Eric V. Copage, a former assigning editor at the New York Times magazine, and a former staff reporter at Life magazine and the New York Daily News, is the author of Black Pearls, the best-selling, award-winning series of affirmation books targeted to people of African descent.  He is the author of "Fruits of the Harvest: Recipes to Celebrate Kwanzaa and Other Holidays" (originally published as "Kwanzaa: An African- American Celebration of Culture and Cooking"), and in addition wrote the novella "Between Father and Son," and other books. He produced two anthologies on CD of music from the African Diaspora, and also produced a television special on black pride.

Black Pearls was lauded by Essence magazine as ". . .gems. . .on such subjects as love, courage, crisis, and creativity." Black Enterprise magazine enthused that Black Pearls had  "A little something for most of us seeking words of wisdom." The first installment of the Black Pearls series, "Black Pearls: Daily Meditations, Affirmation and Inspirations for African-Americans," won a Blackboard non-fiction Book of the Year award.

Eric’s cookbook, which also included folk tales, proverbs and inspiring biographies of black people from around the world, was praised by Essence as "a sumptuous collection of recipes from the cook pots from the African Diaspora. . .A richly illustrated reflection of the oneness of African-based cultures." The radio host Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor, writing in the New York Times Book Review, called Kwanzaa". . .the best celebration of a holiday I've ever read."

Eric is also the author of "SoulMates: An Illustrated Guide to Black Love Sex and Romance." Essence called SoulMates "A striking exploration of sexual love;" best-selling author Bebe Moore Campbell, called SoulMates "A much needed bedside manual to help get black folks in touch with Dr. Feelgood;" the web site Good Vibrations, said SoulMates is ". . .one indispensable -- and very inspiring -- love manual;" and The Source magazine lauded SoulMates as "A tasteful yet frank portrait of Black lovemaking. . .an unabashed celebration of the joys of sex."

Eric’s radio play, "A Kwanzaa Story," was broadcast on KALW-FM, a National Public Radio affiliate in San Francisco. The play was later transformed into his novella, "Between Father and Son," which the Los Angeles Times called "Potent. . .threaded through with morals and sobering life lessons without heave-handed moralizing."

Eric’s two anthologies of music from the African Diaspora, both released by Rounder Records, are "Kwanzaa Music" and "Kwanzaa Party."  Robert Christgau, the chief pop critic of the Village Voice, a weekly newspaper in New York City, called  "Kwanzaa Music" "An inspiriting, educational tour de force." The North County Times, in California, called the CD "outstanding."  Music.com said  "Kwanzaa Music," "leaves the listener with an appreciation for the richness" of African-derived cultural heritage. Christgau wrote that  "Kwanzaa Party" contained even "bigger revelations" and "just as much fun" as "Kwanzaa Music," and made "Kwanzaa Party" one of his picks for top CDs of the year. AllAfrica.com said "Kwanzaa Party" could "fuel a torrid dance party."

Eric’s television special on black pride and its relationship to Kwanzaa was broadcast on Manhattan Cable.

For over a decade, Eric was a staff editor at the New York Times magazine, where, in addition to his other assigning duties, he edited and co-created the popular Lives column, a 700-word personal essay on the last page of the magazine. Before moving to the Times, he was a staff reporter at Life magazine and at the New York Daily News. While he was at the News, he was also the music critic at Essence magazine.

Eric graduated from California Institute of the Arts, in Valencia, Calif., with a B.F.A. in ethnomusicology -- the study of music from around the world. He lives in New Jersey.