Members, please visit http://www.rawsistaz.com/rawretreat for full details.  This is a private page, so if you don’t have access, please email me directly.

Looking forward to seeing you all!

The RAWSISTAZ Affair 2010: Ten Years & Counting…
October 1-3, 2010

Doubletree Hotel Atlanta-Buckhead
3342 Peachtree Road, NE
Atlanta, Georgia — 404-231-1234
Event Code: RLG — Rate: $69

REGISTER NOW

Have you registered for The RAWSISTAZ Affair 2010 being held in Atlanta, GA on October 1st-3rd?  If not, you have less than 2 weeks left to do so.  Join us for our 10th year anniversary with keynotes Daniel Black (Perfect Peace), Carol Mackey (Sistergirl Devotions), & Leslie Esdaile Banks (aka L.A. Banks). Other featured authors are Jacquelin Thomas, Pearl Cleage, Angelia Menchan, Shawneda Marks, Yolanda Johnson Bryant, Naleighna Kai, Ja’Nese Dixon (tentative) and Travis Hunter (tentative).  We have a few additional authors pending and hope to announce a guest celebrity appearance, so stay tuned!

Need some time away with the girls? Come on and hang out with your RAWSISTAZ…

All information can be found at the event site, http://www.rawsistaz-affair.com.  For those not able to attend, there are many opportunities to show your support and showcase your book or company. We are requesting promotional items from authors, publishing companies, literary organizations, book clubs, etc., to share with our attendees.  This is a great way to promote yourself, as well as your chance to give back to RAWSISTAZ.  10 years of free services and support of Black books and authors shows our commitment to the literary world!

You can also place an ad in our souvenir journal, make a donation, or send books or prizes for our giveaway and silent auction. CLICK HERE FOR INFO!

**All full page ads in our ad booklet (or those who donate the equivalent amount) will receive free advertising on the RAWSISTAZ site. **

For more info visit http://www.rawsistaz-affair.com.

If you’re on twitter, please do a quick @rawsistaz reply so I can make sure I’m following you! If you’re not a fan on the RAW fan page, please like us to become one. We do recommend that you use tweetchat.com (and hashtag #rawsistaz) to follow the chat which will only show tweets of those participating in the party.  Be sure to CHECK IT OUT.  You can actually go there now and it should pull up any #rawsistaz mentions.  No, you do not have to sign up for an account OR log in via Twitter there.  Just type in rawsistaz in the top box and you’ll be good to go.

Our Twitter Link – http://www.twitter.com/rawsistaz

Our Facebook Fan page – http://www.facebook.com/rawsistaz

Hope to see you ALL in the place tonight.

CONTEST PRIZES

If you’d like to give away a book or a literary service to our attendees, please reply via email at info@rawsistaz.com with PARTY GIFT in the subject line. Include book title or service, how many you’re giving away and a public email I can give out, AND your website address. 

Well, we’re here! Ten years and counting, y’all…

I am Tee C. Royal, the founder of RAWSISTAZ Literary Group and it is really hard to put my thoughts into words today.  I’m overwhelmed with just thinking of what we’ve done over the past decade, excited about what’s to come in the upcoming months & years, and just plain ole proud.  RAWSISTAZ is my first baby, started back when not many people had online groups to talk about Black books; especially the books which weren’t on anyone’s bestseller lists.  One of our main goals was to support everyone and build a community of folks serious about literature and sisterhood, thus our motto of “Combining Literature & Sisterhood.”

Ten years later, I’m still thankful for the experience, I still love what I do (on most days), and I’m very happy I have met so many wonderful people.  I’ve been blessed to do work in various levels in the industry, not just with RAWSISTAZ, but I’ve been able to work as an editor & manuscript reader for publishing houses & even wore the “Editor in Chief” title for BlackBoard Magazine, I’ve written for several other magazines and I’ve designed websites for numerous authors and lit organizations.  I have also watched authors get their first book published, others hit their 10+ book, been there when readers turned into writers, editors or other literary pros, reviewers & members launched their own literary businesses, and so much more.

Most of all, I have been blessed with folks I will never ever forget, some I’ve yet to meet.  From the online baby shower thrown for me at the birth of my daughter 8 years ago, to celebrating when I made Captain in the Air Force, and on to the words of comfort when my parents died 4 months apart, my RAWSISTAZ were there.  I can’t forget my 6 year “no I don’t want anymore kids” speech and the announcement of finally trying for #2 (at The RAW Affair 2008) or when our son was born and I was stressed out trying to juggle everything–and still do even to this day. LOL!  My RAW Family has been there for major parts of my life and I love and appreciate all of you.  Thank you for helping me grow as a person (and a business woman), for sharing a part of your lives, and for wearing the name RAWSISTAZ proudly!

A special thanks to our moderators, reviewers and guest reviewers who work to keep our online groups going and the book reviews moving as this is one of the things we’re most known for.   The work you do and patience with the administrative end of it deserves a salary, but yet you do it for free.  I will never be able to show my gratitude, but when I make my first million, I’ll be looking for each of you.  LOL! In the meantime, I’m still working on getting those e-readers for everyone on the team and hoping Sony Reader, Amazon Kindle, B&N Nook and any other e-book-making folks out there are listening and ready to drop them in the mail.

To the authors, publishers, and other literary pros who entrusted us with your titles, who supported our events, purchased ads on our sites or ad booklets, etc., we thank you too!  We couldn’t have done what we’ve done without you.  RAWSISTAZ is service-oriented and there’s not some big grant, bank account, fund, or money tree we’re working with, so to those who have made donations or bought ads over the years, we thank you especially, as that is what helps keep our sites running and books shipped out to reviewers across the U.S.

So, in closing…THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!  I hope to see you 10+ years from now, doing what we do for Black books, authors & the literary community.

If you’ve never donated or purchased an ad, it’s not too late; just click on the donate button on the main page of our site.

**Stay tuned for our annual online party – The Anniversary Jam! coming up and join the party for giveaways.**

The 10 Year Anniversary of RAWSISTAZ is later this month and we have kicked off our 30 Day Anniversary Celebration which is being held online the entire month of September.  I wanted to take this time to thank those who contacted us to participate, donate books and/or who have been sharing our information via the various social media outlets, their sites, blogs & more.  Also a special thanks to all our members, friends, and those who have supported us over the years.  We love and appreciate each of you!

In addition to what we’ll be doing throughout the month, you will hear from some of these supporters, win prizes, learn some things you may not have know about RAWSISTAZ, the lit industry and who knows what else?  LOL!  So, get ready to get your R.A.W. on with The Reading and Writing RAWSISTAZ…

And be sure to sign up to our Fan Page for exclusive giveaways & specials.

——————————-

CELEBRATION SCHEDULE (Week 1)

September 1 - A RAWSISTAZ Tribute by Hope Murphy

RAWSISTAZ Member & RAW Reviewer

http://www.rawsistaz.com/blog/black-book-talks/a-tribute-to-rawsistaz/

September 2 - Angelia Menchan **Book Giveaway via her Blog**

Author of Re-Rambled: Food and Thought: Ramblings Special Edition

http://acvermen.blogspot.com

http://www.angeliamenchan.com

September 3 – Electa Rome Parks

Author of Diary of a Stalker

http://www.facebook.com/electaromeparks

http://www.electaromeparks.com

September 3 – Stacy Deanne

Author of Melody

http://www.stacy-deanne.net/

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1345316653

September 4 – Michelle Larks **Book Giveaway via her newsletter**

Author of Faith

http://www.MichelleLarks.com/

September 5 - Lissa Woodson, writing as Naleighna Kai

Author of The Pleasure’s All Mine

http://www.naleighnakai.com/

http://www.macrompg.com/

September 6 – Yolanda M. Johnson/The Author’s Hideaway

Author of Circumstances

http://lwtheauthorshideaway.blogspot.com/

http://yolandamjohnson.com/

It’s that time of the year and we’re gearing up for our anniversary event next month and the holiday season, both of which sometimes delay our book review process.  In order to stay on top of the 100′s of books coming in for review, we are in need of a few more avid readers/writers interested in reviewing for The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (TRR).  So, if you love to read and can share your opinions on a book in a way that is constructive & helpful to those reading the review, then consider joining us!

We are looking for both guest reviewers and team members. This is not a paid position, but books are supplied and your byline is on all reviews.  You must be willing to review at least 2 books per month, not currently review for another entity or organization, and read/review books within two weeks. And lastly, you must answer email promptly. 

If you’re interested, please send the following information to TRR-Admin(at)rawsistaz(dot)com, and we will get back with you within the next week.

Info Needed
Where you saw the Call for Reviewers:
Name:
Address (no P.O. boxes):
Phone Number(s):
Email:
#of books read within last 30 days:
Author, title, release date & rating (scale of 5) of last 5-10 books read:
Preferred Genres:
Genres you do NOT want to review:
(**for the genres, be sure you place non-fiction, romance, street fiction, and poetry in one of the above spots)

Do you own an e-reader, if so, indicate which kind.  If not, let us know if you’re open to reading electronic versions on your computer?

Short Bio in 3rd person:

—

You will then be asked to write a sample review, which will be used as your first official review for the group. Our book review site is at www.blackbookreviews.net where you can view other reviews we’ve completed in our 9+ Year history.

Thanks in advance for your interest.

The 10-Year Anniversary Celebration of RAWSISTAZ is scheduled for October 1-3, 2010 and it is our 8th Annual Event which we will hold in Atlanta, GA.

We are celebrating, right?

Well, if one more person asks “why wasn’t I invited to the event?” I’ma have to simply stop replying.

Technically, I only INVITE the keynotes to our event and everyone else I TELL ABOUT it and hope they can attend. I am not slighting you, or you, or you. I merely don’t want folks to get it twisted when they see a message from me telling them about the event.

No, we will not comp your room, no, we will not fly you in, and no, we will not waive your registration fees. Yours truly signs a contract for x-amount of folks (and dollars) and if YOU don’t pay, it means I do. And for anyone who has attended the event (any of the 7 we’ve done before), you know it’s one of the lowest costs you will pay for a weekend event. So no. We are not some large funded organization. We I sign that dotted line.

So again…NO, NO, and NO.

But yes, we will discount the author rate for featured authors. Yes, you will be featured on our sites, yes you will have a wonderful time, get fed, and meet readers and writers who love books; you may even sell some books.  But , yes YOU can give back to an organization who has given freely for almost 10 years and yes, YOU can support us as we’ve supported you.

It’s simple. Help celebrate us as we’ve celebrated black books and authors for all these years.

Register to attend, advertise, and/or donate. . . YOU give back.

-Tee C. Royal
Founder of RAWSISTAZ Literary Group
Sole Organizer for this years’ 10-Year Anniversary
Person who picks up and ships out 500-600 review books annually
Person who has had less than 11 hours of sleep in 5 days

For more details, visit http://www.rawsistaz-affair.com and stay tuned to the main RAWSISTAZ site or our fan page at http://www.facebook.com/rawsistaz for up-to-date additions and other news.

Tuesday, May 4th - BOM Discussion with Terra Little (Where There’s Smoke 2)
Tuesday, May 4th -  Blog Tour with Vanessa Richardson (Love Found Me)
Friday, May 7^th – Black Jack by Jean Holloway
Monday, May 10^th – Blog Tour with Stacy Hawkins Adams (Who Speaks To Your Heart?)
Tuesday, May 11^th – Blog Tour with C. M. Jones (Nothing is Too Hard for God)
Tuesday, May 11^th – BOM Discussion with Lutishia Lovely (Reverend Feelgood)
Thursday, May 13^th - Beautiful Rage by Janaya Black
Friday, May 14^th – Carol Mackey Book Launch Celebration (Sistergirl Devotions)

CHAT SCHEDULE

Monday, April 19^th (9PM EST – 10PM EST) Take Your Pleasure Where You Find It by J. D. Mason (click here to buy a copy)

Tuesday, April 20^th (Noon EST – 8PM EST) When We Were One by Zaji (click here to get the FREE copy if you haven’t already)

Thursday, April 22^nd (Noon EST – 8PM EST) Seeds of Bible Study by Carole McDonnell (click here for the FREE updated version)

Friday, April 23^rd – (Noon EST – 8PM EST) The Education of Black Dickey by Kenneth Bowens (click here for the FREE copy now)

Friday, April 23^rd – (Noon EST – 8PM EST) Donna Hill Blog Tour (click here to buy it)

The chats will now start at noon (EST) instead of 10AM EST, unless otherwise noted and will end around 8PM EST.  They are held via the blog in the comments section and you DO NOT have to sit there all day waiting on messages. If you want to attend the chat, just go to http://www.blackbookchats.com and you should see the posting for each chat or you can just go to the RAWSISTAZ main page and it’ll be there in the second column.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Our E-Book Reading Challenge is well under way and we are having a wonderful time with our featured authors!  If you haven’t joined in, it is not too late to participate.

We posted this schedule with the last call for the free e-book downloads, but some didn’t receive it.  So, once again, the chat schedule for our Black Book Chats with the authors featured in our E-Book Reading Challenge is below:

For those that have passed, click on the link to see the chat discussion and no, it is not too late to leave your comments.

**All chats will be held here on the site**

CHAT SCHEDULE
March 7 – Read an E-Book Week (March 7-13) & Kick-off of E-Book Reading Challenge
March 12 – E-Book Resources
March 23 – Using Blogs, eBooks, and Online Social Networking to get THE WORD Out by Sylvia Hubbard
March 30 – Black Diamond: Characters Revealed by JaNese Dixon
March 31 – What’s on Your E-Reader?
April 2 (rescheduled for April 8th) – How to Make Money as a Writer in a Down Economy by Maxine Thompson
April 6 (rescheduled for April 8th) - What Mother Never Told Me by Donna Hill
April 9 - Love Stories of Some People I Have Known by acVernon Menchan
April 15 - Love Like This By Sylvia Hubbard
April 16 – Moving The Furniture by Barbara Joe Williams
April 19 – Take Your Pleasure Where You Find it by J. D. Mason
April 20 – When We Were One by Zaji
April 22 – Seeds of Bible Study By Carole McDonnell – non-fiction, religion
April 23 – The Education of Black Dickey by Kenneth Bowens – literary
April 26 – Keeping It Tight by Shani Greene-Dowdell – fiction
April 29 – Blackface by QB Wells – fiction
May 4 – Black Jack by Jean Holloway – romantic thriller
May 4 – Beautiful Rage by Janaya Black – fiction

We extended the download time for an extra week for those having problems accessing the files, but this is the absolute last call to download books we’re reading during our E-Book Reading Challenge.  If you miss the free download, you will have to order the book directly and most are available in both print and e-book format.

There are TWO NEW books available for free download.

For those who have asked, no you do not have to have an E-Reader to participate. You can read the files on your computer or most mobile phones, so please take this time to register and download the books if you haven’t done so already.

The chat schedule is below for remaining chats/workshops.  For those that have passed, click on the link to see what you missed.  It is not too late to participate.

**All chats will be held here on the site via our Black Book Chats section.**

CHAT SCHEDULE
March 7 – Read an E-Book Week (March 7-13) & Kick-off of E-Book Reading Challenge
March 12 – E-Book Resources
March 23 – Using Blogs, eBooks, and Online Social Networking to get THE WORD Out by Sylvia Hubbard – workshop
March 30 – Black Diamond by JaNese Dixon – fiction (character sketch)
March 31 – What’s on Your E-Reader? – open discussion
April 1- Me & My E-Reader – open discussion
April 2 – How to Make Money as a Writer in a Down Economy by Maxine Thompson – writing guide
April 6 – What Mother Never Told Me by Donna Hill – fiction *this title is not a free download, but click on the link to get the Kindle version (which can be read on your PC or wireless device.*
April 9 - Love Stories of Some People I Have Known by acVernon Menchan – short stories
April 13 – Take Your Pleasure Where You Find it by J. D. Mason – fiction  *this title is not a free download, but click on the link to get the Kindle version (which can be read on your PC or wireless device.*
April 15 - Love Like This By Sylvia Hubbard – romance
April 16 – Moving The Furniture by Barbara Joe Williams  – non-fiction, marriage
April 20 – When We Were One by Zaji – speculative fiction
April 22 – Seeds of Bible Study By Carole McDonnell – non-fiction, religion
April 23 – The Education of Black Dickey by Kenneth Bowens  – literary
April 26 – Keeping It Tight by Shani Greene-Dowdell – fiction
April 29 – Blackface by QB Wells – fiction
May 4 – Black Jack by Jean Holloway – romantic thriller
May 4 – Beautiful Rage by Janaya Black – fiction

**If you’ve already registered, CLICK HERE to download the new books.

Unfortunately, this has impacted both the workshop and blog tour we have going on for today, but it was beyond the control of the RAWSISTAZ staff.

Our host is aware of the situation and is working to resolve things.

We kicked things off with an interview with the founder of Read An E-Book Week, Rita Y. Toews earlier in the week, celebrated e-books on the Michigan Writers Network Show last night, and have been hearing from members regarding all the great finds around the internet.

E-BOOK READING LIST

• Black Diamond Prequel by JaNese Dixon – fiction
• How to Make Money as a Writer in a Down Economy by Maxine Thompson – writing guide
• Keeping It Tight by Shani Greene-Dowdell – fiction
• Love Like This By Sylvia Hubbard – romance
• Love Stories of Some People I Have Known by acVernon Menchan – short stories
• Moving The Furniture by Barbara Joe Williams  – non-fiction, marriage
• Seeds Of Bible Study By Carole McDonnell – non-fiction, religion
• The Education of Black Dickey by Kenneth Bowens  – literary
• When We Were One by Zaji – speculative fiction

Greetings all!

Just a quick announcement that we’re having technical difficulties with our email, so it has been down since Tuesday afternoon. We hope to have it back up by tomorrow mid-day, Monday at the latest.  So, if you’ve emailed us, please give us a few days to catch up to everything and if you haven’t heard from us by next Tuesday or Wednesday, please email us again.

UPDATE: March 8, 2010 – Our email addresses are back up and operational!

Read an E-Book Week educates and informs the public about the pleasures and advantages of reading electronically. Authors, publishers, vendors, the media and readers world-wide are welcome to join in the effort. We encourage you to promote electronic reading with any event. These could include: public readings, library displays, reading challenges, school visits, newspaper and blog articles, chat show appearances, internet radio interviews, e-book give-ways, and banners on your website.

E-Books are becoming quite popular with the avid reader and a lot of people are purchasing devices such as the Sony Reader, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook and more.  No matter which device you prefer or where you stand with print books vs e-books, e-books are making an impact on publishing as we know it.  So, what better way to spread the news than to encourage folks to go out and read an e-book?

So, in our efforts to promote & share information about e-books, RAWSISTAZ is joining the celebration of Read an E-Book Week on March 7-13 with the kick off of our 8-week E-Book Reading Challenge.

We have a host of authors lined up who will be giving away free copies of their e-books and then joining us for a chat & book discussion via our popular Black Book Chats series.  The free e-book downloads will be available directly on the site as well as links to authors who have shared their e-book details & links, and an interview with the founder of Read an E-Book Week, Rita Y. Toews. She is the co-author of three award-winning e-books: Prometheus, The Centurion and The Price of Freedom.  She is also the author of two children’s e-books, Kelly’s Baby Brother and Christmas Stars.

For more information on Read An E-Book Week, visit the site at http://www.ebookweek.com.

For those of you who were not able to see it, there will be an encore on Wednesday.  For those who don’t have LMN, you can watch it ONLINE starting February 25th.  Just go to: http://www.mylifetime.com/watch-full-movies-online.

So, mark your calendars, watch the movie, and come hang out with us Thursday.

