Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond's Blog, page 73
July 20, 2011
A Summer Recess, Sort Of
Forgive the silence! After a non-stop year of promoting Powder Necklace, I've taken the summer off, sort of.
Essence!!!!
A few weeks ago, I joined some Ghanaian friends on a panel for Brotherhood SisterSol, an amazing organization that supports local black and Latino youth aged 8-21 with everything from after school programming to college prep. The group is taking the kids to Ghana and wanted the panel to share our experiences and give the kids ideas on what to expect. The young men and women had some great questions for us, one of them being: "If Ghana is so great, why are y'all here?" Touché. LOL. Our consensus answer was we've become too spoiled by America's creature comforts to deal with erratic utility services, regular blackouts, dirt roads, etc.
I've also been grinding on my second book, which is helping me understand a lot more about Ghana. Covering Ghanaian history from '62 to the present-day, I'm getting a crash-course in Ghanaian history, Ghanaian-American relations, the charismatic movement, and more. I've had a breakthrough with my writing process on this project! I've mentioned before that my discipline issues had been getting the better of me, thanks to my Basketball Wives/ Keeping Up with the Kardashians addictions, and my recent fixation with the Casey Anthony case and Jaycee Dugard's gripping interviews. BUT the bus has changed everything for me! I discovered a bus near my house that drops me off right by my job and now I spend an hour each morning writing on it. I've been leaving the house earlier than normal so I can continue writing in the library or park before work.
I'm also hard at work organizing a really cool end-of-summer literary event with two fellow authors. I'll tell you more about it as the date approaches.
In between, I've been doing interviews trying to keep the book out there. Check out my recent Q&A in Essence!!!! It's always been a dream of mine to be featured in Essence so please forgive the multiple exclamations.
Tomorrow, I'm doing an interview at 10P on WKCR. Please tune in!
And stick with me into September. I'm super-psyched to be reading at the OrphanAID Africa Benefit on September 15th. In Powder Necklace, there's a character named Enyo who is a maid in the home because her family couldn't afford to keep her. OrphanAID Africa, founded in Ghana by former Vogue stylist and author Lisa Lovatt-Smith, works to protect vulnerable kids by raising funds for families, offering job training services, and more. If you're New York-based, please
Essence!!!!A few weeks ago, I joined some Ghanaian friends on a panel for Brotherhood SisterSol, an amazing organization that supports local black and Latino youth aged 8-21 with everything from after school programming to college prep. The group is taking the kids to Ghana and wanted the panel to share our experiences and give the kids ideas on what to expect. The young men and women had some great questions for us, one of them being: "If Ghana is so great, why are y'all here?" Touché. LOL. Our consensus answer was we've become too spoiled by America's creature comforts to deal with erratic utility services, regular blackouts, dirt roads, etc.
I've also been grinding on my second book, which is helping me understand a lot more about Ghana. Covering Ghanaian history from '62 to the present-day, I'm getting a crash-course in Ghanaian history, Ghanaian-American relations, the charismatic movement, and more. I've had a breakthrough with my writing process on this project! I've mentioned before that my discipline issues had been getting the better of me, thanks to my Basketball Wives/ Keeping Up with the Kardashians addictions, and my recent fixation with the Casey Anthony case and Jaycee Dugard's gripping interviews. BUT the bus has changed everything for me! I discovered a bus near my house that drops me off right by my job and now I spend an hour each morning writing on it. I've been leaving the house earlier than normal so I can continue writing in the library or park before work.
I'm also hard at work organizing a really cool end-of-summer literary event with two fellow authors. I'll tell you more about it as the date approaches.
In between, I've been doing interviews trying to keep the book out there. Check out my recent Q&A in Essence!!!! It's always been a dream of mine to be featured in Essence so please forgive the multiple exclamations.
Tomorrow, I'm doing an interview at 10P on WKCR. Please tune in!
And stick with me into September. I'm super-psyched to be reading at the OrphanAID Africa Benefit on September 15th. In Powder Necklace, there's a character named Enyo who is a maid in the home because her family couldn't afford to keep her. OrphanAID Africa, founded in Ghana by former Vogue stylist and author Lisa Lovatt-Smith, works to protect vulnerable kids by raising funds for families, offering job training services, and more. If you're New York-based, please
May 4, 2011
I'm Reading at the Sunday Salon Series with Three International Authors
On Sunday May 15th, please join me and three authors who've penned continent-jumping tomes at Jimmy's No. 43 (43 E. 7th Street. We'll be reading as part of the NYC Sunday Salon Series.
