Keepingitreal

Bio about Executed Texas Inmate Uses Terror, Sadness to Teach Important Lessons

In September 1992 a violent inmate named James Demouchette was executed in Texas for the shooting death of an assistant manager and another man at a Houston pizza restaurant on Oct. 17, 1976. Now in 2009, his youngest brother, Jermnine Demouchette, has released a book that not only chronicles his brother's life but offers hope for young people that might be prone to follow in his violent footsteps. James Demouchette vs. the State of Texas is a revealing look into the mind of a violent man whose reputation in and out of prison earned him the moniker of being "Texas' meanest death row inmate.""There is no question that James was an evil man," says Jermnine. "The account I give in the book attempts to take the reader into the mind of this sociopath, recounting key events in his violent history. There is also a comprehensive section of documents that shed light on his existence in prison."In addition to the 1976 murders, James Demouchette was convicted of fatally stabbing a fellow death row inmate in 1983 and was sentenced to 15 years. According to reports, he was disciplined for beating and raping other inmates, stabbing at least two other offenders, twice set fire to his cell and stabbed two guards searching his cell.To help get the message of the book out to the public, Jermnine Demouchette enlisted the services of publicist Cyrus A. Webb. "I am pleased to help share the message that Jermnine has outlined in his bio about his brother," says Webb,34. "The story is so personal, but I know that there are many people across the country that will be able to relate to some part of it and pick up on the lessons it conveys." (Webb also serves as the Lead Publicist for authors Norma LaVonne Smith "Hope, Change & Obama", Mark Eller "Traitor", T. C. Alexander "Consequences of Adultery", Grandmaster Eric O'Neal "The Legend of Lionman", Sherry Hill "The Marquise Hill Story" as well as t.v. personalities Derrick Hargrove & Nikki Shallwani from MTV's 50 CENT: The Money & The Power, and author/recording artist/actor Tray Chaney from HBO's The Wire. Webb was also the lead publicist for Corey "C-Murder" Miller's book tour DEATH AROUND THE CORNER.) Webb is quick to mention, however, that the book is in no way glorifying the life and actions of James Demouchette. Jermnine explains this way: "The book will show young kids this is not the way you want your life to be, using drugs and hurting people. You will end up in jail are on death row like my brother for the rest of your life. I hope that they will learn from my family's experience, take control of their lives and be productive young men and women." Jermnine Demouchette is also speaking from personal experience. After having his own run-ins with the law he looked at his life and saw that he wanted something better for himself and those around him. He believes that by sharing his story others will be inspired to take a second look at themselves as well. The book can be purchased on Amazon.com or ordered at your local bookstore. Demouchette will join Webb in an event called ART, BOOKS & BEATS at the Comfort Suites Near The Galleria (6221 Richmond Ave. * Houston, TX 77057) on Sat. September 12, 2009 beginning at 2p.m. Admission is free.)

Tameka Foster: Did She Plagiarize or Is She getting played

EXCERPT FROM CLUTCH ONLINE.COM ~ The controversy over whether recording artist Usher’s estranged wife Tameka Foster plagiarized when she wrote an opinion piece for the Huffington Post is symbolic of the squabbles that plague African-Americans in general.

Foster wrote a blog post called “She’s Pretty for a Dark-Skinned Girl” for Hufpo last week that garnered much attention and praise. Not only did the piece show her to be a down-to-earth and strong-minded black woman, but underscored the hurt she has felt as wife to a multi-generational superstar.

But, according to one woman, it exposed Foster to be something else: A thief.

Days after the work was posted, author Aisha Curry who wrote a book called “Pretty for a Black Girl” claimed that Foster’s piece had stolen whole passages from her work. CONTINUE READING...

Listen as Friends, Fans & Fellow Authors Pay Tribute To E. Lynn Harris

On SUNDAY, JULY 26, 2009 @ Conversations LIVE! Radio hosted a special presentation: C. A. Webb Presents "A Tribute To Author E. Lynn Harris". ( Listen to the podcast by visiting http://tobtr.com/s/621800.) Conversations LIVE! Radio took a look at his life as an author and activist with those whom he affected along the way. Among the guests for the hour were bestselling authors Tony Lindsay (CHASIN' IT), DaPharoah69 (seen above with Harris/ THE KING OF EROTICA), Latrese Carter (LIAR, LIAR), N'Tyse (MY SECRETS, YOUR LIES) and James Earl Hardy (B-BOY BLUES). Webb also shares statements by Sherrie Shepherd (co-host of The View), Bestselling authors Marita Golden (IT'S ALL LOVE) and Cheryl Robinson (SWEET GEORGIA BROWN) as well as Patricia D. Woods of Books2Mention Magazine. (see below)

MARITA GOLDEN, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF IT'S ALL LOVE: "I will always remember E. Lynn's generous spirit. He gave of his time, his talent and his treasure in support of emerging writers consistently throughout his life and career, He was a board member of the Hurston/Wright Foundation and was a spirited champion of the work and mission of the foundation in creating opportunities for Black writers. He gave generously to the foundation and created opportunities for others to do the same through parties he hosted. I will miss his sense of humor, his entertaining stories and the inspiring way he lived his life."

