Literary News You Can Use

Just wanted to take a minute to share some literary "goings on".

Don't miss Sins of the Mother on the Lifetime Movie Network this Sunday at 8 pm est/7 pm cst. Based on Carleen Brice's Orange Mint and Honey, it stars Jill Scott and Nicole Beharie (American Violet). Be sure to head over to the Lifetime message board to let them know what you think, especially if you'd like to see more of our stories on TV and the big screen.

The sequel to Terry McMillan's Waiting to Exhale titled Getting to Happy is set to be released some time this fall and catches up with the ladies 10 - 15 years after we last saw them. What do you think? Anyone excited about this or has the interest level in this story expired?

Anchee Min, author of Empress Orchid and The Last Empress is back with a new book about author Pearl Buck. I'm a fan of both women so I'm looking forward to reading Pearl of China when it comes out in March. If I'm really lucky, I'll get a free copy in the mail!

There's finally a Kindle for Blackberry app available and it's free! What does that mean to you? That means you can join the rest of us in reading Bernice McFadden's Keeper of the Keys, available for the low price of $ 1.99. You can also read it on your iPhone or on your computer, using Amazon's new Kindle for PC app. After you've read it, be sure to sign up over on the right for a reminder of our March 10 chat with the author herself.

This has absolutely nothing to do with literature, but it makes me cackle.

That's it for me. What upcoming books and/or literary events are you excited about? Please feel free to share!

Join us for a Special Event in Honor of National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Pulled from The Red Pump Project -

As National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS approach, we want people to realize that women are a big part of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and we ought to know how the disease is affecting us directly and indirectly. There are many reasons why it's important for women to know the facts when it comes to HIV. Biologically, we're more susceptible to infection during sex. We're also more likely to get infected through heterosexual sex.

Statistics used are from the Center for Disease Control's website. Although these stats are only taking the United States into account, globally, HIV/AIDS is no less of a problem, especially for women.

HIV/AIDS & Minority Women
------------------------------------------
HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects minority women in the United States. According to the 2005 census, Black and Latina women represent 24% of all US women combined, but account for 82% of the estimated total of AIDS diagnoses for women in 2005.

HIV is the:

• Leading cause of death for Black women (including African American women) aged 25–34 years.

• 3rd leading cause of death for Black women aged 35–44 years.

• 4th leading cause of death for Black women aged 45–54 years.

• 4th leading cause of death for Latina women aged 35–44 years.

• The only diseases causing more deaths of women are cancer and heart disease

• The rate of AIDS diagnosis for Black women was approximately 23 times the rate for white women and 4 times the rate for Latina women

• In 2006, teen girls represented 39% of AIDS cases reported among 13–19 year-olds. Black teens represented 69% of cases reported among 13–19 year-olds; Latino teens represented 19%.

In recognition of National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, I'm pleased to announce that author Bernice McFadden will join us on Wednesday, March 10, for an online discussion of her e-book, Keeper of the Keys.

This moving story of a young woman who considers suicide when she learns she has AIDS is only available through Amazon.com and only in e-format for the low price of $ 1.99. If you don't own a Kindle, you can still join in by reading on your iPhone or on your computer, using Amazon's new Kindle for PC app. Both apps are free.

Please don't miss out on this opportunity to discuss such an important topic in our community. Happy reading and we'll chat Wednesday, March 10 at 8 pm EST/7 pm CST right here.