BV on Books

'Living the Ebony Life: E-mails from The Plantation:' A New Memoir

Lynette Holloway — 2010-03-01T00:33:00+00:00

Filed under: Interviews, Hot Picks, Reviews, Self Publishing

It is no secret that Ebony Magazine-America's one-time venerable go-to publication for black entertainment and political news-is floundering as the newspaper and magazine industries dissipate, triggered by shifting paradigms.

Rumors and speculation abound that Linda Johnson Rice, who took over the reigns following the death of her father John H. Johnson, is putting Ebony up for sale, though she has yet to confirm it. (Her mother, Eunice, also died recently.)

The latest name to surface as an interested party was Magic Johnson. But he told Richard Prince of Journal-isms that talks were off because he was unable to reach an agreement with the company. Johnson Publishing Co. has declined to discuss the matter.

But some insiders and former employees say Ebony's declining circulation and shrinking ad dollars have less to do with the magazine industry's seismic shift from print to cyberspace, but more to do with stunningly bad leadership and management.

Zondra Hughes, a former associate editor at Ebony who is now editor of Chicago's N'Digo magapaper, writes in her new memoir, 'Living the Ebony Life: E-mails From the Plantation,' that the magazine's problems are pervasive and deeply entrenched throughout the culture of Johnson Publishing Co.

The memoir presents an interesting insider's take on the internal machinations of Ebony and its leadership. She recently took time from her busy schedule to talk about her memoir:

BV on Books: What prompted you to write the book?
Zondra Hughes: Newsweek broke the story that Ebony was rumored to be up for sale. The bloggers and media watchdogs were right on point about the outdated content, but they didn't explain why.
Only those who were on the inside knew why and how things really went down. So part of me felt indicted because I was there when the "outdated" content was produced. I had to say something, not only for those who were powerless to change things, but also for those who are still there.

BV: Who is "The Man?"
ZH: Ha! The Man is an entity that oppressed the worker bees on the plantation. Much like an evil spirit, it traveled and controlled the actions and motives of SOME of those entrusted to manage the magazine.

BV: Is your story as an associate editor at Ebony emblematic of most experiences?
ZH: Well, an associate editor has not ascended the ranks in decades. I'm speaking of outsiders, those who worked hard but did not have the right DNA, skin tone, or grade of hair. You feel me?

BV: Were there systems put in place to ensure failure? If so, what were they?
ZH: Social hierarchy and colorism, to a degree.

BV: At the end of the book, you mentioned a new hire to replace "The Man.'' Were systemic changes made?
ZH: I don't believe so. Perhaps, it's worse. Not being as good as the person you're supervising is a beast. Lots of games are played to hide what one does not know.

BV: What are you doing now and how did the experience at Ebony help you?
ZH: I am the editor of N'Digo, a magapaper-a paper that reads like a magazine. I have grown professionally on many different levels because of Ebony and its worker bees. I also write books. I witnessed the passion Lerone Bennett Jr., Ebony's former longtime executive editor; put into his other life as a writer and historian. It resonated with me.

BV: What positive experiences did you take away from your employment at Ebony?
ZH: I am a new age feminist with a colorful sense of fashion and a sincere devotion to philanthropy. Thank you, John H. Johnson and Eunice Johnson.

Full disclosure: I am a former associate editor at Ebony magazine. My tenure overlapped with Hughes's and I'm a contributor to N'Digo.

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Drama Around Ky-Mani Marley Memoir 'Dear Dad'

Lynette Holloway — 2010-02-16T09:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Interviews, Hot Picks, Reviews

The 10th child of music legend Bob Marley is embroiled in a fiery debate with a Las Vegas-based publisher over alleged unauthorized changes to the cover and title of his recently released memoir which threatens to taint the near-perfect image of reggae music royalty, the Marleys.

Ky-Mani Marley, a Grammy Award-nominated reggae and hip-hop artist, penned ,"Dear Dad: Where's the family in our family, today?'' which was released this month by Farrah Gray Publishing in celebration of Marley's 65th birthday.

The issue between author and publisher lies mainly in the extra coverline: "The Story The Marley Family Apparently Doesn't Want You To Know.''

In an online statement, Ky-Mani says the caption is unauthorized: "I did NOT authorize him to make any changes to the cover of my book, nor do I condone any of the captions he has written!''

Further, Ky-Mani told The Gleaner, a Jamaican newspaper, that he was considering legal action against the Gray, saying he simply wanted to tell his story without causing any conflict. He told the newspaper the title was changed from "Dear Dad: The Marley Son Who Persevered From The Streets To Prominence."

But Dr. Farrah Gray, the publisher, stands by the book, saying he worked with Marley every step of the way. He said that Marley wrote the book using a ghostwriter and the interviews were recorded.

"I didn't write his book,'' Gray told BV on Books. "I published it. He did the final edit. Now he's issuing a statement that he didn't approve it...for those of us who believe in one love, Ky-Mani Marley's story deserves light. He's throwing me under the bus and going on a smear campaign, but I have the tapes. The tapes are worse and he doesn't want those publicized.''

Beyond the controversy, "Dear Dad'' is an absorbing read. It lays bare some long hidden family secrets. Ky-Mani writes that after his father's untimely death in 1981, he grew up outside the realm of his father's prestigious roots, and all the wealth, and comfort it had to offer.

Instead, born out of wedlock to Marley and Anita Belnavis, a table tennis champion, he writes that he grew up in abject poverty in Jamaica and then on the hardscrabble streets of Miami's Liberty City, where he hustled crack. They later moved to a south Miami suburb so he could escape the drugs, but he ended up fighting his way through school.

