This Blog Has Moved!

If you’re looking for the updated SOTS Promo Blog, it’s moved!

Visit us at http://sotspromoblog.wordpress.com

See you there!

Submissions Call from phati’tude Literary Magazine

The following is a Call for Submissions from phati’tude Literary Magazine. The publication is looking for writing and art entries. Read on for more information.

phati’tude Literary Magazine is pleased to announce that award-winning poet Timothy Liu will bring his expertise as guest editor to “The Lavender Issue: LGBT Literature Today,” and that ArtSceneToday.com, the online art forum for emerging artists, will be partnering via a special LGBT art competition for the magazine cover.  This collaboration promises to make this an exciting and ground-breaking issue to date.  The issue is phati’tude’s Summer 2010 Issue and  will be published June 18, 2010.

The writers’ submission deadline for “The Lavender Issue” is May 7, 2010.  Guest editor Liu is looking for poetry and short stories that are written by LGBT writers, including essays that address the relevancy of LGBT literature as it pertains to the current literary canon; including historical and social issues as it pertains to the genre.  For more information, check out our submission guidelines at http://tiny.cc/phatitude.

The ArtSceneToday deadline for artwork is April 28, 2010; call for entries can be found at http://artscenetoday.com/call_for_entries1/.  The first place winner of the online LGBT Art competition will be featured as the cover artwork for “The Lavender Issue.”  Other winners and finalists will be featured on the phati’tude website at www.phatitude.org.

Participate in our groundbreaking issue and submit your work today!   For more information, contact Gabrielle David, Editor at editor@phatitude.org

Author Kaution Presents First Ever Online Audio Soap Opera for the Urban LGBT Community

Kaution, author of Nothing Short of a Rainbow, has a new online soap opera in the works. Read a snippet of the press release to find out more.

Kaution Media Concepts’ brainchild of author/artist Kaution announced the new online soap opera series entitled Kaution presents…Konfessions in development and set for production in early April. The unique online soap series is one of several Kaution Media Concepts projects due to be released in 2010. Konfessions will be the first audio production in KMC’s audio catalog.

Audio soap operas is not a new concept but Konfessions will be the first of its kind in the history of audio dramas to be based and targeted to the urban LGBT community. Each episode will be 35 minutes in length with a new episode weekly, featuring music from various cast members as well as Spoken Word stanzas with contributions from other LGBT artists contributing helping to shape each episode.

Created by the author Kaution, gay lit fiction writer and written by Kaution and new creative partner GYFTED the two tell the tale of two record labels in the fictitious city known as Hillside owned by rival lesbians once friends now turned enemies and the people caught inadvertently in the middle.

With power struggles to control the music scene close to erupting in the city and old debts of revenge needing to be repaid, Hillside City’s many dark secrets with seeds that were planted twenty years in the past struggle to surface only to reveal years of lies and deceit that was buried but forgotten now ready to show itself in the light of day. The show’s characters will have friendships tested, loves destroyed, lies exposed and families torn into pieces as all the major players work towards their own personal agendas at any cost. Even the “good” guys are bad in this audio drama packed with twists in every episode.

The story asks one question, “Can you handle the truth?”

Cast in this drama packed audio series is LGBT notables, Yung Snazz, Elle Crawford, Aurora Jonez, I AM KING, Renair Amin, Young Doe, Lyndon Jones, Lester Greene, Sonya Toler, Kaution and the casts two hetros Garnet and J. McGregor.

With a diverse and talented cast of hiphop artists, stage performers, spoken word artists and writers the cast spans several age groups which tie seamlessly well together.

You can read more of the official press release for Kaution presents…Konfessions at this site. For more information, please contact: 641-715-3900 Ext.85774

Pre-Order Skyy’s New Book, Crossroads

Crossroads, the highly anticipated third novel by Skyy, is almost here.

Lena knows who she wants and she is headed to meet her destiny. She refuses to let anything stop her, not even her husband or the baby growing in her stomach.

Denise knows it’s time to move on. Hopefully being in New York will help her broken heart mend. With a new career and a new residence maybe she can finally move on from Lena. But will a change of events finally break her down.

Cooley knew it was a mistake to break her own rules. She gave her heart to Misha and lost big time. She doesn’t plan to make that mistake ever again. Now she is focused on her new A&R job with Jam Zone, nothing is going to take her off her path…or so she thinks.

The crew has left the comforts of Freedom University for their new adult lives. Love, drama, and life brings them to the crossroads. Which way will they go?

Skyy is the author of the highly-popular novels, Choices and Consequences.

PRE-ORDER TODAY to receive an autographed copy of Crossroads when it comes out this May. You can only pre-order on www.simplyskyy.com

Samiya Bashir is a 2010 Lambda Literary Award Finalist

Congratulations are in order for Samiya Bashir, who is a finalist for a 2010 Lambda Literary Award. Her book, Gospel: Poems published by Red Bone Press, was recognized in the Lesbian Poetry category. Winners will be announced at the 22nd Annual Awards in New York on May 27. Let’s wish Bashir the best.

