The revolutionary book into a culture of women that emphasizes ten life lessons addressing a Black woman’s most intimate, personal, and professional life written by acclaimed author Tinisha Nicole Johnson.

As a Black woman, have you ever dealt with insecurities and pressures from the world that made you feel unsure about yourself or life in general? Do you want answers and solutions to your most deepest, darkest feelings?

If so, Lessons Learned: Loving Yourself As A Black Woman is a book you need to read. It’s an inspirational and uplifting book, emphasizing ten life lessons that addresses your most intimate, personal, and professional life.

In Lessons Learned, the author passionately and straightforwardly expresses and lays out the following:

• The “Q&A Method” of problem solving life’s problems
• Understanding your deepest feelings and using the positive to overcome the negative
• Your self-worth is greater than you think, learn why
• What Women tend to think the definition of true happiness is
• The Five most common types of Black women
• What some Black women say to themselves that they would never say out loud
• Why some Black women sacrifice their souls
• Balancing Children, Family, and Friends

The author thought it necessary to create a book specifically catered to Black women in the self-healing process while laying out techniques on how to gain more self-confidence and strengthen your self-worth and your overall life.

The book Lessons Learned reminds Black women the importance of loving themselves first.

 info@xpressyourselfpublishing.org 

In “I Didn’t Work This Hard Just to Get Married”, through lively and revealing interviews with women from various walks of life, author Nika Beamon explores the challenges and issues affecting single black women who defy expectations. Single women like Actress/Comedian Kim Coles, Cheetah Girls creator Deborah Gregory, Interior Designer Sheila Bridges, etc candidly discuss aging without a man and reevaluate dating, single homeownership, career, and children. The book speaks directly to the black woman’s experience, addressing unique challenges such as income discrepancies between genders, the high rate of male incarceration, and the Baby Momma Syndrome. The women discuss the false expectations they face from men, from families, and from friends.

Written in the best tradition of girlfriend talking to girlfriend, the book delivers tales of lessons learned, hard times and good times, told by women who found ways to achieve their dreams by defying convention.
Their conclusion: Singlehood, whether temporary or permanent, and though often challenging, is a fulfilling state.

“… Though written from black women’s perspectives, this book has appeal for all women looking for a fresh take on being single.– “  Booklist Magazine, April 2009.

“What an incredibly liberating and inspiring collection of stories…about learning to be comfortable in your skin and what u got -and that we are not alone in our journey. Thank you Nika for this gift.”  

Terrie M. Williams, Author, Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting

“This is an exciting book that fully explores the option of single status and the lives of the women who choose it… Nika Beamon gives women making life choices a window into the thought processes of other
women who have made similar choices.  It is an important addition to work on the lives and options of African American women, and it is an absorbing read.”

Julianne Malveaux, President, Bennett College for Women

“Although I am an award-winning filmmaker, TV personality and author, many of my family members feel as though I lead a shallow and empty life because I choose to be unmarried without children. In this
well-researched and thoughtful tome, Nika Beamon has given a voice to true choice among women in this post-millennial era.”

Abiola Abrams, BET host, Author of the novel, Dare

“Being a single woman who has never been married, I found it hard to put this book down once I started reading about other women and situations I can relate to. Nika Beamon has compiled examples of individuals who are living fulfiling lives as successful “single” women. She has also shed light on the trap “single” women fall into – waiting to get married to start their lives. I believe this book will help to liberate women as well as encourage them to get on with their lives knowing that a mate may or may not be in their future and that’s ok. This book is truly an insightful gift for single women”

Pat Stevenson, CEO & Publisher, Harlem News Group, Inc.

“…  Nika Beamon’s fabulous book about single black women in this country reassures us (all women) through her story and the stories of others, that it’s okay not to be married…  And, that it’s perfectly okay and perfectly acceptable to be single–”

 Books in Review, Adrienne Petterson.

 “…This book is for women of all ages; women who believe their clocks are ticking and are running out of time.  Women who feel like they need a man to define them, you will definitely enjoy this book from cover-to-cover as you take this journey into finding yourself.” 

 Reviewed by: Cheryl Hayes, APOOO Book Club

Real Talk: Go out & buy this book now people! We must began having honest conversations about the social vulnerability of our communities & the family is the cornerstone of life therefore if our most successful brothers & sisters are not getting it together then want chance DO YOU HAVE?

ESSENCE.com has learned that a novel written by the “King of Pop” himself is currently being shopped around to New York publishers, according to a source in the industry.

The illustrated novel depicts a rock star at the height of his success who becomes disillusioned with money and fame and obsesses about death.

According to the source, the book mirrors Michael Jackson’s own rise to superstardom and self-imposed seclusion, reflecting an inner torment and struggle with personal demons.

Working with a collaborator, the source confirmed, Jackson conceptualized the story line, characters and even the illustrations. 

The book is expected to sell in the six figures.

Rap pioneer KRS-One has bigger plans for Hip-Hop as he’s announced that he will soon release The Gospel of Hip Hop: The First Instrument, a 600-page book that examines the spirituality of the culture.

The Boogie Down Production’s “Teacha” said his new spiritual book will help form a new Hip-Hop religion on earth.

