8TH ANNUAL AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHORS & EMPOWERMENT EXPO

SATURDAY OCTOBER 7, 2017 - 11AM-5PM
MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Click Here to Register

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PARTICIPATING FEATURED AUTHORS

JACQUIE HOOD MARTIN

Dr. Jacquie Hood Martin, PhD, is a full-time servant leader and a woman “with a yielded Spirit.” Hood Martin inspires people to action with her matter-of-fact teaching and leadership style. As owner of J. Hood & Associates “A Life Management Firm™, she offers a range of personal enrichment, professional development, community engagement, and strategic planning services. She is a former Dean of Career Programs, and College Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs within the City Colleges of Chicago system. A highly skilled and educated book author, Hood Martin is anointed and ordained as a minister helping people to set priorities which lead to smart, sound, faith-filled decision-making. 

MARTIA GOLDEN

Among her books are the novels After and The Edge of Heaven and the memoirs Migrations of the Heart,Saving Our Sons and Don't Play in the Sun One Woman's Journey Through the Color Complex. She compiled the collection of interviews THE WORD Black Writers Talk About the Transformative Power of Reading and Writing. Her most recent book is Living Out Loud A Writer's Journey. She is the recipient of many awards including the Writers for Writers Award presented by Barnes & Noble and Poets and Writers and the Fiction Award for her novel After awarded by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. Her new novel The Wide Circumference of Love will be released in March 2017.  

STEVIE D - OF FORCE MD'S

In Necessary Force, Stevie D will for the first time tell the full story of his life and set the record straight, about the group and his relationships.

Stevie D has been one of the most compelling American artists of the past thirty years, a magnetic and talented figure who successfully crossed over many musical genres, including R&B and Hip Hop, as well as the mainstream. n the early 1980s, Stevie D was a member of the Force MCs the first rap group from Staten Island-then later he became a founding member of the Force MD's the first group to incorporate Hip Hop and R&B-garnering multiple hits on the Billboard top ten list.  The group is most known for the overwhelming commercial success from the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis-penned classic "Tender Love." The song proved to be a huge success, peaking at #10 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart, remaining there for 19 weeks, and helping Jam & Lewis garner a Grammy Award for Producer of the Year. Incredibly, the group would follow this success in 1987 with their first #1 R&B hit "Love is a House." But the Force MD's deep catalog of classic R and B/ Hip-Hop staples including "Tears," "Here I go Again," "Let me Love You," and their continued release of new anthems for all occasions has allowed them to maintain a consistent presence at radio and in the hearts of their fans.

OMAR TYREE

Omar Tyree, is a New York Times best-selling author, journalist, lecturer, poet, screenwriter, songwriter, playwrite, host, blogger, publishing consultant and literacy advocate, who has won a 2001 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literature in Fiction, a 2006 Phillis Wheatley Literary Award for Body of Work in Urban Fiction, a 2008 Citation from the City Council of Philadelphia for the African-American Children's Book Fair, and a 2010 HBCU Legends Award for his tiresome work in urban literacy.

LEONARD PITTS JR.

In a career spanning more than 35 years, Leonard Pitts, Jr. has been a columnist, a college professor, a radio producer and a lecturer. But if you ask him to define himself, he will invariably choose one word.  He is a writer, period, author of one of the most popular newspaper columns in the country and of a series of critically-acclaimed books, including his latest, a novel called Freeman.  And his lifelong devotion to the art and craft of words has yielded stellar results, chief among them the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for commentary.

His books have also been widely praised.  Tavis Smiley called him “the most insightful and inspiring columnist of his generation” in writing about Pitts’ 2009 collection of columns, Forward From This Moment.  Publisher’s Weekly described his 2009 first novel, Before I Forget, as a “rare, memorable debut.” 

