The Harlem Book Fair bloomed with excitement.  Vendors, authors and craftspeople were caught in the mid-morning setup rush that takes place every year at Harlem Book Fair. But just around the corner, even more excitement bloomed, but for a different kind of rush — the annual African American Literary Awards Nomination Brunch.

The African American Literary Awards were founded by Yvette Hayward. The African American Literary Awards was conceived and produced for the first time in 2004.  Seven years after its debut, the awards are still going strong and still one of the most consistent awards show in existence that recognizes African American authors So without further ado here are the nominees for the seventh annual African American Literary Awards And don’t forget to vote for your favorite author or writer at African American Literary Awards on Thursday, July 28, 2011.

Fiction
Dorothy by LaToya S. Watkins (Peace In The Storm Publishing)
He Was My Man First – Courtney Parker & Nancey Flowers (St. Martin’s Press)
No One in the World: A Novel – E. Lynn Harris & RM Johnson (Simon & Schuster)
Mama Ruby – Mary Monroe (Dafina)
Money Can’t Buy Love – Connie Briscoe (Grand Central Publishing)

Self help
How To Get Out Of Your Own Way – Tyrese Gibson(Grand Central Publishing)
The Strawberry Letter: Real Talk, Real Advice, Because Bitterness Isn’t Sexy – Shirley Strawberry (One World /Ballantine)
Why Do I Have To Think Like A Man?: How To Think Like A Lady And Still Get The Man – Shanae Hall & Rhonda Frost (Farrah Gray Publishing)
Priceless Inspirations – Antonia Carter (Farrah Gray Publishing)
A Belle in Brooklyn: The Go-to Girl for Advice on Living Your Best Single Life – Demetria Lucas (Atria)

Biography/Memoir
Ice: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption-from South Central to Hollywood – Ice T (One World/Ballantine)
The Big Fight: My Life In and Out of the Ring – Sugar Ray Leonard (Viking –Adult)
Flavor Flav: The Icon The Memoir – Flavor Flav (Farrah Gray Publishing)
Love Brought Me Back: A Journey of Loss and Gain – Natalie Cole (Simon & Schuster)
Transparent – Don Lemon (Farrah Gray)

Christian Fiction
An Inconvenient Friend by Rhonda McKnight – Urban Trade Paper
Right Package, Wrong Baggage by Wanda B. Campbell (Urban Books)
The Deal, The Dance & The Devil – Victoria Christopher Murray (S&S)
Crowning Glory – Pat Simmons (Urban Books)
Who Said It Would Be Easy?: A Story of Faith (Zane Presents) – Cheryl Faye (Strebor Books)

Erotica
Strawberries, Stilettos, and Steam – Imani True & Dreama Skye
Southern Comfort” by Cynnamon Foster and Nina Foxx
Sixty-Nine – Pynk
Smooth Operator – Risque
Nasty – Dr. XYZ

Street Fiction
Justify My Thug – Wahida Clark
My Kinda Girl” by Michael McGrew
The Prada Plan 2 – Ashley Antoinette
Welfare Wifeys: A Hood Rat Novel – K’wan
Memoirs Of An Accidental Hustler – JM Benjamin

Non Fiction
I Shall Not Die: Living A Psalm 118:17 Existence – Kendra Norman Bellamy
Fail Up: 20 Lessons on Building Success from Failure – Tavis Smiley
Black Woman Redefined: Dispelling Myths and Discovering Fulfillment in the Age of Michelle Obama – Sophia Nelson
Peace from Broken Pieces – Iyanla Vanzant
Becoming a Woman of Destiny: Turning Life’s Trials into Triumphs! – Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook

Mystery
Giving Up The Ghost by Stacy-Deanne
Ask Nicely and I Might by Lorraine Elzia
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey – Walter Mosley
Price Of Fame – Amaleka McCall
Surrender the Dark – L.A. Banks

Children/Young Adult
Getting Played by Celeste O. Norfleet
Drama Queens –ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Giant Steps To Change The World – Spike Lee & Tonya Lewis Lee
Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Terrible Terrel – Whoopi Goldberg
Teen Girls Need L.O.V.E. by S.Dodson

Romance
Inseparable – Brenda Jackson
Sweet Persuasions (Kimani Romance) – Rochelle Alers
Unexpected Interruptions – Trice Hickman
Twice The Temptation – Francis Ray
The Proposal – Brenda Jackson

Short stories/Anthologies
A Woman’s Revenge by Tiffany L. Warren, Sherri Lewis and Rhonda McKnight –
Home Again: Stories of Restored Relationships by Wanda B. Campbell, Dijorn Moss, Tyora Moody and Trinea Moss
Between the Sheets – Tamika Newhouse, NiCola Mitchell and Anna Black

Magazines (Non -Literary)
Black Enterprise
Ebony
Uptown
JET
Upscale

Magazines (Literary)
Mosaic Books
Booking Matters
Written
African Voices
Black Literature Magazine

Humorist Award of the Year (Stand-up Comics)
Kevin Hart
Sherri Shepherd
Chris Spencer
Tony Rock
Rickey Smiley

Self-Published Author of The Year
The Ultimate Question: Will Love Ever Know Me – Tamika Newhouse
Con Test: Double Life – Rahiem Brooks
Twisted – Ni’cola
Devour, One Man’s Tale of Love, Intimacy, and Ecstasy – D.A. Williams

Breakout Author of the Year
Tour Secrets – Winkk
The Putting Away – Sharel E. Gordon-Love
Open Your Eyes – Schelle Halloway (HWF Productions)
Shady – Dell Banks
Girl, Get Your Mind Right – Tionna Smalls

Publishing House Of The Year
St. Martin’s Press
Kensington
Kimani Press
Grand Central Publishing
Simon & Schuster

Independent Publisher Of The Year
Peace In The Storm
A New Quality Publishing
Delphine Publications
NCM Publishing
Black Dawn Books

Author Of The Year – Male
JM Benjamin – Memoirs Of An Accidental Hustler
Walter Mosley – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey
E. Lynn Harris & RM Johnson – No One In The World
Carl Weber – Choir Director
K’wan – Welfare Wifeys

Author Of The Year – Female
Victoria Christopher Murray (The Deal, The Dance & The Devil)
Kimberla Lawson Roby – Love, Honor and Betray
Pat G’Orge Walker – Don’t Blame The Devil
Nancey Flowers & Courtney Parker – He Was My Man First
Sophia Nelson – Redefining The Black Woman

Bookclub of the Year
Black Expressions
AAMBC
African American Literary Book Club (AALBC)
GO On Girl Bookclub

Television Writer Of The Year
Tyler Perry – House Of Payne
Ali LeRoi – Are We There Yet
Mara Brock Akil – The Game
Stacy A. Littlejohn- Single Ladies
Shonda Rhimes – The Practice

Screenwriter Of The Year
Tracey E. Edmonds – Jumping The Broom
Salim Akil – Jumping The Broom
Tyler Perry – For Colored Girls
Tyler Perry – Madea’s Big Happy Family

Comic Strip
Aarron McGruder – Boondocks
Jerry Craft – Mama’s Boyz
Ray Billingsley – Curtis
Keith Knight – The K Chronicles
Robb Armstrong –Jumpstart