|
2007 Keynotes & Featured Authors
 GWYNNE
FORSTER - KEYNOTE
Gwynne Forster is a national
best-selling author of thirty-three works of fiction,
including her latest mainstream novels, GETTING SOME OF HER
OWN (August 2007) and WHEN YOU DANCE WITH THE DEVIL. She has
won numerous awards for fiction writing, including the
Romantic Times 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award, the Romance
In Color Author of the Year award, the Gold Pen Award and
has been inducted in the Affaire de Coeur Hall of Fame.
A demographer by profession,
she is formerly a senior United Nations Officer, Population
Division, United Nations, New York, where she was chief
officer in charge of Research in Fertility and Family
Planning studies. Gwynne is author of twenty-seven
publications in demography. She holds bachelors and masters
degrees in sociology and a master’s degree in
economics/demography. As an officer, first for United
Nations and later for the International Planned Parenthood
Federation, London, England, Gwynne traveled and/or worked
in sixty-three countries. Gwynne loves to read and listen to
music, especially jazz, classical music, opera and blues.
She loves to dance and enjoys entertaining at small dinner
parties. She lives in New York with her husband, who is her
true soul mate.
Website:
www.gwynneforster.com
 TRAVIS
HUNTER - KEYNOTE
Travis Hunter is an author,
songwriter and father. Hunter is a native of Florence, S.C.
He was also reared in Philadelphia, Pa. A veteran of the
U.S. Army, he attended Clark Atlanta University and
subsequently enrolled in Georgia State University where he
majored in Psychology. The Hearts of Men was self-published
in 2000 by Hunter's own company, Jimrose Publishing House.
During the 2000 Book Expo America in Chicago, Hunter was
signed by Random House's imprint, Villard Books for the
re-release of The Hearts of Men, followed by Married but
Still Looking and Trouble Man. His most recent titles are A
One Woman Man, released in 2004 and Something to Die For,
released in October 2006. His forthcoming title is A Family
Sin and will be released September 25, 2007.
Hunter lives in a suburb
outside of Atlanta with his son Rashaad. He is the founder
of the "Hearts of Men Foundation," through which he mentors
underprivileged children.
Website:
www.travishunter.com
 TOSCHIA
-
KEYNOTE (Featured Guest w/Divine Literary Tour Authors)
Toschia is part of a new
African American literary genre that couples hip-hop culture
with the themes of love and life that writers have explored
for centuries. You Wrong
For That, her debut novel, was published in
2005 by Urban Books and its sequel, See... What
Had Happened Was!, will be released later this
year. Toschia is also working on a non-fiction book,
From Zora to Diddy: A Contrast and Comparison of the Harlem
and the Hip-Hop Renaissance.
A member of Alpha Kappa
Alpha Sorority, Moffett is co-founder and tour organizer of
The Divine Literary Tour, the first nationwide book tour of
authors from Black Greek fraternities and sororities. She is
also an attorney, a political advocate and an entrepreneur.
Toschia credits her early love and knowledge of literature
to her parents but says that Coker College helped catapult
her literary career. She lives in Texas and works for Dell.
Website:
www.toschia.com
 MONICA
FRAZIER ANDERSON
Monica “Dr. Moe” Anderson’s
debut novel, When A Sistah’s FED UP, was a national
bestseller in 2006. Her critically acclaimed new release,
I Stand Accused, is a suspenseful exploration of
family ties and celibacy from a male’s point of view. She
is the also the author of two nonfiction books and a
contributor to four anthologies.
When she's not writing, Dr.
Moe is a motivational speaker, humorist, and Doctor of
Dental Surgery.
Website:
www.drmoeanderson.com
 THOMAS
BROOKS
Thomas Brooks is the bestselling author of A Wealth of
Family: An Adopted Son's International Quest for Heritage,
Reunion and Enrichment. This compelling true story
is a USA Book News “Best Books” Award Winner, and
also a ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Award
Finalist.
Brooks earned his B.S. Electrical Engineering from the
University of Pittsburgh and his MBA from the University of
Maryland. The award-winning author has published several
articles, and has been featured frequently on the radio and
on television. In 1998, Brooks won a national award from the
Career Communications Group in the category of Technical
Sales and Marketing for his work in corporate America.
The entrepreneur co-founded MinorityProfessionalNetwork.com
in 2001, a leading global online resource for career,
economic and lifestyle content. Brooks is a life member of
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and also the National Black
MBA Association. He enjoys public speaking, snow skiing,
running and salsa dancing. He lives with his wife and
children near Houston, Texas, USA.