APRILLE FRANKS-HUNT

CHERYL POLOTE-WILLIAMSON

Cheryl Polote Williamson is a visionary entrepreneur who consistently delivers and impacts. As founder and CEO of Cheryl PW Speaks LLC, she helps female entrepreneurs build business and personal relationships that are built on honesty, integrity, and trust.
Cheryl tours nationally as a sought after motivational speaker that encourages, captivates, and empowers audiences. With her business development expertise, she can provide positive and tangible solutions to other female entrepreneurs looking for growth and success. Her clients, peers, and audiences value her transparency and direct style that helps them affirm their God given skills and abilities.

MARCUS JOHNSON

SHANI MCILWIAN

Hilarious and transparent are two words that describe Shani as a speaker. Known for her candid personal stories she weaves her “messy” moments of life into practical teaching moments for others. Shani McIlwain is the host of her own BlogTalk radio show that airs every Monday night where she shares love, light, and life with thousands of listeners across the country.
Shani motivates her audiences with practical principles to be effective in all areas of life. Shani’s transformative messages help people change their mindsets, shift perspective and maximize the potential within. Shani is a 2x bestselling author and helps other author and speakers transition into full-time entrepreneurship by offering administrative support services.

PARTICIPATING AUTHORS AT THE 2016 AUTHORS EXPO

 Maurice Butler was born and raised in northwest Washington DC. He is a proud product of DC public schools, having graduated from Cardozo High School and Bowdoin College (Brunswick, ME). He served as a DC public school teacher, varsity coach and administrator for thirty-five years most of which was at Theodore Roosevelt High School.  He has been happily married to Patricia J. Butler for thirty-six years and has two sons, Steven and Cardell. His desire to write and publish resulted from his affiliation with the DC Area Writing Project, which is the local site for the National Writing Project. 

Tonya Wilson is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and spent her early childhood years growing up in a project community known as "Westport".  Some of her  childhood friends grew up to be Baltimore's biggest drug lords and were characterized in the Baltimore based series, "The Wire".  Wilson has always enjoyed reading and creative writing. She acquired her Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications at Towson State University in 1985. Her love for writing and her experiences growing up in the ghetto, has resulted in two debut novels, "Portrait of a Hustler" and its sequel "The Chronicles of Toni" under Polk Publishing House, Baltimore, MD.  Tonya is a born again Christian who says it's her duty to share God's love and while her genre of urban fiction writings are unapologetically  influenced by her life experiences, controversial issues and shocking hard facts of street life she has managed to tell her stories with an infusion of spirituality thus sewing unexpected seeds of the "Good News" throughout her writings to an audience that most Churches have either forgotten about or just not taking the extra effort to go after.  Wilson says that she is proud to be a ground breaker because no other author has stepped out of the box to combine "hardcore" adult urban fiction with a "Christian" message.

JOREEN SYKES

TERYL BAKER

Teryl became a licensed and ordained minister of the gospel in 1996 and has since served as a leader in the Kingdom of God. For eleven years, Teryl, along with her husband, pastored Abundant Life Family Church in Fairfax, VA. In September of the year 2017, they will plant Resurrection Church in Merrifield, VA. Teryl is a studious student, terrific teacher, powerful preacher, and intentional intercessor. Teryl possesses a Master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling and delights in helping many to live healthy lives in Christ Jesus. One of her passions is to train young girls and inspire adult women to revere and serve the Lord as they fulfill God’s purpose for their lives. Teryl also serves as a mentor to females at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. Teryl enjoys life and resides in Fairfax, VA with Ken, her husband of 28 years. Together, they have three children, Kimberly (26), Kelley (24) and Kenneth (21). Knowing, Growing, and Going with God is her first published work.  

TAMMI CAPRI

With an infatuation for penning edgy, titillating, crazed tales about revengeful women, Tammy Capri is an Amazon bestselling author of six novels and three short stories. Tammy ruptured the literary scene with her debut novel, Loyalty, in 2012. She has also collaborated on several anthologies, one being the bestselling e-series, Hush Money. Her dramatic urban novella, The Mobster’s Wife, got her nominated for best Philadelphia Author at the 2013 Philly Hip Hop Awards.  Tammy Capri has multiple hits under her belt, and she is now taking her brand and talents to the next level. With the birth of the Tammy Capri foundation and the Hustle your Hustle Workshops, Mrs. Capri certainly has a promising future ahead of her. Tammy Capri is surely one name you won't forget!