And, in case you didn’t hear…

LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK’S Sins of the Mother

becomes second highest rated AND SECOND MOST WATCHED

original movie in network history

Film Based on Carleen Brice’s Novel Orange Mint and Honey

Generates 1.0 Among Women 18-34, 1.7 in Women 18-49

and 2.0 in Women 25-54, with 2.7 Total Viewers

LOS ANGELES, CA (February 22, 2010) – Building on its record-breaking year in 2009, Lifetime Movie Network continued to generate strong ratings with the premiere of its original movie Sins of the Mother last night.  The film, starring famed R&B singer and actress Jill Scott, delivered a 1.0 among Women 18-34, 1.7 rating in Women 18-49, 2.0 in Women 25-54 and 2.3 in Women 18+, making it the second highest rated original movie in the key women demos in the network’s 12 year history (behind the April 19, 2009, debut of Natalee Holloway).  Sins of the Mother, which secured a 2.5 Household rating, also became Lifetime Movie Network’s second most watched original movie ever in Women 18-34 (225,216), Women 18-49 (737,017), Women 25-54 (867,973), Women 18+ (1,813,163), Adults 18-34 (280,050), Adults 18-49 (944,461), Adults 25-54 (1,119,517), Households (1,902,170) and Total Viewers (2,647,388).

2009 was the most watched year in Lifetime Movie Network’s history in both Total Day and Primetime across Households, Total Viewers, Women 18-49, Women 25-54, Women 18+, Adults 18-34, Adults 18-49, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18+.  Additionally, it was the network’s highest rated year ever in Primetime among Households, Total Viewers and Adults 18+.  Lifetime Movie Network began 2010 with the most watched week ever in its history, averaging the most Total Day viewers ever in the key demographics.

ABOUT SINS OF THE MOTHER

Based on author Carleen Brice’s moving novel, Orange Mint and Honey, Sins of the Mother features Jill Scott (The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency) as reformed alcoholic Nona, Nicole Beharie (American Violet) as her daughter Shay and Mimi Rogers (The Door in the Floor) as Nona’s sponsor Lois.  Graduate student Shay Dixon (Beharie) reaches a crossroad in her life when she finds herself broke, burned out and unable to cope with the stress of school.  With nowhere else to go, she embarks on a journey home to Tacoma, Washington, to face her abusive, alcoholic, estranged mother, Nona (Scott). When she returns home, Shay finds Nona living life as a recovered alcoholic, with a new daughter and completely transformed.  Thrown by her mother’s new path, Shay must now accept Nona’s changes and influences, including her sponsor Lois (Rogers) — all forcing Shay to move past her pent-up anger and awaken her own relationships.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

Sins of the Mother is a Lifetime Pictures Presentation for Lifetime Movie Network.  Damon Lee (Obsessed, Undercover Brother) executive produces.  Paul A. Kaufman (Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story) directs the film and also serves as executive producer.  The teleplay from Elizabeth Hunter (Beauty Shop, The Fighting Temptations) is based on the novel Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice (Children of the Waters).

CONTINUE READING FULL PRESS RELEASE

(Source: TV By The Numbers)

So finally after 2441 comments in the various chats & 22,644 page views our winners are:

:::drumroll please:::

Wait! For those who don’t remember, we did a 7 week reading challenge, with 15 books & 14 authors joining us via our Black Book Chats.  The rules were pretty simple.  (Read. Discuss. Read. Discuss.)  We had some awesome chats, met some new friends and added even more books from our guest authors to our reading lists.

Prizes were to be awarded to the 4 people 5 people who read the most books and participated in the most discussions with our guest authors.  We also had special author prizes.  (*I added an extra winner for both the chatters & the authors.)

Okay…here goes…

PRIZES & WINNERS
1st Place – $50 Amazon.com (or other bookstore) gift certificate  — Sharon
2nd Place – gift pack of books — Jaime
3rd Place – gift pack of books — Angelia
4th Place – gift pack of books — Linda
5th Place – gift pack of books — LaDena

Please send your complete name and mailing address to us at info [at] rawsistaz [ dot ] com to claim your prizes.

AUTHOR PRIZE - The 2 authors 3 authors who brings the most active participants to their chat will win 3 months of FREE advertising on RAWSISTAZ.com for any month of 2010 (alternating between Top Shelf, Side Bar & Book Trailer ads). 

Winners: Shelia Goss, Dyanne Davis & Beverly Jenkins

*Also, as a treat for our ALL our participating authors, we would like to offer you a free one month ad. Just send the book cover for your latest book (or upcoming book) attached to the email and include the book title, release date, your website address and the requested month(s) you’d like the ad to run on the RAWSISTAZ.com website in the BODY OF THE EMAIL MESSAGE to: advertise [at] rawsistaz [dot] com with HOLIDAY READING CHALLENGE in the subject line.  We will add it as either a TOP SHELF or SIDE BAR ad for any remaining month in 2010.

For those who don’t know, things started last Friday when Amazon removed the “Buy Now” buttons for many of the imprints under MacMillan, one of the largest trade publishers in the U.S. (in other words, they threw a hissyfit).  It is unbelievable that after almost a week this has not been resolved and it leaves avid readers and authors wondering what will happen next.  When will we be able to buy the books on Amazon again?  It makes others wonder if this is a breach of contract from their publisher and if they have grounds to pull back their electronic rights. Some authors are even starting their on eBook companies to bring back out-of-print and backlisted titles, but others are more concerned with how the iPad plays into all this and if Jeff Bezos simply is trying to corner the market so the Kindle remains the “it” of ebook readers.  Or is it an ego trip for both sides at this point? Or even worse, is it just greed?

