National Black Book Festival NEWS November 2011 Edition

Plans for the 2012 National Black Book Festival are well under way and we are anticipating a grand celebration for our 5th anniversary year. If you're an author considering purchasing an author table at the 2012 National Black Book Festival, you'll want to hear from some veteran authors who have participated in three or more NBBF events. Karen C. Brown, Brian W. Smith and Avery Washington have been on board since year #2 (2009) and keep coming back again and again.

"I attended the NBBF for the first time in 2009, while I was finishing up my first novel, If the Tree Could Talk, Oh What Stories It WouldTell," says Karen. "I was impressed by all the activity going on throughout the event. Meeting and talking with authors I admired, gave me the inspiration I needed to continue my quest to become a published author and I promised myself that I would have an author’s table the following year and I did."

"It has been an awesome experience to participate in the NBBF for the past three years," Karen adds, "and with each experience I learn something new, which helps me to become an better writer and successful business owner. Gwen and Willie Richardson of Cushcity.com, who sponsor the yearly event have had great success with this festival and I look forward to future events, meeting people and connecting with other authors. It’s priceless!"

Karen is a native of Louisiana and a graduate of Grambling State University with a B.A. degree in Social Work. She loves to read and is co-founder of Sisters Sippin’ Tea Literary Book Club, Houston, TX Chapter. Karen is the author of If the Tree Could Talk, Oh What Stories It Would Tell, Waiting (due spring of 2012), and is finishing up her third book, which is a romance novel.

"I first started attending the National Black Book Festival in 2009 because of several reasons," says Brian. "One, Cushcity [the Festival sponsoring company] has a good reputation and I knew that anything they were affiliated with would be very professional. Two, the city of Houston has a large African-American population. I knew that there would be a good reader turnout. And third, the price of the tables were affordable; coupled with the reader turnout, there was room for me to make a profit."

"I sold one hundred books in 2009 (in one day, during a seven-hour period)," adds Brian. "That made me sign up for 2010. In 2010, I sold one hundred books in six hours - after that I was hooked."

"In an era where readers are becoming more and more finicky. Authors need to seek the biggest bang for their buck. The National Black Book Festival gives self-published/debut novelist a fighting chance to earn back their travel expenses, establish a rapport with book clubs, and network with other authors."

Brian W. Smith is the best selling author of several novels (DEADBEAT, BEATER, Nina's Got a Secret, and Mama's Lies - Daddy's Pain). His next novel, If These Trees Could Talk will be released in December 2011. Brian's website: www.hollygrovepublishing.com. He can be reached on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HollygrovePublishing

Avery Washington has been a part of the National Black Book Festival for the past three years and enjoys the opportunities of networking, building relationships and increasing his fan base for his writings of inspiration. "I am very thankful to Willie and Gwen Richardson for creating a very informative platform which supports literacy in our communities, educates inspiring writers to become published authors and also the teaching of the use of social media for marketing has been huge at the book festival," says Avery. "The National Black Book Festival continues to help in the growth and maturation of many of the great authors of today and we look forward to attending the 5th year anniversary of the festival in 2012."

Avery is among the most respected contemporary poets, and his latest book, Letters To My Daughters: Poetic Affirmations of Love From A Father, has been touching the lives of many women of all ages with powerful words which are endearing, loving, inspirational and so much more. He speaks of the love he has for his daughters by sharing poetic stories of encouragement, love, faith, self-esteem and more to which all daughters can relate. A must read for everyone!

His first book, Just Speaking My Mind: Spoken Word Poetry Vol. 1, is a very heartfelt and thought provoking read which displays the many thoughts of a positive black male. Avery speaks on faith, love, politics, history and other subjects many of us would love to speak on, but are afraid to do so.

In case you missed this exciting news from previous editions of NBBF News, we have made a few additions to our roster of featured authors.

WALTER MOSLEY is confirmed to be in the house in 2012. One of America’s most

celebrated and best known writers. Mosley has written over thirty-four books, which have been translated into more than twenty languages.

Mosley attended Goddard College and Johnson State College, and he became a computer programmer before publishing his first novel, Devil in a Blue Dress (1990; film 1995). Set in 1948, the novel introduces Ezekiel (“Easy”) Rawlins, an unwilling amateur detective from the Watts section of Los Angeles. It presents period issues of race relations and mores as the unemployed Rawlins is hired to find a white woman who frequents jazz clubs in black districts.

In all his Easy Rawlins novels, Mosley used period detail and slang to create authentic settings and characters, especially the earnest, complex main character, who continually is faced with personal, social, and moral dilemmas. In A Red Death (1991), set during the McCarthy era, Rawlins is blackmailed by the FBI into spying on a labour union organizer. In White Butterfly (1992) the police call on Rawlins to help investigate the vicious murders of four young women—three black and one white. Other novels featuring Rawlins include Black Betty (1994) and A Little Yellow Dog (1996). For the publication of Gone Fishin' (1997), a prequel to Devil in a Blue Dress, Mosley chose a small independent black publisher, Black Classic Press, over his longtime publisher W.W. Norton. The series continued with Bad Boy Brawly Brown (2002), Little Scarlet (2004), Cinnamon Kiss (2005), and Blonde Faith (2007). We are thrilled about having Mosley next year.