SHERRIE SHEPHERD, CO-HOST OF THE VIEW: "I am sad that he (E. Lynn Harris) passed. I wish he and his family peace."

CHERYL ROBINSON, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SWEET GEORGIA BROWN: "I cried when I heard the news and as I am writing my thoughts I am still crying because he was and will continue to be my inspiration. When times got tough in this business, he was one of the authors I looked toward, someone I admired for all that he achieved and all that he gave back. I am deeply saddened by his passing. He will be greatly missed. A man who gave so much to so many, even to those he had never met personally. He made an indelible mark in the literary world by being the first to write about black gay men living an "invisible life". And he did so in a way that not only entertained but also enlightened women to a lifestyle that we knew very little of. E. Lynn Harris opened our eyes and gave us a look inside. He will continue to live on in my heart and my mind and legions of new fans will continue to experience him through the vast body of work that he has left behind. E. Lynn Harris was a truly kind and caring person who made a mark in this world. My prayers are with his family during this difficult time."

PATRICIA D. WOODS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF BOOKS2MENTION MAGAZINE: "My deepest condolences goes out to E. Lynn Harris' family, friends and fans. We have lost a dynamic storyteller who possessed an uncanny ability to craft novels that literally pulled readers into the intriguing world of characters that were interesting and witty, told with humor and candor, seasoned with just the right amount of unexpected twists and turns. Delivered with that sensational style that is without a doubt E. Lynn Harris' exclusive signature.
"The first novel that I read by E. Lynn was Just As I Am. I was so profoundly touched by this body of work that I read the book four times.
"Since then, I have read and made it my business to stay abreast with all of his work. We will indeed all miss him and with out a doubt take comfort from the amazing stories that he crafted, for he has indelibly made a mark in the literary world and in the lives of all who had the opportunity to read, gain knowledge and inspiration through his masterful ability to open our eyes and truly try to see life from a different perspective.
"Thank You E. Lynn Harris for the incredible journey. Rest In Peace."

Conversations LIVE! Radio thanks all of those who joined the discussion via chat and listened online. The impact of E. Lynn Harris will continue to be felt and enjoyed through those he touched with his gift, and the dialogues he encouraged will have a lasting effect on us all.

Missed other discussions on Conversations LIVE! Radio? Visit http://www.conversationsliveradio.com.

R.I.P. Author E. Lynn Harris

Renown author E. Lynn Harris passed away on Friday, July 24, at the age of 54, according to the Arkansas Times.The author’s personal assistant confirmed that his health had declined but would not provide any details as to what caused his death. Clutch would like to send our condolences and prayers to Mr. Harris family and friends.

E. Lynn Harris, the best-selling Arkansas author known for contemporary stories about African-Americans, died today during a West Coast book tour. His personal assistant confirmed an unspecified health event this morning, but said she was awaiting word from the scene before providing specifics.

Arkansas Sports 360 provided the first formal report that Harris had died. The item did not cite a source, but Harris was close to the UA Athletic Department and had worked as coach and sponsor of the cheerleaders. Black Voices later confirmed the report, citing a spokesman for his publisher.

Word of the health event began making the rounds on Twitter earlier in the morning.

Born in Michigan, Harris grew up in Little Rock. He attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where he was the school’s first black cheerleader. He continued to be a diehard Razorback fan. He has taught adjunct courses in the English department, most recently last fall.

His latest book, “Basketball Jones,” is about the gay lover of an NBA star. Says the publicity blurb: “In Basketball Jones, E. Lynn Harris explores the consequences of loving someone who is forced to conform to the rules society demands its public heroes follow. Filled with nonstop twists and turns, it will keep readers riveted from the first page to the last.” According to his website biography, Harris, 54, divides his time between Fayetteville and Atlanta.

We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball

The 2009 Coretta Scott King Author Award
Artist Kadir Nelson received the 2009 Coretta Scott King Author Award for We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, the first book he both wrote and illustrated. (Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group, 2008. ISBN: 9780786808328)

Parties Scheduled Nationwide to Encourage Reading

Parties have been scheduled in Little Rock, Memphis, Miami, Atlanta, Raleigh, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Flint, Chicago, Indianapolis, Louisville, Washington D. C., New York City and Seattle. Each is free and open to the public, however, those who attend are asked to bring a new or gently used book as a donation that will go to either the Read Across America Project, CityKids Foundation, the Common Ground Foundation, Everybody wins, Adele's Literary Library, Reading Tree or a library in need within that particular city. These events are sponsored in part by For The People Productions, Hype Magazine, Industry Standard Magazine, Poetic Monthly and Crunk Magazine. Special guests include Derrick Hargrove and Nikki Shallwani from MTV's 50 CENT: The Money & The Power, New York Times Bestselling author Scott Sigler, author Mark Eller and author Richard Emmell. To find out more about the reading parties, when and where they will be held and the work that The Write Stuff is doing in general, visit http://www.thewritstufftv.com. For more information about the project and how you can get involved, contact Herschel Dixon at 1.502.994.7852 or Cyrus A. Webb at cawebb4@juno.com.