While I have yet to see an official response from Amazon or CEO Jeff Bezos other than a post on the discussion boards (in the Kindle Forum) from “The Amazon Kindle Team”, (which I might add was really a bit tacky and unprofessional.  Of course the Kindle crew is gonna side with Amazon as many are looking at cheaper ebooks as fitting in their best interest.)  John Sargent, the CEO of Macmillan has several paid ads updating authors & agents on the latest developments and in most of them, he sounds pretty convincing, but is it fear of the inpact eBooks will have on print books?  Macmillan even posted an ad in the NYT for a new release and added the tagline “Available at booksellers everywhere except Amazon.” (Not really a full-blown Amazon-style hissy fit, but it’s kinda funny and definitely makes a point.)

I understand most of the issues, but it seems to be getting pretty political on the literary front.  The bigger issue for me is that authors and their readers are being affected and this is just not good business.  Amazon may be a major avenue for distributing books, but are they right to remove the print books?   It makes me wonder if it is necessary for us to update RAWSISTAZ and BlackBookReviews.net so our members and visitors have access to books we’ve linked to which may now not be available to them.  Earlier this week SFWA removed the links on their site, stating “Our authors depend on people buying their books and since a significant percentage of them publish through Macmillan or its subsidiaries, we would prefer to send traffic to stores where the books can actually be purchased.”

This is truly a sad, sad time in literary history.   More popcorn anyone?

As a special note: we nominate books and then all members vote. We are in the process of voting on our March-June 2010 main and alternate selections.

RAWSISTAZ 2010  Diversity in Reading

JANUARY -  Best of the Best (4.5 or 5 Star Reviews from RAW members or TRR)
FEBRUARY -  Lotta Love/Love in the afternoon (Romance)
MARCH – Foot in the door (1st time authors)
APRIL – Payback is a Mutha (Drama, Betrayal)
MAY -  Practice What You Preach (Christian Fiction)
JUNE -  His Story (Male Authors)
JULY – Bring on the Drama…(contemporary fiction)
AUGUST – A Good Start (the first book in a good series)
SEPTEMBER – You Choose Your Friends, Not Your Family (Friendship Bonds stronger than family)
OCTOBER -  Guess Who? (Mystery)
NOVEMBER – Blast From the Past (historical fiction)
DECEMBER -  Legalese (Legal Thrillers)

We’ve made it to the last week of our Holiday Reading Challenge and have had a wonderful time with our guest authors.  While it may be too late to claim one of the prizes for most active participant, it’s not too late to join in the fun.  We will also do a favorite book poll at the end of the challenge.

The remaining 4 books and schedule is below.  **Note the date change for Monique Mensah’s WHO IS HE TO YOU discussion.  I triple booked us for that day, so she graciously moved to Wednesday.**

Jan 6th – Who is He To You by Monique Mensah

Jan 7th - On My Knees by Dyanne Davis

Jan 8th – Finding Me by Darnella Ford

Jan 12th – The Ideal Wife by Jacquelin Thomas

SPECIAL NOTE – We will be doing an online celebration for the 10th Anniversary of Sugar on Jan 5th with guest author Bernice McFadden.

If you’re looking for the chat, click HERE to join us, starting at 10AM EST.

On her blog, she shares:

Dear Book Lover:

You may not know me or my novels, because I am a member of a growing band of African-American writers of literary fiction who are slowly disappearing. And not because I am lacking in talent and credentials; in fact I have already published a number of books with major publishing houses and have been reviewed by national newspapers and well-respected literary journals, and have received critical acclaim and awards for my efforts. My work has been hailed as vivid, thought provoking and brilliant. I have been compared to Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Zora Neale Hurston and Gloria Naylor.

The fact that my novels may disappear is not due to the downward spiral of the economy or the pound of flesh it has taken from the book-publishing industry. No, my demise began long before the floor of the housing market began to rot away and the stock market crashed through.

Why?

I don’t rightly know why publishers market fiction written by African-Americans ONLY TO African-Americans – but it has become common practice. And by doing this, they’ve placed all AA authors in one box forcing them to compete for the attention of ONE audience.

The word that has been coined to describe what is happening to AA writers is: Seg-Book-Gation.  Continue Reading…

For many of the RAWSISTAZ members, Sugar is at the top of the list for favorite books of all time and we’re looking forward to re-reading and discussing the book with Bernice, as well as helping in her efforts to sell 10,000 books.  It is sad (and just plain wrong) seeing one of our favorite (and most talented) authors NOT on the NYT Bestseller lists, not celebrated more and not easily selling 10,000 books to ALL readers.

So, if you haven’t already…Buy a Copy of  Sugar and join us on January 5th via our Black Book Chats for our online celebration with Bernice!

