Tuesday, November 18, 2008

The Industry Cosign Spotlight: ERIKA J. KENDRICK


November 2008

Erika J. Kendricks
Author/Managing Partner/President
Confessions Of A Rookie Cheerleader/Publishing Prep/NABFEME
New York, NY









Erika J. Kendricks, a Chicago native, rocks out in the middle of Manhattan with her Himalayan hottie, Cody. She graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Psych and after a few bouts of indentured servitude at Ogilvy PR Worldwide and J Records, Erika completed her MBA and escaped to New York City. She snagged both her luggage and a coveted gig (read: “…and you’ll be sharing office space with the warm sodas in the utility closet…”) at the ultra-chic record label, Island Def Jam.



Kendrick quickly took a first class flight out of her own minstrel mind, clicked her Henri Bendel heels three times, and stubbornly left the music game behind. She switched stilettos and hopped on a publishing plane after inking a 2-book deal in the reputable Random House literary game. Her first born, CONFESSIONS OF A ROOKIE CHEERLEADER: A Novel, dropped in 2007, the second, APPETITE: A Novel, will follow cleverly close behind in June 2009.



Kendrick is currently working on her third sneak-peak read and also developing a tween series while writing the screenplay for CONFESSIONS OF A ROOKIE CHEERLEADER. She is the senior editor and a contributing writer for Pilot Getaways, a travel magazine.



Kendrick is a managing partner of PUBLISHING PREP®, a comprehensive course curriculum designed exclusively for the aspiring writer. She is also the President of the New York chapter of NABFEME - National Association of Black Female Executives in Music and Entertainment (NABFEME.org). Erika is a member of the Stanford Alumni Association, the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Black MBA Association and a recipient of several “Who’s Who” honors. Kendrick has recently contracted with the GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA Scholar’s Program to teach creative writing to juniors and seniors. And proudly, her heart perpetually pumps to the oh-so-fabuloso crimson-and-cream stomps of Delta Sigma Theta!



CONFESSIONS OF A ROOKIE CHEERLEADER hit bookstores nationwide February 27, 2007 and was named the Wendy Williams Book Club Pick of the Month and Ebony Magazine’s Top 3 Pick for April Fiction. The acclaimed title has garnered coverage in Publisher’s Weekly, Upscale Magazine, Romantic Times, Black Beat Magazine, Rolling Out Magazine, W.I.N.E. (Women In Entertainment), Ebony Magazine and several online publications including, but not limited to, Shake Your Beauty, Nia Online, Urban Reviews, Crème Magazine, Strive Magazine and Black Athlete.

Kendrick is currently in talks with networks and studios to option both the television and film rights. APPETITE is slated to drop June 23, 2009.



Erika can be contacted for panels or speaking engagements at www.erikakendrick.com, Erika@erikakendrick.com, or for any additional literary opportunities through her agent, Stephany Evans, at stephany@fineprintlit.com.

No comments: