New Crayons + Better World Books Giveaway Winner

I know I never officially announced the winners of my Better World Books giveaway but I did mail the books out to the winner already. Winner as in singular because I could not convince (apparently) my C. O. L. O. R. donors to enter the giveaway. So I chose to only select one regular winner. There will probably be another giveaway towards the holidays.

This is a rather old New Crayons because it's from when I checked my mailbox Halloween weekend. Yes it's been that long. I'm insanely busy. I sincerely apologize for neglecting the blog so much, especially since I have about 6 books to review. Without further ado


From publishers-Thank YOU!

Vanished by Sheela Chari

Eleven-year-old Neela dreams of being a famous musician, performing for admiring crowds on her traditional Indian stringed instrument. Her particular instrument used to be her grandmother’s—made of warm, rich wood, and intricately carved with a mysterious-looking dragon. When this special family heirloom vanishes from a local church, Neela is devastated. As she searches for it, strange clues surface: a teakettle ornamented with a familiar-looking dragon, a threatening note, a connection to a famous dead musician, and even a legendary curse. The clues point all the way to India, where it seems that Neela's intrument has a long history of vanishing and reappearing. If she is able to track it down, will she be able to stop it from disappearing again?

-Not only have I WoWed this book but I also had the lovely opportunity to interview the author

Circua Galacticus by Deva Fagan

Trix can deal with being an orphan charity case at a snotty boarding school. She can hold her own when everyone else tells her not to dream big dreams. She can even fight back against the mysterious stranger in a silver mask who tries to steal the meteorite her parents trusted her to protect.

But her life is about to change forever. The Circus Galacticus has come to town, bringing acts to amaze, delight, and terrify. And now the dazzling but enigmatic young Ringmaster has offered Trix the chance to be a part of it.
Soon Trix discovers an entire universe full of deadly enemies and potential friends, not to mention space leeches, ancient alien artifacts, and exploding chocolate desserts. And she just might unravel the secrets of her own past—if she can survive long enough.

-I was WoWing quite often about this book and even though the potential MG aspect of both books I received from publishers gives me pause for a second, in this case, it's DEVA FAGAN. So it doesn't matter what age group she writes for in my book.

From the author

Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress (Ash Mistry Chronicles, #1) by Sarwat Chadda

Release Date: Spring 2012

Weaves together contemporary and mythological India, about British-born Ash, whose father is offered a dream job in India, and discovers something is very wrong with mysterious millionaire Lord Savage, finding himself in a desperate battle to stop Savage’s master plan--the opening of the Iron Gates that have kept Ravana, the demon king, at bay for four millennia.

-How excited am I for this book? I won't list all the reasons but there are many many. I will also do a WoW post for this book, probably in March/April. This book is the first book I plan on reading for Christmas break. afjlakdjfkadfa I'm beyond stoked! Thank you so much Mr. Chadda =D

What new books did you get this week? Have any 2012 YA (YA ONLY for now. Next week I will ask for MG) releases for me to add to my slowly-growing list?

Waiting on Wednesday: What Can't Wait (+ Read-In & winner)

The winner of my Devil's Kiss series (who has already been emailed) by Sarwat Chadda giveaway is STEPH from Steph Su Reads! Congratulations :D

It's interesting to me that most people said the lie was love at McDonalds....

The African American Read-In discussion of Bleeding Violet will be held here, at my blog! The winning forum was Twitter but not everyone has Twitter (including one fo the organizers) so it shouldn't have even been an option, I apologize. However, I will use the hashtag #Bleeding Violet from time to time while on Twitter on Feb. 20th (this Sunday!) and if you don't want to comment with your thoughts, you can Tweet me and I will post your comments. I hope that works for everyone. And the international readers can read the questions and participate any time, I'll probably post the first three questions at midnight.


What Can't Wait by Ashley Hope Perez

Release Date: March 28, 2011

"“Another day finished, gracias a Dios."

Seventeen-year-old Marisa's mother has been saying this for as long as Marisa can remember. Her parents came to Houston from Mexico. They work hard, and they expect Marisa to help her familia. And they expect her to marry a boy from the neighborhood, to settle down, and to have grandbabies. If she wants a job, ...more"“Another day finished, gracias a Dios."

Seventeen-year-old Marisa's mother has been saying this for as long as Marisa can remember. Her parents came to Houston from Mexico. They work hard, and they expect Marisa to help her familia. And they expect her to marry a boy from the neighborhood, to settle down, and to have grandbabies. If she wants a job, she could always be an assistant manager at the local grocery store.

At school, it's another story. Marisa's calc teacher expects her to ace the AP test and to get into an engineering program in Austin—a city that seems unimaginably far away. When her home life becomes unbearable, Marisa seeks comfort elsewhere—and suddenly neither her best friend nor boyfriend can get through to her. Caught between the expectations of two different worlds, Marisa isn't sure what she wants—other than a life where she doesn't end each day thanking God it's over.

What Can't Wait—the gripping debut novel from Ashley Hope Pérez—tells the story of one girl's survival in a world in which family needs trump individual success, and self-reliance the only key that can unlock the door to the future.

-I've had this book for awhile but I try to hold off on reading books that aren't being released right away because I tend to review books right after I read them and I don't write reviews very much in advance so...I'll stop now because it's not important. I consider Forever Young Adult to be some of the funniest and toughest book reviewers around so when they wrote this raving review, I knew I needed to read it asap and find out what all the hype was about. Plus I have a lovely interview with the author coming up in a few weeks :) And really what doesn't sound good about this book? Someone who actually-*gasps*-likes calculus and happens to be Latina and working class with the good ole theme of American self-reliance.

Are you waiting on What Can't Wait too? What's your pick for the week?

New Crayons + Winner of Afterlife/Dark Goddess Giveaway!

The winner is Becca! Congrats Becca, I'll mail the books asap so that you can have them close to the holiday season :)

Thank you to all who entered. The comments on the form made me wish I could give the two books to each and every one of you =/

New Crayons is hosted by Color Online.

Bought (I went to get my holiday book swap books and just couldn't resist getting myself something. I have such a problem!)


