Monthly Archives: June 2024
More Important and Exciting 2024 NBCC News
| Where Readers And Authors Come Together and Depart Friends |
| Dear Book Lover: More exciting news: We have added a trio sensational authors for the 2024 National Book Club Conference, August 2-4 at the Westin Buckhead Atlanta.  Mary Annaise Heglar, Iris Mwanza and Michelle Lindo-Rice have authored engaging books that you grab and hold of you from the first page to the last. Read more about these wonderful talents below. Meanwhile, for those who have outstanding registration balances, there are three ways to electronically satisfy them: Zelle (4045397769); Cashapp ($CurtisBunn) and PayPal (curtisbunn@yahoo.com). For checks, make out to NBCC Foundation, Inc. and sent to NBCC Foundation, Inc., 245 N. Highland Avenue N.E., Suite 230-171, Atlanta, GA 30307. Final payments are due by June 15th. Again, registration is close and our hotel block of rooms, which was increased FOUR times, is sold out. The hotel is not allowing more rooms at our $149 rate. So we must work together to overcome this deficit. Cancellations inevitably happen. And there are some who book more rooms than they need “just in case.”  In those instances, we REALLY need you to contact me with the confirmation number of the room you do not need—DO NOT release your room back to the hotel. Inexplicably, the hotel will not release those rooms to us.So, please help us in this quest to get everyone in house. For those who do not have rooms yet, please be patient. This will be a slow process. But it is top of mind, as I am continually working with the hotel. More great news coming. Be sure to read below about our new added authors. Peace and blessings,CURTIS Curtis BunnNBCC founder and presidentMary Annaise Heglar: Troubled WatersMary Annaïse Heglar is an extraordinary writer who works at the intersections of climate change, climate grief, and climate justice. Her latest book, Troubled Waters, which releases next month, weaves an unforgettable, distinctly Southern story of the enduring power of family, Black resistance, and the rising climate crisis. In this intimate portrait of two generations, a granddaughter and a grandmother come to terms with what it means to be family, Black women, and alive in a world on fire. The world is burning—and Corrine will do anything to put out the flames. After her brother died aboard an oil boat on the Mississippi River in 2013, Corrine awakened to the realities of climate change and its perpetrators. Now, a year later, she finds herself trapped in a lonely cycle of mourning both her brother and the very planet she stands on. She’s convinced that in order to save her future, she has to make sure that her brother’s life meant something. But in the act of honoring her brother’s spirit, she resurrects family ghosts she knows little about—ghosts her grandmother Cora knows intimately. The world is burning—but it always has been. Cora’s ghosts have followed her from her days as a child integrating schools in 1950s Nashville to her new life as a mother, grandmother, and teacher in Mississippi. As a child of the civil rights movement, she’s done her best to keep those specters away from her granddaughter. She faced those demons, she reasons to herself, so that Corinne would never know they existed. To learn more about Mary and her work. please click on the image above to visit www.maryannaiseheglar.com.  Iris Mwanza: The Lion’s DenIsis Mwanza, born and raised in Zambia, had early exposure to unfair and unequal opportunities for women and girls and has been a driving force for gender equality in her career. She serves in huge role as Deputy Director, Women in Leadership for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Iris leads the foundation’s strategy and investments to improve women’s representation and influence in the fields of health, law, and economics in priority geographies.Isis’ first novel releases on June 25th, The Lion’s Den, called “A vibrant and pacey legal thriller with a big-hearted heroine you’ll be rooting for from the very first page, according to Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train A missing boy. A corrupt system. A case that could change everything… When young queer dancer Wilbess “Bessy” Mulenga is arrested by corrupt police, fresh-from-the-village rookie lawyer Grace Zulu takes up his cause in her first pro bono case. Presented with a freshly beaten client, Grace protests to the police and gets barred from accessing Bessy, who then disappears from the system—and the world—without a trace. As she fights for justice for Bessy, Grace must navigate a dangerous world of corrupt politicians, traditional beliefs, and deep-seated homophobia. With the help of a former freedom fighter and the head of her law firm, who’s rallying for one last fight as AIDS takes its toll on him, Grace brings together a coalition of unions, students, and political opposition to take on the corrupt administration of President Kaunda. But will justice prevail in the face of such overwhelming odds? Learn more and preorder this thrilling debut by clicking here or on the photo above.Michelle Lindo-Rice: The Bookshop Sisterhood  Michelle Lindo-Rice, author of The Bookshop Sisterhood, a novel “that will stay with the reader long after the last page. Absolutely brilliant,” said Kristan Higgins, a New York Times bestselling author. The book is relatable. After years of hard work, four best friends—Celeste, Yasmeen, Toni and Leslie—are finally on the verge of opening the bookstore of their dreams, a place where their community can find solace with an intriguing new read, a comforting beverage and book-loving friends. But before they can cut the ribbon, their worlds are upended. Toni receives devastating news just months before her wedding, while Celeste’s struggling marriage threatens to collapse completely. Leslie learns a shocking secret about her family, and a lotto ticket changes Yasmeen’s life—but not for the better. As the bookstore’s grand opening fast approaches, the four women must lean on each other now more than ever to navigate their grief and uncertainty. And together, they’ll learn that sometimes, even life’s most unexpected plot twists can lead to beautiful new beginnings. This page-turner is in keeping with Michelle’s other engaging books, including Able to Love and On The Right Path series, an Emma Award Winner and a Vivian Award finalist. Originally from Jamaica West Indies, she has earned degrees from New York University, SUNY at Stony Brook, Teachers College Columbia University, Argosy University and has been educator for more than 20 years. Please visit her website, https://www.michellelindorice.com/, by clicking on the photo above. |
