We Could Be Brothers (Scholastic Press, 2010), by Derrick Barnes, for ages 12 to 14. Three boys on a collision course that intersect, and will change their lives forever.

The Cruisers (Scholastic Press, 2010), by Walter Dean Myers, ages 9 – 12. Four kids at a Gifted and Talented school in Harlem are given a charge while studying the Civil War  – negotiate a peace between the North and the South before the war breaks out. Through the use of an alternative school newspaper, the friends learn the power to keep peace using the written word, but they also learn how words can be used as weapons, too.

Rosa’s Bus: The Ride to Civil Rights, written by Jo S. Kittinger, illustrated by Steven Walker (Boyds Mills Press, 2010). To be honest, when I first received this book, I didn’t read it. I sat it aside, thinking, Hm. No disrespect, but we already know the Rosa Parks story because there are at least five-hundred-and-sixty-thousand-million picture books on this subject. Can we learn about someone else, too? But before posting this blog, I read the book, and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s the wonderful story of Rosa Parks, yes. But this version is just as much about the bus where Rosa staged her protest. Bus #2857. Have you ever wondered if the the walls could talk what they would say? What stories they might behold? Think about it, Rosa’s bus, now on permanent display at the Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn Michigan, has seen a lot of history. Fascinating book with a unique point of view.

All Aboard! Elijah McCoy’s Steam Engine (Tundra Books, 2010), written by Monica Kulling and illustrated by Bill Slavin. Elijah McCoy, the son of slaves, studied abroad. In Scotland, he learned all about how to design and build engines. But back home, for a Black man, all that learning didn’t mean a thing. Elijah took a job shoveling coal into a train’s firebox.

But that didn’t stop the inventor from doing what he did best — inventing! Elijah McCoy invented an oil cup that made train travel faster  because  the train didn’t have to be stopped to be oiled. And safer for those who had to oil it. The perfect story for your inventor in the making.

For the early reader, author Gwendolyn Hooks offers her PET CLUB stories (Stone Arch Books). Pets at the Party, The Noisy Night, Find the Cat, The Best Trick. The stories are easy to read (less than 300 words), and are designed to provide enjoyable reading while developing vocabulary and comprehension. Fun illustrations, too!

Well, that’s it for now.

My apologies for the quick post, which probably suffers from all types of gramatical and spelling issues — or other unfortunates — but again, I’m under the time crunch.

–Don

Every day a good book comes into the world is a day to rejoice. But today, the launch of the debut picture book by our very own Tameka Fryer Brown, makes it even more sweet.

Around Our Way on Neighbors’ Day (Abrams, 2010), illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb, is a celebration of a girl’s love for her multicultural community. It’s already winning acclaim. Check out the kudos below and tell a friend.

The Buzz on Around Our Way on Neighbors’ Day:

“As an African American girl bounces around her urban neighborhood celebrating Neighbors’ Day, when everyone comes together for celebration and community bonding, she shares her energetic and enthusiastic observations: “Blue sky, no clouds, / Summer heat, side street, / Whirling, whizzing feet. / Everyone is out to play / Today, around our way.” She is happily surrounded by a multicultural crowd playing double Dutch and basketball, eating ice cream and drinking sour lemonade, debating in the barber shop, and playing chess in the park; and as the day and the block party progress, there is more food, music, laughter, and friendship. The acrylic art is saturated with rich color, energetic movement, and abstract figures and shapes, all reminiscent of Jacob Lawrence’s art. Most scenes are double-page spreads that, together with the words, demonstrate the size and diversity of a joyful world.”

– Booklist

“‘Blue sky, no clouds, / Summer heat, side street, / Whirling, whizzing feet. / Everyone is out to play / Today, around our way.’ It’s a sunny, summer day—perfect for a block party. A pig-tailed protagonist heads home after double Dutch and dancing to help Momma cook. On her way she encounters some familiar sights: Grandpop at the barber’s, Raven painting a mural, a ball game at the center. In this lively and accessible poem, a multicultural community brings food, music and laughter to the streets to celebrate their neighborhood . . .”

– Kirkus

You can read Tameka’s Writers Against Racism (WAR) interview featured on Bowllan’s Blog here.

Check out her post on Ripples from the Tide Pool here.

You can fan Tameka on FaceBook here.

