Book Review - Possession by Da'Neen Hale

On the outside Yaassa seems to have it all together, good looks, good job and loyal friends to enjoy life with, but she has a secret. She is dealing with an ex, Chee, that just can seem to leave her alone. From Chee, Yaassa has to deal with unexpected visits, stalking, fights, and public humiliation that threatens everything she has worked for.

This situation is the independent woman's nightmare! I found the story to be both entertaining and thought-provoking. I wondered what I would do if I, or one of my friends, were in Yaassa's situation. On the other hand, I also wondered what I would do if Chee was a friend of mine. Hale makes it possible to relate to all the characters in her story on some level, even the bad ones; and I really felt as though I could understand them. Maybe, too well. My only criticism would be that the character development was shallow or too obvious. But, Hale makes up for it with a drama-filled, page turning plot. I would definitely recommend this book.

Possession is available for sale at Azizi Books.

Book Reviews - The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

As a former fine artist and current graphic designer, I am no stranger to being reviewed. In fact, most of my undergrad evaluations came not from tests and papers, but from peer and professor critiques in the classroom. Every week as my work was displayed on a big screen for all to review, I braced myself for the impact. If you are lucky, only a few people tear you apart over the details, but mostly everyone seems to like the direction you took. These are the projects that result in a solid "B" or "A-" and you can rest assured that the next project will be better based on what you learned from the scrutiny. But some people are still displeased. They are the perfectionists. They want the coveted "A+" that results in a rare "everyone-loves-it" critique. Most people never get this. I know I never did. I took my B's and A-'s with grace knowing that I would never be perfect. I also knew the alternative, failing grades that result from when a design student only gets negative comments for completely missing the mark.

What does this have to do with book reviews? Everything. Authors are reviewed much the same way I was reviewed as a design student. Every author wants readers to love their book and receive nothing but favorable reviews, but the truth is everyone is not going to love it. Even if the book is good, someone is always going to have a dissenting opinion. What authors need to realize, though, is that these minority opinions are often the most helpful. I was recently alerted to a situation where an author, who sought a review, tried to suppress a minority reviewer's opinion once the author deemed it less favorable.

In reference to the APOOO Book Club discussion question, Should APOOO Reviewer Fight Back? I posted the following response.

Even though this is really sad, and a bit childish, I would let the situation slide. It doesn’t look like there would be any win here for the reviewer by contacting the author and voicing concern. This author is obviously not interested in true, independent opinions. I don’t understand is how you can be an author or producer of anything creative for that matter and expect that everyone will like what you create. It is just not realistic.

My bottom line for authors wanting their book to be reviewed:
Don't publish your work if you do not want honest opinions. Stop being so sensitive, do better next time and move on!

This Weekend - African Festival of the Arts

Azizi Books is selling discounted advance tickets to the African Festival of the Arts.

This Labor Day weekend Chicago's Washington Park transforms into an authentic African village complete with three stages of spectacular entertainment featuring Kool and the Gang, Rachelle Ferrell, Diblo Dibala, Nicholas Payton, Big Daddy Kane and Black Sheep among outstanding others; African Marketplace showcasing authentic art and culture; luscious African cuisine and fare; cultural pavilions; fantastic family fun; and premiering the first ever African Festival of the Arts youth tennis tournament.

For more information about the festival click here.

Shocking Facts About Chicago Public Schools

September 2 is scheduled to be the first day of school for the Chicago Public School district but this year, students are taking a stand and boycotting the first day back. The boycott is organized by The Save Our Schools campaign (S.O.S.) in protest to the serious lack of funding that Chicago Public Schools receive as opposed to suburban schools.

S. O. S. says,
"On September 2, we have decided that instead of children attending the first day of school for Chicago Public Schools, we are taking our children to a well funded school district in Winnetka and attempt to register/enroll them. If the state won’t provide the necessary school funding for poor and minority children school districts in Chicago, we’ll go where they can receive a quality education."

Save Our Schools Now

Take a look at these shocking facts!