He goes on to paint an unflattering portrait of the family, especially Rita Marley, the matriarch, who according to the book, proclaimed on the day of Bob Marley's untimely death from cancer: " 'All of Bob's dutty baby's mothers and bastard children will suffer'...And so it was.''

Ky-Mani is the 10th of Bob Marley's 11 children, according to the official Marley Web site. Not all of them have the same mothers.

"It didn't matter who my father was. I grew up in the trap, the ghetto. I'm just like the millions who are out there right now. I wanted to live. Survive. Just like you would if you were there. Survival is the instinct of life itself, and like I said before, if it meant selling all the ...drugs in America, that's exactly what I would have done to make it out. That was my clear perspective about it. End of story.''

Additionally, Ky-Mani writes that after he turned 18, he was forced to decide between taking a lump sum payment from the Marley estate and risk not being "part of the estate,'' or reinvest the payment. He took the lump sum to the consternation of some family members, prompting some to stop speaking to him for a time, he writes. The Marley estate is expected to generate worldwide annual sales in excess of $1 billion by 2012, according to Fortune Magazine.

But through the pain, there was love, he writes, the kind his father inculcates through his music even today. Marley's music remains popular.

"I love my Marley family,'' Ky-Mani writes. "Period. I love them. I love both of my families, every last member. Love them. I'm the type of man who reserves his deepest love and loyalty for family.''

Gray adds that Ky-Mani's positive energy and survival instinct are what inspired him to publish "Dear Dad.''

"The reason I decided to published it is that I hope it will provide people with a pivotal moment to change their lives,'' Gray said. "He may have been born with the last name, but that did not guarantee privilege. His story should inspire others. If he can survive the streets, and the harsh realities that he talks about throughout the book, it is possible to survive what you go through. You also get the truth about some very controversial things.

"The part that inspires me most is that he lived the life that his father sings about and the people he used to sing to, the forgotten, the rejected, the neglected, the downtrodden and disadvantaged.''

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First Black Female Prisoner of War Tells Harrowing Story

Lynette Holloway — 2010-02-08T17:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Interviews, Hot Picks, Reviews, Politics, Health

Much like the powerful images of Tuskegee airmen in full regalia sidled next to their planes during World War II, the image of Shoshana Johnson being escorted to safety after her captivity in Iraq is indelibly imprinted in the minds of television viewers across the world.

It was especially poignant for African Americans, who saw it as a fleeting moment of vindication for a time when blacks in the military were not acknowledged for their service.

Now, years later, Johnson, a former U.S. Army cook has helped change history again for blacks in the military. She was thrust into the spotlight when, in the early days of the Iraq War, she was shot in both ankles as her convoy of mechanics, cooks and disabled vehicles wandered into the city of Nasiriyah, Johnson writes in her newly released memoir, 'I'm Still Standing: From Captive U. S. Soldier to Free Citizen--My Journey Home.'

The wandering convoy touched off a bloody battle that left 11 U.S. soldiers dead and six abducted and held as prisoners of war, including Johnson and her friend, Jessica Lynch, she writes in the gripping memoir released just in time for Black History Month.

"I was shaking,'' she writes. "I was saying the Lord's Prayer to myself...when someone grabbed my legs and pulled me from my shelter. And like that, I became a prisoner of war.''

She became the first female prisoner of war in Operation Iraqi Freedom and the first black female prisoner of war in U.S. history. But the Pentagon peddled Lynch's story, saying she went down fighting. Lynch later wrote a book correcting the story, saying she never fired a shot before being critically injured.

While Johnson's ordeal received less media attention, she was treated like a star on her home base at Fort Bliss, Texas. She was given light duties to allow her wounds to heal and was assigned by ranking officers and supervisors to represent the Army at high-profile events, which drew grumblings and rancor from some of her fellow soldiers.

"Being a POW was horrible, but some of the comments I received from fellow soldiers felt just as bad,'' she said in an interview with BV on Books. "I had a lot of support from the African American community, but it's like someone once said, 'Not every black person is your friend, and not every white person is your enemy. A black male was upset because I went to an Oscar De La Hoya fight. He was like, 'I was in the same Army and I didn't get to go.' I was like, 'did you get shot? We had totally different experiences. That hurt my heart. There was another white officer who accused me of housing fraud and said I wasn't living with my child.''

Johnson was rescued in April 2003, but by late August, she was severely depressed, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and at risk of endangering her relationship with her daughter. She requested a medical discharge.

"I wrote my story to set the record straight,'' she said in the interview. "There is so much out there that happened to me from people who were not there. I just wanted to tell my story and let it be known. I'm not naïve. There are people who will still say that is not what happened, but I know in my heart what is true.''

She is critical of the nation's military efforts in Iraq. "I never understood the politics of what's going into Iraq. I want my fellow soldiers to come home. It's not something I can watch on the news. It's very tender.''

Johnson said she still suffers from the aftereffects of combat. "It's going to be a long, hard road to get better,'' she said. "I take medication. It won't ease up as long as these conflicts are going on in the Middle East. I just have to get over the guilt of living when good people died. It's hard, but each day gets easier.''

'I'm Still Standing' is a riveting piece of black history that should be read for generations. It also is a compelling story of a woman's courage to survive against all odds.

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Michael Jackson As He Was And Always Be, A Captivating Picture Book

Lynette Holloway — 2010-01-31T19:11:00+00:00

Filed under: Interviews, Reviews

In life, Michael Jackson's aura was as colorful and enigmatic as climate change. He was a tsunami of creativity that has yet to be matched by any other artist.

