Essence magazine is hosting its first annual literary awards. Storyteller of the Year award is determined by reader vote and the other eight categories are determined by a panel of publishing folks. The awards ceremony will be held in NY on February 7, 2008 and hosted by Hoda Kotb and Dr. Ian Smith. Terry McMillan will recieve the first Lifetime Achievement Award.
The categories include fiction, memoir, non-fiction, inspiration, photography, current affairs, poetry, and children’s books.
FICTION
- Red River, Lalita Tademy (Grand Central)
- Casanegra, Blair Underwood, Steven Barnes, and Tananarive (Atria)
- The Pirate’s Daughter, Margaret Cezair-Thompson (Unbridled)
- New England White, Stephen L. Carter (Knopf)
- Knots, Nuruddin Farah (Riverhead)
STORYTELLER OF THE YEAR You may need to be a subscriber to vote for this.
- Eric Jerome Dickey
- Lori Bryant-Woolridge
- Trisha R. Thomas
- L.A. Banks (authors the urban fantasy series called “Vampire Huntress Legend”)
- Tananarive Due




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