Author bios and book covers are below. Forgive the thumbnail sized images. It's almost 2 in the morning, and really, this amounts to sleep-writing...
Cynthia Morrison Phoel served as a Peace Corps volunteer in a Bulgarian town not unlike the one in her stories in Cold Snap: Bulgaria Stories.
Harmattan Rain, Ayesha Harruna Attah's first novel, was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, Best First Book, Africa Region. She shuttles between Ghana and New York.
Jess Row is the author of two collections of short stories, The Train to Lo Wu and Nobody Ever Gets Lost (just published in February 2011). His fiction has appeared in The Atlantic, Granta, Conjunctions, Ploughshares, and many other journals, and has received a Whiting Writers Award, a PEN/O. Henry Award, two Pushcart Prizes, and three selections for The Best American Short Stories. In 2007 he was named a "Best Young American Novelist" by Granta.
You already know all about me!
Author bios and book covers are below. Forgive the thumbnail sized images. It's almost 2 in the morning, and really, this amounts to sleep-writing...
Cynthia Morrison Phoel served as a Peace Corps volunteer in a Bulgarian town not unlike the one in her stories in Cold Snap: Bulgaria Stories. 
Harmattan Rain, Ayesha Harruna Attah's first novel, was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, Best First Book, Africa Region. She shuttles between Ghana and New York.
Jess Row is the author of two collections of short stories, The Train to Lo Wu and Nobody Ever Gets Lost (just published in February 2011). His fiction has appeared in The Atlantic, Granta, Conjunctions, Ploughshares, and many other journals, and has received a Whiting Writers Award, a PEN/O. Henry Award, two Pushcart Prizes, and three selections for The Best American Short Stories. In 2007 he was named a "Best Young American Novelist" by Granta. 
You already know all about me!
I'll never forget something filmmaker Lee Daniels once said...
On April 15th, I had the opportunity to share the African Film Festival panel stage with Dr. Sheila Walker an anthropologist and documentarian whose film Africans Out of Africa screened at the festival, composer Onel Mulet, and moderator Michelle Materre a Media Studies professor at The New School who curates "Creatively Speaking", a forum committed to supporting films and other independent media that offer realistic and universal stories by and about people of color. Needless to say, as a Political Science and Africana Studies major with a concentration in the "politics of beauty", I was completely geeking out.
Nigerian filmmaker Andrew Dosunmu's Restless City -- about an African immigrant surviving on the fringes of New York City -- will screen at BAM on Sunday, May 29th as part of the African Film Festival
We previewed clips of Dr. Walker's film, Joao Daniel Tikhomiroff's Besouro, and Carolina Moraes-Liu's Ebony Goddess: Queen of Ile Aye before diving into conversation about everything from the UN's declaration of the year 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent to the incredible power of pop-culture portrayals to shape people's perceptions of whole cultures, to diasporic food routes. The intimate gathering at Columbia University's Institute for African Studies lent itself to a true roundtable discussion. One particular aspect of our conversation that titillated me, questioned whether artists of color must produce work that is political/responsible/deep; and how to move beyond cultural ideas of what Africa/Africans/African-Americans/blackness is "supposed" to look/sound/read like, to move the entire culture forward.
Diaspora Food: Collard greens are an awful lot like Ghanaian kontomire stew
I might have mentioned this in a prior post, but I'll never forget something filmmaker
If only Mama Daniels knew what a powder keg of criticism Tyler Perry's films ignite. With his depictions of middle class African-American life, the director has elicited conflicted emotions and sharp debate amongst a large group of blacks with many celebrating his immense success while lambasting him for mishandling the black story via soap operatic characters, over the top plot devices, and cringe-inducing catchphrases like "Hallelujer" that dredge up stereotypes about black dialect. The critique from fellow filmmaker Spike Lee in particular caused Perry to lash out.
Of course there was no resolution to our debate at the Film Festival panel about the virtues (or lack thereof) of films like Baby Boy (one of my faves by the way) and Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood for example, versus the work of helmers like Julie Dash,
Author K.C. Washington founded her novelty postcard business Noir-a-Gogo featuring 1950s pin-ups because images of the times usually omit black sex symbols. "We were there!" her promotional materials shout.
This same debate is raging in black literary circles as so-called "street lit"/"urban fiction" titles share shelf space in African-American book sections next to literary classics by James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Wright, Alice Walker, and Toni Morrison; as well as contemporary works by writers like Zadie Smith and Edwidge Danticat. In the year that I've been working to promote Powder Necklace, I've had numerous conversations with other writers about this situation where I express my commitment to getting to a time and place where all of these really different stories can coexist without bearing the weight of upholding a narrow definition of blackness.
