CELEBRATE THE SOUTH BLOG TOUR

WITH PATRICIA NEELY-DORSEY

April 5 – Preaching Sunday

• Patricia  Neely-Dorsey’s Blog
• WrittenVoicesBlog.com
• Sho-Nuff-Angie Online Radio Show (6:00pm EST)

April 6 – Southern Life

• All the Buzz Reviews
• Victorious Cafe
• SORMAG

April 7 – Mississippi Morning

• Simply-Said Blog
• SableLit Reviews
  
• Dew on the Kudzu

April 8 – Southern Man

• All Things Literary with Alvin C. Romer
• APOOO Books
• Joey Pinkney

April 9 – Soul Food Restaurant

• Maggie Reads
• “Take Ten” Interviews with Conversations Book Club
• WordThirst Literary Journal and Authors Showcase Online Radio Show (8:00 pm EST)

April 10 – Shelling Peas

• AAMBC Book Tours
• WrittenVoicesPodcast.com (Poetry Month Feature)
• AAMBC Online Radio Show (8:00pm EST)

April 11 – Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia

• RAWSISTAZ Literary Group
• Inspirational Voices
• Serenity Woman

Celebrate the South Blog Tour Schedule is a post from: APOOO

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Celebration of African American Authors 2009

Full Circle Bookstore – 50 Penn Place

1900 NW Expressway #1 – Oklahoma City , OK 73118

Saturday, February 21, 2009 – 11 am to 3 pm

Are you ready for the Celebration of African American Authors 2009? The OKC Urban League Young Professionals are ready to help you get your book sales going. After listening to the readers, we have secured a way for them to purchase all books at one time. We will be working with Full Circle Bookstore (a locally owned book store) who will take your books on consignment (70/30 split with you getting 70% of all sales) before the event. We lowered the registration cost to $45 and more advertisement will be done this year. Event details are as follows:

Author Registration is $45 and donation of 2 books (that will support our literacy effort). Please make your $45 check out to the Urban League of Greater OKC – Young Professionals (as it is tax-deductible), send your 2 books and registration form to the following address:

OKC Urban League Young Professionals

ATTN:  Celebration of African American Authors 2009

3900 Martin Luther King Ave

Oklahoma City, OK   73111

(405) 424-5243

Deadline for author registration is December 31, 2008 or until all spaces are gone. Space is limited. *NO SUBLETTING

So mark your calendars and get ready to get your read on….

Monique Bruner

OKCULYP President

Celebration of African American Authors 2009 is a post from: APOOO

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Amazon.com Set to Defy Slump–Everyone else’s sales might be tanking but amazon.com is predicting a profitable Christmas season.

Barnes & Noble Expects the Worst–On the other hand, Barnes & Noble is singing a different tune.  They expect this year to be their worst year yet.

Christmas Will Not Be Cancelled–At least not in Britain.

Amazon and Penguin to Sponsor Second Annual Novel Award–Well they’re at it again and the pot is worth $25K.

Mom Sues Daughter Over Memoir–Would you sue your daughter if she wrote a book that presented you in a negative and unflattering manner?  If she called you a child abuser?  Constance Briscoe, author of Ugly is being sued by her mother.  I can’t wait to hear what the outcome will be.

National Book Award Winners–Congrats to Annette Gordon-Reed for winning an award for her non-fiction title, The Hemingses of Monticello!

B&N Launches Social Networking Site–Has anyone tried it out?  Thoughts?

Thomas Nelson’s New Reader Review Program–Is anyone participating and reviewing books from publisher Thomas Nelson?

Houghton, Mifflin,Harcourt Halts Book Acquistions–Is it temporary, permanent?  Only time will tell. But, it’s sad that they won’t be acquiring any books in the short-term?  So, does this mean they will have to lay-off acquistion editors?

