We are pleased to announce that this Sunday, November 21, 2010 at 9pm EST Substitute Me author, Lori L. Tharps will be our guest for #blacklitchat Tweet Chat on Twitter!!!!!!!!!!

 

So grab your book, grab your PJs, grab your galpals and lets have an online book chat with her.  Also if you have questions about natural hair care, have them ready so she can answer.

Umm…who is Lori. L. Tharps?

Lori L. Tharps is an assistant professor of journalism at Temple University, an author, freelance journalist and mom. She was a staff reporter at Vibe magazine and then a correspondent for Entertainment Weekly. She has written for Ms., Savoy, Suede, Bitch, Odyssey Couleur and Essence magazines.  She’s the author of  two non-fiction books: Hair Story coauthored with Ayana Byrd, Kinky Gizpacho and her debut novel Substitute Me.

I’ve heard about Substitute Me, but don’t know what it’s about?

 

Substitute Me reads like ” a modern-day horror story… that will haunt you for days.”
Essence Magazine, August 2010

Where is the source of our identities? Our upbringing, occupation, partners? Kate, a driven public-relations exec and mom coming off maternity leave, tells Zora, while interviewing her for a nanny post, that she wants to hire a “substitute me.” Zora, an upper-middle-class African American, wants the job but worries about betraying the dreams of the women who came before her by becoming a domestic. She then finds her passion in cooking, and practices to become a personal chef by feeding the family as part of her duties. Brad, Kate’s egalitarian banker husband, feels uncomfortable making so much money in the pre-meltdown days. Kate misses her son but throws herself wholeheartedly into her work, putting in exceptionally long days. Brad accepts all these household changes, and finds himself spending more time with Zora than Kate. Friends, lovers, co-workers, and family—all armed with opinions and attitudes—play key roles in Tharps’ lively modern domestic drama about why we are who we are. . --Danise Hoover, BookList

"Lori Tharps's warm and engaging novel about the struggles of juggling marriage, motherhood and a meaningful career focuses on a story we're each living, but also exposes the secrets we won't tell. An enjoyable read."

-- Heidi Durrow, author of The Girl Who Fell from the Sky

Book clubs: Substitute Me will give you so much to talk, laugh and argue about, you might want to schedule two meetings to discuss it. Days after finishing it, I'm still debating who the villain is. Lori Tharps has written a timely, engaging page-turner that every working mom in America should read!"

-- Carleen Brice, author of Children of the Waters

A fresh, fun, view of "the help" from a writer to watch.

-- Benilde Little, author of Good Hair

After you’re read the book, I’ll add your praise here. (wink, nod)

What is BlackLit Chat?

It's a stream of tweets about books by Black[including Pan-African, African-American, Brit, Caribbean, Canadian Black, etc.] authors in real time during a specified time. Our time  for this chat is Sunday, November 21, 2010 from 9 PM EST.

More about #BlackLitChat is here at my co-host Bernadette Davis’ Black Books Blog. 

 How does it Work? 3 Easy Steps

1. 1. Get a Twitter account, or login, or remember your Twitter Password.
2. 2. Join the chat by clicking this link. http://twebevent.com/blacklitchat
3. 3. Now login with your Twitter Password.

 

Soul Train Awards week in Atlanta kicked off right last night at Shanti Das and Marlon Nichols' ATL LIVE ON THE PARK showcase hosted by Kenny Burns. Surprise performances, sexy ambiance and a room of the music industry's who's who made the evening one of the best shows ever!

Dallas Austin, Kenard Gibbs, Mayor Kasim Reed, Kenny Burns, Frank Ski, Shanti Das & Ron Devoe

Attendees included Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Soul Train Holdings CEO Kenard Gibbs, Doug E. Fresh, Frank Ski, Rodney Jerkins, Dallas Austin, Sister 2 Sister publisher Jamie Foster Brown, New Edition's Ron Devoe, Chaka Zulu, Catherine Brewton, Kawan Prather and many more!

The show's featured acts were R&B vet Donell Jones, newcomer from SoulTrain.com Rhonda Nicoleand Universal Motown/Darkchild Records girl group Purple Reign. However, guests were treated to impromptu performances by Brownstone's Nicci Gilbert and Ron Devoe (who took everyone back to "Poison"). But the highlight of the night was Doug E. Fresh, who did his own fly version of Cali Swagg District's "Teach Me How to Dougie" and sent the crowd into a frenzy. Classic!

Photos: James Pray for Supreme Team Photography

 Doug E. Fresh and Shanti Das

 

    Mayor Kasim Reed, Jamie Foster Brown & Kenard Gibbs

Rodney Jerkins & Marlon Nichols

 

Yelawolf & Dallas Austin

 

                                Kawan Prather and Catherine Brewton

 

            Ron Devoe, Kameelah Williams (702), Chaka Zulu                                

 

Donell Jones does his classic "You Know What's Up"

Doug E. Fresh teaches ATL LIVE how to really Dougie 
      Brownstone's Nicci Gilbert does a rendition of "If You Love Me"

 

       The crowd goes wild for all the surprise performances.