If Steven Spielberg can direct one of the most enduring depictions of black women, and Kathryn Stockett can write a story about black maids in the dialect of the black south, and Chris Cleave can pen a bestselling novel about a Nigerian girl, black artists must be free to put out work that reflects their inspiration.
with Cheetah Girls author Deborah Gregory and Harmattan Rain author Ayesha Harrunah at Delta Sigma Theta's "Reading Helps Your Imagination Bloom" Book Fair
On April 10th, I joined Cheetah Girls series novelist Deborah Gregory, Butterfly Rising author Tanya Wright (and Cosby Show alum who was Theo's girlfriend "before Justine" she reminded us), Christian career advice writer Carol Mackey, The Cheating Curve author Paula Renfroe, and my ace Ayesha Harruna Attah at the Delta Sigma Theta book fair at Medgar Evers college. As some of the writers in the room rose to introduce professors, parents, children, and book lovers to their works, it struck me that you could not have brought a more diverse assortment of authors together.
Likewise, on April 30th, two lawyers, an ex-con, an author and publisher, a bartender, a poet, a cat lover, the descendant of a black Civil War vet, and a fashion blogger -- all authors -- converged in the Harvest Room of the Jamaica, Queens Farmer's Market for the "April is Book Month in Queens" fair. K.C. Washington (who owns Novelty Postcard business Noir-a-Gogo), David L, Fabiola Sully, Cathleen Williams, Natasha "Mz Grammy Bear" Graham, Willie Cooper, and Sandra Glaves Morgan were among the disparate group selling their literary wares, each with a unique, yet equally rousing story to share.
The up-and-comers in the room were all at different stages of our literary careers, and we're taking different paths to advance; but as black authors we have to feel free to get there in our own way -- even if it's uncomfortable a la Samuel Jackson as child molester/a white woman writing in black dialect, even if it isn't terribly good -- but especially when it's great. Ytasha L. Womack's book Post-Black has awesome things to say on this topic.
Nigerian filmmaker Andrew Dosunmu's Restless City -- about an African immigrant surviving on the fringes of New York City -- will screen at BAM on Sunday, May 29th as part of the African Film Festival We previewed clips of Dr. Walker's film, Joao Daniel Tikhomiroff's Besouro, and Carolina Moraes-Liu's Ebony Goddess: Queen of Ile Aye before diving into conversation about everything from the UN's declaration of the year 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent to the incredible power of pop-culture portrayals to shape people's perceptions of whole cultures, to diasporic food routes. The intimate gathering at Columbia University's Institute for African Studies lent itself to a true roundtable discussion. One particular aspect of our conversation that titillated me, questioned whether artists of color must produce work that is political/responsible/deep; and how to move beyond cultural ideas of what Africa/Africans/African-Americans/blackness is "supposed" to look/sound/read like, to move the entire culture forward.
Diaspora Food: Collard greens are an awful lot like Ghanaian kontomire stewI might have mentioned this in a prior post, but I'll never forget something filmmaker
If only Mama Daniels knew what a powder keg of criticism Tyler Perry's films ignite. With his depictions of middle class African-American life, the director has elicited conflicted emotions and sharp debate amongst a large group of blacks with many celebrating his immense success while lambasting him for mishandling the black story via soap operatic characters, over the top plot devices, and cringe-inducing catchphrases like "Hallelujer" that dredge up stereotypes about black dialect. The critique from fellow filmmaker Spike Lee in particular caused Perry to lash out.
Of course there was no resolution to our debate at the Film Festival panel about the virtues (or lack thereof) of films like Baby Boy (one of my faves by the way) and Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood for example, versus the work of helmers like Julie Dash,
Author K.C. Washington founded her novelty postcard business Noir-a-Gogo featuring 1950s pin-ups because images of the times usually omit black sex symbols. "We were there!" her promotional materials shout.This same debate is raging in black literary circles as so-called "street lit"/"urban fiction" titles share shelf space in African-American book sections next to literary classics by James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Wright, Alice Walker, and Toni Morrison; as well as contemporary works by writers like Zadie Smith and Edwidge Danticat. In the year that I've been working to promote Powder Necklace, I've had numerous conversations with other writers about this situation where I express my commitment to getting to a time and place where all of these really different stories can coexist without bearing the weight of upholding a narrow definition of blackness.
