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| 6th Annual Celebration of Reading AUTHORS
Vincent Alexandria | Vincent Alexandria is an author, actor, producer, director, composer, lyricist, screenwriter, vocalist, and musician. He holds a Masters degree in literature at Baker University and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Rockhurst College . He is the founder of the Brother 2 Brother African-American Male Literary Symposium. Its mission is to enlighten men and women in reading and comprehension to enhance their quality of life. Having nationally published authors show a commitment to their communities and give back to their readers in gratitude of what they have done for them and their careers. He has completed three murder detective mystery novels, “Postal Blues,” “Black Rain,” and his first novel, “If Walls Could Talk”, which he is in negotiations for a movie deal. Vincent Alexandria also wrote the movie script, (Walls of Deception). He has released his first poetry book, “Poetry from the Bottom of My Heart.” He signed his first book deal with BET Publishing and now has just signed another three book deal with Harlequin/Kimani Press for Killer Joe, Unpredictable & Ain’t Nothing Like Loving An Ugly Woman. He is also shopping his two children’s books, Marvelous Marvin and the Case of Mr. Potato Head, Marvelous Marvin and the Case of Freddy Freeman and the Freckled Face Bully & Marvelous Marvin and the Case of Grandad’s Missing Choppers.
BOOK TITLE(s): If Walls Could Talk, Postal Blues; Black Rain: Poetry from the Bottom of My Heart
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Dessie Bey | Dessie Bey is a child of the 1960s Revolutionary Movement and the 1970s Love and Happiness Era. Her first collection of poetry, Snappin’ Out! in more ways than one, reflects her justified militant and conscious awareness. Yet through it all, compassion of womanhood, “in more ways than one’, prevails. As the late Oba, Rob Penny put is in the foreword, “the atmosphere, from beginning to end is covered with lavender of social activism, which lifts the poem up to another level of appreciation… I
BOOK TITLE(s): Snappin’ Out! in more ways than one
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Edda L. Fields-Black | Edda L. Fields-Black is an Associate Professor in Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of History where she teaches courses on African history from the early pre-colonial to the neo-colonial period, slavery and freedom in Africa and the New World, West African history, globalization in African History, entrepreneurship in Africa and the making of the African Diaspora and serves as the Faculty Director for Carnegie Mellon’s African and African American Studies Minor. Fields-Black’s research has been funded nationally the Woodrow Wilson, Ford, Annenberg, and Mellon Foundations as well as by Fulbright-Hays. At Carnegie Mellon, Dr. Fields-Black has received funding from the Berkman and Faulk Funds, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: Institute for the Study of Entrepreneurship, and Innovation and Technology and the Henry Luce Foundation Project: ThAbudance of Life, Love and Lue Greening of Early Undergraduate Education.
BOOK TITLE(s): Soul Soldiers: African Americans and the Vietnam Era Deep Roots: Rice Farms in West Africa and the African Diaspora
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Samuel W. Black | Samuel W. Black is the Curator of African American Collections at the Senaor John Heinz History Center. He is the curator of the exhibition, “Soul Soldiers: African Americans and the Vietnam Era” that opened at the Heinz History Center in 2006 and has travelled to Chicago, Dallas, and Philadelphia, and will go to Richmond, Virginia: Birmingham, Alabama; and Memphis, Tennessee. Soul Soldiers is the recipient of four awards including the American Association for State and Local History Award of Merit and the Pennsylvania Federation of Museums and Cultural Organizations. He is Vice President of the Association of African American Museums and a member of the Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society of Pittsburgh.
BOOK TITLE(s): Editor, Soul Soldiers: African Americans and the Vietnam Era; co-author, Through the Lens of Allen E. Cole: African Americans in Cleveland
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Carol Payne Crystian | Carol Payne Crystian is a retired teacher from the Pittsburgh Public School District. She taught in the Pittsburgh District for 30 years. As a young child her desire to write always a dream of hers. While teaching her students to write she passed this joy onto them. Many of her students have won poetry contests that their teacher, Mrs. Crystian encourage them to enter. Carol has been writing poetry for 15 years. She has published three books of poetry and one children's book. For her writing isn't just something she does it is something she must do.