To find out more about Tameka and her books, please visit www.tamekafryerbrown.com

Seeds of Change (Lee & Low Books)

by Jen Cullerton Johnson

illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler

A Place Where Floods Happen (Random House, 2010)

by Renee Watson

Forget about fairytale perfection. These storybook dads are the real deal – strong black men with individual experiences and concerns but with a shared devotion to their children.

Here are some picture books that celebrate African-American fathers and father figures. Please share some of your favorite children’s books about dads in the comments.

FATHERS

The Bat Boy and His Violin (Simon & Schuster), a poignant story of a boy whose father — coach of a Negro League team – makes him bat boy and comes to appreciate his special musical gift, written by Gavin Curtis, illustrated by E.B. Lewis.

I Dream of Trains (Simon & Schuster), an eloquent tale of a boy who dreams of riding the rails with his hero, engineer Casey Jones, and discovers his own father is a hero too, written by Angela Johnson, illustrated by Loren Long.

Daddy Goes To Work (Little, Brown Young Readers), a sweet tale of a girl accompanying her father to his job and getting a peek at his working world, written by Jabari Asim, illustrated by Aaron Boyd. 

In Daddy’s Arms I Am Tall (Lee & Low), a collection of poems saluting black fathers, by Javaka Steptoe. In this moving volume, rising and renowned children’s book authors such as Carole Boston Weatherford and Angela Johnson share the many ways fathers touch our lives.

A Day with Daddy (Teaching Resources), a lyrical look at a boy’s weekly visit with his dad, written by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Nicole Tagdell.

Bippity Bop Barbershop (Little, Brown Young Readers), a touching trip with a boy who braves his first haircut by having his daddy at his side, written by Natasha Tarpley, illustrated by E.B. Lewis.
 
 Joe-Joe’s First Flight (Knopf Books for Young Readers), a beautiful tale of how a boy’s dream of flying gives wings to his father’s – and their town’s – hope, written by Natasha Tarpley, illustrated by E.B. Lewis.

Kevin & His Dad (Little, Brown Young Readers), a fun day just for the guys, written by Irene Smalls, illustrated by Michael Hays.

One Million Men and Me (Just Us Books), a special view of the Million Man March through the eyes of a girl who was with her daddy the day black men made history, written by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Peter Ambush.

FATHER-FIGURES 

When I Am Old with You (Orchard Books), a boy imagines being old with his grand-dad and sharing happy times with him, written by Angela Johnson, illustrated by David Soman.

When I Was Little (Just Us Books), a boy and his grand-dad share a nostalgic fishing trip, written by Toyomi Igus, illustrated by Higgins Bond.

My Pop Pop and Me (Little, Brown Young Readers), a boy spends a sweet day making lemon cake with his grand-dad, written by Irene Smalls, illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson.

Janna and the Kings (Lee & Low), a girl learns that even when her grand-dad is gone, his spirit remains, written by Patricia Smith, illustrated by Aaron Boyd.

Your Dad Was Just Like You (Simon & Schuster), a boy’s grand-dad tells him stories that help the child understand his father better, written and illustrated by Dolores Johnson.

This is the first in a two-part edition of

Today’s expert is Jason Wells, Publicity and Marketing Director for Abrams Books for Young Readers and Amulet Books.

Wells began his career in publishing at age sixteen at a small publisher on Long Island. Before joining Abrams in 2002, he held positions at Penguin, DK, Hyperion, and Simon & Schuster. In 2007 he received his MLS from Pratt Institute. He has worked on the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney; Lauren Myracle’s TTYL and Flower Power books; Ian Falconer’s Olivia; NERDS and The Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley; Babar by Laurent de Brunhoff; The Jellybeans series by Laura Numeroff; Tonya Bolden’s Maritcha: A Nineteenth-Century American Girl and George Washington Carver; 365 Penguins by Jean Luc Fromental and illustrated by Joelle Jolivet; and the forthcoming My Uncle Martin’s Big Heart by Angela Farris Watkins, illustrated by Erica Velasquez (among other titles).

BBS:  Hi, Jason. Welcome to The Brown Bookshelf.

JW:   Glad to be here. I’ve long looked from afar at the work that you do. It’s thrilling to take part.

BBS:  What does your job as Publicity and Marketing Director entail?

