Blog Tour: Crawdad by Lisa T. Cresswell

Welcome to the Crawdad Book Blog Tour!

For the whole month of January, my new contemporary young adult novel Crawdad, will be featured on the blogs of some of my besties - authors and book bloggers who support the readers and writers of  diverseYA - and I couldn't be more pleased. I hope you can visit them all and enter the giveaway.  

Diversify Your SteamPunk Day 5: Welcome Back Balogun Ojetade!

During our month of highlighting diversity back in December of 2013, we introduced our audience to Balogun Ojetade for the first time. Clearly with his followong he doesnt need to be introduced, but we couldnt think of a more deserving candidate to end our first week of Diversifying our Steampunk.
1. You've been here before, so while we don't require an introduction, our new followers do! What can you tell us about yourself the person, the author and the steampunk innovator?

My name is Balogun Ojetade. Although my name  is Yoruba, I am descended from the Ateke people of Gabon and the Seminole Nation of the Southeastern United States. I am a husband, father of eight children – seven girls and one boy – and I am also a grandfather twice over.

I am author of six novels, one non-fiction book, several articles and short stories I wrote are in anthologies and magazines and I am contributing co-editor of two anthologies. I am also a filmmaker and fight choreographer and I have created two short films and two feature films and choreographed three films, thus far.

Blogoversary Celebration Day 7: "Beaming" Up with Black Science Fiction Society!+15.00 Amazon Giveaway & bonus 10.00 Amazon Giveaway!!!

Fantasy, Horror, Speculative and Science Fiction Fans often get painted as a "default" white. Granted there are plenty of fans who are, but it doesn't mean people of color should be excluded from the pack. People of African diaspora constantly get told it is "unrealistic" to have Blacks in the genres mentioned. Who gets to decide what is deemed unrealistic when people are running around with staffs, pointy ears, and futuristic machine guns?

That is why we are highlighting Black Science Fiction Society! Blacks have always been prominent in Science Fiction, but are not always given praise for being a part of the genre. Its 100% false that Black people don't read, watch and create Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror or Speculative Fiction, otherwise they would not be celebrating their 6th year online this month!

1. First off, congratulations on your 6th year up and running. Black Science Fiction Society seems to grow every day, and seeing your site around the time we started our blog, made it seem like our group was possible. Who is Black Science Fiction Society, and what is the goal of Black Science Fiction Society?

Blogoversary Celebration Day 4: Interview with Romance Novels in Color + 2 Amazon giftcard giveaways!

Today we’re sitting down with Delaney Diamond, the site manager of "Romance Novels in Color." "Romance Novels in Color" promotes diversity in romance novels, which is great to hear. Too many novels focus on a "default"(white) experience, when love is experienced by all. They do some really fun things there, so we thought maybe they would be interested in coming on down. Guess what? They were!


1. What is Romance Novels in Color? Who is involved? Why do you feel as though Romance Novels in Color is necessary?

Romance Novels in Color (RNIC) is a review site that promotes the appreciation and awareness of diversity in romance novels. To meet our goal, we have a volunteer group of reviewers and offer advertising to authors. Our other volunteers include Kimberlee Stevenson, an avid reader and our Social Media Manager; Anna D., our Assistant Manager who handles everything from author promotions to advertising; MJ Kane, a published author and the Editor of our author and reader newsletters; Roxy Wilson, a published author who is our Review Coordinator; and Laurel Cremant, also a published author and RNIC’s regular blogger who shares romance industry news with her wicked sense of humor.

February 2014 Martial Artist Spotlight: Paige McPherson