“It explores the spirituality of Hip-Hop, the divinity of Hip-Hop. I’m suggesting that in 100 years, this book will be a new religion on the earth,” KRS-One told AllHipHop.com. “Now you talk about controversy, there’s some Christian ministries if you go online, look up some ministers, they dissing right now. ‘Who the hell does he think he is?’ Well, I think I have the authority to approach God directly, I don’t have to go through any religion [or] train of thought. I can approach God directly myself and so I wrote a book called The Gospel of Hip Hop to free from all this nonsense garbage right now. Idea respect the Christianity, the Islam, the Judaism but their time is up.”

The book is the first release for KRS’ I AM HIP HOP imprint, which is a joint venture with publishing company PowerHouse Books. The Gospel of Hip Hop is set in the format of the Christian Bible and offers readers a “life-guide manual for members of Hip Hop Kulture.”

The book combines philosophy with faith, practical knowledge and various spiritual teachings. KRS offers his take on the origins of Hip-Hop and draws from instances in history to teach readers about health, love, awareness and wealth.

“It’s definitely controversial because I’m also saying I’m willing to give up my African-American-ness to become Hip-Hop, KRS revealed to AllHipHop.com. “A lot of people don’t like that. They’re like, what the hell are you talking about? I’m saying, well, you know, Black people like to say, or Africans like to say, we are the pioneers of civilization, until we get to America and somehow we stop creating civilization. You got Jamaicans, Nigerian’s, Cubans, Brazilians, everybody claiming Africa but Cuba is different from Nigeria. Nigeria is different from African-Americans but African-Americans are different from Jamaicans etc. Asian’s got their own thing going on so why can’t Hip-Hop rise?”

KRS, born Lawrence Krishna Parker, developed the concepts for the book as well as the Temple of Hip Hop, over the course of 14 years and 19 albums.

He has also spearheaded the legendary Stop The Violence Movement in addition to previously authoring two other books related to Hip-Hop: The Science of Rap (1995) and Ruminations (2003).

In Gospel of Hip Hop, KRS aims to create a Hip-Hop nation that is free from any one nationality and bound by a common belief system.

“I would say I’m a black Hip-Hop fan or I’m a Hip-Hop American. But to go further, anyone can say that. If an Italian or Greek is willing to say, ‘Listen, I know I come from Italian culture, I have a rich history, I am not giving that up but I am Hip-Hop.’ I’m willing to go beyond my born culture to create a whole new civilization. So KRS happens to be one of the first citizens of this new culture, new civilization called Hip-Hop. In a hundred years, everything that I’m saying to you will be common knowledge and people will be like, ‘Why did he have to explain this? Wasn’t it obvious?’ In my time, it’s not obvious. People are still stuck with, ‘Barack Obama is President.’ He’s African American. He’s a Black President.”

In addition to The Gospel of Hip Hop: The First Instrument, KRS is working on a new musical projects which a collaboration with True Master, an album with Freddie Foxxx and a record with his younger brother/BDP longtime producer Kenny Parker.

Additionally, KRS-One’s Stop The Violence movement is also readying a new release. KRS-One’s The Gospel of Hip Hop: The First Instrument is due in stores in Spring of 2009..

Rap pioneer-turned-reality TV star REV RUN and his wife JUSTINE SIMMONS have written a new self-help book for struggling parents.

The book, titled Take Back Your Family: How to Raise Respectful & Loving Kids in a Dysfunctional World, details the couple’s fight to bring up their six children in a world of videogames, bad TV and divorce. 

The former Run-DMC star says, “I believe something is taking your family from you; if you look at the divorce rate, nobody’s eating together anymore. I wanted to make a bold statement.” 

Justine Simmons insists communication is key when it comes to successfully raising kids: “We are constantly in their lives, trying to find out what they’re doing, what they wanna do.” 

And the couple has a motto for family life: “We’re the family that plays together, prays together, stays together and gets paid together.”

Newark, NJ based principal, Baruti K. Kafele draws from his 20 years of experience in teaching Black males and turning around troubled urban schools to explain:

* Why the challenges of educating Black male students are frequently different from educating other student populations.

* What all Black male students need in their classroom experiences.

* How to assess your own attitudes and abilities to educate Black males.

* Which major problems outside of school could change the way you teach Black males.

* How to address the root causes of Black male self-identity.

* Why and how to develop a young men’s empowerment program.

Motivating Black Males to Achieve in School and in Life will help educators to understand why lack of proficiency in reading, writing, and math among Black males is a symptom of deeper problems that are generally ignored. It will provide educators with solutions that can be put into their daily practice right away to improve the performance of their Black male students.

The Author

Award-winning educator, Baruti K. Kafele – affectionately known as “Principal Kafele,” is currently the principal of Newark Tech H.S. in Newark, NJ, which has been recognized by U.S. News and World Reports Magazine as one of America’s best high schools for the past two years. He is also the author of the best-selling books, A Black Parent’s Handbook to Educating Your Children (Outside of the Classroom) and A Handbook for Teachers of African American Children.

The Books

Motivating Black Males to Achieve in School and in Life / Price: $16.95 / ISBN: 978-1-4166-0857-8 / 111 pgs. / paperback / ASCD

A Black Parent’s Handbook to Educating Your Children / Price: $5.00 / ISBN: 0-9629369-0-1 / 74 pgs. / paperback / Baruti Publishing

A Handbook for Teachers of African American Children / Price: $15.00 / ISBN: 0-9629369-4-4 / 160 pgs. / paperback / Baruti Publishing