Karen Steffans Interviewed by AALBC.com

Karrine Steffans is the author of the New York Times bestsellering books The Vixen Diaries (2007) and the wildly sucessful and scandelous Confessions of a Video Vixen (2005).

Confessions is currently [Oct. 2007] the all-time best selling book on AALBC.com

I had a chance to interview Karrine, on October 3rd 2007, during the New York City leg of her hectic book tour for The Vixen Diaries: http://authors.aalbc.com/karrine_steffans.htm#Karen

Racist Hate Mail

I was listening to the radio (1010 AM, WINS, New York) this week and heard a report of some Jewish people in Roslyn, LI who received some Jewish hate mail.

Apparently they got some letter in the mail emblazoned with a Swastika. The police were investigating.

I began thinking to myself wow, Black people confort racism on a much higher level on a daily basis. I really could not understand why the Roslyn, NY incident was even newsworthy, relatively speaking.

See, I get racist email all the time. Usually I just ignore it and at this stage of the game I’m somewhat immune to it. I know there are people who hate Black folks. I wish I could tell these racists to save their ink and time, I don't need the reminder.

Well the same day of the Roslyn incident I got a letter in the mail myself. Addressed to AALBC.com and Staff. A scan of a portion of the letter is shown above.

Is this letter newsworthy. Should I phone the press or call Reverend Al? Am I too desensitized for my own good?

http://www.thumperscorner.com/discus/messages/1726/30386.html

Terry McMillan Speaks out on the ill of the publishing industry

The following link points to a letter, written by Terry McMillan, on the ills of the publishing industry. The letter addresses, among other things the hurt and pain, caused by these Tell-All Books that are so popular today.

Visit http://www.thumperscorner.com/discus/messages/1/30333.html to read some very interesting commentary.

OK y'all this is big. Cheryl Woodruff, founder and former associate publisher of One World, Random House’s multicultural imprint, has been named president and associate publisher of SmileyBooks.

This will be an opportunity for Us to publish the kind of Black books we've all be claiming that the German conglomerates will not publish. Now I know it will not be easy and Smiley Books is not going to make everyone happy. And they certainly won’t be perfect out the gate, but we must show support over the long term. As we continue to support publishers like Just Us Books, Black Classic press and others.

Smiley books hosted a party to celebrate the venture last night. I plan to create some content on AALBC.com regarding this event and Smiley Book over the next few days.

In the meantime here are some photos.

BIBR's, Clarence Reynolds, AALBC.com's Founder, Troy Johnson and Tavis Smiley

To see all the photos visit: http://tinyurl.com/2thczj