Serious about series

Not too long ago I reread all the Harry Potter books. It was such a joy to have a month or 6 weeks of books all set in the same world with the same characters. I think that's the appeal of the series--familiarity. If the writer can pull it off without the reader feeling like he's reading the same book over and over.

Right now I'm reading The Invisible Mountain by Carolina de Robertis (Did you know May was Latino Books Month? By the way, the paperback of The Invisible Mountain is out this August). When I'm done with my current TBR pile (see last week's post), I'm thinking I'd like to read another series, and I'm looking for suggestions. Anybody have any good ideas? Series by black authors not required, but definitely appreciated.

Series seem to be most common in genre works, though Trisha R. Thomas has her women's fiction series featuring her protagonist Venus. The sixth (sixth!) is out now, Un-Nappily in Love. And Pearl Cleage often writes in her novels about characters in Atlanta's West End neighborhood, with characters from different books mingling together.

Can anyone think of any other commercial or literary fiction that's a series? What do you all think is the best:

Romance series?

Fantasy/sci-fi series?

Paranormal series?

Mystery series?

Other categories?

Summer reads giveaway!

Summer is almost here, and it's the perfect time to catch up on a favorite book. Whether it's lying on a beach during vacation or snuggled up at home, who doesn't like to be immersed in a good book during the dog days of summer? To kick off the summer season, a giveaway! And the best part? Thanks to the kind folks at Snubbr.com, the winner gets to pick whatever book she wants!

Just leave a comment below, and tell us what book you want to read (a new release or a golden oldie) and why you want to read it. We'll pick our favorite comment after 1 week, and send the winner the book he chose, and announce it here.

What I'm looking forward to reading this summer:

A Taste of Honey by Jabari Asim. Short and sweet, connected stories. Seems perfect for sitting in an airport or lying in the hammock.

Platinum by Aliya S. King looks like a great beach read. Might be 2010's Bling.

Till You Hear From Me. I have the audio book on my iPhone and plan on listening when I go to L.A. next month.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin. I read the opening chapters on the author's website and I'm hooked.

A few books I'm recommending this summer:

32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter. I read an advance copy for a blurb. If Bridget Jones and Clareece Precious Jones had a love child, she would be Davie Jones, the protagonist in this book. Sound weird? It's not. Just very fresh and funny.

Substitute Me by Lori Tharps. I also gave a blurb for this one. It comes out in August (look for a giveaway then!). It's the story of a white couple in Brooklyn and the 30-year-old, college-educated black nanny they hire. Sexy, smart and will definitely have people talking!

Rebel Yell by Alice Randall. I just finished this one and really liked it. I expected a portrait of a marriage and I got that, but the former married couple were way more interesting than your average married folks, and the story far broader (including very timely subjects like the war in Iraq). This one is out in paperback this fall, if you want to wait.

For more ideas check out my Shelfari book shelf over to the right. Also check Snubbr.com. They're a recommendation site. What you do is ask a question such as "What books do you recommend for someone who likes mysteries?" and they'll send a question to an expert who will answer it for you. It's sorta like Yahoo Answers, but instead of random people answering your question, only experts are allowed to answer them.

So what do you want to read this summer?

Moving forward creatively

Anybody who loves books and knows anything about the book biz knows it's changing. The technology is changing. What readers expect is changing, where they buy and how they buy is changing. Wars are being fought over rights. People are losing jobs. Shit is hitting the fan. But opportunities are also opening. And nimble, quick-thinking, innovative authors will survive.

Like Cheryl Robinson. She's serializing a novel on her blog that readers can read for free--a new chapter every Saturday--to let people know about her work since she has a new novel When I Get Where I'm Going coming in September.

Like Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes who have teamed with Blair Underwood. Their latest novel will be one of the first Vooks--video books. It will be part print and part film scenes. Check it out.

Like debut novelist Ernessa T. Carter, who's giving away a T-shirt a day in a contest for people who pre-order 32 Candles, a book I LOVED and blurbed.




In other news:

Tayari Jones reviews Andrea Levy's latest in The Washington Post. Check out Indiebound for more on The Long Song.

Pearl Cleage discusses her very topical novel Till You Hear From Me.

And a blogger reminds us that before there was Mma Ramotswe there was the housekeeper-sleuth Blanche White, the wonderful creation of author Barbara Neely.

News & a give-away!

Glorious is in the current issue of O Magazine! Congrats Bernice!

Mari Walker's new one Not Quite What it Seems is out today. Happy Pub Day Mari!

Pearl Cleage's Till You Hear From Me comes out a week from today!