Urban Tale with Sci-Fi Theme Has Strong Safe-Sex Message, But Maintains Page-Turner Luster

Detroit, MI (BlackNews.com) - Many inner-city residents have found a way to duck the cocaine noose of the drug dealer only to be digested by the AIDS epidemic or some other sexually transmitted menace which could have been easily prevented with the use of a latex condom. So, Detroit author, E. Scrill made the warning to use protection prevalent in nearly every chapter of his debut novel, Drug Lords. Scrill uses provocative cover art with plans to lure readers from every genre' to get his message to "strap up!" "Drug Lords is far from your usual stories of guns and dope," says Scrill, who spent a year with rewrites and research with an actual biochemist to make one of the character's struggle to find a cure for the ZGP virus realistic. In the book, the Zestora virus has mutated. The new form, Zestora Gram-Positive (ZGP), is spread by the exchange of bodily fluids. It attacks the central nervous system and allows no one to live more than six months after becoming infected. A cross between New Jack City and Outbreak, the story is centered in Detroit where Mack--the protagonist--learns that most of the street bosses he planned to evict from their thrones had already been sentenced to death by their own promiscuous activities. Frequent funerals and lousy situations involving degenerate thugs with wretched underpinnings deepen Mack's dread for the funky retirement packages the streets issue. As Mack realizes he was brainwashed into the street life like legions of inner-city residents, a young woman steals his heart and shows how he can save the world as he exits the drug game a very rich man. Lester Ricks, a representative of Alliance Book Group says, "Drug Lords was fire! Scrill is trying to take the pen game to a whole new level!" New York based Alliance is one of the companies who have selected the urban publication for distribution. After doing time in a Michigan prison for guns and 20 pounds of green stuff, author E. Scrill received a 2006 parole. He scraped together enough for a 100-book print run, then began selling his debut novel, Drug Lords, in the cash-strapped streets of Detroit. He traded his inked magic for money, and in 2007 founded Street Ink Publications. Drug Lords has finally reached bookstores and is also available on line at www.streetinkbooks.com. His sophomore novel, Children of the Night, will be available winter '09! Street Ink Publications is now reviewing works by other up and coming authors.

A Collection of Letters by Lamar Ariel

Reviewed by Stanley Bennett Clay  -- “I recently met this boy who has officially made me forget that I am bitter, sarcastic, judgmental, and eccentric as hell,” the author accurately self-observes near the end of this funny, poignant, articulate, witty and brutally honest collection of 27 letters based on incidences in his perfectly normal dizzying black gay life, but exaggerated and fictionalized for maximum entertainment value.Both of Mr. Ariel’s barrels are fully loaded with Addison DeWittisms lethal as paper cuts or an arsenal of Dorothy Parker slams, often at his own expense, resulting in a delightfully caustic read; hysterical and humanized by self-deprecation and keen observations of not only the world around him but his deepest thoughts and the bright and dark sides of his heart and soul.He opens his slight but potent collection (113 pages) with a letter to his best friend revealing deftly the all-too-familiar nuances of such an alliance, especially in the black gay world.A lovely letter of gratitude and love to his mother follows, filled with sentiments all mother-loved sons have felt but have rarely been able to articulate on paper as well as this writer does. It is sheer poetry, as poetic as the letter to his father, divorced from his wife, but clearly not divorced from his son. I laughed out loud at Ariel’s poison-pen-damn-you-to-hell-and yo-mamma-for-birthing-you-too tirade when he saw his ex with another man (come on, we’ve all written one, if only in our minds) and the about-face apology missive that follows (been there, done that).Among the many delectable morsels served up by our middle class, well-educated, proudly gay, New York loving-hating narrator is a surreal close-encounter with a fake Prada-wearing she-devil on the crowded A train in the bowels of the city on a hot day when he ain’t feelin’ it and ends up explaining to the men in blue why he went off and got physical with Shaniqua. One of the most touching letters is another A train observation; a homeless black man, invisible to most, becomes fully present when a young white ‘prippy’ engages him in a discussion of James Baldwin’s “Another Country.”And while Ariel’s letter to New York City, a funny-bitter thanks-for-the-memories-but-me-and-my-man-are-about-to-do-the-white-picket-fence-thing-in-North-Carolina, is a bridge-burning denunciation of urban squalor, excess, and stress, and homage to the joys of country living, his letter to Mr. Funeral Director is a piss-elegant drag queen’s list of every filigree indulgence to be served up in honor of his demise.Oh yes, our narrator is one bourgie, label-loving, class-conscious, color-struck bro, but that’s half the fun. There is much to be admired about this author who is willing to let his mind dance so nakedly on the stage of life. The thoughts he has committed to paper (in prose beautifully and artfully composed) feel authentic, paining us with truth at times, causing us to laugh with recognition quite often, and showing us a way to examine what’s really on our minds, as scary as that sometimes might be. And although Mr. Ariel’s non-linear approach renders the ending a bit anti-climatic, even somewhat arbitrary, his collection of autobiographical fiction is as winning and as neat as a very dry martini! A penny for his thoughts? Hardly. Mr. Ariel’s thoughts are worth their weight in gold.