JW:   I, with the people in my department, handle everything from setting up author and illustrator interviews and appearances, to pitching authors and illustrators for trade shows, submitting awards, coming up with clever marketing campaigns and much more. Of course, as director I also have to handle managing and motivating the team, and planning out the future.  One of the most important roles I play is as communicator—explaining how things work to authors and illustrators and relaying news to them, talking with our sales reps to help them feed information and promotions to customers, and working directly with librarians, booksellers, and the media to spread the word about our books and get feedback.

BBS:  What is your working relationship with the author/illustrator?

JW:   During the peak promotion period for the book there are calls, e-mails, and information shared back and forth. I like to think of relationships with authors and illustrators as open, in which they feel free to ask lots of questions to discover what is possible.

BBS:  These days, authors have a fair amount of marketing responsibilities—even when published traditionally.  In your view, what are the most effective ways they can spend their time and financial resources?

JW:   To be clear, the author’s involvement has a lot to do with how much time they have to devote to the project.  I’m not going to isolate specific things to do as every book is different. Not all book plans are the same. But in general, authors (if willing, and especially if new) should:

1)      Always consider every opportunity for promotion. We will often get requests from schools or stores that are nowhere near where the author lives. So if the publisher and author can work together to make these happen it is great. A publisher may not be able to always send an author somewhere but they can assist in other ways.

2)       Talk talk talk.  Publishers cannot fulfill every request an author may have, but talking about everything is important.

3)       Don’t ignore local resources. Some of the best campaigns start at home. If you can get a local librarian, bookseller, or media outlet to cheerlead, sometimes the rest of the world then takes notice.

BBS:  What marketing activities does a company like Abrams engage in when promoting a new title?

JW:   The list goes on and on. But here are some things we always do:

1)       Send review copies to key media, booksellers, librarians, and targeted subject areas that make sense.

2)       Keep our sales people informed of activities on the book, so they can then inform booksellers who will want to buy more copies.

3)       Exhibit books at trade shows, and bring in authors and illustrators when we can.

The list goes on and on though!

BBS:  Tell us the biggest error you see authors making with respect to their perspective on promotion?

JW:   I think there is a growing perception that publishers are less supportive than ever before. At least at Abrams, this is not true. So the worst thing an author can do is be distrustful of a publisher without talking to them first.  While answers may not always be what the author wants to hear, at Abrams, we want authors to be part of the process all along the way.

BBS:   There is a perception among many authors that the majority of promotional activities for PBs lie with them—versus the illustrator.  Is that accurate? If so, why do you think that is?

JW:   That is not accurate in my world, unless either party does not like to promote.  I love the “divide and conquer” approach. If the illustrator lives in point A and the author in point B, all the better for spreading the word.  

BBS:   Any final advice on book promotion (including anything specific for authors/illustrators of color)?

JW:   In my experience authors and illustrators of color have access to some unique marketing arenas. I’d advise them to take advantage of as many of them as possible. 

BBS:   Drink the leftover milk (from your cereal), or pour it out?

JW:   Drink it, every day.

BBS:   Picket fence and front porch, or high-rise condo with doorman?

JW:   Picket fence and porch if it is waterfront, otherwise high-rise, doorman or not.

BBS:  Street smart, book smart, or smart alec ?

JW: Book smart alec.

BBS:   Let someone else pick all your clothes, or decide what you eat?

JW:   Clothes, for sure. Only two of my seven outfits a week usually make sense.

**********

See more about Autisim Awareness Day

I just wanted to take the time out to thank every single person that has supported the Ruby and the Booker Boys series since the release of the first two books two years ago. I want to give an extra special gigantic hug to everyone who has come out in support of the continuation of the series, the eventual release of book five, and beyond. My intent, over the past month for doing interviews about the need for the sales in the bookstores for books #3 and #4 to mirror the high amount of sales in the school market was in no way, shape or form intended to throw anyone or entity under the bus. But more so to show that there is an enormous audience that has been begging for decades to see a series like Ruby and the Booker Boys.

The truth of the matter is almost EVERY author goes through what I’m going through with Ruby in regards to marketing and promotion. You have to go in never expecting anyone to care for or know your audience better than you do. The problem is, because of a lack of resources, and other than luck and prayers, we were not able to receive or create the kind of buzz that needs to be built around a successful book or series. Word of mouth has been and always will be the best form of promotion. Most authors are just regular folks that just so happen to be blessed enough, like I was, to land a book deal. All we can hope for is that kind and avid readers/supporters of literacy for children like yourselves will tell everyone they know to spread the word.

