Akashic Books Launches New Imprint, Open Lens

Johnny Temple, publisher of Akashic Books, has announced

a collaborative partnership with Open Lens, a new imprint specializing in quality fiction and non-fiction that will be launched in September with the publication of MAKEDA, a novel by bestselling author, Randall Robinson. Says Johnny Temple, "When Marva first contacted me about the possibility of collaborating on an imprint, I was immediately intrigued. Little did I know that she had recruited Marie, Regina, and Janet to join her in this very promising endeavor! Needless to say, I can think of no more effective way of launching the imprint than with a new novel by Randall Robinson!"

The co-founders of Open Lens are Marva Allen, managing partner of Hue-Man Bookstore, and literary agents Regina Brooks, Serendipity Literary Agency LLC., and Marie Dutton Brown, Marie Brown Associates. Janet Hill Talbert former Vice President and Executive Editor of the Doubleday imprint Harlem Moon served as the first guest editor for Open Lens’ inaugural title. The imprint intent is to not have a dedicated editor, but use guest editors that are most suitable for the multicultural content of the works they will publish.

Open Lens, as envisioned by the founders and Temple will offer readers and writers literary options that are vastly limited in today’s book publishing marketplace. The imprint continues in the Akashic tradition of focusing on quality writing by writers of color, whose work in recent years has been consistently limited or ignored by trade publishers. By recognizing this obvious limitation, the founding publishing professionals believe that the imprint will broaden the vision of readers and authors by adding a layer of insight and new ways of viewing and gaining a deeper understanding of our ever-shrinking world.

Further elaborating on that phenomenon, Marva Allen states that, “Open Lens will provide authors of world literature a literary platform from which they can share their diverse literary vision and rich cultural perspective. Undoubtedly, we will publish African American and Caribbean authors but we also hope to broaden our reading choices, offering readers a panoramic and an expansive global experience. The Open Lens titles will be aimed at readers of all colors who appreciate and applaud quality work from diverse literary voices.”

Open Lens plans to publish 2-3 books a year.

Marva Allen: The Woman Behind Hue-Man Bookstore

Richard E. Pelzer II aka Lil Mogul, talks with entrepreneur Marva Allen,Owner of HUE-MAN

Bookstore in Harlem. We Are The Media!

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IYANLA’S DRAMA WITH OPRAH MAKES HER BOOK #1

(blackmediaSCOOP) That tv cat fight between Iyanla Vanzant and Oprah Winfrey is paying off! Iyanla’s latest book “Peace From Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You’re Going Through” is now a New York Times bestseller! You may remember, Iyanla enjoyed regular segments as a self-help guru on “Oprah” until a falling out ended her appearances 10 years ago. In February she returned to the show for a no-holds-barred interview that aired in two parts.

The two finally got to the bottom of the miscommunication that forced them to go their separate ways, which left Iyanla broke and on the verge of committing suicide. FYI, “Peace From Broken Pieces,” is published talk show host/author Tavis Smiley’s SmileyBooks. It currently sits at #1 on the Times’ Hardcover Advice & Misc. list.

CLICK to get the book!

Elizabeth Gilbert: A new way to think about creativity

If you are a creative person and pursuing a career in a creative industry and/or field, you should check out Elizabeth Gilbert's lecture on TED Talks.

Elizabeth attended New York University, where she studied political science by day and worked on her short stories by night. After college, she spent several years traveling around the country, working in bars, diners and ranches, collecting experiences to transform into fiction. These explorations eventually formed the basis of her first book - a short story collection calledPILGRIMS, which was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway award. During these early years in New York, she also worked as a journalist for such publications as Spin, GQ and The New York Times Magazine. She was a three-time finalist for The National Magazine work, and an article she wrote in GQ about her experiences bartending on the Lower East Side eventually became the basis for the movie COYOTE UGLY.