DEBRAYTA SALLEY

Debrayta (Dee) Salley is a compassionate, fun-loving, resilient and God-fearing woman who enjoys writing, reading, and sharing the goodness of the Lord Jesus Christ.  She has been an Accounting professional by vocation for over 25 years; however, in October, 2010, she also realized a longtime dream to become a Certified Life Coach.  She has a gift and passion for writing and has been anointed by God to compassionately help others unlock the broken and hidden places of life and draw them into the Lord’s light for healing, restoration, and renewal. She is a fighter and an overcomer who has survived many challenging life transitions and a host of other test and trials which have made her the woman of faith she is today.  Ms. Salley has been blessed with the opportunity to share her stories of perseverance and faith as an Author in multiple Published Works including her Memoir:  Back to the Scene of the Crime: Breaking Unfruitful Patterns by Bringing Hidden Things to Light {May, 2016} several book collaborations including: Volumes I & II of the Cheers to your Success Anthology with her chapters titled: Liberated for His Purpose{2010} and Humbled and stripped to be raised and clothed for service {2012}; Cultivating Your It Factor: 14 Must Haves to Discover, Define and Refine Your Signature Brand {2015} and more recently, Notes to Younger Women {January, 2017}

ALIKA TURNER

Bestselling Author Alika Turner took on the children’s book industry in 2015 with her bestselling book June Peters, You Will Change the World One Day. Alika now has 4 published and very successful books. This includes her new release A Passionate Killing. As a children’s book author breaking into the urban adult fiction industry Alika found that there are no limitations when you were born to write.  With less than two years as a published author Alika has experienced success on inconceivable levels. From radio interviews to blog features everyone has taken a liking to Alika’s work. Currently, she is working on her next book in the June Peters series, starting a new book series of children’s chapter books, teaching a publishing class designed just for kids, and writing the 2nd installment to her very juicy book, A Passionate Killing.

DENISE POLOTE KELLY

Knowing the true love of God is what Denise believes to be the greatest gift in the life of a child of God. Psalms 34 inspires her; I will bless the Lord at all times His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Denise learned values and biblical principles very early in childhood and she also teaches and lives the six “P’s” Proper, preparation and practice prevents poor performance a motto her late husband Winston lived. She says when we properly prepare and practice to give God time, study and live the word daily we have everything needed to prevent us from performing poorly.A successful entrepreneur and founder of W.H. Kelly, Sr. Memorial Foundation 501(c)3, a motivator, event planner, a # 1 and two time Best Selling author. A writer of bereavement etiquette and grief process material and she is an encourager. Currently Denise is studying for certification in bereavement care. Life coach and grief therapy.
Denise Polote-Kelly, is a widow, the proud mother of Michael (Windi) and Jasper Jaye, Jr, grandchildren MaCail & Micah. Denise says it’s a blessing that her parents, godparents, grandmother and siblings are all living to witness her walk with God and her turn from dark deep pit of grief to a bright shining light.

L.C. ROGERS

L.C. Rogers, a successful regional sales manager, wife, and mother with several publications to her credit, has completed her new book “Pocketbook Diaries: Part One – The Escape from Aphrodan”: a fantastical adventure introducing Zyaire Ryan, an intelligent and determined teenaged girl swept by forces beyond her control to Aphrodan, a parallel world like Earth in many ways but very unlike it in others. 

RICHARD SWARTZ

Richard Swartz is President of Mano Swartz Furs and a fourth generation furrier.  He began working for his grandfather, Jimmie, on Saturdays on Howard Street at age ten.

