Zane Leads Strebor Books Into Its 10th Year

Contact: Jason Browner or Dante Feenix For Immediate Release
Telephone: 301-583-0616 October 7, 2008
Fax: 301-583-0003
zaneassistant@gmail.com

ZANE LEADS STREBOR BOOKS INTO ITS 10TH YEAR
New York Times Bestselling Author Adds Heavy Hitters to Her Slate

In June 1999, a virtually unknown African-American woman launched Strebor Books International inside her Maryland home. Now she is the author of more than ten New York Times bestsellers, the creator, co-executive producer and subject of the CINEMAX series “Zane’s Sex Chronicles” and publisher of one of the largest African-American imprints in the world.
Zane’s vision has always been huge and she has proven that dreams really do come true. Having published over 150 titles, including the recent release of Street Judge by the Honorary Greg Mathis of the “Judge Mathis” television show, Zane shows no signs of slowing up. In fact, she plans to take Strebor Books to the next level as it celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2009. Now an imprint of ATRIA Books/Simon and Schuster, Zane knows what it takes to make bestsellers, and people have stood up and taken notice. That may be why she has recently signed several best-selling authors to her imprint.
Danita Carter is the Essence best-selling author of Revenge is Best Served Cold, Talk of the Town, and Success is the Best Revenge. Carter’s Strebor titles will include Peer Pleasure—a young adult novel best described as an African-American version of Gossip Girls—and an adult novel entitled Murder in the Hamptons.
Travis Hunter is the Essence best-selling author of The Hearts of Men, Married but Still Looking, Trouble Man, A One Woman Man, Something to Die For and A Family Sin. His first Strebor novel is entitled Dark Child.
Earl Sewell is the National best-selling author of Taken for Granted, Through Thick and Thin, The Flip Side of Money, When Push Comes to Shove and Love, Lies and Scandal. Sewell is also the author of a best-selling young adult series which includes Keysha’s Drama and If I Were Your Boyfriend. His first Strebor novel is entitled Have Mercy.
Omar Tyree, a New York Times best-selling author, a 2001 NAACP Image Award recipient for Outstanding Literature in Fiction, and a 2006 Phillis Wheatley Literary Award winner for Body of Work in Urban Fiction, has published 15 books and has sold more than 1.8 million copies worldwide. His titles include Flyy Girl, A Do Right Man, Diary of a Groupie, Just Say No, For the Love of Money, Leslie, Sweet St. Louis, Single Mom, Boss Lady, What They Want, and Pecking Order. His first Strebor title is Dirty Old Men.
Strebor Books will also be publishing Scared Silent: The Mildred Muhammad Story in 2009. Ms. Muhammad is the ex-wife of the D.C. Sniper John Muhammad and speculated to be the true motivation—intended victim—behind his killing spree that left ten dead and three critically injured during a three-week period in October 2002.
Nasty by Dr. XYZ will be released in September 2009 and Strebor expects the book to spark much-needed conversation about the spread of HIV. Dr. XYZ is the pen name of a successful African American female physician who wanted to pen a fictional account of how quickly and randomly HIV can be acquired when people are careless with their sex lives. She hopes to spread the message through fiction since most people steer away from reading the material circulated by health organizations. Zane quickly acquired this title because even though she believes in sexual liberation, she also believes in sexual responsibility. Zane recently became the first African American female owner of a condom corporation when she partnered with Kirk Manuel, the CEO and Founder of Head Strong, LLC, an Arkansas-based company. Mr. Manuel, a bails bondsman by trade, started Head Strong after he bonded out a former friend who became the subject of a Statewide manhunt after knowingly infecting dozens of women with HIV. “Female empowerment begins with self-preservation,” Zane says. “Women cannot continue to take chances with their lives and while abstinence might work for some, most women will be sexually active throughout their lifetime.”
Zane is known for publishing cutting-edge authors who think outside of the box, such as best-selling authors Allison Hobbs, William Fredrick Cooper, Laurinda Brown, and Lee Hayes. “I have a clear-cut vision for Strebor,” Zane says. “Everything I do in life is meant to make a path and leave a trail; not to follow a path someone else has already laid out. Where is the challenge in that?” When asked about apparently being the first New York Times best-selling author to publish another New York Times best-selling author, Zane says, “It is about time. There is no point in authors being competitive. Real authors have a true purpose and desire behind their writing; a passion that ultimately is enhanced by readers gaining enjoyment from their offerings. Before I was a writer, I was a reader, and I have always admired and loved Omar’s talent. I feel blessed to be given this opportunity to combine our brands to reach a larger audience. It is good business and more people need to appreciate each other’s ability, instead of attempting to hinder it.”
Strebor Books is located in Prince George’s County, Maryland and Simon and Schuster is headquartered in New York City. Charmaine Parker serves as the Publishing Director and oversees the production of all titles. Strebor Books became a distribution client of Simon and Schuster in 2003 and a full imprint in June 2005. “There are no limitations to where Strebor will go,” Zane says. “The only barriers in life exist in the mind.”

If you would like more information about Strebor Books or would like to schedule an interview with Zane, please contact Jason Browner at 301-583-0616 or via email at zaneassistant@gmail.com.