The DRB's Top Shelf
Both of my Del Rio Bay Clique novels have receieved Top Shelf honors at Urban Reviews.
Urban Reviews primarily reviews African American adult fiction. Quite obvious when you click through. One of my friends said she thought she'd stumbled across the wrong site when she saw my book among the other very ::ahem:: shall we say, mature covers.
But nope, there sits So Not The Drama and Don't Get It Twisted among books that are clearly not targeting my young readers. Ahh or are they?
I'm stoked that Urban Reviews not only reviewed my books but gave them five out of five:
1) Because there are plenty of teen readers who are reading the books Urban Reviews normally recommends.
This past Saturday, I was a guest speaker at the monthly meeting of Delta Gems, Delta Sigma Theta's youth mentoring group. When I asked how many read street lit and adult fiction, one of the three Gems raised their hand.
One out of three isn't astounding or even significant, statisically. But it is a truth that African American writers of YA must face. For some Black teens our books will simply not hold the glamour and allure of an adult book.
Which is fine, except I happen to also believe that when some teens open a book that features characters their age, experiencing what they're going through or have gone through - they'll come back to the YA fold. Even if it means reading both YA and adult, which I did as a young reader.
And that brings me to 2)Because my lovely graphic colors are not like most other teen books with photo covers (until That's What's Up! anyway) there are lots of readers - adult and teen - who aren't aware that my book revolves around an African American protagonist.
But having it reviewed by Urban Reviews is a sure enough sign that it is. So, for many, seeing my books reviewed at Urban Reviews will be an introduction to them, despite So Not The Drama coming up on a year since its release.
I'm pleased to be among Urban Reviews best reviewed books. It certainly ain't a bad way to start the year.
Urban Reviews primarily reviews African American adult fiction. Quite obvious when you click through. One of my friends said she thought she'd stumbled across the wrong site when she saw my book among the other very ::ahem:: shall we say, mature covers.
But nope, there sits So Not The Drama and Don't Get It Twisted among books that are clearly not targeting my young readers. Ahh or are they?
I'm stoked that Urban Reviews not only reviewed my books but gave them five out of five:
1) Because there are plenty of teen readers who are reading the books Urban Reviews normally recommends.
This past Saturday, I was a guest speaker at the monthly meeting of Delta Gems, Delta Sigma Theta's youth mentoring group. When I asked how many read street lit and adult fiction, one of the three Gems raised their hand.
One out of three isn't astounding or even significant, statisically. But it is a truth that African American writers of YA must face. For some Black teens our books will simply not hold the glamour and allure of an adult book.
Which is fine, except I happen to also believe that when some teens open a book that features characters their age, experiencing what they're going through or have gone through - they'll come back to the YA fold. Even if it means reading both YA and adult, which I did as a young reader.
And that brings me to 2)Because my lovely graphic colors are not like most other teen books with photo covers (until That's What's Up! anyway) there are lots of readers - adult and teen - who aren't aware that my book revolves around an African American protagonist.
But having it reviewed by Urban Reviews is a sure enough sign that it is. So, for many, seeing my books reviewed at Urban Reviews will be an introduction to them, despite So Not The Drama coming up on a year since its release.
I'm pleased to be among Urban Reviews best reviewed books. It certainly ain't a bad way to start the year.
posted by Paula at 7:50 AM
1 Comments:
WOW! Congrats. I didn't know that.
-Laurel
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