Better Than I Know Myself by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant

Carmen, Jewel, and Regina could not be more different. When they meet as freshmen at Columbia University, they're pretty confident that a friendship among them isn't in the cards. Jewel is Hollywood royalty: as the teenage star of the TV show "Daddy's Girl," her face is instantly recognizable all across America. Now, though, she wants two things-to get a serious education, and to leave her controlling stage mother behind. Regina is the definitive upper-middle-class African-American girl. Her picture-perfect parents are what she calls "black Ward and June Cleavers" and their goals for her are like a stranglehold. No one can see, though, how far Regina's rebellious side will take her (or how treacherous it will become). Carmen is just trying to get by. A child of the projects whose father is dead and whose mother has vanished, Carmen has been raised by her abusive brother. Columbia is the way for her to get a better life-if she can hold down two jobs and keep her GPA up. When the three of them meet, their lives are at a crossroad. And as the years progress, from the 1980s to the present day, they are challenged by drug addiction, fame, secrets from the past, sickness, betrayal, and the darkest things women can face. One of them won't survive. But what will be the lasting legacy of their friendship?

-What a coincdience. I was in Borders and came across the cover and it looked familiar. I read the back of the book and began flipping through the pages. I then realized that a few years ago I started to read this book in the AA section but didn't have the money to buy it. Now I do, so I'm ready to finish it :) I don't recall my getting very far....

From the library

The Lighter Side of Life and Death by C. K. Kelly Martin

Sixteen-year-old Mason Rice is having the night of his life. He's just delivered an incredible performance in the school play, basked in celebratory afterglow vibes at the party of the year, and lost his virginity to one of his best friends—the gorgeous but previously unobtainable Kat Medina. His dreams are coming true, and the future looks golden.Unfortunately, Kat sees things very differently. Crossing the friendship line was a big mistake, and all she wants is to forget it and move on, even if that means forgetting Mason altogether. What's a guy to do? Well, if you're Mason, you hang your hopes on the first attractive twenty-three-year-old you cross paths with. At first Mason wonders if he's imagining the chemistry . . . until Colette invites him over to her apartment. Suddenly Mason's living in a whole new world.

-Because it's a different type of romance.


The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Kidnapped by Yxta Maya Murray

Kiki and Mish are best friends, but what Kiki doesn’t know is that Michelle Pena was born a gang princess. “Princess P” grew up destined to inherit leadership of the Snakes: a future filled with crime and fear.

Michelle, on the other hand, is a nationally ranked athlete and academic superstar. This is her new life, and she’s finally put her past—and her childhood love for Silver—to rest. Then Silver helps kidnap both girls, and Michelle has to figure out how to free them both—and reconnect with a future that might now be beyond her reach.

-YA/MG Debut Challenge

The Stone Goddess by Minfong Ho


Twelve-year-old Nakri's beloved home in Cambodia is shattered when the nation's capital is overrun by government rebels. Her family is forced to flee, and she and her siblings end up in a children's labor camp, separated from everything they've ever known. At long last, Cambodia is liberated and Nakri's family sets out for America, a place to begin again. There, Nakri learns that she can leave Cambodia behind, but the memories will be a part of her forever.

-Historical fiction challenge. A re-read from many years ago.


There's a new blog in town! You know how I found a pretty-near-perfect quote for describing the blues? Well the reason I started listening to blues was after reading Becoming Billie Holiday by Carole Weatherford. Now the author has started a blog dedicated to Billie Holiday. Stop by, look around and welcome the new blog and blogger :)

What was in your book bag/mailxbox/post office box?

New Crayon + Winner

New Crayons is a meme created and hosted by Color Online. In this meme we share what new multicultural books we got for the week. Crayons is being used as a metaphor for multicultural books, get it?

But I know what everyone really wants to read is who won the giveaway.

The winner is.....

KEYONA!

Congratulations Keyona, I'll be emailing you shortly. Thank you to everyone who entered this very short and sudden giveaway :)

This week I got...

The Long Song by Andrea Levy

Told in the irresistibly willful and intimate voice of Miss July, with some editorial assistance from her son, Thomas, The Long Song is at once defiant, funny, and shocking. The child of a field slave on the Amity sugar plantation, July lives with her mother until Mrs. Caroline Mortimer, a recently transplanted English widow, decides to move her into the great house and rename her “Marguerite.”

Resourceful and mischievous, July soon becomes indispensable to her mistress. Together they live through the bloody Baptist war, followed by the violent and chaotic end of slavery. Taught to read and write so that she can help her mistress run the business, July remains bound to the plantation despite her “freedom.” It is the arrival of a young English overseer, Robert Goodwin, that will dramatically change life in the great house for both July and her mistress. Prompted and provoked by her son’s persistent questioning, July’s resilience and heartbreak are gradually revealed in this extraordinarily powerful story of slavery, revolution, freedom, and love.

-So when I first heard about this book, I thought, another slave narrative? But then I read the description. And dear readers, it describes the book as 'funny'. A slave narrative that's funny? Count me in! I'm so ready to read something humorous about a not-so humorous situation. Thank you x infinity Tricia!

I'm not sure if I got anything else this week because I only got a chance to check my mailbox early on the week.

Summary from Amazon.com

Thank you everyone for the birthday Tweets/comments/emails! It means so much to me =D

What new books did you get this week? Any by/about PoC?

Waiting on Wednesday: Zora and Me + Winners

The winners of my Yummy giveaway are...

Laurie AB!, Kailia Sage!, Jennifer K!

Congrats winners :) I will be emailing you shortly and you will have 48 hours to get back to me. Thank you everyone for entering! I appreciated people sharing their favorite Lee and Low book with me, I cant wait to check them out.

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

This week I'm waiting on...

Zora and Me by Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon

Release Date: October 12, 2010

Whether she’s telling the truth or stretching it, Zora Neale Hurston is a riveting storyteller. Her latest creation is a shape-shifting gator man who lurks in the marshes, waiting to steal human souls. But when boastful Sonny Wrapped loses a wrestling match with an elusive alligator named Ghost — and a man is found murdered by the railroad tracks soon after — young Zora’s tales of a mythical evil creature take on an ominous and far more complicated complexion, jeopardizing the peace and security of an entire town and forcing three children to come to terms with the dual-edged power of pretending. Zora’s best friend, Carrie, narrates this coming-of-age story set in the Eden-like town of Eatonville, Florida, where justice isn’t merely an exercise in retribution, but a testimony to the power of community, love, and pride. A fictionalization of the early years of a literary giant, this astonishing novel is the first project ever to be endorsed by the Zora Neale Hurston Trust that was not authored by Hurston herself.