In 2000, Elizabeth published her first novel, STERN MEN (a story of brutal territory wars between two remote fishing islands off the coast of Maine) which was a New York Times Notable Book. In 2002, Elizabeth published THE LAST AMERICAN MAN - the true story of the modern day woodsman Eustace Conway. This book, her first work of non-fiction, was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Elizabeth is best known, however for her 2006 memoir EAT PRAY LOVE, which chronicled her journey alone around the world, looking for solace after a difficult divorce. The book was an international bestseller, translated into over thirty languages, with over 10 million copies sold worldwide, and a movie version in the making, starring Julia Roberts. The book became so popular that, in 2008, Time Magazine named Elizabeth as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

In 2010, Elizabeth published a follow-up to EAT PRAY LOVE called COMMITTED -- a memoir which explored her ambivalent feelings about the institution of marriage. The book immediately became a number one New York Times bestseller, and was also received with warm critical praise. As Newsweek wrote, COMMITTED "retains plenty of Gilbert's comic ruefulness and wide-eyed wonder", and NPR called the book "a rich brew of newfound insight and wisdom." COMMITTED will be published in paperback in February 2011.

FOXY: My Life in Three Acts by Pam Grier

By Angelia Vernon Menchan

APOOO BookClub

I became a fan of Pam Grier’s movies as a teenager in the 1970s. I was old enough to see R-rated movies and I was fascinated by a female, militant-type actress. My friends and I spent many Saturdays watching her movies, then coming home and talking about how ‘bad’ she was. My friends even called me ‘Coffy’ due to our shared height, slight tooth gap, brown skin and yards of curly hair. So, of course, I was delighted to be asked to review her memoir. FOXY: My Life in Three Acts.

I absolutely enjoyed the honest, talkative way in which Ms. Grier wrote her memoirs. The first act focused on her childhood and the relationships she had with the people in her life. Particularly influential was the work ethic and strength of her mother, and the fiery, fighting spirit of her aunt, Mennon. I could literally visualize Pam’s mother working on a degree in nursing and purchasing a home while her father was away in the Air Force. This act also covered the molestation Pam suffered at age six by her cousins. I could feel her pain emanating from the pages but also she made it clear why she never told anyone. It really brought out how the act of molestation is not ‘new’ and that children should be able to tell someone.

Act Two discussed her life as young adult and her work ethic and how she became an actress. Also discussed was her relationship with Kareem Abdul Jabar and how his becoming a member of the Nation of Islam came between them. She also had relationships with Freddie Prinze Jr. and Richard Pryor that ended due to their drug usage. Grier was very honest about her relationships without being salacious or telling every dirty detail. I really admired that component of the book. It proved it is not necessary to drag anyone through the mud to tell your story.

The Final Act discussed the actress’ battle with cancer and how she continued to take her life into her own hands and never allowed anyone to tell her how to live. She wrote with honesty, expressing little regret for the life she lived. More importantly, she painted herself as more than an actress, but as a well-rounded woman. I recommend this memoir to all who love memoirs and biographies that allow them to see inside famous people they thought they knew.

Zolra's Corner: My First December Book Selection Chosen

This is something I did on my blog. But I took the liberty of bringing it to my blog. I want to make sure books is a good part of our lives.

Alright everyone. It's time to keep you guys into reading. The book I have chosen is something that influenced me years ago. I am even friends with the authors. He's kind of like a mentor to me. Whenever I need someone to give me comfort, I go to him. I don't take him for granted. I am just so happy that I have an amazing friend like him. The other author is an award winning cartoonist. Ever since I met him in Las Vegas, we became close. Because of this, I am so happy to choose this book.

The book is called The Beginner's Guide to Community Based Arts by Matt Sckwartzman and Keith Knight. Every chapter is breathtaking. Each story has left me moved and dieing to read more.

This tells the story of real life people using the performing arts to help others. The performing arts is a large portion of my life. I don't think I can last a day without doing something in the performing arts, whether it's acting, modeling, writing, etc.

Not only that, but the arts has caused a large effect in the community. You know how you go to the theaters to watch a movie that shockingly relates to your real life. That's what the performing arts do. Tell great stories.

Pick up your own copy of this book if you want to be inspired.

Matt Sckwartzman is a great person. He is the creator of the program "Creative Forces" in New Orleans. I was a part of the program for four years, and I loved every minute of it. If you're wondering where I am, I'm in the middle with my hand up.

Keith Knight is amazing in his own way. He's a award winning cartoonist, well known for his comic strips The K Chronicles, (Th)ink, and The Knight Life. The comic strips has expanded to newspapers, websites, and magazines. If you want to know more about him, look at this video that was made about him.

I hope you guys enjoy the book.