Unfortunately, he did not know how much he was appreciated when he was alive because, well, he was extraordinarily eccentric and reclusive. And he was dogged by charges of child molestation, some of which he stood trial for and was cleared. There also were relentless rumors of drug abuse and homosexuality. As a result, he was relentlessly pursued by the paparazzi by the likes unseen since Lady Diana. Tabloid headlines were merciless, dubbing him "Wacko Jacko.''

Now, in death his life and accomplishments are celebrated in a new book, 'Michael Jackson: A Life In Pictures,' edited by Yann-Brice Dherbier and Candace Bal.
The book highlights his successes from childhood to his dramatic home going celebration at the Staples Center in Los Angeles last summer. It is filled with poignant quotes that will strike at the heart of any sentient person.

"My father was a brilliant manager,'' Jackson once said. "But what I needed was a dad.''

"Michael (14) and his sister Janet (six) at home in Los Angeles, a few days before Christmas. They remained close over the years and in 1995 would make a memorable video, 'Scream' which received many awards, including an MTV Award and a Grammy.

"When you look out over the stage, as far as the naked eye can see, you see people. And, it's a wonderful feeling, but it came with a lot of pain, a lot of pain.'' (Photo of Michael Jackson on stage at age 37).

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'Wench': A Riveting Novel About Love, Friendship And Survival

Lynette Holloway — 2010-01-31T02:17:00+00:00

Filed under: Hot Picks, Reviews, Fiction

Set against the backdrop of the idyllic Tawawa House resort in the free state of Ohio, new author Dolen Perkins-Valdez spins a sonorous narrative about the brutal complexities of life and the immorality of slavery leading up to the Civil War in 'Wench.'

The story unfolds through the eyes of Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet, whose friendships develop during their summer visits to Tawawa. But things take a dramatic turn when a stranger enters the scene and challenges their very beliefs.

The mysterious red-maned woman, Mawu, encourages them to escape from slavery. With that suggestion, their lives take on a dramatic emotional shift as they begin to contemplate leaving behind everything they know and love. Then a fire tears through the resort, forcing them to "bear witness to the end of an era.''

"Lizzie ran the day over and over through her mind,'' Perkins-Valdez writes. "From the girl with the burned legs-the way the skin merely looked sunburned-to the oozing sores on Mawu's arms. From the dark smoke rising from the cottage to the empty feeling in her stomach that came with the knowledge that she was the only one of the four left.'' She later earns the name "Wench'' for reasons that come to light in the story.

'Wench' is a compelling read and a great debut novel for Perkins-Valdez, whose fiction and essays have appeared in 'The Kenyon Review,' 'The African American Review,' the 'North Carolina Literary Review' and the 'Richard Wright Newsletter.' A native of Memphis, she graduated from Harvard University. She splits her time between Washington, D.C, and Seattle.

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Ladies, Put Cheatahs in their Place with the M.O.O.D. Lounge, a New Novel

Lynette Holloway — 2010-01-08T11:21:00+00:00

Filed under: Hot Picks, Reviews, Fiction, Romance & Erotica

Any woman who has been run up on by a cheatah will appreciate the hysterically funny new novel the 'M.O.O.D. Lounge: Come As You Are...Come All You Want' by Zondra Hughes, editor of N'Digo, Chicago's largest African American alternative weekly.

The first of a three-part series, the M.O.O.D. Lounge, weaves the tale of three emotionally traumatized women: Eva James, an entertainment publicist, Fawn LaFollette, a porn star, and Drusilla "Dru" Vidal, a prosecutor, whose men subdue them into submission with steamy sex while cheating on them and spending their hard-earned cash on other women.

"From the very beginning, Dru encouraged Amaru to chase his culinary dreams, and now it came back to haunt her,'' Hughes writes. "Amaru's next conquest would be a restaurant tycoon Louisi-Ana Pompano. Dru had money, but Louisi-Ana Pompano had money and clout in the culinary society, and was now the biggest fish in his net...

"Amaru learned a lot in jail, and he was stepping up his game. He no longer slept with women for pleasure; instead, Amaru became a man-whore with purpose, and he only serviced women that could do something for him. And he was quite successful.''

Man, puh-lease!

That is what Dr. Pat Rizzo, a rebellious therapist, taught the three women to say. She added a dollop of extra attitude: I. Don't. Need. You. The women joined forces to create Multiple Orgasms On Demand, and let's just say it involves adult toys.

Hughes uses an innovative style that draws on her journalistic skills as an interviewer and feature writer. She recently burst onto the literary scene as co-author of Wendy Williams' 'Ritz Harper Goes to Hollywood!' 'The M.O.O.D. Lounge' is a fun read that will make cheatahs and tigers stay in the woods.

Full Disclosure: Zondra Hughes and Lynette Holloway worked together as associate editors at Ebony magazine. Holloway also is a freelance writer for N'Digo.

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'Post Black': Redefining African American Identity

Lynette Holloway — 2010-01-07T11:15:00+00:00

Filed under: Hot Picks, Reviews, Politics

While the historic election of President Barack Obama ushered in an era of change in geopolitics, it also generated a seismic shift in the talk about racial politics at home and abroad.

What Obama's election did not signify, though, was the arrival of a 'post-racial' America, according to author and journalist Ytasha L. Womack. Instead, it resulted in what she calls "post-black America.''

In her new book, 'Post Black: How a New Generation is Redefining African American Identity,' Womack explores the concept via socioeconomic and cultural trends, using diversity as the mechanism for change. She unpacks the ideas through the voices of young professionals, gays and lesbians, and African and Caribbean immigrants, who represent an emerging and complex African American community.