The Write Stuff, MTV reality star Derrick Hargrove in this week's Crunk Newsletter

Monday, March 2, 2009 --- This week's Crunk Magazine Newsletter features Industry News on the historic literary reality show The Write Stuff as well a feature on Derrick Hargrove from the MTV reality show 50 CENT: Crunk Magazine is a proud sponsor of The Write Stuff reality show and will feature the winner in its online and print editions later this year. To read this week's edition of Crunk Newsletter, visit this link: http://magazinecrunk.powweb.com//march/crunk_weekly_march.html

Mark Curry: Bad Boy B.I.

Beef with Bad Boy Entertainment is nothing new in Hip-Hop. From Loon to the L.O.X., to Suge and Shyne Po, various cats have been disgruntled with Diddy’s movements at one point or another over the years.

Mark Curry, however, is a different case. The rapper/producer has written a new book, Dancing With the Devil (NewMark Books), outlining the good, bad and ugly of his eight years on Bad Boy’s roster before leaving in 2005.  Here he shares with AllHipHop.com his thoughts on “superstar A&R’s,” Diddy’s Making the Band franchise and why the pen is much mightier than the sword. AllHipHop.com: Is the Dancing With the Devil a tell-all or a cautionary tale? Mark Curry: It’s not a tell-all; it’s more like a handbook. It’s just the truth. It’s a story about two men and their differences; just that struggle. AllHipHop.com: When you say that struggle do you mean a clash of personalities, a difference of ethics or both?

Mark Curry: Both. It comes down to right and wrong. There’s a fine line between heaven and hell and that’s why the book is entitled Dancing with the Devil. It’s not a pretty picture but it takes a strong person to survive. The book is inspirational to youth as well. I lost a lot of things chasing a dream. If I could go back and put the dream aside, I’d spend more time with my mother, my family, just real life instead of on the road. CONTINUE READING...

Supercapitalism: The Transformation of Business, Democracy and Everyday Life

Power and influence in the United States are concentrated in three major sectors—government, corporations, and Wall St.  African-Americans have been successful at using one of them—government—in our struggle for full participation in this society. But if Robert Reich is right, the power sector we’ve been leaning on is the wrong one for the 21st century. Reich is a professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley, and served as Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration.  In his new book, “Supercapitalism:  The Transformation of Business, Democracy and Everyday Life” (New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 2007), he argues that the forces of capitalism—corporations and Wall St.—are overwhelming the forces of democracy—government, labor unions, and grassroots political organizations—to the detriment of the common good.  It’s a compelling argument.  And it does not augur well for African-Americans. Reich defines Supercapitalism as a dramatic shift in the U. S. and world economies to a ruthlessly competitive market system, in which consumers and investors have been big winners. “Meanwhile,” he argues, “the democratic aspects of capitalism have declined.  The institutions that undertook formal and informal negotiations to spread the wealth, stabilize jobs and communities, and establish equitable rules of the game—giant oligopolies, large labor unions, regulatory agencies, and legislatures responsive to local communities—have been eclipsed.  Corporations now have little choice but to relentlessly pursue profits…Democratic capitalism has been replaced by Supercapitalism.” Reich traces the dawn of the era of Supercapitalism to the1970s, when deregulation, the advent of global supply chains, and the migration of powerful new technologies such as semiconductors, fiber optics, and the Internet from the laboratories of the Pentagon to the world of business sent the U. S. and world economies soaring.  Following the deregulation of the U. S. financial industry in the mid-70s, Reich argues, Wall St. became extremely effective at aggregating the power of investors to force corporate executives to maximize the market value of their companies.  If they failed to do that, he says, capital moved quickly and efficiently to more profitable companies, with dire consequences for the laggards.  The power of consumers was aggregated in much the same way. As investors, we like high returns in our pension plans, mutual funds and 401ks.  And as consumers, we’ve come to expect great products at bargain prices, with high-quality customer service available at the touch of a telephone or computer keypad. But the consequences of Supercapitalism are not so benign for us as citizens, according to Reich.  Wal-Mart can’t offer the bargains we find on its shelves without keeping its employees’ wages low and cutting their benefits to the bone.  Energy companies can’t heat our homes and power our cars at today’s price levels without polluting the environment and producing global warming.  Corporations can’t maximize profits without compensation practices that create a level of income inequality we’ve never seen before in the history of this country. Reich sees the problem as an imbalance in the widely differing efficacies of capitalism and democracy in performing their separate and often conflicting jobs.  Capitalism’s job, he says, is straightforward—to grow the economic pie.  And, he argues, corporations and Wall St. are performing that job superbly.  Democracy’s job is much more complicated:  determining how the slices of the pie should be divided up, and setting the rules under which capitalism operates.  The institutions of democracy, he argues, are failing in their performance of those tasks. So what of African-Americans?  Does Supercapitalism affect us any differently than it affects other Americans? SOURCE:EBONYJET.COM

