AALBC.com eNewsletter - November 13th 2005 |
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![]() http://authors.aalbc.com/natasha.htm In May 2004, USA Today Weekend featured three top self-published authors; Natasha Munson was one of those authors.
Natasha's self-publishing journey
began in 1999 when she sought out print-on-demand publisher iUniverse. With
little money and the hope of seeing her work in book form, Natasha stepped
out on faith and submitted her manuscript. Two months later history was
made. The manuscript for Life Lessons for My Sisters: How to Make Wise
Choices and Live a Life You Love! was turned into a book and placed on some
store shelves in just two months. Life Lessons then established Natasha
Munson as the bestselling print-on-demand author for over five years,
selling nearly 20,000 copies! In July 2004, Natasha signed a six-figure
publishing deal with Hyperion Books. |
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![]() http://authors.aalbc.com/shelia_anderson.htm Anderson is the author of two books; How to Grow as a Musician: What All Musicians Must Know to Succeed and The Quotable Musician: From Bach to Tupac.
"I may get in
trouble saying this, but I see more and more white kids learning and playing
jazz. Young Black children seem to gravitate to "Beats" and find jazz
music boring. My concern is that it will turn into a genre of music of dead
artists but when I hear musicians like Eric Reed, Gerald Clayton [son of
John Clayton, nephew of Jeff] and other talented young people, it gives me
hope that the music is in the right hands." |
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![]() http://authors.aalbc.com/therone.htm
Therone�s life's story is inspirational and motivational. He spent
time in and out of jail during his late teens through early twenties.
During his incarceration, Therone started writing about his life
experiences. Therone has authored,
�Love Don�t Live Here�, a story about two black women in their early 20�s
and takes place during the early 1970�s into the 80�s.
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RECENT AALBC.COM BOOK
REVIEWS, ARTICLES & VIDEOS http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/book_reviews.htm |
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![]() http://aalbc.com/reviews/get_rich_or_die_tryin.htm
Jim Sheridan, Director,
Get Rich or Die
Tryin' Film - Interviewed by Kam Williams
50 Cent - Interviewed
by Kam Williams Given the gangsta� rappers unwritten rule about keeping it real, one might be surprised to see 50 Cent hire a 56 year-old, white director from Dublin to tell the story of his life. But that�s exactly what we have in Get Rich or Die Tryin�, a docudrama about a New York drug dealer who wants to be a hip-hop star. |
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![]() http://reviews.aalbc.com/thru_my_eyes.htm "When a pop star passes away prematurely, he or she is often elevated to an iconic status bordering on sainthood. This is the case with the late gangsta� rapper Tupac Shakur, who has earned such adoration since becoming a victim of the East Coast-West Coast turf war at the tender age of 25. Despite, or perhaps because of a long rap sheet which included felony convictions for sexual assault and gun possession, he has been the beneficiary of an enduring street credibility which continues to resonate with members of the Hip-Hop Generation." |
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![]() http://reviews.aalbc.com/driven.htm "This help explains why he launched his new book ever so strategically with an appearance on 60 Minutes, immediately after a nationally-televised football game, and a week before the beginning of a new NBA season. He was able to do so because he published it with Atria Books, which is a division of Simon and Schuster, which, in turn, is owned by Viacom. 60 Minutes airs on CBS which is also a sub-division of that same parent company, so all the cross-promotion only helps everybody�s bottom line." |
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![]() http://reviews.aalbc.com/oxford_anthology_aa_poetry.htm "Let�s just not forget that prior to the explosion of rap, for over 200 years, African-American poets addressed their attention to issues other than bling and booty calls. Those dedicated artists labored assiduously to create relevant, lyrical verse which gave expression to the full panoply of emotions and experiences which reflected the black condition in their day." |
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![]() http://reviews.aalbc.com/keepin_it_real.htm "There have been an abundance of social scientists in recent years weighing-in on the underachievement of minority students in America�s public schools. Generally, these pundits take one of two predictable stances, depending whether they�re on the left or on the right. The conservatives tend to say it�s the kids fault for capitulating to peer-pressures to not �act white,� while liberals tend to see them as victims of a combination of societal ills. Well, now along comes Keepin' It Real: School Success Beyond Black and White, a book which turns both of these competing conventional wisdoms on their respective heads." |
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![]() http://reviews.aalbc.com/how_to_grow_as_a_musician.htm "Over the years I have encountered a countless number of talented, but delusional, aspiring artists whose grandiose expectations about their prospective careers were woefully out of sync with the steps they were taking to get there. For instance, a common trait which seems to be shared not only by musicians, but by actors, dancers, and all sorts of young performers is that all they need to do is perfect their craft and they will somehow be magically discovered, appreciated and catapulted to super-stardom." |