THE RAWSISTAZ REVIEW (from the archives)

Reviewed: May 24, 2001

Sugar by Bernice L. McFadden
Plume, January 2001
240 Pages, Paperback, $14.00
ISBN: 0452282209
Genre: Fiction

RAW Rating: 5.0 (out of 5)

SUGAR is one of the most engrossing novels that I have read in a long time.  McFadden weaves a tale so vividly, the reader is easily transported into the storyline.  1940, Bigelow, Arkansas is where this Southern tale begins, with a scene so disturbingly painful and detailed that it grips your heart and propels you to read further.  SUGAR’s opening line, JUDE IS DEAD, is powerful, and we learn that Pearl and Joe Taylor have lost their only daughter Jude to a horrific event, and Pearl, a once vibrant, loving wife and mother, finds herself devastated over the loss, a piece of her soul, her heart gone forever.

Move to 1955, where life in Bigelow seems to be normal, and Pearl has buried the pain of Jude’s death deep within her.  That is, until a scandalously sexy and provocative woman waltzes into their small town, right next door to Pearl, creating rumors and upheavals with the women and gawking and lust with the men.  Pearl is struck by the resemblance that Sugar has to her deceased child.  Pearl and Sugar have their own personal demons that have plagued them, and this connection sparks a friendship between the odd couple.  Through their friendship, and the unfolding of their painful paths, the women become more family than friends, but all is not glorious as the past looms over them, bringing pain, grief, and the reopening of old wounds.

McFadden writes with such beauty that it’s easy to get lost in the novel.  The plot is full of drama and realism of the time period and will invoke anger and despair, hope and forgiveness in those who read it.  The town, the people, the dialogue is so vivid, so realistic, that it’s easy to believe every account in the novel, even the truly painful.  SUGAR is an exquisite piece of literature, and it’s definitely deserving of being on every reader’s bookshelf.

Reviewed by Shonie Bacon, RAWSISTAZ.com
—-

Shonie Bacon is the co-author of Luvalwaz, a RAWSISTAZ reviewer and the founder of The Nubian Chronicles.

Several weeks ago, while joking around trying to come up with a name for our Holiday Reading Challenge, she started making up lyrics for various Christmas songs.  They were so cute we decided to share them with everyone else.

So grab your eggnog & fake microphone, and let’s rock!  And, if you have a Christmas-themed song, you’d like to share…post the lyrics in the comment section.

Up on the Bookshelf
*sing to the tune of “Up on the Housetop”

Up on the bookshelf
Lots of books
I’ve got books
In every nook

Some on the nightstand
More in the drawer
So why do I feel
I need ten more?

Ho-Ho-Ho, RAWSISTAZ know
Ho-Ho-Ho, Book Addicts know

On my front door, tap-tap-tap
It’s books from Amazon!
Clap-Clap-Clap!

Let It Snow (book style)

The weather outside is frightful
But this book is so delightful
And since I’ve got more to go

Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow

(Bridge)
When I finally finish one
Blink my eyes, then the next is begun
When I feel I am running low
Off to Borders I go!

My list is quickly growing
But the pages just keep flowing
Since I’ve got more to go

Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow

Away in a Chapter
*sing to the tune of “Away in a Manger”

Away in a chapter
No room on my bed
A big stack of books
Is right next to my head

The stars in the sky
Say it’s time to stop

But just one more chapter
Then I’ll call it a day

———————————

CandaceK is a book bibliophile, web wondergirl, music maven, and design diva. A longtime RAWSISTAZ member, former reviewer and NY RAWSISTAZ member, she currently lives on Long Island and works in the glitz of Gotham City.

To listen to more of her original music, visit her on MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/0209candace. You can inquire about her design services at candace@candann.com.

1. The Boy Next Door by Irene Sabatini ISBN: 031604993X
2. Mrs. O by Mary Tomer ISBN: 1599952580
3. Role of a Lifetime by James Brown , Nathan Whitaker , Tony Dungy ISBN: 0446541176
4. On the Line by Serena Williams , Daniel Paisner ISBN: 0446553662
5. Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales by Nelson Mandela ISBN: 1600246664

TO ENTER:

1) In the comments section below, share your 5 Favorite Books of 2009 and include the author’s name.

and

2) Fill out the Contest Entry Form with your complete mailing list. (No P.O. Boxes)

*All three winners will receive one whole set of books (5 books each) and will be announced via this post at the end of the contest.

The book list is below and the rules are simple. Read. Discuss. Read. Discuss. Yep, that’s it. Choose as many of the books as possible and read (preferably in the order listed) and then join us as we chat with the authors one-on-one via our Black Book Chats section on the site on the dates indicated, starting around 10AM EST and lasting throughout the evening.

The 4 people who read the most books AND participate in the most discussions with our guest authors will win a gift certificate to Amazon.com, Borders.com or Barnes & Noble.com or free books. If you’ve already read the book, you CAN COUNT IT, but only IF you actively participate in the chat/discussion. *Sapphire will not be joining us for the chat.