-Zora Neale Hurston was one of the most important writers of the Harlem Renaissance and I loved Their Eyes Were Watching God. Naturally, I need to learn more about her because I really don't know much. Zora is portrayed as a detective which will be cool to read about and I'm curious as to what Florida was like for African Americans when she was growing up.

Summary from Amazon.com

What book are you waiting on this week? Any PoC releases?

Win a copy of Yummy! New Crayons & Giveaway Winners

New Crayons is a meme hosted by Color Online. In this meme I share what new books I got this week. Crayons is a metaphor for multicultural literature.

The winners of A Wish After Midnight are...

Isabella (who likes pie ;) and Amanda!

The winner of Gringolandia is....

Najela!

Najela, thank you for the recommendation of Highwire Moon. I've never heard of it, but I like the premise of a mother and daughter trying to find each other after the mother was deported (obviously I don't like that the mother was deported). I will email all the winners shortly.

If you didn't win, cheer up. I have another giveaway! The awesome people at Lee and Low are giving me the chance to give away 3 copies of Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by Greg Neri. I loved that book and it's a story that you will definitely want to read.

To enter: U.S. only, being a follower is not required. Fill out THIS form. Ends August 14, 2010 11: 59 CT.

My New Crayons...

From the library

The Necessary Hunger by Nina Revoyr

As a star basketball player in her last year of high school, Nancy Takahiro's life is about to change forever. Faced with the college recruitment process and unsure of where her skill will take her, Nancy is not prepared for meeting Raina Webber, an All-State shooting guard whose passion for basketball is matched only by her talent.

When Nancy's father and Raina's mother move in together, the girls are faced with the challenge of negotiating their already intense friendship and rivalry. As Nancy's love for Raina grows and both prepare to leave inner city neighborhood that has nurtured them, they find themselves looking toward a future that is no longer easily defined.

Set against a backdrop of racial tension between the Asian American and African American communities of Los Angeles and infused with tenderness and passion. The Necessary Hunger explores not only the intricacies of the game of basketball, but also the very nature of the relationships young women create in the face of the odds that are stacked against them.

-I finished it and now I'm ready for basketball season :) I liked this novel. I have a few issues with it, but overall it was really good.

For Review


The Trouble With Half A Moon by Danette Vigilante



Release Date: Janurary 6, 2011



Thirteen year old Dellie lives with the guilt that her little brother’s death was her fault. Her mother cries all the time and because she wants Dellie to stay safe, she keeps her inside as much as she can. It doesn’t matter that Dellie longs to go outside to be like other girls or that there’s a boy she likes and he likes her too. All that matters to her mother is that she’s safe at home. So, Dellie has no choice but to watch the world of her housing project through her second story window. Things start to change soon after new neighbors move in on the first floor. Trouble like this has never happened in Dellie’s building before. Now there are men fighting on the stoop, gunshots echoing through the night and Corey, a hungry and abused five year old boy knocking on her door looking for something to eat. Corey reminds Dellie of her brother and even though their friendship is dangerous, she wonders if this time, she’ll be able to do what needs to be done. Will she be able to save Corey?


-Summary from author's website This book is blurbed by Olugbemisola Rhuday Perkovich. That says it all (ok ok I also want to know if she saves Corey). Thank you Danette and Stacey!

Won



32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter



32 Candles is the slightly twisted, utterly romantic, and deftly wry story of Davie Jones, who, if she doesn’t stand in her own way, just might get the man of her dreams.

Davie—an ugly duckling growing up in small-town Mississippi—is positive her life couldn’t be any worse. She has the meanest mother in the South, possibly the world, and on top of that, she’s pretty sure she’s ugly. Just when she’s resigned herself to her fate, she sees a movie that will change her life—Sixteen Candles. But in her case, life doesn’t imitate art. Tormented endlessly in school with the nickname "Monkey Night," and hopelessly in unrequited love with a handsome football player, James Farrell, Davie finds that it is bittersweet to dream of Molly Ringwald endings. When a cruel school prank goes too far, Davie leaves the life she knows and reinvents herself in the glittery world of Hollywood—as a beautiful and successful lounge singer in a swanky nightclub.

Davie is finally a million miles from where she started—until she bumps into her former obsession, James Farrell. To Davie’s astonishment, James doesn’t recognize her, and she can’t bring herself to end the fantasy. She lets him fall as deeply in love with her as she once was with him. But is life ever that simple? Just as they’re about to ride off into the sunset, the past comes back with a vengeance, threatening to crush Davie’s dreams—and break her heart again.

-I'm going to write a mini review of this book but it will not do it justice. I will say this: If you read only one adult fiction book this summer, make it 32 Candles. It is that good. I am indebted to Reads4Pleasure, Doret and Jeanette Nicole for constantly talking about how amazing this book is. I read it in one sitting (thus I am behind in reading, reviews and household duties). Won from Jeanette at Today's Book On the Train, thank you x infinity!




Raven Summer by David Almond

Liam and his friend Max are playing in their neighborhood when the call of a bird leads them out into a field beyond their town. There, they find a baby lying alone atop a pile of stones—with a note pinned to her clothing. Mystified, Liam brings the baby home to his parents. They agree to take her in, but police searches turn up no sign of the baby’s parents. Finally they must surrender the baby to a foster family, who name her Allison. Visiting her in Northumberland, Liam meets Oliver, a foster son from Liberia who claims to be a refugee from the war there, and Crystal, a foster daughter. When Liam’s parents decide to adopt Allison, Crystal and Oliver are invited to her christening. There, Oliver tells Liam about how he will be slaughtered if he is sent back to Liberia. The next time Liam sees Crystal, it is when she and Oliver have run away from their foster homes, desperate to keep Oliver from being sent back to Liberia. In a cave where the two are hiding, Liam learns the truth behind Oliver’s dark past—and is forced to ponder what all children are capable of.

-Oh dear what is Oliver's dark past? Honestly when I think of Liberia, I think child soldiers (I'm really not sure why), so that's my guess. Won at GLBT Reading Challenge. Thank you Amanda!

