Blacksandbooks.com/Separate, but Equal

Separate, but Equal is implied, according to this comprehensive site on the black book industry. Maybe we will get to the bottom of our answer about what is Black Christian Fiction.

Target Market News and Black Issues Book Review form strategic alliance to create news and information source

(February 1, 2005) BlacksandBooks.com, a new information Web site, has been launched to target those who want authoritative business information about African-American authors, publishers and booksellers. The new venture brings together Target Market News and Black Issues Book Review magazine in a strategic alliance.

"We have long recognized the need for more trade information about African-Americans' rising profile in book publishing - not just as authors, but as publishing professionals, booksellers, agents and consumers," says Ken Smikle, founder, president and publisher of Target Market News, which is publishing BlacksandBooks.com.

"The African-American consumer market represents one of the leading growth opportunities in the publishing industry," continues Smikle. "We have seen black household spending on books grow from $258 million in 1996 to $331 million spent in 2003 [the most recent year in which data is available].

In the weeks ahead BlacksandBooks.com will be adding exclusive news stories, features and statistics related to African-Americans and book publishing. The Web site will also track the sales figures and bestselling book figures for titles by and for African-Americans.

Black Issues Book Review (BIBR) founding editor and editorial director Susan McHenry is editing BlacksandBooks.com from New York City, while she continues contributing to BIBR and its web site bibookreview.com. The the two companies will be cross-promoting their sites and collaborating on other resources.

"BlacksandBooks.com is very fortunate to have Susan McHenry as our editor," says founding publisher Smikle. "Her extensive experience will be invaluable in establishing the unique information environment that we're seeking for the site."

"The content we are launching with is just a modest example of how we intend to change the flow of information and availability of these facts," said Smikle. "We believe that we can ultimately change the paradigm of how African-Americans are viewed in the publishing business."

Target Market News, a Chicago-based news and research company that specializes in tracking African-American marketing, media and consumer behavior, owns TargetMarketNews.com.
Click here to go to BlacksandBooks.com.