Hello World,

I admit it. I’m a female chauvinist when it comes to fiction. As women are the primary consumers of novels, I tend to believe that women can best write for women. However, I must say that I’m really quite impressed with Curtis Bunn’s novel “Homecoming Weekend: A Novel (Zane Presents)” which I am reading right now. He does an excellent job of characterizing the women in the book. I’m also a fan of Eric Jerome Dickey’s work. And we all know that Nicholas Sparks is a master at writing women’s fiction so there are some male authors that do write masterfully for female readers, but since this is National Women’s History Month, I thought I would pose the question, “Do Women Write Better Than Men?” The Grammarly infographic — which includes statistics based on a poll of more than 3,000 men and women about plot development, pronouns & determiners, characters and sentences — below answers this question…

This post was sponsored by Grammarly…Be sure to check out Grammarly out here!

Any thoughts?

The post Do Women Write Better Than Men? appeared first on After the Altar Call.

Like many people, I believe the best thing about December is celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ…But this month is also “the most wonderful time of the year” because it’s the optimum time to hatch your plans to make your dreams come true in the New Year! This past August at the National Book Club Conference, I was excited to meet a giant in the publishing industry and my sorority sister Carol M. Mackey as she helped launch the careers of many African American authors as the editor-in-chief of the largest African American book club in the nation which unfortunately came to an end earlier this year…I wanted to personally thank her for acquiring my book for the book club as a debut author…It really inspired me and inspires to keep pushing in the publishing industry which I have discovered and am discovering is only for those who possess a dogged desire to see their words in print as the publishing industry continues to change…

If you are somehow unfamiliar with Carol, below is her impressive bio…

Widely recognized as a leading expert on African American literature, Carol M. Mackey has been named among the 50 Most Powerful African Americans In Publishing by Black Issues Book Review and has been featured in Literary Divas: The Top 100+ Most Admired African American Women in Literature, a compilation of biographies about African American women who have powerfully impacted America’s literary history. Mackey sits on the board for the National Book Club Conference and the African American Literary Awards Show. She has appeared on CBS-TV’s “This Morning” news show in New York and is often interviewed by other media outlets on the state of African American publishing.

She is the author of the bestselling “Sistergirl Devotions: Keeping Jesus in the Mix on the Job”  published by Revell Books, which was nominated in the Best Self Help category at the 2010 African American Literary Awards Show. She was nominated for Best Female Author of 2010 and was voted the 2010 Breakout Author of the Year. A firm believer in literacy among African Americans, she presented The Carol M. Mackey Book Club Award to three local book clubs in Louisiana at the first annual Bayou Soul Readers & Writers Conference in New Orleans, LA in June 2011.

However, aside from all of her accolades, I was most impressed with her humility in spite of how many people fawned over her at the conference. And there were many! Since I’m also a journalist, I was intrigued and wanted to know more about her, particularly since she is crafting a new chapter of her life…Below is my brief conversation with her…

What is next for you?

The great thing about endings is that there’s a chance for new beginnings. I had a terrific run with my former employer. I learned a lot. I made lasting friendships and showcased the works of hundreds of African American authors over the years. I love books…and I always will. But what most people don’t’ know about me is that I’m a huge movie buff! I joined the Black Filmmaker Foundation back in the early ’90s when Reggie and Warrington Hudlin ran it. I wrote a couple of film and TV treatments and have been out to Hollywood twice to pitch my work. Nothing came of it, but the experience was exhilarating. I never forgot it.

So now, I’d like to marry my love of film with my love and vast knowledge of African American books and act as a creative producer. Eventually I’d like to have my own media company to cover all aspects of entertainment—books, film, TV, print. Hey, I dream big!

In addition to launching and helping to sustain the careers of likely countless authors, you are the author of “Sistergirl Devotions: Keeping Jesus in the Mix on the Job.” Do you have any plans to write more books?

Yes ma’am, I certainly do. I have rough outlines for two separate books—one fiction, the other nonfiction. A lot has happened to me spiritually and personally since I wrote “Sistergirl.” I’m not the same woman or the same Christian. I have a lot to share on the nonfiction side to help women empower themselves. God did it for me, and He will do it for others as well. Our toughest times show us what we’re made of. (God already knows where we are, but He wants us to see where we are so we can grow). I won’t go into much detail because I’m still tossing around ideas, but like “Sistergirl,” it will be honest and relatable. As for the novel, let’s just say I have a very vivid imagination, and I plan to let it run wild!

Also, I recently did a writing seminar for the African American Women in Higher Education and it was really well received.

What is the outlook for African Americans in publishing for authors and beyond?

The publishing industry as a whole is changing at a very rapid pace—much faster I think than anyone anticipated. But for us, specifically I think we need to continue to market and brand our work in an out-of-the box way. We are still reading—that will never stop. But as authors we need to capitalize on all that social media provides—there’s a lot out there now besides Facebook and Twitter to take advantage of.

And the book clubs are an awesome way to get the word out about your book. Curtis Bunn’s annual National Book Club Conference in Atlanta is proof positive that book clubs are still a viable source for authors to promote their work. Attendance at the NBCC continues to grow. Engagement with the readers is key. You have to pique their interest and keep it. Attention spans are short nowadays!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I’d say believe in yourself and the vision God gave you, whatever that might be. The Bible says He is the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17), and He expects us to use it. The world needs your voice, your talent, your skill, your inspiration, so stay committed and put in the work. You will become unstoppable!

