NUMBER 124
While running around and helping to set up everything that was needed for the book-festival on Friday, I had my first official author sighting and Jackie. I had just saw Jackie at the National Library Week celebration at Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina a few weeks before. Like I said before, don’t drive down that country road at night. Too many confederate flags and big ugly unknown animals crossing the road. Jackie works with Books A Million and is always trying real hard to get African American author signings in Charleston. I love Jackie for working so hard. It’s really hard work when this city does a lousy job of supporting our African American authors. We had a Urban Knowledge kiosk (Bookstores owned by Carl Weber) at the local mall, but a year later, it’s gone. We just don’t buy enough books here and that’s why I really appreciate Jackie. While she was standing outside of the Books A Million display, Kimberla Lawson Roby walked over and they started talking. I waited very calmly, quietly and shaking at the seams, to get a picture. That author is one of many who gives me that “ecstatically intoxicated” feeling and so does her character, Reverend Curtis Black. Can’t get enough of that man. KIMBERLA LAWSON ROBY - THE REVEREND WIFE (A REVEREND CURTIS BLACK NOVEL) - $11.99 - - - The Reverend's Wife (A Reverend Curtis Black Novel)
After I giggle and closed my mouth, went back to work assisting everyone and anyone who needed help then I drove back home, feed Tommy and went to bed happy as my dog did spooned under my legs snoring.
The next day, drove back early and started passing out flyer's, putting finishing touches on displays and just worked the floor. Saw a middle age white woman looking like she was lost and I asked her what author event she was looking for. She said, “I’m looking for the Mitt Romney GOP event (I like what my daughter calls him, “Mittens”). Well, as a black women I was going to say something smart, but since I’m a volunteer working and trying to stay Christian, I told her that at this convention center, it’s a book fair and I do not think Mr. Romney would be interested in talking here, so let me get a staff member to help you. Yep, she was at the wrong convention center. The man and his “GOP - what every they think they are, they aren’t crew” was having their convention two blocks over. I even saw him outside walking and talking. That’s not his hair is it? Author sighting, Eric Jerome Dickey. He had just deplaned with Zane and I heard he did not even know he was on the same flight as her. He came early, I missed his presentation on Sunday, to see his friend Kimberla. He was just so nice to everyone who wanted a picture or autographed. Of course I got his book, AN ACCIDENTAL AFFAIR - $12.99 - - - An Accidental Affair
Moving on and away from politics, my next author sighting was Kwame Alexander, Poet, pioneer of the Book-In-A-Day - http://www.bookinaday.org/index.php?page=about&family=BID, children’s author and the creator of the Capital BookFest. We had this festival in Charleston two years ago and I have asked him a thousand times to do it again, but he tells me and my friend Maya (In the picture with him), that it was hard, hard work and he is not able to do it again. I offered to do it here in Charleston and he told me to contact him and he will at least provide some support and help. I mentioned to Maya while we were hanging out with a local book club group me met after the festival, so we will see, we will see.
Took some time out to listen to Kimberla Lawson Roby and get my book autographed. Everyone there all ask the same question, when is the next Reverend Curtis Black book coming out because before tomorrow or the next day, we are going to be finished with her latest and need the next. Folks, she is working on another book and will come out next year with the next Curtis book. I don’t know how long I can wait. I have not read it yet, because I don’t want to. I’m afraid I’ll start reading it and won’t stop, finish it and will be so greatly disappointed that I will have to wait. My GOD, how long can I wait!! Author sighting:
SUZETTA PERKINS - AT THE END OF THE DAY (ZANE PRESENTS) - $9.99
ALLISON HOBBS - PUT A RING ON IT - $9.99
Put a Ring on It (Zane Presents) She has so many books, I need to do a separate blog on just her titles.
CHARMAINE R. PARKER - THE NEXT PHASE OF LIFE - $9.99
And I'm sorry to say I forgot the young lady standing next to my friend Maya. Maybe when she reads my blog, she will remember.
