Black People : African American's writing

MsDLite

Well-Known Member
REGISTERED MEMBER
Jan 29, 2001
457
0
Cottage on the Hill
Occupation
Working
Destee...I wanted to share some information as it regards to your first post, which introduced this area.

Recently I was interviewed by an Arlington newspaper concerning African American literature and book club. One question stood out. She the reporter asked if I thought this "explosion" in African American writers was a fad or another renaissance? I hesitated before answering, because I know how I feel about the new authors on the scene.

I confidently told her that I feel this is not a fad, renaissance, I can agree with. Many African Americans are finding ways around publishing their books than waiting countless years, after tons of rejections letter, to get a major publishing house to pick them up.

With the money being made amidst the great books that are being published, you know the major publishing houses are taking notice (now). But, not as they should (yes, racism is alive an well in the publishing world). Major publishing house have now created these "sister-companies" in which they appoint African American heads, which in turn recruit/sign African Americans. This can be seen as both positive and negative for African American writer.

With the advent of self-publishing (self-printing) and e-publishing, MANY writers are making their way onto the literary stage. This is great because we are then not limited to the mainstream authors at the forefront now (eg. Terry McMillian, Eric Jerome Dickey, E. Lynn Harris). I am not saying that these are not great writers...yet, they were once unknowns and self-published as well. I remember meeting E. Lynn Harris in Houston when as a self-published he was pitching his first book, Invisiable Life, to a crowd of 10 readers! I am a BIG supporter of self-published authors.

There are many great authors in various literary genre out there who are just reaching the surface (and getting book deals). To name a few and put in my plug for them:

Bernadette Connor (Damaged!)
J.D. Mason (On the 8th Day She Rested)
Tony Lindsay (One Dead Preacher)
Toni Odom (Sistahs 'N Sistahood)
Victor McGlothin (Autumn Leaves: Love So Deep)--just got a contract deal
L.B. Ransom (LinkAge)
Wanda Moorman (In His Ex-Wife's Shadow)
Fredrick Cooper (Six Days In January)
Delores Thornton (Ida Mae and Babe)
ConSandra Jones (A Journey Back to Me)
Norma Jarrett (Sunday Brunch)
Troy Martin (Dazed and Confused)
Alice Holman (Last Days Murder List)
Mary B. Morrison (Soul Mates Dissipate) --picked up last year
Michael Baisden (3 books to his name)...who got picked up last year by a major
...my list could go on....

There are authors who choose not to go the route of self-publishing and wait for a major publishing house. At a book signing with Bernice McFadden, she stated this, and therefore Sugar, her first book was published by a major house as well as her second book, The Warmest December.

I think your ability to persevere and have the right agent will help you get the major houses. But, do not let anything stop your dream of having your book published if no one picks you up. There are also small presses out there that are willing to publish works as well...like Highbridge Press (Alice Holman's publisher) and Black Words (Tony Lindsay's publisher).

If writing a book is a life long dream and goal, then I will say it is not going to be easy. I work with many authors and receive many books weekly from new and unknown authors trying to get their books reviewed and pass the word around about the book. "You have to be prepared to market and promote not only your book, but yourself", a tip from Bernadette Connor as she visited with me last summer. "You will never know if you can do it (publish) if you don't get out there and just do it", says author and good friend, J.D. Mason.

Line up your resources and plan your strategy...for the reward will be wonderful in the end!

I will try to have some resources posted soon. Stay tune. You can browse my book club's website just to get a feel for the self-published authors out there and see their titles. This is still not representative of many of the books I still have to post to the site. Beginning next month, I will interview authors I have received books from. Although this is a women's book club site, the information about authors and what they will say in interviews is not gender specific.

My site is gender friendly. :)
The Sistah Circle Book Club


(Hope this helps some, Destee.)

...trying to help...
 