If Steven Spielberg can direct one of the most enduring depictions of black women, and Kathryn Stockett can write a story about black maids in the dialect of the black south, and Chris Cleave can pen a bestselling novel about a Nigerian girl, black artists must be free to put out work that reflects their inspiration.
with Cheetah Girls author Deborah Gregory and Harmattan Rain author Ayesha Harrunah at Delta Sigma Theta's "Reading Helps Your Imagination Bloom" Book FairOn April 10th, I joined Cheetah Girls series novelist Deborah Gregory, Butterfly Rising author Tanya Wright (and Cosby Show alum who was Theo's girlfriend "before Justine" she reminded us), Christian career advice writer Carol Mackey, The Cheating Curve author Paula Renfroe, and my ace Ayesha Harruna Attah at the Delta Sigma Theta book fair at Medgar Evers college. As some of the writers in the room rose to introduce professors, parents, children, and book lovers to their works, it struck me that you could not have brought a more diverse assortment of authors together.
Likewise, on April 30th, two lawyers, an ex-con, an author and publisher, a bartender, a poet, a cat lover, the descendant of a black Civil War vet, and a fashion blogger -- all authors -- converged in the Harvest Room of the Jamaica, Queens Farmer's Market for the "April is Book Month in Queens" fair. K.C. Washington (who owns Novelty Postcard business Noir-a-Gogo), David L, Fabiola Sully, Cathleen Williams, Natasha "Mz Grammy Bear" Graham, Willie Cooper, and Sandra Glaves Morgan were among the disparate group selling their literary wares, each with a unique, yet equally rousing story to share.
The up-and-comers in the room were all at different stages of our literary careers, and we're taking different paths to advance; but as black authors we have to feel free to get there in our own way -- even if it's uncomfortable a la Samuel Jackson as child molester/a white woman writing in black dialect, even if it isn't terribly good -- but especially when it's great. Ytasha L. Womack's book Post-Black has awesome things to say on this topic.
April 6, 2011
Happy Birthday, Powder Necklace!
A year ago today, Powder Necklace was released!! Thanks to all who have cheered me along on this journey -- the Facebook posts, tweets and encouraging emails have been fuel; and to the writers, editors & friends who took the time to sit me down and give me advice, open up their networks to me, and share opportunities with me. The learning curve has been sharp and quick. The 10 practical things I've learned this year are:
1. At a book signing, never ever stay seated behind the table and wait for people to come to you. Get up and get a book/promotional postcard in as many hands & faces as possible.
2. Always keep a promotional postcard on you & don't be shy about giving them out.
3. Don't be intimidated by the person you're trying to sell a book to (Amish people like books too)
4. Don't be intimidated by the opportunity. If they invited you to be part of it, you deserve to be there.
5. Your friends and family should not be expected to attend every single event you're having to promote the book. They have a copy already. Just let them know about the events that are really important to you.
6. Bring an envelope of singles to events so you/people don't have to wait or hunt for change. (I need to get better about this one.)
7. Keep it all in perspective. Yes, you must shill, but you also must chill.
5.
8. Reach out to and support other authors. It's good kharma, plus they understand what you're going through on a completely other level.
9. Keep your eyes peeled for new opportunities to promote your work. Actively seek out book clubs/organizations/movements that would be into the themes of your book and pitch yourself as a speaker/panelist, etc; stay on top of your community events calendar.
10. Set up a Google Alert for yourself and book so you can stay on top of reviews and other mentions of your work and respond.
Thanks again for following along. It's been a dream come true.
April 3, 2011
All in the Family
The National Ghana Parade Council's Distinguished Tongue Series launch and book signing at Nectar Wine Bar was fantastic. After nearly a year promoting Powder Necklace (the book turns 1 on April 6th!!), I never know who will show up to an event. My family and friends all have the book and have more than showed their support, trooping to different venues across the city, buying multiple copies, and spreading the word to their friends. It ended up being a mega-reunion for me.
A great friend from college that I haven't seen in years Facebooked to let me know he would be coming, so I was psyched to see him, but I was not expecting to see my play cousins from back in the day! When my parents came to this country, they formed a tight community of fellow Ghanaians that became our extended family and three of the kids I grew up playing with in upstairs bedrooms while our parents talked politics in Ga downstairs were in the house. It was so crazy to see my one cousin in particular whom I had not seen since she was like 12! I almost wanted to snatch the glass of wine from her hand, but alas, she's a woman now.
After I hugged fellow author Ayesha Harruna Attah and started to set my books up on the table, another ghost from my past strode into the room from behind the Employees Only area. Now one of Nectar's directors, she used to be my boss at one of my first jobs out of college!
