Calling all you Tryin' Lovers! We Need Your Help!!!

We had a great time last week in LA for Book Expo America. It was a chance to catch up with fellow authors and friends like Donna Hill, Terry McMillan, Victoria Christopher Murray (we’ll get to see each other again in Cincinnati this July where we’ll both be signing at the NAACP Convention), Kimberla Lawson Roby, Terrie Williams, Sandra Kitt, Gwynne Forster, ReShunda Tate Billingsley. . . We met author Carleen Brice, whose novel, Orange Mint and Honey was published in February—we read it last year in galleys. Niki Turner, Zane, Omar Tyree, TJ Butler, and many more were in attendance. Actors Diahann Carroll and Tim Reid also have books coming, as does Dionne Warwick.

Being on the left coast also gave us the opportunity to meet with our movie folks including the producers of Far From the Tree and the star of Tryin’ to Sleep in the Bed You Made, Regina King. . It’s amazing to us that there are two of our books, heading toward “Action!” We’re excited about screenwriter Desha Dauchan’s work on adapting Tryin’ (we got to meet her Mom, Shirley, too). And all of you Tryin’ lovers—we (and Regina) have a question for you. What are the FIVE moments from the book you HAVE to see in the movie?

You know we can’t bring every scene, word for word from the book—that would be a mini-series. But we also want to try to bring your favorite moments to the screen. So please let us know by Wednesday, June 11th. From your responses, we’ll select one randomly chosen reader (we’ll be fair!) to receive a galley of our newest new book, What Doesn’t Kill You, which will be out in January ’09.

AND be on the lookout – next time we’ll be asking for your input on Far From the Tree!!!