"The new diversity in African American life doesn't neatly fit into America's image box,'' she writes. "It doesn't neatly fit into black America's box either. If I swore that African immigrants were the nation's highest-educated newcomers, that a black man was building a multibillion-dollar hotel in Vegas, or that young black professionals even existed, there are people, smart people, who would look at me with blank stares. If I told them they could launch a protest via Twitter, they would faint.''

Womack gives voice to an important conversation that is sure to be around for years to come. Besides 'Post Black,' she co-edited the anthology 'Beats Rhymes and Life: What We Love and Hate About Hip-Hop,' A resident of Chicago, she also has written for Vibe, Essence, Ebony, XXL and the Chicago Tribune.

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Zane is Back With Spicy, Hot New Novel: 'A Total Eclipse of the Heart'

Lynette Holloway — 2010-01-07T10:34:00+00:00

Filed under: Interviews, Hot Picks, Reviews, Fiction, Romance & Erotica, Urban Lit

'Total Eclipse of the Heart,' may sound like a corny title, but trust me, there is nothing corny about the latest novel by Zane, the urban erotica author who upended the publishing world almost 10 years ago with her steamy, "lawd hamercy bodice-ripping tales.''

'Total Eclipse' comes after a five-year-hiatus, but it was well worth the wait. It is a love story set against the backdrop of a horrible accident that leaves a husband disabled, prompting his wife to leave. In this breathtaking, soul-searching novel, both individuals end up searching for love again in some, well, rather steamy situations.

In addition to being a New York Times best-selling author -- with more than 4 million copies of her books in print -- Zane is publisher of Strebor Books and executive producer of 'The Sex Chronicles' on Cinemax, which is based on her short-story collection of the same name. Additionally, she is in the process of developing Zane Music Group to which she already has signed a Grammy Award-winning artist.

She briefly talked to BV on Books about her new heartfelt love story, which is full of twists and turns. So get your surprise face ready because 'Total Eclipse' has an ending that will leave you in disbelief.

BV on Books: What made you decide to write a full-length novel after five years?

Zane: I have a family. I had a newborn baby, well he's 6 now, but I had a lot of different things going on. Things finally slowed down in some areas, and I was able to write full-length novel.

BV: How did you come up with the idea for this story?

Zane: I'm a romance person at heart, meaning I love really great love stories. And I wanted to write a great love story that would really make people think about their own relationships. The two main characters are in very committed, very toxic relationships in the first part of the book. They don't know each other at all. Damon is married to Carleigh. They have a very toxic thing going on. Brooke is living with Patrick, a very prominent attorney. They also have something toxic going on. The first part of the book is all about that.

The second part, the lunar eclipse, is about when their lives are brought together by a tragic accident that leaves one of them with a physical disability. And through that, Damon and Brooke become friends and realize they find the traits they need, not want, in a mate. All of us have a laundry list of traits we believe we want in a mate, but that may not be what we need. So, Damon and Brooke enhance each other's lives. The book will make you think, especially the ending.

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The Fresh Prince's Janet Hubert: Perfection is Not A Sitcom Mom

Lynette Holloway — 2009-12-31T11:16:00+00:00

Filed under: Interviews, Hot Picks, Reviews, Self Publishing

In her alternately plaintive and scathing memoir, actress Janet Hubert, known as Vivian Banks on the popular 90's sitcom 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air,' strikes back at former colleagues whom she says denigrated her name and hurt her career.

In 'Perfection Is Not A Sitcom Mom,' Hubert addresses her departure from the show in 1993 and the toll it took on her personal and emotional life. She talks exclusively to BV on Books about what motivated her to write the book and what she's up to today:

Black Voices: What motivated you to write your memoir?
Janet Hubert: I decided to publish my memoir because I saw this YouTube rant that Alfonso Ribeiro [Carlton] had done about me. He said I was crazy and that I was fired and that I was out of my mind. No one ever defends black women, so I had to do it myself. I wrote it for clarity, to clear my clear my name. I got tired of answering questions about why I left. I answer every single question. In the book, I also talk about how words can kill. You don't take someone's life and just step on it, and you don't take my family's name and destroy it.

BV: What are the most surprising things readers will learn?
JH: My departure was planned for a long time...There will never be a reunion of the 'Fresh Prince.' Will Smith and Alfonso destroyed a 20-year-career with untruths. I got slammed. Will apologized later in an 'Essence Magazine' article, but it still lingers. It's still there...

BV: What have you been up to?
JH: I live on the East Coast. I love the East Coast because there is energy, something else other than entertainment. On the West Coast, everyone is waiting to be discovered. I've been here now for 11 years. My son Elijah is 16. He'll be in college next year.
I've created a children's book series called 'JG & the BC Kids.' It's about a little boy who solves a complicated mathematical equation that opens his imagination and out comes a teacher who takes him and his friends on an adventure.

BV: What's next on the horizon?
JH: I'm quite content. I'm getting my son off to college. I'm remarried and living peacefully. I've written a pilot for a dramady. I'm doing some pitches and I'm going to start [filming] soon...

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'The Black Book': A Scrapbook of African American History

Lynette Holloway — 2009-12-18T15:54:00+00:00

Filed under: Hot Picks, Reviews

Thirty-five years after the release of a scrapbook of African American history, called 'The Black Book,' a panel of scholars and journalists will discuss the historic compilation of its striking images, sheet music, commercial advertisements and obituaries.

