Recap of the L.A. Black Book Expo 2008

Now that it’s over……

The fourth annual Los Angeles Black Book Expo is history complete with authors, panel discussions, spoken word and we even snuck in a children’s writing workshop for the literary zone. On a whole, it was a good event. Authors networked, sold books and for the most part, made connections that hopefully benefit them in the long run.

Many thanks for the authors and exhibitors who attended starting with our featured guests; Bern Nadette Stanis, Bruce George, Dr. William D. Wright, Alretha Thomas, Sardonyx Jade, Terry a O’Neal, Terry Moore, Erica N. Martin, and everyone else who were a part of the black book expo. Our committee did an outstanding job this year handling the needs of the exhibitors and making sure their experience was a good one. I’d like to thank Sheila Harris our associate director for her hospitality, Jennifer Harris for providing us with volunteers and my family members for providing the food.

We can't forget our sponsors; KPFK 90.7, L.A. Watts Times, 626 Art Gallery, Copy City, and eBiz Marketing for their support.

As for the expo itself, we kicked it off with our annual Friday night pre-expo reception. This is a time when authors and exhibitors come together to network, share ideas and just have fun. It also provides everyone in attendance to learn more about the other person sitting next to each other, breaking the ice. Based on the number of smiles, it looked like a successful evening.

Expo day started strong with the public passing through the gates of the Ahmanson Senior Center stopping by an exhibitor’s table checking out what they had to offer. Our panel discussions provided lively conversation on topics from publishing to cultural matters. The Poets Jazz House presented another solid Spoken Worlds program with featured guest Terry Moore sharing his pieces with the L.A. crowd and in turn, they enjoyed what they heard. Other talented artists had their turn on the mic and we even had a local singing group perform for us. Charles Campbell, author of The Magic Coin, presented a reading and writing workshop for our Children’s Literary Zone. In our first Teen Poetry Fest contest, author Ben Foster took home the grand prize or a free computer. Now that he’s the reigning champion of our first annual contest, I can’t wait to see whether or not he defends his title next year. Before I forget, I'd like to thank our panel moderators, authors Lutishia Lovely, Frederick Williams who filled in at the last minute, and Na'Kisha Crawford. All of them did a splendid job.

What I hope the authors and exhibitors take away from the fourth annual L.A. Black Book Expo is that our committee worked to have a great event and we’re looking to make it bigger and much better for next year. As I’m writing this out, plans are already being made to evaluate our progress for 2008 so we can move ahead and make 2009, our fifth L.A. Black Book Expo the best it’s ever been. Due to our reception with the Book Expo America African-American Pavilion participants, we expect a larger turnout and possibly a brand new venue for the next time.

On a side note, talks are underway to plan a possible series of discussions year round with the black book expo authors. It’s still in the planning stages but news will be out shortly.

Again, I thank you all for coming out and supporting us whether you were an author, exhibitor, or public guest. Enjoy the rest of your summer.

Charles Chatmon
Executive Director
Los Angeles Black Book Expo

More pics found here.

Bern Nadette Stanis appearing at LABBX 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOS ANGELES, CA - Bern Nadette Stanis who played the role of Thelma on the sitcom ‘Good Times’ and author of Situations 101 and For Men Only will attend the Los Angeles Black Book Expo according to executive director Charles Chatmon. She will also participate in the event’s relationship panel, “He Said, She Said, Nuff Said?” with Pearl Jr, Larry Ukali Johnson-Redd, Olaynika Aikens, Dr. Linda Hodo-Haley, Anthony C. Rucker, Anthony Miner. Ms. Stanis already adds to an impressive line up for this year’s black book expo along with Dr. William D. Wright, Bruce George, Maxine Thompson, Sherrance Henderson, and Alretha Thomas to name a few.

The Los Angeles Black Book Expo is this coming Saturday and will be held at the Ahmanson Senior Center, 3980 Menlo Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90037 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM with an after party following shortly thereafter. Admission is free to the general public.

General event information including author and exhibitor applications are available on www.labbx.com or by calling 323-385-7103. Detailed information on all festival activities posted in the LABBX website.

