Bernice McFadden's Blog (9)

Two days left before the OFFICIAL publication of GLORIOUS!



The first week a book is on sale is as important as opening weekend for movies. I need to sell as many books as possible between May 1st and May 7th in order to make the industry to take notice!



Ten years ago when Sugar was published I made the New York Post Bestsellers List...and so it would be a real treat if this time I around I made the New York Times Bestsellers List. *wink*



O Magazine picked… Continue

My last novel. Nowhere is a Place was a homage to my family history. I used the names of my ancestors for many of the characters in that book. Nowhere is a Place went on to be nominated for a Pulitzer and was chosen by The Washington Post as one of the best novels of 2006.



I've always thought considered this particular novel as my own personal version of Alex Haley's, Roots - and a few reviewers have also likened Nowhere is… Continue

The other night I was up watching a re-run of The Dave Chappelle Show and the opening skit resonated with me so much so, that even though I was drifting off to sleep I popped right up to fully take in the message which represented what it is we African American writers have been complaining about.



The skit started with Dave explaining that even though he says some pretty outrageous things on his show, there… Continue

I read the most interesting NYT article yesterday. The piece focused on Ruth McBride Jordan who was the subject of "The Color of Water" a book written by her son, James McBride. Ms. Jordan transitioned on January 9th. (My sympathies to the family)



I have not yet had the pleasure of reading… Continue

Did you know that there was was a summer resort in Ohio that catered to slave masters and their negro mistresses? Well this is the backdrop of Dolen Valdez- Perkins debut novel Wench

Debut novelist Heidi W. Durrow draws on her on life for The Girl Who Fell From the Sky which tells the story of Rachel, the daughter of a Danish mother and a black G.I. who becomes the sole survivor of a family… Continue

This past October I suffered what my doctor described as a “break-down.”



I was returning from a thirty minute walk, my mind a whirlwind of what I had to get done on that day, the remainder of the year and the rest of my life – when suddenly I became over-heated, my heart began to race, my stomach soured, my legs turned to jelly and I truly believed that I was having a massive heart attack. I thought about my daughter, my mother and siblings and how sad it would be to receive a call… Continue

This week I am giving away a signed Hardcover First Edition copy of my novel This Bitter Earth (The sequel to Sugar) along with a booktrack CD with the title song SUGAR. <----- (Collectors alert: You can't buy this CD in any store!)

"This Bitter Earth picks up where Sugar left off-on the dirt road leading to Sugar's childhood home in Short Junction, Arkansas. Here, Sugar hears a shocking revelation about unrequited love, and about one… Continue

I'm in the holiday spirit and so for the entire month of December I will be giving away books!



The first book I will be giving away is a signed, hardcover of my novel Loving Donovan. This book is autographed by both the author (me!) and the illustrator R. Gregory Christie.

Book Description:



"McFadden separately introduces Campbell and Donovan and their early lives of family tragedy and… Continue

Dear Book Lover:



You may not know me, or my novels, because I am a member of a growing band of African-American writers of literary fiction who are slowly disappearing. And not because I am lacking in talent and credentials; in fact I have already published a number of books with major publishing houses and have been reviewed by national newspapers and well-respected literary journals, and have received critical acclaim and awards for my… Continue