Karen E. Quinones Miller

Essence best selling and NAACP Literary Award Nominee, Karen E. Quinones Miller started her literary career in 1999 when she self-published her novel, Satin Doll, and sold 3,000 copies in six weeks, and ultimately 28,000 copies in less than six months.

Although Miller, who was formerly a staff writer at the Philadelphia Inquirer, had approached dozens of literary agents and publishing companies about Satin Doll, it was only after her novel’s phenomenal sales success that major publishing houses stood up and paid attention. So many houses were interested at that point, that a literary auction was held and Simon & Schuster won the publishing rights to Satin Doll, and a second book, with a six-figure bid.

Miller subsequently published seven books through major publishing houses, but she also maintained her own publishing company – Oshun Publishing Company, Inc. – which she used to publish Satin Doll. Oshun Publishing went on to publish the novel Yo Yo Love, which became an Essence best seller and launched the literary career of Daaimah S. Poole who has since published six other novels with Kensington Books. Essence best selling author, Miasha – author of Secret Society, Diary of a Mistress, and Chasers – also considers Miller her literary mentor and says Miller was instrumental in her landing her first publishing deal with Simon & Schuster.

Best selling author Kwan Foye has often publicly referred to Miller as "The Aretha Franklin of Black Publishing." Miller, who is included in the book Literary Divas: The Top 100+ Most Admired African-American Women In Literature, often gives Writing and Publishing/Self-publishing workshop in her home of Philadelphia, and is the CEO of Oshun Publishing Company.

Miller’s new book, An Angry Ass Black Woman, will be published by Karen Hunter Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) in October 2012.