses future literary work with
A. Naomi Jackson, (4) A Diva Supreme - Poet and
activist Suheir Hammad met with poet (and former
student) John Rodriguez to talk about politics,
and her new book of poetry Zaatar Diva, and
more... Subscribe Today.
What would you think if you found 365 letters
written to you, stamped, but never mailed? What
story would they tell; or secrets unfold? How
would they change your life?
After five years, Marie has found the
strength to visit the attic where her and her
husband enjoyed many of their days together. She
decides it is time to go through the trunk
containing many of his writings and trinkets.
She is immediately greeted by a stack of letters
tied with a red ribbon. What she discovers in
those letters surprise her, comforts her and
ultimately transforms her. Check out the
wonderful story by a terrific writer (11 pages
and only 49�).
NAACP
Image Award Nominees
The nominations were announced at a press
conference on Tuesday, January 9th, and the 38th
NAACP Image Awards will air live on Friday,
March 2nd from 8pm-10pm EST on FOX.
This year, over 1,200 entries were received.
From those entries, a special committee of 300
industry professionals and NAACP leaders from
across the country selected five nominees in
each of 35 categories. Any artist, manager,
publicist, production company, record label,
studio, network or publishing house may submit
an entry to the NAACP Image Awards. The final
selections are voted on by NAACP members, and
winners will be announced during the live airing
of the 38th NAACP Image Awards.
AALBC.com congratulates our family who
reached out to share the good news of their
nomination for an NAACP Image Award:
"I'm
really excited about my nomination.
And there's definitely some
competition in that category! Now
that the Nominating Committee has
chosen my book, the winner will be
selected by the NAACP general
membership.
If you
haven't had a chance to read my book
yet, it's a supernatural murder
mystery with a twist. A
Dead Man Speaks is the story of
Clive January, an African American
investment banker who had it all,
wealth, power, a beautiful wife and
an even more beautiful mistress. But
it's all snatched from him when he's
shot in the back and killed. As he
lies dying he hears voices telling
him that he must look back, he must
find out who did it or he will have
no peace. Ultimately his ghost works
with the detective assigned to his
case, who is psychic and together
they unravel the crime. But
ultimately the novel is about the
redemptive power of love and
forgiveness because he realizes in
the end that unless he's able to
forgive the person who killed him,
he will have no peace."
"I am gleefully writing to inform
you that Check the Rhyme: An
Anthology of Female Poets & Emcees
Edited by DuEwa M. Frazier (July
2006, Lit Noire Publishing) has just
been nominated for an NAACP Image
Award! Check the Rhyme: An Anthology
of Female Poets & Emcees is
nominated in the category of
�Outstanding Literary Work � Poetry�
along with notable poets/writers:
Maya Angelou, Major Jackson, Walter
Dean Myers and Pearl Cleage! This is
such an amazing honor and a
testament to the value and impact of
a publication featuring a powerful,
diverse mix of women's poetry!"
"God continues to show me his favor.
The attached press release announces
that The Legend of Quito Road and I
have made the five finalists for
debut fiction for the NAACP Image
Awards."
Fryer is the Author of The
Legend Of Quito Road.
Thumper describes Fryer's book
best; "A DAMN GOOD BOOK!"
Is
your book club looking for a great page-tuner to
read this year?
Get the Essence Magazine bestseller
Granddaddy's Dirt by Brian Egeston at a
special close-out price. One case (48
books) for $20! "We're clearing out the
warehouse to make room for Egeston's next
bestseller." Visit
www.brianwrites.com/storebookclub.htm
to receive the special price of $20 per case (48
books). That's only 41� per book! Read them,
give them as gifts, donate copies to schools or
resell them as fundraisers.
Offer only good
through
www.brianwrites.com/storebookclub.htm.
Shipping and handling $15.00. Recipients of this
offer will receive one case (48 books) of the
paperback version of Granddaddy's Dirt. Cases
cannot be divided or shipped in smaller
quantities. No limit on number of cases ordered.
Granddaddy's Dirt is a serious tale with a touch
of wry humor about the crushing impact of
negative karma, gripping and strongly
recommended fare for contemplative readers.