Any thoughts?

The post Carol Mackey’s Next Chapter… appeared first on After the Altar Call.

Hello World,

If you weren’t able to make the AABJ (Atlanta Association of Black Journalists) panel discussion “The Art of the Hustle” last Saturday, thanks to blogger extraordinaire Yalanda Lattimore, editor of DryerBuzz.com who videotaped the event, you can watch it here! (Thanks ) Panelists endeavored to share how we have pursued our journalism and writing careers as the field of journalism continues to evolve in the wake of the Internet, bloggers, newspaper layoffs, decreasing budgets, etc.

Check out the mini-bios of the illustrious panelists…

Curtis Bunn, Kelley L. Carter, Denene Millner, Dion Rabouin and me. (Malena Cunningham was there via Skype.)

Kelley L. Carter is an Emmy-Award winning entertainment journalist. A graduate of Michigan State University, Carter has been an entertainment reporter and critic for more than a dozen years. She’s worked for a number of national and international media outlets, including USA Today, VIBE, BBC, EBONY, ESSENCE, ESPN, MTV News, the Chicago Tribune and the Detroit Free Press. Carter has interviewed many of Hollywood’s elite including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Jada Pinkett Smith, Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington, Drew Barrymore, Jamie Foxx, Mark Wahlberg, Katie Holmes, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Tyler Perry, Taraji P. Henson, Ben Stiller, Bradley Cooper, Courteney Cox, Angela Bassett, Jennifer Aniston, Ryan Reynolds, Sandra Bullock, Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. Carter also is regularly tapped for her expertise for TV networks, including CNN, HLN, E!, Fox News and the TV Guide Channel to deliver pop culture takes on entertainment, and give news updates to breaking entertainment news. She currently works as a freelance journalist and covers travel, lifestyle, music, film, celebrities and television. Twitter:  @KelleyLCarter

The New York Times best-selling author Denene Millner is a hotly sought after award-winning journalist whose insightful and captivating pieces have secured her foothold in the entertainment, parenting and book publishing industries. The former Parenting Magazine columnist is the founder and editor of MyBrownBaby.com, a critically acclaimed blog that examines the intersection of parenting and race. Millner also frequently contributes to ESSENCE, EBONY and JET magazines, and has appeared regularly on the “TODAY show,” CBS’ “The Early Show,”” The Nate Berkus Show,” HLN, CNN, and “The Rachel Ray show.” She’s authored 20 books, including the best-selling “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,” co-written with Steve Harvey. Millner’s latest, the novelization of Whitney Houston’s posthumous movie, Sparkle, hits bookshelves in August. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and their two daughters. Twitter: @MyBrownBaby

Curtis Bunn is a 25-year, national award-winning sports journalist who has covered virtually every major sporting event and done every job in the newsroom. Bunn, who now serves are deputy editor of www.atlantablackstar.com, spent the bulk of his career as a beat reporter covering the NBA – first the New Jersey Nets as a 23-year-old for New York Newsday and then the New York Knicks for Newsday and the New York Daily News. In 1996 he joined the staff of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he worked for 13 years before accepting a buyout in 2008. The author of five novels, he is the writer of the book, “Yes Ma’am, No Sir: 12 Essentials Steps For Success In Life” with Coach Carter, the subject of the 2005 blockbuster movie starring Samuel L. Jackson. His next novel is “Homecoming Weekend,” to be released in September by Strebor Books/Simon & Schuster. Twitter: @curtisbunn

A packed house...

Malena Cunningham is president of Strategic Media Relations, Inc. a media consulting business she founded in 2005 and co-author of the book “Savvy Leadership Strategies for Women.” A graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in public relations/journalism, she began her 23-year broadcast career in television news at CNN in Atlanta working first behind the scenes, then on-camera for WTBS. In 1992, Malena moved to WVTM/NBC13 in Birmingham as weekend co-anchor. Within five months, she was promoted to the 6 p.m. weekday newscast becoming the only African American at that time in Birmingham in a main anchor position. During her 12 and a half years at NBC13, Malena won two Emmy Awards (1995 and 1996) for special reporting. She was also part of the 6 p.m. news anchor team that won an Emmy for Best Newscast (1996). In 2004, Malena won the prestigious regional Edward R. Murrow Award for anchoring the half-hour documentary “Beneath the Rubble,” which chronicled the 40th anniversary of the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church. Twitter: @strategicmediar

Dion Rabouin is a freelance journalist whose writing has been published in The Hollywood Reporter, the Los Angeles Daily News, AllBusiness.com, The Atlanta Voice and many others. He has been featured on Los Angeles radio stations 90.7 KPFK and Southern California Public Radio’s 89.3 KPCC, as well as on television on “RT News” and “Today in LA.” He was formerly secretary of the Black Journalists Association of Southern California and currently serves on the board of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ Atlanta chapter in addition to being a member of AABJ. Twitter: @DionRabouin

And I served on the panel too, and since this is my blog, I don’t feel the need to post my bio But you can follow me on Twitter @jackiehwrites

Any thoughts?

The post So you wannabe be a freelance writer? You wanna eat as a writer? You betta hustle…(the recap) appeared first on After the Altar Call.