Review - land

As usual, Black/African American History Month is a hot one for books by and about "us." Every year this makes me a little sad, a little angry. I still want to know about the books, I want them to be published and read, but does it all have to happen in this month. What would be the harm in spreading the publishing love a bit?

end vent, begin links ...

Here is a 2 - in - 1 review of two new books about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. One that is an analysis of the "I Have a Dream Speech," by Eric J. Sundquist, the other, Through It All, by Christine King Farris, Dr. King's sister.

Two professors at Emory University have a new book, "Sara Baartman and the Hottentot Venus," that explores the tragic exhibition in life and death of a an African woman in the 1800s. Here's a review from the Los Angeles Times.

A handful of kid lit links

A few links to round out the week.

A CSMonitor review of Chains, by Laure Halse Anderson.

Here is the description of the book from Simon and Schuster's web site:
If an entire nation could seek its freedom, why not a girl?

As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifher sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom.

From acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson comes this compelling, impeccably researched novel that shows the lengths we can go to cast off our chains, both physical and spiritual.

Check out Brothers & Sisters, a collection of poems about family, by Eloise Greenfield.

The bloggers at The Brown Bookself are again doing 28 days featuring authors/illustrators of African-American kids lit. I have already seen authors I haven't heard of before. I think my kids will be getting some new titles soon.

Also, at the top of the blog (may be lower by the time some readers click through) there's an interesting note about whether an author is actually African American.

Friday is for Kids

I should probably come up with a better title for my Friday dip into kids lit. But I haven't yet. Suggestions are welcome in the comments.

One of the most interesting things I read this week was this story in the NYTimes about how a watchdog group has called out Scholastic over their inclusion of electronics, toys, jewelry and other non-book stuff in their catalogs and book fairs at schools.

This is right on the mark. I have one child in elementary school at the moment and have been a volunteer at a school book fair. And seeing all the toys and electronics really has bothered me. The kids can't help but get excited about them, even though they are more expensive than the discount priced books.

It is especially sad to me when I see kids who may not have been sent to school with any money or very little to shop at the book fair and they are picking up toys or electronics that are nearly $20 - when there are $4 books available.

Hopefully they'll pull back on marketing the toys and stick to books, workbooks and activity books. Kids have plenty of ways to see marketing - school is not the place for that.

I'll post some links later today to new books or book lists.

Hearing Tayari Jones

I want to use Thursday as an opportunity to highlight an author or a book blog. But I'm cheating a bit today by writing about a recent reading I attended.

The author reading was Tayari Jones, who is one of my favorite contemporary authors. I write about her - and link to her site, www.tayarijones.com/blog, a lot, so it feels like cheating to highlight her today.

But it is my little blog after all.

A couple of weeks ago I decided to check her appearances calendar in case she was coming to Florida. It seems rare that any of the authors I love come near my home, so it was really just a little hopeful check. Turns out she was going to be in a town about an hour away the very next week.

So of course I went.

She read at Stetson University in Deland, Florida. It's a small, private college. I've never been to the campus, but I think I've been through the town once before.

The event was full - students there get a "cultural credit" for certain events, which is cool. I sat in the back because I got lost and was a few minutes late. [College campuses can really be tricky if you're not a part of the student/faculty/staff there - signs, people!]

She read from The Untelling first. I haven't read it in years, but was really pulled in as she read a scene that involves sibling rivalry, a red velvet cake, a terrible accident and women who can stop traffic. I'm always surprised when, aurally, I lose the author and really hear her as the characters at a reading. That was the case with Tayari Jones - she was the character and I really wanted to go back and read The Untelling again.

Tayari next read a story she wrote for a contest that required the work to be three minutes long. It was wonderful and fun and really was a story. I am amazed by short stories that are that short.

Tayari was wonderful - the creative, sassy and intellectual spirit really shines in her.

