Red Polka Dot is #6 on the Essence Best Seller List for Paperback Fiction.
THIS IS HUGE.
I’m sure that many of you have never even heard of Essence Magazine. It is a lifestyle magazine that caters to African-American women. According to the website, it has a monthly circulation of over one million and a readership of seven million. And every month, it compiles the preeminent listing of best-selling African-American books.
This month, I’m on that list.
Before you rush out of the house to buy ten copies of the magazine (like I tried to) let me forewarn you: I’m not listed in the print version of the mag. The print magazine only lists the top five books in each category, while ten are listed on-line. I just missed the cut-off. But then again, maybe that gives me something to strive for.
HOT DAMN, I’M A BEST SELLING AUTHOR!!!
I can’t tell you how many book sales this relates to. I can’t tell you if this means that I should abandon YA literature and stick to writing adult fiction. I can’t even tell you if anyone will really notice.
All I know is that for a least one month, I’m a best seller. And yes, it feels good.
P.S. – Monique, thanks for the heads-up on this. I owe you one.
Fantastic, Mr. V — congratulations!
That is awesome!!!! Most definitely a perk of RED POLKA-DOT being categorized as an adult book.
Congrats!
Bravo, Varian! Great news. Best, Cyn
Dear Best Selling Author . . .
CONGRATS!!!
Congrats! Man, that IS very good news! We have two subscriptions to Essence, don’t ask me why. You’re on your way to the big time, right up there alongside Bebe Moore Campbell, Zane, Walter Mosley, and Carter G. Woodson. Glad to know ya. Sistah Souljah is on that list?
Also, if you haven’t already, send copies to Black Issues Book Review…http://bibookreview.com/
They’ve been very supportive of me. You might even propose writing some imformational piece on the subject of writing romance, YA, or whatever, would be good for name recognition. I’ll bet they’d be open to it.
Great news! Congrats!