Then a gentleman approached to let me know he had come to find out if I was related to Professor Abeeku Brew-Hammond (the same Uncle Abeeku I thank in the last sentence of my acknowledgments at the back of the book). My dad's little brother teaches in the College of Engineering at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and this young man was one of his students. But what was so cool about meeting him was that he had designed an energy-efficient car model under the encouragement of my uncle, and I remember Uncle Abeeku emailing us about this student's good work, complete with a jpeg of the car.
As I bounced around the room catching up with fam and friends from the past, and the contingent of friends who graciously listened as I repeated the spiel they've heard many times over, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be at that moment.
The Council did an amazing job creating an easygoing yet purposeful networking vibe. Business cards were swapped, funds were raised for a scholarship fund, and in keeping with the spirit of the series--a celebration of the many diverse languages spoken in Ghana and across Africa, with a mind toward encouraging dialogue and unity--a multitude of tongues were represented. Even though I got to the venue after a full day of work, I stayed long after the signing, chilling with old and new friends.
Anyway, I promise to post pics once I get them. My camera's flash died several months ago so I haven't been on top of taking pics at events as I should.
A great friend from college that I haven't seen in years Facebooked to let me know he would be coming, so I was psyched to see him, but I was not expecting to see my play cousins from back in the day! When my parents came to this country, they formed a tight community of fellow Ghanaians that became our extended family and three of the kids I grew up playing with in upstairs bedrooms while our parents talked politics in Ga downstairs were in the house. It was so crazy to see my one cousin in particular whom I had not seen since she was like 12! I almost wanted to snatch the glass of wine from her hand, but alas, she's a woman now.
After I hugged fellow author Ayesha Harruna Attah and started to set my books up on the table, another ghost from my past strode into the room from behind the Employees Only area. Now one of Nectar's directors, she used to be my boss at one of my first jobs out of college!
Then a gentleman approached to let me know he had come to find out if I was related to Professor Abeeku Brew-Hammond (the same Uncle Abeeku I thank in the last sentence of my acknowledgments at the back of the book). My dad's little brother teaches in the College of Engineering at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and this young man was one of his students. But what was so cool about meeting him was that he had designed an energy-efficient car model under the encouragement of my uncle, and I remember Uncle Abeeku emailing us about this student's good work, complete with a jpeg of the car.
As I bounced around the room catching up with fam and friends from the past, and the contingent of friends who graciously listened as I repeated the spiel they've heard many times over, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be at that moment.
The Council did an amazing job creating an easygoing yet purposeful networking vibe. Business cards were swapped, funds were raised for a scholarship fund, and in keeping with the spirit of the series--a celebration of the many diverse languages spoken in Ghana and across Africa, with a mind toward encouraging dialogue and unity--a multitude of tongues were represented. Even though I got to the venue after a full day of work, I stayed long after the signing, chilling with old and new friends.
Anyway, I promise to post pics once I get them. My camera's flash died several months ago so I haven't been on top of taking pics at events as I should.
March 20, 2011
I'm Reading with Ayesha Harruna Attah at Harlem's Nectar Wine Bar as Part of Nat'l Ghana Parade Council's Distinguished Tongue Series
Happy First Day of Spring!
I hope you can make it out to Harlem's Nectar Wine Bar on Wednesday March 30th at 6pm. I'm going to be reading along with Ayesha Harruna Attah, the author of Harmattan Rain which was shortlisted for the 2010 Commonwealth Writers' Prize as part of the National Ghana Parade Council's "Distinguished Tongue" event series.
It's been an incredible International Women's History Month starting with Delta Sigma Theta's Ladies of Literature panel at Lehman College, then the amazing Business of Books panel hosted by Delta Rho Omega at Brooklyn's Akwaaba Mansion (I've always wanted to go there). I'm really excited to be rounding out the month with another sister scribe. I did my first official Powder Necklace reading with Ayesha, so it always feels great to share billing with her. Join us!
I hope you can make it out to Harlem's Nectar Wine Bar on Wednesday March 30th at 6pm. I'm going to be reading along with Ayesha Harruna Attah, the author of Harmattan Rain which was shortlisted for the 2010 Commonwealth Writers' Prize as part of the National Ghana Parade Council's "Distinguished Tongue" event series.
