WES MOORE is the author of one of the hottest books in the country, The Other Wes Moore -- a New York Times best seller. It is the fascinating story of two men with the same name from the same Baltimore neighborhood whose lives were intertwined on the same day in the local newspaper. One article was about Moore, the author, who had been honored as a Rhodes Scholar. The other story was about the other Moore, who was a suspect in the killing a police officer. The first Moore went on to become a decorated war veteran, White House fellow and business success - but he remained tied to his namesake and eventually sent him a letter in prison. The result is his engaging book, which was featured on Oprah in April. www.theotherwesmoore.com

NTOZAKE SHANGE is the legendary playwright who gave us the timeless and Tony Award-nominated "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf." Ms. Shange will receive the Terrie Williams Inspiration Award at this year's NBCC. She and sister Ila Bayeza crafted the highly anticipated new book, "Some Sing, Some Cry," to be released in September.

SYBIL WILKES is the voice of reason. When Tom Joyner and J. Anthony Brown get out of hand, it is Sybil Wilkes who reels them back in on the nationally syndicated hit radio program, The Tom Joyner Morning Show. The Chicago native began her radio career in 1985 and had a mercurial ascent to news anchor and "voice of reason" on the TJMS. She is the recipient of the President's Award from the NAACP Image Awards. An avid reader, Sybil will be a panelist on Terrie Williams' thought-provoking discussion, "Share Ourselves . . . Healing Starts With Us."

TRAVIS HUNTER is the best-selling author who now bursts on the scene with a new book, Two The Hard Way, a fiction for young adults. At the 2010 NBCC, Travis will discuss his latest offering, which is about two teenage brothers, Kwame and Romeo, who are faced with tough decisions that threaten their life in more ways than one. It is a read that will engage and teach youths who read it. Travis's previous books include The Hearts of Men, A Family Sin, Something To Die For Trouble Man and One Woman Man. Learn more about Travis by clicking on his photo or going to www.travishunter.com.

MARY B. MORRISON is the multiple best-selling author of a number of hot, engaging books. Her newest release, Darius Jones, drops next month. But that does not keep her from reading from it and discussing it at this year's NBCC. In fact, Mary will hold a late-night gathering to discuss all things grownup on Friday, July 30th at the conference. www.marybmorrison.com

GARY HARDWICK is a successful film director, screenwriter and novelist. An attorney and former stand up comic, he
was selected as a Walt Disney Writing Fellow, starting his Hollywood career.  Gary worked in television eventually
becoming Executive Producer for NBC's In the House. As a screenwriter, he crafted Bring It On and Two Can Play That Game and later The Brothers  and Deliver Us From Eva. His first novel, Cold Medina was published to critical acclaim in 1996. His subsequent novels Double Dead, Supreme Justice, Color Of Justice and SexLife soon followed. His latest novel, The Executioner's Game was purchased by Sony Pictures as a starring vehicle for Academy Award wining actor, Jamie Foxx.

SOULS OF MY SISTERS: DAWN MARIE DANIELS brings a spirited array of professional credentials to her role as Editor of Souls of My Sisters. She was the editorial force behind a number of award-winning authors and established a commanding presence in adult nonfiction with such books as In the Meantime and One Day My Soul Just Opened Up, both New York Times bestsellers by Iyanla Vanzant.
CANDACE SANDY is the President of Candace Sandy Communications a multi media cooperative targeting women. She has worked tirelessly on behalf of women's issues including poverty, domestic violence, anti crime, financial literacy, and reentry in New York City.

LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF SUCCESS: The authors,Elaine Meryl Brown, Marsha Haygood, Rhonda Joy McLean, are all high-level black executives, who seek to "support women who do not always have access to coaches, mentors, or the 'Old Boys' Network." Their professional advice is savvy and sensitive to the challenges women of color face in the workplace. They offer self-affirming advice to rev up a career, complete with "MAMAisms"-what the authors describe as aphorisms and "familiar terms, both practical and spiritual, that we grew up with and can draw upon as we travel the road to leadership success. The authors revisit and refresh familiar tips on staying positive, honing skill sets, having a plan of action and following through, networking, and avoiding common workplace dilemmas. Please click on their photo to learn more about the book and them: www.littleblackbookofsuccess.com.

VALERIE BELL-SMITH penned the moving story of her relationship with her son, Chris, who succumbed to cancer. Dear Chris, Conversations With My Son is a story of faith, healing, and grace that surely will touch every reader's heart and bring inspiration to triumph against life's pains and sufferings as Bell-Smith exposes her own share of anguish and struggles from taking care of a terminally ill son and eventually losing him in this recently release collection of letters and private thoughts. Valerie will be a panelist on the important panel discussion on health and wellness on Friday, July 31st, at the NBCC, sponsored by the American Cancer Society. www.dearchristhebook.com.