San Francisco Prepares For Role In The Nationwide Search For The Next Bestselling Author

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

San Francisco, CA Prepares For Role In The Nationwide Search For The Next Bestselling Author 

(Sunday, February 22, 2009) There is something new coming to television this summer, and it is just "write" for those who are looking for a show that is entertaining, educational and inspiring. It it called The Write Stuff. Hosted by Conversations Book Club President Cyrus A. Webb, the show is designed to encourage and promote literacy as well as give opportunities to those desiring to see their words in print. Airing throughout the country primarily on the CW Network to over 20 million households beginning in June 2009, "The Write Stuff" will put those who believe they have what it takes to make it in the industry to the test. At stake for the winner is a prize that has never been offered on television before: a one-book deal provided by Hollygrove Publishing complete with a marketing plan designed especially for the winner by a New York Times Bestselling author and a two-year contract with a publicity team. In all, over $15,000 in prizes will be presented, equipping them with everything they need in order to make their written work a success. Over 14 weeks the contestants will be put to the test in challenges designed to highlight what it takes to make it in the publishing business, and one by one they will be eliminated until only the strongest is left standing, proving they have The Write Stuff. The judges will include some of the most influential names in the industry as well as those who are up-and-coming in the business. San Francisco, CA will be involved in the process with auditions scheduled for Sunday, February 22, 2009. It will be held at San Francisco Marriott (55 Fourth St. * San Francisco, CA 94103) from 2-6p.m. Judges include authors M. G. Hardie, Bruce Williams and guest judges New York Times Bestselling author J. L. King and Jeff Rivera. At 7p.m. King will offer a writers' workshop that is open to the public and held in the same location.

Admission to both events is free. Those who are interested in auditioning should bring five copies of an essay (no more than 500 words) that tells the judges about who they are and why they feel as though they have The Write Stuff. They will be reading this to the panel. Promotional material is also okay, including any published work they may have. They are also encouraged to visit http://www.thewritestufftv.com in order to be best prepared and find out what is expected.

 

For more information about The Write Stuff, visit http://www.thewritestufftv.com. For more information call M. G. Hardie at (562) 499-9939. You may also contact Cyrus A. Webb via email at cawebb4@juno.com or at 1.601.896.5616. 

PUSH: THE NOVEL

 "Don't nobody want me. Don't nobody need me. I know who I am...ugly black grease to be wipe away, punish, kilt, changed, finded a job for"[p. 33]. This is the voice of Precious Jones, a viciously abused Harlem girl. At sixteen, Precious is pregnant-for the second time-with her own father's child, and regularly beaten and ordered around by her jealous, reclusive mother. Though she sits dutifully in class every day-"I always did like school, jus' seem school never did like me"[p. 38]-she has remained completely illiterate. Her life seems set to repeat the self-destructive pattern of her mother's, until her principal sends her to an alternative reading class where, with the help of a dedicated teacher and fellow students who have undergone experiences as harrowing as her own, she begins an intoxicating discovery of words, friendship, and, in the process, herself. Precious's voice-stark and crude yet filled with raw intelligence and even humor-demands to be heard and, once heard, will prove unforgettable. The bestselling novel Push -- about an overweight, HIV-positive Harlem girl who's pregnant as the result of incest has been made into a film and received a couple of awards this year at Sundance. The independent production, directed by Lee Daniels whose recent film Shadowboxer was his directorial debut. Before that, he was producer on heavy fare like Monster's Ball and The Woodsman. The book was written by Ramona Lofton under the pseudonym Sapphire and was published in 1996. It tells of an African-American teen named Clareece "Precious" Jones whose miserable life starts to look up when a teacher takes an interest in her. Paula Patton (Idlewild, Deja Vu) will play the teacher; a newcomer named Gabourey Sidibe -- who auditioned among 300 other girls -- will play Precious. Mo'nique plays her wretched mother, and Lenny Kravitz plays a kindly nurse who helps Precious, even Mariah Carey has a role in the film.