It's been an incredible International Women's History Month starting with Delta Sigma Theta's Ladies of Literature panel at Lehman College, then the amazing Business of Books panel hosted by Delta Rho Omega at Brooklyn's Akwaaba Mansion (I've always wanted to go there). I'm really excited to be rounding out the month with another sister scribe. I did my first official Powder Necklace reading with Ayesha, so it always feels great to share billing with her. Join us!
March 18, 2011
The Business of Books: To Self-Publish or Pursue Publication by a House
"Wow" was my first word according to my mother, and all I can say is "wow" concerning the amazing Women's History Month program the women of Delta Rho Omega put together yesterday to support and promote the work of three-time author Jacquie Bamberg Moore and myself. Last night, I joined Jacquie in the gorgeously-appointed parlor of Stuyvesant Heights' Akwaaba Mansion to discuss the Business of Books, but first we each introduced ourselves to the packed house of women, sharing a bit about the inspiration behind our stories.
Tears sprang to my eyes as Jacquie spoke about her book The House on Monroe Street, a heartrending and ultimately uplifting story about a woman pursuing her healing after experiencing molestation. I finished the book yesterday morning around 3:40a and as I told Jacquie, if it wasn't for the hour, I would've called her. Jacquie's introduction was thoroughly compelling and as a three-time author, she seemed completely at ease as she held every eye and ear in the room.
I studied her closely. Three books! As I fight through fatigue and discipline issues (related to American Idol, Basketball Wives and E! News) to work on my second book, I was totally in awe of my co-panelist. Add to that the fact that she is self-published!
Now, the panel being a "Business of Books" panel, we discussed at length the pros and cons of being self-published versus being published by a major house. I have to say that everything I've learned about promoting myself as an author, I've learned from self-published friends. There is a misconception that once a publisher releases your book, they send you on a cross-country media tour of book signings that they pay for and that adoring fans are just waiting to greet you at said signings, but this couldn't be further from the truth. Once I got published, I basically entered into a small business that requires me to:
1. Pay for marketing materials
Thank God for free tools like Blogger, Facebook, and Twitter, but I also pay to print full-color double-sided postcards that give people a quick scan of some of the book's best reviews, and inform them where they can get the book and how they can get in touch with me.
2. Create a book budget.
At most book festivals booksellers service the event which means, since my book is sold at Barnes & Noble, I don't have to lug my books in my suitcase (which my sister has nicknamed "Pockets" as it has become my number one travel buddy). But when I do book signings for groups or in homes, I have to buy the books wholesale so I can in turn sell them at the event.
3. Create a travel budget
I pay for most of my trips outside the state so I thank God for the affordable Bolt and Fung Wah Buses and for friends who have graciously hosted me in their homes. When it comes to flights, I am that person that will jump up and say "I" when the airline announces they've oversold the flight and are looking for people who will give up their seats for a free voucher. That's how I ended up flying from New York to DC last year and when the airline misplaced my luggage, I negotiated a credit toward my next flight.
4. Promote myself strategically & aggressively
I keep the aforementioned postcards on hand so that when I'm on the subway commuting to work and spot someone reading a book/Kindle/iPad etc, I can slip them my card. Just the other day, I received an email from someone I gave a card to. She had purchased Powder Necklace and wanted to make it the focus of her college paper. I've also gone door-to-door in my parents' neighborhood, and even sold old skool rapper Fab Five Freddy a copy of the book. After I made my "You gotta support" pitch to him, he was like "Damn, girl. Alright!"
I write this all to explain, though I am blessed to be published by Simon and Schuster, I have modeled my approach and work ethic after a self-published author. I don't see any other way to succeed in this industry.
That said, there are many advantages to being published by a major house. During the editing process, I had the benefit of a rigorous editing, copyediting and fact-checking team that improved story flow and combed the book for grammatical errors and inconsistencies. Once the book came out, I didn't have to create new relationships with individual booksellers to get my books in bookstores across the country as I had the benefit of a team whose job it is to sell the books to individual bookstores. I also have the benefit of a wonderful publicist at Simon and Schuster (Hi, Yona!!) who pitches me to publications and for panels, and fields requests for other opportunities.
Now that the ebook business is growing at breakneck speed, Simon and Schuster has converted my book into all the necessary formats, which enables people to get the book in whatever format they choose. They've also created a web presence for me on their Author Portal (please "Like" it). In essence, Simon and Schuster and I are business partners. They have invested in me, and as a business, they are looking to get a return, which is where money comes in.
Simon and Schuster gave me an advance so I didn't have to front many costs, but they make their money off me in other ways. Meanwhile, self-published authors shell out at the front end, but they make a much larger cut of their book sales. In the end, anyone who is interested in becoming an author needs to weigh these pros and cons for herself/himself. Just know that either way, it is a hustle that requires HARD WORK.