GREGALAN WILLIAMS is the Emmy Award-winning actor who has penned his first novel, "Heart of A Woman," which it took him eight years to complete. He's also written non-fiction books A Gathering of Heroes, Boys To Men - Maps for the Journey, a powerful parenting resource" for African-American mothers bringing sons to manhood. On January 29th, GregAlan stars a Bishop Earnest King, in Warner Bros movie, Preacher's Kid. See trailer: www.preacherskidmovie.com and click on his photo to visit his website, www.gregalanwilliams.com.

DR. BERTICE BERRY is the spectaular author with a list best-selling books that range from smart to funny to learning to entertaining. Her novel, "Redemption's Song," is a special work. Her new novel, "Ties That Bind," is a must-read. A wonderful speaker and humorist, Dr. Berry received the 2009 Bebe Moore Campbell Memorial Award. www.berticeberry.com

PEARL CLEAGE is the dynamic and beloved author of multiple bestselling novels and renown plays. In April, her new novel, "Til You Hear From Me," will be released. It promises to be another stellar read, just like her other hits "I Wish I Had A Red Dress," "Baby Brother Blues" and "What Looks Like Crazy On An Ordinary Day," among others. www.pearcleage.net.

Former television news reporter PAT TUCKER has crafted several outstanding books, including  (anthology), Proceed With Caution, Led Astray, Infidelity, The Hook Up, Summer BreezeAround the Way Girls 3 (anthology), Caramel Flava (anthology). Under PL Wilson, she crafted the Black Expressions bestseller, Holy Hustler.

Additionally, Pat is the co-host with ReShonda Tate Billingsley of the popular literary radio show, From Cover To Cover. Click on Pat's photo to visit www.fromcovertocover.com and learn more about their show and www.authorpattucker.com to learn more about Pat.

ReSHONDA TATE BILLINGSLEY is the Essence bestselling author and co-radio talk show host whose latest book, "The Devil Is A Lie," is a fantastic page-turner. She and author Pat Tucker hosts Cover To Cover, a wildly popular literary radio show out of Houston. ReShonda has also penned "Can I Get A Witness," "The Pastor's Wife" and "Let The Church Say Amen," among other titles. www.reshondatatebillingsley.com

VIRGINIA DEBERRY and DONNA GRANT are the best-selling writing tandem that has produced myriad wonderful works, including the 2009 "What Doesn't Kill You." They also penned "Gotta Keep On Tryin'," "Trying To Sleep In The Bed You Made" and "Far From The Tree," among other hits. www.deberryandgrant.com

VICTORIA ROWELL is the New York Times best-selling author of "The Women Who Raised Me," a moving and insightful look at the former Young and the Restless actress' childhood in foster care. She is currently at work on a new book, "Confessions of a Sopa Opera Diva."

VICTORIA CHRISTOPHER MURRAY is the dynamic and energetic author of a list of best-selling and engaging books, including "Lady Jasmine," "Too Little Too Late," "A Sin and A Shame," "The Ex-Files," among others. Victoria also holds writing workshops for aspiring authors. www.victoriachristophermurray.com

LYAH BETH LEFLORE is the best-selling author of several outstanding books, including "Wildflowers," which will be released in September. She also coauthored, Cosmopolitan Girls; the Essence Bestseller Last Night A DJ Saved My Life; and the NY Times Bestseller and Essence Bestseller, I Got Your Back: A Father and Son Keep It Real About Love, Fatherhood, Family, and Friendship -- the non-fiction collaboration with Grammy Award father and son, Eddie and Gerald Levert. I Got Your Back was a 2008 Nominee/Finalist for the Essence Literary Awards and the NAACP Image Awards. www.lyahbethleflore.com

TRICE HICKMAN debut novel, "Unexpected Interruptions" received critical acclaim from reviewers and readers alike, and was featured as a “Dynamic Debut” Editor’s Pick by Black Expressions Book Club. In addition, Trice is the recipient of the 2008 Afr’ Am Literary Award for Best New African American Voice, and winner of the Best Romance Novel Award at the 2008 African American Literary Awards Show. Her sophomore novel, "Keeping Secrets & Telling Lies," was released June 2009, to rave reviews. Her third novel will be released summer 2010, along with her collaboration on the anthology, "Bedtime Stories 3," which will be released in June 2010. www.tricehickman.com

TRISHA R. THOMAS is one of the most beloved best-selling authors around is Trisha R. Thomas, whose new book, Nappily In Bloom, is another wonderful read. It is the third in the "Nappily" series, the first of which, Nappily Ever After, was optioned by Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry. Trisha also penned best-selling Nappily Married, Nappily Faithful and Would I Lie To You - all fantastic book club books. Trisha is a great addition to our Featured Author roster for next year.