The thing is, this series is like one of my children. I’ve put a ton of love, passion and creativity into the creation of the characters and sincerity behind the stories. If there is an artist alive who doesn’t feel the same way, they are not fit to consider themselves an artist.

With your most appreciated support, I will continue to push for this series to be around like some of the staple chapter book series. Maybe someday we’ll see Ruby backpacks, dolls, Booker Boys video games, television shows, the whole nine. I want to take this thing as far as it can go. The true goal of any artist is to hopefully create something that outlives them. No matter what I pen, that is my prayer, as well as to ask the most high to continue to bless me with opportunities to inspire and to be inspired.

Peace and many, many blessings,

Derrick Barnes

You can visit Derrick at www.derrickbarnes.com.

You can fan Ruby & The Booker Boys on FaceBook.

“This was my first book and it came about by accident,” says Charles R. Smith, Jr. regarding his first book for children, Rimshots: Basketball Pix, Rolls and Rhythms (Dutton, 1999).   In the years that have followed this work of happenstance, Smith has written, or photo-illustrated (or both!) more than 20 titles for young readers, including: Hoop Kings and Hoop Queens; Brown Sugar Babies; Loki and Alex; I Am America; Dance With Me; The Mighty 12: Superheroes of Greek Myth; and My People (Ginee Seo, 2009), recent winner of the 2010 Coretta Scott King Book Award for Illustration.

Smith, the husband and father of two, is a graduate of the Brooks Institute of Photography, and a California native who currently resides in Poughkeepsie, New York. Prior to his career in children’s literature, he worked as a freelance photographer doing magazine shoots, novel covers and even projects for a cruise line. Smith is also an ardent sports fan—with a particular passion for the game of basketball.

Over the past decade, Smith has published an array of books for children ages pre-K through young adult, with some of the most highly esteemed publishing houses in the business:  Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, Scholastic, Candlewick, and Ginee Seo/Atheneum. Still, of the project that jumpstarted his career in children’s literature, Smith says, “If there was no Rimshots, there are no other books.” On behalf of the kidlit community, thank goodness there was a Rimshots!

On this final day of our 28 Days Later campaign, we present our final Spotlight feature: Mr. Charles R. Smith, Jr.

BBS:    Charles, welcome to The Brown Bookshelf…and congratulations on your CSK win!
 
CRS:    Thanks for featuring me.

BBS:    Where were you when you found out the news?
 
CRS:    I was actually eating breakfast and had my son grab my cellphone off the charger. Since it was charging, I never heard it ring. He saw that there were two missed calls and I had to figure out who would be calling me so early during the week. My wife thought that the awards might be given that day so she dashed into her office and looked up the awards and they had literally just announced that I had won. I guess the only number they had was my cell phone. I’ve made it a point to keep it on my nightstand now.
 

BBS:    What have these past weeks been like since you won—both personally and career-wise?
 
CRS:    Personally, it’s been great because when you do what I do, you’re pretty much alone, but with the award came press and local publicity which drew attention from friends and colleagues. Career-wise, it’s already opened doors to projects that use photography. The old knock that photography doesn’t do well seems to be moot now.

BBS:    You won for your book MY PEOPLE, a photo-illustrated version of the brief, but poignant Langston Hughes poem. Your pictures in this book are beautiful and resonant.  How did this project come to be?
 
CRS:    I had always loved the poem and considered doing photos for it for a while, but since it was so short, I wasn’t sure it could be done. Finally, at one point, I just broke it down page wise and saw that it would be very simple but strong with so few words.

BBS:    I’ve read how your first book, RIMSHOTS, came about, and find the story fascinating. Recount for us how one of your greatest passions, your acquired technical skills, and your natural abilities—all converged at one point in time, and set you on the path to a whole new career.
CRS:    I truly believe that we create our own luck. That book (Rimshots) came about in the oddest way, because I wasn’t there to sell a book at all; I was there to do photos for a jacket. Nonetheless my skill in photography was there and my passion for writing was there and since I had been hustling my tail off until that point, it was only fitting that things happen the way they did. One thing I’ve learned is that if you do something you love, then that love will shine through and it can’t help but be noticed. Those basketball photos were done for the sheer love of the game. My skill in photography allowed me to share that love with others.

BBS:    Your love for sports, especially basketball, is evidenced in the majority of your books to date. What’s your first memory of the game…how’d you fall in love with it? Why do you think it still occupies such a prominent place in your heart today?
 
