Spotlight – Santa Baby 2008 Virtual Book Tour

December 12, 2008 by admin · 2 Comments 

Have YOU missed the past 12 days of the Santa Baby 2008 Virtual Book Tour sponsored by TheGRITS.com and All the Buzz Reviews?  Well, it’s not to late to go back and catch up on this wonderful 12 Day celebration of romance authors…just in time to add their books to your holiday shopping list.

Santa Baby 2008 Virtual Book Tour Coming - December 1st

Filed under: Day 5 (FRIDAY), General Forum, Promo & Resources
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Friday Spotlight – Literary Professionals

December 11, 2008 by admin · 63 Comments 

In addition to our industry professionals panel today, we are also spotlighting some of the best literary professionals on the net. Join me in welcoming: Marlive Harris (MsGRITS) of TheGRITS.com Literary Services, Pam Perry of Ministry Marketing Solutions, Ella Curry of EDC Creations, Sylvia Hubbard of Motown Writers Network, LaShaunda Hoffman of SORMAG, 3 Chicks on Lit (Nakea, Tiffany & TuShonda).

Bios (read full bios on the 2008 Participants page):

Marlive Harris – http://www.thegrits.com/literaryservices
Marlive Harris, aka MsGRITS, is the founder and business owner of The GRITS COM Literary Service, a niche web publicity service created in 2003 that develops online book campaigns for authors and publishers.

Pam Perry – http://www.ministrymarketingsolutions.com
Pam Perry is the founder of Ministry Marketing Solutions, Inc. a marketing consulting and public relations agency that brings a high level of understanding of positioning, branding, and promoting products and services that target the African American Christian Market (AACM).

Ella D. Curry – http://www.edc-creations.com/EDCCreationsMagazine/index1.html
Ella D. Curry is the president and CEO of EDC Creations, a marketing and branding firm in Prince George’s County Maryland, a radio show host, marketing director, and literary advocate. She is also the founder of Sankofa Literary Society which empowers independent and/or self-published authors through mentoring programs, Internet workshops, marketing and brand coaching.

Sylvia Hubbard – http://motownwriters.homestead.com/

Sylvia Hubbard is an author, lecturer & coordinator of Motown Writer’s Network and owner of Hub Books Publisher/Distributor. Established in 2000, the Motown Writer’s Network provides literary education and events in metroit Detroit.

LaShaunda Hoffman – http://sormag.blogspot.com
LaShaunda is the founder of SORMAG, an award winning online magazine for readers and writers of multi-cultural literature.

Filed under: Day 5 (FRIDAY), General Forum, Panels & Workshops, Promo & Resources
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Panel – Industry Insider Roundtable

December 11, 2008 by admin · 33 Comments 

I’m sure you have all been looking forward to our Industry Insider Roundtable. Joining us today, we have: Candace K – Web Designer/CanDann.com, Melissa Forbes – Freelance Editor/Carbon Copy Editing, Doug Siebold – Publisher/Agate Publishing, Misherald Brown – Literary Agent/ML Brown & Associates, and Chanel Smith/Web Design Presence.

Bios:

Candace K – http://www.candann.com
Candace Cottrell has been a web developer for over ten years. With her additional background in editing, design, and project management, she lends a wide spectrum of talents and strengths to her projects. Her company, CanDann Productions, is a full-service design and web technology firm. They pride themselves on keeping abreast of the latest technologies and trends and how they affect their clients.

Doug Siebold – http://www.agatepublishing.com
Doug Seibold, president and publisher, founded Agate in 2003. Formerly executive editor of The Noble Press, he most recently was founding editorial director of UNext, an online education company that creates graduate-level business coursework in partnership with Stanford University, the University of Chicago, and other leading universities.

Melissa Forbes – http://www.ccediting.com
Melissa Forbes has been copy-editing and proofreading since she can remember. Really. Her childhood and adult friends have dubbed her “Miss Know-It-All,” but they don’t hesitate to ask for help when they need their writing to be perfect. Melissa’s formal copy-editing and proofreading experience began in high school and continued throughout college. She was an editor and writer for both her high school and college newspapers. She received her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and Theater from Ursinus College in May of 1999 and her Master in Journalism degree from Temple University in January of 2005.