Literary News in Review, Week of November 24, 2008 is a post from: APOOO

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• The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed
• In the News, APOOO Interview with Rhonda McKnight
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• Eat, Drink and Be From Mississippi by Nanci Kincaid
• First Comes Love by Shana Burton

Faith and Fiction Literary Retreat

 July 16-19, 2009

For more information, visit:

http://www.faithandfictionretreat.com/2009eblast.html

Faith and Fiction Literary Retreat, July 16-19, 2009 is a post from: APOOO

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How many have you read?

I’ve read about half of them and listed them below…along with a few that I own but haven’t read yet:

1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
 
3 The Da Vinci Code Dan Brown
 
4 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
 
5 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
 
6 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
 
7 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
 
8 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
 
9 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
 
10 Who Moved My Cheese? Spencer Johnson
 
11 The South Beach Diet Arthur Agatston
 
12 Tuesdays With Morrie Mitch Albom
 
13 Angels & Demons Dan Brown
 
14 What to Expect When You’re Expecting Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg, Sandee Hathaway
 
15 The Purpose-Driven Life Rick Warren
 
16 The Five People You Meet in Heaven Mitch Albom
 
17 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen R. Covey
 
18 The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini
 
19 Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus John Gray
 
20 The Secret Rhonda Byrne (Own It But Haven’t Read It…Should I Move It Up?)
 
21 Rich Dad, Poor Dad Robert T. Kiyosaki with Sharon L. Lechter
 
22 To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee
 
23 Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff … And It’s All Small Stuff Richard Carlson
 
24 The Secret Life of Bees Sue Monk Kidd
 
26 Twilight Stephenie Meyer (My Daughter Has This One…She Told Me I Should Read It)
 
29 The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger
 
30 Memoirs of a Geisha Arthur Golden
 
32 Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Dr. Seuss
 
33 The Four Agreements Don Miguel Ruiz
 
34 Angela’s Ashes Frank McCourt
 
35 The Lovely Bones Alice Sebold
 
39 Chicken Soup for the Soul Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen
 
40 The Greatest Generation Tom Brokaw  (Was a book gift…haven’t read it yet)
 
42 The Celestine Prophecy James Redfield
 
43 Wicked Gregory Maguire
 
47 Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Rebecca Wells
 
50 Simple Abundance Sarah Ban Breathnach
 
51 A Child Called It Dave Pelzer (On the Book Shelf)
 
52 A Million Little Pieces James Frey (Wow…even with all the returns this book is still  on the list!)
 
53 The Testament John Grisham
 
60 The Brethren John Grisham
 
65 The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
 
69 Green Eggs and Ham Dr. Seuss
 
71 The Rainmaker John Grisham
 
73 Cold Mountain Charles Frazier
 
78 Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil John Berendt
 
79 The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien
 
80 The Runaway Jury John Grisham
 
81 Goodnight Moon Board Book Margaret Wise Brown, art by Clement Hurd
 
86 The Chamber John Grisham
 
88 The Prayer of Jabez Bruce Wilkinson
 
89 Holes Louis Sachar
 
91 The Shack William P. Young (Have seen you many book blogs about this one that I recently ordered it)
 
92 The Devil Wears Prada Lauren Weisberger
 
93 Water for Elephants Sara Gruen (On the bookshelf…need to move up)
 
94 A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini
 
96 Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, Marci Shimoff
 
97 The Partner John Grisham
 
98 Lord of the Flies William Golding
 
101 The Street Lawyer John Grisham
 
102 A Series of Unfortunate Events No. 1: The Bad Beginning Lemony Snicket
 
103 The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver
 
106 The Tipping Point Malcolm Gladwell (It’s on the shelf)
 
109 The Audacity of Hope Barack Obama (It’s on the shelf…I should read it huh…)
 
111 The Glass Castle: A Memoir Jeannette Walls
 
115 Left Behind  Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins
 
117 The Red Tent Anita Diamant
 
120 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Ann Brashares
 
122 Blink Malcolm Gladwell
 
127 The Bridges of Madison County Robert James Waller
 
128 Where the Heart Is Billie Letts
 
131 Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, Marci Shimoff
 
136 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List Patricia Schultz
 
138 She’s Come Undone  Wally Lamb (I enjoyed this one but I’m surprised I Know This Much is True didn’t make the list…oh wait it is a BAB…but it’s a great story)
 