Richard's fur education continued during summer breaks from high school and college.  After graduating from the University of Vermont, he was sent to Copenhagen to study at the side of one of Europe's most
prominent master furriers, A.C. Bang.  When word from Denmark that Richard was a bona fide master furrier reached his father, Mano, he was welcomed home to Baltimore, Md. to join the family business.
Since then, Richard has upheld the strong community ethic of Mano Swartz started by his great-grandfather to always give back.  He has supported Baltimore's educational and religious institutions and charities.  For over 20 years Richard has backed the Tuskegee University Alumni Assn, National Coalition of 100 Black Women, United Negro College Fund, dozens of churches, temples, schools, children's causes, hospitals, and The House of Ruth.  Through his charitable work Richard has furthered Baltimore City education and the community as a whole.  He has equipped people to achieve in school and in life, which has provided them greater opportunities to give back to their communities.  By investing in these charities, Richard has invested in Baltimore.
Today, Mano Swartz is located in Green Spring Station on Falls Road. The Mano Swartz Family prides itself on selling the finest furs, luxury outerwear, fur accessories, and providing complete fur services.

SHONA ROBINSON

Shona is a mother is four, wife, and entrepreneur. All these hats Shona wears proudly. Determined to be a servant to God, her family, her Church, and the publishing industry.

Shona has spent the last 13 years working as a Call Center Manager. In that position it has taught her strong communication skills, people skills and the importance of teamwork. Although Shona enjoys her job she recently took the leap of faith to become self-employed. Shona is enjoying the freedom of being able to write, do motivational speaking, tax and business consulting, and a travel consultant full time.

Shona portrays in her writings that we all fall down but we can get back up. No sin to great or too small for God to forgive.

Shona is an advocate for fighting for greater revenue for authors in the publishing industry. Through her fight and dedication birth a new beginning of the Queen City Bullies, LLC.

Although Shona enjoys the many hats that she wears nothing is more important than her relationship with God, and her family.

 C.NATASHA RICHBURG

C. NaTasha Richburg is a wife and mother of four grown children with a catalog of books focused on the reality of the Hip Hop generation. 

Mrs. Richburg is also the visionary for Jeremiah's Kall, an urban Spoken word and Hip Hop music platform presented in a manner that is "Real-Raw-Responsibly Rebellious" with indie artists accountable to the Word of God. 

Mrs. Richburg's brand of motivation includes promoting Jeremiah's Kall concerts and having inspiration sessions with audiences of all ages that combine her wisdom with artistry to present an electrifying brand of edutainment that motivates positive change.

BERNICE LAYTON

Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Bernice Layton works full-time and is an avid reader of romantic suspense novels.  She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Black Writers' Guild of Maryland. Happily married, Mrs. Layton resides with her husband and is the mother of one daughter, NaTiki who inspires her to keep writing with this phrase in mind, "all things are possible with love and friendship, and the endless possibilities of past, future, and present encounters."

Mrs. Layton has published four romantic suspense novels for Genesis Press, Inc. Promises Made, Crossing the Line, Lies in Disguise and Mind Games.  

COREY JOHNSON

Corey Johnson is a new upcoming author from Baltimore who is on the fast-track to becoming a prolific writer and storyteller. Mr Johnson through his writings has the ability to take his readers on a detailed journey into his stories all while allowing room for the reader to use their own imagination and their own visions. While reading his books, you will find yourself wanting to know more and more about the characters and the lives they portray. His books are intellectually well written, yet the words jump off of the pages very easily to any reader. His first book titled Courageous is about his older deceased brother Avon "Flubber" Johnson. In writing this book, Corey felt that it was important to reveal to the world who his brother Avon was and how much he had impacted not only Corey's life, but the life of many others who were looking for answers to the questions of life as a lost soul living in Baltimore City during the 70s and 80, a time of open air drug trade, violence, and corruption. "Hopefully, this book Courageous will save someone's life."