Misherald Brown – http://www.mlbrownassociatesllc.com
Misherald “Missy” Brown is the founder & lead agent of ML Brown & Associates LLC. Missy has extensive experience in the literary industry including years of being a publicist, acquisitions editor, reviewer and bookseller. As an agent, Missy uses her love for books and industry connections to help her clients make their dreams a reality.

Chanel Smith – http://www.w-p-d.net
Web Presence Designs is based in Stone Mountain, Georgia where Chanel Smith provides web and graphic design services. Whether you are looking for a one page design, a complex design utilizing flash and web forms, she can develop a web presence that complements your company image. She specializes in professional web and graphic design at affordable prices for authors, individuals, and small businesses. Allow Web Presence Designs to creatively design your web presence.

Attendees, as a reminder our panelists will be in throughout the day, so if they’re not here when you arrive, go ahead and post your question.

Filed under: Day 5 (FRIDAY), General Forum, Panels & Workshops
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Workshop – The Inner/Outer Self

December 11, 2008 by admin · 165 Comments 

Inner/Outer Self Workshop with Dr. Niama Williams  

Dr. Ni

Niama Leslie Williams “Dr. Ni” a June 2006 Leeway Foundation Art and Social Change Grant recipient, and a 2006 (July) participant in a Sable Literary Magazine/Arvon Foundation residential course in Shropshire, UK, possesses a doctorate in African American literature from Temple University, a bachelor’s in comparative literature from Occidental College, and a master’s in professional writing from the University of Southern California.  Dr. Williams’ master’s thesis at USC earned her an honorable mention in the University’s 1991 Phi Kappa Phi competition.  Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she currently resides in Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Williams has participated in several writers’ conferences, including the Squaw Valley Community of Writers (2000), Hurston/Wright Writers Week (1996), and Flight of the Mind (1993).  Her work has appeared in Poets & Writers Magazine; Dark Eros: Black Erotic Writings; Spirit & Flame: An Anthology of African American Poetry; Catch the Fire: A Cross-Generational Anthology of Contemporary African-American Poetry; Beyond the Frontier: African American Poetry for the 21st Century; Mischief, Caprice, and Other Poetic Strategies (Red Hen Press); A Deeper Shade of Sex: The Best in Black Erotica, and Check the Rhyme:  An Anthology of Female Poets & Emcees. Check the Rhyme was nominated for an NAACP Image Award (2007).

Hand-Outs
1) Inner Self
2) Outer Self

Filed under: Day 5 (FRIDAY), General Forum, Workshops
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DISC- Favorite Books of All Time

December 11, 2008 by admin · 39 Comments 

Today’s discussion topic is on favorite books of all time.  Please LIST THEM (not link to another site) and tell us what made them special for you.  Also include the authors.  And, if you can remember a scene or line from the book (without giving spoilers), tell us that too!

Let’s hear from you.

Filed under: Book Clubs, Book Discussions, Day 5 (FRIDAY), General Forum
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Workshop – What You Need to Know Before You Sign the Dotted Line

December 11, 2008 by admin · 15 Comments 

What You Need to Know Before You Sign on the Dotted Line

 By Pamela Samuels Young  

Finally . . .  after years of rejection, you’ve landed your first book deal!  You can hardly wait to sign your contract and cash that advance check. You go to bed at night dreaming about how great it’s going to feel when you walk into your neighborhood bookstore and see your masterpiece sitting on the shelf.  

You’re definitely entitled to spend a few days savoring your accomplishment, then it’s time to come back down to earth.  Once you receive your book contract, it’s time to focus.  If you aren’t careful, you could be locked into an agreement that has negative repercussion for years to come. 

Though most acquisitions editors will insist that they have a standard publishing contract, the terms of which they seldom change, many provisions can be negotiated.  It will all depend on how badly the editor wants your book. 

The reality is, as an unknown author, you won’t get everything you want in your first book deal.  Frankly, it would probably be unwise to make too many demands.  Here are a few things you should keep in mind.  

1.  Don’t Sign It If You Don’t Understand It – All Of It

It’s important that you both read and understand the entire book contract.  If you don’t understand a particular provision, ask questions.  I’m a lawyer and I didn’t understand half of the legalese in my first book contract when I initially read the agreement.

