Nelson George, Chris Rock and Diane Paragas at Opening Night of the Urbanworld Film Festival

FILM STARS GATHER AT OPENING NIGHT OF URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL 

 

Nelson George, Chris Rock and Diane Paragas at Opening Night of the Urbanworld Film Festival

(NEW YORK) September 16, 2011 -  The 15th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival presented by BET Networks kicked off last night in NYC with the Opening Night world premiere of Nelson George and Diane Paragas' documentary Brooklyn Boheme. Stars such as Chris Rock, Spike Lee, festival ambassadorMario Van Peebles, Maxwell, Giancarlo Esposito and John Boyega (who's filming a movie with Spike) came out in support of the film many describe as a "love letter to Brooklyn."

"We're very excited to be premiering this film at Urbanworld," said George. "Hopefully, the exposure we're receiving at this festival will create opportunities for us to bring 'Brooklyn Boheme' to the rest of the world."

Additional celebs/VIPs in attendance included BET's Stephen Hill, Basketball Wives' Meeka Claxton, radio personality Egypt Sherrod, culture critic Michaela Angela Davis, stylist/entrepreneur Marlo Hampton, actorHassan Johnson, director Qasim Basir and The Start of Dreams directors The Horne Brothers.

Urbanworld continues through Sunday 9/18 with appearances by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Lynn Whitfield, Tyrese, Jamie Hector, Valerie Simpson, Sonia Sanchez, Tami Roman, Chad Coleman, Nashawn Kearse and more. Visit www.urbanworld.org for more information.

2011 National Read a Book Day Shana Burton’s Catt Chasin

Today, September 6, 2011 is National Read a Book Day. The holiday is designed to encourage us to take time from our busy lives and relax with a great book. This year we have selected Shana Burton’s Catt Chasin’(Urban Books) as our 2011 Read a Book Day Pick.

Why did we choose this book?

Catt Chasin’ the story of Jamal Ford. He has narrowed his love life down to a science through the creation of his 30-Day Dating Plan, a guide intended to weed out the drama queens, gold-diggers, and baby mamas from his ideal: a part goddess, part sex kitten, and part Stepford Wife mate. The shallow, fun-loving 33-year-old knows he’s one of Charlotte, North Carolina’s most eligible bachelors, and he won’t settle for anything less than the trophy wife of his dreams.Catherine “Catt” Cason has never let anything slow her down. The brilliant chemist takes being labeled “the cute fat girl” in stride as she fast-tracks her way to a top position with her cosmetic company, Telegenic. While she would enjoy the love of a good man, Catt refuses to risk heartbreak again just to have a warm body at her side. Besides, why settle for the love of an earthly man when she is the fiancée of Christ?

When Jamal is paired with Catt to launch a new product for work, it’s loathe at first sight. She thinks he’s arrogant and incompetent; he thinks she’s a sanctimonious kill-joy. However, what each believes they want may not be what God knows they need. In this game of love, rules don’t exist, and no heart is safe. The Lord is speaking, but will they be too caught up in their own agendas to listen?

Doesn’t the sound like fun?

We will be talking about the book all September and chatting with the author, Shana Burton, too.

Would you like to join us?

To join us is an easy three step process:

1. Join us all month long on Facebook by clicking here (http://on.fb.me/bookmonth).
2. If you do not own a copy, click here to purchase one (http://amzn.to/cattchase )
3. Share http://amzn.to/cattchase with your friends on Facebook or Twitter/

 

Once you’re done, please check in here. Our Goal is to get 50 readers reading Shana Burton Catt Chasin on September 6 and throughout the month. That’s not a Hard Goal. Right?!

Thanks for participating!

Alonquin Book Club, Heidi Durrow and Terrey McMillan

http://t.co/p6i2aOg Terry McMillan interviews Heidi Durrow tomorrow , September 17, 2011 at 10 pm EST/ 7PM PCT for live webcast

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Red Beach Bag Books: The Lightkeeper’s Ball

“The New York brownstone was just half a block down from the Astor mansion on Fifth Avenue, the most prestigious address in the country. The carriage, monogrammed with the Stewart emblem, rattled through the iron gates and came to a halt in front of the ornate doors.”

