Black LIT Radio debuts!

This Monday (10/8/2012), KAZI Book Review with Hopeton Hay debuts Black LIT Radio, a 10-minute segment on African American literature. The show airs at 7 AM Central, 8 AM Eastern on Austin's KAZI-FM 88.7. Those outside of Austin can listen live online at kazifm.org (click the microphone on left side of page) or through the TuneIn Radio app on iPhone or Droid phones. An iTunes podcast will be available shortly thereafter, which I'll share. 

The first segment is about Nella Larsen's 1929 novel Passing.

Yay! It's happening! If you listen at some point, let me know what you think!

Ford Foundation Fellows celebration

Writing Living with Lynching in a way that made me proud would not have been possible without support from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the Ford Foundation.  Being a Ford Foundation fellow has especially changed my life (as I say in the acknowledgments section of the book).  This amazing program just celebrated 50 years of awarding fellowships, and Henry Louis Gates, Jr gave the keynote at the celebration.  Nice memento! 9/20/2012

*Living with Lynching* on KINDLE!

A pleasant surprise!  Many have asked about my book's availability on KINDLE and Nook, so I've kept asking my press for update.  The only answer was that there was a delay.  I never understood exactly what the issue was, and I was beginning to think that it may never go digital.  Well, I just happened to look at the Amazon page and it's available.  Who knows.  The same thing might happen with Nook someday soon.  But this is great news!  Check it out here.  

Week-long Spotlight on Tumblr

This week (August 27-31), Ohio State's English Department is spotlighting me and my work with new posts each day. It has been unfolding nicely! 

The Tumblr site represents the department's commitment to connecting with alumni and reaching wider and wider audiences.  I am definitely supportive of that mission!  Visit here.

"Living with Lynching" wins BOOK AWARD!!!

On Friday, August 3, 2012, Living with Lynching won the American Theatre and Drama Society's award for best book published in 2011. 

The selection committee chair, Jim Fisher, giving me the award.  He is a prolific, well respected scholar, director, and stage actor.  This is a truly humbling moment!

 I don't think I could be smiling any harder!  I was absolutely blown away by what he said about Living with Lynching before calling me up to accept the award.  

 I didn't want to lose all composure, so I wrote out my acceptance speech.  It wasn't as boring as this looks.  I managed to make pretty decent eye contact!

The next day, I got a chance to speak with both Professor Fisher and Professor Felicia Hardison Londré, who also served on the book award selection committee.  She holds an endowed chair and has written or edited 14 books.  Professor Fisher has written or edited no fewer than 8 books, so I surrounded myself with these two intellectual forces, hoping that some of their brilliance and discipline would rub off on me!!! 

Seriously, I cannot say how much it means to have them—and so many others in ATDS whom I admire—see value in my work!

For more on the American Theatre & Drama Society, including how to become a member, please visit http://www.atds.org/