And I was fortunate enough to introduce myself to her, chat a bit and have a picture taken with her. I've "friended" her on Facebook, but I'm really just a fan, not someone who actually knows her. She was very gracious and kind - and stylish. I was taking notes in case one day I am out there reading from my own work.

Now, here are a few things I found that were odd about the event.

When Tayari finished reading, the organizer stood up and said she'd sign books and that there was food in a side room. There was no attempt to see if there were questions.

It may have been because of the travel arrangements, which I understand. It just seems very unusual for a reading not to have any questions. Of course, I just wanted to hear more from Tayari - next time, I guess.

Also, in the days before the event, on the local NPR station, I heard an add that began with a mention of the university name. I was actually excited in those few seconds, because I thought they were actually advertising Tayari's visit. Cool!

Except they weren't. It was an ad for a Nobel prize winner in the sciences who would be speaking later in the month. I get that a Nobel laureate is a big, big deal. It was just interesting to me that they wouldn't not put the money toward advertising an author's visit. Especially since it seemed the crowd at Tayari's reading was only students and faculty - important and their number one audience, for sure. But it didn't seem like there was a big community contingent- I'm 90% certain of this, but since I didn't poll the group I can't say for sure.

So it was wonderful to meet her. I hope she'll come back to my area of Florida - or anywhere in Florida, soon.

Kids Lit for Friday

My hope for Fridays is that I'll feature a children's author or book site on Friday.

Why Friday? Well for my family, that has been a big library day for us. Our branch has story time on Fridays and I like for my older reader to have some additional books to get through the weekend. And since he sometimes finishes books while I'm still in the parking lot (I am really not exaggerating), it's always good to stock up.

Today, I found the micro-site for Scholastic's Breaking Barriers: In Sports, In Life contest. It's based on the life of Jackie Robinson and is geared for students in 4th - 8th grades. Here's the link.

Reviews not found

I really should be posting some reviews today, but I didn't find any and the hour is late.

I will mention that I'm excitehttp://bookcritics.org/news/archive/2008_nbcc_finalists_announced/d that the NBCC has a biography of Ida B. Wells and the book about the Hemings family on their final award list.

Both will go on my to-read list. 2009, here we come.

Author/Blog spotlight

Like many folks, I've been off in inauguration land and am just now winding back to real life. Believe it or not, I still have inauguration-related things taped for later viewing. Just can't get enough.

But, just like the president, I have to get to work!

Thursday is Author/Blog spotlight day. Eventually, I hope to include some interviews or even guest blogs on Thursday for the spotlight. Until then, I will just pick and choose and write what I want ;).

Today's pick: Ravi Howard, author of Like Trees Walking.
Why him?: Because he was recently named the 2008 winner of the Ernest Gaines award for his novel.

I haven't yet read it, but have heard much about it and this award is the one that tips it. I'll get a copy soon.

Howard is a native of Alabama - and Southerners hold a dear place in my heart - a graduate of Howard University, and is surprisingly, one of the few male authors that I have heard about repeatedly over the last few years.

I'm not saying Black men aren't publishing or writing great work - they're just not being talked up, I think.

About the book:

When the phone rang at the home of Paul and Roy Deacon in the early morning hours, it often meant that someone had died. The brothers’ family owned the Deacon Memorial Funeral Home and had buried the loved ones of Mobile’s black families for over 100 years. On the morning of March 21, 1981, the call was different. The body of nineteen-year-old Michael Donald was found hanging from a tree on Herndon Avenue. The murder shook the citizens of Mobile, Alabama, especially the Deacon brothers. They had called Michael Donald a friend.



As the brothers navigate their teen years, they face familiar rites of passage; prom night, graduation, college life, but the family business forces them to confront the rites death brings, passages from this world to the next. As Roy and Paul Deacon search for solace, their journeys take them from church sanctuaries to cemeteries, protest marches to courtrooms, from the tree-lined streets of Mobile to the dark beach roads on the Eastern Shore.



