2007 African American Literary Awards Show

2007 African American Literary Awards Show

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THIS EVENT HAS TAKEN PLACE AND IS RECORDED HERE AS AN HISTORICAL ARCHIVE.

"For the second year I a row I was invited back to host The African American Literary Awards by founder Yvette Hayward. It was a fantastic opportunity to give to our literary talent honors that we unfortunately only traditionally reserve for our actors, singers, athletes and rappers. On BET I am the host of the indie film show The Best Shorts, and I close every show by saying, “Until lions tell their own stories, tales of the hunt will glorify only the hunter.” That night I was in a room full of lions, whom I proudly join with my debut novel DARE, which is being published by Simon and Schuster on December 11, 2007. It is a motivational chick lit retelling of Faust set in the world of hip hop, and is Black Expressions alternate selection for January 2008. If we don’t honor ourselves and our work, who will?" —Abiola Abrams

African American Literary Awards Show founder Yvette Hayward

African American Literary Awards Show

2007 Open Book Awards Held, September, 26th 2007

The AALAS Open Book Awards is the first of its kind. It is the most comprehensive awards show ever to recognize, honor, celebrate and promote the outstanding achievements and contributions that authors and writers make to the publishing, arts and entertainment industries.

Visit http://www.literaryawardshow.com/ for more information.

History of African American Literary Awards Show

The African American Literary Award show is the brainchild of Yvette Hayward, president of Y. Hayward, Inc., a public relations company that has been a powerful resource in the literary field for over a decade. Ms. Hayward came up with the idea in 1996 because she saw there was a clear need to bring recognition to African American authors throughout the country. She was finally able to bring the awards show into fruition in September 2004 with the help of her partner, Ruth Morrison, president of What's The 411? Networks, a leading digital media, marketing, and entertainment company with a focus on under-served markets.

The First Annual African American Literary Awards Show was held on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 at Alhambra Ballroom, 2116 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard (corner of W. 126th Street) in Harlem, NY at 6:30 p.m.

The 2008 show will take place Thursday, September 25th 2008

Photos from the African American Literary Awards Show

2007 Nominees and Winners
(Winners in Bold)

FICTION

Eric Jerome Dickey - Sleeping With Strangers
Clarence Nero - Three Sides To Every Story
Kimberla Lawson Roby - Love And Lies
LaTonya Williams - Missed Opportunities
Crystal Lacey Winslow - Sex, Sin & Brooklyn

MYSTERY

Blair Underwood, Tananarive Due & Steven Barnes - Casanegra: A Tennysen Hardwick Novel
Tananarive Due & Others - Whispers In The Night: DarkDreams
Stephen L. White - New England White
Walter Mosley - Fear Of The Dark
David Riveria - The Street Sweeper: See No Evil

ROMANCE

Kendra Norman-Bellamy - In Green Pastures
Rochelle Alers - Stranger In My Arms
Brenda Jackson - Risky Pleasures
Brenda Jackson - Beyond Temptation
Kathy Marsh - The Aura Of Love

CHRISTIAN FICTION

Beverly T. Gooden - Confessions Of A Church Girl
Reign - Jade’s Dilemma: Lead Us Not Into Temptation
Jamie Karris - Post Script
Jacquelin Thomas - Redemption
Victoria Christopher Murray - The Ex Files

URBAN FICITION

Shannon Holmes - Dirty Games
Tracy Brown - White Lines
JM Benjamin - My Manz And Em’
Nikki Turner - Forever A Hustler’s Wife
Wahida Clark - Thug Matrimony

BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

Sidney Poitier - The Measure of A Man
Victoria Rowell - The Women Who Raised Me: A Memoir
Robin Givens - Grace Will Lead Me Home
Eddie Levert, Gerald Levert & Lyah Beth Leflore - I Got Your Back
Rain Pryor - Jokes My Father Never Taught Me:Life, Love & Loss with Richard Pryor

NON-FICTION

Jeff Henderson - Cooked: From the Streets to the Stove, from Cocaine to Foie Gras
Tavis Smiley - What I Know For Sure: My story of growing up in America
Gil Robertson - Not In My Family: Aids In The African American Community
Barack Obama - The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts On Reclaiming The American Dream (tie)
Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance - Friends: A Love Story (tie)