139 1984 George Orwell
 
140 The Chronicles of Narnia C.S. Lewis
 
141 The Millionaire Next Door Thomas J. Stanley, William D. Danko
 
142 The Other Boleyn Girl Philippa Gregory
 
144 The Pilot’s Wife Anita Shreve (This book was my least favorite on the list)
 
145 The Lost World Michael Crichton
 
146 Atonement Ian McEwan
 
My favorite non-fiction is the Four Agreements…my favorite novel is hmmm that’s a tough one…I enjoyed the DaVinci Code, the Harry Potter Books, Secret Life of Bees, KiteRunner…

What about you?  Have any favorites?  Least favorites?  Any surprises?  Any books missing from the list?

I must admit I’m glad I didn’t see any Danielle Steele book’s on the list but was surprised that Nora Roberts didn’t make it.  Oh yeah and did anyone notice how many of Oprah’s pick were NOT listed…of over 60 books selected for her book club…only five made the list…just goes to show that folks can do it without her.

USA TODAY’s Showcases Best-Sellers of the Last 15 Years is a post from: APOOO

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Well they both only go by one name.

Zane has a new TV show and Omarosa has a new release titled the Bitch Switch.

Zane will be on the Doug Bank Show tomorrow (10.28) and Omarosa was on the Tom Joyner Morning Show today.

Speaking of…did anyone hear Omarosa on the TJMS this morning?  Girlfriend wanted to get shiggidy with Sybil Wilkes.  According to Omarosa she didn’t hear what Sybil said about her earlier on the show…but her peeps were blowing up her phone and saying that Sybil had dissed her.  WTF…is Omarosa almost 40 or barely 12 when it comes to social skills.

I was listening to the show.  Tom and Jay were discussing Omarosa milking her 15 minutes of fame.  But, Jay said he loved, loved, loved her.  Sybil was unusually silent…and while she didn’t show any love…she wasn’t hatin’ either.  She actually said that she was indifferent…or she didn’t feel anything…which I took to mean she didn’t care one way or the other.  She didn’t say anything nice but she didn’t say anything mean either.

Omarosa needs to get ova herself…honestly the world doesn’t revolve around her and NOT everyone is going to like her…and so what if people don’t…does this mean she’s going to JUMP to everyone who doesn’t like her.  She sort of reminds me of Naomi Campbell…they like picking on folks…actually bullying folks…and they get away with it because neither of them appear to have met their match.  But, honestly, if either of them ever runs up against the wrong person…they’re going to get the beatdown of their lives.  (I just hope I’m here to see it…LOL).

Oh and Omarosa’s book…the Bitch Switch…did anyone hear the show today and Jay asking her when did she switch it on and off…lol…he was funny…but I digressed…here’s a book description of the book:

When a woman acts assertively, makes demands, and struggles for what she wants, she is labeled a bitch. The secret is to know when and how to turn on (or turn off) that “bitch switch.” Not being able to locate your “switch” leaves you open to being a victim; not knowing how to turn it off will get you a label that is hard to shake. From Omarosa, reality star, global television personality, and the prime-time woman you love to hate, comes The Bitch Switch, the smart and bitingly honest must-read for every woman who aspires to succeed in relationships, in business, and at home.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Anyone watching Zane’s new show on Cinemax/The Sex Chronicles?

Anyone read or planning to read Omarosa’s book? 

In the News: Zane and Omarosa is a post from: APOOO

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Signing Off the Weird World of Book Signing–If I had to sign 65,000 books, I guess I would want to hire a ghost signer also.

Crime Writer James Ellroy signed all 65,000 first-edition copies of his 1996 memoir My Dark Places.