Added to the grief of a murdered friend, the brothers and their hometown face the first lynching in over sixty years. Mobile had been as peaceful as its tree-lined streets were beautiful, but the murder gave the city its own sad chapter in the Alabama racial history. Like Birmingham’s four little girls, Selma’s Bloody Sunday, and Tuskegee’s experiment, Mobile had the murder of Michael Donald.



In this riveting debut, Like Trees, Walking explores a fictional aftermath of a true story that will both haunt and illuminate. The novel examines death, faith, truth, and justice, elements that often intersect and at times collide. An old tale set in modern times, Like Trees, Walking explores the complexities and the promises of America’s New South.

Friday for Kids

As I try out a new schedule for organizing posts, I've decided Friday should be for kids literature/books. If memory serves, many children's books featuring children, adults of African descent come out during January and February for the six weeks that is the King holiday and Black History Month. I'll feature some of the new titles here.

The Los Angeles Times has a round up story about the new books out about President-elect Barack Obama, including editions updated to show he won the election and is the 44th president. I'm particularly interested in the biographies for older kids.

Michelle Kerns of Examiner.com shares her three top books about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

And finally, here's a site I found just this week, Brown Sugar and Spice Books. They feature books for us and focus on titles that are reality-based, rather than fantasy. I saw lots of books that I'd seen elsewhere (Obama books and others) as well as interesting titles that were new to me.

Author/Blog spotlight

In an effort to bring some order and consistency to my posting here, I'm going to try having a different theme for each day of the work week. Hopefully that will give me an easy way to get into topics and share content about some of the writers, books, publishing companies and other bookish things here.

So Thursday is author or blog spotlight day. I picked Black Threads in Kids Lit because I was searching for something else kids-book related. (The other search is not a secret, it's just that my middle-aged mind can't remember how I go there!).

Of the few posts I read, I enjoyed the blog. As a mother of two African American children, I'm always interested in books that interest them and feature people who look like us. Especially chapter books, as we're in that zone now.

There's a good post up top on the blog that is taking a guess at which books will be picked as Coretta Scott King award winners or finalists. There were a few books that I hand't seen or heard of, like March On! and Brand New Day, Brand New Ruby.

So this one goes in my bookmarks.

African American memoir

The New York Times reviewed The Black Girl Next Door, by Jennifer Baszile. It's about her growing up in an exclusive, all-white community in the 70s and 80s. She's a frequent first-er (first black student body president, first black female professor of history at Yale).

It sounds interesting to me. I did not grow up with that kind of privilege. And though they don't have that level of wealth, my children are already in several "only" situations.

So I'm likely to check it out.

My only hesitation is that it seems this story has really been done over and over again. What does she add that's new? [And the NYTimes review isn't particularly favorable, btw.]

On another note, I really like Carleen Brice's new blog, White Readers Meet Black Authors. I'm definitely not white, but am getting good recommendations from her site. I just finished her book, Orange Mint and Honey, this month and LOVED it. I'll try to pull together a review soon, I think it's a book that deserves attention.

Poetry, Obama shelf, vacation reading

There will be a poet reading at the inauguration. It gets better every day. I am going to have to get a working television by Jan. 19!

The poet is Elizabeth Alexander. She's African American and a professor at Yale. Her parents took her to the march on Washington in 1963. Beautiful.

Poetry is not my top reading choice. I've been bumping into poetry a lot lately, so it's time I integrated it into my reading. And I certainly can't wait to hear what she'll read.

I was in Books a Million last week and noticed a whole end shelf of Obama titles. Most I had not seen before, including two about Michelle Obama. They are a cottage industry right now. Hopefully it will give the book business a boost.

And, I'm working on a list of books to read over the holiday break. I'll post it if I enjoy them.

The boost of rejection

I had an unexpected boost today.

I received a rejection note - and it brought me a little smile rather than doom.

Typically I go for months and sometimes years without submitting anything. I cycle down into no one would want to read/publish what I write, so why bother to write at all doldrums.

