Tina McElroy Ansa is a novelist,  publisher, filmmaker, teacher and journalist. But above all, she is a storyteller.

Her fifth novel, TAKING AFTER MUDEAR, a sequel to her bestselling second novel  UGLY WAYS and the lead title on DownSouth Press’s first list, was published in Spring 2008.   Tina McElroy Ansa grew up in Middle Georgia in the 1950's hearing her grandfather's stories on the porch of her family home and strangers' stories downtown in her father's juke joint, which have inspired Mulberry, Georgia, the mythical world which is the setting of her four earlier novels, BABY OF THE FAMILY, UGLY WAYS, THE HAND I FAN WITH and YOU KNOW BETTER.   In March 2007, Ms. Ansa launched the independent publishing company, DownSouth Press, with its focus on African-American literature -- fiction and nonfiction. DownSouth will publish established as well as emerging literary voices. In the fall of 2011, she will be publishing THE BOOK OF EPHESUS, a first novel by  Tarshia Stanley, a scholar and the chair of Spelman College’s English Department.   In April 2011, Ms. Ansa received an honorary Doctorate of Arts from her alma mater Spelman College.   Currently, Ms. Ansa and her filmmaker husband Jonee’ Ansa (AFI) who live on St. Simons Island, GA,  also are adapting BABY OF THE FAMILY as a feature film.  For more information and to reach Ms. Ansa, go to   the websites: www.tinamcelroyansa.com  www.downsouthpress.com.  Photo credit: Jonee' Ansa