Although that was not the case for crime writer James Ellroy, there is a publishing house who went on Craig’s list to find volunteers who could fake signatures for several of their authors! 

Now, though, an American publisher is short-circuiting the process. His company has posted an advertisement on Craigslist, the internet listing site, asking for 14 volunteers who can fake the signatures of two big-name authors of a forthcoming book; each successful applicant will be paid $25 for every 200 books signed. “You will need,” reads the advert, “to be able to copy the look and style of both authors’ signatures.” It must be some book: the ersatz signings are scheduled to last 16 hours: with 14 people signing at a rate of four books per minute, that suggests more than 50,000 copies will be processed.

The identity of the publisher, and the co-authors, remains unknown. Their signature scam is a clear case of fraud, or “passing off,” but is being greeted in publishing circles as an enterprising answer to a problem. And it throws up some long-overdue questions. Such as: Why would you want an author to scribble her name in your book? Does it increase its value? How can best-selling authors sign books for seven hours at a stretch? Why do readers want to meet writers anyway?

Is that wild or what?  Pretty ingenuous though if they can pull it off…but hmmm isn’t that like fraud?  I wonder how many authors would give their right arm to be able to SELL and autograph 65M copies of ONE title! 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Are you an author, what say you-would you be willing to sign any number of books or would you rather hire someone else to do it?  Why or Why not?

Authors, what’s the most books you have signed in one sitting?

Readers, what’s a signed book worth to you? 

Readers, what’s the last author book signing/appearance you attended?

Readers, has the number of appearances decreased, increased or remained the same for you over the last 12 months?  If changed, why?

Readers, would you be willing to autograph 200 books for $25 or about $ 0.13 cents per book?

HOLLA…APOOO wants to hear from you.

Who’s Autographing Your Books? is a post from: APOOO

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Hi – Last night I went to Politics and Prose bookstore to see/hear Annette Gordon-Reed speak about her book – The Hemingses of Monticello. Politics and Prose is an independent bookstore located in a residential neighborhood in Northwest DC. This is outside of the downtown area in a neighborhood between UDC (University of the District of Columbia) and American University where the main street is lined with blocks of art deco apartment building along with small shops. It is a very cosmopolitan area. P&P has been in business for about 25 years and seems to have a loyal following and they try to have an author event every day of the year that they are open except for certain days around holidays. As the name indicates – the events involve both non-fiction and fiction authors and they always have a good turnout for their events.  Last night was no exception and there was a nice size crowd.  Barbara Meade (one of the owners – both are women) provided a wonderful introduction on how she first met Annette. Vernon Jordon who is a frequent visitor to P&P once in one Sunday (escaping from his grandchildren) and mentioned that he would be pursuing the shelves looking for an AA writer who could help him write his memoirs and he came across Annette’s first book on TJ & SH and thought she would do a good job. Barbara then went on to mention how Annette took on the white male establishment when she published her first book.

Her book took on the two most well known prominent Jefferson historians, Dumas Malone and Joseph Ellis, both of which denied that there was a “relationship” between Jefferson and Hemings. Malone died before the first book by Annette but Joseph Ellis did change his mind based on the new facts that brought to the fore front and the DNA testing.  Barbara praised Annette’s scholarship and research.

Notes from Annette Reed-Gordon’ s talk has always been concerned on how history was written; glad to see how history is being re-examined especially this history that concerns black people – starting with Kenneth Stamp found it offensive that Sally Hemings referred to as “slave girl” as if all black women had the same experience in slavery and by using the term “slave girl” that you would understand all there is about SH without research.

Also thought it was very dismissive of historians to say there was “no evidence” regarding the TJ/SH relationship – so she wrote the first book to document the “evidence.”  Felt she was not taking a stand pro or con on the issue but was just dealing with the evidence–history is a brick wall of evidence – built brick by brick!