From the UK Book Fairy! Thank you so much =D

Dead Gorgeous by Malorie Blackman

Moving to the country because her parents want to run a dilapidated old hotel is not 11-year-old Nova's idea of fun. Her olders sister hasn't got time for her and her younger twin brothers just wind her up. The hotel guests are a peculiar bunch and life is tough for the whole family. But meeting the hotel's resident ghost makes it a bit more bearable for Nova - especially as he's a gorgeous teenage boy, with problems of his own to sort out!

-I have mixed feelings about this book. I didn't love Naughts & Crosses and my sister did, but she said this book was weird (oftentimes due to how many books I have to read, I give her some to read first). But we'll see. I like that the cover prominently displays a Black girl.

The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire, edited by Trisha Telep.

There’s an allure to vampire tales that have seduced readers for generations. From Bram Stoker to Stephanie Meyer and beyond, vampire stories are here to stay. For those fresh-blooded fans of paranormal romance or for those whose hunt and hunger never dies, these stories have what readers want!

This collection of original tales comes from some of the hottest, most popular, and best-selling YA writers, including:
• Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Tithe)
• Libba Bray (A Great and Terrible Beauty)
• Melissa De La Cruz (Blue Blood)
• Cassandra Clare (City of Bones)
• Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires)
• Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie (Wicked)
• Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof, Queen of Cool)
• Kelley Armstrong (Women of Otherworld)
• Maria V. Snyder
• Sarah Rees Brennan
• Lili St. Crow
• Karen Mahoney
• Dina James

They will make everyone a sucker for eternal kisses.

-I'm not sure if I will review this book here. Probably not but I've been wanting to read it for awhile. It's my first anthology. I love Karen Mahoney, Sarah Rees Brennan is hilariously insightful (I follow her on Twitter and I've read some of her blog posts), I've read two of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments books (really really liked them) and I've read two of Libba Bray's Gemma trilogy. These facts alone made me want to read it but I've heard good things about all the authors included, so it should be a great book.

Dark Goddess by Sarwat Chadda

US Release Date: Jan. 26, 2011

Billi's back, and it seems like the Unholy just can't take a hint.

HUGE SPOILER: Highlight to read

Still reeling from the death of her best friend, Kay, Billi's thrust back into action when the Templars are called to investigate werewolf activity. And these werewolves are like nothing Bilil's seen before.

They call themselves the Polenitsy - Man Killers. The ancient warrior women of Eastern Europe, supposedly wiped out centuries ago. But now they're out of hiding and on the hunt for a Spring Child -- an Oracle powerful enough to blow the volcano at Yellowstone -- precipitating a Fimbulwinter that will wipe out humankind for good.

The Templars follow the stolen Spring Child to Russia, and the only people there who can help are the Bogatyrs, a group of knights who may have gone to the dark side. To reclaim the Spring Child and save the world, Billi needs to earn the trust of Ivan Romanov, an arrogant young Bogatyr whose suspicious of people in general, and of Billi in particular.

-I almost squealed when I saw this. We all know I LOVED Devil's Kiss and I was sure that I would have to order the sequel from the UK because I simply couldn't wait. It' set in Russia. It includes Baba Yaga. Billi is back. What's not to like? And yet I haven't opened it yet. I will soon though (I think part of it has to do with guilt over all the books I have yet to read that will be released sooner than this one).

Where I Belong by Gillian Cross

There are guns and bandits in this story. And supermodels. And there's drought and starvation too. Are you wondering how they can all come together? Well, that's how life is these days. Things don't happen neatly, in separate little places. We're all caught by the great spider's web of media that spans the world. That's where this story is set. The world. It's the story of Abdi and Khadija and Freya (that's me) and what happened to us because of Somalia . . .

-*drools over pretty cover* *stares at summary* repeat before/during/after reading.

Hello Mum by Bernardine Evaristo

It’s a hot summer afternoon. Tension is in the air. A gang of youths on bikes gathers outside a chip shop. A teenage boy is stabbed and left bleeding on the street. The boy’s mother wonders how this could have happened to her son. She is full of questions, but when the answers lie so close to home, are they really what she wants to hear?

-Ooo the drama! I wonder if perspective on gang violence is any different in England? I imagine the fights are over the same thing. You may have noticed that many of these books are ones that I featured in my PoC Across the Pond post. Hopefully I recommended good books ;)

What books did you get this week? Any books by/about PoC? Do tell!

Blogaversary Giveaway #3, Winners, Update

I'm baaaaaaaaacccccckkkkkkk =) I had a blast (I visited Brown University). I didn't get a chance to check my mailbox
so I'm not sure what I got, but I'm excited to check on Monday.

The winners of the POC on Covers/Whitewashing giveaway are...

Katie PB! (Magic Under Glass)
Diana Dang! (Liar)
Niranjana Iyer! (Silver Phoenix)
Vidisha! (His Own Where)

Congrats to all winners and thank you to all those who entered! Of course I realized for the Whitewashing giveaway that I forgot to include a space for your email address. So winners of that giveaway please email me within 48 hours, but since I messed up I will allow you an extra day for 36 hours, but 48 is ideal.

If you didn't win, cheer up, I have another giveaway! Author Lyn Miller Lachmann has kindly offered a signed copy of Gringolandia. It's U.S. only My REreview of Gringolandia My original review

To enter: Must be a U.S. follower. Fill out THIS form Ends: July 24, 2010 11:59 CT

I was pleased to see that most people who entered my giveaways so far are old followers. I'm not throwing these giveaways to get more followers, I want to thank my followers, the people who have been with me and supported me for quite some time. Besides, if you only follow me for giveaways, you may want to unfollow me now because after July ends, giveaways will be over for awhile (unless an author offers to mail out the book) due to my lack of a steady income.

I also want to share my Summer reading list updates.

