RedBone Press

The lovely Samiya Bashir (author of Where the Apple Falls, and the forthcoming Gospel) will appear as part of Tim'm T. West's Front Porch during Dallas Black Pride! Come on out Friday night, October 3, 2008 to the Sterling Hotel Dallas, 1055 Regal Row, Dallas, TX 75247. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Click on the flyer for more details!

If you're in the vicinity of Austin, Texas on Friday, October 3, 2008, please come to this important discussion: "Progressive Publishers and Academics: The Last Word on Social Justice?" Participants include Lisa C. Moore (RedBone Press), Jocelyn Burrell and Asha Tall (South End Press), Rene Valdez (Red Salmon Arts), and moderator Dr. Joy James (2008-2009 visiting professor at John L. Warfield Center for African and African-American Studies, University of Texas at Austin). From the description:

This roundtable of independent publishers focuses on collaborations between progressive presses/bookstores and academics in the development of an international, multi-lingual e-library supporting democratic social movements. Writers, artists, activists, educators will explore collective projects using new approaches to technology, literacy, and organizing.

Sponsored by the John L. Warfield Center for African and African-American Studies. See here for more info on the time and place. Pass the word!

Still more happenings! Join the Brothers Network in Philadelphia for a reading by Ernest Hardy, author of Blood Beats: Vol. 2 / the bootleg joints, at 6 p.m. Friday, October 3, 2008 at one of Philly's oldest independents, Robin's Bookstore. Sponsored by Brothers Network, a pomosexual cultural organization for men of the African Diaspora engaged in generosity, compassion and intellectual discourse that provides innovative approaches to support new social norms and build wellness through the use of art, culture and sociopolitical action. Truly! Robin's Bookstore, 108 South 13th St., Philadelphia, PA 19107. 215-735-9600. See you there!

Even more big happenings! "Ernest Hardy [is] the cultural critic's critic," says Jeff Chang, author of Can't Stop Won't Stop. We agree! Ernest Hardy's writings have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Village Voice and The Advocate, among others. A deft cultural critic, Hardy's writing blurs the lines between high art and pop culture with a political edge. Join us for a reading/reception for his latest release, Blood Beats: Vol. 2 / the bootleg joints. Kenyon Farrow will moderate the discussion; Farrow is a leading writer and cultural critic, and blogs at www.kenyonfarrow.com. Wine and cheese reception to follow. 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 1, 2008 at the Audre Lorde Project, 85 South Oxford St., Brooklyn, NY. 718-596-0342. Sponsored by the Audre Lorde Project and the Brecht Forum.

More big happenings: On Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008, 1:30-2:30 p.m., RedBone Press author Ernest Hardy (Blood Beats: Vol. 2 / the bootleg joints) and SeeingBlack.com's founder and editor Esther Iverem (We Gotta Have It: Twenty Years of Seeing Black at the Movies, 1986-2006), will talk about black arts and culture criticism at the CityLit Stage of the Baltimore Book Festival. See here for more information about BBF. And many thanks to Gregg Wilhelm and Reginald Harris for making this important public discussion happen!

A couple of big happenings coming up: Ana-Maurine Lara will read from Erzulie's Skirt and her novel-in-progress, Anacaona's Daughter, at Fall for the Book from 3 to 4 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 22, 2008. She'll read on George Mason University's Fairfax campus, in the Provident Tent outside Johnson Center. Sponsored by Friends of the Sherwood Regional Library.

Mid-week, Lisa C. Moore will share a panel with Bruce George, co-creator of HBO's Def Poetry Jam, on the challenges and rewards of editing "minority authors"--in his case, gang members who write poetry; in RedBone's, black gay and lesbian writers. The panel will be 3-4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008 in Student Union Building II, Room 5, on George Mason University's Fairfax campus. Co-sponsored by Mason's Office of University Life, Weekend Initiatives and Diversity Programs and Services Office.

See here for more information about Fall for the Book... and see you there!

The Marylanders of Color Collective's book club (MOCC is part of Equality Maryland) will study Spirited: Affirming the Soul and Black Gay/Lesbian Identity for the fall. Spirited contributors Tracee Ford, Anthony Farmer, Dorothy Harris and Tonya Parker, and co-editor Lisa C. Moore, will kick off the MOCC book club fall program with Spirited on Monday, Sept. 15, 2008 at 7 p.m. at the Spiral Dance Womyn's Center & Bookstore in Baltimore, MD. Thank you, MOCC! Other book clubs, please feel free to contact RedBone Press if you'd like your club to discuss any RedBone Press title. We're up for the scrutiny!