If your agent can’t answer your questions (and he or she may not be able to), spend the money to hire a good intellectual property lawyer with experience in reviewing book contracts. There’s also a wealth of information available on the Internet.  If you’ve been offered a publishing contract from a major publishing house, you’re eligible to join the Author’s Guild and take advantage of the free contract review services offered to new members.  You can also purchase a copy of the Guild’s Model Trade Book Contract and Guide.  The cost to join the Author’s Guild is only $90 a year.  That’s an incredible bargain considering the invaluable services the organization provides.   Visit www.authorsguild.com for more information. 

2.  Don’t Give Up Your Copyright

Make sure the copyright for your book is registered in your name, not your publisher’s.  This should be non-negotiable. 

3.  Don’t Give Up Your Rights For Peanuts

Most acquisitions editors know that new authors are desperate to be published.  Hence, they will offer you the smallest possible advance and demand the broadest possible rights to your book.  If you’re getting a six thousand dollar advance, you shouldn’t be handing over e-book, audio, film, and other rights to your publisher.  If you do and your book turns out to be a bestseller, your publisher will be making the lion’s share of the profits, not you.  Unless you’re getting an advance big enough to compensate you for these rights, carve them out.  

4.  Make Sure You Maintain A Reversion Of Rights

If your publisher allows your book to go out of print, the rights to the book should revert back to you.  Make sure this is spelled out in your contract.  The revision provision should clearly state that if your publisher publishes less than a set amount of books or earns less than a specific sum over a set period of time, rights to the book will revert back to you.  You are then free to republish the book if you so choose.  

5.  Ask For Clear “Reserve” Terms

When you receive your first royalty check, you may be shocked to find that most of the royalties you expected to receive are being held in “reserve.”  Your contract will no doubt contain a clause allowing your publisher to establish “a reasonable reserve against returns,” a standard industry practice.  This means that the publisher doesn’t have to pay you right away for books that are sitting on bookstore shelves because they might later be returned.  You could be forced to wait months or even years to recoup these royalties.  Your contract should specify how long the reserves will be held and the precise percentage of total sales that will be held in reserve. 

The world of publishing is extremely competitive.  Unfortunately, most new authors don’t have much bargaining power when it comes to negotiating that first book deal.  You can protect your interests, however, by doing your homework and asking questions before you sign on the dotted line.  

The foregoing information is not offered as legal advice.  It is always best to have an attorney with publishing expertise review your book contract before you sign it.

Pamela Samuels Young is the bestselling author of the legal thrillers, Murder on the Down Low, In Firm Pursuit and Every Reasonable Doubt.  Visit Pamela’s website at http://www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com/

Filed under: Day 5 (FRIDAY), General Forum, Panels & Workshops
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5 Tips for Dealing with Rejection

December 11, 2008 by admin · 7 Comments 

5 Tips for Dealing with Rejection

by Tee C. Royal

It’s a fact. Most people do not like to be rejected and this does not change for those in the literary arena.

I’m going to take a step back from RAWSISTAZ/being a book club founder & moderator and throw on my other hats. While it’s not something I actively promote, I have been a freelance editor and reader for around 7 years. I started both shortly after starting RAWSISTAZ, working directly for authors and also for a few publishing companies, but it’s never been the main focus of what I do, simply because RAWSISTAZ had the #1 slot. But during this time, I’ve seen hundreds of manuscripts, quite a few of which needed work and unfortunately I couldn’t recommend for publication.

Now, I’m an agent and focusing more on getting my agency running and taking what I’ve already done in the industry a step further and actually helping authors get their work published. Granted, there were a few deals I helped authors achieve prior to becoming an agent, but now I’m doing it “for real” and enjoying the experience. Unfortunately, one of the hardest parts is rejection. For the author and for me.

It’s hard rejecting potential clients, especially if I’ve enjoyed some of their previous work. It’s also hard having a client receive a rejection letter from a publisher. With the very first rejection I received, I was at a loss for words, couldn’t figure out why or what the editor must’ve been missing to pass on such a wonderful book. LOL. (I’m now sure this is what all authors think when they get rejections.)

The author took it better than I did, and I eventually put my feelings to the side and moved on. But it’s hard. Man is it hard. I also remember the first rejection I gave as an agent. I was overly concerned about hurting the writer’s feelings, so I took several weeks before I actually sent the email. Again, it is hard!

I said all that to say that I can now somewhat imagine being the author and dealing with rejection, but I do have 5 quick tips on the subject. Hopefully they will help those who may need that extra push to keep going.