R.M. JOHNSON is the best-selling author of a number of outstanding works. His latest offering, "Why Men Fear Marriage," is a thought-provoking and sure to spark interesting conversation. R.M. also has crafted best-sellers "The Million Dollar Deception" and "The Million Dollar Demise," which is released in September. www.rmnovels.com

JAMES JIMASON is a dynamic speaker and teacher with six published books, including "Dante's Destiny" and the upcoming "For Adults Only: It's Not What You Think.". His works are both insightful and thought provoking. He has been writing for over nine years and has done public speaking for over ten years. www.myspace.com/dantesdestiny

ESUAREN PHYER is the author of the inspiring new book, "Tahitian Pearl (From The Gritty Dune To An Oasis In The Sun)." It is the story that follows Stanford University senior Naiyah Harland and the parallel lives of her family as they emerge from the grit of life (infidelity, deceit, an unwed pregnancy, drugs and much more) to a place of refreshing liberation. Esuaren Phyer is the pen name for Gloria Hartwell, a loyal NBCC participant who has fulfilled her ambition to become an author.

J.D. MASON is the author of several bestselling novels including, And On The Eighth Day She Rested, This Fire Down In My Soul, and You Gotta Sin To Get Saved, which has been selected as one of the best books of 2008 by Black Expressions and the RAWSISTAZ Online Bookclub. Her upcoming novel, That Devil's No Friend of Mine, will be released in March 2009 from St. Martin's Press and will be featured in the March 2009 edition of Essence Magazine. Also, look for a new release from Mason in Fall 2009, called Hot Flashes - a feisty coming of age story for the mature woman. www.officiallyjd.com

SEKOU WRITES is a self-described "slasher," meaning he is a writer/editor/actor. The editor in chief of Uptown magazine's website, also is the author of the erotic short stories, "The Sounds of Silk at Midnight." He has been featured on The Today Show and Nightline, among other national media outlets. His provocative columns on a number of subjects can be read on www.uptownlife.net. Sekou has also edited or contributed to several anthologies, including "When Butterflies Kiss." www.sekouwrites.com

CAROL MACKEY, the editor of Black Expressions. Carol's new book, "Sistergirl Devotion: Keeping Jesus In The Mix On The Job" is, finally, a book of meditations for African American centering on the lessons God teaches us at work, at church and in relationships. Using Scripture, conventional wisdom and stories from the African American community, each devotional will show women how their faith can empower them to have success on the job (and in life). Each devotion ends with a "power move" - a practical affirmation that moves readers toward success at work. Carol's inspiring and much-anticipated book will be available in 2010.

TANANARIVE DUE(pronounced tah-nah-nah-REEVE doo)- is the American Book Award-winning and NAACP Image Award-winning author of novels, screenplays and a civil rights memoir.  Her newest novel, "Blood Colony," is the sequel to her 2001 thriller "The Living Blood" and 1997's "My Soul to Keep." She also collaborates with her husband, Steven Barnes. They published their first mystery, Casanegra: A Tennyson Hardwick Novel (2007), in collaboration with actor Blair Underwood. The series continued with "In the Night of the Heat" (2008), which won an NAACP Image Award. The third novel in the Tennyson Hardwick series, "From Cape Town with Love," will be published in May, 2010. Due and Barnes sold their screenplay adaptation of her novel The Good House to Fox Searchlight. Due also co-authored a memoir with her mother, civil rights activist Patricia Stephen Due:  Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights. (Patricia Stephens Due took part in the nation's first "Jail-In" in 1960, spending 49 days in jail in Tallahassee, Florida, after a sit-in at a Woolworth lunch counter). Visit www.tananarivedue.com.

JILL NELSON is the renown author and editor who has been a force on the literary scene for years. Her whose paperback edition of Let's Get It On comes out in mid-May 2010. It is the spicy, raucous follow-up to her bestselling novel, Sexual Healing, and was named an Essence Book Club Pick in hardcover. Jill, who also penned the poignant Straight No Chaser, is a former professor of Journalism at the City College of New York (from 1998 to 2003). She also lectures widely on race, gender, politics, media, writing and other topics. To browse inside Let's Get It On, click on Jill's photo. www.jillnelson.com

SHAWN GINWRIGHT, an Associate Professor of Education in the Africana Studies Department and Senior Research Associate at the Cesar Chavez Institute for Public Policy at San Francisco State University, is the author of the important book, Black Youth Rising, Activism and Radical Healing in Urban America . He received his Ph.D. from the University of California Berkeley in 1999. His research examines the ways in which youth in urban communities navigate through the constraints of poverty and struggle to create equality and justice in their schools. He also is the author of and Black in School- Afrocentric Reform, Black Youth and the Promise of Hip-Hop Culture."

