Justice, that is what drives my work. I am interested in peace and justice for all people. I wish to write empowering text that forces people to think for themselves. I believe it is important to explore all ideas and come to your own conclusions. As the Universe continues its evolution, we humans must continue to evolve as well.

Parents Choice Honor Book, ‘96; American Booksellers Association’s Pick of the Lists for ‘96; the Smithsonian Most Outstanding Children’s Book Title for 1996 & ‘98 and Publisher’s Weekly Cuffie Award, 1996; Notable Children’s Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies for 1995 & 96; selected as Children’s Book of the Year by the Bank Street Child Study Children’s Committee; Texas Blue Bonnet List; 1999 Society of School Librarians International Honor Book; a Carter G. Woodson Honor Book Award in 1999; Stepping Stones Honor Award 2000; nominated for Children’s Crown Award 2000; The Horn Book recommended title and many other public school lists. Her adult book What a Woman’s Gotta Do was the main selection for Black Expressions Book Club.The educational film, White Socks Only from Phoenix Films produced by Academy Award winning Barbara Bryant is now available and recently won the Bronze Award at the Worldfest Houston Film Festival. Coleman received screenplay credits for White Socks Only. Coleman is the recipient of the 2000 Atlanta Mayor’s Fellowship and the North Carolina’s Arts Council’s Fiction Fellowship. Her more recent works have been nominated for the Georgia Author of the Year Award and the Townsend Literary Award. Coleman also won merit fellowships to Rice University and Highlights week-long writing schools for children in 1991.

Coleman is a former President of the Southeast Chapter of Mystery Writers of America; a member of Sisters-in-Crime; Her young adult & juvenile books include, Mystery of the Dark Tower, Pleasant Company, American Girl History Mystery Series and forthcoming Born in Sin, Atheneum, March 2001 & another Pleasant Company book, Mendy's Country. Born in Sin has also been selected for the Junior Library Guild. Her second adult thriller Bloody Water and her next History Mystery will be published in 2001-2003. In addition, What a Woman’s Gotta Do has also been optioned for a feature film with Universal Studios. Coleman’s adult fiction and non-fiction have appeared in Essence, Black Enterprise, Accent On Living, Jive, Southern Exposure, Catalyst Literary Magazine, The Quarterly Black Review, the Utne Reader and numerous newspapers, including The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. Novelists, Inc.; Author’s Guild; Society of Children’s Book Writers &Illustrators; Children’s Literature Association, and on the Advisory Board of African America Writers Online Guild. She is also a frequent lecturer and workshop leader for many institutions and organizations.