Classics Reading List

1. Middlemarch by George Eliot (currently reading, longer than I expected!)

2. Kindred by Octavia Butler

3. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

4. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

5. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

6. Persuasion by Jane Austen (I want to read this by August)

7. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

8. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

9. Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (I want to read this next)

10. The Living is Easy by Dorothy West (I want to read this next along with The Wedding)

Adult Fiction

1. Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

2. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende

3. Children of the Waters by Carleen Brice

4. Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead

5. Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant

6. Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley (Book 1 in Easy Rawllins series)-currentyl reading

7. White Teeth by Zadie Smith

8. Waiting to Exhale by Terry McMillan

9. Feminista by Erica Kennedy

10. Bloody Waters by Carolina Garcia-Aguilera (Book 1 in Lupe Solano Mystery series)

Off Color (To reiterate: These books will not be reviewed here. I may review them on Goodreads)

1. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (plan to read next)

2. Graceling by Kirsten Cashore

3. Rampant (Killer Unicorns #1) by Diana Peterfreund

4. Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

5. The Deathday Letter by Shaun Hutchinson

6. The Daykeeper's Grimoire (Prophecy of Days #1) by Christy Raedeke

7. Violet on the Runway by Melissa Walker

8. The Eternal Kiss: Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire (anthology), edited by Trisha Telep

9. White Cat by Holly Black

10. Levithian by Scott Westerfield

As you can I'm not doing so well. Ideally I want to read every book I have listed, but I'll settle for reading all the books on my adult fiction list and half on the classics list.

Check out this fun link, it lists 50 novels to read when you need a good laugh. I haven't read any books on the list but I do intend on reading many of them. I would also add Catcher in the Rye to the list and a host of other YA books. What would you add? Leave a comment here or at that post.

Waiting on Wednesday: Bamboo People + Winner!

The winner of my Nice (not Mean) Giveaway is....

Tia B!

Congrats Tia. I'll be emailing you shortly. Thank you everyone for entering :)

I asked people to name a movie (and the character from that movie) that deals with being Nice and/or Mean and most people mentioned a character from Mean Girls or Heathers. I love Mean Girls and I still need to see Heathers. Someone mentioned Kathryn from Cruel Intentions, which is one of my favorite movies! A must- see because it is so sweet, twisted, nice and mean ;)

I also highly recommend people read this post in the What A Girl Wants series at Chasing Ray, it's about YA literature and "bad girls"

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted and created by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This week is you-should-be-waiting-on....

Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins

Release Date: July 1, 2010

What would you do if your mother were hungry and your only option to feed her was to fight in the army? What about if you saw soldiers burning your home and farm while you ran for your life? Wouldn’t you be terrified, like Chiko? Wouldn’t you be angry, like Tu Reh?

Narrated by two boys on opposing sides of the conflict between the Burmese government and the Karenni, one of Burma's many ethnic minorities, this coming-of-age novel takes place against the political and military backdrop of modern-day Burma.

-Summary from Goodreads.com Even though I haven't read this yet (I do own it though and it will be read very soon), you should be waiting on this book. Just reading the description makes me want to read the whole book right now, what's more the author is THE Mitali Perkins. Mitali is an amazing writer, blogger and so much more. Therefore, this book will probably be a must read.

What books are you waiting on this week? Any about POC?

Waiting on Wednesday: Manifest + Winners!

And the winners of my Daring Great Giveaway are....

Ninefly for Paris Pan Takes the Dare

Abby for The Great Call of China

Congrats winners and thank you to all who entered! Winners I will be emailing you shortly and you have 48 hours to get back to me.

I was really happy to see that most of the people who entered the giveaway had read a book featuring a POC this year. Thank you all for entering and be sure to stop by tomorrow for another giveaway :)

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme created and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

This week I'm waiting on....

Manifest: A Mystyx Novel by Artist Arthur

Release Date: August 1, 2010

When fifteen-year-old Krystal Bentley moves to Lincoln, Connecticut, her mom's hometown, she assumes her biggest drama will be adjusting to the burbs after living in New York City.

But Lincoln is nothing like Krystal imagined. The weirdness begins when Ricky Watson starts confiding in her. He's cute, funny, a good listener-and everything she'd ever want-except that he was killed a year ago. Krystal's ghost-whispering talents soon lead other "freaks" to her door-Sasha, a rich girl who can literally disappear, and Jake, who moves objects with his mind. All three share a distinctive birthmark in the shape of an M and, fittingly call themselves the Misfits. They set out to learn what really happened to Ricky, only to realize that they aren't the only ones with mysterious powers. But if Krystal succeeds in finding out the truth about Ricky's death, will she lose him for good?

-I haven't had much luck with the Kimani Tru series but this one not only sounds good but I've seen good reviews of it and I like the Internet campaign that's going on for it. We need more diversity in paranormal so I'm eager to give this book a chance.

Summary from the author's website

What book(s) are you waiting on? Any POC titles?

Waiting on Wednesday: Sellout + Winner & My Thoughts

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm waiting on....


Sellout by Ebony Joy Wilkins

Release Date: July 1, 2010

NaTasha has a wonderful life in affluent Park Adams. She fits in, she has friends, and she's a member of the all-white ballet troupe. Being nearly the only African American in her school doesn't bother NaTasha. But it bothers Tilly, NaTasha's spitfire grandmother from Harlem, who decides NaTasha needs to get back to her roots or her granddaughter is in danger of losing herself completely. Tilly whisks NaTasha away to a world where all of a sudden nothing in NaTasha's life makes any sense: Harlem and Comfort Zone in the Bronx, a crisis center where Tilly volunteers her time to help troubled girls get on the right track. Girls who are completely unlike anyone NaTasha has ever encountered. These girls are rough, beautiful, streetwise, sure of themselves, and wield their secrets like knives--and they dislike NaTasha and her world of privilege with a passion.

If there is ever a time when NaTasha feels like running away from something, now is it. But she doesn't. She stands her ground. And what she discovers surprises everyone, especially NaTasha.

-Story of many a POC's life. I'm almost positive that most of us have been called sellouts, maybe not to our faces, but we know people say it about us. Anyway, this novel sounds like one I could really connect to (the sellout aspect, the dancing, being one of few black girls at a school). Plus Tilly sounds like shes going to be quite a character; I love spitfire grandmothers!

The winner of the Spring Break sponsored by snubbr.com giveaway is.... (as chosen by random.org)

Annica!

Congrats and thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway. Stay tuned for another (bigger) one in May. Annica, I'll be emailing you shortly (or if you see this post before I email you, feel free to email me). You have 48 hours to email me your mailing adress.

Also, thank you all for the suggestions. They were quite helpful; some I already knew needed to be improved on; three columns, better layout and more sci fi/fantasy books reviewed. There were some welcome surprises; to include lists of books by regions around the world and more series reviews. I won't be able to work on my layout until the summer when I have time to mess with. I'm definitely going to make a more conscious effort to review YA/MG books about POC that are sci fi/fantasy. Also, I'm not sure if there are a lot of YA/MG series about POC (recommendations are welcomed and totally encouraged!), but I will search for them :) I think during the summer I'm also going to make reference lists of books about African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos and Native Americans. I will update these lists regularly. As well as work on lists of books about people based on their country or region of the world. Finally, someone asked for a review of Liar. I've already done one and you can read it here (another thing I want to work on over the summer is creating pages for my reviews by title and author).

