Troy

Hey DT why don't you use an affiliate code when you post links to Amazon. You can earn at least another 6.5% on the sale. If for some reason you can use the affiliate code of another bookseller for example AALBC.com's affiliate code is "newsstory-20". http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00COSW6JY/tag=newsstory-20 or using a short link: http://bit.ly/ratchetwoman This not only gives you the opportunity to support a bookseller, it also give those sellers an incentive to help promote your book. Admittedly, the relationship between independent booksellers and Amazon is quite contentious. The reality is that MOST authors, when they provide a link to order their book online, the link is to Amazon. There is little I can do to change this behavior because MOST people when they buy online, buy from Amazon. Therefore authors linking to Amazon makes sense (without getting to deep into the economics of buying Black). Given these facts, we should at least get the extra 6.5% percent of of Amazon, while they are still giving it away. The MOST disheartening and frustrating thing is that no matter how many authors I explain this to, authors don't usually change their behavior and they continue to allow Amazon to keep the extra commissions.

"The mainstream media is a JOKE." I agree with that. I don't know why this particular story is getting so much national attention either. Sure it is bizarre and tragic, and therefore "news worthy". But there is no shortage of these bizarre stories and the coverage seems over the top. But again given the status of mainstream media I'm not surprised or really very interested...

Pioneer, I have nothing else to add. I do however think your reasoning with White supremacy, sexual stereotypes, manhood, and irresponsble behavior is muddled at best. With your reasoning a man is still a man even when he behaves like a boy. I disagree, but I aslo appreciate, based upon our collective behavior as a society, that I'm in the minority. We continue to treat these "irresponsible black 'sperm banks'", as men. We even enable the behavior; like the parent who keeps giving his child the keys to the car even though the kid gets drunk and crashes the vehiclle every night. People like Desmond, should have been sterlized (if not castrated) a long time ago, But instead his irresponsible behavior continues without consequence. Apparently child suport is no deterent.

"...undiagnosed ADD culture of this microwave society" Someone should study this -- seriously. It would be interesting to know what percentage of the Black community can actually read and enjoy a novel like Beloved -- both what percentage actually did read and enjoy it, and what percentage could, if given the opportunity. Then compare how that percentage compares to the white population. A non-Black friend turned me on to the novel Beloved years before I started AALBC.com. I found the book challenging, but very enjoyable. It never occurred to me why I had never heard of the book previously. Like most Black men, I suppose, I was not tuned into the literary world. This is just an anecdotal example of how I as a Black man was ignored, and continues to be ignored by publishers (often bookstores and authors too). All Black readers, not just men, are ignored in the literary fiction world as well. With the exception of a few African writers, and Black writers writing for the majority audience, Black people are effectively ignored in the work of literary fiction. Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, etc, are basically done writing books -- who is on deck? Perhaps publishers and even book-sellers consider the Black male demographic too small or expensive to acquire to bother with -- but it is not the publishing industry's job to generate this demand. It is ours, if we think it is important. If the Big 6 (or 5) publishers knew they could make money pubbing more literary fiction for Black people -- they would. Until then we will just have to be satisfied with commercial fiction (urban, erotics, celebtrity) targeted to the female masses.

This is almost like the chicken and the egg conversation. Less than 20 years ago, Nah'Sun we complained about major publishers believing Black people did not read at all, and therefore assuming that publishing books for that demographic did not make business sense. A few folks self-published made some money and only then did publishers recognize a business opportunity founded on the fact that Black folks actually do read. Today we are arguing that Black folks actually do read literary fiction. But at the rate things are going culturally, it may only a generation or two before books like Morrison's Beloved or Baldwin's essays are no longer read for pleasure or to challenge one's ideas. Books like those will be relegated to Universities to be read by academics seeking post graduate degrees in some obscure area of study...

Pioneer of course that is techincally true, but surely you knew we were not talking about a "man" as in a physcially mature or fully grown male. We were talking about a socially and psychologically mature male as determined by what I think we can agree are reasonable standards. So in that content, do you think a male who makes baby and shuns all responsibility for their child a "man"?

"As noble as it is, sticking around and raising children doesn't make you any MORE of a man than the deadbeat bum who knocks a woman up and runs off to duck responsibility." Pioneer you never cease to astound me. While I often disagree with many of your statements, none you have written has ever suprised me. In fact, I've heard your ideas expressed many times over the years. I was raised on many of them, listening to brothers in the street, men talk in barbershop and even talking trash with the fellas. Anyone who makes a baby with a woman but fails to support that child is not a "man". In fact I would argue they are less than a man. Men do not spread their seed with reckless abandon, "boys" do that. Animals do that, not men. I know in todays culture so called men can do anything they want and still claim the title. So, in 2013, we describe people like Desmond as "men", but there is nothing manly about him -- despite what all the woman who so willingly spread their legs for him say. They are in no position to judge. God bless Desmond's children.

One down 3 to go!