Basketball Jones by E.Lynn Harris

E. Lynn Harris has wowed and seduced more than three million readers with the wicked drama and undeniable heart in his novels. Now he’s back with another winner sure to top the bestseller lists—a rip-roaring tale of sex, secrets, betrayal . . and blackmail. Aldridge James “AJ” Richardson is living the good life. He has a gorgeous town house in always-flavorful New Orleans, plenty of frequent-flier miles from jet-setting around the country on a whim, and an MBA—but he’s never had to work a regular job. He owes it all to his longtime lover, Dray Jones. Dray Jones the rich and famous NBA star. They fell in love in college when AJ was hired to tutor Dray, a freshman on the basketball team. But Dray knew if he wanted to make it to the big time, he must juggle his public image and his private desires. Built on a deep, abiding love, their hidden relationship sustains them both, but when Dray’s teammates begin to ask insinuating questions about AJ, Dray puts their doubts to rest by marrying Judi, a beautiful and ambitious woman. Judi knows nothing about Dray’s “other life.” Or does she? In Basketball Jones, E. Lynn Harris explores the consequences of loving someone who is forced to conform to the rules society demands its public heroes follow. Filled with nonstop twists and turns, it will keep readers riveted from the first page to the last.AJ Richardson, the hero of Harris's raucous latest, has been the secret boyfriend of NBA star Drayton Jones for seven years. AJ is only too happy to keep their relationship under wraps-after all, with European trips and spending sprees financed by Dray, what's there to complain about? But when gold-digger Judi Ledbetter nets Dray and his fat wallet, things get tricky. Soon, they're married, Judi gets pregnant, and she's gunning to drive AJ out of Dray's life permanently. Blackmail, intrigue and double-crosses round out this fun little romp. (Jan.)

The 10 Best Black Books of 2008 (Non-Fiction)

1. Hope on a Tightrope: Words & Wisdom
By Cornel West
Hope on a Tightrope earns the No. 1 spot at the dawn of the new political era of Barack Obama. Why? Because in spite of the uncritical euphoria surrounding Obama’s historic accomplishment, Dr. West has the guts to call attention to the pressing plight of the least of his brethren even before the President-elect has had a chance to take office.
Plus, the iconoclastic author, in urging the incoming administration to address the concerns of the poor and underprivileged, cleverly invokes “the fierce urgency of now,” the same phrase coined by Dr. Martin Luther King and appropriated by Obama as his campaign theme. Props to professor West for such a passionate reminder that the struggle for equality couldn’t possibly end automatically with the ascension of a Black man to the nation’s highest office.

2. Faith under Fire: A Memoir
By LaJoyce Brookshire
Everybody is aware of the devastating toll the escalating AIDS rate has been taking on the Black community. For this reason, inner city schools all over the country ought to consider adding this memoir to their curriculum as a precautionary measure. The book revolves around author LaJoyce Brookshire’s relationship with a duplicitous brother on the down low, who callously put his monogamous wife’s life at risk. Only well into their marriage did a bell go off in her head, but by then he already had full-blown AIDS and she was left in shock by the carousing, carelessness and sexual preferences of a partner she incorrectly assumed to be a straight, faithful spouse. Not exactly anybody’s idea of a fairy tale romance, but a wake-up call to sisters who can’t be too careful, given the rampant spread of AIDS by convicts, intravenous drug users and brothers simply too afraid to admit they’re gay or bisexual.

3. Standing Tall: A Memoir of Tragedy and Triumph
By C. Vivian Stringer
When Don Imus referred to the young women on the Rutgers University Basketball Team as “nappy headed-hos” a year ago, it deeply affected their coach Vivian Stringer, who “couldn’t shake the feeling that I had fallen down in my responsibility to protect these girls.” What almost nobody knew is that Vivian was recovering from breast cancer at the time Imus’ indefensible remarks thrust her into the national limelight and that her mother suffered a stroke right in the middle of the controversy.So, Stringer never let on that she was going through chemo and caring for her seriously ill mom while handling the crisis with the utmost poise and dignity. Poignantly written without a whit of bitterness, {Standing Tall} is as moving a memoir as I ever remember reading. The tears started flowing from the first page and didn’t stop till I finished the book.


4. Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting
By Terrie M. Williams
Social Worker Terrie Williams is most persuasive here, making the argument that life is hard in the ‘hood, that people are suffering from depression as a consequence and that the time has arrived to remove the stigma in the community still attached to seeking out psychological help. A convincing call for African Americans to trade in their self-defeating stoicism for some long-overdue mental health treatment.

5. Don't Blame It on Rio
By Jewel Woods and Karen Hunter
Did you know that Brazil has become the favorite vacation destination of a rapidly increasing number of professional African-American males? Are Black women even necessary any longer? Perhaps not, according to Jewel Woods and Pulitzer Prize-winner Karen Hunter, co-authors of this eye-opening expose’ which blows the cover off the clandestine sex trade currently flourishing in Rio.The city is apparently a popular port of call with bourgie brothers from the U.S. due to the easy availability of local women who don’t have the attitude or emotional baggage they generally find attached to sisters back home. A rather revealing look at a disturbing cultural trend.