Tananarive Due is blogging at a new site about writing. Prospective writers check it out.

If you like connecting with authors online, Reads for Pleasure has a link to lots of black authors who are online.

Here's a great trailer for the YA fantasy The Marvelous World by Troy CLE.

And if you like fantasy, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin looks good!

This blog was shortlisted for the Author Blog Awards. Voting ends Thursday. Blog, Facebook or Tweet your friends to vote for me and leave me a comment here to let me know you did. I'll do a random drawing of commenters for an advance copy of Red Hats by Damon Wayans (who knew he was a novelist?) or From Cape Town with Love by Due, Steven Barnes & Blair Underwood!

They don't call it "Black Friday" for nothing, people!

Let the consuming begin! This weekend is the traditional kick-off to holiday shopping, and, as you might expect, I want to remind you to think black books this Black Friday. (But don't stop there! Ella Curry wants y'all to be thinking black books all weekend, as she's hosting an online Black Books Weekend Nov. 27-30.)

This Friday, this weekend, whenever, pick up a book by a black author for at least one person on your list (let me know it and you could win a t-shirt!). Some suggestions:

Know someone who's been laid-off and needs a lift? What Doesn't Kill You, a funny novel about a woman who loses her job and finds her way by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant, will be perfect!

Got a friend who digs fantasy? Get Shadow Valley and Great Sky Woman by Steven Barnes. “[Barnes] combines imagination, anthropology and beautiful storytelling as he takes readers to the foot of the Great Mountain, today known as Mount Kilimanjaro.” —Durham Triangle Tribune. IndieBound has a great interview with Barnes about his book Lion's Blood.

Your sister love Lisa Scottoline's thrillers? Introduce her to Pamela Samuels Young. She'll thank you!

Need to buy for someone who likes smart, witty literary fiction or books that make them scratch their head, crack up laughing, cringe, and turn pages like crazy? May I suggest the "fiendishly imaginative" Big Machine by Victor LaValle? I'm halfway through the book. My quickie review: Stephen King meets Richard Pryor.

Those seeing "Precious" and reading Push might like the novella A Deep Dark Secret by Kimberly Lawson Roby.

Give your BFF Wildflowers by Lyah Beth LeFlore. My Twitter book-friends say this is a delightful story about women's friendships (It's on my list).

Mom like romance? She ought to know Beverly Jenkins and Frances Ray. Yes, black authors even write bodice rippers and give good man-titty!

Why should you buy books by black authors?

Because if you like to read, you should know about all the good books that are out there. I'm telling you: You like it, we write it! I'm not interested in doing any "favors" for authors who write bad books. This isn't about quotas or affirmative action or liberal guilt. This blog isn't about begging for attention from white people. My mission is to spread the word that there are plenty, PLENTY, of great books that not enough people are hearing about. That's my reason.

Author Chimamanda Adichie offers another compelling reason, which she calls "the danger of the single story."

In an open letter to Oprah Winfrey author Virginia DeBerry makes another case for why books by black authors need more attention.

Author Bernice McFadden takes on "seg-book-ga-tion."

Now, I know you don't need additional reasons to check out books by black authors. But for your less with-it friends, here's my top 10 list.

Finally, happily, I want to introduce you to a couple more blogs trying to spread the word:

Check out the "Multicultural Minute" feature at Shen's Books. Here is a video suggesting YA books with biracial characters.

Authors of Color is a new blog chatting about good books we should all be hearing more about. She's got Pearl Cleage news! Y'all go on over and say hi.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Author profiles and POTUS' birthday

I'm getting ready to begin a new series here called "White Readers Meet...." in which I'll profile different writers.

In the meantime, here are some links to interviews I ran on my other blog with authors Pearl Cleage, Elyse Singleton, Stephanie Rose Bird, and Kim Reid.

In other news, today is President Obama's birthday. Happy Birthday Mr. President! We know he likes to read. What book would you give him for his birthday, and why?

Poll results

Obviously, this poll was extremely unscientific and, therefore, was not meant to be a definitive statement on whether or not bookstores should have black book sections. Which is good since our results are mixed. Almost half of us are of mixed feelings about the African American fiction section (44%), though 29% of us think that they shouldn't exist and 25% of us think they should.

I'm sorry I didn't make it clear with the poll that there was a book give-away attached for those who commented and linked. I'll do better next time. But there was and the winner is Angie! She'll get a free paperback copy of Seen it All and Done the Rest by Pearl Cleage from me. (Why do I have a free copy? Because I conducted the interview with Pearl that's in the reader's guide.) Congrats Angie and thanks to everyone who voted!