Houston Author - Semi-finalist For Best New Author of 2011

Leave it to a Houston author and resident, Kay Jay Smith to find the sliver lining in the dark clouds of despair that still hang over some of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The author/publisher has taken the horrific incident and weaved it into a historical fiction that chronicles a family’s life before, during and after the destructive hurricane.

The book promises to capture the witty, energetic and deeply emotional feelings of a family who endured the ravages of the national disaster. In spite of the traumatic underpinnings of Katrina, the African American author reached deep into the psyche of its survivors to bring to the surface sincere emotions of love and loyalty, the only ties that bind us sometimes during great difficulties and challenging situations when life seems full of lemons.

Who better to paint the picture of what some people were feeling and many could hardly express than someone who has turned those lemons into lemonade by personally helping several families who were misplaced by the harrowing storm.

The passionate, caring Houston author continues to let her light shine into the dark corners of the world, by pledging 10% of LOYAL’s proceeds to benefit young women through Mercy Ministries International.

If you, your family or someone you know was personally impacted, or lived through Katrina and wondered.
Could things have turned out differently for you?
How other victims may have dealt with and adjusted to the situation?
What could possibly happen to return, restore, resurrect your faith in your fellow man you need to read Loyal.

The book has established the African American author as one of 2011 Best New Authors. The selection as a semi-finalist for Best New Author by the National Black Book Festival solidifies this fact. You can expect to hear lots more about Houston author Kay Jay Smith when the book festival sets up shop in Houston this summer in June.

Even though this is the African American author's first book it’s already being published in multiple formats. A paperback book and a digital version, that can be easily downloaded onto your Kindle or other electronic reading device.

For a limited time (Monday, March 7 through Monday, March 14) in honor of Kay Jay’s birthday March 7th, "LOYAL," paperback’s version normally priced at $12.00, will be available to the public for $9.00 at www.hjpbooks.com. Sphere: Related Content

African American Author From Houston: Katrina Spencer

Word on the street is that African American author and retired hair stylist Katrina Spencer's first novel is the bomb and she's ready to drop another one that's already washed and set to go. The former Houston stylist and writer penned Six O'Clock (Genesis Press)set in an upscale Houston Salon.

It's taken from her personal experience so I won't name the shop where she used to wash and weave. Who knows you may just be in her book in likeness?

This Houston mother not only uses an African American salon as the backdrop for this book, she hangs some dirty laundry out too. The main character in her book experiences some of the challenges that go with being less than bootylicious in a society where females crave body enhancements and a culture where bootyfull women are the Alpha-dogs.

Spencer throws the doors wideopen and you can expect to see this hot topic being discussed publicly a whole lot more. Then there is the Black hair thing. Chris Rock has taken this subject to task. But it was Houston's Katrina Spencer who's been hitting the pavement and the bookstore with it since February.

I haven't formally reviewed the book from the African American author from Houston, but the other reviews are tantalizing, so this book has to have plenty of substance and merits a place on the Books About Houston, next reads list.

I'm trying to get my hands on a copy so I can tell you who's in and of course who's not. If you see Katrina tell her she doesn't have to sign it, just send me a copy of Six'O Clock.

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