6. Be a Father to Your Child
By April R. Silver
How do African-American males feel about fatherhood nowadays? Here’s a hint: Between 70 percent and 85 percent of Black kids are now being raised by single moms. The popular notion is that misogynistic “gangsta’” rap might have formed men generally unwilling to shoulder their fair share of the burden when it comes to parenting.But before you jump to conclusions, you might want to read this collection of empowering essays by Black men of the hip-hop generation who have not abandoned their children. For this uplifting tome, which includes contributions by rapper Talib Kweli, writer Bakari Kitwana and filmmaker Byron Hunt, offers a heartening mix of poetry, prose and pictures designed to reassure skeptics about the prospects of the Black family.


7. The Naked Truth: Young Beautiful and (HIV) Positive
By Marvelyn Brown
This bittersweet biography chronicles the author’s evolution from being diagnosed HIV positive to feeling desperate, frightened and abandoned to blossoming into a fearless AIDS activist. Now 24, this brave young lady deserves considerable credit for going public and thus putting a face on a still generally hidden and denied disease at a time when African Americans account for the majority of new infections in the United States.


8. The Race Card: How Bluffing About Bias Makes Race Relations Worse
By Richard Thompson Ford
Was it fair for Michael Jackson to turn himself White only to reclaim his Blackness when he wanted to sue his record company? According to Richard Thompson Ford, many well-off African Americans are more than willing to make inappropriate accusations of prejudice for purely selfish reasons.The author concludes that such opportunists who resort to the tactic of playing the race card “are the enemies of truth, social harmony, and social justice.” His solution? “For all decent and honest people” to join in condemning any such perpetrators. Certainly, food for thought in what has recently been dubbed “post-racial” America.


9. Letters to a Young Sister: Define Your Destiny
By Hill Harper

Actor Hill Harper received nothing but positive feedback a couple of years ago upon the release of {Letters to a Young Brother,} his inspirational how-to book for African-American males. Its uplifting message emphasized the value of a good education over the accumulation of material possessions while also stressing the importance of being the architect of your own life.So, it is only fitting that he would choose to write a companion text for Black females with the help such luminaries as Michelle Obama, Angela Bassett, Ruby Dee, Nikki Giovanni and Sanaa Lathan. This invaluable tome addresses a litany of concerns occupying the inquiring minds of impressionable girls still in their formative years. Overall, an uplifting collection of sage insights aimed at instilling self-confidence, self-respect and self-reliance.


10. Sweet Release: The Last Step to Black Freedom
By Dr. James Davison Jr.
Is it detrimental for African Americans to continue to think of their struggle for advancement as a collective as opposed to a solitary enterprise? This is the controversial contention put forward by Dr. Davison, a psychologist in private practice in California. He believes that those Black folks still viewing reality through a pre-civil rights era prism are only standing in the way of their own freedom. According to the author, the key rests in African Americans breaking the psychological bonds to their racial past by asserting their individuality, a step which he claims “has little to do with racism, prejudice, or discrimination.” A bitter pill to swallow, but so shockingly confrontational that its prescription for Black sanity is a must read, despite the doctor’s apparent right-wing political allegiances.

THE COMPLETE QUINCY JONES: My Journeys & Passions

Coming seven years after his bestselling autobiography Q (Doubleday), The Complete Quincy Jones is a stunning visual feast seasoned with just enough text to serve up the next sumptuous spread. At first glance 142 pages might not seem near enough space to do justice to the dude who rose up from the streets of Seattle and Chicago, joined Lionel Hampton’s band as a teenager, collaborated with Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Dinah Washington, and Ray Charles, conducted and arranged for Count Basie and Frank Sinatra, scored 36 films including 1967’s In Cold Blood and 1985’s The Color Purple, wrote the theme to Sanford & Son, produced the biggest-selling album of all time, Michael Jackson’s Thriller (Epic, 1982—act like ya know!), as well as a little single called “We Are The World” (Columbia, 1985), launched Will Smith’s acting career, collected more Grammy nominations (79) and awards (27) than any other human being, battled brain cancer (twice), raised seven children, devoted himself to humanitarian causes, and, incidentally, founded VIBE. But like one of those clown cars in the circus, The Complete Quincy Jones squeezes an impossible amount of material in between its covers. This phenomenal volume—produced by California-based Insight Editions—is jam-packed with fold-out facsimiles of memorabilia, allowing readers to hold in their own hands Quincy’s family photo album, or his 1951 music school report card, or his annotated vocal arrangement for “We Are The World,” or his autographed roster from the Presidential Delegation to the Inauguration of Nelson Mandela.