HAKI AMMI

Haki Ammi is a best selling author, radio host, entrepreneur, community organizer, speaker, job and career coach, network marketer. A United States Navy veteran and currently a 9 year veteran serving as an EMT/FF in Baltimore City Fire Department. Business Marketing Major which experience having lead to starting and joined several network marketing companies from 1998 to present. Community organizing work consisting of culturally conscious raising, economic empowerment events.  Haki Ammi work has been featured in Bmorenews.com, Baltimore Afro and the Baltimore Times Newspaper. Haki Ammi has hosted radio programs on www.harambeeradio.com and 1590 AM WURD in Baltimore.   He has been on the Newsmaker Line for the Larry Young Morning Show on 1010 AM in Baltimore.

 

 FANITIA PENDLETON

 Fanita began her career as a Juvenile Probation Officer and later worked in Adult Probation before taking a short break to pursue her love of teaching as a Criminal Justice Instructor at a local technical college. Recently Fanita stepped back into law enforcement, and is now a Parole Officer.  Fanita blazed on the scene with her Criminal Romance Series: Shoot First Ask Questions Never 1-3, Fist Full of Tears 1-2, The Moscato Diaries, MOET: Money Over Everything, Moet’s Revenge, and Open Marriage. An avid reader, Fanita holds a special place in her heart for the unsung genre of Urban Crime and Urban Romance Dramas, and in her youth, devoured the works of such greats as Donald Goines, and Iceberg Slim. She is an author with SBR Publications and a card carrying member of The Bank Roll Squad #TBRS Family.  Fanita is Owner of Blaque Diamond Publications an Urban Moon Productions Company where she is now giving young authors their shot at making their dreams come true.

BLAQUE DIAMOND

Blaque Diamond is a rare diamond. Her composition sets her apart from other writers and from other authors of all kinds. Diamonds range is from children books to memoirs, but it is Blaque Diamond's uniqueness that makes her most interesting. Blaque Diamond is the owner of BlaqueDiamond Enterprise (BDE) and the author of In My Mother's House. He mission is to support individuals and families as they go through the journey of parenting, kinship care, foster care, and adoption.    

Blaque Diamond has three biological children raised nine nieces and nephews, four of whom are now adults, two of whom she was granted custody, two she adopted and one of whom she will adopt from the NYC foster care system. Diamond currently lives in Dundalk Maryland and is working on the sequel to "In My Mother's House" and her third children's book to be released December 2015.  As a model for family advocacy she demonstrates strategies for strength perspectives for professionals and parents as they identify their own strength.  

 

ROBYN F. EVANS

Robyn Franceen Evans grew up between Baltimore, Maryland and York, Pennsylvania. The daughter of a pastor and an administrative assistant, Robyn was always surrounded by sermons and letters. Her earliest compositions date back to pre-school, when she would write poetry about everything she saw, from street lights to her mother’s red 1978 Monte Carlo. She is an author, speaker, health enthusiast and freelance writer determined to use her writing to open eyes to spiritual truths and win hearts to Jesus.

LETICIA FETTIS

Leticia A. Fitts was born in Baltimore, Maryland. A graduate of Morgan State University, she earned her B.S. Degree in Psychology in 1998. As an innovative and spirited educator, she excelled as a teacher and reading specialist. In 2003, she received her M.A. Degree in Education from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland. With certifications to teach grades 1-6 in all subject areas, in addition to providing reading instruction for K-12 curriculums by the Maryland State Department of Education, she is a proven subject matter expert. She has published the educational workbooks, African American Sheroes and Heroes and Telling Our Tale.

 HAIKEEM STOKES

Haikeem Stokes, a South Philly native, is the eldest of three brothers and three sisters. He first fell in love with writing in the third grade. In junior high school, he wrote several short stories, then later illustrated and penned a series of comic strips. In the eighth grade, he used those creative-writing skills to transform short stories into rhymes. By the twelfth grade, he won first place trophies for rapping in talent shows. It was during his high school years that Haikeem’s skills in rhyming had evolved into poetry. He has taken his passion for word play and literary arts and cultivated it into realizing the dream of creating, “Works of Heart.” These “Works of Heart,” include 2 novels, I Need You Too and At 12, After and 2 books of spoken word, Reality Life Conscious Struggle and Earlixer. Haikeem believes that the gift of writing allows one to blend imagination and reality to create a wonderful universe. He writes from his heart in order to convey his message of life and love. 

