Lori Bryant-Woolridge

Infobox Writer
name = Lori Bryant-Woolridge


imagesize = 180px
caption = Publicity Headshot of Author Lori Bryant-Woolridge
pseudonym = Lori Bryant Woolridge
birthdate = May 25, 1958
birthplace = Arkansas
deathdate =
deathplace =
occupation = Novelist
nationality = African American, Chinese American
period =
genre = Chick-lit,
Romantic fiction,
Romance
subject =
movement =
Chick-lit
notableworks =
influences = James Baldwin,
Ralph Ellison,
Sidney Sheldon,
Dominick Dunne
influenced =
website = http://www.loribryantwoolridge.com/

Lori Bryant-Woolridge (born May 25, 1958) is an Emmy Award-winning Chinese-American/African-American author in the chick-lit genre.

Writing career

Bryant-Woolridge made her debut as a novelist in 1999 when she published the novel "Read Between the Lies". The book went on to become a best-seller, and in 2000 was nominated for a Golden Pen Award for Best Contemporary Fiction. Her second novel, "Hitts & Mrs.", was published in 2004, and made the Essence Magazine bestseller list. Bryant-Woolridge's latest work, the novel "Weapons of Mass Seduction" was published in April 2007.

Bryant-Woolridge has also contributed to several anthologies, such as "Gumbo: A Celebration of African-American Writing" (Harlem Moon, 2002), and "Brown Sugar 3: Opposites Attract" (Washington Square, 2004).

In the Spring of 2005, Bryant-Woolridge co-founded the Femme Fantastik Literary Tour, a book tour dedicated to showcasing the work of female authors of color.

Broadcasting Career and Emmy Win

Bryant-Woolridge spent her early career in various television production and management roles at the ABC Television Network, Public Broadcasting System (PBS), and Black Entertainment Television (BET). In 1983, Bryant-Woolridge was honored with the Emmy Award for Individual Achievement in Writing.

Biography

Bryant-Woolridge hails from the San Francisco Bay and Washington D.C. metro areas, and is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park. She comesfrom a decorated military family. She is the daughter of retired Army Reserve Brigadier General Albert Bryant, Sr. and is sister to US Army Brigadier General Albert Bryant Jr. Bryant-Woolridge currently has a nephew on active duty in the Army, who recently completed a third tour in Iraq. (The Femme Fantastik Tour was founded as a tour of US military bases.) She currently resides in New Jersey with her husband and two children.

She is the co-founder of Mothers Off Duty, a non-profit women's organization committed to aiding in the prevention of teen pregnancy and the promotion of continued education and parental responsibility.

References and External Links

* [http://www.essence.com/essence/books/0,16109,1606561,00.html Best-Selling Books: Essence Book Club Pick,] Essence Magazine, Essence.com, 2007.
* [http://www.blackvoicesblogs.com/2007/03/22/femme-fantastik-your-favorite-female-authors-team-up/ FEMME FANTASTIK: Your Favorite Female Authors Team Up,] America On-Line Black Voices Blog, 2007.
* [http://www.authorsontheweb.com/features/0209-911/911-authors.asp Books that Changed After 9/11,] @uthors on the Web.com, 2002.
* [http://www.loribryantwoolridge.com Official Lori Bryant-Woolridge Web Page]
* [http://www.urban-reviews.com/ontheline.html Audio Interview with Lori Bryant Woolridge] on Urban Reviews