Open your eyes

The problem with you is that you cannot see; All the things that put value in me.
Your eyes are close to all these wondrous gifts, too consumed with all life ifs.
If I am yours, if I am not, If I am loyal, if I am hot. If I’ll be true or abandon you.
If we can make it work or if you I’ll hurt.
The problem with you is that you don’t know a good thing.
Treat me like a peasant when I am a king.
How I want to hold you in younger years and hold on to you in laughter and tears.
The problem is your heart is hurt and can only be healed with something not from this earth.
I want you to know I am heaven, pleasure, success and love.
I am not earthly I am from up above.
I want be your shade when heat makes you almost done.
I want to be that thing that shields you from the sun.
Because I know that our earthly years has a number
I want to share all my seasons with you winter, spring, fall and summers.
My soul is intoned to the ticking of time's clock.
With you I want to build a future with love as our primary blocks.
I can be all you need me be.
I can be humble, aggressive, passive and sexy.
I am love, hope, peace and rest.
I am that place where there is no stress.
The problem with you is that you cannot see all life’s wonders inside of me.
Open your eyes

Conversations Book Club

The book PRINCE AMONG SLAVES has been chosen as Conversations Book of the Month for November 2008, with all of its chapters in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee reading and discussing it. It is hoped that other book clubs across the country will do so as well. Webb will moderate discussions in Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee and Georgia.

 Listen to Conversations' interview with the author Terry Alford here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/conversationslive/2008/10/07/Conversations-LIVE-talks-with-author-Terry-AlfordListen to Conversations' interview with the Emmy-awardwinning Director/Writer/Producer Andrea Kalin here:

 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/conversationslive/2008/10/29/Producer-Andrea-Kalin-talks-with-Conversations-LIVE-about-SLAVES

Book Review: Bonds That Seem Cruel Can Be Kind

By MICHIKO KAKUTANI -- A horrifying act stood at the center of Toni Morrison’s 1987 masterwork, “Beloved”: a runaway slave, caught in her effort to escape, cuts the throat of her baby daughter with a handsaw, determined to spare the girl the fate she herself has suffered as a slave. A similarly indelible act stands at the center of Ms. Morrison’s remarkable new novella, “A Mercy,” a small, plangent gem of a story that is, at once, a kind of prelude to “Beloved” and a variation on that earlier book’s exploration of the personal costs of slavery — a system that moves men and women and children around “like checkers” and casts a looming shadow over both parental and romantic love. Set some 200 years before “Beloved,” “A Mercy” conjures up the beautiful, untamed, lawless world that was America in the 17th century with the same sort of lyrical, verdant prose that distinguished that earlier novel. Gone are the didactic language and schematic architecture that hobbled the author’s 1998 novel, “Paradise”; gone are the cartoonish characters that marred her 2003 novel, “Love.” Instead Ms. Morrison has rediscovered an urgent, poetic voice that enables her to move back and forth with immediacy and ease between the worlds of history and myth, between ordinary daily life and the realm of fable. All the central characters in this story are orphans, cast off by their parents or swept away from their families by acts of God or nature or human cruelty — literal or figurative exiles susceptible to the centrifugal forces of history. There is Jacob, an Anglo-Dutch trader, whose memories of his own parentless years on the streets “stealing food and cadging gratuities for errands” have left him with a “pulse of pity for orphans and strays.” There is his wife, Rebekka, who as a girl of 16 was sent abroad to America by her father, who, happy to have one less mouth to feed, readily accepted Jacob’s offer of “ ‘reimbursement’ for clothing, expenses and a few supplies” in exchange for a “healthy, chaste wife willing to travel abroad.” And there is Florens, whose mother sees the kindness in Jacob’s heart and begs him to take her young daughter (as payment for a debt owed by their domineering owner) in the hopes that the trader will give her a better life and the possibility of a future as a free woman, not a slave.But what is “a mercy” to Florens’s mother is experienced by the girl as an act of abandonment, and it will leave her with a hole in her heart and an abiding need for love and approval. For a time Florens finds a sense of belonging on Jacob’s farm — the illusion, even, of family. Jacob is often away from home doing business, and Rebekka and Lina, the American Indian slave who helped Jacob get the farm started, find the daily hardships of frontier life bringing them together in an alliance of survival that slowly turns into friendship. CONTINUE READING...

MAYA ANGELOU: A GLORIOUS CELEBRATION

She is 1/3 of the writing team that brought us one of the most powerful biographies of our time: MAYA ANGELOU: A GLORIOUS CELEBRATION. Marcia Ann Gillespie talks about the treasure that is Dr. Angelou, how the book came about and why in a year of history-making events this is one book all of us should own. JOIN THE ADDICTION: Get hooked on books! http://www.thebestbookclub.info 

Missed our exclusive interview with Maya Angelou's niece, Rosa Johson-Butler? Listen to it here!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/conversationslive/2008/10/16/Author-Rosa-Johnson-Butler-talks-with-Conversations-LIVE MAYA ANGELOU: A GLORIOUS CELEBRATION is one of Conversations' picks for Best 100 Books of 2008. The total list will be released on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 and appear in Conversations Magazine.