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AALBC.com eNewsletter - October 5th, 2004

Celebrating Our Literary Legacy! 

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AALBC.com BEST-SELLER LISTS - AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2004
http://books.aalbc.com/bestsellers.htm

Fiction

1 - Let That Be the Reason by Vickie M. Stringer
2 - A Hustler's Wife by Turner, Nikki
3 - Imagine This by Vickie M. Stringer
4 - Drive Me Crazy by Eric Jerome Dickey
5 - Getting Buck Wild: Sex Chronicles 2, Vol. 2 by Zane (Editor)
 


Nonfiction

1 - The Measure of a Man by Martin Luther King Jr.
2 - Spiritual Maturity: Preserving Congregational Health and Balance by Frank A. Thomas
3 - The Billion Dollar Bet: Robert Johnson and the inside Story of Black Entertainment Television by Brett Pulley
4 - On the Down Low: A Journey Into the Lives of "Straight" Black Men Who Sleep With Men by James L. King
5 - Run Toward Fear: New Poems and a Poet�s Handbook by Haki R. Madhubuti

To view the entire of bestsellers list visit http://books.aalbc.com/bestsellers.htm

 

 

RECENT AALBC.COM BOOK REVIEWS & ARTICLES
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/book_reviews.htm

Handling Your Finances � Lessons from an Author in Transition by Lynnette Khalfani
http://reviews.aalbc.com/handling_your_finances.htm

Little did Electa Rome Parks know that her unforeseen downsizing in 2003 would actually serve as a catalyst for her biggest career blessing to date. As it turns out, getting the axe from Bank of America cut Parks off from corporate America, but it jumpstarted her literary career: Six months after receiving a pink slip, Parks went from part-time writer to full-time author, landed a high-profile literary agent, and got a six-figure book deal with a major publishing house.  

 

 

 

AUTHORS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Electa Rome Parks
http://authors.aalbc.com/electa.htm

Electa Rome Parks, one of the rising stars in contemporary fiction.  She is the author of the best-selling novels, The Ties That Bind and Loose Ends.  These titles were originally self-published through her own company, Novel Ideal Publishing and Editorial Services Company, a company now dedicated to quality editorial services. Recently, Mrs. Parks, signed a 3-book deal with New American Library, a division of Penguin Group.

 

Kenji Jasper
http://authors.aalbc.com/kenji.htm

"You may have seen my name in the magazines and newspapers you read all the time: Essence, VIBE, Honey, XXL, The Village Voice, The Charlotte Observer, The Chicago Sun-Times, on Africana.com, etc. You may have heard my commentaries on National Public Radio's The Tavis Smiley Show. Years ago you may have even seen me during the first four years of Black Entertainment Television's "Teen Summit." But it's fiction that I've been doing the longest. I wrote my very first story at the age of nine, and I'll keep going as long as my lungs have breath." � Kenji Jasper

 

Glenville Lovell
http://authors.aalbc.com/glenville.htm

Glenville Lovell is the author of four novels, several short stories and a number of prize-winning plays. His first novel Fire in the Canes (Soho Press) was published in 1995 to wide acclaim, as was his second novel, Song of Night (Soho Press) published in 1998. Mr. Lovell�s noir novel from Penguin-Putnam, Too Beautiful To Die, published in 2003 and introducing volatile ex-cop Blades Overstreet, garnered praise and comparisons to some of the most illustrious names in the mystery genre. His newest novel, Love and Death in Brooklyn (Putnam Publishing Group) continues the Blades Overstreet saga.

 

June Dade
http://authors.aalbc.com/june.htm

June Dade�s life long passion for writing is highly evident in her epic tale, Layers of Peace. The author�s debut novel is a powerful drama, depicting the lives of three women living in the Washington, D.C. area. The three characters are bonded by childhood friendship and against all odds they pull together in time of need and manage to peel off layers self-doubt, depression, separations, and find laughter, peace and romance.

 

 

AALBC.com RECOMMENDS

Back List
http://www.thebacklist.net

Felicia Pride is the founder/editor of BackList, a monthly publishing and literary newsletter of African-American interest.  BackList is like an online magazine. Each issue contains interviews with authors/publishing professionals, book commentary, publishing news, new book releases and literary announcements. They try to focus on those books, authors, and issues that don't receive the shine they deserve.

Be sure to check out their Round-Up: Publishing News Recap it is really quite good.

