Holiday gratitude

I was very fortunate to be invited to participate in a bunch of book events around the country this year. Those invitations were extra special because I didn't have a new book out in 2011. I'm hoping to remedy that situation soon (stay tuned). In the meantime I want to thank the event promoters, book clubs and readers who were so kind to me this year.

Thank you:

Me and Angela Reid of Imani Book Club in Atlanta.

Curtis Bunn and the National Book Club Conference. This was my first year participating and I hope I get to do it again in the future! Imagine readers so serious about books and authors they pay airfare, hotel and conference fees PLUS many of them have to pay for baggage for the books they bring with them for authors to sign or the ones they buy at the conference and take back home! An author's wish come true!

Deborah Burton-Johnson and the United California African American Book Clubs Fall Into Fiction. I so enjoyed participating in this 5th annual conference that brings book clubs from northern and southern California together! From the minute I stepped off the plane, I was treated so warmly by Deborah and her group.

BlogHer '11 in San Diego and BlogHer Writers '11 in New York. This group offers great conferences for writers and bloggers. If you get a chance next year, check out one of their conferences. And if you can't go, they host virtual conferences on their site. A liveblog of my panel "How to Pitch a Book" is archived here. A liveblog of my panel on "How to Turn a Book or Two Into a Career" is archived here.

Gwen Richardson and the National Black Book Festival in Houston. One of the great side benefits of these kind of events is you not only get to mingle with readers, but you get to meet other writers. At this event I got to meet Tananarive Due and Jacqueline Luckett.

Kim Riley, me, Keith Johnson (in back). R.M. Johnson & Bernice McFadden (in front).

Kim Riley and the Kansas City Book Lovers and Book Clubs Conference. The Kansas City Library supports their local book clubs with this event that brings in authors for a weekend of books and fun. And Kim and her volunteers were lovely hosts! This was the 3rd year and over 250 registered!

Lorene Cary and the Art Sanctuary Celebration of Black Writing in Philadelphia. What an honor to be invited by an author I so respect and admire! I participated in the tribute to J. California Cooper (along with Tina McElroy Ansa and Tananarive Due) in an event I will remember the rest of my life.

Denver Public Library. I kicked off the Scribes, Scholars & Storytellers series at the Blair-Caldwell Library.

Community College of Aurora. I participated in the National Day on Writing and met with a great group of students!

Me, Rosalyn Story, Deborah Burton-Johnson, Donna Grant & Virginia DeBerry

Academy for Life Long Learning. I taught a class on banned books and race to a very engaged group.

Pillars Book Club. Some of their members flew from Texas and Louisiana to have dinner with me in Denver!

With the lovely members of the Pillars Book Club.

Ivy League Book Club. Online book chat.

The Reading Cove Book Club. Skype book chat. Audio of our discussion is podcasted here.

I am honored and grateful to have participated in each of the above events and for the opportunity to meet readers and other authors--many of whom I now consider friends.

Thank you all for a great year! Happy Holidays!