But there's more exciting news! For our ladies only Friday Night Slumber Party we'll have three romance icons:
FRANCIS RAY, KAYLA PERRIN AND ROCHELLE ALERS

Francis Ray is the bestselling author of more than 30 romance novels, including Undeniable and Twice the Temptation. In 2012, she will have a combined total of five new novels released on the Kensington and Harlequin labels. Francis is a native Texan and lives in Dallas. A graduate of Texas Woman’s University, she is a School Nurse Practitioner with the Dallas Independent School District. In 1999 and 2000 she was nominated for Texas Woman’s University Distinguished Alumni Award. She was honored to give the 2010 winter commencement address.

Ms. Ray’s titles consistently make bestseller’s lists such as Blackboard and Essence Magazine. INCOGNITO, her sixth title, was the first made-for-TV movie for BET. She has written forty-three titles to date. Awards include Romantic Times Career Achievement, EMMA, The Golden Pen, The Atlantic Choice, and Borders 2008 Romance Award for Bestselling Multicultural Romance. IF YOU WERE MY MAN was selected as Written magazine Book of the Year.

Kayla Perrin is the bestselling author of more than 40 titles, including romance and mainstream fiction. Kayla’s novels have received plenty of accolades and awards. She has twice had books voted onto Romance Writers of America’s Top Ten Favorite Books of the Year list, nabbing the number 2 spot for her 2002 Avon release Say You Need Me. She has also been the recipient of a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times magazine for multicultural romance in 2002. In 2001, she received an Arts Acclaim Award for her writing from the city of Brampton, Ontario. Kayla’s novel Sweet Honesty also voted an RWA Top 10 Favorite Book of the year, was optioned to be made into a movie of the week by Black Entertainment Television.

Kayla resides in Ontario, Canada, and her books have been profiled in Entertainment Weekly, Ebony, Essence, and Cosmo.

Rochelle Alers is author of more than 50 romance and women's fiction titles, with 2 million copies of her books in print. Rochelle has been hailed by readers and booksellers alike as one of today's most prolific and popular African American authors of romance and women's fiction.

With more than fifty titles and nearly two million copies of her novels in print, Ms. Alers is a regular on the Waldenbooks, Borders and Essence bestseller lists, regularly chosen by Black Expressions Book Club, and has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Gold Pen Award, the Emma Award, Vivian Stephens Award for Excellence in Romance Writing, the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and the Zora Neale Hurston Literary Award.

A full-time writer, Ms. Alers lives in a charming hamlet on Long Island.

All three will be joining us on Friday, June 8, 2012 at 10:00 p.m. for an evening of food, book giveaways, games, door prizes, Victoria's Secret gifts, book signings and discussions. Tickets are available now and this event is sure to sell out, so get your tickets early.

Here are more of the featured authors who have already confirmed their attendance next year and we'll be announcing more featured authors in the coming months:

Vanessa Miller
Essence bestselling author of 12+ Christian fiction novels, including the Rain series, the Storm series and the Forsaken series

Wahida Clark
Known as the Queen of Thug Love Fiction, her books includes Justify My Thug, Payback Is a Mutha and Every Thug Needs a Lady

Daniel Black
Author of the bestselling novels They Tell Me Of a Home, The Sacred Place, Perfect Peace and the upcoming Twelve Gates to the City

Mary B. Morrison
Mary B. Morrison, New York Times bestselling author, also writes under the pen name "Honey B." She worked for the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development for 18 years, but resigned her position in June 2000 to write full time.

She is author of 10+ erotic novels, including The Eternal Engagement, Sweeter Than Honey and Married On Mondays

Participating authors for the 2012 Festival have already begun signing up and the Early Bird Rate is in effect until Dec. 31st. However, as soon as you pay your $50.00 deposit, your name listing and link will go on the Book Festival web site. As always, final payments are not due until March 31, 2012. Sign up at the Early Bird Rate here: http://www.nationalblackbookfestival.com/exhibitors.htm

For the 2012 Festival, all participating authors will receive a COMPLIMENTARY ticket to the Saturday Get Acquainted Breakfast included with their table fee. This is a new addition from previous years and one that we plan to retain going forward. The ticket is for the author only, and any guests would still need to purchase a ticket.

Essay submissions for the 2012 Best New Author Award are well underway. The winner receives an all-expense paid trip to Houston to receive the award, a feature in an edition of NBBF News, and a two-hour signing session as a special guest author at 2012 NBBF. We now accept submissions from authors whose books are only available in e-book format. If you're a new author interested in entering the competition for the award in 2012, submit your essay. Essay submissions close on Jan. 31, 2012. Information about the award process is included online here:
http://www.nationalblackbookfestival.com/bna.htm

Visit the National Black Book Festival web site for more information (www.nationalblackbookfestival.com). As the holiday season approaches, we hope all of your literary endeavors and reading experiences are enjoyable.