RHONDA SWAN - LITERARY DIVA
What's hot and what's not on the African-American literary scene.
NEW BOOK DEAL FOR BLACK POW
Congratulations to Shoshana Johnson, the countryÕs first African American female prisoner of war on her new book deal with Simon and Schuster.
You may recall back in April, I posted the news that Kensington Publishing had killed their deal with Shoshana, who was held captive in Iraq for 22 days in 2003, to publish a book called IÔm Still Standing.
Shoshana had said Kensington terminated her contract and asked her to return the advance because the publisher claimed she failed to submit releases for photos that were to be used in the book. She believed this was a smokescreen.
The real reason Kensington wanted out, Shoshana said, was because she refused to compromise by sensationalizing the circumstances surrounding her capture, release, and the subsequent media attention given to fellow captured soldier Jessica Lynch, a young blonde whose story not only made headlines, but was turned into a movie and garnered a million-dollar book deal.
Shoshana said the details of her new deal with Simon & Schuster are being hammered out by a lawyer. Though the story is not yet titled, a publication date of February, 2008 has been set.
ÒI am still very nervous about the whole thing,Ó Shoshana said. ÒIÕm doing a lot of praying and crossing my fingers.Ó
IÕm sure her supporters, who have been looking forward to the book, are doing the same.
© 2007, The Palm Beach Post