'Once upon a time, there was a little girl who lived in a library...'Deep in the bowels of a New York Public Library lies a dragon: the monstrous coal furnace that Sharon's father, the live-in custodian, must feed every night.A moving examination of family secrets, forgiveness, and the power of language, Feeding the Dragon explores Sharon's life growing up in the library and the fire she never allowed to fade.

I believe that the Family Safety Net Act could be to raising kids in America what the Civil Rights Movement is to minorities. The legislation will mandate that every fit parent have equal access to their kids—automatic joint custody, co-parenting is insufficient—with the best interests of the child at the heart of the legislation, regardless of the status of the relationship of the parents, with primary custody initially granted to the mother. No more fathers begging to see their kids. It’...

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of modern classics such as My Sister’s Keeper and Small Great Things weaves a “richly textured and engaging” (The Boston Globe) tale that explores what happens when a young woman’s past—a past she didn’t even know she had—catches up to her just in time to threaten her future.How do you recover the past when it was never yours to lose?Delia Hopkins has led a charmed life. R...

Award-winning Civil Rights advocate Mary Frances Berry sheds new light on the fight for reparations. Callie House, an ex-slave who led the fight, founded the Ex-Slave Mutual Relief, Bounty, and Pension Association in 1899. Defying conventions of race, class, and gender, Callie led the organization in an attempt to petition the government for the pension promised them as freedmen. "Callie House and her historic role deserve to be brought out of the shadows, and Berry achieves that superbly....

When your dreams come crashing down, what's next? In Essence bestselling author Grace Octavia's moving new novel, one woman must begin again when betrayal shatters the life she knew. . . Dawn Jones's sorority sisters thought she made a big mistake marrying blue-collar Reginald. But thanks to hard work and belief in each other, Dawn and Reginald left the big city and made their own happiness, complete with a comfortable home and two lively children. Dawn can't wait to show everyone just how...

With heart-stopping stories by Zane, Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes, Joy M. Copeland, Robert Fleming, Terence Taylor, Francine Lewis, Brandon Massey, and 12 other established and up-and-coming writers, Dark Dreams is a must-have contemporary anthology of supernatural tales for any collection. ". a volume whose universal human themes will resonate with many readers."-Publishers Weekly

A columnist who regularly contributes to The Nation and The Village Voice, Patricia J. Williams is also a professor of law at Columbia University and the recipient of a MacArthur "genius" award. In Open House, she shares her unique views on modern American culture and tells stories of her remarkable life. Her voice is powerful, provocative, and utterly charming. "She is the rare writer who can be trusted with both our minds and our hearts."-Gloria Steinem

Award winner and national best-selling author Gwynne Forster has written Beyond Desire and When Twilight Comes. In Blues from Down Deep Forster tells the story of Regina Pearson, a woman searching for the family she has never known. Unfortunately, her quest does not bring her the love and acceptance she expects. But just as the disappointment seems unbearable, Regina meets a man who is willing to show her what family is all about.

Race and racism have played a divisive and defining role throughout much of America's history. Slavery, Jim Crow laws, segregation, and Ku Klux Klan terrorism have inflicted deep psychic wounds, social disparities, and economic disadvantages that have diminished the promise of equal rights and opportunities for all.While much progress in race relations has been made in recent years-including the election of Barack Obama as President of the United State-it's clear that our journey t...

Sonnie Beverly draws on her experiences with African- American church groups to create realistic characters. In this debut novel, three black women from one neighborhood take different paths to better themselves. It's in her small Virginia hometown where Zakia experiences the success she's always wanted-and the change that threatens it. For her friend Nikki, this close-knit village inspires a new life where a younger man and unexpected conflicts test her mettle. And for young LaKishsa-fres...

In this acclaimed collection of short stories, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Stephen Millhauser shares the dark suspense and humor that have gained him a cult following. Millhauser's imagination and creativity are on full display with stories featuring artists gone mad, egomaniacal architects, and a historical society that's given up its chronicling of history. Characterized by "phenomenal clarity and rapacious movement" each story "focuses on the misery wrought by misdirected human desire...

A Black Writers Alliance Gold Pen Award winner, Gwynne Forster has penned such best-selling novels as Blues from Down Deep (F0121). She is praised for her tales of personal struggles and romance. Coreen Treadwell heads a prominent social welfare agency, but she is haunted by her past. Raped and impregnated as a teenager, she gave up her baby without ever seeing her. Now the legacy of violence continues in her daughter's life. Abused by her adoptive father, the young woman has vowed vengean...