Ben Bella Books to Publish Jet Magazine Columnist Sophia Nelson's first Non-Fiction Book

Nov. 3, 2010 - PRLog -- National Media Commentator and JET Magazine Columnist Sophia A. Nelson to Publish Groundbreaking and Highly Anticipated Non-Fiction Book on the Lives of 21st-Century Black Women in the Age of Michelle Obama with BenBella Books

(Dallas, Texas, November 1, 2010)—Sophia A. Nelson, Esquire a widely recognized TV Political and Social Commentator for MSNBC/NBC and a feature columnist for JET Magazine (Johnson Publishing Company) has joined the BenBella Books family.
Nelson’s first book, Black Woman Redefined (BenBella Books) is to be published in May 2011.

Nelson, who has been working on this project for several years with a research team, is also founder and chairman of I Am My Sister’s Keeper (iask, Inc.) an organization dedicated to the personal wellness and success of professional black women in America.  

Glenn Yeffeth, President and Publisher, BenBella Books, along with New York Literary Agent Claudia Menza, Principal of the MenzaBarron Agency announced the acquisition of this title.

“We are thrilled at BenBella books to have acquired someone with Sophia’s national platform, intellect, energy, and refreshing literary style. We had a fairly long courtship process over the summer as she was being wooed by the big New York publishers, but ultimately our ability to work creatively and collaboratively with the author won the day. This is something we pride ourselves on at BenBella,” said Yeffeth.

Author Sophia Nelson commented, “I am delighted to find a home with an independent and savvy publisher like BenBella Books. I liked Glenn the first time we spoke this past summer. He was in fact the first publisher we sent the manuscript to. What sold me on BenBella over the bigger NY publishers was their core publishing philosophy. They work with authors collaboratively, on all aspects of the book, it is a team approach.  BenBella values the author most of all; they are intelligent, energetic, engaged, cutting-edge, and, more importantly, very nice people to work with. This was key to me in deciding who I would sell this important book that is so very close to my heart and for which I have invested the last several years of my life working on.”

"We are expecting big things from Sophia’s book. My colleagues and I are excited to be working with a writer so deeply connected to the social, political, and cultural issues and it’s those issues that make this book so timely. Sophia’s conversational writing style combined with fresh research and expert opinions on the realities behind the stereotypes of and myths about independent successful black women in our culture will open a lot of eyes and foster a lot of understanding and positive progress not just among and for black women, but for us all," Yeffeth said.

About the Book: Black Woman Redefined is a groundbreaking, long overdue book that unveils an honest and thought-provoking glimpse into the lives and souls of 21st-century strong accomplished black women. This book provides a pathway and solutions for black women to reach beyond the stereotypes that often limit them and the achievements that often define them. The book also encourages black women to redefine for themselves the important things in life, such as emotional wellness, intimacy, spirituality, and balance, which often eludes them in their everyday lives. The book includes fresh, never-before-done national research on professional black women and men, as well as First Lady Michelle Obama, which includes the opinions and observations of a diverse national sample of 1000 Americans (+/-3).  

The book’s most interesting feature, however, beyond the author’s personal narrative and research findings, is that it brings together some of the best and brightest. Some of the most renowned journalists, celebrities, educators, life coaches, politicians, and thought leaders of our time give young women of this present and next generation “sage wisdoms” to help them successfully navigate the storms of life.

Important take aways include: Teaching black women how to understand and transform unsettling trends, such as high workplace stress and halted career advancement, balancing spirituality and sexuality, and challenging personal life options (70 percent of all professional black women are unmarried and the desire to become mothers). The author's goal is to gently urge all college-educated black women, especially the generation of young aspiring professionals in their twenties and thirties to reject such stereotypes and predictable outcomes by redefining themselves.

“It is my belief that in order for this group of black women (which numbers in the millions) to find lasting satisfaction, we must begin to understand our unique experiences, family patterns, social contexts, and spiritual strengths—rather than focusing on our weaknesses and limitations. By doing so, we can rid ourselves of that often hard exterior and instead reveal our innate beauty, brilliance, compassion, sensuality, and soul, so we can be free to not only thrive in our careers but in our personal lives as well,” said author Sophia Nelson.

The book also includes features and short essays that offer insights about how to “have it all” as a black woman in America: relationship, career, family, etc. These short essays serve to inspire, guide, and offer hope to young women on college campuses and entering the workforce today.  Contributors include: Soledad O'Brien, Oscar nominated actress Taraji Henson, Colored Girls actress Kimberly Elise, Bennett College President Dr. Julianne Malveaux, relationship expert and psychologist Dr. Audrey Chapman,  Essence Editor at Large Mikki Taylor, author Jill Nelson, NPR host Michel Martin, Rev. Marcia Dyson, Rolonda Watts, Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., Marc Lamont Hill/Black Enterprise TV, Jeff Johnson/Tom Joyner Show, CNN’s Roland Martin, singer/actress Jill Scott, life coach Valorie Burton, actress Rae Dawn Chong, Finesse Mitchell, CNN Anchor Fredricka Whitfield, MSNBC anchor Tamron Hall, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, and many more.


Please read more information at http://www.blackwomanredefined.com.

Book site goes LIVE, later today, November 3, 2010.

BenBella Books is an independent Publisher distributed by Perseus Distribution a divison of Perseus Books. http://www.benbellabooks.com

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A full service Public Affairs and Media Communications firm run by former lobbyists & attorney Sophia Nelson, now a MSNBC contributor on Jansing & Co., & a Jet Magazine Columnist.