| BOOK TITLE(s): Jas and Poetic Lucy; When a Trumpet Blows | Zarifa Elahi
| Zarifa Elahi
BOOK TITLE(s): Abudance of Life, Love and Luxury
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Sandra Gould Ford | Sandra Gould Ford is an Author, Quilt Artist and Photo-Essayist who explores human potential through the written word and visual art. Gould Ford also is an educator who teaches and exhibits in schools and organizations nationwide. She founded Shooting Star Productions, Inc., a non-profit cultural organization that produced two major writers conferences and published Shooting Star Review, an international literary magazine for ten years. In 1998, St. Martin’s Press published Gould Ford’s first novel, Faraday’s Popcorn Factory. In July, 2006, she published a beautiful anthology of poetry, fiction, essays and memoirs written by women inmates of the Allegheny County Jail. Sandra Gould Ford has received numerous awards. In December, 2006, she was a Women in the Material World honoree of The Women and Girls Foundations. In 2005, she obtained a grant from the Multi-Cultural Arts Initiative to teach visual journaling at a community family support center. Her writing awards include the Nelson Algren Fiction Award from the Chicago Tribune, the August Wilson Fiction Award and Honorable Mention in the Writers Digest Short Fiction Competition.
BOOK TITLE(s): Faraday’s Popcorn Factory; Anthologies – Diamonds In The Rough, Phoenix Rising, Dawn
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Elnora Agnes Fortson | Elnora Agnes Fortson accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Saviour June 1976 and is a member of Greater Pittsburgh Christian Deliverance Outreach where Bishop Timothy Williams, Jr. is the pastor/founder. Some of her awards include two World of Poetry’s Golden Poet Awards and 1st place in the August Wilson Writing Contest, adult poetry division. Elnora won the Editor’s Choice Award this year for Outstanding Achievement in Poetry presented by poetry.com and the International Library of Poetry for her poem “Singing Prayers”. In the ‘60’s, at WYEP-FM she hosted a women’s news show; and was the editor and reporter at TALK Magazine. As a Penn Avenue Arts Initiative recipient, she directed Poetry Is Fun!, a youth class. Also, she is the founder of The PRAISE Poets. Elnora’s next projects include two poetry books Praise Poems and Cinnamon Rose; a joke book, The Fortson Family Joke Book, TV and a CD. She is available for readings. The Lord has blessed her to be a survivor of 4 brain tumors; and an Amtrak Train wreck. She has three beautiful daughters Akilah, Ayanna and Anika. She loves the Lord and gives God all of the glory!
| BOOK TITLE(s): Praise Poems for Sunday Mornings of Rejoicing; Women of the Bible; Her poems are included in the book entitled, The Life and Time of Deacon Ezra Martin
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Walter Fortson | Walter Fortson was born in New Kensington, PA. He graduated from Penn State, B.S. in Psychology; and from the University of Pittsburgh, M.Ed. He served two years in the Army. He is married to Elnora and they have three adult daughters, Akilah, Ayanna, and Anika. He attends Christian Teaching Ministries (C.T.M.) where Elder Ronald Burnett is the pastor. Walter he serves at C.T.M. as an Elder, Bible School teacher, usher, and financial steward. As the owner of Fortson Publishers, he has been a C.O.A.B.E. presenter and vendor (Memphis, Tennessee); a JETT CON conference vendor (Baltimore, Maryland); speaker at today’s YouthSum, (Peabody High School); and a return vendor at this year’s exciting Celebration of Reading event.
BOOK TITLE(s): Fair Employment Interviewing; Amazing Animal Facts; Resume Writing Without Paid Work Experience; The Life and Times of Deacon Ezra Martin; Edited/wrote testimonial, Praise Poems for Sunday Mornings of Rejoicing; How to Help Your Child Be A Millionaire and Live Debt Free
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Tenanche Rose Golden | Tenanche Rose Golden is a floral herbalist, Natural health educator and practitioner with over 16 years experience. She is the owner of Rosaflora Botamcias, formulating natural remedies for the essence of roses.
| BOOK TITLE(s): ROSE FLOWER ESSENCES: A New Guide To Natural Healing With 65 Remedies Made From The World's Most Beloved Flower; Rose Oil and Rosewater: 25 Quick and Easy Tips for Beautiful Skin and Wellbeing
| M'Bwebe Ishangi
| M'Bwebe Ishangi
BOOK TITLE(s): Analitikul Cogitationz
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Abu Shahid
| Abu Shahid
BOOK TITLE(s): The Naked Truth
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Yejide | Yejide is an Afrikan Womban, Mother, author and spoken word artist who assists the healing journey of her sisters via words. | BOOK TITLE(s): God-Is: a mini-book of daily quotes and mediations for Afrikan Womban
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