Sistributions — Seeing is Believing — Shoshana Johnson gained national attention as America’s first black female prisoner of war. She was in the 507th Maintenance Company convoy ambushed on March 23, 2003, in Nasiriyah, and captured with five other soldiers including Jessica Lynch. One might call Johnson’s presence in a firefight a compound accident. She was a cook who had enlisted in 1998 hoping to earn money for her education and perhaps meet a nice guy, and was a cook with the 507th, which existed to maintain Patriot missiles. But she was sent with the convoy, and the bullets Johnson took in both ankles did not ask for her military occupational specialty. Though objectively treated well enough by her Iraqi captors, she was wounded, female, and black: three reasons for being afraid. Rescued three weeks later in a daring raid, Johnson emerged with a Bronze Star, a case of post-traumatic stress disorder, and an unwanted celebrity status sufficiently resented by the system that she left the army. Johnson endured her captivity with courage and emerged with honor. With the help of former army reservist Doyle, she vividly, simply, and unpretentiously tells her tale . (Feb.)  Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

FlashBack PhotoBuzz: (click photo to see more) LANDSTUHL, GERMANY – APRIL 18: (L to R) Freed U.S. POWs Pfc. Patrick Miller, Chief Warrant Officer Ronald D. Young, Army Spc. Shoshana Johnson and Sgt. James Riley greet well-wishers from the balcony of the U.S. military hospital after their rescue in Iraq on April 18, 2003 in Landstuhl, Germany. The seven American POWs received medical treatment at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the largest U.S. military hospital outside the United States. (Photo by Wolfgang Truckenbrodt/Getty Images) Content © 2010 Getty Images All rights reserved.

BookBuzz: I’m Still Standing: From Captive U.S. Soldier to Free Citizen–My Journey Home
Shoshana Johnson (Author), M. L Doyle (Contributor)

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BookBuzz — What Looks Like Black , a compelling and thought-provoking novel that delves into the arcane and painful issues prompted by the African-American diaspora. What Looks Like Black, a poignant tale that grapples with the issues of skin shades and hair textures in the world of light skin vs. dark skin and all that this implies.

Ann Girard is a black woman with blue eyes, straight hair and fair skin. Because of her own questionable features, she has experienced a problematic existence. Her life has now become even more complicated with the news of her unexpected pregnancy.

Filled with mixed emotions, due to her own anomalous looks, Ann contemplates raising a child in a world in which she has experienced so much grief. Throughout her life, she has suffered evil taunts and flubbed attempts to belong while constantly facing mystified stares and resentful glares, even as an adult. In an attempt to cope with her anxiety of what her child could experience, she channels her energy in a series of journal entries, about her past, written to her unborn child.

“It’s about acceptance and coming to terms with yourself which anyone of any race or culture can relate too,” says K. Broussard.

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Son of the Legendary Bob Marley, Ky-Mani Pens His Personal, Controversial Memoir, Dear Dad: Where’s the family in our family, today? ” The Story the Marley Family Apparently Doesn’t Want You to Know. Available now on Amazon and in book stores to coincide with Bob Marley’s 65th birthday February 6, 2010.

The Buzz Behind the Book — According to Fortune magazine, the Bob Marley estate generates as much as $600 million, and by 2012, it is expected to generate in excess of $1 Billion–making Bob Marley the richest deceased celebrity.  With all the wealth, the acclaim and the legacy, why would the Marley family try to censor a true life story written by of one of Bob Marley’s sons–who many say is the son who best resembles his father’s extraordinary talent?  In fact, the Marley family is so outraged over the publishing of this memoir they lodged a campaign of intimidation over Ky-Mani Marley as the author of this book, unless the thus far forsaken and ostracized son of Bob Marley rewrites the truth and omits the sometimes harsh realities of his being excluded from the Marley family’s affairs and events, and of intentionally being denied the love and attention enjoyed by the other children. They also demand that he confirm and showcase such distortions during his interviews and the highly awaited book tour.

Ky-Mani’s publisher, Dr. Farrah Gray, defends the memoir and the author’s right to disclose and describe the story of his life, even if it exposes situations and episodes the Marley estate prefers not to reveal. Gray’s position is based on his personal commitment to the truth and is also grounded in law.  Legal authorities confirm the publisher’s right to pursue a claim of ‘tortious interference’ –a civil action that could possibly deem the Marley estate liable for damages caused by its threats to Marley’s son.  Injunctive relief is also being considered.

“Family politics can be a straight bitch. It can flow deep. And it can cut deep. You have to understand what I’m calling family politics. It was family politics that gave me all of the growing-up experiences I have detailed in this book,” said Ky-Mani Marley.

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Holly Robinson Peete @hollyrpeete tweeted about the release of her hubby’s book this morning. Here’s the Buzz…

Not My Boy!: A Father, A Son, and One Family's Journey with Autism

The Buzz Behind the Book – In Not My Boy!, Rodney Peete offers not only a heartrending, candid look inside his personal journey with his son’s autism but a first-of-its-kind, inspirational road map that will help families facing similar challenges to move forward. Effectively woven throughout Peete’s moving account of his life with his son R.J. are the powerful voices, insights, and dreams of other fathers, high-profile figures as well as unsung heroes, who’ve traveled this difficult path.

Autism affects four times as many boys as it does girls. For their fathers, expectations and hopes are drastically changed–as NFL star Rodney Peete’s were when his son R.J. was diagnosed at the age of three. After a period of anger and denial, an all-too-common reaction among fathers, Rodney joined his wife, Holly, in her efforts to help their son. With determination, love, and understanding, the family worked with R.J. to help him once again engage with the world.

Eight challenging years later, R.J. has gone from the son one doctor warned would never say “I love you” to a thriving, vibrant boy who scored his first soccer goal while his dad cheered from the sidelines.

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