Harlem Book Fair Recap

My Harlem Book Fair was weird this year. But like Milli Vanilli, I blame it on the rain. This year, I teamed up with Brian Peterson of Okayplayer/Okaybooks again. We were lucky, we had a good location and we were able to get the tent we paid for. Urban Books, which exhibited next to us, paid for a tent that they never received. But they made the most of it, and stuck it out. I probably would have left if I didn't have a tent. The rain was crazy. The wind was crazier. I was wet. My momma was wet. My makeshift BackList signs (I went the cheap paper route) were ruined. So I didn't do much. I passed out some postcards promoting the new BackList. I walked around a few times. Sold some copies of Barbara Summer's OPEN THE UNUSUAL DOOR. I ate some fruit and watched Urban Books sell books like hotcakes (5 for 20.00.)

It did clear up, but again the rain had somewhat altered my attitude. I ain't going to lie, I was ready to go home. But regardless of how I felt, I did see some great peoples as usual. I think that's one of the reasons why I like the Harlem Book Fair, despite the fact that it isn't as good as it used to be, it is becoming a little unfocused, and needs to get back to its roots.

Case in point, this older man walked up to our booth and asked if we had any Langston Hughes. He said he walked the entire fair and stopped at all the booths/booksellers and not one person was selling any Langston Hughes. Talk about not supporting our backlist...

Hmm, who did I see. The picture above is of me, Kalisha Buckhanon, and writer Lissette Norman (NOTE: blogger is having some problems loading pictures, but I will post the pic as soon as things are fixed.)

Check out Lissette's new book, MY FEET ARE LAUGHING. And congrats to Kalisha Buckhanon. Terry McMillan selected Kalisha's book, UPSTATE, to receive the inaugural Terry McMillan Best New Young Author Award at the National Book Club Conference in Atlanta.

Also saw Black Artemis. Check out her new book BURN.

Saw Kim McLarin, who I haven't seen since my days at Emerson College in Boston. Ya'll know about her new book, JUMP AT THE SUN, which PEOPLE Magazine just gave four stars.

Saw DuEwa Frazier, whom I've never met in person. She's one of those people who you can tell has a warm spirit. Can't wait to read and review her new anthology, CHECK THE RHYME: AN ANTHOLOGY OF FEMALE POETS AND EMCEES.

Saw Sonia Sanchez in passing. Didn't get to see any of the panels though, but watched some on C-Span on Sunday, so I felt like I was there.

Remember I blogged about Mel Jackson? Well he has a new book and was exhibiting at the fair. Sorry, can't tell you the title of his new book, my Momma might be reading.

But I did take more pictures and will be posting them soon on BackList.