 ROSA PRYOR-TRUSTY

Rosa “Rambling Rose” Pryor, a native Baltimorean, graduated from Edmondson High School in 1963 and attended Community College of Baltimore and Morgan State University to study business and law.

Rosa’s trade name is “Rambling Rose”, a name that was given to her by the late great Nat “King” Cole when she was touring in the 50’s as his opening act. The color red has always been her favorite color and when she used to perform, she always dressed in red exotic, sexy gowns and gave out her favorite flower, a long stem red rose, which became her signature. During this time, Rosa was not only a singer, but a musician, playing piano and saxophone; she was a recording artist, record producer and song writer.

Rosa “Rambling Rose” Pryor was the Entertainment Editor, Account Executive and Entertainment Columnist for the Baltimore Times and the Annapolis Times for ten years. “Rambling Rose”, as her readers affectionately call her is currently an entertainment columnist and reporter with the Afro-American Newspaper, and has been since 1998; The Informer Newspaper, The Northwest Voice and she freelance for other periodicals and have over 200,000 readerships. Since May 2011 she is back writing also for the Baltimore Times Newspaper. Rosa is a long time member of the National Association of Black Journalist, (NABJ).

Rosa is the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of the Rosa Pryor Music Scholarship Fund, Inc. created in 1991.  The fund provides money for gifted and talented children aspiring musicians, ages 5-17 years old to help pay for tuition, voice and music lessons and purchase instruments. Her organization is the only one of its kind in the country. She is also the Co-founder & CEO of an entertainment company with her husband, William “Shorty” Trusty, called “RoseGarden Entertainment Enterprises, Inc.”. This is a company that provides entertainment, local and national for clubs, casinos, hotels, social events and racetracks, (but not active at this time).

In 2001, Rosa became Mrs. William (“Shorty”) Trusty. They are partners in Business and soul mates! She is the mother of 4 and grandmother of 22 and great- grandmother of 17. For additional information her email address is rosapryor@aol.com 

PARTICIPATING VENDORS

PARTICIPATING BOOK CLUBS

BOOK DIVAS OF BALTIMORE

FROM PRAISE TO EMPOWERMENT

2016 AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHORS & EMPOWERMENT EXPO

FEATURED AUTHORS:

BRENDA JACKSON

I began my writing career in the eighth grade at Northwestern Junior High School, when I would hand- write my stories for fellow classmates to read. I’m proud to say some of those same classmates are still Brenda Jackson readers today!!

I have published more than 100 novels and novellas. Additionally, I have over 3 million books in print. My professional writing career began in 1994 when I signed on with Kensington Arabesque. My first book, Tonight and Forever, became a huge success, introducing the Madaris Family. Since then I have introduced the Bennetts, the Westmorelands, the Montgomerys, the Masters, the Savoys, the Steeles and the Grangers, just to name a few. A listing of my books can be found on this website.

Over the years I have received numerous awards and made many trail-blazing accomplishments by being the first African-American author to have a book published under the Harlequin/Silhouette Desire line of books and the first African-American romance author to make USA Today’s Bestseller’s List and the New York Times Bestseller’s List for the series romance genre. 