Whew, I'm going to be busy! But a good kind of busy. I'll create a post later on with a list of things to do over the summer concerning Reading in Color.

Waiting on Wednesday: Efrain's Secret + Saving Maddie Winners!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm waiting on....

Efrain's Secret by Sofia Quintero

Release Date: April 13, 2010

Ambitious high school senior Efrain Rodriguez dreams of escaping the South Bronx for an Ivy League college like Harvard or Yale. But how is his family going to afford to pay for a prestigious university when Moms has to work insane hours to put food on the table as it is? And Efrain wouldn’t dare ask that good-for-nothing father of his who has traded his family in for younger models. Left with few options, Efrain chooses to do something he never thought he would. He embarks on a double life—honor student by day, drug peddler at night—convinced that by temporarily capitulating to society’s negative expectations of a boy like him, he can eventually defy them.

Sofia Quintero makes a stunning debut writing for young adults with this gritty, complex, and real exploration of the life of an urban teen whose attempt to leave one world behind for a better one could cost him everything.

-Doesn't this sound like a great novel? Selling drugs to make money to support your family is a big issue in many communities. Also I've read Sofia Quintero's other books; Divas Don't Yield and her story in the collection Friday Night Chicas and really enjoyed them. She was funny while still getting her message across. I did read them when I was younger and perhaps I shouldn't have due to some content but I was desperate to find books about Latinas (I learned a lot about adults while on my search for POC literature and let's leave it at that. LOL). Her books helped fill in the gap. They just weren't about teens so now that she is writing a YA novel, I must get my hands on it!

As always summary is from Amazon.com

The three winners of Saving Maddie chosen by random.org are....

1. rhapsodyinbooks

2. Ishta Mercurio

3. Donna

Congrats to all the winners! I'm emailing you right now and you have 48 hours to get back to me.

To those who didn't win; I have some more giveaways coming up so stay tuned! Also you can win one of three copies of Saving Maddie at BookNut. So go enter! You have till March 21

A Winner & Blog Awards

The winner of my A Wish After Midnight Giveaway is...

BrownGirl!

Congrats BrownGirl, you have 48 hours to email me back with your mailing address. And thank you everyone for entering the giveaway and showing your support :)

Team Paul: 4
Team Judah: 2

Final Tally (including the people who didn't enter but commented just to share)
Paul: 6
Judah: 4

As it should be, Team Paul WINS!!!!!!! *Does a victory dance around the room* What now Team Judah?! :p

Sadly, not many of us could think of POC couples and I'll be posting about that this week for recommendations and a rant :)

I'm so behind on my awards post and I apologize x100 for that! Huge thank you to everyone who gave me an award. I have two others (I think?) and I'll post them next time.


The Fabulous Sugar Doll Award comes with some conditions:

• Thank the person who gave it to you.
• Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
• Link to the person who nominated you.
• Share ten trivia facts about yourself.
• Nominate ten more Fabulous Sugar Doll bloggers and link to their sites.
• Leave a comment on each alerting them to the award

Thank you Kelly from The Cazzy Files!

I pass this award to(so cute and sugary!)

1. Nathalie at Multiculturalism Rocks!

2. Melissa at BookNut

3. Lauren at I Was A Teenage Book Geek

4. Christina at Reading Extensively

5. Choco at In Which A Girl Reads

6. Heather at Book Addiction

7. April at Good Books & Good Wine

8. Jenny at Jenny's Books (she reads the end before the middle, like me! heehee)

9. Jessica at Chick Lit Teens

10. Jessica from Stone-Bow

Ten Trivia Facts-Hmm what have I not already shared?

1. I'm liking the show the Deep End on ABC, I needed a new law show after Raising the Bar was cancelled :( Anyone got any better recommendations?

2. My favorite colors are purple and blue

3. I love Pres. Barack Obama (that doesn't mean I won't disagree with him over issues but I love him and his whole fabulous family!)

4. I really loved the Princess & The Frog. I just wish they hadn't been frogs for the whole movie!

5. I was supporting the Saints (Who Dat) in the Super Bowl.

6. I'm a Cubs fan

7. All the race issues that have flared up this week have gotten me kind of down, so I need some future fun post ideas!

8. I love hosting giveaways-Being able to give away a book I liked or loved feels great (as long as I have my own copy, LOL)

9. Something I've been wondering: Do people mind text/IM speak in blog posts? (i.e. LOL, BTW, NBD, etc.)

10. I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up. I thought I did (politics or community organizer or life-long volunteer) and then this blog came along and I started thinking, publishing house CEO.

This award is given to those who have given you awards back as a thank you :)
I received it from Abbey at QT Bookworm

Thanks Abbey!

This award goes to

1. Donna from Bites
2. Abbey from the Cazzy Files
3. Jessica from Eat Sleep Dance Read
4. Ah Yuan from Gal Novelty
5. Alexa from Hooked on YA Books
6. Lindsay from Just Another Book Addict
7. Browngirl BookSpeak
8. Ebony from Sizzling Publications
9. Jo Ann from Bronzeword Latino Authors
10. Zetta from Fledgling

Everyone should go visit the blogs that gave me an award and that I passed the award onto :)

Oh and a small request. If you see that I've already gotten the award you are about to pass on to me, please don't pass it on. I love receiving awards but I always forget to post them and then I feel guilty. At least don't give me the same ones during the school year, I have more time in the summer so I'm less likely to forget! Also, let me know if you feel the same way (so I don't send the same awards to the same people) or if you don't mind.

Waiting on Wednesday & I Need Recommendations! And Bloomsbury + a winner!

Waiting on Wednesday is the meme started by Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm waiting on....

The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba by Margarita Engle

Release Date: March 16, 2010

The freedom to roam is something that women and girls in Cuba do not have. Yet when Fredrika explores the magical island, she brings along Cecilia, a young slave who longs for her home in Africa. Soon Elena, the daughter of the house, sneaks out to join them. As the three women explore the lush countryside, they form a bond that breaks the barriers of language and culture.