 

RAWSISTAZ
http://www.rawsistaz.com/

RAWSISTAZ focuses on reading, writing, and discussing books primarily by African American Authors. Their groups (both online and off) are not only book clubs, but resources to readers, writers, and literary enthusiasts; thus their founder's motto of "Keeping You in the Know Regarding the African-American Literary Community."  RAWSISTAZ has recently celebrated their 4th Anniversary was on (September 16th).  Check out Rawsistaz's recently updated web site.

 

Neshee Publication�
http://nesheepublication.com

Neshee publication was founded in 2001 as a self-publishing company that focuses on the creative works of black writers/poets helping them to become black voices of authority.

"We are now the one-stop shop for your publishing needs. If you are in need of editing, data entry, marketing material or more, we got it. And with Neshee's Distinguished World Affiliate Program, we are able to connect you with our large network of literary businesses that will suit your literary needs, if we were not able. We are in the business of making sure that your book is a success."

 

 

OCTOBER RELEASES
http://books.aalbc.com

Also visit http://books.aalbc.com to view a complete list of books coming out over the next 6 months.

Girls From Da Hood
http://writers.aalbc.com/urbanbooks.htm

by Nikki Turner and Chunichi

While Lady Bug's dope slaying boyfriend, Took sat in the city jail waiting to stand trial. Lady Bug was busy, recklessly spending, allowing Took's money to pass through her hands like running water. Never completely understanding that the stash money was for a rainy day. And when it rains, it pours.

It is not until Lady Bug's phone is disconnected for non-payment that she is hit in the face with the reality, that Took won't be around to pay the phone bill, or any bill for that matter. Even with the best defense attorneys that money could buy, Took had to give the state of Virginia at least the next seven years of his life. With an empty refrigerator, a stack of bills piling up, a tenth grade education, a big butt and a smile, it could not have been any clearer to her, that she has to stand on her own just to survive the everyday struggle. It didn't take long for her to learn to pull the wool over the eyes of any joker who was blinded by her good looks. She was sure that one day some clown's slip up would be her ultimate come-up. And when it fell in her lap, her days of nickel and dime swindles would all be a thing of the past. Lady Bug knew that every scandalous chick had her day, but never thought her day would some too!

Some People, Some Other Place
http://authors.aalbc.com/j.htm

by J. California Cooper

Some People, Some Other Place is Cooper's biggest, most far-reaching novel to date. A multigenerational tale, it is set in a town called "Place," on a street named "Dream Street." In the words of the novel's narrator, "the block surely had about it a feeling of long accumulation of history, of life, of many lives intertwined." As she chronicles the interlocking lives of the residents of Dream Street, Cooper places the stories of the individuals and their families within the wider context of America's social and economic history. We meet the narrator's great grandparents, who left the poverty of the Deep South in 1895 and made their way to a farm in Oklahoma; her grandparents, who continued the northward journey with their eyes on the promised jobs of the industrial Midwest but were forced to settle without reaching their goal; and her mother, who finishes the journey and discovers that life at 903 Dream Street carries new burdens as well as rewards. The neighbors on the block are people of all colors, all striving to overcome personal troubles and disappointments, and all holding fast to their dreams of a better life.

Dark Thirst: An Anthology
http://authors.aalbc.com/donna.htm

by Omar Tyree, Angela C. Allen, Monica Jackson, Linda Addison and Donna Hill, and Kevin S. Brockenbrough

Writing as The Urban Griot, Omar Tyree sizzles the senses with "Human Heat", the erotic memoir of a darkly handsome Creole in antebellum New Orleans. In Donna Hill's "The Touch", a hypnotically beautiful vampire has the power to seduce any man with a glance, yet yearns for more. One woman's quest for the perfect body has hilarious results in Monica Jackson's "The Perfect Diet", while Linda Addison's "Whispers Between Still Moments" pits a fierce vampire against a powerful vampire hunter determined to end her life. Whether seductive or scary, hilarious or haunting, each story is a groundbreaking collection of all-original vampire stories penned by Black American writers. The perfect read for anyone who wonders what it is that goes bump in the night.
 

The Artificial White Man: Essays on Authenticity

by Stanley Crouch

In this penetrating collection of original essays, legendary gadfly and esteemed critic Stanley Crouch tackles the notion on authenticity-what it is, what it isn't, and what we make of it, for good or for bad. While the question of who's the real deal and who isn't has now seeped into nearly every corner of American culture, nowhere does the idea of authenticity hold greater sway than in the realm of ethnicity. In this bracing collection of original essays, Crouch brings all his rhetorical skills to bear on this animating-and polarizing-idea, and investigates the motives behind those who present themselves as authentic, those who claim to expose the inauthentic, and what this all tells us about the state of the arts-from the vaulted halls of literary fiction to the arena of soft drink-shilling pop stars-in America today.