Panelists scheduled to discuss "the powerful and visceral history'' that spring from the pages of 'The Black Book,' include Dr. Roscoe C. Brown Jr., president emeritus of Bronx Community College and a former Tuskegee Airman; IIyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X; Touré, author and contributing editor of Rolling Stone magazine; and Dream Hampton, a journalist and activist.

"Now, 35 years later, the material can still enrage, can still excite a reader enough to want to share it with a friend and still break a heart with love and pity,'' Nobel Prize-winning author, editor and professor Toni Morrison writes in the foreword. "Its new life is more than a welcome gift; it is a requirement for our national health.''

The re-release of the book, which lays bare black and white history and all of its scars, comes at a pivotal time in America, which a year ago elected its first black president. Published in 1974, the book came to fruition after Morrison and four memorabilia collectors, led by Middleton A. Harris, compiled more than 500 archival documents, articles and photographs, chronicling the black experience in America from the first Africans' arrival on colonial shores through the beginning of the civil rights movement, according to a news release.

"This extraordinary ethnographic collection includes documents such as 19-century slave auction notices, proclamations by celebrated abolitionists, photos of war heroes regal in uniform, scores from Hollywood's golden age of films and patents registered by black inventors,'' the news release says.

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The Obamas In the White House: A Year Later

Lynette Holloway — 2009-12-17T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Hot Picks, Reviews, Politics

In 'The Obamas In the White House,' the editors of Essence Magazine chronicle the storied lives of the first family inside and outside the historic dwelling.

"As President Barack Obama steps forward to confront economic turmoil at home and wares overseas, and the enormous task of reforming health care, Essence pauses to reflect on just what his first year as the 44th president of the United States has mean,'' Angela Burt-Murray, editor-in-chief of the magazine said in a prepared statement. "In these pages, we document in stirring words and poignant images, the Obamas' incredible journal since January 20, 2009, inauguration day. We see the family at work and play; we examine their influence as they engage ordinary Americans at town hall meetings, school appearances, White House events, and official trips around the world.''

The 128-page hardcover is divided into four parts, including family, faith & service, leadership and speeches. The glossy book is filled with iconic images of President Obama, the first lady, and their daughters, Sasha and Malia, including striking photos of the family romping on the White House lawn with Bo, the first dog; the first grandmother waving with the family from the White House balcony before the 2009 Easter Egg Roll; and the family taking a guided tour of Cape Coast Castle, a former slavery outpost.

Excerpts from speeches include the president's address to a joint session of Congress on Feb. 24, 2009 and his widely covered address, "No One Has Written Your Destiny For You,'' delivered at the 100th anniversary NAACP Convention on July 16, 2009.

"Because civil rights laws were passed, black mayors, black governors and members of Congress served in places where they might once have been able [sic] not just to vote but even take a sip of water,'' he said during the July 16th speech. "And because ordinary people did such extraordinary things, because they made the civil rights movement their own, even though there may not be a plaque or their names might not be in the history books-because of their efforts I made a little trip to Springfield, Illinois, a couple years ago-where Lincoln once lived, and race riots once raged-and began the journey that has led me to be here tonight as the 44th president of the United States of America.''

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Blogging 101: 12 Lessons from a Blogger Who Didn't know Squat

Lynette Holloway — 2009-12-17T11:37:00+00:00

Filed under: Interviews, Self-Help

Melinda Lewis was an elementary school teacher when she decided to trade in the chalk for a keyboard two years ago to pursue her dream of blogging.

Getting started was an eye-opening experience and, today, Lewis is one of a few African American home décor bloggers. On the popular site 'Get Togetha,' she offers one-stop shopping for pillows, throws, candles, books, vases, and funky and elegant light fixtures.

Lewis attracts enough traffic to garner advertising, which allowed her to earn just slightly less than her teacher's salary. (The average salary for a public school teacher is $51,009, according to the latest teacher salary survey by the American Federation of Teachers.) Not bad!

Now, Lewis, who lives in Harlem with her husband, wants to help others pursue their dream of becoming bloggers. She's written an e-book, 'Blog. Your. Passion. Twelve Lessons Learned from a Blogger Who Didn't Know Squat.'

Lewis breaks it down in 12 lessons:

1. Myth busting: The raw truth is that all blogging begins as free, unpaid work.

2. Passion: Write a list of your passions and then investigate what's out there in the blogosphere. Do not copy someone else's idea.

3. Know thy end: Purchase your own domain name. If you're going to put the work into possibly creating, growing and maintaining a name for yourself, you should own it.

4. Don't be an echo: An authentic writing style is the best way to build a following. Develop your own voice.

5. Blog design: Create an identity. Hire someone if you need to!

6. Content: Are you creating original content or simply regurgitating information from other sites? Be original.

7. Your audience: Blog readers can spot a phony in a click. Be confident in your delivery of information.

8. Link love: The blog game is not a solo game. It's a collaborative process of strategic linking. Form formidable relationships with bloggers you admire and respect. Don't cut yourself off from the link world.

9. The paper chase: Building traffic without passion is extremely hard work. So if you're blogging solely for money, keep your day job.

10. Toot your horn: Be audacious! That way you will catch the eye of the mainstream media. There is no shame in self-promotion.

11. Blogger blahs: Keep at it. If you believe in your content, "the hits'' and advertising will come!

12. Life beyond the screen: Be sure to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine. Blogging is very sedentary and can lead to serious weight gain, which can lead to other health issues.

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Oprah Says Discover Your Best Life

Lynette Holloway — 2009-12-04T13:36:00+00:00

Filed under: Hot Picks, Reviews, Self-Help, Anthology

Perhaps it was no mistake that a month before Oprah announced plans to end her wildly successful talk show, she released 'Dream Big! O's Guide to Discovering Your Best Life.' Was she signaling plans to pursue another big dream of her OWN (the Oprah Winfrey Network)? Whatever the purpose or the timing of its release, 'Dream Big!' is truly inspiring.