I have submitted one or two things lately and this was a rejection of one. It would have felt better to have my pitch accepted - but it was a great reminder that I had written the pitch, put it out there and at least gone through the process.

There are probably scores of rejections out in the universe just waiting for me to send more things out for consideration.

Among them are acceptances as well.

I have work to do.

Lost titles and other things

I had a long conversation with a writer friend a few weeks ago about how amazed I am that Black women I know had not heard of some of the best contemporary writers in our community.

It shocks me every time I mention Pearl Cleage and the person I'm talking to doesn't know who she is or hasn't read her. Even when she is a regular reader.

Well, I got a little comeuppance today. I saw on Tayari Jones' blog that Linda Villarosa has a novel out - and an essay here talking about how she made the shift from journalist to novelist.

I know who Linda Villarosa is - and you probably do too if you've ever read a few issues of Essence. Yet I had no idea she had a novel out. And I will definitely go and get it this fall.

So, it's not that people aren't reaching for books, it's just that they are not hearing about them. Even when, like me, they spend hours every day thinking about books and authors and publicity and such.

We have almost too many sources and in some ways not nearly enough reach or memory to know everything that's out there. It's not a great tragedy if you miss one book, but I think it's a shame when good and great authors go unnoticed.

White privilege, broken down

Alternet has a good piece up that shows how McCain and Palin benefit from white privilege. Basically the piece breaks it down on Palin, with a few nods to McCain.

Seal Press has calls for submissions up for an anthology of letters from girlfriend to girlfriend and a book about divorce.

Just Like a Girl, an anthology from Girl Child Press is on tour. Actually, Michelle Sewell, founder of the press and editor of the anthology is touring. Check out the dates here.

Jail or Bailout? Political books

Do you think the folks behind our financial mess should go to jail? Someone over at Rushmore Drive thinks so..

Political books are all the rage - literally. I can't believe folks gave grief to Gwen Ifill over her upcoming book on race and politics. What's really cool, though is that her publisher must really love the huge promotional (free!) attention she received as people argued about it.

And wouldn't you know it - it's already available for pre-order at Amazon. Yep, her publisher must love all this attention.

If you look at the "customers who bought this" list below, almost all of the titles are very anti-left, Barack-bashing or Palin/McCain lifting books. Strange, since there was an implication that Ifill's book would be pro-Barack. If it's pro-Barack, why does Amazon try to hook the user up with anti-left, anti-progressive titles.

Is there a glitch or is somebody trying to pull a cyber hoodwink?

Too much reading, too little blogging

Unfortunately, when everything else is in high gear in my life, this blog is the first thing to be cut. So, I'll keep trying to find my way back.

I was surprised to see the the latest Blair Underwood-Tananarive Due- Steven Barnes book is out next week. Apparently, according to Tananarive's blog, it's already in stock at Amazon.

I wonder how much writing Blair did on the novel. He "presents" these Tennyson Hardwick novels and is part of the process - but I wonder if it's just reading and providing verbal feedback to Barnes and Due.

The first one was a fun read. I love mysteries and am really happy when I find ones featuring African American characters. It's nice to have a new series to go to.

Deberry/Grant
I finished Virginia Deberry and Donna Grant's latest novel, Gotta Keep on Tryin', last month. It was a lot of fun. I haven't read any of their books since Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made, so I couldn't remember what to expect.

I really didn't remember much about the first story. But it started to come flooding back when a certain devious character re-appeared. Those sections actually made me anxious - good work on the authors' part.

If you have a chance to see them read or meet them - do. They're quite funny in person and will give a good event.

Want to write your book proposal?

Then head to Valerie Boyd's book proposal boot camp.


Book Proposal Boot Camp: How to Write a Proposal
That Sells Without Selling Out

Let Valerie Boyd—award-winning author of Wrapped in Rainbows: The Life of
Zora Neale Hurston—show you how to transform your dream of writing a nonfiction
book into a reality.

