Hello World,

As we close out July, I wanted to share that Handsome Hubby (my nickname for my husband) and I are featured in July’s issue of Victorious By Design Magazine ! In just over a week, we will be celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary!!! To God be the glory, particularly since before this relationship, I hadn’t had a relationship last longer than a year! Yes, I was a serial dater I have to admit! So if you’re interested in knowing more about how that happened, get your copy of the July issue of Victorious By Design Magazine by clicking HERE!!!

Also, I will be one of the authors at National Book Club Conference (NBCC) this weekend! I will be selling copies of Destination Wedding! By far, meeting with book clubs has been the best part of this novel writing journey! So far, Destination Wedding has been read by 14 book clubs as far as I know, and I met with my last one just after I gave birth to the twins while I was in the hospital! Yes, through God’s grace, I was a soldier and Zoomed in from my hospital bed. That’s why I’m SO EXCITED about going to the NBCC! If you’re in the metro Atlanta area, I would love it if you could stop by and holla at your girl. By the way, there will be many other authors there including but not limited to: former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young (my favorite former mayor) Victoria Christopher Murray, Tia Williams and Vanessa Riley! Click HERE for ALL of the details! And if you’re part of a book club, I humbly ask that you tell your book club about Destination Wedding. And in honor of NBCC and because I love y’all, I will send a link to listen to the audiobook for FREE if you can tell me the names of the twins I featured in Destination Wedding! (Hint: You can find out by looking at the free excerpt on Amazon!)

So that’s all I have for today!

Any thoughts?

The post Handsome Hubby & I Are Featured in Victorious By Design Magazine/I Will Be at the National Book Club Conference This Weekend! 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,

As hip-hop aficionados know, KRS-One is one the dopest emcees ever but anyone who wants to be successful particularly in a creative field knows marketing and promotion is a must…

Sooo it’s been a whirlwind of month of developing a marketing and promotion plan and getting started on what’s shaping up to be an exhausting but rewarding six to seven months before my book comes out in February 2012. (It still makes me smile inside when I say or even type those words.)

Although according to the Myers-Briggs personality test I am classified as introvert (meaning I get my energy from spending a lot of time alone) a lot of marketing and promotion begins by networking with other people and supporting the success of others in your chosen industry. I have been attending events like crazy this month and on “school nights” too which is typically against my policy.

I started off by attending a book release party at Justin’s Restaurant & Bar for author Curtis Bunn on July 5. His latest book is “A Cold Piece of Work.” Bunn is also the founder of the National Book Club Conference, the event for black “literati.” Dwan Abrams, president of Nevaeh Publishing LLC (the company that is publishing my book) and I hung out at the party together.

Dwan Abrams winning a prize at Curtis Bunn's book release party...

That Saturday, July 9, I attended a meeting of TalkBLACK Atlanta, a black discussion group that meets monthly to talk about issues in the black community. The topic for this month was the black woman which was right up my alley. Although I’m an introvert, I love to talk about controversial topics! Our conversation was heated, but I really enjoyed myself. The crowd was small enough for me not to feel overwhelmed and large enough to have diverse opinions. Also, the meeting was held at Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint, which might become one of my spots in the future…

On July 16, I attended a book signing at the Camp Creek Market Place location of Barnes & Noble for ReShonda Tate Billingsley. She discussed her latest work “Say Amen, Again” and signed copies of the book. I am so inspired by her career path as she started out as a journalist before venturing into the book publishing industry. To date, she is the author of 21 books, and she also is  a co-host for “From Cover to Cover” literary talk radio show. In addition, she is venturing into acting, and her book “Let the Church Say Amen” is being made into a movie of which she is executive producer and actress Regina King is the director. And I’m not even listing all of her accomplishments! She’s bad!

Me & ReShonda at her book signing...

On July 21,  a friend and I went to a diversity mixer with the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the local chapters of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and Asian American Journalists Association at 5 Season Brewery on Marietta Street. I liked this spot as well! People were exchanging their twitter addressess as much as they were handing out business cards…I felt so old although I do have a twitter account….Follow me at @jackiehwrites…

That Saturday, July 23, I went to my first meeting of the Faith-Based Fiction Writers of Atlanta which met at Sammiches ‘N Stuff Breakfast and Sandwiches in the Dec. (I also liked this place.) I was invited to another writers meeting earlier in the week, but I was unable to attend because I teach at the gym on that night.  And no, I don’t write fiction yet, but they welcomed me into the group anyway…

This past Thursday, I attended the Black Pearls Magazine Chocolate Social at the Westin Peachtree Plaza where I was able to meet various book authors and others in the black book publishing industry from around the country. I enjoyed meeting many of the new authors like Lakia Brandenburg who wrote “He’s Not Perfect. I’m Not Perfect. But Together We’re Picture Perfect.”  And I also reconnected with “ESSENCE” best-selling author Victoria Christopher Murray and my soror.

And Friday, I went to TechUptownATL at the Hyatt Regency Hotel where I was able to meet social media superstars Yalanda Lattimore of DryerBuzz.com and Lamar Tyler of BlackAndMarriedWithKids.com. I feel like I already knew them from their online presence, but it was nice to finally meet them in person…

Deon Gordon, Lamar Tyler & Cortne Howard

Also on Friday, I was also featured on the Shades of Romance Magazine blog!!! Thanks LaShaunda Hoffman!!!

And behind the scenes, I was still grinding on marketing and promotion…more will be revealed…stay tuned…

Any thoughts?

The post I’m Bout It Bout It aka Marketing & Promotion Month 1… appeared first on After the Altar Call.