PHILADELPHIA FREEWAY

Freeway fast became a valuable member of the Roc-a-Fella family in the early 2000s. His ascent can be traced back to an agreement he made with fellow Philadelphia native Beanie Sigel. Acquaintances from the same local nightclub, the two shared admiration for one another and made a pact: the one who first landed a record deal would pull the other along. Sigel got the tap first and stayed true to his word; Freeway made his first major appearance in 2000, on "1-900-Hustler" -- a track on Jay-Z's Dynasty Roc la Familia album. A critical point came just after the album's release, when the MC was arrested for dealing drugs; forced to choose between two careers, he opted to stay in hip-hop, releasing the excellent debut full-length Philadelphia Freeway in early 2003. At the same time, Freeway was part of the State Property collective. An album with the four-member Ice City, Welcome to the Hood, had a low-profile 2004 release. Three years later, Roc-a-Fella finally issued Free's second album, Free at Last. While Just Blaze dominated the production work on Philadelphia Freeway, a cast including Cool & Dre, Don Cannon, Dame Grease, and J.R. Rotem shared the load this time out. Upon severing ties with Roc-a-Fella, he issued the no-frills 2009 album Philadelphia Freeway 2 (Real Talk), as well as 2010's The Stimulus Package (Rhymesayers), a collaboration with Jake One. He issued the solo album Diamond in the Ruff in 2012 then collaborated with mash-up producer Girl Talk on the 2013 EP Broken Ankles. In 2015 a routine doctor's visit revealed kidney failure that required dialysis and the search for a donor. These struggles helped inspire the MC's 2016 solo album, Free Will.

VICTORIA CHRISTOPHER MURRAY

Victoria Christopher Murray always knew she would become an author, even as she was taking an unlikely path to that destination. A native of Queens, Victoria first left New York to attend Hampton University where she majored in Communication Disorders. After graduating, Victoria attended New York University where she received her MBA.  

Victoria originally self-published her first novel, Temptation and in 2000, Time Warner published that novel. Since Temptation, Victoria has written over twenty other adult novels, including: JOY, Grown Folks Business, The Ex Files, The Deal, the Dance and the Devil and the popular Jasmine Cox Larson Bush series.

Victoria has received numerous awards including the Golden Pen Award for Best Inspirational Fiction and the Phyllis Wheatley Trailblazer Award for being a pioneer in African American Fiction. Since 2007, Victoria has won nine African American Literary Awards for best novel, best Christian fiction and Author of the Year — Female. After four nominations, Victoria finally won an NAACP Image Award in Outstanding Literary Work for her social commentary novel, Stand Your Ground.

Several of Victoria’s novels have been optioned to become movies, including The Deal, the Dance and the Devil and the Ex Files series.

APRIL D. RYAN

April Ryan, a NAACP Image Award nominee, a 30-year journalism veteran, has been the White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks (AURN) since January of 1997, covering three Presidents. Along with daily responsibilities at the White House, Ryan hosts the daily feature, The White House Report, which is broadcast to AURN's nearly 475 affiliated stations nationwide. Ryan also has hosted a digital television program for Colours TV called the White House Report withApril Ryan where minority America is given the White House perspective on matters specific to their community. Ryan is also a regular panelist on Washington Watch with Roland Martin for TV ONE.  The Baltimore native is a second generation Morgan State University graduate (following in her mother's footsteps). She is the daughter of Robert C. RyanSr. and the late vivian Ryan. April Ryan is also a proud mother of two daughters.

IRIS BOLLING

Iris Bolling’s published her first novel, Once You’ve Touched the Heart in 2008. This self-published work was the first of the five additional books to complete the Heart Series. The popular Heart Series has captivated the hearts of readers and awarded Iris the Emma Award as Debut Author of the Year in 2010

In May of 2011, Iris introduced a new cast of characters in her in Night of Seduction Series. The second book in the series, The Pendleton Rule was reviewed in USA Today and received, the 2014 Emma Award for Suspense of The Year.

In 2012, she began the Gems & Gents series with her novel Teach Me, which generated an importune shoe contest on Facebook that spanned the international waters. It continued with the release of the very popular Book of Joshua I and Book of Joshua II. The series has earned Iris several awards including 2014 Hero of The Year and 2015 Heroine of The Year.

The beginning of her third series, The Brooks’ Family Values, was introduced in her novel Sinergy in 2014, followed by book 2 Fatal Mistake and Propensity For Love, both released in 2015. 