"How fantastic would your life look if nothing were holding you back?'' Oprah writes in the introduction. "That's the million-dollar question, and we're here to help you answer it with 'Dream Big: O's Guide to Discovering Your Best Life.' With more than 75 articles drawn from the pages of O, The Oprah Magazine, this best-of-the best collection of inspiration and advice gives you our recommended daily allowance of breakthroughs, insights, and laughter -- and of course, for all of you big dreamers, a triple dose of 'wow.' "

As always, Oprah encourages readers to dream big! The article, 'Great Moments in Self-Esteem,' is a reminder "that you're already far more fabulous that you think,'' she writes. 'Urgent! Urgent! Or Is It?' brings to the fore irrefutable evidence that it really is okay to make room in your world for the things that truly matter.

"I've always believed that becoming your best self involves looking beyond yourself; so this book also includes stories -- you'll want some tissues handy -- about everyday heroes and the extraordinary things that ordinary women can do when they put their minds to it,'' she writes. "Finally, you'll get to meet some of the people who have expanded my own horizons: Eckhart Tolle, who has taught so many of us so much about freeing ourselves from unhappiness; Denzel Washington, who brings such passion to his work; and my dear friend Maria Shriver, whose life is a shining example of the importance of following your heart.''

Oprah Winfrey knows all about following your heart. It's how she's made a living. And the world is eagerly awaiting her next move. 'Dream Big!' is Oprah's story. It is our story. It is the story of every man and woman who dares to dream big. Pick up a copy for yourself and a friend. It's a great holiday gift.

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Al Roker Explores His Dark Side in First Novel

Lynette Holloway — 2009-11-24T14:59:00+00:00

Filed under: Interviews, Hot Picks, Reviews, Fiction

Most of us know Al Roker as the ebullient 10-time Emmy Award-winning weatherman on NBC's 'Today' show. But underneath that jovial exterior lurks a dark side -- a cold-blooded killer. Well, at least in character.

In 'The Morning Show Murders,' co-written with Dick Lochte, an award-winning novelist, Roker weaves a fast-paced caper about his favorite subjects: morning shows, cooking and mystery writing. The protagonist, Billy Blessing, an on-air personality and celebrity chef, is a prime suspect in the murder of his overbearing producer, who has been poisoned by a dish from the top chef's four-star restaurant.

Now, it's up to Blessing to clear his name and avoid becoming the next victim. Roker amuses and surprises in this succulent thriller. He is a two-time host of the Mystery Writers of America. He also has written two best-selling cookbooks and a best-selling book on fatherhood, 'Don't Make Me Stop This Car! Adventures in Fatherhood.'

Co-author Lochte has written several popular crime novels, including the award-winning 'Sleeping Dog,' which was named one of the 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century' by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. His crime fiction ran for nearly a decade in the Los Angeles Times and earned him the 2003 Ellen Nehr Award for Excellence in Mystery Reviewing. He lives in Southern California.

Roker lives in Manhattan with his wife, ABC News and '20/20' correspondent Deborah Roberts, and has two daughters and a son. He took time recently from his busy schedule to speak with AOL Black Voices about 'The Morning Show Murders:'

AOL Black Voices: How did you come up with the idea?

Al Roker: I've always wanted to write a murder mystery. I love the genre. I'm a big fan of it. My first chapter book when I was 7 years old was a Hardy Boys mystery. Then I moved on to Sherlock Holmes and then Edgar Allan Poe.

I had this idea for a book in the back of my head, but I didn't know how to write it. I'd done a couple of cookbooks and a book about fatherhood, but for those, the cast is already there: my kids and my wife. With the mystery novel, I knew what I wanted to write about, but I didn't know how to go about it. So I teamed up with Dick Lochte. He came up with the outline and the organization, and then I was off to the races. Like everything in life, it's all about organization.

BV: It's hard to envision you as a murder mystery writer. You're always so happy. Was this a walk on the dark side for you?
AR: Well, look, people always say, "Are you always happy?" The fact is no, you're not. But you see a small slice of my persona or you see one part of me for a given period. Like most people, on any given day, I run the gamut of emotions, whether it's happiness, sadness or being ticked off. But it's like anything else, the more time you spend with somebody the more complete picture you see.

Billy Blessing is a well-known chef. He has to have a public persona. He has a customer base he has to satisfy. He's not me, but he is the idea of the me. I'd like to have a restaurant. I'd like to be a well-known chef. I'd like to solve a crime. I don't think any of those things are ever going to happen, other than determining which of my kids snitched the last cookie. There is not much else there.

BV: But you're Al Roker, the weatherman!
AR: The grass is always greener. Don't get me wrong. I love what I do, and I don't take it for granted at all. But you're always looking at somebody else and saying, "Wow that's pretty cool." You see an award-winning chef with a great restaurant and you think, "Man! I wish I could do that."

BV: How long have you been thinking about writing a mystery novel?
AR: About 20 years. But you're never quite sure you are going to do it. If you told me 10 years ago that I'd have five books to my name, I would have said, "You mean I own five books?"

BV: How did you find time to write?
AR: It took about nine months to write. Last year, I was traveling a lot. I worked constantly in airports and on planes. I was in Beijing for three weeks, and I had a lot of free time. When you don't feel the pull of family because you want to spend time with them, you can get a lot done. It was time I didn't feel guilty about using because I was already away from them and I was utilizing it as best I could.