Only 6 of 100 Black and Latino high school freshmen males will graduate from a four year college. Source: University of Chicago’s Consortium on Chicago School Research

Between 2003 and 2007, white students' reading scores went up while African American, Hispanic and low-incomes student's scores went down. (Chicago Sun-Times, October 31, 2007)

Money spent in Illinois on:
Housing an adult prisoner: $21,000
Educating a child in Chicago: $10,000
Source: Illinois State Board of Education
Office of Governor Rod Blagojevich

Only 9% of African American 4th graders ranked proficient or above in reading, ranking Illinois 38 out of 41 states. (Chicago Sun-Times, November 2, 2006)

Illinois has the largest unaddressed district-to-district funding gap in the nation. (Source: Education Trust)

2005-2006 School Year Graduation
Rates in Chicago
Black males - 37%
White males - 62%
(Source: Schott Foundation)

Illinois ranks 49 out of the 50 states when it comes to funding education from state funds. (Source: Education Trust)

View more facts about the school funding crisis...

Sign up to be a volunteer for this cause!
http://www.saveourschoolsnow.com/volunteers.html

Book Review - Blood Colony by Tananarive Due

It is really no secret that Tananarive Due is one of my favorite authors. Ever since reading her story about the African Immortals in high school, I have not only been addicted to her books but to the entire speculative fiction genre in general. To this day, if I absolutely had to choose one, 1997's "My Soul To Keep" is still my favorite book. Well, it has been seven years since the publication of "The Living Blood" by Tananarive Due, the second installment in the African Immortal series, but finally the third installment is here. "Blood Colony" is that novel.

It is hard for me to not love a book by Tananarive Due, but I'll only give this one 4 of 5 stars. "Blood Colony" is wonderfully written and more intriguing than the average novel, but after waiting such a long time for this third installment, when I finished, I still felt like I wanted more.

Set in 2015, we meet up with the Wolde family and the Life Brothers. While they have been distributing their healing "living" blood in secret to third world countries, plagued with sickness, an Underground Railroad of distributors in North America are selling the same thing under the street drug name of Glow. I can't say that I am disappointed, because I am not, but I didn't get a sense that I learned anything new from these characters. The book continues their stories, and we catch up with their lives, but none of the mysteries completely unfold. "Blood Colony" is written so that it could be a stand alone novel, but I think you need to read the other two books to get a full grasp of the characters and to really connect with them and all that they have been through.

Very good but not great. "My Soul To Keep" and "The Living Blood" set the bar up very high and I cannot help but to compare. I have read them both more than once, but unlike the other two, I may not be picking up "Blood Colony" again for a second go 'round. I'll wait until book four.

Live or Die?

"You can either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

Like millions of other people, I went to go see The Dark Knight this weekend. Aaron Eckhart's character, Harvey Dent, says the above quote to Bruce Wayne, his date, and Rachel Dawes over dinner one evening when discussing the Batman.

This quote got me thinking about some of our leaders today. People in the media have been attacking people like Jessie Jackson for slipping up and saying controversial statements in regards to this year's presidential election. Then they come out and say things like, this person hasn't really done anything. Wow. Really, Jesse Jackson hasn't done anything? He marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He ran for president and got thousands of African Americans to register to vote for the first time. Would we be saying the same things we say about Jesse, about Dr. King if he had lived? Maybe. But, it was not his fate. He did die a hero, while Jesse has lived long enough to watch himself become somewhat of a villain in spite of all the good he has done. Sad.

Book Signing with L. A. Banks

Last Saturday Azizi Books had our book signing with author L. A. Banks. As hard as I tried, I couldn't catch up and read the entire series to date before she came! (I'm still on book nine, The Cursed) While she was here, I told her that I was really hooked on the Vampire Huntress Legends and asked how she came up with so many imaginative ideas for the storyline. Mrs. Banks told me that it was the news that sparked some of her great ideas. Sometimes, the consequences of events that take place in our world, while being very real to us, can also spark great fiction. I thought about her reference to Hurricane Katrina in earlier books in the series and nodded. So true!

Here are some pictures of us with L. A. Banks and Naleighna Kai.