The African American Literary Awards Show

Here's G. Garvin, chef & cookbook author, either presenting or accepting an award (he did both).

Deborah Gregory, author of the Cheetah Girls series, dressed in...cheetah fabric, presenting an award to Finesse Mitchell, formerly of SNL and winner for his book Your Girlfriends Only Know So Much.

Finesse presenting an award with Abiola Abrams of TVOne and BETJ and author of Dare: The Novel.

Me with the lovely Yvette Hayward, creator of the event, and the lovely Melody Guy (my amazing editor).

Tracey Smith, media & author relations person for the Go On Girl! Book Club, me, and model and reality show contestant Sharon Quinn.

I'm sad to say I didn't get pictures of my tablemates, nominees, Pat G'Orge-Walker, author of Cruising on Desperation, Henri Edmonds, author of The Georgia Avenue Bus, and Valerie Washington, nominated for her book of poems, Soul Passion. Nor do I have a pic of my friend Maryann who went with me from Denver. Um...how did that happen?!

And this is what the award looks like. It's heavy crystal, and I did get stopped going through security at LaGuardia!