Before I close this post, I want to say a big thank you to Sabrina Gates. I met her at the amazing Michelle O Brunch I blogged about at the end of last year, and she is the one who suggested my name to the committee programming Alpha Kappa Alpha's/Delta Rho Omega's annual Women's History Month Event. Thank you, sister! I also want to thank Sabrina's soror Yolanda Holmes who liaised with me to set up the event, and the amazing women of Delta Rho Omega who opened up their sister circle to me and supported me with words of encouragement and purchased the book. I really cannot thank you enough.
Pics from yesterday's event to come!
Tears sprang to my eyes as Jacquie spoke about her book The House on Monroe Street, a heartrending and ultimately uplifting story about a woman pursuing her healing after experiencing molestation. I finished the book yesterday morning around 3:40a and as I told Jacquie, if it wasn't for the hour, I would've called her. Jacquie's introduction was thoroughly compelling and as a three-time author, she seemed completely at ease as she held every eye and ear in the room.
I studied her closely. Three books! As I fight through fatigue and discipline issues (related to American Idol, Basketball Wives and E! News) to work on my second book, I was totally in awe of my co-panelist. Add to that the fact that she is self-published!
Now, the panel being a "Business of Books" panel, we discussed at length the pros and cons of being self-published versus being published by a major house. I have to say that everything I've learned about promoting myself as an author, I've learned from self-published friends. There is a misconception that once a publisher releases your book, they send you on a cross-country media tour of book signings that they pay for and that adoring fans are just waiting to greet you at said signings, but this couldn't be further from the truth. Once I got published, I basically entered into a small business that requires me to:
1. Pay for marketing materials
Thank God for free tools like Blogger, Facebook, and Twitter, but I also pay to print full-color double-sided postcards that give people a quick scan of some of the book's best reviews, and inform them where they can get the book and how they can get in touch with me.
2. Create a book budget.
At most book festivals booksellers service the event which means, since my book is sold at Barnes & Noble, I don't have to lug my books in my suitcase (which my sister has nicknamed "Pockets" as it has become my number one travel buddy). But when I do book signings for groups or in homes, I have to buy the books wholesale so I can in turn sell them at the event.
3. Create a travel budget
I pay for most of my trips outside the state so I thank God for the affordable Bolt and Fung Wah Buses and for friends who have graciously hosted me in their homes. When it comes to flights, I am that person that will jump up and say "I" when the airline announces they've oversold the flight and are looking for people who will give up their seats for a free voucher. That's how I ended up flying from New York to DC last year and when the airline misplaced my luggage, I negotiated a credit toward my next flight.
4. Promote myself strategically & aggressively
I keep the aforementioned postcards on hand so that when I'm on the subway commuting to work and spot someone reading a book/Kindle/iPad etc, I can slip them my card. Just the other day, I received an email from someone I gave a card to. She had purchased Powder Necklace and wanted to make it the focus of her college paper. I've also gone door-to-door in my parents' neighborhood, and even sold old skool rapper Fab Five Freddy a copy of the book. After I made my "You gotta support" pitch to him, he was like "Damn, girl. Alright!"
I write this all to explain, though I am blessed to be published by Simon and Schuster, I have modeled my approach and work ethic after a self-published author. I don't see any other way to succeed in this industry.
That said, there are many advantages to being published by a major house. During the editing process, I had the benefit of a rigorous editing, copyediting and fact-checking team that improved story flow and combed the book for grammatical errors and inconsistencies. Once the book came out, I didn't have to create new relationships with individual booksellers to get my books in bookstores across the country as I had the benefit of a team whose job it is to sell the books to individual bookstores. I also have the benefit of a wonderful publicist at Simon and Schuster (Hi, Yona!!) who pitches me to publications and for panels, and fields requests for other opportunities.
Now that the ebook business is growing at breakneck speed, Simon and Schuster has converted my book into all the necessary formats, which enables people to get the book in whatever format they choose. They've also created a web presence for me on their Author Portal (please "Like" it). In essence, Simon and Schuster and I are business partners. They have invested in me, and as a business, they are looking to get a return, which is where money comes in.
Simon and Schuster gave me an advance so I didn't have to front many costs, but they make their money off me in other ways. Meanwhile, self-published authors shell out at the front end, but they make a much larger cut of their book sales. In the end, anyone who is interested in becoming an author needs to weigh these pros and cons for herself/himself. Just know that either way, it is a hustle that requires HARD WORK.
