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Chasing the 400

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CHASING THE 400 by Sheilah Vance
Trade Paperback, ISBN 13: 978-0-9786854-0-9; ISBN 10: 0-9786854-0-7
 

National Book Clubs Select Chasing the 400 by Sheilah Vance

May 10, 2011--The Elevator Group is pleased to announce that Chasing the 400 by Sheilah Vance is now available in a special hardcover edition as a featured selection on Black Expressions Book Club, www.BlackExpressions.com, and as a selection of Book of the Month Club, www.bomcclub.com and BOMC2 (powered by Book of the Month Club) www.BOMC2.com.
Black Expressions is the book club when it comes to books for and by African Americans. From new urban fiction to black romance novels and African American Christian fiction, Black Expressions truly has something for everyone. See Chasing the 400 in the "Now Featuring" column on the Black Expressions home page

BlackExpressions.com has an exclusive offer. .Get 4 books for $2 plus a FREE gift with a new membership. You can purchase Chasing the 400 for just $0.50 (normally $15.95 retail). If you're already a member of this popular book club, then please go right ahead and order Chasing the 400 this month.
Book of the Month Club and BOMC2, premier direct to consumer book clubs, also have great exclusive no-cost or low cost offers for Chasing the 400 for their members--old and new!
"I am so thrilled to be a part of the Black Expressions and Book of the Month Club families," said author Sheilah Vance. "This is truly a dream come true."
Chasing the 400 was a popular and critical success when Vance first self-published the book in 2006. It has gone on to become the first selection of the African American Museum of Philadelphia Book Club, a top-seller of Vance's publishing company, The Elevator Group, and a favorite of readers everywhere.

We are pleased to announce that Chasing the 400 by Sheilah Vance was the first pick of the African American Museum of Philadelphia's book club!  We are honored to have been selected out of all of the books that could have been chosen.  

 
Chasing the 400 is the story of two African American siblings from a working class neighborhood on Philadelphia's Main Line who try to make their dreams come true in the 1950s, despite the obstacles that Philadelphia's black bourgeoisie throw in their way.
The oldest of ten plumber's children, sassy and sexy Vera Marshall wants to leave her working class Main Line neighborhood and secure a place in "the 400"--1950s Philadelphia's black bourgeoisie.  When hired as a department store model, Vera thinks she's on her way.
Bobby Marshall dreams of college and a life different than his father's.
But will Ned Daniels, the snobby son of their town's only Negro doctor, ruin their plans?
Join the Marshalls and a cast of characters as they chase "the 400" all over Philadelphia and the Main Line, hoping that the game is worth the chase.
Chasing the 400 provides an fresh and entertaining look into the small, thriving, working class and close knit African American neighborhoods of the 1950s and into the exclusive world of the Black bourgeoisie. 

To buy direct from The Elevator Group, click on the "Buy Now" button below.

Buy "Chasing the 400"

"I wrote Chasing the 400 with short, fast-paced chapters to appeal to readers like me--hard-working and busy people who collapse in  bed at the end of the day, eager to read an upbeat book about characters they can root for, and equally eager to feel that they've accomplished something for themselves by reading at least one chapter." --Sheilah Vance.

Praise for Chasing the 400:
     "Sheilah Vance is a fresh, humorous and necessary voice with great insight into human nature, class struggles, and what it takes to chase your dreams."
                   --Benilde Little, author of Good Hair, The Itch,  and Who Does She Think She Is

"The tale that unfolds is full of laughs and good times....If you are looking for an upbeat novel to relax with after a stressful week at the office, Chasing the 400 is the book for you."--Idrissa Udquah, African American Literature Book Club; see the full review at http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/chasing_the_400.htm

“Chasing the 400” is an interesting glimpse into a period of American history that cannot be ignored. It examines the motivations, struggles and successes of the people who lived and dreamed during the fight for racial equality. You will find yourself rooting for Vera and applauding her courage and confidence while wincing sometimes at her methods and attitude. She is a saucy character who makes the reading of this fascinating novel that much more enjoyable.

--from Mary Simmons, Reader Views; see full review at http://www.readerviews.com/ReviewVanceChasing.html 

“I couldn’t put Chasing the 400 down.  I adored Vera and Bobby, and traveling back in time into a world I knew nothing about, yet what I loved best was how this novel made me think:  about being black or white, about how we decide what is right and what is wrong, about how our lives unfold through our choices.  This is a book to share with all your literary friends.”

            --Jennifer Louden, author of The Life Organizer and The Women’s Comfort Book

    

“I finished the book a few weeks ago….FANTASTIC!!!!!!  This honestly should be a movie.  As I was reading the story, I felt as if I was in the scene with the characters.  As they were in the bars, I could feel the smoke and the atmosphere.  As a fashion designer, your consistency and detail to the timely fashions, color palettes, shoes, hats and, especially the hairstyles, were an added bonus for the characters.  I will highly recommend this book to my reading group.”

Ashton Hall – Excel Fashions, Inc.

"I just finished Chasing the 400 and I absolutely loved it! It was great
from cover to cover. Can't wait for your next book!"--T. D.

 

 "The moment I opened and read the first few pages of your book, I was encaptured and couldn't put the book down until I finished it the next day.  Not being from Philadelphia, I was curious about the historical context of the '400'.  Thank you so much for sharing your experiences in this entertaining fictional story. "--J.P.


 

"I just finished your book that I bought Saturday at the AKA Fashion Show.  I
loved it: Women's Lit, Family Values, Education, Work Ethic, Morals, And
Love.   Great Novel. I will pass it on."
--Starr Mercer-Horne

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Sheilah Vance reads from her novel, Chasing the 400, which was the first selection of the African American Museum of Philadelphia Book Club, at the book club kickoff in September 2007.

Available to libraries and the book trade through AtlasBooks Distribution/Bookmasters, Baker & Taylor, and Ingram.

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