Good Reads: Ebony Life

by April Lawson

What if Ebony could have twittered 15 years ago?   This would have been  a Herculean innovation for the home of now defunct WJPC Radio and it’s 8-track tape machines. If you want a great read about an iconic publisher set right here in your own backyard, then this weekend you gotta get Living The Ebony Life: E-Mails from the Plantation by Zondra Hughes. The book signing will be at Azizi Books in Matteson, this Saturday March 13^th from 2p.m. to 4p.m.

Zondra Hughes worked as an associate editor for Ebony from 1999 to 2006, and as she illustrates in her latest work, sometimes your dream job can become your worst nightmare. Living The Ebony Life: E-Mails from the Plantation is the compelling insider’s tell-all of life at the No. 1 magazine in Black America.

“New media didn’t derail Ebony magazine,” Zondra says, “bad management did.” In EBONY LIFE, she provides the context for the magazine’s recent woes with a shocking paper trail that exposes the work conditions under a few rogue overseers, collectively referred to as ‘The Man.’

Ms. Hughes made her literary debut on the outrageous and over-the-top Wendy Williams smash hit, Ritz Harper Goes to Hollywood! (Pocket Books/Karen Hunter Publishing). She is currently the editor of N’Digo, and a featured blogger for both The Huffington Post and ChicagoNow. For more information visit www.livingtheebonylife.com.

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Authors and Artists Chicago

]Glenn Murray, NBC5 Street Team

Authors and Artists Chicago celebrates its 6th year with a 3 event 12 hour day this Saturday. The event features independent writers, artists, and music acts at 3 different locations around the Chicagoland area.

Saturday from noon to 5 Azizi Books at Lincoln Mall in Matteson hosts a book signing featuring workshops on self publishing and how to write your first book. Featured author will be mystery writer Sylvia Hubbard, who founded the writer support group the Motown Writers Network and has held conferences on writing, self publishing and blogging. (For more information visit www.azizibooks.com ). Admission is free.

From 6 – 9PM the events moves back into the city for “Art Across Cultures” at Murphy Hill Gallery 3333 West Arthington 3rd Floor of the Homan Square Building. The super gallery will host over 20 artisans and also will host the featured authors for a book signing. Admission is free www.murphyhillgallery.com

Tonight at 9 Ai Japanese Restaurant will host “Unplugged” featuring performances by top independent acts Spike Rebel, Aniba Hotep and Paulette “Passion” Stinson. Admission is $25. As part of this event 2 lucky attendees will win 6 day cruise vacations in a special drawing.

For more information on the events visit www.authorsandartistslive.com

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The 220 Report: “The Experience” The Best Kept Secret In Chicago Entertainment

Glenn Murray, NBC5 Street Team

The best kept secret in local entertainment could be Dedry Jones’ semi-monthly show, “The Experience”. The sellout event was held this past Thursday and featured singer/songwriter Eric Benet. The event, a combination talk show and performance is funny, sometimes heartwarming and always entertaining . Jones, the owner of The Music Experience at 1959 1/2 East 73rd Street is a well-prepared host. He does his homework on his guests and always make sure he brings a few surprises (including bringing back childhood friends and photo albums of the interview subject, as he did with Benet). The show‘s production quality and pacing are top notch (better than some shows already on TV. Cable channels, are you listening?), and the audience and the music labels, are certainly listening. In the two-plus years I’ve attended The Experience, artists like Natalie Cole, Donna Summer, Common, Heather Headley and Ruben Studdard have appeared.

To find out when the next Experience takes place, sign up on the mailing list at www.amusicexperience.com

Eric Benet - Photographed by Raymond Boyd

Like mystery books? Award winning Detroit Author Sylvia Hubbard comes to town and will sign books at Azizi Books in suburban Matteson from 2PM – 5PM. For more information, visit www.azizibooks.com or visit the author’s Web site, www.sylviahubbard.com.

Break out the acid wash jeans, colorful shirts and try to regain (if you’re able) your “high top fade” as 90s groups Bell Biv Devoe, Mint Condition, Troop, and Ready For The World perform this Saturday at the Jones Convocation center on the Chicago State Campus. Special  2 for 1 tickets are available on a limited basis. Visit http://www.soulcafe.net/lno.htm#TICKETS  for more details.

That’s all for now. Next week, we’ll talk Sushi and Sake.

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