For Crouch, this is not simply an academic exercise, but a summation of our peculiar historical moment. Living in a time in which much of the conventions that defined and limited people's futures-whether it be race, class, or sex-have been obliterated, we're both liberated from bigotries and yet-still-facing profound disillusionment. As influences come and go at breakneck speed, as traditions are remade and re-imagined, it has become hard to tell which metaphorical end is up. The result, Crouch argues, is not only a national paranoia that someone may have put something over on us-i.e. that we have too often been duped into believing that the counterfeit is authentic-but also a deep retrenchment of imagination and artistic expression, from white and black alike. As he promises in his introduction: "This book is an argument with all of that, however sympathetic it might be to the search for alternatives to our disappointments. It hopes to present, through affirmation, a new form of rebellion in our time of cosmetic dissent."

 

 

EVENTS
http://www.aalbc.com/events


Workshop: I Want to Write... But!
October 22nd and 23rd, 2004

Let Marita Golden show you how to get your words
from your head and heart onto the page

In a two-day workshop retreat we will liberate your innate ability to write. We will show you how to eliminate the self censorship that often silences your writing voice. In a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment with others who are reclaiming their writing power, you will release and shape the stories you want to tell.

This is a workshop retreat for those whose natural inclination to write has been blocked or suppressed by lack of time, and life's obligations. Attend this workshop and learn how to use writing and full self expression as the underpinning that supports and nourishes the other aspects of your life. This is a workshop retreat for sporadic, occasional writers who want to write consistently for themselves and/or for publication. This is also a workshop for writers who want to write with more power. Participants can earn two Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) for the course.  To apply visit http://www.maritagolden.com/apply.html Note Application Dead Line October 15th

"The best thing I've done for my writing in years!"
�RETHA POWERS, Executive Editor of the Quality Paperback Book Club


 

AALBC.com to Hosts a Literary Salon Featuring Colin Channer
Sunday, October 24th, 2:00pm

Colin will read from his recently published novel, "Passing Through". After the reading there will be a Q&A session and book signing. Refreshments will be provided. Books will be available for purchase for $14. (Cash or checks only please, credit cards will not be accepted). RSVP by September 27th (http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?event=OKBYNQIUPHDURXDKKJZM). Please keep in mind that space is limited. Only respond "yes" if you definitely plan to attend.

Colin Channer is a true renaissance man. Channer is the author of two bestselling novels, a novella, and a collection of stories. He is founder of the Calabash International Literary Festival Trust, a registered not-for-profit entity whose mission is � to transform the literary arts in the Caribbean". Channer also is the founder and bass player of the reggae band Pipecock Jaxxon. A dual citizen of Jamaica and the USA, he lives with his family in Brooklyn, NY.  For more information about this exciting author please visit http://aalbc.com/authors/colin.htm
 

 

Queens Book Fair - April 30, 2005
www.cbbooksdistribution.com

The Queens Book Fair is sponsored by C & B Books Distribution Inc. C & B Books Distribution Inc. was founded by Carol Rogers & Co-founded by Brenda Piper.

The Queens Book Fair is currently seeking various vendors for our annual Queens Book Fair, which will be held in Queens, New York.

Queens Book Fair will be held in the heart of, Queens, and will draw many of the following vendors to the Queens Book Fair. Children Authors, Christian Authors, Small Business Owners, Self-published & Aspiring Authors, Corporations, Literary Professionals, Vendors, Authors, Political Officials, Medical Providers, Organizations, Non-profit Groups, Insurance Representatives, Financial Representatives, etc.

This event will be advertised locally and abroad to ensure a great turnout. Wouldn�t you like your company/organization to be recognized as a part of this effort that would bring unity to our communities together under one roof? If you feel that your organization, business, or non-profit organization would benefit from such an event, Email C & B Books today at cbbookdist@aol.com to be placed on our email list to receive updates on the upcoming Queens Book Fair April 30, 2005.

