One thing good came out of Iyanla Vanzant's much buzzed-about blowout on Oprah Winfrey's talk show last month; she's back atop the New York Times Best Sellers list.

After the self-help diva's eagerly anticipated return to Winfrey's couch –- after the two had a falling out over 10 years ago –- sales of her latest book, 'Peace From Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You're Going Through,' skyrocketed –- four months after its initial release.

Dubbed by Publisher's Weekly as the reigning queen of urban fiction, ex-con Vickie M. Stringer has returned with the third sequel to her red hot 'Dirty' series, 'Dirtier Than Ever.'

True to form, the novel is filled with wild twists and turns that will leave readers on tenterhooks as they turn the page. This time, we find the dynamic trio engaged in a full-on game of life and death: the lovely and seductive Red Gomez, who will stop at nothing to get her way; Bacon, her kingpin boyfriend; and Quentin Carter, the true love of Red's life, who is angling to get out of Detroit's treacherous street game.

BlackVoices.com catches up with the founder of Triple Crown, one of the most successful African American book publishers, to talk about the sequel, her life and the publishing industry.

Known for his hard-bitten Brooklyn persona, it might seem a little intimidating to work with Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Spike Lee.

Not according to his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, who recently authored a third children's book with him called 'Giant Steps to Change the World,' which was illustrated by Sean Qualls.

"Not everybody steps to Spike the way that I do,'' the missus told BlackVoices.com recently about their creative process. "I'm not sure if he is used to that. It's good because he knows I'm being real with him and I know he's being real with me.''

To be sure, she may have a little more leverage than most. After all, she is his wife and the mother of his children. But the creative process is still important to the world-renowned filmmaker and actor, who has produced over 35 films.

Lewis Lee is no lightweight herself. A lawyer, who graduated from the University of Virginia, she has worked in television production at Nickelodeon. She also created an animated series for Disney through her company, Madstone Co., Inc.

Other children's book collaborations between the couple are 'Please, Baby, Please' and 'Please, Puppy, Please.' They live in New York City with their son and daughter.

Mrs. Lewis Lee chatted with us about their latest project, 'Giant Steps to Change the World,' an inspiring picture book that highlights the works of historical leaders who brought change through activism. It is a solid and colorfully illustrated book that parents should read with children of all ages.

It looks like Sister Souljah may be continuing her winning streak.

The former raptivist turned best-selling author will release her newest book next month - and it is a sequel.

'Midnight and the Meaning of Love' (Atria, $26.95) is a follow-up to her 2008 New York Times best seller 'Midnight, A Gangster Love Story' and will go on sale April 12. On her Website, the former Public Enemy-associated rapper informed her readers that she was trying to get the book out last fall, but it was delayed after she completed it. "I hope you ALL know that I threw my heart into [it] ... and I hope you'll agree that it was worth the wait!"


The hefty novel is told from the point of the view of the African-born, devout Muslim, street-savvy protagonist from whom it is titled. It picks up where the last book left off: Midnight heads to Japan to get his 16-year-old Asian wife, Akemi, after her father took her back to their native land with no warning. He must travel across three countries and numerous cultures in his attempt to defeat his opponent.

When you talk to award-winning author Walter Mosley about books, be prepared to discuss literature and writing on a serious level. When BlackVoices.com caught up to the best-selling author, the discussion ranged from Faust to celebrated characters in his own personal works, including Soupspoon Wise, Fearless Jones, Leonid McGill and, of course, his latest fictional work, 'Ptolemy Grey.'

Grey is the unfading protagonist in 'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey,' a trenchant and absorbing look at man's struggle with immortality. The perennial challenge is addressed through the life of 91-year-old Grey, who is forgotten by his loved ones and lives out his last days in a cluttered Los Angeles apartment carpeted with remnants of his former self. Then he meets Robyn, who, at only 17 years old, gifts him with a metamorphosing friendship.

A New York City resident who grew up in the Watts section of Los Angeles, Mosley talks with us in a candid interview about character and plot development, race in America, love and what's headed next to your literary shelves from one of today's most celebrated African American authors.

BV on Books: How did you come to write 'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey'?
Walter Mosley: My mother had dementia. And for five years, as an only child and her being an only child and having no one else to care for her, I had to learn to communicate with her in a really deft way. She was in Iran, and I was in New York. She was incapable of taking care of herself. One, I had to pretend that she could and, two, make sure that the world around her kept her safe. It was a lot of work. In doing that work, I learned the language of dementia. I had the language in my head. That's how I decided to write about Ptolemy Grey.

Say what you will about Karrine Steffans-McCrary but she seems to be unstoppable.

At least in the publishing industry, that is.

The former video vixen affectionately known as 'Superhead,' who chronicled her sexcapades in her he 2005 Harper Collins memoir 'Confessions of a Video Vixen,' has carved out her own lane in the literary world.

The New York Times best-selling author will release her fourth book, titled 'SatisFaction: Erotic Fantasies for the Advanced & Advernturous Couple,' with her current publisher Hachette Book Group, on Aug.10.

Fans of six-time Grammy Award-winning pop group The Black Eyed Peas seldom hear about what's going on behind-the-scenes with original group member Taboo. Things are about to change, however, when the MC releases his autobiography 'Fallin' Up: My Story' arrives in stores next week. The Simon & Schuster tome, which was co-written by Steve Dennis, follows the early days of the platinum-selling group before they were selling out arenas around the world.

For the first time, Taboo opens up about having a son at 18, whom he says he neglected, as well as how his wife, Jaymie Dizon, along with family and friends, helped him shed his drug and alcohol addiction.

It looks like Steve Harvey's rubbing off on his radio show co-host, Shirley Strawberry.

For the past ten years, she has delivered her advice to eight million listeners in thirty markets as the King of Comedy's co-host on the nationally syndicated 'Steve Harvey Morning Show.'

The single mother has finally following in the footsteps of her New York Times-Best Selling Author boss and decided to share her tidbits of advice on parenting, relationships and career decisions in her first book, 'The Strawberry Letter: Real Talk, Real Advice, Because Bitterness Isn't Sexy.'