Website:
www.AlphaMultimedia.com
 TINA
BROOKS-MCKINNEY
Tina
Brooks-McKinney is a native of
Baltimore currently residing in the suburbs of
Atlanta. She wears many hats, as she balances her
time between that of wife, mother, talk show
hostess/interviewer and creative force behind the mind of
Seductress Sammie Davis. Sammie was first introduced to
readers across the country in the debut novel All That
Drama in 2004/released in mass market paperback Mar.
2007. Tina Brooks-McKinney is back with the long awaited
sequel, Lawd, Mo' Drama.
Tina has completed working
on the third installment, Fool Stop Trippin', arriving
in 2008. As if writing wasn't enough, Tina also hosts a
internet radio series for both self-published and mainstream
writers, to showcase their own work on the hit program
Artistfirst.com.
Writing
allows her the opportunity to address all of the things that
pass through her head on a daily basis.
Website:
www.tinamckinney.com
 BRIAN EGESTON
Brian Egeston majored in
mechanical engineering because he never wanted to be a
starving artist. After obtaining his degree and working as an
engineer for RCA and Motorola, Brian left his cubicle and
$15,000 in company stock to become, you guessed it, a starving
writer.
Writing was Brian's solution for boredom. While attending
Tennessee Sate University, he worked at Kinko’s and would use
the store’s computers to write during off days. His first
creation was an essay entitled, A Black Eye: Views of the
Black College Experience. After using his employee discount to
mass-produce the essay, Brian then decided to write a short
story. The short story became a long story and the long story
ultimately transpired into his first novel, Crossing Bridges A
Testimony Of Brotherhood (1997). An anecdotal tale about frat
boys and their antics, Brian quickly realized the power of
words when readers proclaimed to have loved the story—even
though the mere mention of the book makes him cringe to this
day.
Currently, Brian is the associate editor at Atlanta Goodlife
Magazine and a contributing writer for The Champion newspaper.
The author of five novels, he is also a commentator for
National Public Radio. His newest release is An Auburn Autumn.
Website: www.brianwrites.com
 PAT
G'ORGE-WALKER
Pat
G’Orge (pronounced Gee-or-jay)–Walker is a former record
industry veteran who has worked for several major labels
including Epic, Def Jam, and Columbia. She has also
performed with the legendary 60's girl group, Arlene Smith
and the Chantels (“Maybe”) as well as with gospel
groups.
In
2003, G’Orge-Walker released Sister Betty! God’s
Calling You, Again! to be directly followed by
Mother Eternal Ann Everlastin’s Dead in 2004.
Currently, her new novel Cruisin’ On Desperation is
riding the waves of rave reviews and is being turned into
a screenplay.
In
between writing books and spending time with her husband
Rob in their Long Island, New York home, Pat is busy
touring the country performing her sold-out One Woman
Sister Betty comedy show.
Website:
www.cruisin-on-desperation.com
 BRITTNEY
HOLMES
Brittney Holmes was born in West Palm Beach, Florida in
1989. Currently a straight-A senior in the gifted program
at Redan High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia, Brittney’s
club affiliations include: National Honor Society, Beta
Club, PILOT (Preparing Innovative Leaders of Tomorrow), CIA
(Christians in Action), and Ladies of Redan. For her
academic achievements, she was recently inducted into
Who’s Who Among High School Students.
A gifted poet and writer, Brittney is a youth contributing
writer for Global Woman Magazine and her first novel,
Living Consequences made its debut in February 2007
under Urban Book’s newly established Urban Christian
imprint. Additionally, in 2006, The International Society
of Poets presented Brittney with the International Poet of
Merit Crystal Award.
Website:
www.brittneyholmes.com
 BARBARA
KEATON
Barbara Keaton, a native of Chicago, who thinks its
the best city in the world, also enjoys writing. Her first
diary is dated December 1975! And since then, Barbara has
written articles for Today's Black Woman Magazine,
Chicago Reader, Chicago Crusader and most recently, True
Confessions and Black Romance. In addition, Barbara is an
accomplished romance author, having seven titles to her
name. Barbara credits
her late grandfather, Thomas Hill, and the Oblate Sisters of
Providence for instilling in her a love and passion for the
written word. Her latest titles are: Nights Over Egypt
and Love for All Seasons (Anthology).
 MARC
LACY
Marc Lacy, the second child and first son of three children
born to Walter and Julianne White Lacy is a Cum Laude
Mechanical Engineering graduate of Alabama A&M University (AAMU).
While matriculating through AAMU, he was a starting forward
for the Men’s Varsity Basketball Team. Also when Marc was on
“the yard”, he was often sought for various speaking
engagements and to deliver presentations as a means of
enhancing student life and morale on campus.