Two New E-Books from Cheril N. Clarke and Fiona Zedde!

Two of your favorite authors, Cheril N. Clarke and Fiona Zedde have new e-books out to tide us over until their next full-length novels. Both of these book can be purchased through amazon.com and downloaded to your Kindle or any other electronic book reader, as well as on your PC. Clicking on each book will take you to amazon.com to purchase.

Clarke’s Illusions of Love: Two Erotic Vignettes featuring Kenya is a return to the self-centered, self-indulgent Kenya from Intimate Chaos. The synopsis:

Imagine being able to do whatever you want whenever you want. Imagine living by your own rules, never feeling guilty and never apologizing for what you do. Imagine being so charming and smooth you effortlessly move in and out of your lovers’ lives and bank accounts, giving them the illusion of love and stability. Can you imagine, being cunning and charismatic yet cold and calculating?

Meet Kenya, Clarke’s firecracker character from Intimate Chaos and the lead in Illusions of Love: Two Erotic Vignettes. In addition to feverish passages of lesbian sex and seduction, we get to know Kenya for the chilling individual she really is: an emotional parasite with a stunning lack of conscience and voracious appetite for women.

Relax, read and revel in this bold new collection of stories from novelist, Cheril N. Clarke.

Zedde’s Kisses after Midnight is a collection of short stories. The synopsis:

The artist with a secret passion. An assassin on the hunt. A Jamaican exiled in snow. These are just a few of the women who come to life in this seductive collection of thirteen stories by novelist, Fiona Zedde.

Exploring themes of love, desire, liberation, and loss, these stories take the reader on a journey into the hearts and minds of unforgettable characters who linger long after the last page has turned.

If you read and enjoyed any of Fiona’s previous novels – Bliss, A Taste of Sin, Every Dark Desire, or Hungry for It – this is an anthology not to be missed.

Pick up both these books at amazon.com.

Sistahs is up for a Lezzy Award!

Sistahs on the Shelf is up for a 2009 Lezzy Award in the Entertainment/Culture category from The Lesbian Lifestyle website.  Sistahs needs your nominations, and you can do that by clicking the banner above. Only the top 3 nominated blogs will move on to compete for the winner of this category. You can make one nomination every 24 hours, and be sure to check your email to click on the confirmation link listed there.

It was an honor to be considered, so any support to Sistahs is appreciated. For more information about the The Lezzies visit http://thelesbianlifestyle.com/the-lezzies/

Shades Retreat

Shades Retreat: Personal, You is being held April 23-25, 2010 in Pine Mountain, Georgia. The cost is $300 and will cover lodging, meals and all retreat activities to include workshops.

Cost of the lesbian retreat will cover lodging, meals and all retreat activities to include workshops.

Facilitators for the event include Kat Williams, Angela Harvey, Ifalade Ta’Shia, Shaashawn Dial, Claudia Moss, Queen Sheba, Freedom Speaks, Cheril N Clarke, Susan A Webley, Valarie Johnson, Shemeah Richardson, Kimberly Jones, Nicole Lanier and Tiffany Hall, Evangelist J Harris & Jenise Brown.

To learn more about the retreat and take advantage of the offer, visit http://www.shadesretreat.com.

Sistahs on the Shelf is coming back

As if you hadn’t noticed, Sistahs on the Shelf has been on hiatus.

But don’t worry, the site will be back for January, bringing you more of what you’ve been asking for. New changes will be made and I’ll definitely keep you abreast.

Enjoy New Year’s and best wishes to you in 2007.

Cause Sistahs will be back.

Tainted Love Promotional

Author Cheril N. Clarke’s new novel, Tainted Destiny, has a promotional trailer on YouTube that you should check out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSFFRuPpdtg

Happy Birthday to SOTS!!!

 Sistahs on the Shelf is one year old today!!

It’s been one year ago that I began this site, starting out with only a few pages and a small mission: to bring Black lesbian books to our community.

And it’s been more than I could have ever imagined.

This site has been my inspiration, my baby that I’ve seen thrive and grow, surpassing all of my expectations.

So now it’s time for a few thanks…

Thank you to all the women who’ve given me great feedback and to those who gave me constructive criticism. It can only make the site better.

Thank you to all the authors who’ve been involved in the site, from interviews to passing along news or just dropping me line from time to time.

Thank you to the future readers, because the best is yet to come.

You’ve all made SOTS what it is…and what it will become.

Sistahs on the Shelf featured on afterellen.com

I’m proud to say that your very own Sistahs on the Shelf has gotten a mention at After Ellen, the wildly popular lesbian visibility website.
Last month, AE columnist Linda Villarosa wrote about the plight of black lesbian literature, sighting how little exposure we get surrounding novels about our lifestyle.

“Read any good erotica lately? Probably not if you’re looking for African-American lesbian love,” Villarosa wrote.

I emailed her about Sistahs on the Shelf, making her aware that there was a source for black lesbians to read books for us and by us.