BV: What's next on the horizon for chef Billy Blessing?
AR: I'm already working on the second novel in this series. He branches out. He still works for the morning show, but there is a murder that takes place in another part of the broadcast day that he sets out to solve.

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'Permission Slips,' Sherri Shepherd's Memoir About Life's Ups and Downs Will Make You Laugh and Cry

Lynette Holloway — 2009-10-26T14:45:00+00:00

Filed under: Interviews, Hot Picks, Reviews, Self-Help, Spirituality and Religion

Sherri Shepherd, co-host of ABC's Emmy Award-winning talk show 'The View,' entertains and alternately pains readers in her must-read memoir about life's hard lessons. In 'Permission Slips: Every Woman's Guide to Giving Herself a Break,' Shepherd doles out forgiveness to herself and every woman who strives to achieve perfection but slips up sometimes.

In between taping her new Lifetime sitcom, 'Sherri,' and co-hosting 'The View,' Shepherd took time out recently to speak to AOL Black Voices about life and her new book.

Black Voices: How did you come up with 'Permission Slips,' which is a great idea by the way?

Sherri Shepherd: We, as women, take on so much in our lives that we need to give ourselves permission to let it go. That's where it came from. Sometimes we need to write ourselves a permission slip.

BV: What is it like working as a co-host on 'The View'?
SS: Just this morning, I was walking up the stairs with one of the executive producers, and I was like, "I cannot believe that this is my life." When I watch 'The View,' I say to my son, "I can't believe that that woman is me sitting between Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Walters, Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck." It feels like a dream.

BV: Do you feel like you represent every woman?
SS: I do represent the average woman. I remember before Elisabeth went on maternity leave, she asked if I had read the health care bill. I said, "That's like 400 pages!" But here is what I do know. My sister has five children. She works as a nurse's assistant and she doesn't have health insurance for her kids. She prays to God that her kids don't get sick. That is why I am for universal health care. That is how I break it down. I don't have to read 400 pages, but I know real people who work hard and they don't have insurance or they lost a job. So I would like universal health care or a government option for the average American.

BV: You write about your ex-husband's infidelity with such humor that it doesn't sound true. He cheated on you with a white woman 15 years younger and you were pregnant at the same time. Was humor part of the healing process?
SS: It is true. I just started doing stand-up comedy routines about it, because when it happened, I couldn't get out of bed. I went through a period when I was so depressed and had a hard time trying to figure out what to do. There was so much fear. I didn't know if I was going to make it. But I've gotten so many e-mails from women saying, "I went through the same thing." It's unbelievable. Even when I hear stories today, I sit at the table and think, "What is going on with the world? Does every man cheat?"

BV: You look great. Did a diabetes diagnosis force you to change your lifestyle?
SS: When I had pre-diabetes I never took care of myself, and then it just hit me that my mother passed away when she was 40 years old from complications of diabetes because she never took care of herself. So, when I hit that age, I said I didn't want to do the same thing to my son. I lost my mother when I was in my twenties, and I needed her. I started going to the gym. I made a lot of lifestyle changes. Even now when I go to gym, I picture my ex-husband with another woman and my son calling that other woman mommy. It fuels me on to do that one more squat and to get on that treadmill. I'm not going to have another woman raise my son. Or have a woman in his life to teach him how to treat women. It's not fair to leave our children without a legacy. That's what really spurs me on.

BV: What's next for you?
SS: Well, I have my book, which I'm really excited about. And I hope that all of these funny stories and anecdotes from my life will get women to say, "If this girl can go through her stuff and still have a smile on her face then I can, too!"

I also have my show, 'Sherri,' on Lifetime and the movie 'Precious,' which opens on Nov. 6. I didn't realize 'Precious' was going to be so big. The sheer magnitude of the film just blows me away, and I'm glad Lee Daniels chose me for the movie. It's my first dramatic role. I just feel really blessed in my life.

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Laila Ali Was Saving Grace, Hulk Hogan Reveals in New Book

Lauren Williams — 2009-10-21T15:16:00+00:00

Filed under: Hot Picks, Health

Who knew a simple phone call could make such a difference?

December of 2007 was a bad month for wrestler Hulk Hogan. His son Nick was experiencing the grim aftermath of a near-fatal car wreck, and he had just gone through a nasty, public divorce with wife Linda. That's why, he reveals in his new book, 'My Life Outside the Ring,' he came home from the strip club one night, downed a cocktail of Xanax and was reaching for a gun.

But it was a phone call from his 'Gladiators' co-star, boxer Laila Ali, he wrote, that would prevent him from going through with it. She was concerned about his welfare after noticing he seemed "distracted" on the set.

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'Dirty Old Men:' A New Book By Omar Tyree

Lynette Holloway — 2009-10-20T23:43:00+00:00

Filed under: Hot Picks, Reviews, Fiction, Romance & Erotica, Urban Lit

Closing in on his fiftieth birthday, Harold was on fire as he sat at The Hot Spot Lounge on Chicago's south side wondering whether he should make a move on the sexy 25-year-old bartender with the wicked tattoo etched across her lower back.

"Yeah, leave that damn girl alone, old man, he tried to warn himself,'' Omar Tyree writes in a short story "The Bartender'' from his latest release, 'Dirty Old Men: And Other Stories' by Zane Presents. "But it was too late; he began to tell himself that he wasn't that old. Under the bar where he sat, he had living proof that he could still run with the younger dogs in the alley.''

