AUTHOR PROFILES
Charles L. ChatmoN: ‘THE DEPTS OF MY SOUL POETS FROM THE HEART OF A MAN”
Is a native of Los Angeles, California. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in English from California State University in Los Angeles and was employed for several years in the educational field as a teacher’s aide before becoming a teacher. Mr. Chatmon has and continues to write articles for colleges and community newspapers. His work has also been featured in Consciousness Magazine and the Los Angeles Watts Times. In addition to his writing talents, Charles is the one of the founders of the California Writers Collective, a network of authors who conduct free writers workshops, help promote each other and assist with new and budding authors. A new chapter opened for Charles as of September 2006 when he accepted the title of Executive Director of the Los Angeles Black Book Expo, an annual literary event. Despite his many roles, Mr. Chatmon’s first passion is, and will always be writing poems and in the future, novels.
DELORES HOLT: “HERITAGE 2008 - 365 DAYS OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE”
After the rousing success of the first edition of Heritage 2007 author Deloris Holt has ferreted out even more Black history facts and stories for the new Heritage 2008. Holt, a retired elementary school teacher and author from Southern California, designed and wrote the well received 166 page personal. oAfter the rousing success of the first edition of Heritage 2007 author Deloris Holt has ferreted out even more Black history facts and stories for the new Heritage 2008. Holt, a retired elementary school teacher and author from Southern California, designed and wrote the well received 166 page personal calendar to educate as well as organize the lives of busy, busy people. oThe spiral bound edition of Heritage 2008 features daily history briefs plus historical photographs with accompanying in-depth stories ranging from January's "The New Slavery" to December's " A New Holiday Celebration." o She is the author of two children's books: The A B C's of Black History (Ward Ritchie Press, 1971) and Good Friends Come in Many Shapes (Children's Press, 1973). She also created the Black History Playing Card Deck and Biographies (U.S. Games, Inc., 1977). oThe Heritage series is her latest endeavor. oA survivor of both cancer and a heart attack, Holt believes that God has blessed her by allowing her to continue her goal of making Americans, particularly African Americans, more aware of Black history. o“It is vitally important to know and understand where we come from to help us decide where we are going,” said Ms. Holt”.
Pamela Samuels-Young: “Dream Big, Dream Bold, Create Your Own Success”
Essence best-selling author Pamela Samuels-Young divides her time between writing and working as a Managing Counsel for Labor and Employment Law for Toyota. When she's not practicing law, Pamela is busy penning her next novel. Her fast-paced legal thrillers, Every Reasonable Doubt and In Firm Pursuit, have been described as "John Grisham with a sister's twist!" Both novels are Essence magazine best-sellers. Pamela's desire to see African-American and female attorneys represented in mainstream legal fiction prompted her to take a stab at fiction writing despite a busy career as a lawyer. Pamela is a former television news writer and associate producer who earned her bachelor's degree in journalism from USC and her master's in broadcasting from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. After spending several years as a journalist, Pamela returned to school and earned a law degree from the University of California Berkeley 's Boalt Hall School of Law. She previously taught ethics at the University of Redlands School of Business and served as legal consultant to the Showtime television series, Soul Food . Pamela, a native of Compton, is a frequent speaker on the topics of self-empowerment and pursuing your passion