| National Book Club Conference, Inc. | 245 Highland Avenue, Suite 230-171, Atlanta, GA 30307 |
Distinguished Film Star to be Honored at 2024 #NBCC
| Where Readers And Authors Come Together and Depart Friends Dear Book Lover:  We are thrilled to announce that Emmy and Tony award-winning actor Courtney B. Vance will be honored at the 2024 National Book Club Conference with the Walter Mosley Author of Distinction Award. His literary work, The Invisible Ache: Black Men Identifying Their Pain and Reclaiming Their Power, has been lauded as a “thoughtful, wise, empathetic book that has the capacity to save lives.” “For men of all ages and the women who love them,” Magic Johnson said of the book. The honor, which has also been presented to Terry McMillian, Iyanla Vanzant, Kimberla Lawson Roby, Dr. Cornel West, Judge Glenda Hatchett, Bernice McFadden, Damon Young and others, will be presented to Mr. Vance, whose wife is acclaimed actress Angela Bassett, by Walter Mosley at the awards dinner on Saturday, August 3rd at the Westin Buckhead Atlanta. We will be closing registration for the milestone 20th NBCC in the coming weeks, as we are near capacity. So please secure your positions now by clicking here–or make payments on your registration. Please read below about Mr. Vance’s dynamic book and his amazing acting career. Peace and blessings,CURTIS Curtis BunnNBCC founder and presidentCourtney B. Vance, one of the most respected actors in the business, has carefully cultivated an extraordinary career that showcases his passion, talent, and intellect. Known for successfully finding the dignity and honor in each character he explores, the Harvard scholar and actor trained at the Yale School of Drama is a powerful presence from the theatrical boards to the silver screen. Now, he has authored the dynamic and critical book, The Invisible Ache: Black Men Identifying Their Pain and Reclaiming Their Power. Early in his career, Courtney lost his father to suicide. Recently, he lost his godson to the same fate. Still, as mental health discourse hits the mainstream, it leaves the most vulnerable out of the conversation: Black men. In his book, Courtney seeks to change the trajectory. He explores issues of grief, relationships, identity and race through telling his own most formative experiences. The pages provide a guide for Black men to navigate life’s turmoil, reclaim mental well-being and examine broken pieces to find whole, full-hearted living. AS AN ACTOR . . .  Courtney’s stunning portrayal of Johnnie Cochran in FX’s The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story earned him Emmy, Critics Choice, and NAACP Image awards, as well as SAG and Golden Globe nominations.His role as the beloved and pivotal character, “Uncle George,” in HBO’s critically acclaimed drama horror series Lovecraft Country, earned Courtney a second Emmy Award, this one for Outstanding Guest Actor Drama Series. He also starred in NatGeo’s Genius: Aretha in which he portrayed Aretha Franklin’s father, Rev. C.L. Franklin. Courtney was recognized for his performance with the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a TV Movie/Miniseries/Dramatic Special, with nominations from the Hollywood Critics Association, Critics Choice Awards, and Black Reel TV Awards. President of the SAG-AFTRA FoundationHis project, Courtney’s 61st Street, a criminal justice drama executive produced by Michael B. Jordan and Alana Mayo of Outlier Society from BAFTA winner Peter Moffat announced to air on the CW Network, earned Courtney an AAFCA TV Honors Award. Courtney’s most recent feature film, Heist 88, in which he stars and is produced by Bassett Vance Productions, premiered on Showtime Networks as one of the most watched original films of 2023 on the network, and streamed on Paramount+. The film earned three NAACP Image Award nominations, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Television Movie for Courtney, Outstanding Television Movie Drama, and Outstanding Writing for a Television Movie Drama. Courtney’s other recent films include the Universal/Will Packer romantic drama, The Photograph, with Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield, directed by Stella Meghie, and Netflix Originals’ Uncorked, with Niecy Nash and Mamoudou Athie. His debut as Spc. Abraham ‘Doc’ Johnson in Hamburger Hill launched a prolific cinematic career that includes historically noteworthy films such as The Hunt for Red October, The Preacher’s Wife, The Adventures of Huck Finn, and Terminator Genisys. On the stage, Courtney received Tony Award nominations for his debut performance in August Wilson’s Fences and his starring role in Six Degrees of Separation. He won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his stellar performance in Nora Ephron’s Lucky Guy. Additionally, Courtney earned a Grammy nomination for his narration of Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s book, ACCESSORY TO WAR. Courtney and Angela’s Bassett Vance Productions is in partnership with MTVE Studios to create diverse and inclusive content for Paramount Global. Their first project, ONE THOUSAND YEARS OF SLAVERY, aired in February 2022 on the Smithsonian Channel. |
| National Book Club Conference, Inc. | 245 Highland Avenue, Suite 230-171, Atlanta, GA 30307 |
3 Chicks and Some Books 