And she gave my site the greatest compliment, calling it “wonderful, thoughtful, thorough.”

Many thanks to Linda, and the women who also suggested the site to her.

Best. Black. Lesbian. Book. Ever.

Being the founder of SOTS, I can tell you that I’ve read a lot of black lesbian books.

It’s my passion. There’s nothing like a book you can truly identify with, and that’s what books about Sistahs in the Life do for me. You always feel like you either are that character or know someone just like her.

I have my favorite books from the genre, ones that have moved me to tears or to think. No bias here, but Water in a Broken Glass is my all time greatest. It’s so raw and passionate, the story of a woman torn between her true feelings for a woman and what everyone else wants for her. Something in this novel spoke to me, as if I were Tonya, enduring her struggles to be herself.

A question for you: What black lesbian novel has spoken to you? What’s your favorite?

Meeting Ms. Zedde

 

Last weekend I had the chance to meet Fiona Zedde.

In Atlanta for a much needed vacation, I was excited when I heard about a book signing for Fiona’s new book, A Taste of Sin, recently published July 6.

The place was Charis Books & More, the date was July 8, and the time was 8:00.

Actually I arrived about 20 minutes late.

When I walked in, Fiona was in the middle of reading a steamy passage. In case you haven’t picked up her newest novel, A Taste of Sin, it follows the passionate encounters between characters Desiree and Victoria, who, from the pages Fiona read, can’t keep their hands off one one another. Of course the novel goes much deeper, but the scenes I read more than piqued my interest.

Afterward, Fiona answered a few questions from the audience. The hottest question of the night came when someone asked if Hunter, the stud extraordinaire from her first novel, Bliss, would ever reappear in a future novel. The women were clamoring for that answer, as I heard several ladies swoon about the woman who sweeps Bliss Sinclair off her feet. The answer was possibly but not right now, especially since Ms. Zedde has several other books to complete first. Up next is a vampire novel. (Ooh, sounds intriguing.) She is also preparing selections for upcoming anthologies, as well.

Afterward, audience members got the chance to purchase Sin, and have it signed by Fiona. I waited in line with plenty of excited women, and I finally got my chance.

Now I must say I was a little nervous.

A picture on a website is one thing, but meeting an author in person is another. Fiona was dressed very casually, decked in a sun dress with brown, gold and red tones. Her reddish-brown dreads flowed nicely over her bare shoulders. She seemed approachable and down to earth, always adorning a smile on her tawny-colored face. That made it easier. She signed my book as I was introducing myself as the founder of Sistahs on the Shelf. Just her acknowledgement of meeting me and finally putting a face with a name meant a lot to me.

And the polite hug we exchanged went a long, too.

I hope all my author visits turn out like this.

New Arrival from author Cheril N. Clarke

Tainted Destiny, the new book from Cheril N. Clarke is scheduled to hit bookstores October 6, 2006.

Here is a synopsis from her website:

Back in the welcoming arms of New York City after a tumultuous relationship, Sadira Cooper is ready to breathe again. It isn’t long before she finds herself entering the dating scene. As she struggles to understand the meaning of true love, Sadira has to confront a past that she’d fought very hard to forget. After a failed first attempt at reigniting an old flame she begins an affair with Olivia, but makes a fatal mistake that gets her trapped in Olivia’s web of destruction. This coupled with the return of her venomously sexy former lover leaves Sadira quickly approaching an unavoidable collision of hearts and shattering of lives.

Tainted Destiny is a suspenseful romance that paints a vivid picture of turmoil and passion. Sadira experiences every facet of emotion—fear, pain, love, anxiety and utter confusion as she is stretched from one extreme to another in trying to find a balance. Does Sadira have what it takes to survive the obstacles put in her path or is her destiny forever tainted?

To order Cheril’s new book, visit http://www.cherilnclarke.com/books.html

We’ve gone back to the old Forum

Just in case you didn’t know, SOTS has returned to its old forum board at www.sistahsforum.proboards59.com.

There you can find discussions with women like us.

So go there and check it out.

Just a taste of SOTS’s recent Pick of the Month…

“[Tananine] Jenkins’ book delves into a lot of action that will keep you flipping the pages. It’s a read in one night kind of book because you won’t want to put it down. The fast cars, the crazy parties and the beautiful women will capture both studs and femmes alike. A little slow at first, it picks up and keeps you on the edge of your seat till the end; the ending will leave with watery eyes. Jenkins, grammatical errors aside, is a good storyteller—and that counts for a lot.”

 To read more, visit www.sistahsontheshelf.com/pick.html

Welcome to the SOTS Blog!!

Yes, Sistahs on the Shelf has a blog!

It’s just another way to get the site out there, as well as a way to get any information out there between site updates (which by the way happen monthly). This blog will be kept up to date with any information or just my general witty reparte (which I know you all secretly love! )

So I’d love for you to keep stopping by, and keep up with Sistahs. I’m proud of the progress my site has made.

I hope you are, too!