Another of my many functions as a volunteer was to be a monitor in assigned rooms for authors and groups. My assignment, if I should had taken it, was the Civil War: South Carolina. Three white men talking about U.S. Naval Reserve, Colin Powell, civil war trivial and such and me, the lone black woman in the room. Do you see the irony there?? It's me, isn't it?? A few of my friends noted that I should shut up and be quiet on face book, because they know me. I’m always going around saying to these born and raised in Charleston (Char’ston), “you lost the war and your president skip bailed, let it go, let it go!!! I digress and will let me go. Author sighting, Zane’s sister,
Let’s get to the meat of the fair: Presenting, the best at the South Carolina Book Festival and their books. What great, fantastic finds and I thought it would break it down with types of books. Let me know if this works for you:
NON-FICTION
KARISSA THOMAS - UNCERTAINTY TO CONFIDENCE: A NEW WAY OF LIVING YOUR LIFE - $13.95 - - - Uncertainty to Confidence: A New Way of Living Your Life
FICTION
SEVEN DEADLY SINS - MICHELE ANDERSON PICARELLA and others - Free if you are a prime member or $2.99 - - - Seven Deadly Sins
CHILDREN and TEENS
LESLIE DuBOIS - THE QUEEN BEE OF BRIDGETON (DANCING DREAM #1)
$1.99 - - - The Queen Bee of Bridgeton (Dancing Dream #1)
THE DEVIL OF DiRISIO (DANCING DREAM #2)
$2.99 - - - The Devil of DiRisio (Dancing Dream #2)
OLIVE PEART - LINKED - $5.95 - - - After witnessing a violent quarrel between his parents, Greg feels confused, resentful and angry. His father accused his mother of having an affair fifteen years ago, and if the details of the affair are true, then the man that Greg had always called father is not his real father. Even worse is the fact that after striking his mother, Greg’s “father” walks out. Nine months later Greg is still dealing with the fall-out of his father’s accusations. His relationship with his older brother and mother has steadily deteriorated, his schoolwork suffers, and worse, his brother is siding with their father and blames their mother for the family’s break-up. Meanwhile, Greg has only his mother’s word that his father is really his father.
Into this mix comes the link.
Steve hates his stepfather. He has struggled for years to find out why his mother would choose to remain with a man who physically abuses her. A broken arm is blamed on a fall and bruises on her face are carefully hidden with makeup. Steve’s secret fear is that his stepfather is actually his real father. Frustrated and angry, Steve goes for his stepfather’s gun. Fortunately, he doesn’t get a chance to use the weapon, but the whipping he receives for his effort seems likely to scar him for life.
Until there is the link.
Neither boy is able to deal with his families’ problems; each needs help. And suddenly, help is available! They switched! The boys are mentally linked–they can read each other’s minds and even communicate mentally–and they’re living each other’s experiences. Somehow, their spirits now inhabit each other’s bodies. Greg is now faced with Steve’s family’s problems and Steve has Greg’s. But that’s not all. Suddenly, family matters are no longer the biggest problem. Because Greg is black and Steve is white, each boy now faces the question of race from a different perspective. Prejudice, racism and subconscious stereotypes come to the fore. Fearful that no one will believe the switch--and even more fearful of becoming experimental subjects--they struggle on their own to survive. They are forced to share information, communicate and–even worse in their eyes–get along with each other.
POETRY
K. MARTAI RICHARDSON - REFLECTIONS OF A MAN’S SOUL - $3.99 - - - Reflections of a Man's Soul He was one of the authors in the exhibit hall who asked why his name and picture was not in the program. They did not have the heart to tell him that he is just smaller in the back and that he is not as popular as the other authors. Since it was his first time at this book festival, I introduced him to Charmaine Parker, who is Zane’s sister and promoter to help him. Let’s hope it works.
More books tomorrow and my sting at the Friends of the Charleston County Library Book Sale. I had another "ecstatically intoxicated” damn good time.
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