In this quietly powerful new book, Margarita Engle paints a portrait of early women's rights pioneer Fredrika Bremer and the journey to Cuba that transformed her life.

-This book sounds amazing. I love reading about Cuba and women's suffrage, so the two combined sounds like it will be really good! I got the summary from a comment by Wendy left here (Wendy got an ARC, I'm jealous!).

Bloomsbury News: Continuing the fight but I'm going to try and have reviews for the rest of the week as well and only post Bloomsbury updates. A recap of posts I've done here

My first, very angry response: Really Bloomsbury? I'm Done. The Publishing World Needs to Take Note. Read this post to read the comments and excerpts to other blog posts as well as links to the full posts. Thanks guys and I'm sorry it's not completely up to date!

My calmer, Open Letter to Bloomsbury (To clarify: Of course I emailed this to Bloomsbury)

Next Step: What Are We Going to Do? To Boycott or Not to Boycott-The problem has been identified now how are we going to keep it from happening again? Read the post that lists the pros and cons of boycotting, comments from other bloggers with suggestions and my own suggestions.

Giveaway news: I've hit 200 followers (currently 207) which is super cool. So be ready for another giveaway in celebration. I never thought I would hit 200. Thank YOU so much guys!

The winner of The Ring, Flight to Freedom AND The House on Mango Street is....

Mindy!

Congrats Mindy you have 48 hours to reply to my email. Thank you all for entering =)

Finally, I need GLBT recommendations! POC obviously. I went to the library and got Fat Hoochie Prom Queen by Nico Medina. Except the main character isn't GLBT (I thougth she was) her best friend is. This wouldn't be a problem except her best friend is white and I really want to read a book about a lesbian POC. I have a huge backload of Male Monday reviews to do, so I don't need any guy suggestions. Just girls. So leave me a comment or email me with recommendations. Thank you in advance :)

The Winner! And Enter My Next Giveaway :)

Thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway for a $20 Borders giftcard. You guys shared some really sweet holiday stories and gave me some great recommendations (based on what you would get with the giftcard). BTW I did end up giving 2 extra entries for everyone who commented on my reviews :)

And the winner is.....

Aik!

Congrats! I'll be emailing you shortly. You have 48 hours to get back to me.

Now onto my next giveaway. This one is going to last a little longer, but same old easy entries!

Who: 1 winner-U.S. Only (I'm sorry all my international friends!)

What: Win 3 books; The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, Flight to Freedom by Ana Veciana- Suarez and The Ring by Bobbie Pyron. Read my The Ring review. Read my Flight to Freedom review

When: Dec. 28, 2009-Jan. 18, 2010

How: I have 2 copies of Flight to Freedom and The House on Mango Street. So I decided to giveaway one. And Bobbie Pyron has graciously agreed to donate a copy of The Ring. Thanks Bobbie!

Must leave an email address! Just leave me any kind of comment, it could just be 'hey'. Interesting/funny/thoughtful comments are always appreciated!

+1 Sidebar link (leave link)

+3 long time follower (haha Edi I followed your advice!)

+2 new follower

+2 First person to comment on any reviews starting today till Jan. 18 (MLK Day).

+5 If you comment on all reviews from now until Jan. 18 (can't just be 'great review').

I've read all these books (just not all reviewed) and I really really liked them and I'm sure you will too!

Best of luck everyone and have a happy new year!

Flight to Freedom by Ana Veciana-Suarez (YA)

Yara is an eighth-grader who lives in a middle-class neighborhood of 1967 Havana, Cuba. Her parents, who do not share the political beliefs of the Communist party, finally are forces to flee Cuba with their children to Miami, Florida. There, Yara records in her diary the difficulties she encounters in a strange land with foreign customs. She must learn English and go to school with new children. Her parents also adjust to the new country differently, and Yara's father grows frustrated with her mother when she becomes more independent.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Told in a series of vignettes stunning for their eloquence, The House on Mango Street is Sandra Cisneros's greatly admired novel of a young girl growing up in the Latino section of Chicago. Acclaimed by critics, beloved by children, their parents and grandparents, taught everywhere from inner-city grade schools to universities across the country, and translated all over the world, it has entered the canon of coming-of-age classics.

Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes deeply joyous, The House on Mango Street tells the story of Esperanza Cordero, whose neighborhood is one of harsh realities and harsh beauty. Esperanza doesn't want to belong--not to her rundown neighborhood, and not to the low expectations the world has for her. Esperanza's story is that of a young girl coming into her power, and inventing for herself what she will become.

The Ring by Bobbie Pyron (YA)

Plagued by slipping grades and a budding criminal record, at 15, Mardie's heading down a path of self-destruction she can't seem to avoid. Unlike her perfect older brother Michael, who does everything right according to their father, Mardie can't measure up. But when she discovers a girls' boxing club at the gym, Mardie's drawn in by the fighters' fearlessness and strength. Having already lost her parents' trust, and shunned by her boyfriend and friends, the ring is the only place left where no one judges Mardie. Angry and hurt, Mardie can't wait to start throwing punches. But Kitty, her wise and patient trainer, a former boxer who's coached her share of troubled girls, shows Mardie that boxing isn't just about fighting--it's also about strategy and mental discipline--the things that make a fighter into a winner. Mardie begins to apply the lessons she's learned in the ring to her own battles, especially at home, where she finds she's not the only one struggling for acceptance. As she trains for her upcoming championship bouts, Mardie hopes to make her parents proud. Filled with exciting sports action, The Ring is the inspiring story of a girl learning to believe in herself.

Halloween Giveaway Winner & Wrap-Up, Blogging Help

I hope everyone had a great, fun and spooktacular Halloween!

The winner of my Treat Giveaway, as chosen by random.org, is....

Robin.Titan!

Congrats Robin! Please email me your mailing address (I'll be contacting you shortly). You're going to enjoy Eternal and Asleep :) Thanks everyone for entering.

I'm going to share some of the fun Halloween responses left for the giveaway (if you don't want yours shown, you can email or leave me a comment asking me to take your comment down).

Halloween Jokes

From Shadowofwonder
Q: What happened to the guy who didn't pay his exorcist?
A: He was repossesed!

From elnice
Knock, knock. (Whose there?) Ben (Ben who?)
Ben waiting for Halloween all year!