POETRY

Michael J. Burt - Love Changes
Nikki Giovanni - Acolytes
DuEwa M. Fraizer - Check The Rhyme: An Anthology Of Female Poets & Emcees
Marc Lacy - Rock & Fire: Love Poetry From The Core
Barbara Culp - White Smoke Rhymes

MAGAZINES - LITERARY

Booking Matters
Black Issues Book Review
Disilgold Literary Magazine
Mosaic Magazine
Quarterly Black Review

SCIENCE FICTION

L.A. Banks - The Wicked: A Vampire Huntress Legend
Brandon Massey - Vicious

L.A. Banks - The Forsaken

Brandon Massey - Within The Shadows

HISTORICAL FICTION

Kim Robinson - The Roux In The Gumbo
N. Quamere Cincere - We Ain’t No Niggas
Sharon Ewell Foster - Abraham’s Well
Lalita Tademy - Red River

MAGAZINES - NON-LITERARY

Sister 2 Sister
Vibe Vixen
Black Enterprise
The Network Journal
Ebony

SELF - HELP

Tyeese Gaines- Reid - The Get A Life Campaign
Alex Ellis - Restoring The Male Image: A look from the inside out (tie)
Denzel Washington - A Hand To Guide Me
Russell Simmons - Do You: 12 laws to access the power in you to achieve happiness and success
TD Jakes - Reposition Yourself: Living Your Life Without Limits (tie)

COOKBOOKS

G. Garvin - Turn Up The Heat With G. Garvin
Deliah Winder - Deliah’s Everyday Soul
Monique - Skinny Cooks Can’t Be Trusted
Roniece Weaver - The Family Style Food Diabetes Cookbook
Fabiola Demp Gaines & Roniece Weaver - Healthy Soul Food Cooking

BREAKOUT AUTHOR OF THE YEAR

William Frederick Cooper - There’s Always A Reason
Miasha - Mommy’s Angel
Dana Rondel - A Flower Has Its Own Song
Venesha - Mistress Me
Eisa Nefertari Ulen - Crystelle Mourning: A Novel

SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHOR OF THE YEAR

Dornell M. Griffin & Kodzina D. Griffin - A Divine Addiciton
Dana Rondel - A Flower Has Its Own Song
Kisha Greene - If It Ain’t One Thing, It’s Another
Beverly T. Gooden- Confessions Of A Church Girl
Venesha - Mistress Me

INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR

KNB Publications
Triple Crown Publiciations
Melodrama Publishing
RJ Publications
Triple Crown Publishing

CHILDREN’S BOOK

Stephanie Perry-Moore - Perfect Joy (Carmen Brown)
Brittney Holmes - Living Consequences
Coe Booth - Tyrell
Jacquelin Thomas - Simply Divine

PLAYWRIGHT OF THE YEAR

David E. Talbert - Love In The Nick Of Time
Shelly Garrett - What Kind Of Love Is This?
Je’Caryous Johnson & Gary Guirdy - (I’m Ready Productions) Whatever She Wants
Je’Caryous Johnson & Gary Guirdy - Men, Money & Gold Diggers

PUBLISHING HOUSE OF THE YEAR

St. Martin’s Press
Penguin Putnam/Dutton
Harper Collins/Amistad
Harlem Moon (Random House)
Kimani Press

AUTHOR OF THE YEAR - MALE

Eric Jerome Dickey - Sleeping With Strangers
Carl Weber - The First Lady
Shannon Holmes - Dirty Games
Omar Tyree - What They Want
Travis Hunter - Something To Die For

AUTHOR OF THE YEAR - FEMALE

Victoria Christopher Murray - The Ex Files
Kimberla Lawson Roby - Love And Lies
Connie Briscoe/Lolita Files/Anita Bunkley - You Only Get Better/Three For The Road/This Time Around
Francis Ray - Irresistible You
Mary B. Morrison - When Somebody Loves You Back

BOOK CLUB OF THE YEAR

Black Expressions Book Club (3 Time Winner)
G.A.A.L Bookclub of Atlanta
G.U.R.U. Bookclub
OSSA Bookclub
Rawsistaz Literary Group

