Look and Listen

Biography

A New York Times best-selling author and 2001 NAACP Image Award recipient, Omar Tyree has sold more than 1.6 million copies of books worldwide. He has been recognized as one of the most renowned contemporary writers in the African-American community. Tyree has recently completed work on his15th novel, “The Last Street Novel,” which is set to hit national bookshelves in July. He’s written 14 novels, including his Urban Griot series, which features raw material geared towards urban male readership. As an author, journalist, performance poet, songwriter, screenwriter, entrepreneur, creative genius and an energetic and fiery speaker, Tyree is no stranger to the world of contemporary urban influence. Tyree became one of the dominant literary self-promoters of the 1990s, leading to offers of publishing deals by a number of influential mainstream book publishers. In 1995, he signed a lucrative two-book arrangement with publishing powerhouse Simon & Schuster. Tyree’s journey as an entrepreneur began in his early 20s when he started the book publishing company Mar Productions, to release his earliest works of fiction. His entrepreneurial ventures have evolved to: Hot Lava Entertainment, a synergy production company for books, music and film. Recently Tyree released his first movie “The Lure of Young Women” which is available on DVD nationwide. As an orator, Tyree’s passion for his work ignites his audience. Both thought-provoking and veraciously entertaining, Tyree executes compelling commentary on topics such as "The State of Urban Literature” where he expounds on contemporary literature including his own work, “Leslie,” which takes place in New Orleans and has received adequate reader attention post-Hurricane Katrina. A staunch believer in literary integrity, Tyree challenges authors of fiction and non-fiction to address issues in the community rather than simply capitalize from exploitive topics in their work. Additional speaking topics for Tyree includes: "The Life of MLK Jr.,” and "Images of Women in the Media.” In his latest lecture, “The Equation for Life,” Tyree weaves together a full-proof formula for attaining life-long success in business as well as everyday living. One attendee who heard the lecture commented, “Omar Tyree’s equation for life speech made me rethink my whole life- it has given me the focus I need.” An accompanying CD, Book and DVD for “The Equation for Life,” will be available in 2008. Tyree’s articles have been published in the Washington Post, Essence, Upscale, Black Collegian, Washington Times and Black Issues Book Review. A graduate of the prestigious Howard University, Tyree plans to reestablish his college-age roots by doing magazine features focusing on community, culture, entertainment, politics, and new-wave intellectualism. Tyree is presently creating business partnerships with the initiative of adapting several of his novels into feature films. He is also in negotiations to launch a talk show that highlights contemporary notable authors and their die-hard readers.

Inspiration

There’s a million ideas around us everyday that we all could write about, but the key is to find those particular topics that get us excited. Then you craft a story that would bring something new to your readers. Or at least that’s what I’ve tried to do. So I’ve always written about new subjects that keep my career moving forward.