I like when I read the first lines of a fresh novel and it pulls me in as if I’m the character. Colleen Coble does a great job of transporting you into her character’s world. If you’re into elegance, romance, regencies, and a story written with a Christian worldview then this book is for you.

So to kick off my Red Beach Bag Summer Books Spotlight I introduce you to The Lightkeeper’s Ball. (The bag is a Carolina Herrara.)

Synopsis: Olivia seems to have it all, but her heart yearns for more.

Olivia Stewart's family is one of the Four Hundred-the highest echelon of society in 1910. When her sister dies under mysterious circumstances, Olivia leaves their New York City home for Mercy Falls, California, to determine what befell Eleanor. She suspects Harrison Bennett, the man Eleanor planned to marry. But the more Olivia gets to know him, the more she doubts his guilt-and the more she is drawn to him herself.

When several attempts are made on her life, Olivia turns to Harrison for help. He takes her on a ride in his aeroplane, but then crashes, and they're forced to spend two days alone together. With her reputation hanging by a thread, Harrison offers to marry her to make the situation right. As a charity ball to rebuild the Mercy Falls lighthouse draws near, she realizes she wants more than a sham engagement-she wants Harrison in her life forever. But her enemy plans to shatter the happiness she is ready to grasp. If Olivia dares to drop her masquerade, she just might see the path to true happiness.

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Sneak Peak and Excerpt of A Good Excuse to Be Bad

Thursday I finally turned in Someone Bad and Something Blue to my editor. I took Friday off to relax my brain and read. I hope you all will help me write Book 3 (will begin plotting next week.) However, this morning I learned that you could read a sneak peak of A Good Excuse to Be Bad. It releases next month, so I’m pinching myself every day. Would love for you to check out and tell me how you feel. Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/Good-Excuse-Be-Bad/dp/0758259506

 

Also, mirandaparker.com is a community site. I built it so that you could register share your stories, books, book clubs, whatever with me and others who like the stories I write and the things I like. So register, tell yourself something about me and let’s have a good excuse to get to know each other!!

 

Miranda P

Beverly Cleary Finalist for 2010 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes

 

The 2011 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes ceremony honors the best books of 2010

The 2010 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes will be awarded April 29, 2011, in a ceremony at the Los Angeles Times building. Beloved children’s author Beverly Clearly is awarded 2010 Robert Kirsch Award.

The Los Angeles Times Book Prizes were first awarded in 1980, with the idea of honoring literary excellence and celebrating the community of readers in Los Angeles. Now, more than thirty years later, the Book Prizes have expanded to 10 categories, have honored more than thirty writers from the west with the Kirsch Award, and now offer an Innovator’s Award, which recognizes the people and institutions that are doing cutting edge work to bring books, publishing and storytelling into the future. Past winners include: Nobel Laureates Gabriel Garcia Marquez, National Book Award winners Joan Didion; and Dave Eggers, who won the current interest prize for “Zeitoun” in the same year that he was named winner of the Innovator’s Award for his work with McSweeney’s, the 826 Literacy organization and his multitude of other achievements in the world of books.

The 2010 Book Prizes Innovator’s Award Winner, Robert Kirsch Award Winner, and the category finalists were announced publicly on February 22, 2011. Click here to view the winners

Attica Locke will be presenting Mystery/Thriller Prize.

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Holiday Lit Luxe : Book Clutch

What’s cooler than cuddling up with a good book, a blanket and some cocoa this holiday season? How about a designer Lolita clutch by Olympia Le-Tan?

Actress Natalie Portman sported hardbacked Lolita at the premiere of her new acclaimed movie Lolita and Clemence Poesy clutched her copy of at The Harry Potter Premiere.

Want one? Clutch your pearls. These faux books are luxe ($1200+) So you could save up,  ask Santa or get it here. http://www.olympialetan.com

Just saw a DIY video tutorial . Thinking of making a few A Good Excuse to Be Bad ones for Miranda Parker fans. Wachoothink?

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