Heart of Diamonds will be featured on AfroBeat Radio at 2:30 PM, Saturday, May 16. Listeners can hear it on WBAI FM 99.5 or http://wbai.org streaming online. AfroBeat Radio host Wuyi Jacobs has been examining many aspects of the Congo crisis for several weeks now, talking to activists and writers such as myself. During our interview, I'll talk about how the very real war over the Congo's mineral wealth shaped my novel Heart of Diamonds. We'll also discuss some of the DRC's unfortunate history and, on a more positive note, what I see needs to be done so the country can achieve its wonderful potential. Listeners will also have an opportunity to get a copy of Heart of Diamonds as a premium during WBAI's fund-drive. Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in the Congo.

With the rising howl of protest over the conflicts causing the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, it's easy for us to forget that there are other, very important reasons we should all be concerned about what happens in Congo.  I briefly spoke about "Why Congo Matters" at the 18th Annual Westchester Library System Book & Author Luncheon. 


You can hear my remarks in an mp3 file at www.heartofdiamonds.com.


As you can tell by the stillness of the room while I spoke and the applause following, the response was very gratifying.  Many of the more than 200 audience members approached me afterward to express surprise, not just at the atrocities that have gone unchecked for fifteen years but at the potential impact the DRC could have on Africa and the world if it were a peaceful, stable nation. 


Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in the Congo.

I am very pleased to be one of four authors on the program at the 18th Annual Westchester Library System Book and Author Luncheon, April 16.  I'll be speaking about Heart of Diamonds, my thriller about diamond smuggling in the Congo, as well as about the current humanitarian crisis in the country.  

Also appearing on the program will be Hallie Ephron, author of Never Tell A Lie, a tale about what we know and don't know about the people in our lives.  Marek Fuchs, another local author (he lives in Hastings, NY), will be talking about A Cold-Blooded Business, his true crime story of how to get away with murder--literally.  Multiple-award-winning author Laura Lippman will appear as well.  Her latest novel, Life Sentences, is about a memorist who explores a story about a former classmate accused of a heinous crime.

The WLS Book & Author Luncheon is held annually during National Library Week to increase awareness of the many important contributions libraries make to their communities.  I'll also be talking about my role as a WLS trustee.  

The luncheon is sponsored this year by Con Edison, Entergy, and the H.W. Wilson Foundation.  Entergy Nuclear will receive the National Library Week Recognition Award for its continued support of the WLS and its mission to ensure that all Westchester County residents have seamless access to excellent library service.

The event will be held at Abigail Kirsch at Tappan Hill in Tarrytown, NY. Tickets are $75 for general admission and $100 for a Library Patron, which includes a journal listing and special invitation to an author reception at 11:15 AM. Proceeds from the luncheon are devoted to WLS advocacy efforts to raise awareness for the 38 public libraries who are members of the consortium in Westchester County.  For more information or to purchase tickets, call 914-231-3226 or go to the Westchester Library System web site.

The crisis in the Congo is the focus of the talk I'll be giving at the Suffern Free Library Monday, March 16. I'll also read from Heart of Diamonds and show photos from my travels to Africa.

A diamond smuggling scheme drives the plot in my novel, and it represents in many ways the fight for control of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s gold, timber, uranium, copper, coltan, and other natural resources.  That struggle has caused nearly six million deaths since 1998, making it the deadliest conflict since World War II.

The talk is at 7 p.m.  The library is at 210 Lafayette Ave., Suffern, NY.

Heart of Diamonds got a four-star review at J. Kaye's Book Blog.  Among other things, J.Kaye said,

"...one of the most positive aspects of the book was Donelson’s realistic portrayal of the main characters and the warlike conditions in Africa."

For links to more reviews, visit www.heartofdiamonds.com.

Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in the Congo.

Multinational war is heightening the world's worst humanitarian crisis, the on-going struggle over the riches in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  I will be discussing the latest bizarre developments in Congo at the Chappaqua Library, 195 South Greeley Street, Chappaqua, NY, at 7:30 PM, Wednesday, February 11.  

I'll also be reading from Heart of Diamonds, my novel based on the Congo's endless struggle, and displaying some of the photos I took in Central Africa while researching the book. 

Since my last appearance (a well-attended program at the Scarsdale Library in early December), two foreign armies have marched onto Congolese soil and the already-dire situation has become even more dangerous for the civilian population.  The region's fate is balanced on ever-shifting alliances and a teetering democracy.

Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in the Congo

Radio host and suburban media maven Hezi Aris recently invited me to appear on his WVOX-AM program, "On The Level With Hezi Aria" to discuss events in the Congo and Heart of Diamonds.  An mp3 version of the program is available for download at Hezi's NY Times-recognized blog, Yonkers Tribune.

Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in the Congo.

"...this enticing tale of suspense and romance sounds like a great premise for a fictional thriller," says the Litchfield County Times.  "...the book finds itself jumping between literary invention, reality and that opaque area in between the two."

I'll be reading from Heart of Diamonds, displaying photos from my trips to Central Africa, and discussing the current situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo at 6:30 PM, Tuesday, December 9, at Gunn Memorial Library in Washington, CT. 

..
The spread of HIV/AIDS is among the many deplorable effects of the continuous violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. While the country as a whole has an estimated adult HIV prevalence of 3.2%, UNAIDS reports that prevalence of the infection among women who have suffered sexual violence in areas of armed conflict may be as high as 20%.

The eastern provinces have seen an astounding number of terror rapes–one every half hour, 24 hours every day–with a corresponding rise in HIV/AIDS.

Children are affected, too, both by infections through mother-to-child transmission and the loss of a parent to the disease. According to UNAIDS, 120,000 children under the age of 15 are infected with HIV.

While Congolese government efforts to fight the epidemic are not inconsiderable and the US provided $10.6 million specifically for essential HIV/AIDS programs to the DRC through USAID in fiscal 2008, getting assistance to the war zones is all but impossible. Over 1,000,000 people are homeless as a direct result of the fighting in the region, further complicating the delivery of essential medical services of all types.

While there is little we as individuals can do to stop the violence in the DRC, we can help its victims. One organization I support is Women For Women International, a leading force in helping women and their families re-establish their lives.

Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in the Congo