In 2014, Iris stepped into a new venture geared towards bringing books to film. She produced The Heart, a television series based on her popular novels. Season two will air in the spring of 2016.

ALBERT "PRODIGY" JOHNSON

ALBERT “PRODIGY” JOHNSON, as one half of the hip-hop phenomenon Mobb Deep, has sold millions of albums and recorded with the elite of hip-hop, R&B, and rock. Prodigy is the founder and curator of Infamous Books, and is the author of the memoir My Infamous Life and coauthor, with Steven Savile, of H.N.I.C. He lives in Queens, New York.

LADAWN BLACK

LaDawn Black is a love, sex and relationship expert, author and media personality. Nightly you can hear her top-rated radio relationship show on Baltimore's Magic 95.9 - The LaDawn Black Show. She is the author of three top-selling relationship books for Penguin Random House. Black is also a frequent guest expert for many national media outlets: Wendy, The Bill Cunningham Show, BET, TVOne, Cosmopolitan, ESSENCE, match.com, blackpeoplemeet.comand many others. Connect with her at IG /Twitter: @teasebyladawn or www.ladawnblack.com

K'WAN

K’WAN is a best-selling, award-winning author of over a dozen titles, including Gangsta, Road Dawgz, Street Dreams, Hoodlum, Hood Rat, Section 8, Animal, and Animal II. He has been featured in Vibe, King, Entertainment Weekly, and Time magazine. K’wan was the recipient of the 2012 and 2013 Street Lit Book Award Medals (SLBAM) in adult fiction for Eviction Notice and Animal. His credits also include featured commentary in the documentary Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp (produced by Ice-T) as well as a recurring role as an analyst on TV One’s Celebrity Crime Files. K’wan currently resides in New Jersey where he is working on his next novel. Black Lotus is his latest work.

NIKKI WOODS

Multi-media personality, Social Media and Personal Branding Coach, Motivational Speaker and Voice-over artist, NIKKI WOODS is the senior producer of the Tom Joyner Morning Show, the most successfulsyndicated urban radio show in history reaching more than 8 million people on a daily basis. Born in Rock Hill, Missouri, Woods studied education at HowardUniversity in Washington D.C. and journalism at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois. Her journey in broadcasting landed her in various markets, including St. Louis, Boston and Chicago, before Woods became senior producer of the acclaimed, nationally-syndicated “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” (TJMS) where she is responsible for the engaging on-air content heard each morning on the over-100 affiliate radio stations that air the award-winning program. Tom Joyner says, “I completely trust her judgment and know that she brings her A game every day. You can see (the) result(s) of that in the ratings and listener response.”

DR. HATTIE N. WASHINGTON

In her new memoir, Dr. Hattie N. Washington reveals how a country girl, from the backwoods of Meherrin, Virginia, succeeded through life with optimism, drive and a belief in God to become an honor student, a teacher, a parent to two successful daughters, and a foster parent to over one hundred foster boys over a twenty-year period. She writes about family, relationships, and the complexities of growing up during the segregation and desegregation era, where the strike at R.R. Moton High School, in Farmville, Virginia in 1951, led to the historic landmark case, Brown v. Board of Education.

She shares her personal sacrifices and accomplishments in her memoir that overflows with warmth and wit. She also shares the long journey she had starting a non-profit foster boys home in Baltimore, Maryland that she affectionately named Aunt Hattie’s Place, and the challenges of opening a third eco-friendly home for boys in May 2010, in Sandy Spring, Maryland. You’ll read how an ongoing series of personal setbacks brought on many stumbling blocks, yet she broke down barriers by becoming the first female vice president of Coppin State University.

Dr. Hattie N. Washington’s Driven to Succeed: An Inspirational Memoir of Lessons Learned through Faith, Family and Favor is complete with historical photographs from the R.R. Moton Strike and personal photographs of her life. Her riveting story provides inspiration for generations to come.

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