Go On Girl! Nat'l Conv. 2000

Go On Girl! Nat'l Conv. 2000

African American Literature Book Club - The #1 Site for "Readers of Black Literature"

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(l to r) - Evalyn Hamilton - Newsletter editor
Lynda Johnson - Treasurer and founder, and Monique Greenwood - President and founder (Monique is also Editor-In-Chief of Essence Magazine)

The Go-On-Girl book club held their National Convention in Chicago the same weekend as BEA. I've heard nothing but good things about this group of sisters. The Go-On-Girl book club is a national not-for-profit organization. They are a highly organized book club with chapters all over the country - but they are much more. Their mandate is to foster literacy among our youth. They do this is in a variety of ways. Visit the Go-on-Girl web site http://www.goongirl.org website for more information.

This event was truly amazing. The GOG book club took over an entire restaurant and turned it into something special. They had tables with authors including E. Lynn Harris, Kimberla Lawson Roby, Yolanda Joe, Camika Spencer, Nichole Shields and other signing books. There was another area were members were working on a beautiful quilt. There were vendors (not too many) selling books, jewelry, dolls, and crafts. I brought something from almost everyone - there was a feeling of kinship. Members milled about or enjoyed a dinner eating at tables. Sam Greenlee held court at one table and Vincent Alexandria kept folks laughing on the other side of the room. They even hired a guy to give back rubs. QBR the Black Book Review was there.

I was lucky enough to learn about this event from Max Rodriguez and Linda Duggins of QBR -- I even helped out on at the QBR table. I asked Max, doubtfully, if a similar event could be arranged for and by brothers. He taught is was a good idea (you heard it here first, smile).

Vincent Alexandria & E. Lynn Harris
Vincent Alexandria is the author of If These Walls Could Talk. E. Lynn Harris, one of the most popular African American authors. E. Lynn's most recent book is Not a Day Goes By.

Camika Spencer
Camika is another author who was picked up by a major publisher based upon her success as a self published author. Camika's first novel When All Hell Breaks Loose was picked up by Random House. The multitalented Camika is also a spoken word artist and poet.

Max Rodriguez & Sam Greenlee
Max is Publisher of QBR The Black Book Review magazine. Max edited the book Sacred Fire, which describes the 100 must have novel for any African America library. Max is instrumental in organizing the Harlem Book Fair and the planning of the most recent National Black Writer's Conference. Sam Greenlee is the author of several books. Sam Greenlee's The Spook Who Sat by the Door appears in Sacred Fire.

Troy Johnson & Yolanda Joe
Yolanda is the author of several novels including He Say, She Say.

Photo Credits: Troy Johnson, AALBC.com