CRS:    When kids ask me why I love basketball, I ask them the same question and get a million different answers, but the primary one is simply that it’s fun. I can’t remember my earliest memory, but my childhood is filled with memories of the game being played with my father and family and friends. That’s probably what I remember the most; the connection with all the people. I have two boys now and we have a hoop in the backyard and I look forward to teaching them things my father taught me, about ball and life.

BBS:    You are one who is equally writer and illustrator. You even have books where you’ve served as writer, solely (the graphic novel, THE MIGHTY 12: SUPERHEROES OF GREEK MYTH; LET’S PLAY BASEBALL and LET’S PLAY BASKETBALL). At what point in your life did you first start writing? Did you ever take any courses or workshops to develop your talent in this area?
 
CRS:    I’ve been writing for enjoyment as long as I can remember. While in school, we all have our favorite subjects and writing just happened to be mine. What I do remember standing out is that I always had a big vocabulary and knack for words. Probably because my parents emphasized education and my mom was always telling me to look up a word in the dictionary if I asked her how to spell it. I was in honors English all through high school but the college I went to was an all photography school, so I didn’t get to really study my writing. I actually think that’s a good thing, because writing is a very individual thing and if you study with a group of people, you can all end up sounding similar because you’re constantly listening to others critique your work. On my own, I just relied on knowledge gained through reading lots of books through the years.

BBS:    DANCE WITH ME (illustrated by Noah Z. Jones) is a popular picture book for the pre-K set that you authored. How did you come up with the idea for this one?
 
CRS:    That actually came from seeing my oldest son (who, at the time was about 3) dance when music was played. I wanted to do something for that age set and something musical made sense.

BBS:    Let me ask you about CHAMELEON, the first YA novel you’ve published. As a writer, how was the transition from crafting picture books, to crafting a novel?
 
CRS:    To me, they’re all words. It’s just how they’re put together. Picture books are not easy because you have to be mindful of page count, so you choose your words carefully. In a novel, you can use as many words as you need. In that regard it was much easier. When I would re-read what I had written, I just asked myself if I wanted to read more. I try to keep it real simple.

BBS:    While your photographs are all phenomenal, I must say I’ve got special fuzzies for your “baby” books:  the BABY LOVE board book series, and the one that started it all, BROWN SUGAR BABIES.  The text is pure and simple, the pictures beyond adorable.  And the only project direction you had for BROWN SUGAR BABIES was a title, is that right?
 
CRS:    Basically. I had a meeting with Andrea Davis Pinkney and she just wanted to do something that focused on diversity regarding blackness. The first thing that popped into my head when she said the title was Sugar Babies the candy. That led to treats that we often use to describe ourselves like honey or caramel or chocolate.

BBS:    Your children have inspired your work. Of course, so have sports.  Is there any other person, place or thing that spurs your creativity?
 
CRS:    As an artist I’m really just inspired everyday by life. The best way I like to describe it to kids is that I’m a raw nerve and everything triggers something in my brain. I could be speaking at a school and hear a child’s unique name and questions pop into my head like, why did their parents name them that? Or, how will that affect them when they’re older? Or, who else in that family had that name? What were they like? Things like that. My mind is ALWAYS going, but I think that’s the case with any creative artist; painter, photographer, actor, musician, etc. We see the everyday and take something creative out of it.

 BBS:    Is there anything you haven’t yet done in the childlit field that you’d still like to do?
 
CRS:    Well, I’m not dead yet, so there’s plenty left for me to do. I would love to do a few different novel series. I would particularly love to do a series that has the same appeal as Percy Jackson or Harry Potter but featuring black characters, without the focus on them being black. Black people could fly too ya know. :-0  I have many more biographies I’d like to do. I’d like to write a modern day Native Son. I’d like to write more novels that appeal specifically to boys, young black boys. I have tons that I’d like to do and I’ll keep creating until I heave my last breath.

BBS:    Charles, list five words that describe the traits aspiring authors and illustrators must have to achieve success in their craft.

CRS:    Confidence. Perseverance. Creativity. Teamwork. Discipline.

BBS:    What new projects are you working on?
 
CRS:    I’m currently working on a biography of Jimi Hendrix. It’s written as a song. Right now, it’s a long song, but that’ll change.

BBS:    I know this is an exciting, but crazy period for you. Thanks for taking time out to share your thoughts and experiences with us.
 