The best-kept secret of the publishing world is the book proposal. Did you
know you can write a 15- to 100-page book proposal, submit it to literary
agents and publishers, and actually get paid to write the book of your dreams? With
a few months of effort, any writer who has a strong nonfiction idea and some
writing talent—even without a lot of experience—can research and write a
robust book proposal that will turn publishers’ heads. This Book Proposal Boot
Camp will teach you how.

When
Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 2 and 3, 2008
9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where
Agnes Scott College
Alston Hall, Room 206
Decatur, GA 30030


For more information and to register,
www.valerieboyd. com

[I attended a shorter session that Valerie did on the book proposal at one of Tina McElroy Ansa's workshops. It was illuminating. If I didn't already have a trip planned, I'd make the drive to go to this workshop.]

Do you have a platform?

I stopped at MJ Rose's Buzz, Balls, Hype site - a bookmark authors and publicists should have, and saw her link to a NY Observer article about the importance of having a "platform" for authors. Apparently publishing houses (some anyway) are looking not just at the work, but at what the author brings to the table in terms of audience and publicity power. No big surprise, but it's good to hear the term and see an exploration of it.

I think Ta-Nahesi Coates is an example of an author with a platform. I used to read his column, so when I heard about his new book, it definitely made me want to read it. He's profiled in the LA Times. The book, The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood, is a memoir.

Lots of other links I will share, but I think I hear a little work calling me away ...

But I will say that I'm nervous about whatever Jesse Jackson said. I expect that's going to be a little mess.

Pearl Cleage's new site

I love to visit my favorite authors' web sites - and even sites of authors I haven't read yet. It amazes me sometimes when I see a site for a big name author and it is really out of date or just doesn't seem to match in quality the author's reputation, writing or popularity.

Pearl Cleage's web site used to be one of those.

Now do not start sending me daggers or evil comments. I love Pearl Cleage. There are no two ways about that.

But it made it hard to understand why she didn't have a better site.

All that is over, now. She has new site design (I'm just seeing it now, so it may be a couple of months old). It looks fabulous! See it here.

And, as a fan, I looked at all the pictures and, as usual, the appearances to see if she would be anywhere near my town.

Anyway - it's a great site and, I think, a much better fit for the wonder and wisdom of Ms. Cleage.

A movie deal and other notes

Carleen Brice's Orange Mint and Honey has been optioned by Lifetime TV. She has a brief note about that on her web site. I'm glad to hear it - and need to go and get the book :).

She's also taking a hiatus (on hiatus?) this summer. And she's holding a contest for her readers to send in ways they're taking care of themselves. The contest is detailed on her blog.

More on Movies
I'm really excited about the movie version of PUSH, so I've been reading about that and the "unknown" actress who'll play Precious in the movie. What an amazing story - and I can't wait to see how she does and where this leads her.

This week, I saw the trailer for The Longshots, which stars Keke Palmer and Ice Cube. Will definitely have to see that. I am eating up stories with strong, smart, beautiful young African American girls. Hopefully I'll be able to have a good collection of those on DVD by the time my own daughter hits her tweens.

Kids books
I stumbled upon this beautiful book in the library on Thursday. It's called Hair for Mama and is by Kelly Tinkham and illustrated by Amy Bates.

The boy in the book wants to get/give hair to his mother, who has lost hers due to treatments for cancer. It's beautiful - I loved the imagine of the two of them together with bald heads. So, if you know anyone that could use that story (which might really be anyone of us - who hasn't been touched by cancer?), pass it on.

A few weeks ago, I found several Mildred D. Taylor novels in a bookstore. It was very exciting for me. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry was one of my favorite books as a child. It is also, unfortunately, frequently banned or protested. I never read (or even knew of) her other books. So I bought three of her other titles to hold until my children are old enough to read them. They are:
The Gold Cadillac
The Well: David's Story
The Road to Memphis