1) BE PREPARED – Please don’t submit your work before it is completed. This not only means have the book finished, but ensure it’s been edited. I don’t know how many times I’ve received a query, requested more than the standard 3 chapters, but then I don’t hear from the author for several months. Why? Because they’re finishing the book.

2) ACCEPT CRITICISM – Again, no one likes being rejected, but you’ll find some agents/editors offer feedback on why the book didn’t work for them, suggestions on what needs improving, and things of this nature. Don’t be so quick to throw out these tidbits of information along with the rejection. Good can come from being rejected. Also keep in mind that it can be a good story, well-written, and all that, but it’s not right for that agent/editor, for that cycle, or various other reasons. It’s simply one person’s yes or no. Move on to the next person.

3) BE REALISTIC – There are thousands of authors out there, so you’re not the only one submitting your work to a particular agent or agency. Don’t assume that we’re sitting around fiddling our thumbs. We aren’t. Also, our existing clients are our primary focus, so while we would love to respond in 3-4 weeks or sooner, it simply doesn’t work out that way sometimes. Be patient and realistic while waiting for a follow-up. Inquiring every 2.3 weeks isn’t helping your case any. It actually hurts it. And, once you get the follow-up, don’t be arrogant, rude, obnoxious or all-knowing about it. It’s a turn off and could possibly turn what would’ve been an “I’m interested” into an “I’ll pass.” I loved an author’s work recently and could see the book doing well, but his reply to my request for the remaining chapters and a contact number totally changed my desire to work with him. Granted, it took quite a while to get to his submission and reply, but starting off his response with “It’s good to hear from you after 5 months,” wasn’t really too bright. Then, he didn’t send what I requested, but another “taste” of the book. What? LOL. Sorry, he had to go. Not following directions is one of my pet peeves.

4) KEEP ON MOVING – Don’t find yourself in the waiting mode; continue to write, query others, write more, and study the craft. Oftentimes, we find ourselves stuck in the “I’ma wait until” frame of mind, expecting someone to do something or for something to happen. While it’s good to be hopeful, it’s not good to be so expectant. Basically what I’m saying is don’t put anything on hold waiting on the “yes” because in some cases, you will be disappointed. Instead, live in the present, and again, continue to write, query, study and do research. Be confident in knowing that it’ll happen when and as it should.

5) CHANGE YOUR VIEWPOINT - Change your viewpoint about the rejection. Don’t take it personal, as an outright slight against you. The work was rejected, not you per se. Look at the rejection as one step further in recognizing your dream of being a published author (or of getting that agent, deal, etc.). Everyone started off with that first book. Many authors who were rejected numerous times over are now best-selling authors. So, continue to work hard, keep the faith, utlize the aforementioned tips and continue to perfect your manuscript. Then, submit again and again and again. It’ll happen.

Continued blessings to each and every one of you on the path to publication. May your rejections inspire you to work harder and one day secure your spot as a best-selling author.

Filed under: Articles, Day 5 (FRIDAY), General Forum
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Great Black Books 2008

December 11, 2008 by admin · 16 Comments 

TRR Favorites

It’s that time of year when many people review their reads for the previous 11 months or when others are searching for holiday (book) gifts. The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (TRR) are doing a GREAT BLACK BOOKS 2008 list this, pulled from our Five on the Fifth column on Blogging in Black. These are books we have reviewed and given the tag TRR FAVORITES. As a reminder, most of these books received a 4.5 or 5.0 rating on a 5.0 scale. (And this is only a small portion, so be sure to visit http://www.blackbookreviews.net to find more!)

Did you read any of these titles? Share your list of favorites for 2008 in the comments section!