Tyree singes the page with other erotic tales that are sure to delight the voyeur in readers. In "Addicted To It," a retiring hardware store worker develops a taste for Viagra and 20-year-old girls with tight donks, and tosses his middle-aged girlfriend to the curb. But when the character, M.J falls asleep in the midst of one of his Viagra sexcape, he learns that even pharmaceuticals cannot stop the aging process. His partner is miffed.

"He is crazy as hell, she told herself. But I don't know if I can do this s--- with him again. He scared the hell out of me, passing out like that.''

'Dirty Old Men' is full life lessons as Tyree eroticizes the aging process in its rawest form. Readers are sure to gain insight into the psyche of middle-age men through this insightful and titillating work of fiction by one of the best in the business.

Tyree, who established himself as a renowned writer of contemporary fiction with 'Flyy Girl,' is a New York Times bestselling author, a NAACP Image Award recipient for Outstanding Literature in Fiction, and a Phillis Wheatley Literary Award winner for Body of Work in Urban Fiction. A graduate of Howard University, Tyree has published 19 books.

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Barnes and Noble Nook Hits the Scene

Lauren Williams — 2009-10-20T17:05:00+00:00

Filed under: Hot Picks, Reviews, Fiction

Others tried before Amazon, but it was the online giant's Kindle that really introduced people to a new way of reading. And now the electronic reader that its owners love (or love to hate) has some competition: the Barnes and Noble Nook.
The bookseller just released details on its reader, which will be available November 30 and retails for $259. Bonus feature: you highlight passages and "lend" e-books tp friends. What do you think? Will you invest in a Barnes and Noble Nook or an Amazon Kindle or are you an old-fashioned reader?

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Teri Woods Book Party Goes Bad: Suit Alleges Black Guests Turned Away From Trendy Soho Club

Lynette Holloway — 2009-10-19T18:22:00+00:00

Filed under: Urban Lit, Self Publishing, Politics

'Alibi,' Teri Woods' crime thriller, hit bookstores recently to relatively rave reviews. All that remained was a party to celebrate her success. She picked the tony Greenhouse club in SoHo where she and nearly 200 friends planned to mark the occasion last Thursday.

But things turned sour when nearly all of her guests were turned away at the door because of the color of their skin, some partygoers alleged yesterday, according to the New York Daily News.

The cruel reminder of the Jim Crow era prompted the partygoers to file a $1 billion class-action suit, which says they were denied entry because they were black, the Daily News says. But a lawyer for club owner Barry Mullineux struck back yesterday, vehemently denying the charges in an e-mail statement to AOL Black Voices.
"My client has not been served, nor have we received any legal documents pertaining to the grossly false allegations made by Ms. Woods,'' Sen. John L. Sampson, partner of Gail A. Adams & Associates said in the e-mail statement. "When we have, we will review and take legal action. However we will not litigate this matter through the media as Ms. Woods has. The owners of Greenhouse have provided top level service and a quality experience for over a decade and cater to an inclusive array of patrons of all races, religions, creeds, and sexual orientations."

In her account to the Daily News, Woods said she has text messages from the owner showing he was barring people based on appearance. When asked if he recalled sending the texts, the owner told the Daily News, "Not word for word.''

Woods told the Daily news that she and many others felt violated that night, and indicated that the discrimination may have had to do with weight and perhaps race.

Woods, who worked as a legal secretary and paralegal for eight years at a law firm, tried for years to sell her first novel, 'True to The Game.' Rejection after rejection from major publishing houses, led friends to encourage her in 1999 to sell her self-published work on her own. She did on street corners from the trunk of her car, and the hard work paid off. She became a self-made millionaire in three years and is credited with reviving the urban fiction genre. Today, she lives in New Jersey with her two children.

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NFL Commentator James Brown Reflects on Faith, Family, and Significant Living

Lynette Holloway — 2009-10-13T15:21:00+00:00

Filed under: Interviews, Hot Picks, Reviews, Self-Help, Spirituality and Religion

Most people know James Brown as the spirited NFL broadcaster whose spot on commentary is delivered with the dexterity of an athlete. That is because he had a distinguished high school and college basketball career.

At Harvard University, he burnished his dream of becoming an NBA star. But that aspiration quickly disappeared when he twice failed to meet the standards during training camp after the draft. Most stories would end there, but not for James Brown. Brown, fondly known as J.B., recalls his story of failure and reinvention in his new book, 'Role of a Lifetime: Reflections on Faith, Family, and Significant Living,' which is part memoir and part self-help, and written with Nathan Whitaker, a bestselling author.

"I believe I rested on my laurels,'' he said in an interview with AOL Black Voices. "I didn't show fortitude. But it led to a lifelong work ethic---never be complacent. If I wanted something badly I would do it excellently for the Lord. That's the way I have approached things since then.''
J.B. went on to find another province for success: the business world, working for Xerox and other major corporations. But he soon found a way to return to the sports arena as a broadcaster. Today, the native of Washington, D.C. is host of CBS Sports' 'The NFL Today' and Showtime's 'Inside the NFL' and a three-time Emmy Award winner.

'Role of a Lifetime' is filled with inspirational and aspirational personal stories that can easily translate to the lives of others. J.B. doles out advice on successful living, including developing good communication skills; maintaining your appearance; nurturing personal relationships; being punctual; developing a thirst for knowledge; being a team player and overcoming adversity.

"James Brown has been a great friend and role model for me and so many others in the sports world over the years," Tony Dungy, J.B.'s friend and legendary NFL coach, writes in the foreword. "Now, by writing this book, I believe he will inspire even more people who get to know the story behind this uncommon man.'

J.B. and his wife, Dorothy, live in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. He has a grown daughter, Katrina.

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