-Black Issues Book Review
Co-Founders of The African American
Pavilion at BookExpo America, Tony
Rose, Publisher/CEO, Amber
Communications Group, Inc. and
Adrienne Ingrum, CEO, Adrienne
Ingrum L.L.C., former founding
Associate Publisher of Black Issues
Book Review have signed a new
agreement with BookExpo America/Reed
Expositions to manage the 4th Annual
African American Pavilion/BEA and
produce the African American
Pavilion Welcoming Reception and The
African Pavilion Pavilion Awards
Reception at BookExpo America, John
Jacob Javits Convention Center, May
31- June 3, 2007, New York City.
Tell BEA sales
manager Mike Carlucci (203-840-5625
mcarlucci@reedexpo.com)
or Tony Rose (amberbk@aol.com)
that "AALBC.com Sent You";
and you will be entitled to a 25%
discount on all AALBC.com services
(except book reviews) from
the moment you signup until July 1st
2007.
I'm looking forward to the 2007
African American Pavilion being the
largest ever.
#38 on AALBC.com's List of Best Selling Books
for 2006 (Nero's book only came out in October!)
Meet Clarence Nero, author of "Three Sides To
Every Story," who Maya Angelou describes as
"one of our most promising young authors," is
having a book signing and reception at Hue Man
Bookstore. Come out and meet the author of
the new book set in the 9th Ward of New Orleans
that everyone is talking about and get your eat
on!
Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe, 2319 Frederick
Douglass Blvd, Between 124th and 125th Streets.
New York, NY 10027. Tel: 212-665-7400
�Living
the Parable of the Talents: Applying
Its Truths & Avoiding Its
Consequences: A One-Day Seminar on
the Importance of Faithful Financial
Management�
http://events.aalbc.com/eecdc_fin_man_2007.htm
The
Emmanuel Economic Community Development
Corporation presents �Living the Parable of the
Talents: Applying Its Truths & Avoiding Its
Consequences A One-Day Seminar on the Importance
of Faithful Financial Management� for on
Saturday, February 3, 2007 at Emmanuel Baptist
Church, 279 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, from
8:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
AALBC.com will be on
hand to sell books for one of the featured
authors, Kelvin Boston. The first person to
present Troy Johnson with a print out of this
page will receive a free, autographed copy of
Kelvin Boston's book: Who's Afraid To
Be a Millionaire:
Mastering Financial and Emotional Success
Advertisements
On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance
by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
"...basketball star, author and historian Abdul-Jabbar invites the reader on
an extraordinarily personal journey back to his birthplace, through one of
the greatest political, cultural, literary, and artistic movements in our
history, revealing the impact the Harlem Renaissance had on both American
culture and his own life."
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust
by Immaculee Ilibagiza
In 1994 Ilibagiza idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a
bloody genocide. Immaculee's family was brutally murdered during a killing
spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million
Rwandans. Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter; with 7 other women
huddled silently in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor
Essential Brooks
Read by Gwendolyn Brooks - Compact Disc
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Brooks reads 27
of her best poems, in a quiet, forceful manner that underscores the raw
vigor of her writing centered on the daily lives of black people in bleak
cities.
Nonfiction
2006:
The Year in Audio by Gwendolyn E. Osborne
Revisiting
a Banner Year for Black Writers: The 10 Best & 5
Worst Books of '06
Relentless
Thoughts on New Deal with 50 Cent's
G-Unit/Pocket Books
The
Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150
Teens Used Writing To Change Themselves and the
World around Them by the Freedom Writers with
Erin Gruwell Reviewed by Kam Williams
Chasing
The 400 by Sheilah Vance
Reviewed by 
Beauty
And The Beast by Deatri King-Bey Reviewed by
Idrissa Uqdah
Dreamgirls
(2006) - Reviewed by Michael Dequina
Why
You Should Register a Domain Name by Troy
Johnson
Dreamgirls
Lands Most Nominations But Snubbed for Best
Picture
M.
Nicole Bryant
Ronald
Kaye Rawlings 
Barack
Obama
Hoe
Zee
The
Letters, an Amazon Short
NAACP
Image Award Nominees
From:
From:
DuEwa M. Frazier 
From:
Dwight Fryer
Is
your book club looking for a great page-tuner to
read this year? 
Book
Expo America - Join us in the AA
Pavilion
The
Emmanuel Economic Community Development
Corporation presents �Living the Parable of the
Talents: Applying Its Truths & Avoiding Its
Consequences A One-Day Seminar on the Importance
of Faithful Financial Management� for on
Saturday, February 3, 2007 at Emmanuel Baptist
Church, 279 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, from
8:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. 