Pioneer, you are not gay stopping trying to rationalize it or make sense of it from your perspective. If just is -- obviously. I don't understand why, for example, so many Black people embrace, without question, the religion forced upon them by their enslavers. Some call it faith others brainwashing. But if religion makes people happy without infiringing on my rights or forcing me to adpot their lifestyle, I'm happy for them.

Book Store Database on Huria Search Last week I updated Huria Search to take our bookstore database generate webpages for each bookstore to include a representative photos, video, social media links, website snap shot, map to the store social media links, hours of operation and more. The book store database may be found here. Here is an example link to a local store near Harlem: https://aalbc.com/bookstores/store.php?store_name=Sister%26rsquo%3Bs+Uptown+Bookstore This is an attempt to capture every single Black owned independent bookstore in America. The database currently has 113 stores. If there are any missing stores or stores that should be removed please let me know in the comments. I’m also working on a similar site for Black Indy book websites. Which will replace this static page: http://aalbc.com/otherwebsites.htm The Power List & Huria Search Editors Note: (June 2017) the standalone sites for the Power List and Huria Search were migrated to https://aalbc.com/powerlist/ and https://aalbc.com/huria/, respectively Last week we (AALBC.com, Cushcity & Mosaicbooks) launched the Power List a national best-selling books list (http://powerlist.info). We are making the list freely available, as long as it is properly attributed. We actually provide code which allows people to post the list on their websites and receive automated updates: http://powerlist.info/usage-policy/using-the-power-list-on-your-site/ When visitors click on a book title or an author’s name on the Power List website a Huria Search is run. Huria Search is a search engine specifically designed to return Black owned independent websites -- sites that are being crowded out by corporate websites in conventional search results. Huria Search currently indexes 114 different websites. Many of the websites are Black physical bookstores, or the Black indy websites. I do not include sites that focuses on a single individual (ie personal blogs, authors), and social media websites. This will make it much easier for visitors to discover our websites, the way it used to be. Huria search can be used on any website. If you are interested in using Huria Search on your website let me know. Google Adwords Google is aggressively promoting their adwords program. This week they sent 20 coupons which allows me to give people $100 of free Google advertising if they spend $25. I have not done much advertising with Google, but I use their AdWords tools all the time. At any rate $100 is $100. So you many as well take advantages of the free advertising if you have not done so before. If you want a coupon code just email me and I’ll send you the code.

Danger Word a film by Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due Learn about how you can take part in the community-funded short zombie film DANGER WORD, to be shot by director Luchina Fisher at the end of May, 2013. Starring Frankie Faison (The Wire, Banshee, The Silence of the Lambs). Screenwriters Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due explain how they decided to shoot their own film after working in Hollywood. DANGER WORD is the story of a 13-year-old girl survived the zombie plague with her grandfather in his wooded cabin--and how her birthday celebration goes awry. Learn how you can be a part of the indie horror

My sentiments exactly.

Come to New York City Pioneer and you'll see homeless people of all stripes. I'm sure you see a bunch of homeless homos (I could not pass up the alleratration) in San Francisco too. Homosexual as a demographic seen to do better financially, but if you consider two white men living togther without children, what do you expect. Pioneer, I'm not gay but (pardon the pun) as far as youe comment "Also it's funny to me how a so-called "gay" man can maintain an erection for and have sex with a woman for 8 years without her having a clue." I hear you but since you are not gay I would be careful about applying your sensibilities, as a non-gay, to the things they do. There are striaght men who have sex with men for money, who don't consider themselves gay. Men in prison have sex with men and don't consider themsleves gay because they are not on the recieving end... I don't think who you have sex with, is what makes you gay. There are plenty of gay people and straight people who don't have sex.

"One Baltimore store owner once told me he refuses to sell books other than Street Lit" Nah'Sun, the Baltimore bookstore owner is behaving in a completely rationale manner, essentially echoing my point. While I'm lamentaing the difficutly of promoting literary fiction he has simply decided to not bother. I get that. It is the same decision many store owners and websites have adopted. The literary titles appeal to a smaller demographic. The titles often require more effort to hand sell to those not familiar with the author or intimidated by the prose. Plus, and I'm talking about myself here, as an indy website owner, literary authors/publishers provide no incentives to sell these books. The ad buys are few. When we review their work (a BIG expense) favorably, our reviews are not blurbed, I could go on. It seems the literary authors and the publishers take the Black Independent booksellers for granted, instead focusing, perhaps, on a broader (read: white) audience. Alice Walker http://aalbc.com/authors/alice.htm has three books coming out this year when I first started AALBC.com every indy website would haved mention this, today our folks might not even know about it. There are 60 to 70% fewer indy bookstores now, than there were when I started, and those that remain are mostly struggling or focused on the urban titles, so our communities will have less opportuniy to learn about this type of book. The same goes for the Black book websites -- just visit a few and see how many are promoting Alice latest books? I put up information about Alice Walker on my homepage, in an unsold ad slot, The urban authors who purchased advertising are SUBSIZING Alice Walker! It is easier for a website to do this, much harder for a physcial bookstore. Don't blame the book stores.

