Guest Blogger: Paula Chase

Looking for Mr. (or Ms.) Good Read?

By Paula Chase Hyman


Assuming a book that’s found a traditional publishing home is automatically a “good” book – if to no one else than the acquiring editor, I feel comfortable proclaiming that 90% of a book’s success is exposure. Okay maybe I totally made up that number. But as an author and PR Chick, I feel relatively qualified to say awareness is key, especially considering five thousand children’s books are released annually.

How can you keep up when it’s raining books? How do you know which tome to cuddle up with? Stopping by YA Enchanted Reviews is a good start. Now take another step with me…

The Brown Bookshelf was started to serve as a voice to shout about a few of those good books, specifically children’s books written by African American authors. And starting February 1st, we’ll spotlight a new author or illustrator everyday. Those who comment on the site anytime between Feb 1st and Feb 28th are eligible for the end of the month giveaway - free books by the spotlighted author. Also at the end of the month, we’ll donate books by the authors, illustrators and their publishers to a library in need.

Good reads and a worthy cause to boot!

Eight of the spotlight authors write YA fiction.

Two of them are veteran authors, what we at the Brown Bookshelf call literary jewels. The other six are hidden gems, waiting for more readers to discover them.

Here’s the YA line-up:

February 1st – Sharon Draper, November Blues

Feb. 4th – Tia Williams, Sixteen Candles

Feb. 5th – Julius Lester, Guardian

Feb 11th – Tanita S. Davis, A La Carte

Feb 18th – Marilyn Nelson, Freedom Business: Including a Narrative of the Life & Adventures of Venture

Feb 20th – Deborah Gregory, Catwalk

Feb 25th – Sherri Winston, The Kayla Chronicles

Feb 28th – Monica McKayhan – Jaded

Check the entire roster