Often referred to as a “left and right brain” type of guy,
Marc’s Gemini-esque character is highlighted by the fact that
he is a Government Contractor by day and disc-jockey/audio
specialist by night. He is also the CEO of AVO Publishing,
under which his literary works and audio recordings have been
published and produced. Marc’s “versatile” writing and
performance (through God’s blessings) have played a big factor
in his book, The Looking Heart, and cd, REFlux winning
several literary awards.
Rock and Fire is his latest title.
Website:
www.marclacy.com
 VICTOR
MCGLOTHIN
Victor McGlothin is a former bank vice-president who
nearly forfeited an athletic scholarship due to poor reading
skills. His knack for weaving passionate tales of suspense
and drama, (Autumn Leaves, What’s A Woman To Do?, Every
Sistah Wants It, Down on My Knees, Borrow Trouble and Sinful)
has book clubs across the country adding his novels to their
Must-Read lists.
Victor, the on-line columnist of highly entertaining
Victor Said…, a real Brotha to Sistah look at
relationships, has also given his loyal readers several
reasons to hail him as a refreshing voice in African American
fiction. Living in Dallas with his wife and two sons, Victor
is working on future novels and as a contributing writer for
D Magazine.
Website:
www.VictorMcGlothin.com
 KENDRA
NORMAN-BELLAMY
Kendra Norman-Bellamy is a
multi-award-winning, four-time national bestselling author,
as well as the co-founder of KNB Publications, LLC, an
independent self-publishing house. She began her literary
career in 2002 as a self-published writer, and Kendra’s
works are currently made available through the respected
publishers of Harlequin Books, Moody Publishers and Urban
Books. She is a columnist for Hope for Women Magazine
and Global Woman Magazine, and a reoccurring
contributing writer for WOW Magazine. Kendra is also
a motivational speaker, the Georgia Area Coordinator for
American Christian Fiction Writers, and the mastermind
behind The Writer’s Hut, an online support group for
creators of literary works. Furthermore, she is the founder
of Cruisin’ For Christ, a groundbreaking cruise that
celebrates Christian writing, gospel music, and other
inspirational artistries.
Among her most recent
recognitions, Kendra’s titles have graced Essence
magazine’s Best Seller List and she was presented with the
2006 Open Book Award for best Christian fiction.
Website:
www.knb-publications.com
 PAMELA
SAMUELS-YOUNG
A native of Compton, California, attorney and author Pamela
Samuels-Young is a frequent speaker on the topics of writing
and self-empowerment. Her legal thrillers, In Firm Pursuit
and Every Reasonable Doubt, have been described as
"John Grisham with a sister's twist!" Pamela is a corporate
attorney for Toyota in Southern California and writes a legal
column for Global Woman magazine.
She served as legal consultant to the
Showtime television series, Soul Food, and spent several years
as a television news writer in Detroit and Los Angeles before
pursuing a legal career. Pamela earned her law degree at UC
Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law and is a graduate of USC
and Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
Every Reasonable Doubt was a USA Book News Best Books of
2006 finalist in the mystery, suspense, thriller category and
an excerpt of the novel won the Black Expressions Book Club's
Annual Fiction Writing Contest in 2003. In Firm Pursuit
was a "Top Pick" by Romantic Times magazine.
Website:
www.pamelasamuels-young.com
 MONICA
CARTER TAGOREMonica Carter Tagore is a freelance
writer and small business owner. A former newspaper
editor, she is an award winning columnist tackling issues
related to social and political themes. She is the
principal writer for RootSky Publishing, a writing and
design firm.
Monica Carter Tagore also is the author of Sacrifice
the One, newly released by Urban Christian.
Sacrifice the One is a faith-themed family drama set
against the backdrop of rejection, rebellion, and
redemption. Families are made up of human beings. And
human beings do things that hurt, embarrass, and downright
tick us off. If you have a family, you've no doubt had to
do some forgiving. Whether you're on the straight and
narrow, or trying to get there, the road can be bumpy when
our hearts are involved. And so Sacrifice the One
poses the question: is there anything too bad to be
forgiven?
 FREDERICK
WILLIAMS
Frederick Williams worked
on Capitol Hill for seven years as a legislative assistant to
a United States Senator and a special assistant to a
Congressman He is now an Adjunct Professor of African-American
Studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He teaches
courses to include Introduction to African-American Studies,
African-American Political Thought, African-American Politics,
Novelists of the Harlem Renaissance, and African-American
Literature.
He has also taught a
course on Creative Writing. He does creative writing workshops
for Dr. Rosie Milligan’s Black Authors on Tour and for the
Divine Literary Tour. He is a board member for the Divine
Literary Tour. Just Loving You is his third novel. He
lives in San Antonio, Texas with his wife and daughter.
Website:
www.fredrickwilliams.com
|
