African American Book Clubs Cruise Along with Authors in 2000

by Shonell Bacon, The Nubian Chronicles

Interviews

Yoni Benson, Founder of The Circle of Essence Book Club of the Island of Galveston, Texas

Peggy Hicks, African American Book Club Summit Publicist and founder of TriCom

Kimberla Lawson Roby, Best-Selling Author

Pamela Walker Williams, Event Chair

YONI BENSON

The Circle of Essence Book Club of the Island of Galveston, Texas originated in June 1999 as a result of me reading an article on how to create your own book club in ESSENCE.  (This is why I included the word essence in the name).    We read literature that is written by and for the African American.

We have a membership of 10.  We meet monthly.  We do not have book discussions with the selected book's author; however, we have hosted a discussion with Victor McGlothin, author of Autumn Leaves.

We support authors by "word of mouth" and e-mail.

I believe that we (African American readers) are maximizing our resources (e-mail, internet, publicist, economics, etc) and getting a great return of our investments.

Events such as the African American Book Club Summit at Sea are very important.  Such events provide opportunity for readers, authors (published and self publishing), publishing companies, etc. to network, promote, and heighten awareness of the African American experiences.  Summits also provide an competitive environment and spotlighting for African American authors and publishing companies.

PEGGY HICKS

1. How did you first get involved with African American Book Club Summit?

The Good Book Club in Houston, TX is one of the clubs on my mailing list.  In the process, I was introduced to the summit, which is the first of its kind directed specifically at book clubs.  Since bookclubs are one of my specialties, it was a perfect fit.

2. As a publicist, particularly an author's publicist, how important are book clubs to a new or established African American author?

Extremely important. Very often authors forge professional as well as personal relationships with clubs.  Particularly with new authors, it's great way to get their books directly to the avid readers.  For the
authors I represent, book clubs are their most vocal supporters. When a club chooses a book for the monthly reading selection, they spread the word on the book, write on-line reviews and even attend events when the author is in their city.

3. What has been your own personal and professional fascination with book clubs?

Being an avid reader myself, I share the clubs love of books.  Professionally, I recognized clubs were being under utilized, and my company began offering the service to authors and publishers two years
ago, and now we have over 225 clubs nationally on our mailing list.

4. Why, do you think, there has been such a rapid emergence of African American book clubs (online and off)?

With such a lack of choice of reading from African American authors in the past, it just wasn't conducive to readership or book club growth.  Today, new titles are being released every genre.  You could easily make the correlation that for every new African American title released; a new African American book club is waiting to read it.

5. How important are events such as the African American Book Club Summit (Cruise)?

The Summit Cruise and other such events are very important. Working with clubs from all over the country, I may not ever get the chance to actually meet the people -- I talk to them via computer, fax and phone everyday. Events like this give all of us -- publicists, authors and even other book clubs,  a chance to meet face to face and enjoy the very thing that brought us all together in the first place-- reading!

KIMBERLA LAWSON ROBY

1.  How did you come about joining in the Summit?

I was asked by the Summit committee just before the release of CASTING THE FIRST STONE.

2.  How significant a role has book clubs played in your success as an author?

Extremely significant.  My publicist and I both received e-mail messages and letters on a frequent basis from book clubs saying that they chose CASTING THE FIRST STONE as their monthly selection and how much they enjoyed discussing it.  My publisher also printed a reading group guide that was designed specifically to cater to book clubs because of how well they supported me after the release of HERE AND NOW.

3.  How important are events such as the Summit, in your opinion?

Events such as the Summit are crucial because they allow book clubs throughout the country to interact with authors on an up-close and personal basis.  It also allows authors to meet, socialize with and thank the people who make our careers possible in the first place.

4.  Book clubs represent a community of book-loving people who come together to discuss their views on selected books. Looking at the theme of "community", do you believe it's important, as an author, to have a sense of community with not only fellow published authors, but to your readers and those aspiring authors that look to you for inspiration?

Yes.  It's wonderful to have an all-inclusive network of published authors, aspiring writers and readers.  We all play major parts in the relationship, and it is because of this team effort that there are so many new African-American titles being released today.

PAMELA WALKER WILLIAMS

1. How did the AABC Summit come about?

After communicating with dozens of book clubs across the country via our cyber book club (http://www.pageturner.net/gbc) we thought it would be a great idea if we could all finally meet.  We sent out email and ask book clubs across the country would they be interested in having a convention and
the response was overwhelmingly in favor of it!

2. How long has the Summit been in the works?

In September of 1999 representatives from 4 Houston Area Book Clubs meet to discuss hosting the Summit.

3. How successful do you believe the Summit will be?

We are extremely pleased with the way the event is coming along.  We are 80% booked and our only advertising has been word of mouth (or word of e-mail!)  We have some of the country's top authors (who just happen to be African American) participating and we also have representatives from book clubs
coming from as far as Alaska.

4. Will the Summit become an annual event?

We certainly hope so.  We are already making plans for the 2001 Summit.  We are thinking about Bermuda or Jamaica.

5. This year's cruise, upcoming (possible?) cruises, do you seek the assistance of volunteers to help in creating such a worthwhile event?

Everyone working on the Summit this year is a volunteer.  We have no paid staff (myself included.)  We have 10 book clubs that have volunteer to host the different events (workshops, book signings, etc.)

6. How important, do you believe, are African American book clubs? In general, and in terms of helping new and established African American authors?

We are experiencing a reading renaissance in our country, especially in the African American Community.  Book Clubs (thanks to Oprah) have spouted up all over the country, and African American Women are bonding, sharing and most of all reading.  I have found that some women who never before read a book for pleasure, are reading with great anticipation of the upcoming book club meeting. We host book signings, support and introduce new authors to the community, we write reviews, and we buy LOTS of books.

7. Why, do you think, there has been such a rapid emergence of African American book clubs (online and off)?

I think Oprah had a lot to do with the "organized" book club.  However, I have met some clubs that have had reading groups for over 20 years.  The internet just brought a new element to book clubs, now we can discuss books with people from all over the world.

8. How important are events such as the African American Book Club Summit (Cruise)?

Events such as the Summit show the publishing industry that the African American Community has a voice.  We read all types of books, we come from all types of backgrounds, and we can gather together in a positive way to share a common interest.