ISBN: 0-9748142-0-2

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Publicist, Susan Leigh, 202-390-8518, BrandNuWordsInfo@yahoo.com
Book Release: SONGS OF A SISTERMOM, a celebration of motherhood
Release Party: April 24, 2004, 2- 4pm, Provisions Library Resource Center for the Preservation of Activism & Arts, 1611 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009 (for information on additional events, please visit www.brandnuwords.com/events.htm)

March 25, 2004 - Washington, DC - sis-ter-mom (sis´ter mom) n. - An African-American mother who understands and acts on the imperative to create the kinds of supportive networks - the village - that her children need, not only to survive, but also to thrive healthily and happily in this very challenging world.

The journey began with the birth of her daughter in 1999. The sleepless nights. Countless diapers. The barren checking account. It continued through the "terrible twos" and beyond. The 999 Barney videos. The 10 temper tantrums (per day). The 104° fevers. The sleepless nights, broken combs, and the nappy hair. Yet, somewhere, in the midst of this craziness called "motherhood," SONGS OF A SISTERMOM was born.
Charisse Carney-Nunes, a Washington, DC mother of a precocious pre-schooler, was inspired to write SONGS OF A SISTERMOM: MOTHERHOOD POEMS by her own experiences along with her association with a newly-founded support group for African-American mothers based in the Washington DC metro area. With a foreword penned by "Head Sistermom" Founder, Linda Henderson Burke, through this book, Charisse introduces us to Sistermoms, Inc., which now boasts more than 125 members. She challenges mothers to band together and "sync up" with Sistermoms through such lyrical inquiry as - "have you heard, have you heard, have you heard of the motherhood movement?"

And there is early praise for her effort. "Charisse's lyrics reveal the essence of motherhood from a uniquely African-American perspective. The poems leap off of the page and dance soulfully into your heart. From the whimsical "Nappy" to the mournful, "Leroy's Song," this masterful work captures the essence of the African-American experience, and at the same time, offers a poignant message about the struggles of sisterhood and motherhood. Read it and weep, shout, or laugh, but read it," says Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree, Author of ALL DELIBERATE SPEED: REFLECTIONS ON THE FIRST HALF-CENTURY OF BROWN v. BOARD OF EDUCATION.

SONGS OF A SISTERMOM is not your high school English teacher's abstract book of poetry. It is an introspective examination of four different phases of motherhood and a celebration of the diversity of feelings that mothers experience everyday. Though presented in the African-American context, the themes of jubilation, frustration and sorrow traverse color lines. This vibrant clothbound treasure is available now and would make a great selection for Mother's Day.

About the author:
Charisse Carney-Nunes is a freelance writer and attorney. She is also a co-founder of Sistermoms® established in 1999, which has compelled her growth as a mother, wife, author and woman. Charisse resides in Washington, DC with her husband of eight years and her daughter. For more information on Charisse Carney-Nunes visit www.brandnuwords.com.

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