TELEVISION WRITER OF THE YEAR

Shonda Rhimes - Grey’s Anatomy
Ali LeRoi - Everybody Hates Chris
Mara Brock Akli - The Game
Stacey Littlejohn - All Of Us
Tyler Perry - House Of Payne

EROTICA

Trista Russell - Chocolate Covered Forbidden Fruit
Zane - Carmel Flava: The Eroticanor.com Anthology
Noire - Thong On Fire: An Urban Erotic Tale
J. Tremble - Secrets Of A Housewife
Joylynn M. Jossell - Wet

COMEDY/HUMOR

Mother Love with Tonya Bolden - Half The Mother, Twice The Love
Nina Foxx - No Girl Needs A Husband Seven Days A Week
Pat G’Orge-Walker - Cruisin’ On Desperation

COMIC STRIP

Jerry Craft - Mama’s Boyz
Keith Knight - The K Chronicles
Aaron McGruder - The Boondocks

Dickey's Best Fiction Award for Sleeping With Strangers

Presenters - Tweety (choreographer) and Sharon Quinn (Model/Actress)
Read Quinn's Blog Post of the Describing The Even

Troy Johnson's commentary show in Brown Italics below

Model, Apprentice Candidate Stacie J.

AALBC.com Founder Troy Johnson with winners Doug (NBA star) & Jackie Christie authors of authors of “No Ordinary Love”
The Christies have to be some of the most gracious and supportive authors I've come across in a long time. I can see why their love is not "ordinary".

Nominee, Author Miasha
Miasha is the complete package. Aggressive, attractive and the author of several poplar book including Diary of a Mistress. Miasha has a very supportive husband and, like the Christies, are great team.

Nominees William Fredrick Cooper and David Riveria, Jr.
William was one of the first authors I met when I started AALBC.com. Cooper was disappointed he did not win his category but was pleased to be nominated

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Winner - Actress (Young & the Restless), Victoria Rowell, Author of The Women who Raised Me
I've seen Victoria on a number of occasions since the publication of her book. I have observed that she is a very approachable celebrity with many fans.

Krishan Trotman, accepts for winners
Blair Underwood, Tananarive Due & Steven Barnes - Casanegra

Victoria Christopher Murray, Shida Carr
Victoria, who writes in the Christian fiction genre is a future icon. Victoria truly appreciates her readers makes a prodigious effort to connect with them at events across the country.

Winner Black Issues Book Review, Managing Editor, Clarence Reynolds accepts
Clarence, William Cooper and I went out for drinks after the event. Clarence is very passionate and so well informed about books -- it is fun to talk to him about the subject.

Award Winner, Pat G’Orge-Walker
I first met Pat almost a decade ago. It has been fun watching her career develop. This is the 2nd event that that I attended where Pat was presented with an award.

Troy Johnson with Author Tyeese Gaines Reid
I meet Tyeese or Dr. Ty just moments before this photo was taken. Tyeese author of The Get A Life Campaign The Authors Den describes her as "a one-woman juggling act: writer, mom, wife, and physician".

Hue-Man Book Store, Managing Partner Marva Allen

Nominee - Cartoonist Jerry Craft
Another cool, down to earth brother. I recently visited Jerry in his home, where he was kind enough to autograph a copy of Home Schoolin' for my daughter.

Author Georgia Woodbine and Phil Andrews of 100 Black Men of Long island
I shared a table with Georgia, author of How To Make Big Bucks Without Selling Your Soul and Phil. They advised me to set up an advisory board for AALBC.com. Two really smart people who seem to enjoy helping others.

Some of the attendees

...when I left the event I ran into this Randy Kearse selling his book in the street in front of the Alhambra Ballroom. Randy served 13 years of a 15 year sentence and is now selling a book to help others have a positive and productive life after prison. I brought a book -- one can't help but support

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Related Links

African American Literary Awards Show - Official Website
http://www.literaryawardshow.com

2009 African American Literary Awards Show
http://events.aalbc.com/2009aalas.htm

2008 African American Literary Awards Show
http://events.aalbc.com/2008aalas.htm

Photo of Abiola Abrams, courtesy of Abiola Abrams