Thank You MsDLite

Thank you MsDLite,

Your comments are both informative and encouraging. Please feel free to use this discussion forum, the chat room and any of the resources available on destee.com to help promote the authors you are familiar with. The Internet has certainly changed the landscape, allowing us to come together where physical boundaries prevented us from doing so. We are now able to encourage and support each other's endeavors regardless of where we live. This is wonderful. As a web site developer, much of my work revolves around helping my clients market their business ventures. I've found that it's not only my clients, but all of us, that can benefit from this technology. We just needed a place to do it. This is the place. This forum is all about promoting us. Use it to its fullest capacity.

For several years I hosted a chat in the Black Voices Forum on AOL. We often had "Book Chats" where authors attended, promoting their books. They usually provided a few free books to be given away as prizes to those that attended the chat (you know we like free stuff :)). This helped insure a sizable crowd. Please, if you know of any authors that would be interested in doing this, it would be my pleasure to do all that I can to make it a success. Of course it can be held right here in our own chat room.

Again, it's a new day, the barriers are not what they used to be and it's up to us to take advantage of this moment. I consider it a blessing to be living in this day. God is Good.

In regard to my own book, I can't imagine finding the time with so many irons already in the fire. But who knows, I may get a rich husband, never have to work again and have nothing to do but write. :wink:

I look forward to your continued contributions to this forum. You have most certainly helped, and I thank you.

Much Love MsDLite,

Destee
 
Some people like emotions, many love the mental, others reason physical, the deeper grasps the soul while the spiritual accepts how the all goes and that's the way things work. When I write...I write to the ones who be feeling certain types of ways from adult times, higher consciousness, scholastic, poetry, playwrights, jokes, health and medical reasoning, a person experienced to the soul providing constant communication until i'm about low then i step off to recharge. I don't consider myself African-American but rather the unknown though I know myself to be no-thing while sleep and awake. Names are for identification purposes and so are numbers to include gambling your riches away. I write as soul from the spirit of sol composed as a self-expressionist. So my writing often conflicts with others to the extremes and I recognize it though I cannot help perception and see through aspects as objectively by musing intelligently wisely. If I see another author title...without reading their thought pattern, not being shallow, but I provide a perception or many different ones. It is hard to explain how to muse and use powers given to all though I seem to use mine in my own way. African americans' writing can be filled up to the point of no return as we have alot to talk about and through writing then corresponding to the titles or read ideals by writing is another alternative investment you cannot beat hard enough. Scientifically, if you occupy space as a value then it is held down and not crossing it up with greed and gluttony but not enough of the readers are seeing anything of any aspect of African americans' writing due to lack of concentration, not span of attention, not worried about the young ones coming up enough, most have no self-confidence and sum rather give out excuses why they will not just to complain about others' words of theories and such but you ain't putting nothing to combat or shield your so called pride of a nation. Please...you just as much as sell out and hypocrite walking often talking out the side of neck wanting respect but earned none. Go be a righteous one and give power back to the future generations by being true to yourself as staying true to the game...but you don't hear me though. And you can't teach ole dummy new tricks cause they don't care often interested information technology but the original people cannot even use they brains to control it. They can't even stick together and move one way without going backwards...not a diss or anything but the truth hurts and will set you free from the prison of hell within yourself steadily burning away lost in your own blame pointing the fingers but one thumb aiming back showing you who is sincerely true to the game. Write to your children cause i have a story called "Tutu Ihy Shayheh: The Rose of a Lifetime"; it is a children story for ages appropriate but not too baby down for an adult to read, you what i'm saying? Then after that it is "Bastet Heket Shayheh: The Sea Lotus of Fire" which is another children's story...just stay down by paying your dues and your dues will pay you back. Keep your people going by playing your part however it comes as one journey walking is how i walk like Nehebu-Kau. Peace.

(Diary of a Black Man: Just An Illusion) Copyright 2014
 

Donate

Support destee.com, the oldest, most respectful, online black community in the world - PayPal or CashApp

Latest profile posts

HODEE wrote on Etophil's profile.
Welcome to Destee
@Etophil
Destee wrote on SleezyBigSlim's profile.
Hi @SleezyBigSlim ... Welcome Welcome Welcome ... :flowers: ... please make yourself at home ... :swings:
Back
Top