DuEwaWorld News! by DuEwa Frazier

Author Feature: Danette Vigilante The Trouble with Half a Moon by Danette Vigilante DF: Your first book about a teen girl named Dellie titled The Trouble with Half a Moon , has received great reviews. What inspired you to write this story? What has been the response from your teen readers? DV: As a kid, my heart had been broken by a little boy who was very similar to Corey, the neglected boy from Trouble. I carried that little boy around with me all these years and though I didn’t know exactly what I was writing when I finally sat down to write The Trouble with Half a Moon , I knew I wanted to give that little boy a chance for a good life. I realized right away that I needed someone brave enough to step up and help Corey and that’s where Dellie came in. Not only is she courageous but she was able to reach beyond her own hard times in order to help save him. The response from my teen readers has been goose bump inducing! The greatest thing I’ve heard from several students was ...

ALA 2011: Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon, authors of Zora and Me with Editor Mary Lee Donovan Zora and Me , the young adult book written by Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon received the 2011 Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe New Talent award.  Congratulations to the authors!  Check out my earlier blog post on this wonderful book .  Zora and Me by Victoria Bond & T.R. Simon I'm a huge fan of Zora Neale Hurston and I applaud the authors on their research and re-imagining Hurston's life as a young girl.   The authors attended the 2011 ALA Conference where they received the King-Steptoe honor.  The late John Steptoe was a brilliant and award winning illustrator of children's books.  His son, Javaka Steptoe continues his legacy as an illustrator. ALA 2011: Editor Andrea Davis Pinkney and Drawing from Memory author Allen Say ALA is one of the esteemed literary events where authors, educators, librarians, editors and other publishing profess...

Author Feature: Cheryl Willis Hudson! Bright Eyes, Brown Skin by Cheryl Willis Hudson & Bernette G. Ford DF: Cheryl you are an author, consultant, speaker, and highly respected founding co-publisher of Just Us Books . With your commitment to excellence in publishing and promoting books by African American authors, what keeps your vision as an author and publisher moving forward? CWH: Sometimes, it’s a challenge to remain positive in the face of all of the negative propaganda that is ever present on TV, in videos, and in the streets of our communities, but as the old folks say “Cream rises to the top.” African Americans have a rich and largely undiscovered history of innovation in the arts and we do have a tradition of excellence within our own institutions despite the pervasive images in the media to the contrary. It’s extremely important to keep that tradition of excellence in the forefront of our children’s lives rather than as a footnote or in the margins of history. Fo...

Award-winning and best selling author Marita Golden is offering the second installment of her writing and publishing seminar, Women WRITE Now! on Saturday, August 13, 2011 .  The seminar will feature Golden, author/bloggers Kyra E. Hicks and Anande Leeke, and senior editor, Tracy Sherrod (Simon & Schuster).  Golden is offering one-on-one literary coaching to the first six registrants.  CLICK HERE to visit Marita Golden's blog for more information.

 How do author's promote? Well there's the good ole' word of mouth, and then there's email blasts, postcards, in person signing/readings and TV/radio talks (if you're really big time). And what about if you're on a budget? Or your publicist quit? Or you've realized that the world that was formerly round to authors is now flat before there's no more "The Oprah Show?" If you're an author (self published or not), who has ever wanted to think outside of the box to promote your book but just didn't know what the heck would make your sales "POP!" this post is for you! Here are humorous yet totally doable event ideas, for the writer who's book marketing game really needs a boost. *****5 Crazy Ways to Promote Your Book!***** (Warning, some of these may tickle your funny bone) 1. Host a Book Signing Barbecue - Hey it's summertime and who doesn't love a reason to gather for good food, drinks, laughs and a BOOK REA...

Popular children's book author and illustrator Richard Scarry would've been 92 this past June 5th. I have fond memories of my mom reading Richard Scarry books to me when I was very little. We had several of his beloved books in our library along with many other children's books. My parents were educators so literacy was very important. My favorites were Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks from A to Z , Richard Scarry's Best Story Book Ever ! , Richard Scarry's A Day at the Airport , Richard Scarry's Bedtime Stories , The Gingerbread Man and my MOST FAVORITE Richard Scarry book of all - Good Night, Little Bear ! What a soothing book that was at bedtime. I loved A Day at the Airport because my parents started putting me on planes by myself to see my grandmother in the Midwest when I was four!!! Imagine that. A four-year old traveling alone. I always had a stewardess minder so it was okay. I love The Gingerbread Man because I thought it was cool ...

Author Feature: Kelly Starling Lyons! NEATE: Eddie's Ordeal by Kelly Starling Lyons DF: You are the author of several children’s books: One Million Men and Me , NEATE: Eddie’s Ordeal and forthcoming Ellen’s Broom and Tea Cakes for Tosh . How did you start writing for children? KSL: As a child, I rarely saw children’s books featuring African-American kids. That’s why it moved me so much to see them as an adult. The first picture book I read with an African-American character on the cover was Something Beautiful by Sharon Dennis Wyeth. That story spoke to me in such a special way. I knew I had to add my voice. The first story I wrote for kids was called Butterfly Wings . It was a story about a girl who wanted time to hurry up and make her taller. It was never published, but it still has a special place in my heart. The next was more personal. Isaiah’s Cake was about my brother’s relationship with our grand-dad and how he coped when my grand-dad passed away. For ...