Creating a Web of mystery - African American authors online marketing - Brief Article

Black Issues Book Review, Sept-Oct, 2002 by Sheryl Estrada

Angela Henry is the founder and webmaster of MystNoir (http://mystnoir0.tripod.com/ MystNoirDir/), a website which promotes African-American mystery writers and characters. Created in 2000, in response to what Henry felt was a lack of exposure for African-American mystery writers.

"I would see authors such as John Grisham, Mary Higgins Clark and Janet Evanovich on the best-seller lists and started wondering why there weren't more African-American mystery writers on these lists," she says. The author of The Pleasure of His Company, published by Pagefree Publishing this September, Henry can be counted among black mystery writers.

MystNoir won a Golden Web Award for 2002-2003, and last year was chosen as a mystery site of the week by the Arts & Entertainment channel's Mysteries.com. To think, Henry began the site as a novice.

In the future, Henry plans to add author interviews and book excerpts to MystNoir, as well as book reviews. "Right now, I'm the only one who maintains the site, but I foresee a time when I might have to enlist some help in order to keep MystNoir updated with current info," she adds. Mystnoir welcomes press releases from authors and publishers of mystery, suspense and thrillers featuring black characters.