HB, since preachers are simply men I presume that cheat for the same reasons regular men cheat. Marriage is about a lot more than sex. No rational person gets married simply for the sexual intercourse. Obviously, sex from a spouse is not enough to prevent some people from straying nor is enough to keep a marriage together. I would argue that sex is not even a solid foundation for a good marriage -- but it's a good place to start

Three new books coming out this year plus a documentary film about her life premiered late last year

LOL! Fascinating observation Cynique! The agent was using a techique to engage Malcom that he was trained to use. Don't think for a split second that encounter was not thought out in advance. The screen writer probably has access to the same techniques used by the FBI, and used it with Agent Smith in the Matrix. Helps one appreciate the Matrix even more.

The secretly recorded conversation between Malcom X and the FBI is just fascinating. I can't believe 20 years have passed since the air date of this program and I'm just now seeing it for the first time. Gil Noble's Like It Is program was terrific. Is their anything like it on TV today. One of the reasons Youtube remains one of the best things about the internet. Lets hope it is not completely corrupted by Google's relentless pursuit of ever increasing revenue.

That was interesting Cynique. I'm sure all of the money, material benefits and comfort celebrity some of the Panther leadership enjoyed changed things in many ways for the entire Panther organization. I'm cynical enough to believe the celebrities embracing the movement was probably deliberate tactic employed to destablize the organization. But I have no evidence of this. People can be setup in many ways. Remember how the police set up the former Mayor of DC (his name escapes me now), they got an attractive woman with some crack to seduce my man and get the city's beloved Mayor on camera doing something stupid. The Panthers are no more immune to these things than you or I. Though some of are more easily manipulated than others -- those folks you just have to kill. That said, I know a couple of ex-Panthers who to this day remain some of the most conscious people I know. Paul Coates of Black Cl;assic Press immediately comes to mind. Jamal Joseph is another.

Humm I recall Keyes was not in this debate but I had no idea all of this took place. Needless to say this helps explain why the Republican have less than zero juice with Black folks. But again given our numbers they don;t need us. Given their behavior (Ben Carson aside), they don't really care either.

I don't know y'all many of the Panthers who ended up in Jail, like Jamal, ended up there because of the work with the Panthers, not because they were criminals. Also the work of the informants helped make the arrests possible. The informants, at least in Jamals case were not "turned" they were infilrators you helped instigate criminal behavior and cause dessention in the ranks. Fred Hampton was murder, plain and simple. That was criminal. Also the Panthers were the object of a baised media (I hope we all understand, this by now). I'd encourage you all to talk to people like Jamal, Bobby Seale, Shakur, and others directly. Get the information first hand, otherwise you are being lied to.

Plus they always seems to get a Brothers to don a dress at some point. Even action hero Wesley Snipes has worn a dress in a film, we don't even have to discuss the explopit of Tracy Morgan and Shawn Wayans. I know it is my New York City sensibility, but why do we care about Jason Collins sexuality?! Is being gay still news? I remeber when Sheryl Swopes "came out", after being married to a man, according to Wikipedia she is engaged to a man now now. Again why someones sex life is news is lost on me?! I read, on Facebook (the worlds news source) it is hard to avoid reading this crap, that Jason Collins dated a women for years. The woman claimed he had no idea Jason was gay. Again who cares, really... As a culture was are so stupid.

This is old news from an article by Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg on thw WSJ.com from August of last year "Kobo's agreement with the American Booksellers Association, the independents' trade group, is effective in October. The deal replaces one between the ABA and Google Inc., GOOG +0.67% which has said it would end an effort to sell e-books through independent booksellers in January 2013, declaring the program had failed to gain traction." The article goes on to say; "Independent booksellers, for their part, will be able to offer their customers e-books outside of the dominant digital booksellers, Amazon.com Inc.'s (AMZN +1.60%) Kindle store; Barnes & Noble Inc's (BKS -0.28%) Nook store and Apple Inc's (AAPL +2.86%) iBook store. Each of those companies sell their own devices on which e-books can be read." The main problem with Kobo (owned by Rakuten), it that they are not price competive (specially for shipping) and few people are aware of the eBook platform. The problem with the independent is that the Kobo derived websites all look the same and many offer no custom cotent -- it is just a store front for Kobo pushing the titles Kobo pushes. So advertisers give Kobo money to promote books and the independent websites loose not only sales (because of higher prices), they loose their indepedence because of the control exerted by Kobo. Rakuten, based in Japan is one of the world larget internet companies. They own buy.com, Linkshare.com (an affiliate program manager I use to resell books from Barnes & Noble), most of Pinterest, and too much more to mention.

Pioneer! But as crazy as it sounds mainstream media does reinforce that quality in Brothers, along with dancing and athletics.