CRS:    No prob. It’s fun looking back on the past and forward to the future.

BBS:    A few more questions, I promise they won’t take long… Planned or pick up game?
 
CRS:    Pickup.

BBS:    Wood floors or concrete?
 
CRS:    For basketball, wood floors because of my knees.

BBS:    Hot Dogs or Nachos?

CRS:    Neither. Chips and salsa. (Hey, I’m a California boy!)

Critical Praise for My People:

” ‘At just thirty-three words total, [this] poem is a study in simplicity,’ writes Smith (Rimshots; If); in its visual simplicity, his picture-book presentation is a tour de force. Introducing the poem two or three words at a time, Smith pairs each phrase with a portrait of one or more African-Americans; printed in sepia, the faces of his subjects materialize on black pages. The night, reads the opening spread, across from an image of a mans face, his eyes shut; is beautiful, continues the next spread, showing the same face, now with eyes open and a wide smile. The text, sized big to balance the portraits, shows up in hues that range from white to tan to brown-black, reflecting Smiths reading that the words celebrate black people of differing shades and ages. An inventive design adds a short, shadowed row or column of small portraits to the edge of many spreads; these quietly reinforce the concept of my people. Whether of babies, children or adults, Smiths faces emerge into the light, displaying the best that humanity has to offer—intelligence, wisdom, curiosity, love and joy. Ages 4–8.”— Starred Review, Publishers Weekly

“Smith’s knack for pairing poetry and photography is well documented in books such as Hoop Queens (Candlewick, 2003) and Rudyard Kipling’s If (S & S, 2006). Here, his artful images engage in a lyrical and lively dance with Langston Hughes’s brief ode to black beauty. Dramatic sepia portraits of African Americans—ranging from a cherubic, chubby-cheeked toddler to a graying elder whose face is etched with lines-are bathed in shadows, which melt into black backgrounds. The 33 words are printed in an elegant font in varying sizes as emphasis dictates. In order to maximize the effect of the page turn and allow time for meaning to be absorbed, the short phrases and their respective visual narratives often spill over more than a spread. The conclusion offers a montage of faces created with varying exposures, a decision that provides a light-filled aura and the irregularities that suggest historical prints. A note from Smith describes his approach to the 1923 poem. This celebration of the particular and universal will draw a wide audience: storytime participants; students of poetry, photography, and cultural studies; seniors; families. A timely and timeless offering.”—Starred Review, School Library Journal

Learn More about Charles and his books at charlesrsmithjr.com

After a crisis of the computer, I’m proud to present (albeit a bit late) two authors who came onto the YA scene with a series that epitomizes a slice of African American life that’s yet to be showcased on a consistent basis.

Denene Millner & Mitzi Miller hit the scene with the Hotlanta series in 2008. A series that screams potential for not only adaptation to big or little screen but also best selling or break out. However you choose to define it, the series should be among the most well-recognized brown YA series out there alongside it’s mainstream counterparts.

The fact that it’s not is the very reason 28 Days Later exists.

The ladies tag team and tell us about their journey, process and why Hotlanta is dear to their hearts.

BBS:The void that used to exist without Hotlanta and books like it is slowly filling. But not nearly as quickly as I thought it would. What’s your take on why it’s taking so long to see more books like these on shelves? And, while we’re at it – take a shot at poking a hole in the “books with people of color don’t sell” fallacy.

MM: Unfortunately, it seems that the recession hit hardest just as the “Black” YA movement was picking up speed. So publishers are forced to take less ‘risks’ and stick with the tried and true “mainstream” books that deliver sales they can consistently predict. So while the more established writers and highly marketable celeb names like a Monique might sneak through the cracks with new teen series, it’s challenging for new writers to get a toehold in the industry. And without new writers, the genre just doesn’t thrive and continue to grow, hence the stats that seem like we’re not selling.

BBS: How has Point, your publisher, marketed the series? In hindsight, are there things you wished you could do to get more awareness for the series but can’t simply because the dynamics of publishing take so much out of the authors hands?

DM: Point did a reasonably aggressive campaign to try and get Hotlanta into as many hands as possible when the first book hit stores. They hired a videographer to create a vlog featuring us talking about the series, the characters, and all of the incredible places around Atlanta that we highlighted in the book—spots about town that were characters in their own right. They also did online advertising and giveaways with a few websites and blogs that are popular amongst the black teen set, placed ads in a few teen magazines, and invited us to some high-profile book expos so that booksellers, librarians, and teachers could meet us face-to-face.

