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Karen's View - June 14, 2001
Karen's View - Updated May 19, 2003
I can't believe it, but the countdown has already begun for my new book, "Using What You Got." Although the official publication date it July 7, 2003, Simon & Schuster will start shipping it to stores on June 10th -- so you should be able to pick up a copy in less than a month! And of course, you can pre-order a copy at Internet booksellers like The Black Library.com, Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com
Using What You Got tells the story of 18-year-old Tiara Bynum, who lives in a Harlem housing project and sincerely believe she's "all that." Girlfriend has attitude that she flings around like she's got the right. Click here to read a synopsis.
"The Using What You Got" tour is still being scheduled, but I do know that I will be attending the book emporium at Essence Music Festival in New Orleans again this year, as well as the Harlem Book Festival and the Baltimore Book Festival. I do also know that I'll be visiting Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, New York City, Richmond, St. Louis, Virginia Beach/Norfolk, Washington D.C., but I'm not sure of the other cities as of yet. So please stop back by to check my tour page to see if I'll be at a city near you.
And would you believe I'm already working on my fourth novel???? Seems hard for even me to believe! But I am! The title is "Ida B.," and stay tuned, because as my old faithful fans know, I always post the first chapter or so of my work in progress as soon as the last finished novel is published. So as soon as Using What You Got is officially out, I'll post the first chapter of Ida B.
So, okay, I'm coming out with a new novel this summer, but I'm far from the only one! Make sure you check out the new titles by Daaimah S. Poole, Mary B. Morrison, E. Lynn Harris, Eric Jerome Dickey, Omar Tyree, Zane, ReShonda Tate-Billingsley. And for a great treat in nonfiction, check out Salome Thomas-El's book "I Choose To Stay," a wonderful story about a teacher at an inner-city school who turned down lucrative job offers to stay with the kids he felt needed him most. Everyone -- no matter what their taste -- should be able to get their read on this summer.
And I hope all of you are aware of Lynne Duke's wonderful new book, "Mandela, Mobutu, and Me: A Newswoman's African Journey," which details her tenure as the Washington Post's bureau chief in Johannesburg, South Africa. This one is really a keeper!
Book Club members.....please send me a jpeg of your club so I can add it to my new Book Club Page! And please check out my tour page, because if I'm in your town, I'd love to meet with you! I've already agreed to meet with "Bonded Through Books" when I visit Cleveland in July.
Also, I've hosted a few publishing/self-publishing seminars this year, and will be doing one last one this month. Click here for more information.
And I've just uploaded some new pictures of my daughter, Camille, and my brother Joseph. Please click here if you'd like to a look. (Ladies, my brother is Joseph is 40, and an eligible bachelor. <grin>)
And I want to let you "Old School" music fans know about an event that you just can't miss! My good friend, Bob Davis of the Soul-Patrol, just told me about the 2003 Soul-Patrol East Coast Convention, being held on July 19th in Burlington, NJ. Musical acts include Billy Paul; Ray, Goodman and Brown; Soul Generation and Sarah Dash. You've got to, just got to, make this event! And not only will you be able to get your Old School groove on, you'll be helping others because a portion of of the concert's proceeds will go to "Open Up Your Heart Foundation," which helps the forgotten victims of 9/11.
I also want to take a moment to share with you all some sad news. Basic Black Books, a stable in Philadelphia, closed its doors last month. I understand a new African-American book store will opening at BBB's old location in the Gallery Mall, and I wish them the best. But I still mourn the passing of Basic Black Books which gave soooo many new African-American authors an opportunity to show off their wares.
So, okay, a lot of things have happened since I last posted on this page. Most notably, in my mind, is the War against Iraq. In my view -- a total disgrace. I cannot, for the life of me, understand why we went over and invaded that country. Because we're mad about what happened on September 11th? There's still been absolutely no proven connection between Saddam Hussein and the 9/11 attacks. Did we do it because we thought he had weapons of mass destruction? Well, first of all, even if he did, why does that mean we should go ahead and disarm him? Every nation should be able to defend themselves in the face of an attack. I mean, look at what happened . . . we told Iraq it had to destroy all weapons of mass destruction, and then when they did we attacked them and they had no weapons of mass destruction to use against us in their defense. It would almost be funny if it weren't so pathetic. And let's be real . . . if we were worried about dictators with weapons of mass destruction why didn't we go after North Korea? And for those who say we had to go over to Iraq to free his people from an oppressive regime, is it really our business to do so?
Perhaps I should now let you know that I am not totally against war, and that I'm not normally a United States basher. I proudly served five years in the U. S. Navy. But I think right is right, and what we've done over there in the Gulf, isn't right. And that's my view of the situation.
Karen's View.
Until Next Time . . . Keep Reading!
Karen