GREAT BLACK BOOKS ‘08 / RAWSISTAZ FAVORITES

January Features:
· Sweet Georgia Brown by Cheryl Robinson (Fiction)
· Murder, Mayhem and a Fine Man by Claudia Mair Burney (Mystery)
· Passin’ by Karen E. Quinones Miller (Fiction)
· Wind Follower by Carole McDonnell (Speculative Fiction)
· Where I Want to Be by Maryam Diaab (Romance)

February Features:
· Not Even if You Begged by Francis Ray (Fiction)
· Hotlanta by Denene Millner & MItzi Miller (Young Adult Fiction)
· Even Numbers by Barbara Grovenor (Fiction)
· Interceptions by Staci Robinson (Fiction)
· Choices by Skyy (Fiction)

March Features:
· Jezebel by Jacquelin Thomas (Christian Fiction)
· Faith Under Fire: Betrayed By A Thing Called Love by LaJoyce Brookshire (Memoir)
· The Mpire: In Search of the Lost by T.L. James (Fiction)
· Them by Nathan McCall (Fiction)
· Three Wishes by Janice Sims (Romance)

April/May Features:
- Long, Hot Nights by Candice Poarch (Romance)
- Like Never Before by Sylvia Lett (Romance)
- The Trophy Wife by Ashley & JaQuavis (Street Fiction)
- Dynamic Diva Dollars: For Women Who Aren’t Afraid To Be Millionaires by Elon Bomani (Self-Help/Business)
- Naked Love by Darnella Ford (Fiction)
- Sacrifice: Demon Hunter Series Book 2 by T.L. Gardner (Paranormal)
- Deception’s Legacy by Jacqueline G. Randolph (Fiction)
- One Dead Lawyer by Tony Lindsay (Mystery)
- Sexcapades by HoneyB (Erotica)
- The Knees of Gullah Island by Dwight Fryer (Historical Fiction)

June/July Features:
- Ivy’s Twisted Vine by Latrivia S. Nelson (Fiction)
- Too Little, Too Late by Victoria Christopher Murray (Christian Fiction)
- Money Power Respect by Erick S. Gray (Street Fiction)
- Forever The Fat Kid by Michael Boyd (Memoir)
- Love Tornado by Mable John and David Ritz (Christian Fiction)

August Features:
- Motherless Child: Stories of A Life by Sarah Gordon Weathersby
- Just Too Good To Be True by E. Lynn Harris (Fiction)
- You Gotta Sin To Get Saved by J. D. Mason (Fiction)
- Shameless Hoodwives by Meesha Mink and De’Nesha Diamond (Street Fiction)
- Orange Mint & Honey by Carleen Brice (Fiction)

September Features:
- Crown’s Jewel by Cynthia D. Toliver (Fiction)
- Seeds of Bible Study by Carol McDonnell (Non-Fiction/Religious)
- Three Doors Down by Michele Sudler (Romance)
- Taneesha: Never Disparaging by M. LaVora Perry (Young Adult)
- Broken by Robin “Robbie” Ayele (Mystery)

October Features:
- Sinful Too by Victor McGlothin (Fiction)
- Harriet Tubman: Imagining A Life by Beverly Lowry (Non-Fiction)
- Floss by Monica Marie Jones (Fiction)
- Lady Preacher by K. T. Richey (Christian Fiction)
- Charlemagne Mack: Rise of the Queen, Personal Journal #1 by Stephen M. Jones (Young Adult)

November Features:
- Uncle Otto: A Novel by Winifred Cook (Fiction)
- So Good It Hurts by Na’Kisha Crawford (Self-Help)
- Rhythms of Grace by Marilynn Griffith (Christian Fiction)
- In The Night of the Heat by Blair Underwood, Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due (Mystery)
- The Shadows by L.A. Banks (Paranormal)

December Features
- This Life Isn’t Perfect Holla by Sandra Foy (Romance)
- Ruby and the Booker Boys: Trivia Queen, 3rd Grade Supreme by Derrick Barnes (Young Adult)
- Reflections of A Mississippi Magnolia: A Life of Poems by Patricia Neely-Dorsey (Poetry)
- Blackbird, Farewell by Robert Greer (Mystery)
- Family Skeleton: A Brother and Sister’s Journey from Murder to Truth by Sabrina Carmichel-Yaw and Aurora (Memoir)
- Southside Nefertiti #3 by Mike Sales (Comic)

————
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (TRR) are the team of reviewers for RAWSISTAZ Literary Group (www.rawsistaz.com) and are committed to supporting and spreading the word about African-American titles. Since inception in January 2001, they have reviewed approximately 4,500 titles, been published in numerous print and online magazines, and provided online newsletters for book lovers worldwide. For more information visit www.blackbookreviews.net or www.therawreviewers.com.

 

Filed under: Articles, Book Clubs, Book Discussions, Day 5 (FRIDAY), General Forum
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