But again, we found it really hard to break through the stereotypes all-too-many tastemakers in the industry slam against books written by or featuring characters of color. The automatic assumption is that if there is a black face on the cover, the book has very little nuance beyond hard-luck stories about teens living in unfortunate circumstances, trying to scratch their way out of intense situations—stories that get short shrift when it comes time for reviews, features, and the traditional, tried-and-true ways more successful mainstream books get the attention they need to stand out. We still haven’t figured out how to crack that nut—to be able to have an institution like the New York Times review a book about black teens, or have, say, a hugely popular morning news show include a book featuring black teens in a round-up of great summer reads. It’s a shame, really, that this kind of oversight still exists.

BBS: Both of you have origins in adult fiction. Now, it’s been nearly two years since the first Hotlanta book hit shelves – what’s been the best part about the journey? What hasn’t been so great? How have either (good or bad) differed from your adult fiction journey?

MM: The best part of the journey was creating something that we are proud to see young women excited to read. There’s not a page inside any of the three books that either of us think would give the parents of a teenager pause. And that’s a huge statement considering the types of media that are readily available to teens today.

The most challenging part was definitely convincing older adults not to judge our books by their cover. For the Hotlanta series, Scholastic opted to take a chance and create something a little slicker than their standard teen book covers. Unfortunately, the knee jerk reaction from some of the more traditional librarians and older book buyers was reluctance in their support of the series because the cover’s look reminded them of urban street fiction.

For me, the biggest difference between the two journeys was the reduced face time with readers in the YA market. When writing for adults, book readings/ signings can go a long way towards generating buzz. But hanging out in or visiting bookstores are almost foreign concepts for most of the core YA market readers. The buzz is predominantly created and maintained online.

BBS: Does writing a series like Hotlanta have any special significance to you? How has Hotlanta changed the literary landscape?

DM: It has great significance for us, for sure. We created characters that bucked stereotypes—who in the arch of the series were able to become dimensional characters whose circumstances forced them to see past their own little worlds and personal biases to accept people for more than just their face value. The series as a whole is a testament to the diversity of our community and the beauty and spirit of the African American teen. They are so much more than TV and videos and music makes them out to be, and we feel like we shouted that from the rooftops in the Hotlanta series. So we’re probably most proud of that.

We’re not so sure Hotlanta changed the literary landscape. That’s a tall order for any one author to handle—for any one book to take on. But we do feel like the stories and characters we created with our series put a bold splash of color in an exciting genre that’s given birth to some pretty amazing institutions, like Gossip Girl and The Clique and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. The TV rights to Hotlanta have been purchased; boy would it be amazing to see those characters come to life!

BBS: Give us a little insight into your writing process: Are one of you the primary voice of Sydney and the other Lauren? How does collaborating work for you?

MM: For the Hotlanta series, Denene penned the voice of Lauren and I wrote Sydney’s chapters. What’s interesting about this is that in picking characters, we went against our normal personality type; Denene is more conservative and I tend to wing it by the seat of my pants. We did this just to challenge ourselves, and it turned out to be a lot of fun!

As for the actual process, we collaborated on the overall book outline from start to finish. And then we retreated to our respective corners of the country (Denene is in Atlanta and I’m in New York City) to write our chapters. As we finished a chapter, we’d send it to the other person for editing.

BBS: How many books are planned for the series?

DM: There are three books in the series—Hotlanta, If Only You Knew, and What Goes Around.

BBS: If you had to choose one approach, which do you think is the key to getting multi-culti books like Hotlanta into the hands of more readers: A) Create a “Black” section for YA and put them all there so that readers of color can find them more easily? B) Distribute them more widely including a more aggressive push from publishers that may include front cover of the catalog, author visits with booksellers and other tactics reserved for front list books?

MM: YIKES, this is a hard choice! But I’m going to go with Choice B. I believe that more books will get sold if all readers—African American, Caucasian, Hispanic, etc.—are encouraged to feel like there’s something they can relate to in any story regardless of the ethnicity of the lead characters. You know, at the end of the day, I didn’t love Sweet Valley High any less because Elizabeth and Jessica were White. It was a great story and that’s all that mattered

BBS: Can we expect more YA from you ladies once the Hotlanta series ends?

DM: We look forward to telling more great stories about our teens—our people—for sure!