 

 

AALBC.com & "READ MORE" PRODUCT ON SALE
http://www.cafeshops.com/aalbc

"Read More" Campaign initiated by the Literary Freedom Project: http://mosaicbooks.com/lfp.htm

 

 

 

Interesting Discussion Board Posts (we discuss other things besides books)
http://www.thumperscorner.com/cgi/discus/discus.cgi

What is Thumper Reading 
http://www.thumperscorner.com/discus/messages/1/1650.html?1096838441

1. Red Light Wives by Mary Monroe: DA BOMB! I love me some Mary!
2. God Still Don't Like Ugly by Mary Monroe: I love me some more Mary! It's official Monroe is definitely one of cream of the crop authors. Her winning streak continues.
3. The Blackbird Papers by Ian Smith: The book was well written, but I had some problems with it. Not bad for a first book; I've read better.
4. Blood On The Leaves by Jeff Stetson: Off the HOOK! Strongly recommend it.
5. Brothers In Arms by Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Anthony Walton: Excellent history of the 761st Black Tank Battalion. If you haven't heard of the 761st Tank Battalion, I'm not surprised. Until I read this book, I did not know that they existed. The book had just enough historical details to make the book credible, while maintaining an easy to digest flow. Another strong recommendation.
6. Pretenses by Keith Lee Johnson: Wonderful, wonderful novel. I am hoping that this is the beginning of a wonderful suspense/smystry series.
7. Distant Lover by Gloria Mallette: GET IT! GET IT! GET IT! Mallette does it again! I just love her!
8. Tell The Court I Love My Wife by Peter Wallenstein: I think I talked about this one before, I still recommend it. It gave me slightly different dimension on how this country deals with black folks.
9. Don't Want No Sugar by J. D. Mason: Listen, Mason is DA BOMB. This novel is a prequel to her last year's hit, One Day I Saw A Black King! this book will go down on many Top Ten lists in the upcoming months.
10. The Root of All Evil by Joylynn Jossel: The evil should have been Jossel writing this "book". I couldn't get past page 10. It sucks beyond reason.
11. The Lion's Brood: The Story of Hannibal by Rafael Scott: Too short, way too short. The real crime is is that Scott is truly a wonderful author, but with a story that should have been treated as an epic story, worthy of a trilogy of novels with each novel consisting of 300-500 pages easily, Scott shortchanged me by giving me a 180 page book.
12. Ride or Die by Solomon Jones: Jones gives me his usual excellent writing. He's beyond good. But I have to admit that I was disappointed with the novel because it has the same basic format as his other two novels, Pipe Dreams and The Bridge. That said, I still liked it, but I don't love it.
13. The Angel of Harlem by Kuwana Haulsey. I'm in the middle of this one and Haulsey is off the friggin hook. I love her style and her treatment of her main character, Dr. May Chinn. I can't wait to get back to it.

 

And From the "AALBC Anonymous" Discussion:
http://www.thumperscorner.com/discus/messages/179/1722.html?1096853445

"I think all of us regular posters are addicted in various degrees to the seductiveness of Thumper's Corner. Time and time again this little cyber realm has proven to me that personal identities reside in the spirit of our words, not in the physicality of our being. In the inner sanctum of this internet web, people are defined by the substance of their opinions rather than the superficiality of their appearance. We are all faceless entities sharing our thoughts and ideas and venting our rage and indignation. There are no physical barriers to inhibit us, no body language to expose us, no voice inflections to betray us. It is a unique venue where a shy person can be bold, and a bold person be vulnerable. It is a dimension where language rules and souls are bared. It is a community of minds that transcend their bodies, an arena that offers freedom of expression, a forum that provides an outlet for our passions and convictions. It is also a stage for our drama and our humor, one that gives wings to our imaginations. Is it addictive? Of course it is. Who can resist the chance to be who you really are. Who can resist an opportunity to extol what you believe to be the truth." �Cynique (a popular Thumper's Corner poster)

 

 

THE COFFEE WILL MAKE YOU BLACK ON-LINE READING GROUP
http://thumperscorner.com/Reading_List.htm

September 2004 Selection

The Coffee Will Make You Black reading group is currently reading Segu by Maryse Conde

Our chat session is scheduled for Sunday, October 10th, 2004 at 6:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time . If you have already read Segu and would like to participate in our on-line chat session; please join us in our chat room http://www.thumperscorner.com/chat/

Visit http://thumperscorner.com/Reading_List.htm to view the rest of The Coffee Will Make You Black on-line reading group's reading list for 2004

 

 

Peace, 
Troy Johnson, 

Founder AALBC.com

55 West 116th Street #195
Harlem, NY 10026

(866) 603-8394

 

 

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