Book of the Month

Literary Venues

The Dallas Sistahs of the Sistah Circle Book Club sponsored a summer retreat for African American women of book clubs.  The brainchild of Wilma, a Dallas member, in December 2000 the club coordinator, Lisa Cross, followed through with the idea, much to the enjoyment of 18 attendees.

The venue for the retreat was the lovely Alexander Bed and Breakfast in Gainesville, Texas www.alexanderbnb.com.   Situated on 65 acres, this B&B is the ideal place for a weekend escape!  The hospitality and meals were excellent.  Jim and Pam are fantastic innkeepers.  "This retreat could not have been any better", states Dallas member Nichole Moss. The clubs in attendance were, Dallas Sistahs, Gems of Wisdom of Denver, and Sister-Friends of Houston.  Ladies were paired with someone they did not know at the beginning of the retreat.  This made the whole experience awesome as ladies bonded as if they had been friends for years!

The retreat, whose theme was Relax, Rejuvenate and Read, was held on August 17-19, 2001.  "I wanted to share information and methods that I have learned in my journey to live a stress-free and healthy lifestyle,” said Cross.  There were two forums in which Cross discussed methods for relaxation and rejuvenating the mind and body.  She shared some information about healthy choices in food and herbal supplements.  Nadine Cornish and Lisa Givens from the Gems of Wisdom Book Club shared words of wisdom.

The Read forum was a discussion on essays/stories read from the book, Souls of My Sisters, a collaboration of writings by African American women about issues that we may face on a day-to-day basis.  The rap sessions and the "sistahood" demonstrated at this retreat has prompted the group of ladies to meet the same time next year at the same location.  Said Cross, "The theme will remain the same because there is so much more that we, as African American women, can do to be happier, healthier and joyful."

For information about next year’s retreat, contact the club at: thesistahcircle@thesistahcircle.com

Tech Tips cont.

Prices for new computers are coming down dramatically. With computer purchases today, it is not uncommon for consumers to get a computer package (bundle) that will have the monitor, computer (CPU), color printer and speakers in the price range of $800.00 to well over $2000.00.

Disadvantages: You will spend more money, but you have a brand new machine that is updated with the latest "bells and whistles".  You will get the latest CPU speed, hard drive space and RAM memory and operating system (Windows 98 or Windows 2000).  You would not need to make another computer purchase for about three to six years.  If you choose to upgrade an existing computer, you may need to make an additional upgrade in about two years.

Consumers should carefully weigh their options and answer the following questions before making the purchase: What is my computing budget?  What components are a must?  What components are wants or are optional?  What tasks will be performed on my computer immediately or in the next three years?  Answering these questions will dictate which option, upgrading an existing computer or purchasing a new computer, is best for you.

Happy Computing!

Lisa R. Cross is a 16 year computer geek who works as a Network Administrator/Computer Specialist for the feds. She also owns a very small communications and technology business, Cross The Network. A native of Denver, CO she resides in Dallas, TX.

In a recent Gallup Poll, 27% of American adults say they generally select the books they read based on a recommendation from someone they know, while another 27% said they usually choose an author whose books they know they like. The Poll also said 26% say they purchase books while browsing in a bookstore, and a mere 6% (yes 6%) say they buy based on book reviews.

In The Community

Music Ministry Program Continues in 2001

S. Sparrow Music Ministries headquartered in Washington will host its second annual benefit gala, Encouraging Our Youth Through Music, on Friday evening, September 14, 2001 at 7:00 p.m. in the Family Life Center, Vermont Avenue Baptist Church in Northwest Washington, D.C.  For additional information visit their Web site at: www.sparrowmusicministry.com .

Don't Miss The October Issue of LitLine:

The October issue of LitLine will feature a new poet, Linda Watkins of Indianapolis, Indiana.  In addition   to our resident poet, Adam Wilson, aka Clayton Powell, LitLine will feature Linda Watkins.

Web Information

Infinity Publishing  
Vermont Ave. Baptist Church  
Black Women in Publishing  
The Good Book Club  
Sadorian Publishing
Black Retail 
Cross The Network