PRIZES
1st Place – $50 Amazon.com (or other bookstore) gift certificate
2nd Place – gift pack of books
3rd Place – gift pack of books
4th Place – gift pack of books

*Special Prize - The 2 authors who brings the most active participants to their chat will win 3 months of FREE advertising on RAWSISTAZ.com for any month of 2010 (alternating between Top Shelf, Side Bar & Book Trailer ads).

READING LIST & CHAT DATES
Dec 1st – Push by Sapphire
Dec 4th - Trapped in Paradise by Deatri King-Bey (ebook)
Dec 8th – One Night With You by Francis Ray
Dec 10th - Have Mercy by Earl Sewell
Dec 15th – Bring on the Blessings by Beverly Jenkins
Dec 16th – Lady Jasmine by Victoria Christopher Murray
Dec 17th – His Invisible Wife by Shelia Goss
Dec 22nd – Total Eclipse of the Heart by Zane
Dec 29th – Millionaire Wives Club by Tu-Shonda Whitaker
Dec 30th - Mrs. Black by Angelia Vernon Menchan
Jan 3rd – Reality Check by Eric Pete (time: TBD)
Jan 5th – Who is He To You by Monique Mensah
Jan 5th – Finding Me by Darnella Ford (tentative)
Jan 7th - On My Knees by Dyanne Davis (ebook)
Jan 12th – The Ideal Wife by Jacquelin Thomas

The long-awaited new novel by ZANE—The Queen of LOVE & SEX!

“Throughout the centuries, love has been defined in many ways.  In today’s society, most people relate love to a deep feeling of sexual desire and attraction.  They believe that as long as the sex is incredible, then love is definitely blooming in the air.  Too many people confuse lust and sex and end up trapped in toxic relationships.  The world is full of people who remain in relationships that they realize they have no business being in.  Yet they stay, hoping and praying for change, believing that the other person will eventually appreciate them and recognize their value.  It is a cycle that leads to regret, despair, and many times, depression.

Yet…every once in awhile, two people meet by pure chance; and not while they are out on the hunt for a new lover.  There are no expectations between them, allowing nature to takes its course…the right way.  They get to know each other, never realizing that their interaction might lead to the ultimate experience; the one thing that most of us crave our entire lives.   What results can be “a total eclipse of the heart.”

So begins ZANE’S much-anticipated hot new novel, TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART (Atria Books; $25.99; December 1, 2009).

Zane is a powerhouse. In addition to penning sizzling novels of contemporary erotic fiction, she is the publisher of Strebor Books—a flourishing imprint of Atria Books.  She’s also recently journeyed into the realm of the small screen with “Zane’s Sex Chronicles,” part of the Cinemax After Dark television line up.

What is really close and personal to her heart, however, is using her fiction and nonfiction to reach out to those who are striving for intimate relationships in responsible, healthy, and satisfying ways. Indeed, TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART is a story of love—unintentional love—that enables two individuals to discover that they don’t have to give up their dreams or feeling of self-worth in order to find happiness.

Brooke Alexander, a waitress who has self-esteem issues regarding her lackluster existence and her fluctuating weight, is in love with Patrick Sterling, one of the most prominent attorneys in Washington, D.C.  On his good days, Patrick is the man in every woman’s dream. On his bad days, Patrick’s behavior is demeaning and he is angry at the world.  Brooke adores Patrick—at least some things about him—but he’s stressing her out and causing her to alienate most of the people in her inner circle.

Damon Johnson, who’s been married to Carleigh for four years, is one of “the last good men” —compassionate and honest, worshipping the ground his wife walks on.  He’s also a man with goals and aspirations.  Sure, he pulls in a six-figure income as the Human Resources Manager at a Fortune 500 corporation, but he dreams of building his own empire.  Carleigh, a woman who has her own issues with men, treats Damon like a trophy husband, however, and views his plans as a joke. Damon loves his wife with all of his heart, but he’s beginning wonder if he made the right decision when he asked for her hand in marriage.

The lives of Brooke, Damon, and Carleigh are changed forever the day they attend a music festival in downtown D.C.—the day that Damon saves the lives of both women when an SUV careens out of control.  In the days after the accident, all three of them struggle with its repercussions, and an unlikely friendship begins between Brooke and Damon after she calls to thank him. They find that they’re immediately drawn to each other, and are soon caught up in intense conversations that range from their goals and dreams, to children, and eventually to their own relationships.

Brooke and Damon quickly realize that are playing a dangerous game, but it’s a game that neither of them can back away from. There is something going on between them and it’s growing deeper.  It may have started out because of the accident, but it’s become so much more than just a friendship.   Conflicted and caught in a web of intense feelings, both Brooke and Damon must decide if they should focus on their current relationships and try and make them work…or jump at the chance to find true love.

TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART is a provocative tale of love and heartbreak, a story in which Zane explores what happens when you cater to your emotional well-being and discover the meaning of unconditional love…or, rather, experience a total eclipse of the heart.

TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART: A Novel By Zane
Published by: Atria Books 
ISBN: 978-0-7434-9929-3
Pages: 256
Price: $25.99
Pub Date: December 1, 2009

————————————

WIN A COPY by filling out the Contest Entry Form with your complete mailing list.