LABBX 2008 Participant: Sardonyx Jade

Sardonyx Jade is a California State University Dominguez Hills graduate, with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She has been published by Watermark Press, The International Library of Poetry, Famous Poets Society, Nobel House, UK, Rolling Out Urban Style Weekly, Playgirl Magazine and The Rock eNewsmagazine. She has performed at Les Trois Vies, The Love Movement, Green Every Monday and Woodbury University BSU Poetry Lounge. Provocative poetry and Prose: Portraits of Black Love displayed at the 2005 Book Expo America and Los Angeles Black Book Expo. She is currently working on her first novel Last Chance Café, and Neurotica, a collection of erotic stories and poetry.

Sardonyx Jade Publishing oversees the writing, editing, design, production, printing and marketing of books and other printed materials for public distribution and sale in the marketplace. We provide motivational speaking appearances for adolescents and adults focusing self esteem improvement, surviving abuse and relationship management. We also offer consulting to new authors as well as resources regarding publishing.

WEB SITE: http://www.sardonyx-jade.com

A Recap of UCLA, Leimert and the BEA/LABBX Reception

It’s a new week which means Book Expo America must be over, every participant is going back to their respective homes wherever they may be and suddenly, the excitement building up to the conference is long gone. Everyone’s getting ready for next year.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend this year due to preparing for the L.A. Black Book Expo coming up in two weeks and I along with fellow Mixed Matters co-host Chandra Adams, had a speaking engagement at UCLA with a few high school students preparing for college. We were part of the Bruin Speaker Series as panelists discussing the ‘The World of the Arts’. A representative from the California African-American Museum sharing our experiences of what advantages our craft has allowed us to have and the challenges it presents, joined us. Ms. Julette Sanders, the moderator and coordinator of the panel did a great job asking us questions that hopefully the students in the room benefited by our answers. The reactions from the parents and students after our panel had concluded assured us they were impressed. I would say there was one young man named Malcolm who at age eighteen has his own Production Company and LLC. Honestly, he had more wisdom in his lips than any adult I know at his age. He spoke of sacrifices such as paying for less expensive shoes or a pack of gum. I believe if we all had a mindset like Malcolm in our growing years, we would be better off right now.

Our next stop was the Leimert Park Book Fair. Once again, festival coordinator Cynthia Exum and her staff did an outstanding job. They had more authors this year and the book fair had more vendors as well. Already in its second year, the book fair is living up to its promise of becoming one of the well-known community venues in the city and state. Because of time constraints, we couldn’t stay too long but I’ll write more on Leimert in another blog featuring events like this.

Finally, we hosted a Book Expo America/L.A. Black Book Expo reception. We had to start thirty minutes later than scheduled due to our staff facing traffic and I personally had to make a couple of stops myself. We passed through the convention center and watched as a crowd strolled across Figueroa with bags in hand and badges, obviously Book Expo America was over for the day. Once we had everything set up, we had a few BEA participants stroll on through including Ms. Adrienne Ingrum, the co-founder of the African-American Pavilion. The other co-founder Tony Rose entered and greeted me with a warm handshake as we met and introduced ourselves. Founder and former LABBX executive director Itibari M. Zulu joined us and briefly spoke on the history of the expo. Max Rodriguez, the founder of the Harlem Book Fair also stopped by as we handed awards to Mr. Rose and Ms. Ingrum for a well-deserved job well done.

We concluded the evening’s events with a ‘He Said, She Said’ relationship forum with the two panelists who started it all; authors Larry Ukali Johnson-Redd and Pearl Jr. Na’Kisha Crawford was the moderator for the panel and she did an excellent job in overseeing the discussion. No punches were thrown, so I guess we made it through civilized, lol. Not only did our reception impress those in attendance but Mr. Rose and I agreed to work together for next year’s black book expo, which I felt was the best news of the evening.

I have to commend the rest of the committee as this was a team effort, we all contributed. They did a great job and I’m proud of what we’re building for LABBX not only this year but in the years to come. It’s my hope that the excitement every participant in Book Expo America felt, the anticipation and the networking will be just the same for our expo as well.

Thanks once again for those who attended. I hope you enjoyed yourselves.

Charles Chatmon
Executive Director
Los Angeles Black Book Expo