Before I close this post, I want to say a big thank you to Sabrina Gates. I met her at the amazing Michelle O Brunch I blogged about at the end of last year, and she is the one who suggested my name to the committee programming Alpha Kappa Alpha's/Delta Rho Omega's annual Women's History Month Event. Thank you, sister! I also want to thank Sabrina's soror Yolanda Holmes who liaised with me to set up the event, and the amazing women of Delta Rho Omega who opened up their sister circle to me and supported me with words of encouragement and purchased the book. I really cannot thank you enough.
Pics from yesterday's event to come!
March 9, 2011
Come to the The Business of Books Panel Hosted by Delta Rho Omega on Thursday 3/17 at 6PM!
I'm talking book business with author Jacquie Bamberg Moore on Thursday, March 17th at Brooklyn's Akwaaba Mansion. RSVP and come with questions!
March 5, 2011
The "Toni / Terry" Challenge
I spent the afternoon sharing the panel stage with Victoria Christopher Murray, Donna Hill, and Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant, and fellow newbie author T. Holland (she just wrote Aw, Shucks) as part of the 2nd Annual "Ladies of Literature" panel hosted by Delta Sigma Theta, Lehman College, and The Bronx Council on the Arts.
Delta Sigma Theta solicited questions to stimulate the discussion and our moderator Dr. Veronie Lawrence Wright opened the Q&A with a question about the immense popularity of the "street lit"/"urban fiction" genre. Each of the panelists had a different and valid perspective, but the consensus was this: shelving books according to the color of authors' skin versus genre is misleading. i.e. Just because Toni Morrison and Terry McMillan are both black doesn't mean their books belong in the same section of the bookstore.
The question of whether there should be an African-American section in the bookstore is one I've been mulling over a lot as author Bernice McFadden wrote a provocative op-ed on the topic, and it has come up a few times in recent discussions and appearances. At the end of last year, on her syndicated show on Blogtalk Radio, Ella Curry threw the question out to me and my fellow authors/panelists including Tina McElroy Ansa. I think I said we needed an Afr-Am section as well as placement in the general genre sections because I remember what it meant to me to discover the likes of April Sinclair, Joan Morgan, Edwidge Danticat, Zadie Smith, and others -- and I believe I found them in the Afr-Am section. However, Victoria Christopher Murray, Donna Hill, Donna Grant, and Virginia DeBerry have been writing professionally for the past 20 years and noted their books were exposed to a much bigger audience before the advent of Afr-Am book sections.
It's a tricky topic, especially when you have books like Katherine Stockett's The Help (which I thoroughly enjoyed) and Chris Cleave's Little Bee which have black protagonists and appeal to black audiences, that are written by white authors. I don't remember seeing those books in the black book section, but then I haven't looked for them there, and in fact, I usually buy my books via Amazon which raises an entirely different issue...
As we spoke, it got me thinking about something Monster's Ball producer Lee Daniels once said. At a symposium at Sony (where I used to work), Daniels was in the house promoting The Woodsman, I think, and he noted that he had considered casting a black actor to play Kevin Bacon's part but his mother implored him not to cast a black man as a child molester. Daniels obviously acquiesced, but he bemoaned his lack of artistic freedom as a black producer/director to do just that. Today's panel spurred me on to take that freedom -- as my fellow panelists have done in their careers.
Donna Grant mentioned, in particular, facing the "Toni/Terry" challenge in which black authors whose voices didn't mimic Toni Morrison's or Terry McMillan's struggled to find support from publishers. But teens of books later, they have each carved out their niches writing books that have expanded the scope of contemporary fiction. I left a little lighter after selling a few books, feeling incredibly inspired and encouraged to carve out mine.
[photo courtesy of mije.org]
February 27, 2011
Sunday at Chateau Afonja in Harlem
Promoting Powder Necklace has been so much about people generously opening up their networks to me, and this afternoon was no different. Osahon Akpata, a beautiful writer that has become an invaluable friend, introduced me to Funmi Afonja who in turn introduced me to her network via a delicious brunch and book signing at her apartment aka Chateau Afonja this afternoon. She made every delicious thing on the menu -- spicy shrimp omelet, diced fried plantains, salmon stew, chicken, chef salad, fresh fruit, warm fluffy croissants, scones, and more -- and invited me to share my book with her guests. I sold out of the books I brought,met an incredible group of people, and reconnected with some friends I haven't seen in a minute. It was an awesome end to a whirlwind weekend.