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![]() http://reviews.aalbc.com/pornified.htm" "For where, only a generation or so ago, XXX-rated material was generally stigmatized and considered sleazy, today it is no longer a source of shame but as mainstream as motherhood and apple pie. The purveyors primarily cashing in on this $4 billion dollar business are mega-corporations in the hotel, entertainment, and other industries. Thanks to its easy accessibility and its pervasiveness, statistics reveal that pornography has infiltrated everyday life in profound ways. For instance, it is more and more frequently cited as the grounds for divorce, and sadly, it is increasingly blamed for distorting children�s ideas about sexuality and for eroticizing pre-pubescents attempting to mimic the carnality they find online." |
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![]() http://reviews.aalbc.com/michael_jackson.htm "For over 34 years, Bob Jones was Michael Jackson's right-hand man. This brilliant publicist ran interference for his employer, always putting a good spin on whatever embarrassing predicament his boss found himself in, from being caught on camera canoodling with a boy, marrying Lisa Marie Presley as a publicity stunt, or writing anti-Semitic song lyrics. Emerging from every escape unscathed, Michael must have come to see himself as a Teflon icon to whom no negative story could stick. So, for some dumb reason, he fired his dependable hatchet man, and without notice or any severance pay, despite the decades of loyal service. Jones was lucky he had never been asked to sign a confidentiality agreement, for hell hath no fury like an apologist scorned." |
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![]() http://aalbc.com/reviews/g.htm
Blair Underwood -
Interviewed by Kam Williams "What makes the movie most interesting is that it honestly addresses a variety of cultural issues currently being debated in the black community, thanks in part to Bill Cosby, including questions about class, conspicuous consumption, misogyny, family stability, and profane language. But the film is also easy on the eyes, thanks to some spectacular architecture and breathtaking vistas which come courtesy of its authentic Hamptons locations."
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AALBC.com RECOMMENDS | ||
![]() http://www.lorraineandjames.com/ Lorraine and James is a literary journal whose mission is to till the urban landscape in search of new writers and give attention to the noncommercial work of established writers from the United States and around the globe. It is our intent that through this process we will act as a conduit though which a writer from anywhere can connect with readers everywhere. |
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![]() Hue-Man Bookstre & Cafe http://www.huemanbookstore.com I don't think you'll find another bookstore in the country that has more extensive and varied schedule of readings by and of interest to Black people.
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![]() http://www.zawadibooks.com This online bookstore features books for ages 0-100! It features many genres of literature by African and African American authors. All of our published books are featured and available for order on this fantastic site! You can place your order using your bank account or use your Visa or Mastercard! Safe and Secure. |
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AALBC.com EXPANDS DIRECT
BOOK SALES http://aalbc.com/directbooksales.htm
The AALBC.com will start selling self
published books and small press titles direct to visitors of its web site at
discounts ranging from 20% - 40% off list price. The AALBC.com receives an
average of 250,000 � 300,000 unique visitors per month. The new direct to
consumer program will start in early November.
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EVENTS http://events.aalbc.com/
The
Self-Publishing Symposium: Strategies for Success! - March 26, 2006 Keynote Speaker, Vickie Stringer, Author/Owner, Triple Crown Publications Catering
specifically to the needs of today's independent and self-published
community, this symposium will offer an unprecedented opportunity for
attendees to obtain the necessary tools for operating and building
successful literary enterprises. (1) Learn... Business strategies that
will help make your publishing enterprise more successful; (2) Network...
With experts and peers from across the industry and make valuable
connections and (3) Grow... Your business when you apply what you have
learned here and work your new connections Since October 1999, Baraka Sele, Curator/Producer of
NJPAC�s Alternate Routes, has presented local, national and international
spoken word poets and Hip Hop artists as part of its Sacred Circle/Spoken
Word conference, festival and the on-going Sacred Circle Caf� series. Sacred
Circle Caf� has featured such artists as Rennie Harris, Sarah Jones, Sekou
Sundiata, Taalam Acey, Toni Blackman and Will Power. Sele has also presented
such groundbreaking artists as Mos Def and the Fo Deuk Revue, which included
popular Senegalese rappers Positive Black Soul, among others. These events
were a catalyst for the bi-annual Planet Hip Hop, which returns in the
2006-07 season. It�s real. It�s
hip-hop. It�s raw. But is it literature? Authors and professors discuss
issues surrounding the resurgence of urban fiction. Adults only � ages 18
and up. |
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INTERESTING DISCUSSION BOARD
POSTS http://www.thumperscorner.com/cgi/discus/discus.cgi
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