I'm stealing an idea from super-blogger, novelist Tayari Jones. She often sends her bloggers a slew of cool links to check out and, since so much is happening in the world, I decided to do the same.
1.) Check out the list of forthcoming African-American interest books from Publishers Weekly. Some interesting and others just ridiculous. It's disheartening when the tiny children's book list looks better than the long one for adults.
2.) My Nana will be happy to hear this news. Walter Mosley has just agreed to give birth to a new mystery man. He signed a three-book deal with a new publisher and we'll all reap the benefits. The rumor mill is churning about a literary novel that is to be part of the deal as well.
3.) Riverhead Books (Mosley's new home) is having a bang up year, as another wunderkind on their hefty author list has just been given the highest of honors by New York Magazine. Princess will be happy to hear the long-awaited comeback of Junot Diaz seems to have come full circle.
4.) On a not so literary note (but kind of one, at an angle) Denzel is looking good this year and got some huge nods from The Golden Globes. I cannot wait to see his portrayal of poet Melvin Tolson in The Great Debaters, his labor of love debuting this month. Go see it!!!
5.) Baby, it's cold outside, but Poetry Daily's pick for today is all about the summertime. Check out R.T. Smith's poem of the day. Intimate portrait with a little Gershwin thrown in for good measure.
6.) Last but not least, art for art's sake. Visit these artist blogs to see what genius has been finding its way to the modern canvas:
Didi Menendez - Cuban painter and editor of MiPOesias is looking for poet models. See who she's already immortalized.
Carolyn Beard Whitlow - Sister poet and Lotus Press author. Preserving our patchwork history through her beautiful hand-stitched quilts.
Krista Franklin - I carry one of Krista's journals everywhere I go. It helped give me voice. Her collages speak as well.
Happy Friday! I hope this is your first day in a long line of days to breathe easy for a while...