PAMELA M. McBRIDE is the co-author of The Mocha Manual to Military Life. She has served military families personally and professionally for 20years, and she currently serves as a Well-Being Program Specialist for the Department of the Army. She has written for Essence, Upscale, Black Enterprise and Army Times, among others, including the Internet's www.homefrontonline.com. Visit www.pamelamcbride.net.

ELIZABETH NUNEZ is the award-winning author of seven novels and is Distinguished Professor at Hunter College, the City University of New York. Her critically praised novels include Anna In-Between (New York Times Editors’ Choice); Prospero's Daughter (New York Times Editors’ Choice, 2006 One Book, One Community selection for the Florida Center for the Literary Arts, 2010 One Book, One Community selection for Trinidad); Grace; Discretion (short-listed for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award); Bruised Hibiscus (American Book Award); Beyond the Limbo Silence (Independent Publishers Book Award);and When Rocks Dance. She has published several monographs of literary criticism and is co-editor with Jennifer Sparrow of the anthology Stories from Blue Latitudes: Caribbean Women Writers at Home and Abroad. She is executive producer of the 2004 NY Emmy nominated CUNY TV series Black Writers in America. Visit: www.elizabethnunez.com

KAREN HUNTER is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, a celebrated radio talk-show host, and co-author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, including Confessions of a Video Vixen, On the Down Low and Wendy's Got the Heat. Her new work is Stop Being Niggardly: And Nine Other Things Black People Need to Stop Doing. She is also an assistant professor in the Film & Media Department at Hunter College and publisher of Karen Hunter Publishing, a subsidiary of Simon & Schuster. Click on Karen's photo to learn more about her and her company. www.karenhunterpublishing.com

DEBORAH OWENS is a 20-year veteran and former vice president in the financial services industry. She is the CEO of Owens Media Group, which creates sales and marketing programs for Fortune 500 companies. In concert to the release of her new book A Purse of Your Own, she has launched the  Power of the Purse Campaign. The mission o is to engage, enlighten and equip one million women with the tools to become financially empowered by conducting book signings, conferences, events and workshops sharing The 7 Wealthy Habits of successful women.

PAULA RENFROE is the author of the hot new book, The Cheating Curve. She began her writing career as a contributor to Time Out New York and went on to serve as managing editor of The Source and lifestyle editor of XXL. She co-authored her first book, Textured Tresses: The Ultimate Guide to Maintaining and Styling Natural Hair (Fireside/Simon & Schuster) in 2004. Her work has also appeared in Vibe, Vibe Vixen, King, Rides and Hip-Hop Soul magazines. She is currently the editor-in-chief of the newly launched Juicy magazine. A Long Island native, Renfroe is at work on her next novel and lives in Laurelton, Queens with her teenage son and occasionally her twenty-year-old daughter when she’s not in her NYU dorm.

KARYN FOLAN is the author of the hot, Don’t Bring Home A White Boy. The idea for the book came to Karen when Mildred Loving passed away in 2008. Mrs. Loving was the black female half of an interracial couple that challenged Jim Crow laws prohibiting interracial marriage. In 1967, Mrs. Loving and her white husband took their case to the Supreme Court and won. On the anniversary of the legal decision that year, Folan, who is married to a white man, wrote a piece for The Washington Post, thanking Mrs. Loving. That article led to her controversial book. Karen has a law degree from Harvard (Barack and Michelle Obama were her schoolmates there). She lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband, Kevin, and their two daughters.

While working at a law firm in Chicago, KAYRN GRICE discovered not just a love for writing, but also a talent for the craft. She was able to churn out more than twelve novels during her "free" time. After completing her sixth novel, What Happens In Vegas Stays in Vegas, Karyn entered a writing contest and made it to the finals. A native of Chicago, she is a member of numerous writing groups. She continues to write in her captivating and unique style while still perfecting her craft. Her latest novel, No Strings Attached, will be released by Simon & Schuster imprint, Karen Hunter Publishing in late 2010.

BERNICE L. McFADDEN is the author of six critically acclaimed novels including the classic SUGAR, NOWHERE IS A PLACE, which was a Washington Post Best Fiction title for 2006, and most recently GLORIOUS. She is a two time Hurston/Wright Legacy Award finalist for fiction, as well as the recipient of two fiction honor awards from the BCALA. Her sophomore novel, THE WARMEST DECEMBER, was praised by Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison as "searing and expertly imagined." McFadden lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she is working on her next novel.