The city that reads together ... as "One Book" programs mushroom, so do sales for a select few African American authors.

ONE BOOK, ONE CITY PROGRAMS IN HUNDREDS OF CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY DON'T QUITE EQUAL THE EFFECT of Oprah Winfrey's book club on the publishing world, but they bring a welcome sales boost for the lucky authors whose works are recognized.

Walter Mosley's Little Scarlet (Little, Brown and Company, July 2004) was already in paperback when Los Angeles chose the mystery novel as the one book for all Angelenos to read over three months starting in February 2005.

Little Scarlet, the eighth book in Mosley's Easy Rawlins series had sold well in hardcover, predictably…