Always intended to write a biography of TJ and still will it took seven years to write the current book which takes the history of the Hemings up until Jefferson’s death.

Intends to write the second volume to this book and what happened to the Hemings post Jefferson & then will do the Jefferson biography.

This book is about all of the Hemings as it is a story of one slave family but when taking about this book “TJ & SH suck all of the air out of the room.”

The book is divided into three main sections:
First section – Origin – which is about Elizabeth Hemings who lived in Williamsburg in the 1730′s – was 50% white and 50% black.  During this time period it was the greatest influx of blacks in VA.  John Wayles had previously been described as a immigrant who was a lawyer in England but no evidence – went to England and did detailed research and found out that he was a servant boy – lucked up and married in the Epps family (rich prominent VA family).  First part ended with the death of Jefferson’s wife.

Second part is about the years when Jefferson was in Paris and what was happening to the Hemings both abroad & at Monticello.  Spoke about how France did not want blacks or permitted slavery in France – did not mind slavery in their colonies – needed to register any blacks that were in France – could petition the French court to be free – French court always granted permission – there is no record of denial.  Question is why didn’t James and Sally stay – Annette said you need to consider all the relationships the Hemings had with each other not just with Jefferson.

The last part is the return from France until Jefferson’s death.
Then it was time for questions – first question (which Annette said gets asked everytime) – how can you call the TJ/SH a relationship as she was enslaved. Answer was that it was much more complex than what it seemed. Relationship started when in France – 15 yr old girl and older man – this is a dangerous situation even today  – young girl sees the attention and advances of the older man differently. Tthis age difference was not that uncommon at that time; turns out that all of the Hemings married or had relationships with someone as light as they were or white.  So all the evidence points to that Sally would end up with a white man -so why not this white man? Sally was known to be a spoiled brat and there is evidence that Jefferson permitted this behavior. Annette admits that slavery was brutal and there were many encounters where the white man raped/victimized the black woman but does not believe this is the case here.

I enjoyed this event and always enjoy listening to Annette Gordon-Reed. I have much respect for scholarship and research. This event was not recorded by BookTV – I can only imagine that one of her other upcoming appearances will be recorded for BookTV and I will have an opportunity to hear her speak again.

Beverly who will miss these type of events when I move to NC.

APOOO thanks Beverly J. for providing this insightful review of her time spent with Annette Gordon-Reed, author of the Hemingses of Monticello.

The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed is a post from: APOOO

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Harlequin Launches Non-Fiction Imprint

Sex and the City author, Carrie Bradshaw, to write books which will appeal to teens….what teen wouldn’t want to read something like the following…can we say BANNED BOOKS list…LOL.

In it, Carrie describes how in the 11th grade, she shared “half a joint” with a boy called Seth Bateman before getting intimate with him on the ping pong table of his “smelly rec room”.

5 Reasons Why You Don’t Need to Write a Book

J.K. Rowling gives £1 million to Labour–So it’s like that!

What’s Wrong With Bratz–A lot according to parents and educators?

Blurbs Anyone…Are Blurbs Boring and Embarrassing?

Hachette lands Serena book deal

COMING SOON–Tender Secrets by Ann Christopher

RSJ Aspiring Authors Contest

Literary News in Review, APOOO #2 is a post from: APOOO

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Come Join
Anointed Authors on Tour
Shewanda Riley, Tia McCollars,
Kendra Bellamy Norman, Vanessa Miller, Norma Jarrett
Michelle Stimpson and Dr. Vivi Monroe Congress 

Seven award-winning, bestselling authors of Christian fiction and non-fiction publications with a commitment to write and/or publish integrity-based literature, touring as a testament to the power of using gifts and talents for God’s glory. 

Saturday, October 18, 2008
2-6 pm

Sepia Sand and Sable Books
Reisterstown Road Plaza
(across from the Food Court)

Call: 410-318-8698 for details

Anointed Authors on Tour, October 18th, 2008 is a post from: APOOO

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