From Llehn
Q: What's a mummy's favorite type of music?
A: A Wrap

From Erica
Q: Why did Dracula take cough medicine?
A: To stop his COFFIN!

From babygirlG
Q: What do you get when you cross a vampire and a snowman?
A: Frostbite!

And some fun Halloween links and book suggestions ;)
How to be a werewolf

Why Zombies are Cool

I have received recommendations to read

1.Shiver (although I don't think it has poc in it so I may not read that one)

2.Sixteen Going on Undead by Yvette Ford (I hadn't heard of that one Elle so thank you, it sounds good!)

3. the L.A. Banks Huntress series (not YA but this has been recommended to me a couple of times so I'm going to try them anyway)

4. Fledgling by Octavia Butler (I haven't met a single person who doesn't love Octavia Butler, I'm determined to read her books over thanksgiving & Christmas break!)

5. Never Slow Dance with A Zombie by E. Van Lowe (I know the author is a poc, not sure about the main characters)

6. the Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (everyone just raves about him so I must check out his books).

I failed majorly at posting more Halloween reviews so those will just have to come throughout November (Soul Enchilada, Liar, Another Faust, the Exorsistah). And I will be doing a post later today about November being Native American Heritage Month.

Blogging Help Question: How do I display all my labels? I want to make it easier for people to find things on my blog, but I'm not sure how to show all my labels. Leave me a comment (or send me an email if it's a lengthy explanation). Thanks!

Finally, I had no idea people checked back on the comments on blogs so often! I feel bad because I thought people didn't check back to see if people responded to their comments (to be perfectly honest, I rarely check back on other blogs to see if people responded to my comments), so I stopped responding (although I ALWAYS read the comments). Now I know that you guys do and I will be doing a better job of responding to all comments left on my posts.

New Crayons & The Winner!

New Crayons was created by the wonderful susan at Color Online (an amazing blog, do check it out!)

But before I share my new books, I need to announce the winner of my Choices & Monsoon Summer giveaway!

And the winner is....

Valerie!

Yay Valerie! I'l be emailing you shortly. Thanks to all who entered and I'll be posting about my Halloween giveaway later today!

Now for the books I got this week

The Great Call of China by Cynthia Liu

Chinese-born Cece was adopted when she was two years old by her American parents. Living in Texas, she’s bored of her ho-hum high school and dull job. So when she learns about the S.A.S.S. program to Xi’an, China, she jumps at the chance. She’ll be able to learn about her passion—anthropology—and it will give her the opportunity to explore her roots. But when she arrives, she receives quite a culture shock. And the closer she comes to finding out about her birth parents, the more apprehensive she gets. Enter Will, the cute guy she first meets on the plane. He and Cece really connect during the program. But can he help her get accustomed to a culture she should already know about, or will she leave China without the answers she’s been looking for?

-I've wanted this book for a while because I like the S.A.S.S. series, but the main characters are usually white so I was excited to find a poc as the main character. Also it's autographed! (but I didn't get to meet Ms. Liu, it was already autographed when I bought it) From Barnes & Noble

Karma for Beginners by Jessica Blank

Fourteen-year-old Tessa has never had a normal life. Her mother, a frustrated hippie with awful taste in men, has seen to that. But when her mom pulls her out of school to live at an ashram in the Catskills, Tessa goes from being a freak among normal people to being an outcast among freaks. Freaks who worship an orange robe-wearing guru. And while her mom is buzzing with spiritual energy, and finding a little too much favor with the guru, all Tessa feels are weird vibes.

Unless she's with Colin, the gorgeous boy who fixes trucks for the ashram. The connection they share is the most spiritual thing Tessa has ever felt. But he's older-like illegally older-and Tessa's taking dangerous risks to spend time with him. Soon her life is blooming into a psychedelic web of secrets and lies and it's clear that something's about to give way. When it does, will she have anyone to hold on to? Will she even know herself?

-To be honest, I'm not so sure about this book. I originally thought ashram as in India spiritual center, but then I realized the Catskills is in New York. So I may or may not review this, since the main character isn't a poc nor is it by a poc author. I will review it though if it talks a lot about Hinduism.

Sent to me by Ms. Lyn Miller-Lachmann. Thanks!

That's what I got this week. What did you get?

Winners of YA & MG Book Packs!

Thanks to everyone who entered this contest! September is almost over, but I still have a lot of books to giveaway. I'm debating if I should give them away into October or save them for special holidays/event giveaways. Also, I apologize for not getting the L.A. Summer review up before the contest ended. You can read it here

Onto the winners (courtesy of random.org).....

1. Paradox

2. jpetroroy

Congrats guys! You have 48 hours to respond to my email with your book choices and mailing address.

The next giveaway is going to have lots of winners and be in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month! It will be announced tomorrow, so be sure to check back and enter :)

By the way I received an email from author Jo Ann Hernandez telling me about a writing contest about poc. I'm re-posting the email here.

Introducing the 1st Annual
MyAfricanDiaspora.com
SHORT STORY COMPETITION

In our ongoing effort to promote positive images that reflect people of African descent, the website that connects that African Diaspora is pleased to announce our first annual Short Story contest.
We're looking for fiction that is unique, stories with characters we'll remember, plots that leave us thinking. The contest is open to anyone, any race, any country, any continent. The only caveat? The main character must be of African descent. For more info go here

Rules

1. The contest runs from October 1 – December 31, 2009, winner announced February 1, 2010
2. Entries must be 1500 words or less
3. The entry fee is $10 (via paypal or money order payable to DreamDeep LLC.) Address:

   DreamDeep LLC
   9360 W. Flamingo Rd.
   #110-117
   Las Vegas, NV 89147

4. Main character must be of African descent
5. Story must be previously unpublished
6. Submit entries to info@myafricandiaspora.com, with the words “Short Story Contest: (input name of your short story)” in the subject line. Ex. Short Story Contest: My Story. Copy & Paste into the body of the email. No attachments.
7. Be sure to include your contact information and word count with submissions
8. here will be one overall winner and one winner from each of the following genres: Literary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery, Romance (we prefer stories without gratuitous sex or violence)

Prizes

1. First Place: $500 Genre Winners: $25 Borders Gift Card
2. Each winner will have their story and a feature article published on myafricandiaspora.com
3. The winners and top three entries in each genre will have their short stories published in a short story collection at the end of the year